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ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday amid tensions between the two countries about U.S. military incursions into Pakistan 's tribal areas . Adm. Michael Mullen will meet with Pakistan 's new prime minister and its military chief . Adm. Michael Mullen will meet with Pakistan 's newly elected prime minister , Yousaf Raza Gilani , and Pakistan 's military chief , Gen. Parvez Kayani , Mullen 's office said . Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been tense since the U.S. military sent ground forces into Pakistan 's tribal regions earlier this month without Islamabad 's permission . The incident prompted the Pakistani government to summon the U.S. ambassador to voice its disapproval , as well as deliver a `` demarche '' -LRB- a diplomatic petition or protest -RRB- through its ambassador in Washington . Last week , Kayani announced no foreign forces will be allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan in light of the `` reckless '' U.S. military ground operation . Kayani said Pakistan 's `` territorial integrity ... will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations ... inside Pakistan . '' His announcement came amid media reports that several months ago , President Bush authorized U.S. special forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without first seeking Islamabad 's permission . Meanwhile , a suicide attack late Tuesday evening in the restive area of Swat killed three soldiers and wounded six others , the Pakistani military told CNN . Pakistan army spokesman Major Murad Khan said the driver of the suicide car bomb tried to ram the gate of a military checkpoint at a school in the Swat District . Troops shot from the check-post before the attacker reached his target , Khan said . The car exploded , and militants shot back as they ran away . The incident happened at a time when Muslims break their fasts in the month of Ramadhan . Swat militants loyal to banned religious leader Maulana Fazlullah have claimed responsibility for the attack , according to the military . The suicide attacker in the car was killed . A few others were also believed to have been killed or injured , but Khan said there were no confirmed numbers because it was dark and the militants removed the bodies of their dead and wounded . The explosion occurred at the Tutano Bandai school of Tehsil Kabal in Swat District in the North West Frontier Province . A military spokesman offer no additional details . CNN 's Jamie McIntyre and Zein Basravi contributed to this report .
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Adm. Michael Mullen to meet with Pakistan 's new prime minister and military chief . Relations between U.S. and Pakistan tense since U.S. raid in Pakistani tribal region . Suicide attack kills 3 soldiers , wounds 6 others in Pakistan region of Swat .
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-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- February 16 , 2011 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Middle East & North Africa • Washington , D.C. Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : Hey , I 'm Carl Azuz , this is CNN Student News ! Today 's show is dedicated to Mrs. Klapperich 's students in Cannon Falls , Minnesota . Thank you for your `` likes '' at Facebook.com / CNNStudentNews . Let 's get today 's show started ! First Up : Domino Effect ? AZUZ : Tunisia , Egypt , Iran , Algeria , Yemen , Bahrain . If you 've been watching the news the past several weeks , you know what these countries have in common : political unrest . People speaking out against their governments , calling for changes . What 's happening in that part of the world could certainly have an impact on other countries around the globe . During a speech yesterday , President Obama talked about the role that the U.S. might play . U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA : What happens in each of these countries will be determined by the citizens of those countries . We do want to make sure that transitions do not degenerate into chaos and violence . That 's not just good for us , that 's good for those countries . AZUZ : We 're seeing some of these same themes with these protests . They 're often organized with social media . The focus is on government leaders or policies that have been in place for a long time . But the situations are unique . And Jill Dougherty is going to show us how the U.S. has been involved so far . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . JILL DOUGHERTY , CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT , WASHINGTON , D.C. : Is this what the Obama administration hopes could be the next people 's revolution ? Iranian police clash with demonstrators on the streets of Tehran , and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton connects the dots with Egypt 's revolution . U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON : We wish the opposition and the brave people in the streets across cities in Iran , you know , the same opportunity that they saw their Egyptian counterparts seize in the last week . DOUGHERTY : As Iranian police round up activists , the State Department begins tweeting encouraging messages in the Farsi language , telling Iranians we want to join in your conversation . Just days after a revolution toppled Egypt 's longtime ruler , Hosni Mubarak , unrest is rippling through the region , and the U.S. is trying to figure out how to handle it . In Algeria , protesters clash with security forces and the State Department proclaims their support for the universal rights of the Algerian people , adding , these rights apply on the internet . The government of Syria puts a blogger on trial for espionage ; the State Department calls for her freedom . In Jordan , the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and a top State Department official meet with King Abdullah II to show support for the new government he swore in following anti-government protests . Yet nothing is settled in Egypt . Trying to muster international support , President Obama has been speed-dialing fellow leaders in Great Britain , Jordan and Turkey to help keep pressure on the Egyptian military to turn a revolution into a real democracy . Secretary Clinton called the Egyptian foreign minister and her counterparts in eight other countries . The tide of democracy opens opportunities , officials say , but a former CIA director says this is not a stack of dominoes . MICHAEL HAYDEN , FORMER CIA DIRECTOR : The challenge is how does one manage that during the transition period so that you do n't see some of the more radical and , unfortunately , those are generally the best organized groups , seizing control , capturing the revolution and taking it into a direction that 's very dark . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Medal of Freedom . AZUZ : The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor that 's given out by the U.S. government . In a ceremony yesterday at the White House , President Obama gave out 15 of them , describing this year 's recipients as `` the best of who we are and who we aspire to be . '' That includes former President George H.W. Bush , America 's 41st president , whose career of public service spanned 70 years . Georgia congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis , as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel were also given Medals of Freedom . But it was n't just politicians . Artists , like the famous poet Maya Angelou , whom the president 's sister is named after , along with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and artist Jasper Johns were honored at the ceremony . Sports legends Bill Russell and Stan Musial were also among the Medal of Freedom honorees . Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout ! What part of the human brain is associated with memory ? If you think you know it , then shout it out ! Is it the : A -RRB- Cerebrum , B -RRB- Medulla , C -RRB- Thalamus or D -RRB- Brain Stem ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! Your memory is controlled by part of your cerebrum . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Man vs. Machine . AZUZ : How does our cerebrum stack up against a computer 's memory banks ? That is the challenge playing out on `` Jeopardy! '' this week . It 's a three-day event pitting two of the show 's biggest all-time winners against a super-computer named Watson . This thing was created by IBM . The company says Watson has the processing power of 2,800 powerful computers . Watson 's developers say it 's a major step forward in the ability of machines to understand human language . That 's part of what makes this game so interesting , since a lot of Jeopardy! clues involve word play or double meanings . Host Alex Trebek described Watson 's first day of performance as `` very bright , very fast , but some weird little moments once in a while . '' Blog Promo . AZUZ : So , we 're not in The Matrix just yet . But we want to hear your take on this man vs. machine face-off . Are you interested to see if a computer can learn language ? Do you think machines could ever be as smart as people ? Head to our blog at CNNStudentNews.com , let us know what you think . This Day in History . AZUZ : It 's February 16th , and on this day in history in 1923 , British archaeologist Howard Carter unsealed the tomb of ancient Egyptian ruler King Tut . In 1959 , Fidel Castro was sworn in as the prime minister of Cuba after leading a communist revolution that overthrew Cuba 's previous leader . In 1968 , the first ever 9-1-1 call was made in Haleyville , Alabama . The answer on the other end of the line ? `` Hello . '' And in 2005 , the Kyoto Protocol , a treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions , went into effect . Inspiring Youth . AZUZ : Well , in more recent history -- like last week -- I interviewed former NFL running back Warrick Dunn . He 's known for his accomplishments on the field during 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Atlanta Falcons . But he 's also known for his humanitarian work with the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation , that helps single parents achieve their dream of owning a home . In the second part of our conversation , I talked with Mr. Dunn about what advice he has for young people . Take a listen to this . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . AZUZ : How does somebody who does that , who plays for the Atlanta Falcons , the Tampa Bay Bucs , how do you stay humble and positive through all that ? WARRICK DUNN , FORMER NFL RUNNING BACK , PHILANTHROPIST : I 've learned early in my life that treat people the same way you want to be treated . But also , I thought about my mom , her dream , her mission , how she treated people , how she wanted better for other people . I 've tried to live through her , live through her lessons in life , and I wanted to be like her . AZUZ : What would you tell some of the high school students who are watching our show , who they love what they do , they love playing , but they might not have the talent or the gift to play professionally ? DUNN : It 's a lot that goes into it . I think , first and foremost , you have to understand `` why are you in school ? '' Your focus has to be education , and I learned that early . Set yourself up , put yourself in a position to really go to the next level , and that 's get a college scholarship , graduate from college , get the degree . The game , you ca n't play the game forever . AZUZ : What advice do you have for today 's students who do n't know what they want to do ? DUNN : You can experience so many different things to really understand what you love or to find something that you 're passionate about . That 's really going out of your comfort zone and really trying new and different things . It 's all about checks and balances . It 's all about thinking about not , `` how am I going to live today , '' but `` how am I going to live 20 , 30 years down the road . '' You have to have a plan ; nothing is going to come easy . You have to work for the things that you want . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : That man was a very good interview . And we 're gon na be putting both parts of it up in the Spotlight section at CNNStudentNews.com , so keep an eye out for that . Our last story , before we go today , my very first job was bagging groceries at a supermarket . Believe that . But I do n't remember it being anywhere near this intense ! These folks are the best of the best . That 's why they 're competing in the 2011 Best Bagger National Championships . Contestants have to fill three bags with everyday items , like bread , eggs and cans . The winner , Krystal Smith from Burlington , Vermont , did it in just 38 seconds . Goodbye . AZUZ : With her superior speed and technique , that title was in the bag . But it 's time for us to check out for now . We 'll be back tomorrow with more commercial-free headlines . Hope you have a great day .
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Examine U.S. attempts to define its involvement in political unrest overseas . Consider a face-off between human and machine playing out on a game show . Find out what advice former NFL star Warrick Dunn has for students . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories .
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-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- February 11 , 2011 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Egypt • Washington , D.C. Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : I 'm Carl Azuz , and Fridays are awesome , especially when they start with a former NFL star . WARRICK DUNN , FORMER NFL RUNNING BACK : What 's up ! I 'm Warrick Dunn , and this is CNN Student News . Check it out ! First Up : Egypt in Crisis . AZUZ : Scenes of celebration turn to shouts of anger as the crisis in Egypt takes a new turn . This political unrest in the North African nation started late last month . Thousands of protesters marching in the streets , calling for a change in leadership . Their main target : long-time President Hosni Mubarak . These protesters want him out of office now . Yesterday , a huge crowd showed up in the downtown square where a lot of these protests have been going on . The people there were cheering , getting ready for a speech that President Mubarak was scheduled to make , and the rumors were that he was going to step down . During his speech , Mubarak said that he will keep his promise to leave office in the fall after new elections . He said that he 's delegating power to the vice president . And he said that he will respond to protesters ' demands . What he did not say was that he would immediately leave office . The response from the crowd in the square was immediate , and it was angry . Crowds began chanting `` get out '' as the president spoke . This is a dynamic situation ; things are changing ; they 're developing all the time . We want you to go to CNN.com for the latest updates . Is This Legit ? TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Is this legit ? The next U.S. presidential election takes place on November 6 , 2011 . Not true ! It 's exactly one year after that , on November 6 , 2012 . 2012 Contenders . AZUZ : The election might be 21 months away , but the lines are forming for people who may want to get into the race . And a convention happening right now in Washington , D.C. may offer some ideas about who will be on the ballot . It 's CPAC , the Conservative Political Action Conference . Thousands of conservatives from across the country are spending three days in the nation 's capital . They 'll hear speeches from some big names in the Republican party , and they 'll take part in a straw poll . It 's an unofficial vote , and this one includes 15 candidates . Some analysts use these polls to make predictions about who might end up running for president . Ed Henry is CNN 's senior White House correspondent ; no stranger to the presidential campaign trail . He 's here to help explain some of the pros and cons of running for the country 's highest political office . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . ED HENRY , CNN SR. . WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT : When we take a close look at the contenders for 2012 , we obviously need to include the sitting president of the United States . But while incumbency has its privileges , it also clearly brings some challenges as well . Call it the power of the presidency . Especially that 416-ton , taxpayer-financed jet that helps you rally voters , rake in millions , and grab headlines from coast to coast . JACK QUINN , DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST : When he goes into local markets -- you 've been all over with him -- he sucks all the oxygen out of the air . HENRY : Allowing President Obama to road-test a potential 2012 campaign slogan popping up on new t-shirts that say `` we do big things . '' BARACK OBAMA , PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES : We can do what this moment demands and focus on what 's necessary for America to win the future . HENRY : But incumbency also has a downside . ED GILLESPIE , FORMER RNC CHAIRMAN : They do bad things , and the policies that they 've imposed have not helped us get unemployment down to where it ought to be . HENRY : The candidate of hope and change in 2008 was largely a blank slate . Now , he has to defend a controversial record , which is why he tried to hit the reset button and focus on jobs in his State of the Union . But the crisis in Egypt is a reminder : sometimes incumbents set the agenda , other times it gets set for them . So far , there 's no sign of a serious primary challenge to the president . And he may also be helped by the Republicans ' muddled field so far . But Ed Gillespie argues that tough competition could help the GOP , just like the Democratic primary of 2008 . HILLARY CLINTON , SECRETARY OF STATE : Shame on you , Barack Obama ! HENRY : While the pundits warned that the long drama of Clinton v. Obama would hurt the party , just the opposite happened . GILLESPIE : It made Obama better when he emerged as the nominee . He was a stronger nominee for it . HENRY : By 2012 , the president will have had four years of hand-to-hand combat , this time with Republicans . The big question now is whether those battles have , once again , made him a stronger nominee . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Shoutout . JOHN LISK , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Today 's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Finn 's 6th grade social studies students in Pewaukee , Wisconsin ! Which U.S. president is known as the `` Great Emancipator '' ? You know what to do ! Is it : A -RRB- Washington , B -RRB- Jefferson , C -RRB- Lincoln or D -RRB- Roosevelt ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! President Abraham Lincoln , or Honest Abe , is also known as the Great Emancipator . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Lincoln 's Birthday . AZUZ : Lincoln got that nickname because he 's credited with freeing , or emancipating , the country 's slaves through his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 . President Lincoln also pushed for the passage of the 13th Amendment , which outlawed slavery in the United States . That was one of his big campaign issues when he ran for re-election in 1864 . And Honest Abe has a birthday coming up . This Saturday , February 12th , marks the 202nd anniversary of the birth of the 16th president . The fact that Lincoln , the Great Emancipator , was born in February is part of the reason why February was picked as Black History Month . Black History Month Quiz . AZUZ : And our commemoration of Black History Month continues today . For this quick quiz , we 're focusing on African-American inventors . First question for you : Ironing out wrinkles is a lot easier thanks to the ironing board . Who created it ? Was it George Washington Carver , Sarah Boone or Garrett Morgan ? Anwer is : On April 26 , 1892 , Sarah Boone received a patent for an ironing board made of a narrow wooden board , collapsible legs and a padded cover . Next up , something you 're probably familiar with : the pencil sharpener . Who came up with this invention ? Your choices here : Charles Brooks , Lonnie Johnson or John Love ? Here we go : It was John Love , patented his design for the pencil sharpener in 1897 . Last question , and this one 's gon na be tough . Any of you who use a hair brush with synthetic bristles , who do you have to thank for it ? Was it Madam C.J. Walker , Lyda Newman or Marie Brown ? Our last answer : Lyda Newman did n't invent the hair brush , but she was the first person to make one with synthetic bristles . You can research all of these inventors and their inventions as part of your celebration of Black History Month . And stay tuned for more coverage on CNN Student News , including our interview with Warrick Dunn , whom you saw at the beginning of today 's show . Guiding the Way . AZUZ : You hear a lot about how you 'll use what you learn in school later on in life . But there 's a group of 7th graders in Texas that do n't want to wait that long . They 're using knowledge from their robotics class right now . Shannon Murray of affiliate KOSA shows us how a class lesson turned into a lifeline for one of their fellow students . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . DANTE HALL , 7TH GRADER : In 2007 , I lost my eyesight from a bad asthma attack . The worst one I 've ever had . SHANNON MURRAY , KOSA REPORTER : An asthma attack so bad that Dante Hall not only lost his sight , but all feeling in his fingertips , making it difficult to learn braille . CLAIRE LANCASTER , CLASSMATE : He was just telling us how it 's really hard for him to get around with a cane because people jump over it and run in front of it . JOSEPH VELASCO , CLASSMATE : He only has a cane and he 's walking through the halls , and people mess with him and play around and he ca n't see anything . MURRAY : And they found the perfect way to help . CURT COWDREY , TEACHER : After I was told about his impairment and some of the abilities he does n't have , our thinking was get him in here , get him working with robotics , get his fingers to working again . DANTE : Robotics is a great class , the best class I 've ever been in . I 've got a lot of people helping me . SAMUEL HIGGINS , CLASSMATE : We 're trying to get it to go to each one of his classes , and I think he would love that . I know he will . MURRAY : Not only is Dante finding his way to class , he 's also found a group of friends . VELASCO : We 're kind of like a little bit of a family . DANTE : I have n't been happy in a long time . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Make us your home page ! AZUZ : It 's an excellent story . You can watch that -- or any of our shows -- again at CNNStudentNews.com . Just one reason why you should make us your home page . Links that take you more in depth into stories from the program . And our Spotlight section , where you can find all of our Black History Month materials . CNNStudentNews.com : a one-stop spot for everything you need . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , we want you to check out a business model that 's designed for all seasons . When the temperature gets colder , the drinks get warmer , and you end up with the winter version of a lemonade stand . The igloo supposedly maintains a steady 55 degrees . Would be a little worried that the hot chocolate might melt the walls , but I 'm sure these enterprising entrepreneurs have a solid plan in place . And it seems like they 're making at least one sale . Goodbye . AZUZ : Though you might chocolate of that up to being the only game in town . Today 's sign-off line from Facebook.com / CNNStudentNews comes from Spencer : I 'm Carl Azuz , and up next is your teacher speaking . Have a great weekend !
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Find out why scenes of celebration turned into shouts of anger in Egypt . Consider some of the challenges involved in running for the U.S. presidency . See how some Texas students are using their robotics class to help a peer . Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The 8.9-magnitude earthquake and coastline-devouring tsunami that hit Japan has led 49 countries , the European Union and even the International Atomic Energy Agency to band together and offer relief to the devastated island nation . With Japan 's death toll at 686 people , the international relief effort has been spurred by the stark , globally televised videos of homes and offices rattled to near collapse and entire waterfront communities being washed away by a rising ocean . The international community 's assistance complemented the United States ' expansive relief mission , which includes supplies , several warships , search-and-rescue teams , radiation-contamination specialists , and two officials from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with expertise in boiling water nuclear reactors . On Sunday , the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived off the coast of Honshu to support Japanese forces in disaster relief operations , the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement . Also Sunday , the Chinese government sent a 15-member team to assist in the search for survivors , Xinhua News Agency reported . The team brought with them four tons of equipment and material for the search as well to provide power and telecommunications to areas that have temporarily lost those services because of the quake . In addressing one of the bigger potential threats , the international atomic agency 's Incident and Emergency Centre has offered technical assistance to Japan in the wake of an explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant . An evacuation order for a 20-kilometer -LRB- 12.4-mile -RRB- radius around the plant is affecting tens of thousands of people . On Saturday , the United Kingdom said it was sending a team of 59 fire service search-and-rescue specialists , two rescue dogs and a medical support team , according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office . With a scheduled arrival on Sunday , the crew will immediately join the international search for survivors in shattered and inundated communities , the British office said . The teams will take up to 11 tonnes of rescue equipment , including heavy lifting and cutting equipment to extract people trapped in debris , the government said . The UK foreign office also dispatched a 10-member consular response team , including British Red Cross workers , to Japan on Saturday morning , the government said . South Korea is sending two rescue dogs , two handlers and three assistants to carry out what are expected to be dramatic searches of people inside collapsed structures . The rescue teams were scheduled to arrive Saturday , Japan 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a written statement . In China , Premier Wen Jiabao , who expressed `` deep sympathy '' to the Japanese government and people , made a formal offer of assistance . Members of the country 's international rescue team were ready to depart for Japan if needed , Chen Jianmin , director of the China Earthquake Administration , told the government 's Xinhua News Agency . The United States is providing as many 11 warships , with their helicopters , to assist Japanese authorities in rescue and recovery missions . The U.S. Agency for International Development was dispatching two urban search-and-rescue teams , one from Fairfax County , Virginia , and the second from Los Angeles County -- totaling 150 people and 12 canines trained to find survivors . They are scheduled to arrive Monday morning in Japan . On Saturday , the Japanese foreign ministry listed the 49 countries extending offers of relief , in no particular order : Australia , Taiwan , the United States , South Korea , China , Mexico , Thailand , New Zealand , Israel , Singapore , Indonesia , Azerbaijan , India , Russia , Turkey , Germany , France , Belgium , Ukraine , Slovakia , United Arab Emirates , Switzerland , Hungary , Poland , Jordan , the United Kingdom , Chile , Spain , Greece , Hong Kong , Pakistan , Denmark , Serbia , Uruguay , Mongolia , Ecuador , Iran , Kyrgyz Republic , Malaysia , Argentine , Philippines , Canada , Italy , Sweden , Kosovo , Iceland , Norway , Romania , and Slovenia .
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NEW : China sends 15-member team and four tons of equipment . Korea is dispatching rescue dogs . The International Atomic Energy Agency is offering its nuclear experts .
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Sharm El-Sheikh , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Egypt 's renowned resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh that attracts millions of tourists from around the world is growing tired of its most famous guest : Hosni Mubarak . The ousted president , say residents , is bad for business . `` We want him to leave , '' said Ahmed Fahmy , a construction worker who lives here . `` He has created a lot of problems and affected tourism . Tourism is dead now . '' Added Mohamed Nasr , who runs a limousine service : `` Everbody wants '' Mubarak to leave . `` Tourism now is no good ... My business is nothing now . '' Fahmy spoke across the street from Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital , where Mubarak has been staying under heavy police protection since prosecutors began questioning him on Tuesday . The sight of helmeted riot police forming a human chain of black uniforms around the perimeter of the pyramid-shaped hospital , contrasted sharply with the palm trees , souvenir shops and sun-burned European tourists who wander past , staring curiously at them . This week , Egypt 's general prosecutor officially detained Mubarak for 15 days in connection with the deaths of hundreds of activists during the street protests that toppled him from power on February 11 . His two sons , Gamal and Alaa , were transferred to Cairo 's Tora prison this week . Egypt 's revolution succeeded in toppling a once-untouchable dictator . But it has also crippled the country 's vital tourism industry , which according to some conservative estimates , accounts for 10 % of the Egyptian economy . Sharm el-Sheikh , an international scuba-diving and nightclubbing mecca that normally welcomes an estimated 5 million tourists a year , has been particularly hit hard . The beaches in `` Sharm , '' as locals affectionately call it , are all but deserted . The once bustling harbor in Namma Bay is mostly quiet , except for the occasional motorboat puttering past pulling squealing tourists riding inner-tubes . Hotel operators estimated they were below 30 % capacity at what is normally the peak tourist season . `` You need to be at 35 % just to break even , '' said Mohamed Abbas , manager of the Iberotel Lido Hotel . In the last half of February , the hotel was at 6 % to 8 % capacity . Abbas estimated the current free-fall in tourism receipts is worse than decline after three deadly bombings in Egypt 's Sinai in 2004 , and after a series of shark attacks last November . British tourist Jane Dixon said she did n't think twice about bring her teenage son and daughter to Sharm el-Sheikh . `` Its no different from the possible threat in London , '' she said , sitting in a rooftop swimming pool with a view of the Red Sea . `` You 're just as likely to get blown up riding the Tube , '' she added , referring to London 's subway system . Still , the political instability gripping Cairo kept Dixon from visiting the pyramids . Her 15-year-old son , Josh , was surprised to see the cordon of riot police outside of the Sharm el-Sheikh 's hospital . `` It was pretty cool , '' he said . `` I did n't know the president was staying there . There are scary guards all over the place . So I feel pretty safe . '' Asked why tourists stopped coming , hotel and nightclub operator Adly El Mestekawy had one simple answer : the revolution . `` For the first time in the history of Egypt for 7,000 years a pharaoh is being investigated . His whole family is being investigated , '' Mestekawy said . But Mestekawy , who says he opened the first grocery store and hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh when it was little more than a desert campground in the 1980s , hopes Egypt 's largely peaceful revolution will pay off in the long run . `` Egypt is no longer enslaved . Egypt is free and open to the world through peaceful means , '' he said . `` This will bring tourists back in large numbers and this is what the country needs . '' Egypt still has a long way to go before its security forces embrace transparency . Secret police accosted a CNN camera-man as he was filming a sunset over the Red Sea on Friday . Without showing any identification , the plain-clothed officers tried to confiscate the camera before finally being convinced no state secrets had been filmed . Not far away , workers outside a souvenir shop called out an often-repeated motto to passing tourists . `` Welcome to Egypt , '' they said .
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Tourism workers say Mubarak 's presence has hurt business . He is receiving treatment at a Sharm el-Sheikh hospital . Mubarak 's police protection contrasts with tourism vibe .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California Republican official has apologized for sending an e-mail that depicts President Barack Obama as a young chimpanzee . `` To my fellow Americans and to everyone else who has seen the e-mail I forwarded and was offended by my action , I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior , '' Marilyn Davenport said in a statement obtained by CNN . Davenport , who is a Tea Party activist and an elected member of the central committee of the Republican Party of Orange County , said she felt the e-mail was a joke , CNN affiliate KTLA reported . The e-mail contains a doctored photo of what appears to be a family portrait of two adult chimpanzees posing with a young chimpanzee with Obama 's face pasted on it . The caption that ran with the photo says `` Now you know why no birth certificate , '' the affiliate reported . Davenport said she would not repeat her error in the apology that included two Bible passages . `` I am an imperfect Christian lady who tries her best to live a Christ-like honoring life , '' the statement said . `` I would never do anything to intentionally harm or berate others regardless of ethnicity . So I ask for your forgiveness , for I am truly sorry . '' Despite criticism , Davenport told the affiliate that she does not need to resign her position because of the e-mail . Scott Baugh , chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County , said he was surprised by the e-mail . `` There 's no question the e-mail is racist . The only question is what was in Marilyn 's heart , what was her intent . But I do n't think there 's anybody on her committee or anybody in the world really that does n't see it as a racist , '' Baugh said on CNN 's `` AC360 . '' Baugh said he feels Davenport should resign . `` The bottom line is being sorry for something and having a sincere apology does n't undo the action , it does n't stop the consequences , '' Baugh said . `` There 's still consequences for what she 's done and what she 's done will continue to bring controversy to my party so I 'm inclined to think at this time that she should still resign from the committee . '' Watch Anderson Cooper 360 ° weeknights 10pm ET . For the latest from AC360 ° click here .
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New : A Republican chairman says Marilyn Davenport should resign . The e-mail contains a doctored photo of a young chimpanzee with Obama 's face on it . Davenport says that sending the e-mail was `` unwise behavior '' Despite criticism , the official says she does not need to resign .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ailing German champions Bayern Munich thrashed second-placed Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 on Sunday to boost the club 's hopes of European Champions League football next season . Germany international striker Mario Gomez scored a first-half hat-trick for the 22-time Bundesliga winners in a victory which saw the Bavarians climb into the third and final qualifying position for Europe 's premier club competition . The 25-year-old scored his treble between an early Simon Rolfes own-goal and a late strike from French winger Franck Ribery , with Switzerland striker Eren Derdiyok restoring some pride for Jupp Heynckes ' team . Leverkusen , four-times German runners-up but not since 2002 when the club also lost in the Champions League final , could have closed to within two points of league leaders Borussia Dortmund . But Dortmund instead moved eight points clear with a 3-0 victory over Freiburg in Sunday 's late match . Heynckes , who has coached Bayern on two previous occasions , is set to move to the Allianz Arena next season as a replacement for sacked Dutch coach Louis van Gaal . Van Gaal guided Bayern to a domestic league and cup double last season , also losing in the Champions League final , but the 59-year-old lost his job after last weekend 's draw with Nuremberg . Bayern , currently under caretaker boss Andries Jonker , are now one point ahead of fourth-placed Hannover -- who drew 0-0 at Hamburg on Saturday -- with four games left . The opening goal against Leverkusen arrived after just seven minutes when Bastian Schweinsteiger headed a Thomas Muller corner onto the unfortunate Rolfes , who deflected the ball beyond goalkeeper Rene Adler . Gomez grabbed a second in the 28th minute when Chile 's Arturo Vidal made a mistake with a backpass , before 2010 World Cup golden boot winner Muller grabbed his second assist of the match as he teed up his teammate at the far post a minute before halftime . Gomez claimed the match ball with his 22nd Bundesliga goal this season in first-half stoppage time , before Derdiyok found the roof of the net for the visitors just past the hour mark . A neat move between Ribery and Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten led to Bayern 's fifth and final goal with 15 minutes remaining . Borussia Dortmund , seeking a first title since the club 's sixth success in 2001-02 , had few problems at home to eighth-placed Freiburg . Defender Marcel Schmelzer burst to the byline and cut the ball back for 18-year-old Mario Gotze to open the scoring in the 23rd minute , then Dortmund playmaker Nuri Sahin limped off with a knee injury . Striker Robert Lewandowski made up for two earlier misses with the second goal just before halftime , with the Poland international pouncing after Freiburg 's Omer Toprak deflected a pass from defender Mats Hummels into his path . Kevin Grosskreutz sealed victory in the 78th minute with his 15th goal in all competitions this season after Lewandowski released Gotze and the teenager squared the ball to the 22-year-old .
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Bayern Munich beat title hopefuls Leverkusen 5-1 to move into third in the Bundesliga . Bayern need to finish in the top three to qualify for next season 's Champions League . Germany striker Mario Gomez scores first-half hat-trick for the defending champions . Borussia Dortmund go eight points clear of second-placed Leverkusen .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal have announced the death of director and shareholder Danny Fiszman , just three days after he agreed to sell his stake in the Premier League club to Stan Kroenke as part of the deal which allowed the American to complete his takeover . Fiszman , who joined the Arsenal board in 1992 , died at the age of 66 at his home in Switzerland after a long battle with throat cancer . In a statement on Arsenal 's official website , chairman Peter Hill-Wood said : Danny Fiszman was a visionary director , a gentleman and a true Arsenal fan . Kroenke nears takeover of Arsenal . `` We are all deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend Danny . His voice , wisdom and presence around the football club he so dearly loved will be sorely missed . `` Arsenal Football Club will forever be indebted to Danny for his invaluable foresight and contribution during the move from Highbury to our new stadium . `` Our thoughts at this time are with Danny 's wife Sally , family and friends . We have lost a much loved husband , father , grandfather and friend . '' Fiszman , who made his wealth in the diamond industry , was ranked as the 348th richest person in Britain by the renowned Sunday Times Rich List in 2008 -- prior to moving to Switzerland . His decline in health was athought to be the main reason for his decision to sell his 16.11 % stake of the club to Kroenke .
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Arsenal director and shareholder Danny Fiszman dies at the age of 66 . The news comes just days after Fiszman sold his Arsenal stake to Stan Kroenke . Kroenk ' e purchase of Fiszman 's 16.11 % stake allowed him to launch club takeover .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number three Roger Federer exited the Monte Carlo Masters at the quarterfinals stage to Austrian Jurgen Melzer Friday . Melzer was securing his first victory over the 16-time grand slam champion as he ran out a 6-4 6-4 winner at the prestigious clay court event . It was the earliest defeat for Federer in a tournament this year , ending his hopes of claiming the Monte Carlo title for the first time after being beaten three times in the final by Rafael Nadal . He has drawn blank since claiming the ATP season-opener in Doha , Qatar . Federer had breezed to the last eight , but was always struggling against Melzer in blustery conditions . Melzer broke for 3-2 in the opening set after an errant Federer forehand and held on to close it out . Blog : Can Sharapova return to the top ? The second followed a similar pattern , with Federer unable to capitalize on his seven break points in the match as the seventh seed went through . Melzer was delighted to finally get past his old nemesis in such convincing fashion . `` He beat me three times last year and I did n't even win a set , '' he told AFP . `` But many things went well for me , my shots worked well . When he had break points I was calm and served well . `` I did well on the big points and played my game . '' Federer shrugged off his defeat as he now takes a two-week break before the Madrid Masters in his build-up to the French Open next month . `` I do n't think I played terrible , it was OK . Obviously , it was still the first week of clay , so I do n't expect myself to play my very best . If I had , it would be a pleasant surprise , '' said the second seed . Melzer will now play world number six David Ferrer after the Spaniard saw off 11th Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-3 6-3 in an earlier match Friday . There was no stopping world number one Rafael Nadal , bidding for his seventh straight title in Monte Carlo , as he swept aside Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-1 6-3 to reach the last four . Nadal will face off against Britain 's Andy Murray for a place in Sunday 's final after the number three seed continued his fine run with a 6-1 6-2 dismissal of Portuguse qualifier Frederico Gil in just over an hour .
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Roger Federer beaten in quarterfinals of Monte Carlo Masters by Jurgen Melzer . Melzer wins 6-4 6-4 to earn a semifinal meeting with Spain 's David Ferrer . Rafael Nadal crushes Ivan Ljubicic to stay on course for seventh straight Monte Carlo crown . Andy Murray next up for World No. 1 after he beat Frederico Gil 6-2 6-1 .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two mothers expressed outrage Friday night that their young children -- about 1,000 miles away and days apart -- were inadvertently given alcohol by servers at franchises of national chain restaurants . Jill Vanheest , whose 2-year-old son was given sangria on March 31 at an Olive Garden in Lakeland , Florida , told HLN 's Jane Velez-Mitchell that she 's having difficulty accepting what happened . `` They poisoned my child right in front of me , '' Vanheest said Friday . `` There are n't really words for how distrustful that makes me feel , how angry I am . '' Just over a week later , on April 8 , Taylor Dill-Reese said that her 15-month-old son was given alcohol during a meal -- rather than the apple juice he 'd ordered -- at an Applebee 's in Madison Heights , Michigan . She said that the staff there explained that the boy got the wrong drink due to a mix-up at the bar , after containers for apple juice and margarita mix -LRB- which has tequila and triple sec -RRB- were somehow switched . This week , Applebee 's issued a statement apologizing to the parents of Dominic Wilson Jr. `` for the stress and worry this caused them . '' It vowed to immediately retrain servers on the company 's `` beverage pouring policy '' and change to pouring apple juice only from single-serve containers , like a juice box . `` We recognize our responsibility to constantly assess our safety policies and procedures to ensure they are rigorous and consistently followed , '' the Kansas-based chain said . `` We believe today 's strong actions make a statement to our guests of all ages around our commitment to provide a safe and enjoyable dining experience . '' But Dill-Reese told Velez-Mitchell on Friday that she 's not convinced . The mother , who is 18 and was at the restaurant with her son and fiance , said she was particularly angry given that a similar incident happened before at Applebee 's -- namely , a 2006 case in which a 5-year-old boy was given a Long Island iced tea , which contains rum , gin , vodka and tequila , at a New York City establishment of the national chain . `` it 's just sad , the simple fact that this is n't the first time this happened -LRB- or -RRB- that they were going to change the way they were going to serve drinks , '' the mother said . `` Why wait two , three kids later to change the way you serve drinks ? What if my son was the one that died ? '' Steven Krawitz , a personal injury attorney who represented the family involved in the 2006 case , told HLN that -- whatever Applebee 's and other restaurant 's promises to change their policies for serving drinks to children -- a parent should never rely on a server fully when their son or daughter gets a beverage . `` The parent , unfortunately , can not now trust what used to be a no-brainer , '' Krawitz said . `` Restaurants are serving drinks for kids , millions of drinks , but now , given this sort of rash of ... unavoidable or unacceptable mistakes , the parents now have to test the drink . '' Police were called to the Applebee 's in Michigan after Dill-Reese and her fiance noticed Dominic acting strangely -- `` saying ` hi ' and ` bye ' to the walls -LRB- and -RRB- laid his head down like he was sleepy , then woke up and got really hyper , '' recalled the mother . Once a server told the parents that the boy was given margarita mix , he was rushed to the hospital , where Dill-Reese said he had a blood-alcohol limit of .10 . Applebee 's , though , said that Madison Heights police conducted a field test and found the drink itself only registered a .014 alcohol level . While Dill-Reese has already filed a lawsuit against Applebee 's , Vanheest said she has not decided whether to do the same against Olive Garden . Vanheest claims that her son , Nikolai , ordered an orange juice and started drinking it . But then a waiter `` came over and said there 's been a mistake , grabbed the cup and kind of scurried away . '' Meanwhile , her son `` was not acting like himself '' -- climbing in and out of his high chair and people 's laps , not responding to requests to calm down , and `` just getting louder and louder . '' When the restaurant 's staff admitted that the boy had gotten sangria , which contains wine , the child was brought to the hospital . After some struggle , he was given intravenous fluids and had his blood drawn before being checked and eventually released . `` He ended up with a lot of bruises , '' Vanheest said . After the incident came to light , Olive Garden released a statement in which it called the incident `` unacceptable . '' The chain , which is headquartered in Orlando , Florida , said `` we have implemented a change in our procedures to prevent this situation from happening again '' -- though it did n't detail what those changes were . `` We take the responsibility that comes with serving alcohol seriously , '' the statement said . `` As much as we strive for perfection , this was an unfortunate case of human error . '' But Vanheest , the toddler 's mother , said she 's not yet ready to forgive . `` Just that their disorganization allowed this ever to happen -- it 's extremely frustrating , '' she said . `` I 've lost all trust and all faith in them . '' Watch ISSUES with Jane Velez-Mitchell Monday through Sunday at 7pm ET on HLN . For the latest from ISSUES click here .
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A Florida mother says of Olive Garden : `` They poisoned my child right in front of me '' Her toddler was taken to the hospital after being served sangria at a Florida restaurant . 8 days later , a Michigan boy was served alcohol at an Applebee 's franchise . Both chains apologized and vowed to change their drink-serving policies .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Faced with some of driest conditions Texas has seen in nearly a century , firefighters around the state are struggling to fight off what a forest service official on Sunday called the `` perfect storm for wildfires . '' April Saginor , a spokeswoman with the Texas Forest Service , said crews were having difficulty getting hundreds of blazes under control due to a rare combination of strong winds , unseasonably warm temperatures and low humidity . Conditions this spring are the driest they 've been in Texas since 1917 , she claimed . Authorities have responded to 7,807 fires across more than 1.5 million acres since this year 's wildfire season began , Gov. Rick Perry wrote in a letter late Saturday to President Barack Obama requesting that the federal government declare Texas a disaster area . These have affected all but two of the state 's 254 counties . On Sunday , some 1,300 personnel representing 34 states were on the front lines battling these fires . And , unless there is a drastic and sustained change in conditions , Saginor said she expects the fight to continue for several months more . `` We 're looking at this as a marathon , not a sprint , '' she said . `` We 're very committed to this . '' To that end , Perry 's request to federal authorities -- which he made late Saturday and announced Sunday -- was an attempt to expedite federal assistance . `` I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments , and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary , '' the governor wrote in his letter to Obama , sent through a Texas-based Federal Emergency Management Agency official . Saginor noted that rural areas and more populated areas like Austin have been affected -- though she added that there have been no civilian casualties and problems with numerous evacuations that have taken place . The governor noted that one firefighter has died and 18 others have been injured , while 244 homes have been destroyed and another 8,514 threatened residences `` saved . '' `` The wildland fire risk potential has reached a critically high level , '' Perry said . These conditions `` present a serious hazard to the lives and property of the citizens of the state . '' New and evolving wildfires prompted three sets of evacuations Sunday , all while crews tried to prevent further damage all around the state . The Texas Forest Service announced in a statement that , as of 2:15 p.m. Sunday , people were being ordered to evacuate from Strawn and other parts of Palo Pinto County and Caddo in Stephens County . Strawn 's population of 764 , the forest agency said , is endangered by a fire fanned by strong winds and fueled by `` extremely dry '' conditions in north central Texas . People in other parts of Palo Pinto County , including those in about 300 homes and a campground in the Peninsula on Possum Kingdom Lake , have also been told to leave . Saginor explained that these actions are part of a trio of nearby fires that , collectively , have burned 55,000 acres . Numerous resources -- including three helitankers -LRB- helicopters that dump water -RRB- , two Blackhawk helicopters and three 20-man crews -- have been brought in , she said . A 2,200-acre fire imperiled Caddo , where 40 people lived in 2000 , according to the Texas State Historical Society . Two hours later , the forest service noted that evacuations were `` in progress '' in Travis County , home of the state capital of Austin . That fire , while smaller than many others at 60 acres , raised alarms as it crept near 100 homes , 10 businesses and Austin Community College . The forest service update , posted online at 4:19 p.m. Sunday , said `` extreme fire behavior is being exhibited , '' though no additional information was immediately available . Mother Nature did n't appear to be doing firefighters any favors . Sustained winds in many locales were blowing 20 to 25 mph from the south this weekend , and gusting even stronger . And the long-term forecast did n't look much better . The forecast in Palo Pinto County for instance , called for high temperatures in the mid-90s through Tuesday , according to the National Weather Service . In Austin , temperatures are expected to hit or surpass 90 all week . `` With the winds that we 've got today , it 's hard to be aggressive with any suppression activities ; it 's just too dangerous to get in front of that type of fire , '' Texas Forest Service spokesman Marq Webb told CNN affiliate WFAA . `` The fires we 're experiencing in some cases are moving four or five miles an hour . That 's the length of a football field every minute . '' As of Saturday , Texas Forest Service personnel were responding to at least 14,758 acres of new fires -- five of them major -- that broke out during the day . A blend of potent winds , dense growth of flammable material and low humidity have made this a challenging season for firefighters in the state , with 195 Texas counties banning any burning in a bid to prevent more blazes . The biggest of the new fires Saturday was in Jack County , where more than 150 homes were threatened and ultimately saved in the town of Bryson , according to the forest service . That 7,500-acre fire was 40 % contained as of 11 a.m. Sunday . A 1,440-acre fire in Trinity County burning in mostly pine forest 20 miles northwest of Livingston and 800 acres that imperiled 40 homes in Tyler County some 10 miles northeast of Kountze were both 50 % contained . Two Blackhawk helicopters , from the National Guard , were called in to assist with the latter blaze , the Texas Forest Service said . Some 1,850 acres in Cisco were threatened by a new 1,400-acre fire in Eastland County that was 75 % contained , and forces had batted down an even higher percentage of the 2,000-acre blaze burning in Young County , six miles northeast of Graham . All these blazes paled in size to several others elsewhere in Texas . The biggest this season has been the so-called Rockhouse fire that spanned more than 182,000 acres in Presidio and Jeff Davis counties . That blaze , which destroyed 23 homes and two businesses , is 70 % contained . In Coke County , north of San Angelo , crews had only managed to contain 10 % of 130,000 acres of what 's being called the Wildcat fire . The Texas Forest Service said late Sunday afternoon that this blaze was moving north and northwest , making it a threat to the county seat of Robert Lee and its 1,171 residents . New resources were brought in this weekend to fight this fire , with the state agency saying crews planned to approach it from the south . Another major wildfire centered in Cooper Mountain Ranch -- spanning 152,000 acres in Kent , Stonewall and Fisher counties -- was half-contained as of Sunday morning , with shifting winds the previous day pushing the flames toward Camp Springs . CNN 's Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report .
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NEW : A forest service spokeswoman says conditions are the driest since 1917 . One fire Sunday spurs evacuations and threatens a college in Travis County , near Austin . Governor asks for help , saying the wildfire fight `` is beyond the capabilities of the state '' Texas authorities have battled 7,807 fires over more than 1.5 million acres so far this season .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will face compatriot David Ferrer in Sunday 's final as he seeks a remarkable seventh successive title at the Monte Carlo Masters clay-court event . The Spaniard had to battle for almost three hours before overcoming third seed Andy Murray , whose hopes of a first win on the surface against Nadal were ultimately hampered by an elbow injury . Nadal finally triumphed 6-4 2-6 6-1 to set up a clash with Ferrer , who reached his first final in the principality with a 6-3 6-2 win over Roger Federer 's conqueror Jurgen Melzer in Saturday 's opening semifinal . Murray 's participation was in doubt before the first serve as he needed a pre-match injection , and he required lengthy treatment in the deciding set at 3-0 down -- having been denied it after the previous game due to tournament rules . He told reporters that he will have a scan on Sunday to determine the extent of the injury . Can Murray become a grand slam champion ? The British player has restored his confidence in this tournament , coming into it on a four-match losing streak after early exits in Miami , Indian Wells and Rotterdam following his Australian Open final defeat by Novak Djokovic . The world No. 4 had lost both previous clay clashes with Nadal and was seeking to redress a 4-9 career record against a player whose only defeat in Monte Carlo came in his first appearance in 2003 . `` It 's good to know you 're able to play at a similar level to what he does on the clay . To win against him , you need to be able to do that for three and a half hours , four hours . He 's the best player in the world for a reason , '' Murray said . `` It 's good to be close to him , but I want to try to play better than that . I 'll need to , if I want to beat him , because he 's going to improve the next few weeks the more he plays on clay . '' Nadal , the first man to win an ATP Tour event six times in a row , is seeking to extend his record of Masters Series titles to 19 following hard-court final defeats in Miami and Indian Wells by Djokovic -- who missed this tournament due to injury . He bounced back after dropping an early service game and won four in a row before Murray leveled at 4-4 . Nadal held to take the lead and then broke Murray as the 23-year-old conceded the set with a backhand error . The Scot bounced back well , hitting 13 winners to Nadal 's three as he won the second set , but he could not maintain that momentum in the decider . It was only the sixth time Nadal had lost a set in 39 matches at the tournament . Fourth seed Ferrer lost to Nadal in the semifinals last year before being beaten again by him in the final of the Rome Masters . The 29-year-old , a semifinalist in Melbourne in January , reached his third final of 2010 having won on clay in Mexico 's Acapulco and on hard-court at Auckland , New Zealand . Ninth-ranked Melzer was playing in his first Masters Series semifinal , having become the first Austrian to reach the last-four stage in Monte Carlo since clay-court legend Thomas Muster 15 years ago . Is Sharapova back as a real contender ? Meanwhile , women 's Fed Cup champions Italy face an uphill battle to reach this year 's final after losing both rubbers on the opening day of the semi against Russia in Moscow . World No. 3 Vera Zvonareva thrashed Sara Errani 6-0 6-2 in Saturday 's first singles match , then two-time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova battled past Roberta Vinci 6-2 6-7 -LRB- 4-7 -RRB- 6-1 . Zvonareva , making her first appearance in the teams competition since helping Russia to a fourth title in 2008 , can clinch victory in the best-of-five tie by beating Vinci in Sunday 's opening reverse singles tie . Italy have won it the past two years , but went into this match without top-ranked players Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta . The other semifinal between Belgium and the Czech Republic was level at 1-1 in Charleroi . The home team were without injured world No. 2 Kim Clijsters , and her replacement -- the 106th-ranked Kirsten Flipkens -- lost 6-2 7-6 -LRB- 7-4 -RRB- to No. 18 Petra Kvitova in the opening match . The Belgians , beaten by Italy in the 2006 final and winners for the first time in 2001 , drew level when world No. 23 Yanina Wickmayer triumphed 6-4 6-4 against Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova .
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Rafael Nadal through to seventh consecutive Monte Carlo title match . No. 1 is looking to bounce back after two Masters Series final defeats in the U.S. He will face fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in Sunday 's final , having beaten Andy Murray . Fed Cup champions Italy trail 2-0 to Russia in semifinal of women 's teams event .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Heavy rains that began early in January in northern central Namibia have reached staggering proportions , with 80 people drowned and half a million others affected directly or indirectly , officials said . President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared a national emergency in all six northern regions on March 28 . The affected region is in the Cuvelai Basin , which drains southern Angola via a complex of streams that typically result in an annual flood called the efundja , which is named for the fish that spawn in spring . This year 's efundja has resulted in the wettest year since systematic measurements started in 1891 , with rainfall in affected areas nearly double the normal average . Government figures cite 263 school closures , with a total of 320 affected , leaving 114,000 schoolchildren shut out of their classrooms . Up to 40 health clinics are under water , and more than 100 health mobile outreach points have been made inaccessible as a result of damage to roads and bridges , according to the World Health Organization . In addition , roads , bridges , homes and staple crops in all six northern and northeastern regions in Namibia have been destroyed , according to UNICEF . They represent some of the country 's poorest areas . The Red Cross Society of Namibia estimates that 500,000 people have been affected , with the densely populated central-northern regions -- Omusati , Oshona and Ohangwena -- hit worst . But other areas are also threatened , as rivers -- including the Zambezi -- drain southern and central Angola . Forecasters predict areas like Caprivi , which is about 500 kilometers -LRB- 310 miles -RRB- east , may experience more flooding by next week . About 40,000 people have been displaced , some 10,000 of whom have been accommodated in 68 camps set up by the government , officials said . The death toll is expected to rise as water-borne diseases , mainly malaria , are predicted to spread . The Red Cross and the U.N. 's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are appealing for help , and the U.S. government and some European countries have made donations . OCHA said in its southern Africa flood and cyclone report , published Wednesday , that 2011 marks the third consecutive year of heavy rains in the region . The result is that the water table has risen and that `` flood water levels are unlikely to recede for the next three to six months . '' More rain is expected . Journalist John Grobler contributed to this report .
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80 people reported drowned ; death toll expected to rise as diseases spread . 40,000 people have been displaced ; roads , bridges , homes , crops destroyed . Flooding has closed schools , cut off access to health facilities . Namibian president has declared a national emergency .
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Kaduna , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigerians voted for president Saturday , a week after parliamentary elections were marred by violence and accusations of fraud in Africa 's most populous nation . Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan is the presidential front-runner despite a poor performance in the parliamentary and senate elections by his People 's Democratic Party . The former vice president assumed office after President Umaru Yar ` Adua died last year following treatment for a kidney ailment in Saudi Arabia . Jonathan has led the nation of about 150 million people since May . About 73 million people are registered to vote . His main challenger -- former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari -- was a contestant in the past elections in 2003 and 2007 . Buhari is the candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change . Other candidates include Nuhu Ribadu and current Kano state Gov. Ibrahim Shekarau . A CNN iReporter in Lagos , who gave her name as Jan Young , said she expected the race to be tight . `` If the incumbent president wins , it wo n't be a landslide victory but a fair split between the ruling and opposition parties who campaigned for our votes . I also expect our nation would demand accountability from whoever wins at the end of the day , '' she wrote . The winner will face tough challenges in the former British colony that has been mostly under military rule in its 50 years of independence . For starters , to avoid a runoff , the winner must get at least a quarter of the vote in two-thirds of the 36 states and the capital . The ruling party has a tradition of alternating power between the mostly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south after two terms in office . The rhythm was broken when Jonathan , a southerner , succeeded Yar ` Adua during his second term in office . Some ruling party leaders have demanded a candidate from the north . Saturday 's voting was largely peaceful , except for a bomb that exploded in northeastern Nigeria early in the day . The blast was in Maiduguri city in Borno state , according to a spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency . Gunfire also rang out in that city , the spokesman said , but there were no immediate reports of casualties . The relative calm stood in contrast to the violence that marred the country 's parliamentary elections last week . During that vote , separate bomb blasts ripped through a polling station and a collation center in northeastern Nigeria . Human Rights Watch has estimated that at least 85 people have been killed in political violence so far . A new election chief promised free and fair elections , but the electoral commission was forced to put off elections earlier this year by a week after logistical problems , including party logos missing from ballot papers , were reported nationwide . It was a major setback reminiscent of the nation 's 2007 elections , which the European Union described as filled with rampant vote rigging , violence , theft of ballot boxes and intimidation . Nigeria , Africa 's most populous country and its largest oil producer , is a major supplier of crude oil to the United States , and hosts many Western oil companies and workers . Nigerians voted April 9 for 360 House of Representatives seats and 109 Senate seats . After the presidential election on Saturday , a gubernatorial vote will be held on April 26 . Nigerians are working to harness the power of the internet this year to demand accountability and encourage citizens to get involved in the voting process . The west African nation has 43 million internet users -- the largest in Africa -- and they are increasingly using Twitter , Facebook and blogs to report cases of voting problems during the election season .
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The voting was largely peaceful . Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan is the front-runner . His lead comes despite a poor performance in the parliamentary vote last week . His main challenger is former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California Republican official on Wednesday apologized once again for sending an e-mail depicting President Barack Obama as a chimpanzee , but insisted she was not motivated by racism . `` To my fellow Americans and everyone else who saw that e-mail and was offended , I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness for my unwise behavior , '' Marilyn Davenport told reporters gathered before the Orange County Republican Party headquarters in Fullerton , California . `` I say unwise because I did n't stop to think about the historic implications of what I was sending . '' `` Unintentionally I have offended many , '' Davenport added . `` Knowing what I now know , I would never have sent the e-mail . '' Davenport recently found herself in a storm of controversy after forwarding an e-mail she says she received from a friend . It contained a doctored photo styled like a family portrait , showing two adult chimpanzees and a baby . The younger chimpanzee had a photo of Obama 's face superimposed over the animal 's face . The caption that ran with the photo read , `` Now you know why no birth certificate . '' The chairman of the Orange County Republican Party , Scott Baugh , called for her resignation in a Twitter message posted on the group 's website . California 's Democratic Party has also demanded that Davenport step down . But during Wednesday 's news conference , Davenport said she would not resign her post , citing an overwhelming number of appeals she has received from her constituency asking her not to do so . She represents the state 's 72nd Assembly District for the Republican Central Committee . When queried by reporters about who she may have offended , Davenport responded , `` I assume that I offended the black people . And having friends that are black I never intended for that , not at all . '' Davenport said repeatedly that she is not racist , a sentiment echoed by her husband , Dick , who stood at her side as she faced reporters . `` We 've been involved in many interracial activities , '' he said , `` and we have no animosity toward any person . '' The e-mail in question , according to Davenport , was political satire . `` I do n't think i would consider it racist , '' she told reporters . `` It 's a political satire . Pretty much about bringing up the birth certificate , or lack of it . It was n't about black , white or other . I had no intention of doing anything that would be racist . I guess I 'm political and I thought of it only in a political stance . '' Davenport went on to say that the e-mail grabbed her attention because of concerns she has about where Obama was born and where he went to school . `` I am concerned , knowing the responsibility of a president , that we should know these things , should n't we ? There are some that are really adamant about it and I wonder why he does n't tell us . ... From what I hear in the media , he 's not brought forth his college records and his birth certificate . '' Davenport is referring to claims made by what is called the `` birther '' movement . These groups believe that the president was not born in the United States and his birth certificate is a forgery , making him ineligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution . Obama and his staff produced copies of his birth certificate when he was running for president in 2008 . Despite her professed concerns over his place of birth , Davenport addressed her apologies directly to Obama . `` To the president , I would say absolutely that it was inappropriate and absolutely I would not do that again . ''
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Marilyn Davenport apologizes once again for forwarding e-mail . The e-mail contained a doctored photo of a chimpanzee with Obama 's face on it . Davenport insists she is not racist and that she thought the e-mail was `` political satire '' Davenport says she was focused on concerns about where the president was born .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A plane carrying Michelle Obama had to abort its landing on Monday after it came too close to a military C-17 cargo plane ahead of it , according to a senior administration official and the Federal Aviation Administration . The planes -- which were both trying to land -- were three miles apart , when they are supposed to be five miles apart , the official told CNN . The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what went wrong , as it is believed to be an air traffic controller mistake , the official said . The White House does not believe the first lady 's life was ever in danger , the senior official said . The FAA said in a statement controllers at Andrews Air Force Base instructed an incoming Boeing 737 to perform a `` go around '' `` because the plane did not have the required amount of separation '' behind the military plane . Air traffic controller caught watching movie on duty . The FAA is investigating . `` The aircraft were never in any danger , '' the agency said . The landing was briefly aborted and Obama 's plane had to circle , the official said . Obama was actually on a C-40 , a military version of the 737 that was part of the Air National Guard -- not the regular Air Force fleet used by VIPs at Andrews , said Maj. Michelle Lai of the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base . What it 's like to be an air traffic controller . The FAA did not want Obama 's plane to be caught in the `` jet wash , '' of the C-17 as it landed , Lai said . That refers to the force of the air from the back of the C-17 . `` It 's important to know the FAA made the right call and at no time was the first lady 's life in danger , '' Lai said . When the Potomac TRACON , the regional radar facility , handed off the plane to the Andrews Air Force Base tower , the planes were three miles apart , a government official told CNN . `` Both facilities knew how far apart they were '' at the time of the handoff , the official said . But the official declined to say why the hand-off occurred . Plane clipped by tractor-trailer at Boston airport . The TRACON could have slowed Obama 's plane down or order it to turn earlier , the official said . Why that was n't done is under investigation . But `` it was a controlled situation , '' the government official said . The National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information on the incident and will be making an assessment to determine whether it will investigate more closely . CNN 's Ed Henry , Jeanne Meserve and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report .
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The FAA says the aircraft were never in any danger . The incident happened Monday at Andrews AFB . Obama 's plane had to circle again before landing .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Military prosecutors have recommended the death penalty for the accused mastermind of the deadly 2000 bombing of the destroyer USS Cole . The announcement Wednesday from the Defense Department is another signal the case against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri will be moving closer to trial before a military commission . As one of 16 `` high-value '' detainees , he has been held for years at the U.S. Navy 's detention facility at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . If approved , this would be the first death penalty trial in the reconfigured military trial system . Intelligence sources have said al-Nashiri headed al Qaeda operations in the Persian Gulf region before his 2002 capture by U.S. intelligence agents . CIA Director Michael Hayden confirmed six years later that al-Nashiri and two other high-value terror suspects were subjected to waterboarding , a harsh interrogation technique . The chief prosecutor recommended capital charges against the 46-year-old Saudi native . He has been formally recharged with planning the bombing attack on the U.S. Navy vessel , which was in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen . Two suicide bombers rammed a garbage barge full of explosives into the USS Cole during a refueling stop . Seventeen sailors were killed , and 47 others were injured . The blast left a 40-by-40-foot hole in the port side of the Norfolk , Virginia-based guided-missile destroyer , which was carrying a crew of 293 . Al-Nashiri also is charged with heading the aborted attack on the destroyer USS The Sullivans that same year . The decision to formally move ahead with the prosecution had been expected for weeks , ever since Defense Secretary Robert Gates in January lifted a previous order that had prevented any new cases from moving forward . The final decision about whether the death penalty can be pursued is now in the hands of retired Vice Adm. Bruce McDonald . In military terminology he is the convening authority of the military commissions , the equivalent of a civilian criminal court . The American Civil Liberties Union , however , said the `` broken military commissions system '' should not be used to try al-Nashiri . `` We are deeply disturbed that the Obama administration has chosen to use the military commissions to try a capital case in which much of the evidence is reportedly based on hearsay and therefore not reliable enough to be admissible in federal court , '' said Hina Shamsi , director of the ACLU 's National Security Project . `` Allowing hearsay is a backdoor way of allowing evidence that may have been obtained through torture . `` All of our concerns about the inherent unfairness of the military commissions are compounded in cases like this one , in which the result could be death , '' Shamsi said . `` The Constitution and international law rightly require enhanced protections in death penalty cases , but the military commissions are incapable of providing those necessary protections . '' Yemen had separately sentenced the man to death in absentia for his alleged role in the Cole attack . His four-year custody in secret overseas CIA prisons before his 2006 transfer to Guantanamo is expected to be a key point of contention in any trial , since al-Nashiri did not have access to legal counsel for months nor had any charges been filed against him . It is unclear what rules of evidence the government could present that would withstand judicial scrutiny . Military justice rules allow al-Nashiri to have defense counsel represent him . He was charged in December 2008 before a military commission in Guantanamo , but the charges were suspended a few months later when the Obama administration took over and sought a fresh review of all detainees at the overseas prison . Later that year Attorney General Eric Holder announced al-Nashiri , alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and several other key terror suspects would face prosecution in the military justice system . The Obama administration had considered transferring some terror suspects to the United States for prosecution in either special military or civilian courts . But the president earlier this month announced all prosecutions would be in military courts in Guantanamo . The CIA has admitted tapes of al-Nashiri 's interrogation at a secret location in 2002 were destroyed in 2005 . Waterboarding involves strapping a person to a surface , covering his or her face with cloth and pouring water on the face to simulate the sensation of drowning . Critics have called it torture . Destruction of CIA tapes sparked concerns . During his Combatant Status Review Tribunal -- a preliminary court proceeding -- at Guantanamo in March 2007 , al-Nashiri acknowledged knowing al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and said he had accepted money from him . But bin Laden gave many people money to help them get married or conduct businesses , al-Nashiri said . Al-Nashiri said he is not a member of al Qaeda , according to the 4-year-old documents . He said he knew the perpetrators of the bombing because he had business dealings with them in the fishing industry . The suspect said he `` was tortured into confession , and once he made a confession his captors were happy and they stopped questioning him , '' according to a statement read during a 2007 hearing . `` Also , the detainee states that he made up stories during the torture in order to get -LRB- the torture -RRB- to stop . '' In addition to Mohammed , charges could be forthcoming against Ahmed al-Darbi -- a Saudi man accused in the failed plot to bomb oil tankers in the Straits of Hormuz ; and Obaydullah , an Afghan accused of planting explosives . The last military execution was in 1961 , involving a U.S. Army private who had been convicted of rape and attempted murder of an Austrian girl . CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence contributed to this report .
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Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri is charged with planning the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole . Seventeen sailors died and 47 were wounded . The chief prosecutor is recommending capital charges against al-Nashiri . He will be tried before a military commission at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Evelyn Einstein , who spent the last years of her life trying to fight for money generated by her late grandfather Albert 's estate , has died , her close friend said Wednesday . The friend , Allen Wilkinson , said the two had just started to work on her memoirs . `` She always said her grandfather was n't this great god of science , to her he was just Grandpa , '' Wilkinson said . Einstein had been ill for years suffering from heart problems and diabetes . She died at her home in Albany , California , last week , Wilkinson said . Albert Einstein made many contributions to modern science , but it 's the videos , bobblehead dolls and Halloween masks using his image that continue to generate millions of dollars long after his death . Evelyn Einstein told CNN she had n't received a dime from the marketing and sales of Einstein merchandise , while others have profited . `` I 'm outraged , '' she told CNN in a February interview , adding that she was a 69-year-old cancer survivor and needed the money for health care . `` It 's hard for me to believe they would treat the family the way they have , which has been abysmally . '' Her grandfather , the German-born physicist who formulated the general theory of relativity , bequeathed the literary rights for the more than 75,000 papers and other items in his estate to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem when he died in 1955 . The Israeli university also owns the rights to his likeness , using a Los Angeles-based company called Greenlight LLC to handle licensing for items such as Einstein apparel , mugs , puzzles , coins , posters and other collectibles . `` What does a bobblehead have to do with a literary estate ? '' asked Evelyn Einstein , who said she had been ignored by the university in her requests for an arrangement that would allow her to profit from the sales . Just recently she had begun preparations to sue the university . The school responded with a statement saying , `` Einstein left all of his intellectual property , encompassing his literary estate and personal papers , to the Hebrew University , including the rights to the use of his image . '' The statement added that `` the income of the university from the use of his image is dedicated to scientific research . '' Greenlight spokesman Dan Perlet said the company has strict guidelines covering the dozens of annual requests to license the Einstein name , including ones from Disney and Baby Einstein . It asks whether the companies seek to promote the scientists ' values , intellectual curiosity and innovation , Perlet said . Einstein , known for his wry sense of humor when he was alive , is paid homage in an animated television show called `` Little Einsteins '' long after his death . The show , which airs on Disney Playhouse , has generated DVDs , books and toys . The famed physicist was crowned Time magazine 's person of the century in 1999 , where he was described as `` the pre-eminent scientist in a century dominated by science . A memorial service for Evelyn Einstein is planned for June . She requested that her ashes be scattered in the Berkeley , California , marina .
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Einstein 's granddaughter had been fighting for money from his estate . Evelyn Einstein had been ill for years with heart problems and diabetes . She had gotten nothing from the use of Albert Einstein 's image on apparel , mugs , etc. .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in the Mexican north-central state of Durango have confirmed the discovery of 26 bodies in a mass grave . According to the Durango State 's Attorney 's Office , the bodies were found in a residential area in the capital city of the same name . Officials say the bodies found late Wednesday were already badly decomposed and so far they have n't been able to identify the victims . The bodies were found in a lot apparently belonging to an auto shop located in the residential area known as `` Las Fuentes . '' According to local media reports , four other bodies were found on April 11 , but the Durango State Attorney 's Office did not immediately confirm that information . Crime scene pictures obtained by the Diario Contexto de Durango newspaper after the bodies had been removed show shallow mass graves right next to a brick wall . The area had already been cordoned off by authorities . The grisly discovery comes in the same week that authorities in Tamaulipas , a Mexican state that shares a border with Texas , confirmed they have so far found 116 bodies in multiple mass graves . Fifty-nine bodies were originally found on April 6 in eight mass graves in the town of San Fernando , located 90 miles south of Brownsville , Texas . As the investigation widened , authorities kept on finding more bodies , some in groups of several dozen . Sixteen San Fernando police officers were arrested last week for allegedly protecting those responsible for the mass graves that had been uncovered , according to the Mexican attorney general 's office . Martin Omar Estrada Luna , an alleged drug kingpin nicknamed `` El Kilo , '' was captured last Saturday in connection with the mass graves . According to officials , Estrada is a presumed leader of Los Zetas . The Mexican drug cartel has operated for years in the area of San Fernando . The investigation in Tamaulipas began after reports of bus passengers in northeastern Mexico being forcibly removed from buses and taken away by heavily armed men . Another 72 bodies were found in San Fernando last August . They were identified as the remains of Central and South American immigrants on their way to the United States . Another presumed member of Los Zetas identified as Jose Manuel Garcia Soto was arrested earlier this month as a suspect in the death of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata . Zapata and his partner were ambushed in the state of San Luis Potosi while traveling from the northern city of Monterrey to Mexico City . His partner survived .
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Mexican authorities uncovered a mass grave in the north-central state of Durango . Twenty-six badly decomposed bodies were found . Authorities have not been able to identify the victims . Authorities in Tamaulipas had said they had found 116 bodies in multiple graves .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Even before he was officially declared president , Michel Martelly was making the rounds in Washington . The bad boy of Haitian music was not going to waste a minute in starting the job of a lifetime , something particularly daunting in Haiti , where past administrations stand accused of massive corruption and fraud . His supporters say they elected him for being an outsider . They believed his promises that he would lead his nation out of despair . Now he appears ready to show them tangible proof that Haiti is finally moving forward . He said he had already begun doing just that on his trip to Washington . `` The message I am carrying back is that the international world , the financial institutions are ready to back up this new government , '' Martelly told CNN Thursday as he prepared to return home . `` It is important to rebuild confidence and trust in this process , '' he said . `` And that can only be done through transparency . '' As a first step , Martelly proposed setting up an e-governance system that would enable ordinary Haitians to access information on a website and even post complaints or expose fraud anonymously . `` We will also do it by example , '' he said . `` The government has not served its people . It has been 14 months since the earthquake and people are still living in tents . '' Martelly met Wednesday with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and officials at the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Banks . Those meetings came before Haiti 's election council officially declared him the winner Wednesday night with 67.67 % of the presidential vote , finally ending a balloting process that began in late-November and was drawn out by irregularities . Martelly responded to the announcement on Twitter . `` Begin to take our tools , to clean our country , to get to work , '' he said in Creole . Speaking to reporters Thursday at the National Press Club , Martelly said his meeting with Clinton was `` productive . '' `` We discussed ways of streamlining U.S. aid to Haiti , '' he said . `` We will ... strengthen our partnership with the United States and its people . As President Barack Obama and Secretary Clinton stated many times , we need to strengthen the capacity of Haitian institutions so they can answer to the needs of the Haitian people . '' Martelly 's candidacy was unexpected -- he was better known as Sweet Micky , the kompa singer with flamboyant stage presence . He appealed to voters who had grown weary with the status quo and what they perceived as a lack of progress after the devastating 2010 earthquake . `` The reconstruction process is despairingly slow , '' he said Wednesday , citing it as a key complaint of the electorate . `` This is why recovering and restarting the economy is a fundamental necessity for my government . '' Since the earthquake , Haiti has received more than $ 1 billion in donations from Americans through several non-governmental organizations . In addition , the U.S. government has provided some $ 1.5 billion in aid . Signs of renewal are appearing in Haiti 's capital , Port-au-Prince . On Wednesday , lawmakers there received a temporary parliament building in place of the nation 's Legislative Palace , which was demolished after the earthquake . But `` Haiti today is the republic of NGOs , '' Martelly said Thursday . `` The state has been weakened and this must change . We need to build up the state 's institutions while making the valuable work of the NGOs more effective . '' `` My focus , as I promised during my campaign , is to revive and modernize Haiti 's economy as its new president and provide free access to education , moving people out of tents by jump-starting reconstructions and focusing on the agricultural sector , '' he said . After their meeting , Clinton pledged U.S. support for progress in Haiti , referring to Martelly by his campaign nickname : Tet Kale . `` Now I 'm told the literal translation of that slogan is bald head , which does n't need any further explanation , '' she said after meeting with him . `` But Tet Kale is also an expression that means all the way . And the people of Haiti may have a long road ahead of them , but as they walk it , the United States will be with you all the way . Initial results in the first round of voting put Martelly in third place and ousted him from a runoff . But after weeks of review , the final results ranked him second . He was then able to defeat former first lady Mirlande Manigat in the runoff election . Martelly will be inaugurated May 14 in Port-au-Prince . He said one of his first actions as president will be to nominate high court judges . Creating an independent judiciary will send an important signal , he said . `` We have to establish a rule of law , '' he said . `` We want justice for everyone . '' Martelly admitted the tasks ahead seem herculean in nature . But he is determined to seize upon the moment . `` I am excited to take command and make the right decisions for my country , '' he said . CNN 's Padmananda Rama and Journalist Allyn Gaestel contributed to this report .
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Martelly says he will set up an e-governance system to stave corruption . He was officially named the winner of the presidential vote . Even before that , he was meeting officials in Washington . He faces many challenges in ensuring progress for the quake-devastated nation .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For some survivors of the Deepwater Horizon disaster , escaping the inferno of the doomed rig made them feel like they 'd cheated death . But living with the scars of what they witnessed that night , and the memory of the 11 men who perished when the rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana a year ago , has in many ways taken their lives away . `` I remember feeling invincible when it first happened . I remember driving in my truck on the way home after the rig exploded and -LRB- I -RRB- pushed the gas -LRB- pedal -RRB- to the floor and never let off it , '' says Daniel Barron . But the high Barron felt from surviving did n't last long . `` You have that guilty conscience of , ` Okay , I made it , that 's great , but then these guys did n't . ' Was there something I could have done to save more people ? '' Barron says his guilt is compounded by physical and mental issues that are a result of the disaster . He suffers from memory loss , and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression , according to medical records provided to CNN . He witnessed one of his good friends , whom he calls a `` fallen brother , '' die right in front of him when a second explosion rocked the rig . `` It literally picked him up ... like a child would throw a toy ... and he ended up bouncing off of the pedestal for the crane , '' he told CNN 's Anderson Cooper shortly after the disaster . `` Just to see him get blown up like that , I mean , it was , it 's heart-wrenching , '' Barron said . Barron says one night , the psychological pain and the guilt of surviving when so many friends did not , became overwhelming . `` I had a 6-shot pistol and I just wanted it to be over , '' he says . His wife discovered him playing Russian roulette and persuaded him to hand over the gun before it was too late . Douglas Brown , one of Barron 's fellow survivors , also speaks of the guilt of surviving the disaster . `` I am thankful that I , I made it out alive but a lot of times , I do n't -- there 's a lot of times where I feel I should , I should have died there too , along with my friends , '' Brown said . Like Barron , Brown has been diagnosed with multiple mental issues including PTSD , traumatic brain injury , depression and anxiety , according to medical records . A third survivor , Matthew Jacobs , says he thinks of the 11 victims of the Deepwater Horizon every day and wakes up screaming from nightmares where he 's re-living the explosions . `` It 's something that I just ca n't quit , you know , get out of my head , '' he says . Jacobs first told the story of his harrowing escape to Cooper in the weeks after the disaster . He expected to die as his lifeboat , which was being lowered 75 feet down from the rig , was filling with smoke and started to free-fall after another explosion . `` I prayed for my family to let God know that I love my wife and that I love my kids , '' he said . In the year since , Jacobs and his wife have started divorce proceedings because of his mental issues including , post-traumatic stress disorder and depression , he says . Those mental issues are also corroborated by medical records provided to CNN . All three survivors say their physical and mental injuries have left them unable to work and they 're suing their employer Transocean for lost wages and pain and suffering . While technically still employees , they have not set foot on a rig since the disaster and their employer stopped paying their salaries last December . They accuse Transocean of valuing profits over safety prior to the accident , and of valuing minimizing monetary losses over the welfare of its employees after it . In a statement , Transocean responded to their allegations writing : `` From the first hours , Transocean has focused on providing support for its employees and the families of those who were lost aboard the Deepwater Horizon , including continued full pay and benefits for eight months following the incident and professional counseling for those in need . Today , more than one third of the Deepwater Horizon crew are back to work at Transocean and the entire company continues to be inspired by their courage and commitment . '' Transocean still pays for some of the three survivors ' health care costs and gives them a small monthly stipend for room and board as required by law . The survivors were offered an additional six months of pay to drop any claims , but they declined , according to legal records provided to CNN . On the anniversary of the disaster , the survivors say they hope to one day put the accident behind them but also hope people never forget the 11 men who died that night on the Deepwater Horizon . `` I would ask people just to remember them and pray for their families , because I know those families are still suffering , '' Brown says . Watch Anderson Cooper 360 ° weeknights 10pm ET . For the latest from AC360 ° click here .
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Survivors say the scars from the disaster have taken their lives away . Medical records : Survivors have been diagnosed with multiple mental issues . One says he wakes up screaming from nightmares . Transocean says its focus is on providing support for employees .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pirates seized an Italian-flagged vessel off the Horn of Africa on Thursday morning , the European Union 's anti-piracy taskforce said . The ship was seized 350 nautical miles southeast of the Omani port city of Salalah , in the eastern part of the Gulf of Aden , said the European Union Naval Force Somalia . It had a crew of 22 on board : six Italians and 16 Filipino nationals , the naval force said . The force did not have information on the crew 's condition or the pirates ' demands . On March 28 , pirates firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades seized an oil tanker in the same area . The UAE-flagged vessel was on its way to Singapore from Sudan when it was attacked . CNN 's Christine Theodorou contributed to this report .
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The ship is seized off the coast of Oman . It has a crew of 22 on board . Another ship was seized in the same area last month .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When most people go to Hawaii , they head to the beach to relax and get a tan . Sarah Vowell locks herself in historical libraries . The result of that sun-free research is her latest take on history , `` Unfamiliar Fishes . '' `` I came to Hawaii because it had been attacked , '' she writes in her book , referring to her visit to the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor , after she compares the combination of foods she was eating for lunch to the ethnic variety of the current Hawaiian citizens . She acts like a tour guide on a trip through time -- stopping at this place and that in Hawaii to expound on historical events -- often flavoring the accounts with personal anecdotes or wry comments . When writing about Hawaiian royals in 1819 dropping one taboo on what women could eat , she notes , `` As a female carnivore , I 'm delighted that half the population was freed to eat pork . '' Exploring U.S. history in a very chatty tone and with personal asides has put several of Vowell 's books on bestseller lists . In `` Assassination Vacation , '' she dipped into the times of political violence that claimed the lives of U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln , James Garfield and William McKinley . In `` Wordy Shipmates '' she wrote about the English Puritans that settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony . The author , essayist and frequent public radio commentator can hold her own against the quick wits of TV political satirists John Stewart and Stephen Colbert as she proved on her latest book tour . With her writing , Vowell says she aims to put a human face on the people from the past . She describes the bloody tactics that Kamehameha the Great used to end more than a century of warfare and establish the Hawaiian monarchy in 1810 . Like a tourist she also details how her 8-year-old nephew twists his underwear into a loincloth and performs `` an amusing if insensitive impression '' of the warrior . Vowell finds the pluck of the New England missionaries admirable for their willingness at barely 20 years old to leave home , family and country to sail to `` the most isolated island chain in the world '' aboard a ship `` so crappy it made the Mayflower look like the QE2 . '' But their mission to convert the heathens to Christianity does not impress the self-described godless heathen author . She opines `` there 's not much difference between Jehovah and Ku -LRB- except that once a year the Hawaiian god of war actually takes time off -RRB- . '' Vowell describes the native hula dances -- including one that is accompanied by chants praising the genitals of the king -- as part of an `` academic nearly-religious spiritual tradition that is incredibly rigorous . '' There are so many rules on behavior , land management , fishing and other areas that Vowell describes the Hawaiian culture as very conservative . So to her , the disagreements between the missionaries and the Hawaiians about what was proper behavior , `` was like watching two kind of conservative traditions squaring off . '' She admits that she especially likes writing about historical characters that she did n't like -- including a man who faked being a Mormon leader as he unsuccessfully plotted to establish his own Pacific empire . But one of her favorite scenes to write about was the funeral procession of King Liholiho who had died along with his wife from measles during a trip to visit King George IV in England in 1823 . Their bodies were returned to Hawaii aboard a British Royal Navy frigate commanded by the seventh Lord Byron , a cousin of the late poet . Vowell describes a `` fantastical scene '' of all these people participating in a procession through Honolulu : Hawaiian royals in Western clothes , nine other Hawaiians in yellow-feathered war cloaks , British Royal Navy officers in their uniforms and the missionaries in their black wool outfits . And then there were native Hawaiian guards who were wearing a variety of western garb - but who apparently did n't understand the need for pants . Vowell says the changes in the years that followed mostly had a negative impact on the Hawaiian people . Much of their land fell into the hands of the sugar plantation owners , the descendants of the missionaries overthrew Hawaii 's last monarch and despite the natives ' petitions and pleas -- U.S. politicians maneuvered to turn the kingdom into a U.S. territory . But while the results are somewhat sad , she says , learning more about the meetings of strangers in history has always intrigued the traveler in her . `` There 's this part of me that wants to leave home and wants to see something new and wants to meet new people , '' she muses . `` Maybe that is how I , too , will meet my doom . ''
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Sarah Vowell 's latest book explores the history of Hawaii and how it became a state . She describes missionaries and natives as two conservative groups squaring off . Although sad in many parts , she says Hawaiian history is fascinating .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you ever feel overwhelmed at work , imagine breaking up fights and taking a puck to the face while trying to earn a not-so-great salary . Alex Stagnone 's face once needed eight stitches while on the job , but he quickly returned to the ice , ready for another 20 minutes of relentless action . `` That 's hockey , '' is a common response from any player when suffering sport-related injuries . But Stagnone , 23 , is a linesman with the ECHL , the NHL 's double-A league . `` Ninety-five percent of hockey players would n't take our job , '' said hockey official Graham Skilliter , referring to the lower pay , heavy travel schedule , verbal abuse and stiff competition for a coveted officiating position in the NHL . Skilliter is an ECHL referee or `` the boss on the ice . '' They make all final decisions on calls , penalties and disputed goals . Linesmen follow the action , break up fights , call minor penalties and drop the puck . Officials face a crowd of hockey fans who will never be satisfied with every call -- and fans are n't shy about voicing it . `` You get booed a lot , but you learn to like it . You get so used to it , it kind of becomes comical , '' Stagnone said , adding he tries not to take it personally . After growing up playing hockey , Stagnone attended one of USA Hockey 's weeklong summer camps taught by seasoned supervisors . He then worked his way up through the tiered levels of hockey . Joe Ernst , director of Officiating for the ECHL , hires skilled skaters with good judgment who are hungry for a spot in the NHL and are physically and mentally tough . While the hockey players get regular line changes , officials only get a real break every 30 minutes . `` Our general rule of thumb is to be in as good of shape as the players , if not better , '' Skilliter said . `` The players will be out for 45 seconds and go red line as hard as they can . For us , it 's more of a marathon . '' During the playoffs under way now , the officials face more pressure than normal because their calls could land an important player in the penalty box or disallow a goal . So each call could have an affect on who wins the league title . Both referees and linesmen need thick skin to deal with angry coaches and players over disputed calls . `` You have to stay professional no matter how unprofessionally someone may treat you . It 's keeping your cool when most people would lose it , '' Stagnone said . Officials also have to anticipate plays before they happen . It 's called `` hockey sense , '' and it ca n't be taught , Skilliter said . Successful officials tune into their hockey sense by blocking out personal off-ice issues at all times , he said . Once a full-time fireman , Skilliter , a 26-year-old Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , native , now regularly travels from East Coast to West Coast . `` When we have days off , we call them ` GTL ' or gym/tan/laundry days , '' Skilliter said . `` At our level , if we do n't work , we do n't get paid , so we try and stay as healthy as possible . '' Since becoming a full-time official this season , Stagnone has worked 94 games between the ECHL and the slightly more skilled American Hockey League . Working developmental leagues required him to live in Omaha , Nebraska , for the last two years . This season , Stagnone relocated to Greenville , South Carolina , to work as one of 69 linesmen for the ECHL 's southeastern teams . The men are competing against others in the field for a narrow chance in the NHL while making little pay ; officiating in the lower leagues may seem like it has little to recommend itself as a career . Skilliter recommends having a solid back-up career in place , because leagues can only hire a few guys at a time . If you ca n't imagine not wearing the stripes , ask about officiating at your local hockey rink . `` You can have a career where you work 9 to 5 , but it 's not near as exciting as this , '' Skilliter said . `` There are no guarantees . You have to put your life on hold and you never get to go home . You have to be a little nuts . '' The pressure of making quick judgments on disputed goals or penalties is part of officiating life , but never so much as right now during the playoffs . `` In the playoffs , when the crowd gets going and there have been some big hits and things are going crazy , you do n't know what to expect next , '' Stagnone said . `` That 's when you just kind of think to yourself , ` Wow , this is a pretty good job . ' ''
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Getting hit by pucks and breaking up fights is just one challenge for hockey officials . Developmental leagues hire skilled skaters with good judgment , hungry for the NHL . While the hockey players get regular line changes , officials get a break every 30 minutes . `` Hockey sense , '' anticipating plays before they happen , is a must for officials .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN colleagues have been paying tribute to the network 's former Jerusalem correspondent Jerrold Kessel , who died Thursday at age 65 after a long battle with cancer . Kessel was a tireless reporter in a troubled part of the world . `` Jerrold worked for CNN for 13 years from 1990 to 2003 during some of the most spectacular highs and lows of the Middle East and was one of the network 's regular reporting faces from the region , '' said Jerusalem Bureau Chief Kevin Flower . `` He was a passionate journalist and a guiding force for many he worked with . '' Kessel was born in South Africa and moved to Israel as a young man . He was a widely published print reporter who worked for the Jerusalem Post and Israel Radio before joining CNN as a field producer , then correspondent and deputy bureau chief . He led CNN 's viewers through events ranging from the Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians , to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin , Israeli elections and the intifada . A portly man with a fuzzy white beard , Kessel 's gentle appearance and warm friendly manner gave no hint of his inner intensity . He was known to colleagues for his seven-day-a-week commitment to the story , his voluble personality and his insider 's knowledge of Middle East events . `` Jerrold was an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian story , and managed to explain the complicated politics of the Mideast on our air for so many years , '' said Parisa Khosravi , CNN 's Senior Vice President of international newsgathering . CNN Anchor Jim Clancy , a former Beirut correspondent well-traveled through the region in his own right , said he also benefited from Kessel 's experience . `` Jerrold always went out of his way to help others understand the context of the story and shared his knowledge and his sources unselfishly . '' Kessel 's encyclopedic knowledge of the region made him a favorite of CNN producers when news broke . As the network scrambled to figure out the story , Kessel could vamp on air as long as needed . `` If the producer said in his ear , ` keep going ' there would be a hint of a smile , and he would keep right on going , '' said CNN Senior Editorial Director Richard Griffiths . Even faithful viewers would probably be surprised to learn that Kessel was devoted to cricket , his vegetarian diet and more profoundly , to his family . He is survived by his wife , son and four grandchildren .
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CNN 's former Jerusalem correspondent Jerrold Kessel dies from cancer . He covered the Oslo peace accords , Yitzhak Rabin 's assassination and the Palestinian intifada . CNN anchor Jim Clancy : He went out of his way to help others understand the context . He is survived by his wife , son and four grandchildren .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- California Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled Thursday that two autopsy photos of Michael Jackson can be submitted as evidence during the upcoming trial of Dr. Conrad Murray , a person inside the courtroom told CNN . Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter . Authorities allege that he gave Jackson propofol , a surgical anesthetic drug , that combined with several sedatives found in his blood to kill the singer on June 25 , 2009 , the Los Angeles County coroner has said . Jury selection in Murray 's trial began last month and will continue into early May . Opening statements and testimony are scheduled to begin May 9 . Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley and his team had filed a motion Tuesday to allow jurors to see the photos , arguing that California courts `` permit -LRB- prosecutors -RRB- to admit autopsy photographs , as they are relevant , -LRB- that -RRB- will illustrate the testimony of witnesses and will enhance the jury 's understanding of the prosecution 's case . '' The photographs will be `` properly redacted as deemed appropriate , '' the prosecution said . `` These limited photographs will help demonstrate that Michael Jackson was generally in excellent health and that , while thin , his body weight was within the normal range , '' the prosecution said in its motion , adding that the medical examiner and other experts may reference the autopsy photos during the trial . The defense has argued that Jackson self-administered the propofol in a desperate attempt to get sleep before a rehearsal . Murray told investigators he was trying to wean Jackson off propofol in the last days of his life , but that he used it along with other drugs to help the pop star sleep that last morning . The defense claims that the singer 's dermatologist , Dr. Arnold Klein , injected Jackson with powerful painkillers dozens of times in the last months of his life , unknown to Murray . The Medical Board of California and Los Angeles County coroner investigated Klein after Jackson 's death , but he was never charged , and no action was taken to revoke his medical license . Earlier this month , Michael Jackson 's dermatologist was ordered to give copies of the pop star 's medical records to Murray 's attorneys . Defense attorney Ed Chernoff argued he needed the financial and medical information to make the case that Jackson , who he said was `` a desperate man in many respects , '' gave himself the fatal dose of surgical anesthesia while the doctor was not watching . Judge Pastor did not order estate executors to give the defense detailed financial information about money the singer owed when he died . But he did say that Jackson 's former business manager , Tohme Tohme , must testify in Murray 's trial .
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NEW : `` Properly redacted '' photos will show Jackson `` in excellent health , '' prosecutors say . A California judge rules 2 Jackson autopsy photos can be admitted as evidence . They will be part of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray , who is accused in Jackson 's death . Murray contends that Jackson personally administered the fatal dose of a drug .
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Los Angeles -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A hearing in Charlie Sheen 's custody battle with estranged wife Brooke Mueller took place Tuesday in private , despite a request from the actor 's lawyer that reporters be allowed to witness the proceeding . While the results were sealed by the judge , Mueller was smiling broadly as she left court , in contrast to a stone-faced Sheen . Los Angeles County , California , Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg granted Mueller 's request for privacy , agreeing with her lawyer that the publicity would not be good for the couple 's twin 2-year-old sons . About an hour after he entered the courtroom , the actor departed , strolling down the hallway with a woman on one arm and lawyers and guards surrounding him . He looked straight ahead as he moved to a non-public elevator for a departure from the basement garage . Mueller , surrounded by cameras and reporters as she left the courthouse , smiled but said little . Asked how she was doing , she said , `` Excellent , now let 's go home . '' She then pushed through the scrum of media toward her limo . Sheen detoured Tuesday from the East Coast leg of his `` Violent Torpedo of Truth '' stage tour to ask Goldberg to award him full custody of the boys after Mueller failed to appear for a drug test that was required under their child-custody agreement . As he arrived Tuesday night in Washington for a performance , Sheen told a crowd of about 30 people gathered outside that he could not talk about his custody battle and did n't know the current status of his legal battle with Warner Bros. television over his firing from the CBS sitcom `` Two and a Half Men . '' His performance was pushed back an hour as he was traveling cross-country from the hearing . `` I was about to make a phone call and see how that thing went today , '' Sheen said . `` I just landed , got a police escort from the airport . We ran more red lights than Brooke Mueller going to a pawn shop . '' At the California hearing , Sheen 's lawyer , Mark Gross , had argued that Mueller was `` a dollar short and a day late '' in asking for the case to be sealed since she did not ask the same last month when she accused Sheen of threatening to kill her . `` Now that she has failed to appear for a test , she wants it sealed , '' Gross said . But Goldberg was unmoved . `` I do n't think it would be in the best interest of the children to be exposed to that material , '' he said . While the couple reached a custody agreement before filing for divorce last year , they have argued recently over visitation arrangements . The dispute boiled over in early March when Mueller asked for a restraining order , swearing in a statement that Sheen had threatened to kill her . `` I will cut your head off , put it in a box and send it to your mom , '' Mueller said that Sheen told her . The assertions were made in a court document that resulted in a court order that removed Sheen 's sons from his home . In an interview the next day with NBC 's `` Today Show , '' Sheen denied that he had threatened Mueller . The quote against him was fabricated , he said , calling the allegation `` colorful . '' Sheen launched his nationwide stage tour last month after Warner Bros. fired him . Sheen 's lawyers were also at another hearing Tuesday morning . A judge will decide if the actor 's legal battle with the studio over his firing will be heard in open court or in arbitration . CNN 's Jessica Rosgaard contributed to this report .
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NEW : Charlie Sheen arrives in Washington , says he ca n't discuss custody battle . `` Excellent , now let 's go , '' says the actor 's estranged wife as she approached her limo . Sheen wanted Tuesday 's hearing open , but Brooke Mueller wanted it private . Sheen and Mueller are fighting over the custody of their twin sons .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In April , Inside the Middle East discovers how some of the region 's most creative artists are being inspired by current events taking place in the Middle East . Egyptian artists inspired by the revolution . We visit Art Dubai to talk to Egyptian artists who interrupted their work when revolution came to Tahrir Square and repainted the country 's political landscape . Inspired by the events they witnessed in person , the artists have been given a new perspective on their world and their work . Jordan 's cartoon commentary . In Jordan we meet two brothers whose political cartoons have raised chuckles from Amman to Abu Dhabi . Graffiti in Lebanon . Continuing the fraternal theme we travel to Beirut to encounter identical twins Omar and Mohammed Kabbani , who believe a spray can is more powerful than an AK-47 as they deliver social messages through graffiti , music and fashion . Web creativity inspired by revolutions . Millions are watching the internet for parodies of political leaders including Mubarak , Gadhafi and Ben Ali . We embark on a web search for the funniest clips . Watch the show at the times below -LRB- all GMT -RRB- : . Wednesday 30 March , 6 April : 0730 , 1730 Saturday 2 April , 9 April : 0730 , 1230 , 1830 Sunday 3 April , 10 April : 0530 , 1730 Monday 4 April , 11 April : 0330 .
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Artists are being inspired by current events taking place in the Middle East . In Jordan , two brothers are getting a laugh with their political cartoons . In Beirut , the Kabbani twins deliver social messages through graffiti , music and fashion .
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Toronto -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two men authorities say played a key role in a 2009 al Qaeda plot to bomb packed New York subway cars now face charges in Canada , although their whereabouts are unknown , police said Tuesday . At a news conference in Winnipeg , Canadian police accused Ferid Imam , a former student at the University of Manitoba , of training Najibullah Zazi , the Afghanistan-born New Yorker who has pleaded guilty to trying to bomb the city 's subway system . Imam was identified by the New York plotters as a weapons instructor who went by the name of `` Youseff , '' police said . `` This extensive and thorough national security investigation has provided us with the evidence we require to lay criminal charges , '' said Bill Robinson , assistant commissioner with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . Imam , 30 , is charged with instructing to carry out terrorist activity and conspiracy to participate in the activity of a terrorist group . Another Canadian , Maiwand Yar , 27 , was charged with conspiracy to participate in activity of a terrorist group and participation in the activity of terrorism . Yar is also a former student at the University of Manitoba . Imam and Yar are now the subjects of an international manhunt that is believed to include the CIA . Canadian authorities said the Canadians left their homes in Manitoba in 2007 , bound for Pakistan , in order to train for and carry out terrorist acts against NATO forces in Afghanistan . Robinson said the investigation is ongoing . `` We continue to work with Canadian border services and domestic and international security partners on this matter , '' he said . Canadian authorities confirm to CNN that their Pakistani counterparts provided help to them during the investigation , but they now have no firm leads on the whereabouts of the two men . `` Are they still alive ? There 's been no proof of life for more than a year , '' Gilles Michaud , the RCMP 's assistant commissioner , told CNN . Police believe the suspects were in the tribal areas of Pakistan about a year ago , but have had no credible intelligence about their whereabouts since then . Canadian counterterrorism and government officials say the radicalization of these men , and others from North America and Europe represents a true reflection of a small but dedicated group of recruits that pose a direct threat to national security . `` There is no set criteria . It affects all walks of life . These were well-educated , young individuals with no past criminal history and supportive families , '' Michaud said . U.S. authorities charged Imam in July with providing material support and receiving military-type training from al Qaeda , according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday in the Eastern District of New York . Federal prosecutors allege that Imam , while in Pakistan in 2008 , helped train Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay advance of their plot to detonate bombs on subway trains on the eighth anniversary of the September 11 attacks , according to the indictment . Imam is also charged with use of a destructive device , the indictment said .
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NEW : Canadian authorities have no firm leads on the suspects ' whereabouts . The two Canadians are accused of role in al Qaeda plot . They are said to have departed for Pakistan in 2007 . Police say their current whereabouts are unknown .
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Tokyo -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's billed as `` the happiest place on Earth . '' And Friday , Disneyland 's Tokyo theme park reopened in hopes of bringing some of that missing happiness back to the Japanese people . The park has been closed since the March 11 earthquake that devastated northern Japan and the electricity shortage that followed . Disney fans lined up as early as 6:30 a.m. , an hour and a half before Friday 's reopening , hoping to be the first into the park . Mickey and Minnie Mouse , Goofy , and a host of other Disney characters surprised visitors as the gates opened at 8 a.m. . A sort of Disney hysteria swept over the crowd as Mickey danced in front of visitors minutes before the official opening of the park . `` We were so excited , we were almost crying , '' Tokyo Disneyland visitor Mika Hasegawa said . The re-opening comes at a critical time for Japan , as the country struggles to regain some semblance of normalcy after the earthquake and tsunami that killed 13,500 people in the country 's northeast . Many Tokyo residents have refrained from excessive celebrations and parties out of respect for the victims . But Disneyland visitor Minako Ootsuka said that while Japanese people should be mindful of the disaster , it 's also important to have a good time and release stress . Hiroshi Suzuki , public relations manager for Oriental Land Co. -- the company that owns Tokyo Disneyland -- agreed . He said visitors were so elated when they saw Mickey and the other characters , he wished he could bring that kind of happiness to all people in Japan . Other visitors to the park said they thought it was important to start getting out and spending money to get the economy running again . Erika Kanehira said she planned on visiting Tokyo Disneyland as often as she could and would also purchase merchandise to help the disaster area recover . For every guest admitted to the park through May 14 , Tokyo Disneyland will donate 300 yen -LRB- about $ 4 -RRB- to the Japanese Red Cross . The park will also be operating under shortened business hours in order to save power . Suzuki says the company hopes to get the park up and running on usual business hours as soon as possible . But most visitors are happy to have the park back at all . Tomomi Takehashi said Disneyland was a place where people can come to laugh and smile -- and that may be exactly what the Japanese public needs right now .
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`` We were so excited , we were almost crying , '' a park visitors says . Tokyo Disneyland has been closed since the March 11 earthquake . The park is donating about $ 4 to the Japanese Red Cross for every ticket .
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Kathmandu , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two people on motorcycles shot and wounded a Pakistani diplomatic official in Kathmandu , Nepal , on Thursday morning , authorities said . Mehboob Asif , a visa assistant at the Pakistan embassy , was hit by eight to 10 bullets while he was riding a motorcycle to work , according to police . A Pakistan embassy official who did not want to be named said Asif was taken to the hospital and is now out of danger . He said authorities did n't know a motive for the attack . `` The Embassy of Pakistan is confident that the Government of Nepal would undertake investigations at appropriate levels to bring the criminals to justice , '' Pakistan 's Embassy said in a statement . Although no arrests have been made , around 150 people have been rounded up for questioning , Kathmandu police chief Pushkar Karki said . The attack happened three days after a newly-appointed Minister for Energy Gokarna Bista was attacked with knives by two persons on motorcycles on Monday evening .
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Officials say Pakistani diplomat was shot 8 to 10 times but is out of danger . Diplomat is attacked by two people on motorcycles . Police : around 150 people have been rounded up for questioning .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japan 's government has lifted restrictions on vegetables and milk from some parts of the country 's north after inspections found radiation levels below legal limits for three straight weeks , a top government official announced Friday . The move lifts a ban on spinach and kakina , another leafy green vegetable , from Gunma Prefecture , southwest of the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant . Milk from the Aizu area of Fukushima Prefecture , inland from the plant , will also be allowed for sale , Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters . `` The level of radiation has stayed low for last three samplings , '' said Edano , the government 's point man for the nuclear crisis . The government has slapped bans on a variety of farm products products grown or produced around the plant , which has spewed radioactive particles into the sky and water since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that knocked out its coolant systems . Workers are still battling to keep three damaged reactors at the plant from overheating four weeks later . Radiation levels have been trending downward in the area around the plant since mid-March , according to data released by government ministries . And farmers have been pushing Japanese authorities to lower standards on radiation in food , calling them excessively stringent and not necessary to protect consumers . Edano said Monday that the government 's legal standards would not be changed , but food would be allowed for sale if it passed three weekly tests .
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A ban on spinach and kakina from Gunma Prefecture has been lifted . Milk from parts of Fukushima Prefecture can be sold as well .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An exiled Libyan dissident recently returned to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi after 30 years to fight on the opposition side . Mansour El-Kikhia , a Texas college professor , called his return a `` new adventure . '' `` It 's a fantasy land . `` Alice in Wonderland , '' `` Waiting for Godot , '' it 's unbelievable . '' El-Kikhia told `` In The Arena '' host Eliot Spitzer . `` This has taught me to look at life in a different way . '' El-Kikhia is an adviser to the rebel opposition against Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi . He said the rebels are battling uncertainty . Recent reports say rebels are questioning the commitment of western countries such as the United States , France and Italy to the opposition fight . `` There this constant question going on in their minds . '' El-Kikhia said . `` Will Gadhafi come back ? Will the allies let us down ? Will they help us ? '' On Wednesday , the United Kingdom , France and Italy announced they sent military advisers to aid Libyan rebels . Obama on Thursday approved the use of armed drones in Libya . El-Kikhia said the rebels are divided into two military groups . `` We have the actual military itself . Gen. Abdul Fattah Younis , whom I personally think is very , very capable , '' he said . `` He -LRB- is -RRB- working very hard to train young men to actually take over , to be able to defend the city . '' El-Kikhia said the second group of rebels at times can be a problem for the opposition . `` You have the other group , the insurgents . They 're fixated on removing Gadhafi . They 're more of a hindrance than help . But they keep on moving forward toward Tripoli and they 're being pushed back , '' El-Kikhia said . Spitzer pressed El-Kikhia to explain in detail what the rebels needed from U.S. forces . When asked whether they needed recognition and weapons , he said America 's role should n't be limited to force . He said he wants to see the U.S. advising Libyans on how to sustain its fragile democracy . '' -LRB- Libya -RRB- is like a child . This is a new child that just opened their eyes and they need as much help as they can , '' he said . `` Help guide the Libyans . It does n't require total military force . It requires administration , some help -LRB- and -RRB- advice . ''
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`` It 's a fantasy land , `` Alice in Wonderland , '' he says . The college professor is an adviser to the rebel opposition . The rebels are fighting against Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi 's forces .
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Cairo -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of demonstrators who gathered in Cairo 's Tahrir Square for a protest titled `` Day of Justice and Cleansing '' confronted two officers and sent them running late Friday , according to a witness . The numbers in the square have swelled dramatically compared to last Friday 's rally , in part because the Muslim Brotherhood has now joined alongside secular , liberal groups to put pressure on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces , which currently rules Egypt . Demonstrators stepped up their demands this week . Muhammad Taman , a spokesman for the January 25 Coalition , told CNN the diverse collection of political groups are demanding Egyptian authorities bring ousted president Hosni Mubarak before a court for his alleged role in the deaths of hundreds of activists last January and February and on corruption charges . If Mubarak is not prosecuted , Taman said , activists are prepared to organize a march towards the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh , where Mubarak has been living on his estate since he stepped down from office on February 11 . `` This is the army 's last chance , '' Taman warned . Mubarak 's eldest son , Gamal , is expected to appear before the Justice Ministry 's Illicit Profiteering Committee on Sunday . Meanwhile , Mubarak 's long-time chief of staff , Zakaria Azmi , was questioned and then arrested on Thursday by Egypt 's general prosecutor . Azmi is being investigated for alleged corrupt activities . He was shown on Egyptian television Friday being escorted to a vehicle by uniformed Egyptian police while bystanders chanted , `` Thief , thief ! '' An army lieutenant colonel and a military police officer tried to walk to the center of square , where they were surrounded by demonstrators who chanted `` get out , get out , '' said journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy , who witnessed the incident . Within moments , members of the crowd began pushing the officers and knocking their hats off their heads . `` The officers got scared and started running and they were pursued , '' said Fahmy . Demonstrators are protecting 15 army officers and soldiers who broke ranks with the Egyptian military and joined Friday 's Tahrir Square protest , ignoring a warning from the top military brass that any uniformed troops participating in the rally would be arrested . Some of the officers addressed the demonstration , demanding Egypt 's ruling military council be replaced by a presidential committee of civillians .
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NEW : Two Egyptian officers forced to leave square , witness says . Numbers of demonstrators have swelled because the Muslim Brotherhood has joined . Groups are seeking prosecution of former president Hosni Mubarak . Mubarak 's chief of staff has been arrested .
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Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs has signed a new one-year contract that will extend his career to 21 seasons with the English Premier League leaders . The 37-year-old Welsh midfielder , seeking to help United win a record 19th English league title this year and his 12th , made his debut for his only team in March 1991 . He has made a club-record 862 first-team outings , scoring 158 goals , as a key figure under manager Alex Ferguson -- who signed him on his 14th birthday from the youth development school of local rivals Manchester City . `` You run out of words to describe Ryan Giggs . He is a marvellous player and a wonderful man , '' Ferguson told United 's website on Friday . Has Rooney joined the ranks of football 's immortals ? `` To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level in such a physically demanding position at his age requires a special person . `` He is still turning in man-of-the-match performances , and his experience is so vital for the younger players in the squad . '' Giggs , twice a European Champions League winner , has kept up his record as the only player to score in every season since the English Premier League 's inception in 1992 . `` All I 've ever wanted to do is play for United , and I 've been lucky enough to do that for 20 years , '' he said , having extended his previous one-year deal . `` It 's great to know I 'm still contributing to the team 's success and I feel I 've got a lot to offer on and off the pitch . This is an exciting time to be involved with so many good young players coming through . '' Cup magic shared by cross-channel minnows . Giggs is in the United squad for Saturday 's FA Cup fifth-round clash with non-league club Crawley , as he seeks to win England 's fabled knockout competition for the fifth time this year . In a top-flight tie , cup holders Chelsea host Everton , while Birmingham and Stoke face third division opposition in Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton respectively . On Sunday , Arsenal travel to Leyton Orient , Manchester City host another division three team Notts County , and Fulham take on Premier League rivals Bolton .
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Ryan Giggs agrees a new one-year contract at Manchester United until mid-2012 . Welsh veteran is currently in his 20th season with the English league leaders . He has made a club-record 862 first-team appearances since his debut in 1991 . Giggs is in squad as United face non-league side Crawley in the FA Cup .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American golfer Stacy Lewis banished the ghosts of her nightmare final round at the 2008 U.S. Open when she clinched the Kraft Nabisco Championship by three shots on Sunday . The 26-year-old , whose grandfather died on the eve of the tournament at Mission Hills in California , claimed the first title of her professional career in the first of four major events in the 2011 women 's season . `` Everybody in the family knew that he would have wanted me to finish out this week , '' she told the LPGA website . `` I mean , he lived via my golf . He loved watching it on TV . He recorded it every week so he could keep watching it over and over again . `` But him and my grandma , they both got to see me play the whole round today and they were out there with me , for sure . '' Lewis , who won an unofficial rain-shortened LPGA Tour event as an amateur in her native Arkansas in 2007 , had looked set to follow that up three years ago when she led the U.S. Open heading into the last day , but a final-round 78 ended her hopes of glory . It was a different story this time , though , as the world number 28 overhauled top-ranked defending champion Yani Tseng of Taiwan to finish on 13 under par after a round of 69 . `` It does n't even feel real yet , '' said Lewis , who turned pro in 2008 four years after having a titanium rod and five screws put in her back to cure her teenage problems with scoliosis . `` I do n't know . I 'm still trying to figure out if I actually won , but I played so good today and I was just proud of the way I hung in there . '' The victory was all but assured for Lewis on the 17th hole , when she held a tricky putt while three-time major winner Tseng recorded a bogey . `` Probably the look on my face was I was shocked it went in , too , honestly , '' said Lewis of her finish on the penultimate hole . `` It was a putt you had to hit on the perfect line with the perfect speed for it to go in . '' Tseng , who has won four titles already this year , closed with 74 to finish three shots back . `` I did my best . I tried my best today , and I did n't give her any shots today . So I hung in there until the last putt and smiled the whole way , whole day . So it was good and it was very good experience for me this time , '' the 22-year-old said . `` Golf is golf , so this is normal . I just did n't play well . And hopefully next tournament will be good , and I just really want to congratulate Stacy . She did really awesome . '' American Michelle Wie achieved her first top-10 finish at a major since 2006 after ending the weekend sixth on three-under following a closing 69 , leaving the 21-year-old one shot behind third-placed compatriots Katie Futcher , Morgan Pressel and Angela Stanford .
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Stacy Lewis wins first career title at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California . The event is the first major on the women 's golfing calendar for 2011 . The 26-year-old American overhauled world number one Yani Tseng of Taiwan . Michelle Wie finishes sixth for her first top-10 placing in a major since 2006 .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number one Rafael Nadal insists he is fully prepared for a punishing schedule leading up to the defense of his French Open title at Roland Garos in a month 's time . The Spaniard had little time to celebrate his record-breaking victory over David Ferrer in the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday , before flying home to participate in the Barcelona Open . Fresh from his landmark seventh successive Monaco title , Nadal has two more tournaments in the diary after Barcelona before he aims to claim a sixth title in Paris . But despite his history of injuries , the 24-year-old claims he is fit and ready for a bruising lead-in to the second major tennis championship of the year . `` During the match I was more tired than usual . But in general it was positive , '' he told the official ATP Tour web site . `` That 's important because these kinds of matches improve your condition physically and mentally . `` It 's negative because you spent a lot of time on court , you have to run a lot on court , it 's always tough for the body . But if you talk about -LSB- what it does -RSB- mentally and physically , that can help a lot for the rest of the clay season . '' Nadal has played 17 matches in the last four weeks but is due to appear at masters events in Rome and Madrid after defending his Barcelona title . The 24-year-old has a formidable record at the event he has won five times , tasting defeat just once in 25 matches , and says this is a vital period in shaping his season . `` That 's the calendar . That 's where I have to play my best , where I have to defend a lot of points , '' Nadal said . `` Indian Wells to Wimbledon is the most -LSB- important -RSB- part of the season for me . These four or five months are decisive in my season . `` Every year I did a fantastic clay court season . I have to try to do it another time . With these four or five tournaments , if I am playing very well , I 'm going to have the biggest chances to have enough points to try to be in the top position at the end of the year ranking . `` That 's the top of my system in general . So I have to try . I am healthy now , so why not ? '' Despite his victory in Monte Carlo , Nadal says there are areas of his game he needs to work on -- something he is aiming to do when he faces the winner of the first round clash between Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Potito Starace . `` I think I can improve a few things for next weeks , '' Nadal said . `` I am sliding less than usual on clay . It is easier to defend well when you are sliding , especially to the forehand . But I have two more days to practice for Barcelona . Let 's see . ''
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Rafael Nadal unconcerned by busy schedule leading up to the French Open . Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for the seventh time on Sunday . He flew straight to his native Spain to participate in the Barcelona Open . The world number one says there are still areas of his game that can be improved .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal 's hopes of winning the English Premier League title were dealt a severe blow as Arsene Wenger 's team conceded a heartbreaking 102nd-minute equalizer in a pulsating climax to Sunday 's 1-1 draw with Liverpool . Dutch striker Robin van Persie looked to have given the Gunners all three points , and closed the gap on leaders Manchester United to four points , with a penalty in the eighth minute of injury time at the Emirates Stadium . But with the last kick of the game , Van Persie 's compatriot Dirk Kuyt converted a spot-kick for Kenny Dalglish 's team to hand the visitors an extraordinary leveler in the 12th minute of time added on . The result left Arsenal six points behind Alex Ferguson 's team with only six matches left of the season , ahead of United 's trip to Newcastle on Tuesday and the Gunners ' London derby at Tottenham the following evening . Referee Andre Marriner allocated eight minutes of stoppage time after Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher received treatment on the field and was subsequently replaced following a clash of heads with young teammate John Flanagan . Liverpool also lost record signing Andy Carroll to a knee injury . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was unhappy that play was allowed to continue for so long . `` I feel hard done by in the end because the time was over by three minutes , '' the Frenchman told reporters . `` But you have to take it and you continue to fight . Lucas played in an intelligent way . He stopped his run and the referee saw penalty , but what can you do about it ? '' The draw dampened the Anfield club 's hopes of playing Europa League football next season . The Merseysiders are four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham , having played two more games than Harry Redknapp 's team . Arsenal escaped an early penalty appeal when Swiss defender Johan Djourou tussled with Jay Spearing on his return from a dislocated shoulder , but could have gone ahead after 16 minutes when Laurent Koscielny rattled the crossbar from captain Cesc Fabregas ' corner . In a match of few chances , the breakthrough finally arrived for Arsenal deep into injury time when Spearing tripped Fabregas as the Spain midfielder looked to dribble through the Liverpool rearguard . Van Persie stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty for his 13th league goal of the campaign , sending goalkeeper Pepe Reina the wrong way , but Arsenal 's defensive frailty was once again exposed . Uruguay forward Luis Suarez saw his free-kick slam off the wall before Emmanuel Eboue inexplicably shoved Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva inside the box as the Brazilian looked to gather the loose ball . Just like his international teammate , Kuyt coolly slotted home to steal a point for Liverpool . Meanwhile , Stoke City will play Manchester City in the FA Cup final after a convincing 5-0 win over fellow Premier League side Bolton Wanderers at London 's Wembley Stadium on Sunday . Manchester City end United 's treble bid . Stoke have never lifted the FA Cup in their 148-year history , but the four-time semifinalists booked their place in a first-ever final thanks to goals from Matthew Etherington , Robert Huth , Kenwyne Jones and a Jonathan Walters brace . Owen Coyle 's Bolton are four-time winners of the knockout competition , but the club 's hopes of a first victory since 1958 were extinguished by three first-half goals . Winger Etherington opened the scoring for Tony Pulis ' team after 11 minutes when he rifled home a 20-yard shot from Jermaine Pennant 's pass . Stoke doubled the lead seven minutes later when Germany defender Huth took advantage of a sloppy clearance from Gary Cahill to find the bottom corner from the edge of penalty area . It was 3-0 to the Staffordshire side after half an hour , when Trinidad and Tobago striker Jones provided a cool finish from another Pennant pass . Republic of Ireland international Walters claimed his first goal after 68 minutes when he ran from inside Stoke 's half before curling a wonderful finish beyond Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen . The rout was complete with nine minutes remaining when Walters scuffed his shot over the veteran Finn from a Jones cross . Stoke will return to England 's national stadium on May 14 to face Roberto Mancini 's City , who beat archrivals Manchester United 1-0 on Saturday .
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Arsenal concede a 102nd-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool . Robin van Persie had given Arsenal the lead in the 108th minute with a penalty . Dirk Kuyt scored a spot-kick for Kenny Dalglish 's team in the 12th added minute . Stoke City into the FA Cup final after a 5-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at Wembley .
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-LRB- Mashable -RRB- -- Wikipedia is just the latest in a long line of encyclopedias . In fact , encyclopedias have been around in some form or another for 2,000 years . The oldest , Naturalis Historia , written by Pliny the Elder , is still in existence . How do I know this ? I looked it up on Wikipedia , of course . Is it true ? Possibly . Ten years after its founding , it 's hard to imagine what life was like before Wikipedia . When I was growing up , our family had a dusty set of encyclopedias that were at least 10 years old , which is fine if you 're looking up dinosaurs , but not so good if you want to know , for instance , who the current president of the Congo is . But though the limitations of the old encyclopedias were obvious , they were authoritative in ways that Wikipedia is not . Mashable : 9 ways to get more out of Quora . Like most people , I 'll take the tradeoff . I have no desire to go back to the days of printed Funk & Wagnalls . If someone would have told me back in 2001 that , within a few years , there would be a comprehensive , free online encyclopedia , I would n't have believed them . Why would someone do that ? How ? Origins . By now , we all know the story : Two Ayn Rand devotees , Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger , created Wikipedia in January 2001 . The founding can be traced to a post by Sanger entitled `` Let 's Make a Wiki '' that was intended as a feature to Sanger and Wales 's other project , Nupedia . Wiki , Sanger explained in the post , was derived from `` wikiwiki , '' a Polynesian word for `` quick . '' `` What it means is a VERY open , VERY publicly editable series of web pages , '' Sanger wrote in the post . As often happens , the feature grew out of proportion with its original intent . Wales , who was originally against the idea of a Wiki , became a strong proponent of it , while Sanger , who became estranged from the project in 2002 , now charges that Wales hogged the credit for the venture . Mashable : The future of the social media strategist . -LRB- Wales could not be reached for comment . To his credit , Sanger is mentioned as a co-founder on Wikipedia 's entry about its founding . -RRB- . Rooted in open source thinking , Wikipedia contributors began penning a voluminous number of entries -LRB- the site claims there are now 17 million such articles -RRB- , which began showing up in Google searches , furthering the site 's growth and notoriety . Meanwhile , a subculture developed around Wikipedia , with self-appointed guardians doing their best to make sure entries were accurate and free of vandalism . As an authoritative 2006 Atlantic article on Wikipedia noted , `` A study by IBM suggests that although vandalism does occur -LRB- particularly on high-profile entries like ` George W. Bush ' -RRB- , watchful members of the huge Wikipedia community usually swoop down to stop the malfeasance shortly after it begins . '' ` Truth ' on the internet . All of this made Wikipedia a pretty good reference , but one that you 'd be wise not to take completely at face value . Wikipedia works best as an introduction to a subject . Since the articles usually cite references , readers can investigate further whether the claims are actually true . Despite this , Wikipedia soon earned a reputation for loopy reportage , an aspect best expressed in The Onion headline `` Wikipedia Celebrates 750 Years of American Independence . '' Such criticism , though , has it backwards . Wikipedia is , in the best-case scenario , an antidote for the echo chamber of the web . After all , good luck finding `` truth '' on the Internet . Facts may be facts , but they 're subject to so much spin that it can be hard to get a handle on what 's objectively real . All the more reason why the idea of Wikipedia is laudable , albeit a bit impractical . Though Jimmy Wales could have made a fortune selling ads on the site , he decided to make the Wikimedia Foundation a non-profit charitable organization . Mashable : 6 web pioneers on what the future looks like . But someone has to keep all those servers running and pay those 50 full-time staffers , which is why Wales appeared in a ubiquitous banner ad on Wikipedia asking for donations . The site eventually collected $ 16 million . The future . Can Wikipedia sustain itself for another 10 years ? As The Economist recently pointed out , the number of Wikipedia 's English language contributors fell from 54,000 in March 2007 to 35,000 in September 2010 , but here Wikipedia may be the victim of its own success . As the site gets more comprehensive , there are fewer entries that need to be written . One thing 's for sure -- if Wikipedia ever does go away , it will be hard to believe it . After all , where will we go to confirm such a thing ? © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved .
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Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger created Wikipedia in January 2001 . Site is a very open , very publicly editable series of web pages . Not authoratative source but good for introductions to subjects .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Verizon iPhone train started rolling this week , but Apple 's main smartphone competitors are n't about to be left at the station . This week , cellular carriers released details about a trio of upcoming smartphones , all of which run an older version of Google 's Android operating system . AT&T announced a March 6 release deadline for the Atrix 4G , a Motorola Mobility `` transformer '' phone that grabbed the spotlight at the Consumer Electronics Show last month . With a speedy dual-core processor inside , the Arix can be used as a media center or limited-function PC when connected to a television or monitor using a dock accessory . Motorola will also sell a laptop shell that allows the Atrix to essentially convert into a sort of netbook , complete with a keyboard . New details about the much-anticipated Atrix came on the same day Verizon Wireless began letting current customers pre-order the iPhone 4 , formerly exclusive to AT&T in the U.S. . At $ 200 with a two-year contract , the Atrix will be among the first to run on AT&T 's faster data network and carry the `` 4G '' branding . -LRB- For $ 500 with a contract , you get the phone and the laptop dock ; the latter is also sold separately for $ 500 . -RRB- . The Atrix , an AT&T exclusive , will be available for pre-order starting on February 13 . On the same day , AT&T will begin selling another so-called 4G phone . The second-largest U.S. carrier by subscribers announced the launch date and a $ 100 price tag , two-year agreement required , for HTC 's Inspire 4G . That info came on Tuesday , kicking off a big week for smartphone news . The Inspire has a 4.3-inch screen -- the same large size as the Evo 4G . The new device will be the inaugural smartphone to offer AT&T 's Mobile Hotspot service . Having long struggled to support the bandwidth needs of its millions of smartphone subscribers , AT&T lags behind competitors in offering this feature . Customers will have to pay an extra $ 20 per month to use the feature , which adds 2 gigabytes of wireless internet usage , the carrier said on Wednesday . T-Mobile USA , the fourth-largest U.S. network , said on Tuesday that it expects to begin selling the Galaxy S 4G from Samsung Electronics this month . It 's similar to Samsung 's several other Android handsets , but this one is compatible with T-Mobile 's faster data network . All three of these new smartphones , strangely , come with a seven-month-old version of Android , called Froyo . Since releasing that version , Google launched another called Gingerbread , which powers a Samsung-made phone called the Nexus S. Google held a news conference on Wednesday to say developers are close to releasing the first device that will run the next Android , called Honeycomb , this month .
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AT&T and T-Mobile announce details about three new Android phones this week . The most hyped of the trio is called the Atrix 4G , which can transform into a laptop . None of these upcoming devices run the newest versions of Android .
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-LRB- Mashable -RRB- -- This is what the world looks like , according to the Facebook social graph . Facebook intern Paul Butler was interested in the locations of friendships , so he decided to create a visualization of Facebook connections around the globe . How local are our friends ? Where are the highest concentration of friendships ? How do political and geological boundaries affect them ? Butler started by using a sample of 10 million friend pairs , correlated them with their current cities and then mapped that data using the longitude and latitude of each city . That was the easy part . Creating the right effect to show connecting relationships between thousands of cities proved to be a challenge . Butler wrote a fascinating Facebook note explaining some of the challenges he faced creating his visualization : . `` I began exploring it in R , an open-source statistics environment . As a sanity check , I plotted points at some of the latitude and longitude coordinates . To my relief , what I saw was roughly an outline of the world . Next I erased the dots and plotted lines between the points . After a few minutes of rendering , a big white blob appeared in the center of the map . Some of the outer edges of the blob vaguely resembled the continents , but it was clear that I had too much data to get interesting results just by drawing lines . I thought that making the lines semi-transparent would do the trick , but I quickly realized that my graphing environment could n't handle enough shades of color for it to work the way I wanted . Instead I found a way to simulate the effect I wanted . I defined weights for each pair of cities as a function of the Euclidean distance between them and the number of friends between them . Then I plotted lines between the pairs by weight , so that pairs of cities with the most friendships between them were drawn on top of the others . I used a color ramp from black to blue to white , with each line 's color depending on its weight . I also transformed some of the lines to wrap around the image , rather than spanning more than halfway around the world . '' With a few more tweaks , he eventually came up with the amazing visualization you see here . At first glance , it provides some expected data -- the U.S. has the highest concentration of Facebook friendships , and Africa has the lowest concentration . While most of Russia and Antarctica are nowhere to be found , the rest of the world is easily identifiable . What do you think of the visualization ? Does anything about it surprise you ? Let us know in the comments . © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved .
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A Facebook intern created a visualization of Facebook connections around the globe . Using a sample of 10 million friend pairs , he correlated them with their current cities . The U.S. has the highest concentration of Facebook friendships while Africa has the lowest .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ninety-five acres of farm land where young men in blue and gray fought and died during the epic Civil War battle is being added to Gettysburg National Military Park , federal officials said . Land that once belonged to the now-closed Gettysburg Country Club is where major fighting occurred on the first day of battle on July 1 , 1863 . Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Friday thanked the Conservation Fund and The Civil War Trust for helping to make the department 's acquisition of the former Emanuel Harman Farm possible . `` Gettysburg will always have a sacred place in America 's heritage for the pivotal role it played in our nation 's history and for the enormity of the sacrifice that took place here , '' Salazar said in a statement . `` With the addition of the Emanuel Harman Farm to the Gettysburg National Military Park , we are able to include another important chapter in the story that helped shape our country . '' In 1863 , the property was part of the historic Harman and Abraham Spangler farms where Confederate Brigades advanced and retreated during an attack on the Union positions on McPherson and Seminary Ridges , according to the National Park Service . The National Park Service has long tried to add the tract . In the 1950s , the property was developed into the Gettysburg Country Club , which closed in 2008 . A developer who bought the property and had planned to build more than 200 housing units agreed to the sale , the Interior Department said . The purchase price was $ 1.6 million , according to the Philadelphia Inquirer . CNN left a message with the department Saturday . The Civil War Trust is pursuing the purchase of three other pieces of the battlefield at Gettysburg , where the Confederate forces of Gen. Robert E. Lee were turned back after three days of combat that included Pickett 's Charge . `` Even as we celebrate this great success , we must remember that other vital pieces of the Gettysburg story are still vulnerable , '' trust president James Lighthizer said in a statement .
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The Gettysburg battlefield is adding 95 acres . The tract of land was the scene of intense fighting on first day of the Civil War battle . A developer had planned to build housing on the tract .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What would truly delight the geek in your life ? It 's nearly impossible to know if you do n't share his or her peculiar tastes . It 's not good enough just to get them a Rubik 's Cube or copy of `` The Hobbit . '' -LRB- You know they could solve a Rubik 's Cube by the time they were 7 , and they already own the complete collection of Tolkien in hardback . -RRB- . Show them you care by learning about the things they like and demonstrating that knowledge with your gift choice . Start by determining what the geek in your life is obsessed with . Geeks are passionate about niche interests , and a little digging on your part is sure to result in a wide-eyed , bouncy , emphatic `` thank you ! '' when it 's time to open presents . Once you have a good idea , look to niche , online shopping destinations such as ThinkGeek , Big Bad Toy Store , Nichibei , EA , SteamPowered and The Space Store . `` We sell what we think is cool , '' Shane Peterman of ThinkGeek said . `` Everyone here , all the product buyers , we 're all geeks . So we have a pretty good handle on what we think would work . '' Peterman said that sci-fi and fantasy-related merchandise always sells well for ThinkGeek , including anything having to do with franchises such as `` Star Wars , '' `` Star Trek , '' `` Doctor Who '' and `` Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy . '' You can also find plenty of geeky merchandise on broader sites such as Amazon or Best Buy . Too late for shipping ? Head for a comic book store , where you can generally find figurines , collectable action figures and specialized merchandise as well as comic books , graphic novels , DVDs and manga . To find the comic book store nearest you , go to comicshoplocator.com . Or check out a hobby shop , which may have a room dedicated to games . Also go to gaming stores or bookstores . Bookstores such as Barnes & Noble or Borders have gaming books , comics and manga as well . Geek merchandise can be confusing for a gift-giver who does n't know what `` Neon Genesis Evangelion '' is . -LRB- It 's a popular Japanese franchise about a group of teenagers who pilot robot-like vehicles in an apocalyptic war against `` Angels . '' -RRB- . That 's why CNN.com 's Geek Out ! team collaborated with experts to compile a list of gift suggestions for the geeks in your life . But geeks are not one-size-fits-all , and our gift suggestions might not be right for your situation . If you ca n't find the specific thing the geek in your life likes , ask for help in a bookstore or comic shop . There 's usually one go-to geek on staff who can assist , pointing out suitable gifts within the genre . For example , if the comic book geek in your life has a good relationship with the local comic shop purveyor , they might have an established wish list of comic books from certain authors or artists . Fans of some sci-fi or fantasy television shows may also be part of the comic book fan culture , since many shows , such as `` Buffy the Vampire Slayer , '' `` True Blood , '' `` The Walking Dead '' and `` Firefly , '' continue and develop story lines in comic book format . Volumes collecting six-issue -LRB- or more -RRB- storylines are a growing phenomenon in the comic book world , so these would certainly be a big hit with the comic book geek in your life . `` Japanophile '' geeks crave stories and characters that are different from American comic books and animation , said Colette Bennett , editor-in-chief of Tomopop.com , a blog about Japanese toys , collectibles and fan culture . `` From Japan 's obsession with over-the-top romance to the emphasis on always `` doing your best '' and working hard , there 's something about -LSB- Japanese entertainment -RSB- that really makes you feel good , '' Bennett said . That 's why these geeks turn to manga , a Japanese take on the comic book format , and anime , animated series and movies often based on the story lines in manga . Titans in anime include filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki , often called the `` Walt Disney of Japan , '' and Katsuhiro Otomo , who created the groundbreaking 1988 film `` Akira . '' While `` Star Trek '' and `` Star Wars '' have long defined what a passionate , sci-fi geek is all about , other established franchises such as `` Doctor Who '' and `` Battlestar Galactica '' and newer shows such as `` Fringe '' also have large , passionate fan bases . It 's critical to establish which character , space ship or story line the sci-fi geek is interested in . If your geek likes `` Star Wars , '' do n't assume that anything `` Star Wars '' - related will do . Keep in mind there may be several iterations of the sci-fi franchise . Starwars.com and startrek.com include information about their different incarnations . The mainstreaming of some fantasy franchises certainly makes shopping for a fantasy geek easy , since merchandise is widely available . You 'd have to be pretty out of touch not to be aware of characters and plot from `` The Lord of the Rings '' or `` Harry Potter , '' given the popularity of the books and movies in the past decade . `` We love to love the good guys and love to hate the bad guys . With the added factor of magic and/or futuristic technology thrown in , anything is possible , '' said Pat Dawson , a senior staffer of TheOneRing.net , a Tolkien fan site . See TheOneRing.net 's Tolkien gift guide . Gamer geeks may prefer retro selections like the Atari and Nintendo games from arcades . Others could be into first-person shooter games or strategy games . Gamers are n't limited to computer or console games -- tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons capitalize on imagination and a role-playing penchant . Most gamers like to stay on the cutting edge of titles and tech . So if a game came out in November , it is likely they already have it . But downloadable content -- content that adds to games after they are released -- and add-ons that make game-play faster will be appreciated gifts . Of course , gift cards for game shops and outlets are the easiest way to please a gamer because they can choose exactly what they want . Just do n't be alarmed when you hear , `` Thanks for ` Slaughter Fest 2010 , ' Grandma ! '' Shopping for an astronomy geek can be tough . They 're not a one-star-fits-all kind of crowd , explained Brittney Dempsey , office manager for NASA 's online Space Store . There are star geeks who like memorizing constellations and myths , NASA lovers who obsess over space travel and physics geeks who love stargazing and mapping . Before you pick a gift , make sure you know which kind of space geek you 're dealing with . Piece of advice : Space geeks are not necessarily `` Star Trek '' or `` Star Wars '' geeks . If you assume they are , be prepared -- your space geek will be quick to point out the differences between the reality that interests them and science fiction . Henry Hanks , Jamie Gumbrecht and Larry Frum contributed to this report .
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Shop for geeks by going niche ; a little homework will go a long way . Do n't be afraid to go into a comic book store -- you 'll find helpful service there . Geeks are not one-size-fits-all ; not every space fan loves `` Star Wars ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kenyan runner Emmanuel Mutai laid down a marker for the 2012 Olympics by winning his first London Marathon in a course-record time on Sunday . Runner-up in the men 's race last year , the 26-year-old came home in two hours four minutes and 40 seconds to eclipse the 2:05.10 set by compatriot Samuel Wanjiru in 2009 . He ran the fifth-fastest time in marathon history as he ended the two-year title reign of Martin Lel -- who was more than a minute behind in second place . Lel edged out a third Kenyan , Patrick Makau , in a sprint finish as both clocked 2:05:45 . Marathon star Haile Gebrselassie shares his secrets . The African nation tasted further success in the women 's race , where Mary Keitany headed off defending champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia by 56 seconds , while Edna Kiplagat claimed third in her race debut . Mutai , the runner-up at the 2009 World Athletics Championships , said he was delighted to finally win a major event . `` My dreams have come true because I had it in my mind that one day I would win one of the five major marathons , '' he told the UK Press Association . `` I was second here and in New York last year , but today has finally come for me . My aim was just to win , I was not focusing on the time , but I tried my best to push it when I saw we were inside world-record pace at one stage . `` It was fantastic to win the race and improve my personal best . '' Marathon mission : Why those final steps are a killer . Keitany is also a major contender for 2012 in the UK capital , having shaved almost 10 minutes off her time in New York a year ago as she came home in 2:19:19 -- the fourth-fastest women 's time . The 29-year-old did not have to compete against record-holder Paula Radcliffe , who missed her home race for the second year in a row but will return to action in a 10 kilometer race next month for her first outing since the 2009 New York Marathon . `` I think I surprised myself because I was running with the champion from last year and I was a bit scared , '' Keitany told PA. `` But then I started to believe in myself that I could do it and I feel very happy . '' The race attracted more than 35,000 competitors , with British celebrities taking part alongside the general public -- some running for fun and others to raise money for charity . One English couple stopped six miles from the end to get married , PA reported , while there were 34 records recognized by Guinness including fastest times for a super hero , cartoon character and marching band . Meanwhile , Ethiopia 's Gebrselassie Tsegaye Reda became the first non-Kenyan in five years to win the Belgrade men 's marathon in Serbia on Sunday . He came home in 2:14:41 to head off Kenya 's Michael Rutto Chetoo , while Reda 's compatriot Tadele Geremew Mulugeta was third . Kenya 's Frashiah Nyambura Waithaka won the women 's race in 2:34:31 .
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Kenyans dominate London race with Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany winning . Mutai claims his first major marathon victory with fifth-fastest time run by a man . Keitany wins women 's race by 56 seconds in fourth quickest time by a female . British event attracts more than 35,000 competitors ahead of 2012 Olympics .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal lost his job when Rolling Stone magazine ran an article in which some of his aides made disparaging remarks about the vice president and others . But a newly released investigation by the Department of Defense inspector general finds neither McChrystal nor any of his aides did anything wrong . In the article called `` The Runaway General '' reporter Michael Hastings wrote that one of McChrystal 's aides referred to Vice President Joseph Biden as `` Bite Me '' and another referred to then-national security adviser Gen. James Jones as a `` clown . '' After interviewing 15 people , the inspector general 's office completed its report on April 8 . It was made public Monday after a Freedom of Information Act request by the New York Times . Neither McChrystal , who cooperated with an earlier Army investigation , nor Hastings were interviewed for the inspector general 's report . In the report , the inspector general writes , `` The evidence was insufficient to substantiate a violation of applicable DoD standards . '' The report goes on to say , `` Not all of the events at issue occurred as reported in the article . '' It concluded `` none of the matters we reviewed warrant further investigation . '' McChrystal , who had been in charge of all U.S. and International Security Assistance Force units in Afghanistan , was brought back to Washington after the article was published . After meeting with President Barack Obama , he resigned his command and later retired from the military . But four days after the inspector general 's report was completed , the White House announced McChrystal would be part of the Michelle Obama 's and Jill Biden 's new Joining Forces initiative . The organization is set up to support and honor America 's service members and their families . McChrystal is now a senior fellow at Yale University .
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McChrystal commanded U.S. and ISAF forces in Afghanistan . A magazine article quoted his aides making disparaging remarks about U.S. leaders . McChrystal resigned his command and later retired from the miliary . A DoD inspector general 's investigation finds neither he nor his aides did anything wrong .
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SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Korea 's Incheon International Airport has been voted the best in the world , according to a 10-month survey of airline passengers . Seoul 's Incheon , pictured , edged out Hong Kong 's International Airport and Singapore 's Changi Airport . Incheon , located about 70 km -LRB- 43 miles -RRB- from Seoul , often ranks among the busiest airports in the world . It boasts a golf course , spa , private sleeping rooms , a casino , and indoor gardens that , according to the airport 's Web site , offer `` travelers an oasis of calm and tranquility permeated with the refreshing scent of pine . '' It is no surprise then that the annual survey conducted by the British-based consultancy group , Skytrax , ranked Incheon the No. 1 airport . The survey asked 8.6 million passengers at 190 airports to rate the facilities based on their experiences at check-in , arrival , departures and transfers . Incheon edged out Hong Kong 's International Airport and Singapore 's Changi Airport -- but barely . `` At one stage , it looked possible there might be a dead-heat result between these top three airports , '' Skytrax said in a statement . The annual survey also judged airports on individual categories . Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates came out tops for having the best duty-free shops , Hong Kong serves the best food , Helsinki-Vantaa in Finland is least likely to lose passengers ' bags and Japan 's Kansai International has the cleanest restrooms . The top 10 airports , according to the survey , are : .
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Incheon boasts a golf course , spa , private sleeping rooms , casino , indoor gardens . Survey asks 8.6 million passengers at 190 airports to rate facilities . Incheon barely edges out Hong Kong 's and Singapore 's airports . Dubai voted tops for duty-free shops ; Helsinki-Vantaa voted least likely to lose bags .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rural Pennsylvania community will say goodbye Tuesday to seven children who were killed when their parent 's farmhouse went up in flames last week . The children -- ages 7 months to 11 years -- died March 8 when the fire fully engulfed the Mennonite family 's two-story house in Loysville , about 25 miles northwest of Harrisburg . Their parents were both outside the house at the time of the fire . Mother Janelle Clouse was milking cows in the barn and father Ted Clouse was making deliveries on his milk route . `` While mom 's milking cows , her 3-year-old daughter comes running into the barn and the 3-year-old tells the mother that there 's smoke inside the house , '' Tom Pinkerton of the state police said last week . `` Mom leaves the barn , comes running out , sees that the house appears to be on fire . '' The mother went to two neighbors ' houses before she could get someone to call 911 , he said . She then found her husband sleeping in his milk truck and they rushed back to the home to find their home engulfed in flames and firefighters trying to put out the blaze . The children -- six girls and a boy -- were found dead inside the house . The 3-year-old was the only child who survived . The funeral is scheduled for the Perry Mennonite Reception Center in Elliottsburg . Burial will be at the Church of the Living Christ cemetery . The fire sent shock waves through the central Pennsylvania community . `` It 's just hard to explain how somebody could lose their whole family in a wink of an eye like that , '' Steve Orris , who works at an insurance company in Loysville , said last week . `` It 's just unbelievable . '' `` Everybody I 've talked to here ... has felt a lot of sympathy toward these people . It 's a real shame the way things like that happen , '' he said .
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The funeral is scheduled for the Perry Mennonite Reception Center in Elliottsburg . The children 's ages range from 7 months to 11 years . The six girls and one boy were found dead inside the house . Police : The mother was milking cows in the barn and the father was at work .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Italian and French governments were both trying to defuse an escalating diplomatic row Monday after France refused entry to a train carrying North African migrants from Italy . Italy complained to France on Sunday after authorities blocked a train with Tunisian migrants from the border city of Ventimiglia entering Menton on the Cote d'Azur . The Tunisians had been issued resident permits by Italy , allowing them to travel freely in many European countries . French Interior Minister Claude Gueant said Monday in Bucharest that France did not want any continuing tensions with Rome regarding the train incident . Gueant said Rome 's decision to give temporary resident permits to more than 25,000 Tunisian migrants arriving in Italy since January had been `` heavily contested by many countries in the European Union . '' Some 300 French and Italian protestors from a group named `` Train for dignity , '' were also aboard the train in a show of support for the 60 Tunisians who were hoping to enter France . Gueant said that although France accepted this decision , there were conditions - namely that the migrants had to prove they could support themselves financially . Since the mass political unrest started in North Africa and other Arab states in January , a large number people have fled Tunisia and Libya to Europe , where governments have been trying to prevent a refugee crisis . Italy 's coast guard said at least 1,623 migrants landed on the island of Lampedusa over a 24-hour period in mid-March alone . Italy 's foreign minister has estimated that as many as 300,000 Libyans could try to leave and could potentially end up in his country . Medecins Sans Frontieres said Saturday that it had evacuated nearly 100 people by boat from Misrata in Libya and on Monday the UK Department for International Development -LRB- DFID -RRB- said that it would help 5,000 migrants trapped by fighting in western Libya . The DFID said # 1.5 million -LRB- $ 2.43 million -RRB- would be made available to charter ships to get people out of the rebel-held town of Misrata and transfer them to Benghazi . Andrew Mitchell , the UK International Development Secretary , said his department would help fund their evacuation in ships chartered by the International Organization for Migration , which says the majority of unauthorized immigrants arriving in Lampedusa are Tunisian . Italy for its part has issued temporary resident permits to thousands of Tunisian migrants and the country on Sunday said it was angered after trains were stopped at the border for around six hours until traffic resumed later that evening . However , at a briefing with journalists Monday , a spokesman for the Italian Foreign Minister Maurizio Massari , tried to play down the issue : `` The situation was clarified and the incident resolved yesterday -LRB- Sunday -RRB- . On the immigration issue , there is a continuous dialogue taking place between the Interior Ministers of the two countries to deal with the problem . We are working together . There is no tension . We are working together to find steps to take to solve the immigration problem . ' According to a spokesman for the French Interior Ministry the border was never closed but circulation was `` temporarily halted in order to avoid any risk of an accident , '' because of an unauthorized protest in support of the Tunisian migrants . Claude Gueant insisted that France had respected the Schengen agreements to the letter and a first analysis by the European commission on Monday showed that France 's decision to stop the trains was in line with the Schengen rules . The Schengen agreement allows people to travel between 25 European countries without the need of a passport . CNN 's Saskya Vandoorne , Hada Messia and Thair Shaikh contributed to this report .
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France refused entry to a train carrying North African migrants from Italy . Tunisians had been issued permits by Italy , allowing them to enter France . Italian foreign minister estimates 300,000 Libyans could leave country . Schengen agreement allows people to travel freely between 25 European .
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Port-Au-Prince , Haiti -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Snubbing the United States , former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide returned home from exile Friday , just ahead of a critical runoff election . Aristide spoke briefly after landing at Toussaint L'Overture Airport in Port-au-Prince but made no direct reference to Sunday 's vote . He alluded , however , to the exclusion of his own party , Fanmi Lavalas , banned from participating in the election . `` Today the Haitian people mark the end of exile and coup d'etats while peacefully we must move from social exclusion to social inclusion , '' Aristide said in the airport 's diplomatic lounge . Speaking in Creole , French and several other languages , Aristide , 57 , said he condemned the violence that has wracked his nation since the disputed late November presidential election . Aristide , a polarizing figure in Haiti , became the second former president to return to Port-au-Prince this year . Dictator Jean-Claude `` Baby Doc '' Duvalier flew back from France unexpectedly in January . Aristide made his way from the airport to his former home in the neighborhood of Tabarre , which was recently fixed up and painted in anticipation of his return . Haitians waved flags , danced and chanted his name along the road leading to his house . They carried signs that said `` Titid , '' Aristide 's nickname , and sported T-shirts with his picture and slogans supporting his return . `` He could be the king of Haiti . He is a president we love so much , '' said Willy Joseph , a 48-year-old mason who waited outside Aristide 's house to catch a glimpse of the former president . Raoul Jean Cetoute , a 66-year-old carpenter , said he would refrain from the visiting the polls Sunday . `` I 'm not going to vote in this masquerade election . We 'll listen and analyze what -LRB- Aristide -RRB- says to know what to do , '' he said . The former Roman Catholic priest and Haiti 's first democratically elected president chose to go back at a tense time . Haitians , still reeling from last year 's devastating earthquake and a cholera epidemic , are set to choose a new leader Sunday . Many , including the Obama administration , have questioned Aristide 's timing and said his presence would disrupt the vote . Aristide 's chartered jet took off Thursday night from Johannesburg , South Africa , where he had been living for the past seven years , and landed shortly after 10 a.m. in the Haitian capital . He was accompanied by his wife , Mildred ; U.S. actor and longtime supporter Danny Glover ; and U.S. attorney Ira Kurzban . Also traveling with Aristide was Amy Goodman , host of the news program `` Democracy Now ! '' At a refueling stop in Dakar , Senegal , Aristide told Goodman that he believes the Haitian people were happy to see him return . `` I think that the Haitian people are very happy , happy to know that we are on our way heading to Haiti , happy to know that finally their dream will be fulfilled by things on the ground because they fought hard for democracy , '' Aristide said . `` I share their happiness , I share their hope , and I renew my commitment to serve them in the field of education , once we move together '' toward such a goal , he said . The White House , however , was less than thrilled by Aristide 's return , warning this week that it would prove destabilizing . State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday that Aristide seeks to influence the election . `` Mr. Aristide has chosen to remain outside of Haiti for seven years , '' Toner said . `` To return this week can only be seen as a conscious choice to impact Haiti 's elections . '' Kurzban said Aristide plans to get involved with educational projects and teach . He wanted to return before Sunday 's election , Kurzban said , because he had `` genuine concerns that the next president may take a different view '' and not allow Aristide to return . `` It is not to be involved in the elections , as the United States suggests , '' Kurzban said . A group of prominent U.S. lawyers sent a letter Thursday to Cheryl Mills , chief of staff at the State Department , objecting to what they said was American interference with Aristide 's `` constitutional and human right to return . '' `` The United States trying to control when any Haitian citizen -- especially a former president -- can enter Haiti is outrageous , '' said Bill Quigley , a New Orleans law professor and legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights . `` It violates a stack of binding international human rights treaties , '' he said . `` I felt compelled to speak out to defend both President Aristide 's human rights and the American tradition of rule of law that I teach in my classroom . '' Aristide was shuttled out of Haiti in 2004 on a U.S. plane after bloodshed on the streets and charges of authoritarianism and corruption . His supporters , including Glover , say the White House wants to keep Aristide out of Haiti in favor of a leader more in line with its own views . `` I am going to South Africa to show our solidarity with the people of Haiti by standing at the side of the leader they elected twice with overwhelming support : President Jean-Bertrand Aristide , '' Glover said in a statement . `` People of good conscience can not be idle while a former dictator is able to return unhindered while a democratic leader who peacefully handed over power to another elected president is restricted from returning to his country by external forces , '' Glover said , referring to Duvalier , who fled into exile in France in 1986 after 15 years of iron-fisted rule . Duvalier stunned the world by returning to Haiti in January . Shortly afterward , Aristide again aired his desire to go back home . The Haitian government issued him a new passport last month . Aristide retains a following in Haiti , especially among the poorest of the poor , who catapulted him to power in 1990 with more than 67 percent of the vote . But Aristide 's relationship with his homeland , as well as the international community , has been a complicated one . He gained popularity in Haiti by giving the poor and disenfranchised a voice , but his critics accused him of corruption , greed and human rights abuses -- problems that have plagued the impoverished Caribbean nation under other leaders as well . Last year , a massive earthquake devastated Haiti . Recovery efforts have been slow and have added to electoral turmoil . The United Nations voiced concerns this week over violence marring the campaign and called on `` all candidates , especially those in the presidential runoff , to avoid threats , intimidation and harassment . '' `` Consolidation of democracy in Haiti depends largely on the will of politicians to adopt the principles of a peaceful transfer of power and to accept election results in accordance with mechanisms provided by the electoral law , '' said a statement from the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti , which has been in Haiti since Aristide 's departure . The presidential vote pits former first lady Mirlande Manigat against popular musician Michel Martelly in a runoff that was delayed by two months because of unrest and charges of fraud . Both candidates had said earlier they support a Haitian citizen 's right to return home . Martelly , considered the frontrunner in the race , had no comment on Aristide 's return , spokesman Damian Merlo said . CNN 's Moni Basu in Atlanta and journalist Allyn Gaestel in Port-au-Prince contributed to this report .
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Aristide 's chartered jet lands in Port-au-Prince shortly after 10 a.m. His supporters line the road to his former home . U.S. officials have said former president could disrupt Sunday 's election . Aristide says the Haitian people will be happy to see him .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Humanitarian assistance from the United States began its journey to Japan Friday , as President Barack Obama extended a helping hand to the nation after it was hit by a devastating 8.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami . There are eight warships either near Japan or headed for it . All are attached to the U.S. 7th Fleet , which is headquartered in Yokosuka , Japan . Navy personnel began loading tons of disaster relief supplies aboard the U.S. 7th Fleet command flagship , the USS Blue Ridge , currently in Singapore The vessel and its crew were scheduled to depart for Japan Saturday morning , according to a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet public affairs . The USS Essex was scheduled to leave Malaysia Friday evening carrying about 2,000 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary movement . The USS Harpers Ferry and the USS Germantown are en route to Japan from the Philippine Sea . The USS Ronald Reagan , a nuclear-powered carrier , has been pulled from a long-planned exercise off the Korean Peninsula and is now headed for the earthquake area , accompanied by USS Chancellorsville and the USS Preble . And the USS Tortuga has left its base at Sasebo , a port city in far southern Japan . The ship already has several landing craft on board , but it 's heading to South Korea to take delivery of MH-53 cargo helicopters , which it will then carry to Japan . In addition to the 7th Fleet ships that have already received orders to head to the island nation , all ships in the fleet that can carry helicopters or aircraft have been ordered to be ready to deploy within 24 hours , if necessary . Fleet vessels not designed to carry aircraft must be able to deploy within 48 hours . The fleet is also undertaking a full accounting of all personnel in Japan , as well as the condition of their family members . However , no reports of injuries among 7th Fleet personnel have been received and no major damage has been reported among fleet assets , according to the public affairs statement . The public affairs statement pointed out that the 7th Fleet is not conducting full-scale disaster response operations , which would only come after a formal request from the Japanese government . It 's not just the military that is taking steps to get help to victims of Friday 's earthquake . The Federal Emergency Management Agency and its partner agencies are on standby in case their assistance is needed , the agency said in a news release . In addition , six Los Angeles County canine disaster search teams have been activated . The dogs were trained by the Search Dog Foundation and are now getting health clearance from their veterinarians to ensure they are ready to deploy . They will be part of a Los Angeles task force mobilized along with one from Virginia by the U.S. Agency for International Development . Each team will come with more than 70 personnel and approximately 75 tons of search and rescue equipment , in addition to the search and rescue dogs . `` On behalf of the American people , I wish to convey our sympathy , thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan who have been affected by this devastating earthquake and tsunami , '' said Rajiv Shah , the administrator for USAID , in a written statement . `` We are working with the government of Japan to provide any assistance needed in the rescue effort as quickly as possible . '' The agency also is dispatching a disaster assistance response team . California Gov. Jerry Brown said in a news release that he has `` directed California 's Emergency Management Agency to make state resources available to the Japanese government . '' Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig even promised assistance from Major League Baseball . Citing `` our shared love of baseball for more than a century , '' Selig said in a statement that Japan is `` a particularly special place to us '' and that MLB will provide aid in the coming days and weeks . The American Red Cross is communicating with the Japanese Red Cross Society and its global partners , according to a statement from the agency . So far , the American Red Cross has not received any requests for blood from its Japanese counterparts , or from the U.S. or Japanese governments . The organization is encouraging people with loved ones in Japan to use the Red Cross `` Safe and Well '' website , an online tool which helps families connect during natural disasters and emergencies . Earlier in the day , Obama described his country 's assistance priorities at a news conference . `` I offer our Japanese friends whatever assistance is needed , '' he said . `` Today 's events remind us how fragile life can be . '' He said the main U.S. assistance to Japan would probably be `` lift capacity '' in the form of heavy equipment to help clean up damaged infrastructure . The U.S. government is taking inventory of how many military personnel are in Japan to provide help , he said , adding that American citizens in Japan will also receive assistance . Obama called the earthquake and tsunami `` a potentially catastrophic disaster , '' saying the images of destruction were `` simply heartbreaking . '' At a session of the President 's Export Council on Friday morning at the Old Executive Office Building , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged `` immediate disaster relief assistance '' and said , `` We are working closely with the government of Japan to provide additional help , '' according to a State Department statement . The State Department on Friday said there were no immediate reports of casualties among the tens of thousands of U.S. citizens -- tourists , military personnel and others -- in Japan . The State Department issued an alert against nonessential travel to Japan because of the earthquake and tsunami . The alert said that Tokyo airports were closed and others also may be closed or restricted , and that public transportation in Tokyo and other areas has been interrupted . The alert also said strong aftershocks are likely `` for weeks '' and included instructions for what to do if caught in an earthquake or aftershock . It urged U.S. citizens in Japan to contact family and friends to let them know of their well-being . American Airlines told CNN that it would resume flights into Japan on Saturday . Both American and Delta Airlines canceled flights into Tokyo Friday . It was unclear if flights to other Japanese airports also were affected . In addition , Delta , United and Continental airlines announced they were waiving change fees for people whose travel plans involving Japan were affected by the disaster . The Yokota Air Base , a U.S. Air Force facility in Japan , accommodated 11 commercial planes carrying more than 500 passengers , after the flights were diverted to the base when the earthquake closed Tokyo 's Narita International Airport , according to a news release from the Air Force 's 374th Airlift Wing . Volunteers from various organizations brought food , water and cots for the stranded passengers and helped them register with the Red Cross . At the State Department , Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs said a 24-hour consular task force has been set up to help Americans affected by the earthquake . Americans in Japan who need help , or people seeking information about a loved one in Japan , can send an e-mail to japanemergencyusc@state.gov, Jacobs said . Americans outside Japan but in tsunami-affected areas who need help , or people seeking information about an American in affected areas outside Japan , can e-mail pacifictsunamiusc@state.gov, she said . A telephone information line also has been set up at 1-888-407-4747 , said Jacobs , who encouraged people to use the e-mail options if possible . When seeking information about Americans in Japan or other affected areas , Jacobs said , people should provide the full name , birth date and location of the person , as well as any pre-existing medical conditions , and if they are elderly or a child . CNN 's Kim Hutcherson , Michael Martinez , Ed Henry , Barbara Starr , Elise Labott , Larry Shaughnessy , Dave Alsup and Bonney Kapp contributed to this report .
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NEW : The U.S. 7th Fleet takes the lead regarding delivery of aid to Japan . Eight major U.S. warships are ordered to Japan . U.S. federal agencies coordinate search and rescue teams . Bud Selig promises aid from MLB , citing a `` shared love of baseball ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 hurt Friday in clashes between tens of thousands of anti-government protesters and security forces outside Sanaa University in Sanaa , the Yemeni capital , medical officials on the scene said . President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced that a state of emergency had been declared , and he expressed his `` deep regret '' over the casualties . An Interior Ministry official said both sides suffered casualties in the violence . The official would not be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media . Witnesses said the clashes began after government supporters and anti-government demonstrators threw rocks at each other . Security forces shot into the air and then into the crowd ; they also fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd , witnesses said . `` Orders had been issued earlier to all security apparatus to protect the protesters and the opposition , and to separate them , '' Saleh said . At the time the firing began , however , the two sides were far apart -- meaning security forces could not protect the protesters , Saleh said . He also said the protesters opened fire in an area that was full of people . `` Their protests have to be carried out in places away from houses of ordinary people , in order to prevent any friction between them and the people living in those areas , '' he said . `` Therefore we have today announced a state of emergency in all regions and the ban of any acts of armed violence in order to preserve the safety and security of citizens , '' he added . A spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy in Washington , Mohammed Albasha , called on senior security authorities to bring the perpetrators of Friday 's violence to justice . Separate statements from France and the United States , however , called on the Yemeni government to allow peaceful protests , implying that they believe the Yemeni government was responsible for the deaths and injuries . `` It is now imperative to stop attacks by security forces and pro-government armed groups against individuals exercising their right of expression and demonstration , '' the French Foreign Ministry said in a written statement . `` We again urge the Yemeni authorities , as they have previously pledged to do , to protect peaceful demonstrators , to guarantee the civil and political rights , and to adopt concrete and credible measures reaching out to the aspirations of the country . '' U.S. President Barack Obama also urged Saleh to stick to his pledge to protect peaceful demonstrations . `` The United States stands for a set of universal rights , including the freedom of expression and assembly , as well as political change that meets the aspirations of the Yemeni people , '' he said in a statement . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a statement Friday saying that the U.S. is `` alarmed by today 's violence in Sanaa against anti-government protesters '' and that she joins Obama in `` condemning the violence . '' The U.S. is `` seeking to verify reports that this is the result of actions by the security forces , '' Clinton said , adding that `` all perpetrators of violence should should be held accountable and brought to justice . '' Amnesty International went further , saying the shootings were part of an `` apparently coordinated sniper attack '' on protesters . `` This appears to have been a sniper attack with security forces deliberately shooting to kill protesters from strategic vantage points , '' said Philip Luther , Amnesty International 's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa . Protesters were reportedly chanting anti-government slogans at a protest camp near Sanaa University when armed men in plain clothes , believed to be members of the security forces , started shooting live rounds from the top of nearby buildings , Amnesty International said . Members of the security forces also shot at protesters at street level around the same time , it said . The group said it heard from a witness that the shooting started from different buildings and continued for more than 30 minutes . Hamid al-Ahmar , a member of parliament and leader of Yemen 's opposition Islah Party , also blamed the government . `` The attacks on protesters are unacceptable , and the end of the regime is near , '' he declared . `` Saleh has brought upon himself a life of disgrace after the killing of innocent protesters . '' Yemen has been wracked by weeks of unrest , with thousands protesting Saleh 's government . High unemployment has fueled much of the anger among a growing young population steeped in poverty . The protesters also cite government corruption and a lack of political freedom . The president has said he will not run for another term in the next round of elections . He also has pledged to bring a new constitution to a vote by the end of the year and transfer government power to an elected parliamentary system . Journalist Hakim Almasmari contributed to this report .
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France and the United States call on Saleh to allow peaceful assembly . Saleh , the president of Yemen , declares a state of emergency . An Interior Ministry official says casualties happened on both sides . Security forces open fire and use tear gas , witnesses say .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigeria international defender Olubayo Adefemi has been killed in a road accident according to police in the Greek city of Kavala . Kavala police say Adefemi lost control of his car on the Engatia Highway on the outskirts of Kavala , in northern Greece early on Monday morning , colliding with the central reservation before landing in the opposing lane . The 25-year-old , who played at right back for Skoda Xanthi in Greece 's Super League , was on his way to Thessaloniki Airport to catch a flight back to Nigeria to finalize plans for his forthcoming marriage , his manager Miguel Riera said , AFP reported . Police are continuing to investigate the exact causes of the crash . Nigeria football officials said they were devastated to hear of the death of Adefemi , who represented his country on five occasions . `` We are in grief , total grief . This has come on a day that we should be celebrating the Flying Eagles ' defeat of world champions Ghana at the African Youth Championship , '' said Nigeria Football Federation -LRB- NFF -RRB- acting general secretary , Musa Amadu , AFP reported . `` But at this stage , we can only pray for a repose of his soul and that God should grant the family he has left behind and Nigeria 's football family the fortitude to bear the huge loss , '' Amadu added , AFP reported . A statement issued by the Greek Super League also expressed its shock on hearing of the tragedy . `` The Super League and the entire Greek football family would like to express its deepest condolences and sympathy for the family of Olubayo Adefemi , who died tragically in a car accident , '' a statement by the Super League said , AFP reported . Adefemi represented Nigeria at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when they were runners up to winners , Argentina . He joined Skoda Xanthi last summer , scoring two goals in his 24 appearances .
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Nigerian international Olubayo Adefemi killed in a car accident in Greece . The 25-year-old Greek Super League player was returning to Nigeria to finalize wedding plans . Defender represented his country five times , appearing at 2008 Beijing Olympics .
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Cairo -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was complicit in shootings of anti-regime protesters during a period of upheaval in the country , a member of an official fact-checking commission said Tuesday . `` Whether the president gave the official order or remained silent knowing the shooting of protesters would take place , he is responsible for the 846 protesters who died during the January 25 revolution , especially since the killing started from Day One , '' said Judge Omar Marawan , the commission 's secretary-general . Marawan held a press conference after the release of the commission 's report , which said 846 civilians and 26 policemen were killed during 18 days of protests that led to Mubarak 's resignation on February 11 . The report focused on the killing and injury of demonstrators during the unrest in an effort to disperse them ; what it said was the intentional opening of prisons , leaving a security vacuum ; and the government 's manipulation of the media . It also issued recommendations as the country moves forward . The commission watched videos that confirmed several prisons were opened by security forces , according to the report . Members also concluded that police used extreme force against protesters and fired shots at people who were trying to film the unrest from balconies and windows . In addition , the report accused police of intentionally running over protesters with vehicles . The commission 's role was to compile information about the events and hand over their findings to the general prosecutor . Prosecutors have questioned Omar Suleiman , Egypt 's former vice president and intelligence chief , the general prosecutor 's office confirmed Tuesday , about events that took place during his brief period as vice president .
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846 protesters and 26 policemen died during Egypt 's unrest , commission says . The commission report says security forces intentionally opened prisons . Those who were trying to film the unrest were shot at , according to the report .
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Minamisoma , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The scene of sheer devastation left by powerful tsunami waves looked sadly familiar : trucks slammed into houses , uprooted trees and downed power lines soaked in muddy water , while time stood still inside abandoned homes with unmade beds and scattered stuffed toys . It was the eerie combination of sounds that stood out as I surveyed a deserted village on this chilly Wednesday morning : Rustling of dangling tin sheets in gusty wind , my own breathing behind a face mask and the constant beeping of my Geiger counter . My colleagues and I had just entered the 20-kilometer exclusion zone , a radius Japanese authorities drew around the Fukushima Daiichi power plant and ordered some 78,000 residents evacuated in the early days of the crisis , now the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl . The March 11 twin disasters of a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami in northeastern Japan have resulted in the plant belching radioactive particles into the surrounding environment . Driving for two hours on winding highways from the Fukushima train station , we had passed through rural Japan 's alternating scenes of snow-covered mountains and green valleys in full bloom -- until we reached a checkpoint with a big `` no-entry '' sign and flashing red lights . A friendly police officer , however , waved us through , after emphasizing the need to don face masks despite the relatively low reading on radiation . Our shoes tightly wrapped in paper booties , we finally stepped onto the soil inside the so-called hot zone , some 18 kilometers north of the stricken nuclear plant . With parts of the ground still wet from days of rain , we avoided murky puddles to minimize the risk of cross-contamination . The numbers on our Geiger counters fluctuated while the alarms -- with base level set low -- kept going off . Still , we faced no danger of being exposed to anything that would harm human health . Cars zipped by occasionally as residents were allowed in to check on homes and businesses , but the only other sign of life appeared to be farm animals -- a few cows , horses and chickens -- left behind that have grown gaunt . We noticed a lone young man in a blue jacket and jeans standing by a large pool of muddy water . Declining to reveal his name , the 34-year-old farmer told us , before the tsunami hit , the pool was a fertile rice field that his family had tilled for 150 years . `` I have lost my work and my home , '' he said , adding he had come back to retrieve some personal belongings . `` And I am scared about my health . '' He said he does n't trust government officials who say risks from radiation are low for local residents . His father wants to return , but he has other plans for the future . `` I may have to face the prospect of leaving my father behind and live faraway from here to start a family , '' he said . We wished the young farmer good luck and did n't linger long inside the exclusion zone as it started drizzling from the gloomy sky . As we exited the checkpoint , a news headline flashed on my phone : `` Japan to enforce nuclear evacuation zone . '' After removing face masks and paper booties , we drove past a line of shuttered storefronts and stopped at the centuries-old Senryu temple just outside the 20-kilometer perimeter . Sweeping its immaculately kept ground -- complete with a sand garden and a fish pond -- was Shinkoh Ishikawa , a 58-year-old Buddhist monk who offers a rare sanctuary to a community ravaged by a succession of disasters . The government had advised residents between the 20 - and 30-kilometer zones to move away or remain indoors . `` Religion is not something distant , it stays next to you , '' Ishikawa explained his decision to stay after seeing hundreds of bodies of tsunami victims cremated at the local funeral home without a proper Buddhist ritual . `` I hope people understand that death is not the end of one 's life , but a revolving step where lives meet again . '' Lighting a candle in the temple 's main hall where eight boxes of cremated remains lay on a table , Ishikawa chanted prayers for the dead . But it 's the tough and cheerful nature of the locals , he said , that has given him the best hope even as the nuclear fallout continues to unfold . `` We will rebuild , '' he said . `` I 'm confident about that because we had done the same after the second world war . ''
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There is a 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility . A 9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami hit northeastern Japan March 11 . The twin disasters devastate the nuclear power plant .
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Dallas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Wildfires that have raged through parts of Texas have killed a second firefighter . Elias Jaquez , 49 , died Wednesday , 11 days after getting trapped in a fire and suffering burns , Cactus City Manager Steve Schmidt-Witcher said Thursday . `` We 're a very small , tight-knit community . Everybody knew Elias , knew his family , '' Schmidt-Witcher said . `` It 's having a definite impact . '' Firefighter Greg Simmons died last Friday trying to extinguish the East Sidwynicks fire in Eastland County . Numerous firefighters have been injured , some seriously . Thousands of firefighters have been battling the blazes that have scorched more than a million acres in Texas since April 6 . Dry , windy conditions remained in parts of Texas on Thursday , though in some areas , cooler temperatures and rain aided firefighters . `` We 've been given a break in the weather , '' said April Saginor , spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service . `` Humidity is up and temperatures are down . '' CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said thunderstorms are expected in the region this weekend , but they will drop little rain and the lightning could spark further wildfires . West Texas averages nearly 15 inches of rain a year , according to David Hennig , a meteorologist in Midland , Texas . Over the past six months , just 13-hundredths of an inch of rain have been recorded in that part of the state . While October through March is typically the dry season , that amount of rainfall is far below what it should be , Hennig said . Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer predicted the fires will long be remembered . `` This is an event that 's going to mark time in our county 's history , '' he said . `` It 's something that 's going to change forever the looks and the community itself . It will be life before the fire and life after the fire , it 's that big a deal . '' On Thursday , Gov. Rick Perry declared Friday through Sunday as Days of Prayer for Rain . He urged `` Texans of all faiths and religious traditions '' to pray for `` an end to this ongoing drought and these devastating wildfires , '' as well as the safety of firefighters , said a news release from his office . The tinder-dry landscape has provided no shortage of fuel : On Thursday , the Texas Forest Service responded to seven new fires across 159 acres ; Wednesday 's four new fires covered more than 1,000 acres ; Tuesday ; s 10 new fires totaled more than 2,000 acres . Since January 1 , the Texas Forest Service said , it has responded to more than 800 fires that have damaged some 5,000 structures across 1.4 million acres . The state has seen fires in 252 of its 254 counties since December 21 , 2010 . In addition to in-state crews , the Texas Forest Service is directing the efforts of more than 1,900 firefighters from 36 states . That figure does not include volunteer fire department responders . Schmidt-Witcher with the city of Cactus said he has lived in Moore County for 16 years and never seen fires this bad . Jaquez was among the personnel fighting a brush fire south of Dumas on April 9 when two fire trucks got stuck . The four firefighters abandoned their trucks and tried to run from the fire . Three suffered smoke inhalation . Jaquez was unable to get away and was burned . He was taken to a burn unit in Lubbock , Texas , but died Wednesday , leaving a wife and four daughters . Flags were flown at half-staff , Schmidt-Witcher said . CNNRadio 's Thomas Andres and CNN 's Dave Alsup contributed to this report .
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NEW : `` It will be life before the fire and life after the fire , it 's that big a deal '' `` We 've been given a break in the weather , '' Texas official says . Elias Jaquez , 49 , is killed trying to fight a brush fire , becoming the second fatality . More than a million acres have burned in Texas since April 6 .
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New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Broadway actor injured when he fell more than 20 feet while performing a stunt in the `` Spider-Man '' musical is set to be released from a rehabilitation center this week , his father told CNN Sunday . Christopher Tierney , 31 , was moved into the center after being discharged from New York 's Bellevue Hospital on December 28 . His father , Tim Tierney , said he is n't sure when his son will arrive at his Portsmouth , New Hampshire , home , but said he is scheduled to be released from the facility Wednesday . Christopher Tierney suffered four broken ribs ; a hairline skull fracture ; a broken scapula , or shoulder blade ; a bruised lung ; three cracked vertebrae ; and broken bones below his elbow in the December 20 fall , the elder Tierney has said . Tim Tierney said his son is improving . `` He is up , '' he said . `` He is walking and just doing very well . '' He said Christopher Tierney can not wait to return to the show , `` Spider-Man : Turn Off The Dark . '' Several of the shows were canceled following Tierney 's fall , and new safety precautions were put in place before they resumed following a meeting between the show 's company , the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the New York State Department of Labor . The show , with music and lyrics by U2 's Bono and Howell -LRB- aka The Edge -RRB- , is the most expensive in Broadway history , but production has been beset by cast injuries and technical problems . Once Christopher Tierney is home , his family plans a belated Christmas celebration , Tim Tierney said . Jonathan Dealwis , a tourist from New Zealand , said he saw Tierney fall . `` Spider-Man was on a bridge , and Mary Jane was dangling from it , '' he said . `` I think he was meant to sort of swoop over there , but he just fell off ... the harness , you could see it just flick off his back and fly backward . '' CNN 's Ashley Vaughan contributed to this report .
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His father says the family plans a belated Christmas celebration . Christopher Tierney can not wait to return to the Broadway show , his father says . He says his son is up and walking .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A spacecraft survived the closest encounter ever with a comet on Thursday , tracking it just 435 miles from the comet 's nucleus . Mission control at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena , California , broadcast live coverage of the event on NASA Television 's Media Channel . Controllers broke into applause after hearing of the success . The agency 's EPOXI Deep Impact spacecraft was expected to use two imagers and an infrared instrument to acquire data about a tiny comet named Hartley 2 as it traveled at speeds of more than 27,000 miles per hour . Scientists are still working to determine whether there was any damage to the spacecraft as the peanut-shaped comet passed by . They hope to learn to more about comets from five images detailing the close approach . `` Those early images may not be the ` money shot , ' but we on the science team will prize them just as well , as they will help us further understand the nature of comets , '' said EPOXI principal investigator Mike A'Hearn of the University of Maryland , College Park , in a NASA statement . `` We certainly have our hands full . The images are full of great cometary data , and that 's what we hoped for . '' The images are expected to depict the comet nucleus as little more than a point of light with a fuzzy coma , a gaseous cloud , surrounding it . `` It was just incredible , '' Ed Weiler , associate administrator of the Science Missions Directorate for NASA , said of the encounter . Five years after NASA launched an 800-pound projectile into a comet in an effort to study its contents , the same spacecraft that launched the missile tracked Hartley 2 on Thursday . It is the first spacecraft to have visited two comets . NASA officials expressed hope that such missions will inspire young people to get into the field of space exploration .
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Comet Hartley 2 passes just 435 miles from spacecraft . EPOXI Deep Impact is the first spacecraft to have visited two comets . Scientists hope to learn more about comets from close imagery .
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Mexico City -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican officials are revealing details of a recently announced agreement that ends a 16-year trucking dispute between Mexico and the United States . U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced the agreement during a visit by the Mexican leader to Washington last week . The two leaders solved what had been a wrench in the gears of the North American Free Trade Agreement , which was signed in 1994 . Under the agreement , U.S. and Mexican tractor-trailers were to be allowed to transport goods back-and-forth across the border beginning in 1995 . But safety and security concerns spurred the United States to bar Mexican trucks on U.S. roadways . In response , Mexico retaliated with $ 2.5 billion in tariffs on a variety of U.S. goods . A pilot program in 2007 to get Mexican trucks on U.S. roads was de-funded . This time , Mexican officials said , in details that began to emerge over the weekend , the authorizations will be permanent . Unlike the failed pilot program , under the new plan there will be no limit to the number of companies who can participate and the trucks they can register for cross-border transport , said Dionisio Perez-Jacome , Mexico 's Communications and Transportation Minister . There will be three phases to the program , he said . The first will be the application and inspection of Mexican trucks and the accreditation of their operators , Perez-Jacome said . This phase concludes with a provisional authorization being granted to enter the United States . The second phase starts with a three-month period of thorough inspections of the vehicles crossing the border , checks that will decrease starting the fourth month , he said . It concludes with a certification that the company is following all the rules . The last phase involves the Mexican companies being notified of their permanent authorization , which can be granted after 18 months of successful operations , Perez-Jacome said . This authorization can only be revoked if a safety regulation is broken . A binational commission will be created to monitor all the phases of the new program . `` This is a great step forward in our bilateral relations , '' Mexican Economy Minister Bruno Ferrari said . `` The solution to this conflict represents a substantial advance for regional competitiveness , and , without a doubt , will offer new business opportunities for Mexican truckers . '' Currently , three trucks and three drivers are used to get goods across the border , Ferrari said . It comes out to about $ 150 per crossing . Multiplied by the 4.5 million annual truck crossings , the savings generated could exceed $ 675 million , he said . The agreement is expected to be signed by both presidents by June , at which time Mexico will drop half of its retaliatory tariffs , Ferrari said . The second half will be removed when the first permit for Mexican truckers is issued . However , Ferrari noted , Mexico reserves the right to re-introduce tariffs if any parts of the agreement are violated by the United States . Some in Mexico expressed concern that the U.S. Congress may block the agreement . Ferrari said that his understanding was that Obama was asking for a consultation period that would include Congress , but that the legislative body 's approval would not be required . The flow of goods across the border exceeded $ 2.75 billion in 2010 , which represents 70 % of total trade between Mexico and the United States , Ferrari said . `` The agreement achieved will reduce the costs of transporting goods between both nations , '' he said .
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Obama and Calderon announced the agreement last week . It comes after 16 years of disputes . Mexico truckers would go through three phases before authorization .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anything can still happen at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant at Japan , but experts are hopeful that the situation will stabilize . In the best-case scenario , electrical power and cooling would be restored to all of the six units of the plant , said Tom Kauffman , spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute , a policy organization of the nuclear energy and technologies industry in Washington . Restoring electric power is essential to stabilizing the plant , said Michael Golay , professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Power would ensure that the water can be provided to cover the fuel . Workers hope to install a crucial panel at an annex building , which was not severely affected by last Friday 's post-earthquake tsunami , for a new power supply system that should be finished Friday morning , an official from the Tokyo Power Company said Friday morning . The improvised power system , using 1.5 kilometers total of cable , is expected to provide electricity to power the cooling systems for the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at the plant . Also , engineers got an emergency diesel generator for Unit 6 running , and it is supplying power to Units 5 and 6 , Japan 's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Friday . Water injection to the spent fuel pool was continuing . `` Obviously what we 're hoping for is that they will bring the various cooling problems under control in the very near future , '' said Ian Hutchinson , professor of nuclear science and engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Once the fuel rods are submerged in water , the large releases of radioactive materials should come to an end , Hutchinson said . When the cooling water is restored to the spent fuel pools , and the reactor is cooling and the flooding can be maintained , expectations are for a stabilization of the situation , and a major reduction of radiation emissions , he said . `` That 's when we 'll be able to say , ` We 've got this under control , ' '' Hutchinson said . Once it 's been under control for a week or two , things may stabilize . The whole cleanup would take a matter of months or even years , Hutchinson said . And the site wo n't be usable again , said Gary Was , professor in the department of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan . Even in the best case scenario , there will be melted fuel in the reactor that 's not going to be usable , Was said . A real concern is the after-heat arising in the fuel rods , which need to have water cooling them , Hutchinson said . Unless there are much bigger releases and contaminations near the site , people may one day be able to safely get closer to Fukushima Daiichi than the current established evacuation zones , Golay said . The United States government has instructed Americans to stay 50 miles from the plant ; for Japanese citizens , the evacuation zone is only about 12 miles . `` The fact that you have differing policies does n't mean the U.S. thinks it 's more dangerous , '' Golay said . It 's simply because the U.S. is not in a position to help its citizens in Japan , he said . The situation at Fukushima Daiichi is worse than Three Mile Island , the Pennsylvania plant that suffered a partial core meltdown in one of its reactors in 1979 , Golay said . That 's because at Fukushima Daiichi there 's more radioactive material involved , and it 's less contained he said . At the Chernobyl disaster , the world 's worst nuclear power plant accident , which occurred in 1986 , the facility had to be sealed off with a large concrete sarcophagus . It 's hard to say whether this will need to happen at Fukushima Daiichi , experts say . It all depends on the extent of the contamination , which is unknown , Was said . Sealing off Three Mile Island was also discussed at the time of that disaster , Kauffman said , but instead the reactor was cleaned out , with the damaged fuel and core debris shipped off-site and put into storage . `` We 're still in the wait-and-see mode , '' Kauffman said .
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Experts : Restoring electric power is essential to stabilizing Fukushima Daiichi . Work is ongoing to establish a new power supply system , says TEPCO . It 's unknown whether the plant will need to be sealed off , as Chernobyl was .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A leading Senate conservative said Sunday he can accept tax reform that increases overall tax revenue as part of a comprehensive deficit reduction plan . Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma told the NBC program `` Meet the Press '' that if lowering tax rates and eliminating loopholes and deductions ended up bringing in more money to the U.S. government , `` that would be fine with me . '' Asked about a pledge he signed previously against any kind of tax increase , Coburn said his more important pledge was to do what 's best for the country . He also noted that political reality dictated the need for bipartisan support for any agreement to pass . `` This is n't about politics as normal , '' Coburn said . `` It 's about making a decision now that is urgent . '' Coburn is one of six senators taking part in bipartisan talks on a deficit reduction blueprint . While they have yet to reach final agreement , the senators participating in the so-called `` Gang of Six '' want their work to serve as an impetus for both sides to meet somewhere in the middle on the deficit reduction issue . Another member of the Senate negotiators , Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad of North Dakota , told reporters that increased revenue must be part of a deficit reduction plan . As an example of the tax reform under discussion , Conrad told reporters the plan would limit the mortgage interest deduction to a maximum of $ 500,000 worth of mortgage and only on a principal residence , not a second home . Under current law , the amount of mortgage held by a married couple eligible for interest deduction is $ 1 million , and that can apply to a second home . The deficit reduction debate is central to two key spending issues coming up before Congress -- increasing the amount of money the government can borrow , and passing a federal budget for fiscal year 2012 , which begins October 1 . The U.S. debt is expected to hit the country 's $ 14.3 trillion ceiling next month , though congressional leaders say the Treasury can take steps to put off the deadline until early July . Conservative Republicans are demanding significant deficit reduction steps attached to the debt ceiling measure before they 'll vote for it . `` I will vote ` no ' on raising the debt ceiling unless we have comprehensive , dramatic , effective and broad - based cuts to federal spending , including the reform of entitlement spending , '' Sen. Mark Kirk , R-Illinois , said on the CBS program `` Meet the Press . '' President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders oppose linking the debt ceiling measure to political issues , warning that a failure to raise the debt limit would amount to a U.S. default that would shake global markets , raise interest rates and stall or reverse economic recovery . `` We will raise the debt ceiling because the alternative , as every expert economist agrees , would be catastrophic for our economy , for our credibility around the world , for the bond markets and for the world economy , '' Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told CBS . `` So I think the only question is really whether raising the debt ceiling will be tied to spending reductions . '' However , Coburn and Republican Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois , a Tea Party conservative elected last November , rejected the Democratic argument that the debt ceiling must be raised , saying the government has enough money to pay its debt obligations , at least for a few months . `` It 's being overstated , '' Walsh , speaking on the CBS program , said of Democratic warnings of potential economic catastrophe . `` Three or four times over the course of the last 20 years , Congress has voted not to raise the debt ceiling , and it 's taken a few months and then they 've come together and they 've raised it , '' Walsh said . `` But over the course of those few months when the debt ceiling was n't raised , Armageddon did n't hit . The government paid its bills . We 've got enough government revenues to certainly pay -- to service all of our debt . And the administration knows that . '' So far , House Republicans have passed a 2012 budget proposal that would slash nonmilitary spending and overhaul Medicare and Medicaid while lowering tax rates with no revenue increase . The GOP plan drafted by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin would cut deficits by more than $ 4 trillion over 10 years . Obama and Democrats reject the Republican plan as an imbalanced approach that would put the burden of deficit reduction on senior citizens and the poor . Instead , Obama proposes cutting deficits by $ 4 billion over 12 years through cuts in both military and discretionary spending , increasing the tax burden on families making more than $ 250,000 a year and adjusting the Medicare and Medicaid government-run health care systems for the elderly and the poor . The Gang of Six negotiations focus on a deficit reduction plan compiled last year by a commission appointed by Obama that calls for increased revenue through tax reform , spending cuts in all areas and reforms to all the entitlement programs . Asked if the Senate talks were approaching a consensus , Conrad told NBC : `` If we do n't have an agreement soon , we wo n't be relevant to this discussion . `` We intend to be relevant , '' he said , adding : `` We have made enormous progress in this group , and it is the only bipartisan effort that is under way . And at the end of the day , it has to be bipartisan or nothing is going to happen . '' CNN 's Tom Cohen and Joana Godinho contributed to this story .
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NEW : Republicans reject warnings of catastrophe without a higher debt ceiling . Conservative senator breaks from his previous pledge of no tax increase . Tax reform would lower rates and end loopholes , Sen. Coburn says . Coburn is one of six senators in bipartisan talks on deficit reduction .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Best-selling author Jennifer Egan is having , by all accounts , a great week . She won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel `` A Visit from the Goon Squad . '' She made a deal with HBO to potentially turn the book into a TV series , and she won a spot on Time magazine 's 100 most influential list . CNN talked to the author about her success . The following is an edited transcript . CNN : Congratulations on your Pulitzer Prize . It 's a well-deserved honor . What were you doing when you received the news ? Egan : I was just sitting down to lunch at a neighborhood restaurant when I heard the news . My first reaction was flat-out disbelief . I kept asking my publicist , `` Are you sure ? '' It seemed impossible that a scrappy book like `` Goon Squad '' could win an award like that . It 's such an iconic honor . I think what the Pulitzer means to me is that I 'll need to work very , very hard to try to live up to it . CNN : How did `` Goon Squad '' come about ? What was the genesis or idea that inspired you to write your latest award-winning novel ? Egan : The entry point for me was very much what it is for the reader ; I was in a hotel bathroom , looked down and saw a wallet lying exposed in a woman 's bag . I 've had my wallet stolen many times and ways in my life -- through carelessness , oblivion or just plain being a sucker -- and when I saw that wallet , I thought , `` Oh , no ! Someone will take it ! '' Since I was the only person in a position to so , my mind made one of the fictional leaps that I live for : Someone would take the wallet . Who ? And why ? I began writing from that moment , and the rest followed fairly intuitively ; a peripheral character in one chapter would catch my eye , and I 'd think , `` Who is that person ? What does his or her inner world look like ? '' CNN : Your novel is filled with interesting and unusual characters ; do you ever base them on other people ? Egan : I almost never use real people ; in fact , I find that quite hard to do . So I feel as if I 'm making everyone up , that they have nothing to do with me or my life . I think thinking that actually helps me to write about them . But I always need to identify with a character to write about him or her -- and by `` identify , '' I mean see the world through that person 's eyes and have a strong sense of the inner logic of their acts and decisions , wacky or wrongheaded though they might be . In that sense , I think there 's some of me in all of them . CNN : I have to ask about the PowerPoint chapter . It may be the most creative part of an already inventive book . What was behind it ? Egan : I started wanted to try writing fiction in PowerPoint in the summer of 2008 , after reading in an article about the Obama campaign 's turnaround . A PowerPoint presentation within the campaign was credited with a change of strategy . In the old days , it would have been called a `` memo '' or a `` paper '' or even a `` presentation . '' But now it was called a PowerPoint -- actually branded ! That really struck me . I thought , `` could this ubiquitous program work for fiction ? '' Still , there were obstacles to my using PowerPoint : I had never used it before , did n't own it or have enough memory on my laptop to hold it . So my first attempts at writing fiction in PowerPoint occurred by hand ! Only months later , when I 'd finally bought the program and begun to work in it , did I begin to suspect that what had really been driving me toward it all along was a sense that it could provide a kind of microcosm of `` Goon Squad '' : a series of moments separated by gaps , or pauses , which add up to one story in the end . That chapter ended up feeling like the heart of the whole book . CNN : You 've received widespread critical and public praise for your books . How much importance do you give to all the accolades and reviews of your work ? Are you more interested in what your fans have to say ? Egan : It 's amazing to connect with fans , especially because I write slowly , and often with a sense that it will be a miracle if the book I 'm working on is ever finished or publishable . Winning prizes is a new experience for me , and I 'm especially hopeful that the prizes might help me find a wider audience for `` Goon Squad , '' which struggled in the marketplace early in its publication . But I 'm also keenly aware that many , many worthy books do n't win prizes , and that there 's a lot of luck involved . I think I got very lucky with `` Goon Squad . '' CNN : What prompted you to become a writer , and did you ever envision this level of success ? Egan : I still do n't envision this level of success ! What has always driven me is a love of writing itself . I 'm not a wildly gifted person ; I do n't play an instrument or speak another language or have great accomplishments in another field , as many writers do . But writing feels natural to me ; the act of it seems to free up my unconscious , so that sometimes I feel that I have access to more ideas and information than my conscious mind could think up . I 've known that writing was essential to me since I was about 18 . Between high school and college , I took a year off , saved up money and went to Europe with a backpack in the summer of 1981 . It was n't easy being in my own company for several weeks at that age , but somehow it made me realize that I wanted to be a writer . CNN : Do you have a daily routine , a schedule or a ritual when you 're writing a book ? I understand you like to write and edit your work by hand ? Egan : I write and edit fiction by hand , it 's true ; journalism , I write on a computer . I do n't know if the handwriting is so much a ritual as a necessary part of my process ; I tend to write my first drafts in a fairly blind state , without a clear plan , and the handwriting helps me to generate the most interesting material . My best hours are usually in the morning , and I like to write leaning back , rather than at a desk , so I often sit in a soft chair . Unfortunately , that means that I often nap while writing ! CNN : Can you tell us what you 're reading right now or what authors inspire you ? Egan : I 've just finished re-reading `` The Tombs of Atuan '' by Ursula Le Guin . My 10-year-old son loved it and wanted me to read it , and I had little memory of my first reading as a teenager . She 's a fantastic writer ; such a huge imaginative reach , coupled with a really lovely sense of language . We 're going to read `` A Wizard of Earthsea '' together next . Before that I read Emma Donoghue 's `` Room , '' which absolutely flattened me , it was so good . For `` Goon Squad , '' I was inspired by Proust 's big novel , `` In Search of Lost Time . '' I read it over years with a group of peers and feel a bit as if I 'd lived inside it -LRB- I think we had five children among us in our years of reading it ! -RRB- . Other inspirations : Edith Wharton 's `` The House of Mirth '' -LRB- one of my favorite books ever -RRB- , Robert Stone , Virginia Woolf and the great 19th-century storytellers , especially Dickens , George Eliot and Zola . CNN : In addition to your career as a novelist , you 're also a successful journalist . Do you have any plans to return to nonfiction writing ? Egan : I hope to keep writing journalism as long as I write fiction ; it 's afforded me such amazing adventures and opportunities . It does take a lot of time , so it 's hard to do both at once , but I try to do a big journalism piece every couple of years , and I 'll hopefully continue with that . CNN : What 's next for you ? Egan : There was a novel I was actually trying to start when I got sidetracked by that wallet and ended up writing `` Goon Squad . '' I hope I can still sink into that other book . It 's new territory for me ; historical fiction , set in New York during and after World War II . I 'm especially interested in women who built and repaired ships in the Brooklyn Navy Yard near my house . There were thousands of women working there during the war , doing jobs like welding and riveting that would have been unthinkable for women before that . I 've had the honor of working on an oral history project that involved interviewing women who worked at the Navy Yard , most of whom are in their 80s now . When the war ended , the men came home , and the women were all fired -- expected to return to traditionally feminine jobs or not work at all . It seems like such rich material ; I hope I can come up with some fictional way to bring it to life ! `` A Visit from the Goon Squad '' also won the 2011 National Book Critics Circle Award and is a finalist for the Pen Faulkner Award , the LA Times Book Prize and the UK 's Orange Prize . You can find out more about Egan on her website .
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Jennifer Egan won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel `` A Visit from the Goon Squad '' Egan also just landed a spot on Time 's 100 most influential list . Egan 's inspiration for `` Goon Squad '' : She saw a wallet lying exposed in a woman 's bag . The author works in a very low-tech fashion .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dripping with tiger blood and coursing with warlock power , fired `` Two and a Half Men '' star Charlie Sheen has announced five more stops on his tour , `` My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option Show . '' The first two shows -- in Chicago and Detroit -- sold out in minutes . The newly announced shows will bring the tour to Cleveland ; Columbus , Ohio ; New York ; Wallingford , Connecticut ; and Boston . What can fans expect ? Apparently lots of questions . `` Will there be surprises ? Will there be guests ? Will there be mayhem ? Will you ask questions ? Will you laugh ? Will you scream ? Will you know the truth ? WILL THERE BE MORE ?!?! '' asks the actor 's website , CharlieSheen.com . Sheen also makes a promise in the midst of the questions . `` This IS where you will hear the REAL story from the Warlock . Bring it . I dare you to keep up with me . '' Sheen , 45 , has been known for his highly publicized marital , legal and substance abuse problems as much as his acting . Lately he has been known for a bizarre series of rants , especially on his immensely popular Twitter account that logged 2.8 million followers in a few week 's time . Warner Bros fired Sheen from `` Two and a Half Men '' last week after he conducted a long-running rant against the show 's producers . Warner Bros is owned by Time Warner , which is also the parent company of CNN .
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Charlie Sheen 's Twitter account has 2.8 million followers . The first two shows sold out in 18 minutes . Warner Brothers fired Sheen from the hit sitcom `` Two and a Half Men '' last week . Time Warner Inc. owns Warner Brothers and CNN .
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Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven areas of Afghanistanwill begin to be handed over to Afghan forces to maintain their security in July , Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday . The announcement from the president marks the first step in NATO 's long-awaited plan to hand over security to a series of provinces across the country , leading up to 2014 when it is expected that Afghan security forces will be in control of the whole country . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed Karzai 's announcement . `` As we have long said , the Afghans themselves must take responsibility for their own future -- for providing security , for strengthening governance and for reaching a political solution to the conflict , '' Clinton said in a prepared statement . `` The United States continues to support the Afghan people as they work to build a more stable and peaceful nation , and we remain committed to the goal of a region that is free from Al Qaeda and no longer a safe haven for international terrorism . '' Members of NATO also applauded the announcement . `` This represents the next stage of Afghanistan 's journey , '' said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen . `` We are committed not to leave any security vacuum that could breed extremism . '' The `` transition is a process . It is not flipping a switch . Certainly Afghans will be in the lead but we are still here and will still help , '' said Lt. Col. John Dorrian , a spokesman for NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . He said the decision to begin transitioning Lashkar Gah , an area in the restless province of Helmand , was a `` testament to the progress made in the south . '' Areas to be handed over include parts of the capital Kabul . Southern regions such as Kandahar and Helmand provinces have long been major fronts in the war against the Taliban . In a speech last month , Karzai talked about this upcoming transition . During that speech , Karzai credited the influx of 70,000 international forces in 2010 for improving the situation and helping Afghan security forces . `` We are determined to demonstrate Afghan leadership and ownership of the transition process , '' he said . CNN 's Matiullah Mati and journalist Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report .
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NEW : Secretary of State Clinton , NATO welcome news . The announcement is part of long-awaited plan to hand over security . Karzai credits the surge of international forces with improving security on the ground .
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Cairo , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A fire broke out in the Egyptian Interior Ministry on Tuesday in downtown Cairo following a protest earlier in the day . Flames could be seen on the roof of the multistory building , and a dark plume of smoke loomed over the city . People could be seen fleeing the building as it burned . The blaze was extinguished in under an hour . The ministry was the site of a peaceful protest Tuesday morning and afternoon , with thousands of ministry employees -- many of them police officers -- making demands , mainly for higher wages . Protesters at the building denied setting the fire , saying it originated inside . During the protest , some of them could be seen climbing on guard posts and the building 's roof . `` I suspect that an electrical circuit malfunction may have caused the fire because it started at the top floors of the police communication building inside the ministry , '' said Alla Mahmoud , Interior Ministry spokesman . `` The protesters did not enter . '' He said uniforms and old furniture are stored on the top floors , which would explain the thick smoke . The cause of the fire was under investigation , he said , and findings will be announced Wednesday morning . Several firefighters suffered problems due to smoke inhalation , a Ministry of Interior spokesman said . Another man was rushed away from the building in an ambulance , but the cause of his injuries was not clear . Before the fire broke out , a procession of thousands of demonstrators made its way from the Interior Ministry through Cairo 's Tahrir Square -- ground zero for protests that toppled longtime Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last month -- and in the direction of the state television and radio offices . In a similar protest a few weeks ago , demonstrators set other buildings in the Interior Ministry complex ablaze , as well as cars . However , that fire did not grow to the size of Tuesday 's blaze . CNN 's Christine Theodorou and journalists Ian Lee and Mohamed Fahmy contributed to this report .
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Ministry spokesman : Electrical circuit malfunction may be to blame . The fire has been extinguished . Protesters deny setting the blaze . The ministry was the scene of a protest earlier Tuesday .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Co-hosts India set up a much-anticipated quarterfinal clash with four-time Cricket World Cup champions Australia on Sunday , beating the West Indies by 80 runs at Chennai . The victory meant India finished second in Group B , while Australia ended third in Group A after their 34-match unbeaten run at the 50-over tournament was halted by table-toppers Pakistan on Saturday . The Windies , who had already qualified for the last eight before the concluding match of the round-robin stage , will play Pakistan in the opening knockout game in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on Wednesday . The Indians have home advantage in Ahmedabad the following day , then Group B winners South Africa take on New Zealand in Dhaka on Friday and Group A runners-up Sri Lanka host England in Colombo on Saturday . Yuvraj Singh scored his first World Cup century as India posted a total of 268 at Chidambaram Stadium , being bowled out in the final allotted over . He collected his third man-of-the-match award of the tournament after hitting 113 off 123 balls faced , adding 122 for the third wicket with Virat Kohli -LRB- 59 -RRB- and then later dismissing two West Indian batsmen with his left-arm spin bowling . However , India lost their last eight batsmen for just 95 runs as World Cup debutant Ravi Rampaul claimed five wickets for 51 runs . The 26-year-old fast bowler , who had played 50 one-day internationals before this call-up in place of Kemar Roach , made an impressive start as he dismissed India 's opening batsmen Sachin Tendulkar -LRB- 2 -RRB- and Gautam Gambhir -LRB- 22 -RRB- . World record-holder Tendulkar had been seeking to score his 100th century at international level , but walked off after edging a rising delivery despite the umpire rejecting Rampaul 's appeal . The Windies , who would have faced Australia in the quarterfinals if they had won , made a solid start in reply but then suffered a batting collapse at 154-2 in the 30th over . Left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan bowled top scorer Devon Smith for 81 , while spinner Harbhajan Singh accounted for big-hitting dangerman Kieron Pollard -LRB- 1 -RRB- as the last eight wickets tumbled for just 34 runs . Khan ended with figures of 3-26 , while limited-overs specialist Yuvraj chimed in with 2-18 in his 271st one-day international outing . `` When you lose early wickets , you need a partnership going . I was very happy with the way it went , '' the 29-year-old Yuvraj told reporters . `` I was getting stomach cramps , but wanted to bat till the end . Our batting is going well -- once we get the bowling and fielding going we should be okay . '' In Sunday 's earlier Group A concluder , Zimbabwe finished on a winning note by beating fellow minnows Kenya by 161 runs in Kolkata , meaning their fellow Africans ended the tournament without a win . Zimbabwe scored 308-6 after batting first , with Craig Ervine top-scoring on 66 and Vusi Sibanda contributing 61 , while Tatenda Taibu also made a half-century . The Kenyans crumbled to 147 all out in 36 overs , as slow bowlers Ray Price , Greg Lamb and Graeme Cremer each claimed two wickets .
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India beat the West Indies by 80 runs to finish second in Group B at World Cup . Chennai victory means the co-hosts will next face four-time champions Australia . Windies will play Group A winners Pakistan in Wednesday 's opening quarterfinal . Zimbabwe beat fellow minnows Kenya by 161 runs in closing Group A match .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ferrari 's Fernando Alonso has told CNN Sport 's Don Riddell that Michael Schumacher is still the fastest driver on the Formula One grid . Speaking ahead of the opening grand prix of the season in Melbourne , Australia , Alonso -- himself a double world champion -- believes that seven-time world champion Schumacher remains a cut above his rivals . `` If Formula One was 24 cars exactly the same , then Michael would be the driver I would fear most , '' revealed Alonso . `` If you look down the list of drivers on the grid for 2011 , then one name stands out above the rest , Michael Schumacher . `` Michael is a seven-times world champion and is a legend in Formula One . We have to respect him because he has the ability and talent to do well this season . '' Despite not winning the drivers ' title since 2006 , Alonso confirmed that should he retire without another championship to his name , he would still be more than happy with his career . `` Not many drivers have had the opportunity to win one world title , let alone two . I have already had nine years in Formula One and hopefully have another six or seven to come , '' added the Spaniard . `` I could spend nearly a quarter of my life in this wonderful sport , doing what I love to do , so I consider myself lucky and am very happy . '' Despite this , Alonso confirmed that coming so close to his third world title last year , left him sad and frustrated . `` The first three or four days after the end of the season were not the best for me , '' Alonso confirmed . `` But I feel that Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull won the title rather than Ferrari losing it . `` Coming so close last year makes the team determined to go one better this time around , '' he added . `` Everybody at Ferrari was devastated by the result at Abu Dhabi last year but we are all very motivated now for 2011 . ''
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Fernando Alonso tells CNN that Michael Schumacher is still the best F1 driver . The Ferrari driver believes Schumacher remains a cut above his F1 rivals . Alonso confirmed he would still be satisfied even without another world title .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- International regulators need to rethink their procedures for handling nuclear accidents in the wake of the crisis in Japan , the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency said Monday . The current framework for responding to emergencies dates back to the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and `` reflects the realities of the 1980s , not of the 21st century , '' International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said . `` The speed at which information now travels and the huge volume of information in public circulation are among the most significant changes since then , '' Amano said . `` Live television and the internet provide constant updates on a crisis situation -- not always accurately -- to a global audience . The responsibility of the IAEA is to provide authoritative and validated information as quickly as possible , but doing this under the current arrangements inevitably takes time and has limitations . '' Amano said the first priority remains cooling down the damaged reactors at the earthquake - and tsunami-battered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant . But he said authorities should move to revise their playbooks for similar crises `` in a reasonable amount of time , '' and an April conference on nuclear safety would be a good opportunity to start . Amano , the IAEA director-general , briefed the agency 's governing board in Vienna after a trip back to his native Japan . During that visit , he pressed Prime Minister Naoto Kan to provide more information on conditions at Fukushima Daiichi , where three of the six reactors may have suffered core damage since the March 11 earthquake that struck northern Japan . Japan 's government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company , which owns the damaged plant , have been criticized for failing to share information about conditions there fully and promptly . In Washington , the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said information coming out of Japan `` is sometimes conflicting , and certainly is n't at the level that any engineer would like to have to do a thorough analysis . '' `` I do n't believe we have anywhere near a clear understanding of what the plant conditions are like within the reactor building -- what kinds of electrical cabling has been damaged , what kinds of pumps and valves remain operable is a significant unknown right now , '' NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko , whose agency has sent specialists to Japan to assist with the effort , said Monday . Amano told reporters Monday that information coming from Tokyo now is `` more extensive , '' and that damaged instruments at the plant may have prevented Tokyo Electric or Japanese regulators from having all the facts . However , when asked whether the response to the accident was quick enough , he said it was `` difficult to say . '' `` We had the information . But I personally think understanding the context was not that easy , and that was one of the reasons I went there , '' Amano said .
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Current procedures were developed after Chernobyl , the IAEA 's chief says . Those plans reflect `` the realities of the 1980s , not the 21st century , '' he says . He urges the release of more information about the Japanese situation .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The body of an Idaho miner trapped when the roof of the mine he was working in collapsed nine days ago was recovered Sunday afternoon , the company that owns and operates the mine said . `` Words can not express the deep sorrow we feel at the tragic loss of our friend , colleague and 30-year veteran of the mining industry . Our thoughts and prayers are with his family , loved ones and friends , '' Hecla Mining Company said in a statement announcing that the body of Larry Marek had been recovered . Earlier Sunday , the company had said it believed that Marek , a Hecla employee for more than 12 years , was dead . Rescue workers had been digging through rocky earth more than 6,000 feet underground in an attempt to reach Marek , 53 , following the April 15 collapse at the silver and mineral mine outside Mullan , Idaho . Marek was one of two men working in that part of the Lucky Friday mine when a 10-foot by 20-foot section of mostly rock fell on him , said Hecla 's President and CEO Phil Baker . This all occurred roughly 6,150 feet below the Earth 's surface . While the other man -- who has not been identified -- got out unharmed , there was no contact from Marek . Baker said earlier the cause of the collapse had not been determined , promising an investigation `` after the rescue efforts are complete . '' Numerous special bolts and chain-link fence are used to keep the ground above the affected mine in place . Marek was trapped in a part of the mine where ore is removed and far from either of two possible exits , neither of which was adversely affected by the collapse , according to Baker . Lucky Friday is a `` deep underground silver , lead and zinc mine , '' according to Hecla 's website . It has been in operation since 1942 . Hecla has 275 of its employees routinely working at the mine , in addition to about 100 contractors , according to a company statement . Its website describes the Coeur d'Alene-based company , founded in 1891 , as the `` largest and lowest-cost silver producer '' in the United States .
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Larry Marek , 53 , was trapped when the roof of the mine collapsed . Marek was a 12-year employee of Hecla Mining Company . The cause of the collapse has not been determined .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Snow began falling over Colorado and Kansas on Tuesday as yet another round of winter weather began marching across the United States barely a week after a record-setting winter storm roared across the Midwest . A powerful weather system poised over the Rockies is forecast to dump several feet of snow in the Mountain West and up to 10 inches in some parts of Oklahoma , forecasters said . Much of Oklahoma is under a winter storm warning , but snow and sleet are predicted as far south as central Texas , with 2 to 4 inches expected to coat the Dallas-Fort Worth area , the National Weather Service said . Later in the week , the system is expected to bring rain and snow to many areas of the Deep South before delivering a wintry mix along portions of the East Coast by Thursday . Snow is expected to spread into Oklahoma and north Texas on Wednesday and into Wednesday night , said CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen . By Wednesday , it also will begin spreading into the Southeast . Cities like Memphis , Tennessee , and Little Rock , Arkansas , could see 4 to 8 inches of snow , while lesser amounts are expected in Nashville ; Birmingham , Alabama ; and Atlanta . Bitterly cold temperatures will lock the center of the country in the deep freeze as the system moves east . `` Maximum temperature departures are expected to run 30 to 40 degrees below average for the central U.S. -LRB- Tuesday -RRB- with the same departures sinking south into Oklahoma and north Texas on Wednesday , '' the Weather Service said . Rain is likely across most of the Southeast on Wednesday and Wednesday night . Scattered snow is expected in the Great Lakes region Wednesday . A historic storm left its mark on at least 30 states last week , dumping about 2 feet of snow on the Chicago area and prompting Oklahoma 's governor to declare a state of emergency . Another winter system at the end of the week left central and southern Texas a mess . Ice caused 800 crashes across the Houston metropolitan area and many freeways were closed because they were too dangerous to navigate , CNN affiliate KPRC reported . Hundreds of flights were canceled as the winter weather threatened the plans of Super Bowl enthusiasts headed for the game last Sunday in Arlington , Texas .
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Snow forecast from the Rockies into the mid-South by Wednesday . Much of Oklahoma is under a winter storm warning . The latest storm follows last week 's historic weather system .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some 20 years after his beating at the hands of Los Angeles police , Rodney King was pulled over in Arcadia , California , this week after allegedly running a red light , his fiancee said Thursday night . Cynthia Kelly said she was riding with King on Tuesday when the traffic stop occurred . King was then was cited for driving without a license , she said . Kelly was a juror in King 's civil trial against the city of Los Angeles in 1994 , in which he was awarded $ 3.8 million . Amateur video captured King 's beating after Los Angeles police officers stopped him for speeding March 3 , 1991 . Police beat King repeatedly , delivering 56 baton blows and six kicks -- causing skull fractures , and brain and kidney damage . King talks to CNN about the 1991 beating . Four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force but were acquitted of state charges on April 29 , 1992 . The three days of rioting that followed in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities left 55 people dead and 2,000 injured . There were 12,000 arrests and about $ 1 billion in property damage in Los Angeles . Two of the officers , Sgt. Stacey Koon and officer Laurence Powell , were later convicted of federal civil rights violations . Since then , King has had a handful of run-ins with the law , including a guilty plea in 2004 to driving under the influence of a controlled substance and reckless driving . In a recent interview with CNN 's Don Lemon , King said he forgave the officers involved in the 1991 beating . `` I 've been given a break many times in life , everybody 's entitled to a break , '' King said . `` I did n't die , you know what I mean ? '' CNN 's Jeff Reid contributed to this report .
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King is cited for driving without a license . Twenty years ago , King was beaten by police after he was stopped for speeding . Rioting followed after the four officers charged in the beating were acquitted . King has had a handful of run-ins with the law since then .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prosecutors in Maryland are weighing whether to bring additional charges against the two suspects who appear to be attacking a transgender woman at a McDonald 's in a videotape made by one of the restaurant 's employees , officials said Monday . The video , which went viral last week , shows two women kicking , punching and dragging another woman across the floor of the Baltimore restaurant . A store employee and a patron attempt to intervene , with limited success . Someone off-camera can be heard laughing , another yells `` Stop ! '' several times during the attack and at one point , a voice can be heard telling the suspects , `` Y' all need to go before the police come . '' The video ends with the victim shaking uncontrollably on the floor . Authorities said the alleged attack took place on April 18 at a McDonald 's in Rosedale , on the outskirts of Baltimore . Officers were dispatched to the restaurant for a fight and discovered a 22-year-old female who appeared to be having a seizure , according to the Baltimore County police department . Witnesses told officers that the victim , identified by authorities as Chrissy Lee Polis , had been attacked by two teenage suspects . One of the suspects was 14 and charged as a juvenile with second-degree assault , according to police . The other suspect was 18 and charged with one count of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault , police said . The motive for the attack was not immediately clear , though one of the suspects is cited in a police report as saying the fight was `` over using the bathroom . '' A Maryland rights group , which is planning a vigil in support of Polis Monday night , said the attack was likely motivated by Polis being a transgender woman . `` No person ever deserves to be a victim of violence regardless of their gender identity or presentation . We encourage the state 's Attorney General to investigate this as a hate crime based on gender identity , '' said Equality Maryland Board President Chuck Butler . Baltimore County police spokesman Lt. Robert McCullough said the state attorney 's office is reviewing the case to see whether it merits additional charges . If the suspects are charged with a hate crime , they could face an extra 10 years in prison , in addition to whatever sentences they might get for the assault , plus an extra $ 10,000 fine , he said . Baltimore County State 's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said his office was aware of the case and will make a determination soon as to whether more charges will be filed -- against the suspects and perhaps against other people . He declined to comment on whether the case was being investigated as a possible hate crime . The victim 's mother , Renee Carr , told a producer for HLN 's `` Dr. Drew '' that her daughter is devastated by the ordeal . Polis did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment . `` She 's humiliated . They thought it was hilarious . The reason they did this is because she 's an outcast , she does n't fit in , '' said Carr . `` All my daughter wanted to do was use the bathroom . '' McDonald 's released a statement condemning the attack . It said the employee responsible for the video is no longer with the company and that `` appropriate action regarding other employees will take place as warranted . '' `` We want to reassure our customers that your neighborhood McDonald 's is a safe , welcoming place for everyone . We share our customers ' concern . We are doing everything possible to make sure the right thing is done , '' McDonald 's said . CNN 's Dana Ford and HLN 's Sarah Carden contributed to this report .
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A transgender woman was allegedly beaten outside a bathroom by two female suspects . One 14-year-old suspect was charged as a juvenile . The attack was caught on videotape by a McDonald 's employee . The state attorney 's office is reviewing the case to see whether more charges are appropriate .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A year after the onset of the worst oil spill in U.S. history , one of the most prominent Louisiana figures dealing with the disaster 's aftermath remains frustrated . `` A year later , I ca n't look you in the eye and tell you who 's in charge , '' Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said in an interview with CNN 's `` In The Arena '' host Eliot Spitzer . `` They 've changed out so many BP and Coast Guard people , just when you get somebody you think you can trust and make promises about cleaning ... they 're gone . '' Nungesser pointed out that oil remains in the marshes . He admitted that although the amount of the oil is not at the same level as it was during the crisis , the oil continues to hit the shores of Louisiana , especially when a storm approaches the coast . `` The oil is being picked up off the bottom of Bay Jimmy , slammed into the marsh . It 's killed the grass . There 's nothing to hold the mud together . '' Nungesser added , . `` We 've begged for bank stabilization , ... nothing 's really been done out here . '' Gulf waters reopened for fishing . In a BP video , `` A Year of Change , '' Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley apologizes for the crisis and highlights what BP did in solving the problem . `` In everything we 've done since that day , we 've tried to act as a responsible company should . The short film explains what we 've done . '' Dudley says , . `` It shows how we responded to the accident . How we acted to stop the leak . It shows how we worked with thousands of local people to clean the ocean and the shoreline . '' Two months after the Gulf oil spill , BP agreed to create a $ 20 billion fund to help victims who were affected by the oil spill . Since the incident , BP has reportedly spent over $ 16 billion in claims and clean up . ` Extreme energy ' is the new wave . Spitzer pushed Nungesser to address reports of elected officials profiting off the recovery efforts . `` Anybody that took advantage of it should be prosecuted , '' Nungesser said . `` But let 's not throw the attention . '' Nungesser said he wanted better transparency as to what is being done to continue the recovery of the Gulf Coast . `` We need full disclosure by BP and the Coast Guard , so this never happens again , '' said Nungesser .
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Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser is among those dealing with the spill . `` A year later , I ca n't look you in the eye and tell you who 's in charge , '' he says . Oil continues to hit the shores of Louisiana , Nungesser tells CNN 's Eliot Spitzer . `` We need full disclosure by BP and the Coast Guard , so this never happens again ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pippa Mann is hoping to make history after becoming the first female British driver to enter the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race . The Londoner is among 42 entries for the 100th anniversary of the U.S. motorsport event next month , and joins three other women vying for one of 33 available grid slots . 2010 IndyCar Rookie of the Year Simona De Silvestro of Switzerland , Brazilian Ana Beatriz and American Danica Patrick will also be among competitors going through a series of qualifying tests the week before the May 29 race . The 27-year-old Mann will make her debut in the 500-mile IZOD IndyCar Series , it was announced on Tuesday , driving the number 36 car for the Conquest Racing team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Mann , who made her first test in an IndyCar in March , will be joined by Colombian driver Sebastian Saavedra to complete Conquest Racing 's line-up for the event . `` I 'm really excited to be entering the Indy 500 , '' Mann told CNN . `` Obviously it 's always good to be the first to do something . If I can encourage other British women to compete at this level , then that 's an added bonus . `` There are a lot of entries for the race this year , so it 's a somewhat interesting time to be a rookie , but my qualifying record on super speedways is good and I 'm definitely up for the challenge . '' Conquest Racing team owner Eric Bachelart said Mann is a `` natural '' on oval track racing , and proved her competency when she tested for Conquest in Texas earlier this year . Mann was the 2010 Freedom 100 pole-sitter , and the first and only woman to win a pole position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . The U.S. resident joins the IZOD IndyCar Series following a successful Firestone Indy Lights campaign with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2010 , where Mann earned three pole positions , finishing fifth in the drivers ' championship .
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Pippa Mann hoping to become the first British woman to race in Indianapolis 500 . The Londoner will attempt to qualify for Conquest Racing team next month . Mann is one of four women and 42 overall entries in Indy 500 's centennial edition . She believes her qualifying record on super speedways will help earn one of 33 places .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal continued his winning ways on clay as he reached the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open with a 6-3 6-1 win over Colombia 's Santiago Giraldo on Thursday . The Spaniard 's serve was surprisingly broken early by his 54th-ranked opponent , but from 3-3 he dominated the match to set up a clash with French seventh seed Gael Monfils . The 24-year-old has now won 31 consecutive matches on his favored surface , with his last defeat inflicted by Robin Soderling at the 2009 French Open . He already holds the record on clay for his 81-match winning run from 2005-07 . Nadal missed last year 's event in the Catalan capital but won the title the previous five years , and now has a record there of 27-1 . He has a tour-leading 26 match victories this season -- two ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer , who are not in the draw . Nadal begins Barcelona bid in style . `` I will be playing against one of best players in the world who has reached the semifinals at Roland Garros , so it will be a tough match , '' Nadal said of Friday 's clash with Monfils . The 24-year-old Monfils , who reached the last four at the French Open in 2008 , moved into the last eight with a 6-4 7-6 -LRB- 9-7 -RRB- victory over ninth-seeded compatriot Richard Gasquet . Monfils , ranked ninth , lost in the last 16 at Monte Carlo in his first match in two months following a wrist injury suffered in San Jose which meant he could not take the court for his semifinal in the U.S. event . Fourth seed David Ferrer , who lost to Nadal in the final in the principality on Sunday , reached the last eight with a 6-3 6-2 win over Romania 's Victor Hanescu . The 29-year-old next faces a rematch with Jurgen Melzer , who he beat in the semis on Saturday . The Austrian sixth seed progressed after coming from behind to beat Ferrer 's 11th-seeded compatriot Albert Montanes 6-7 -LRB- 2-7 -RRB- 6-3 6-2 . The winner of Friday 's Ferrer-Melzer clash will face a Spaniard in the semifinals , with veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero and Nicolas Almagro also going through . Former world No. 1 Ferrero , playing his first event since last September 's U.S. Open following wrist and knee surgery , battled past Italy 's Simone Vagnozzi 7-6 -LRB- 7-3 -RRB- 4-6 6-4 . The 31-year-old won this tournament in 2001 and was runner-up four years later when Nadal embarked on his streak of titles . Eighth seed Almagro ended the hopes of former world No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko , beating the the 29-year-old Russian 7-6 -LRB- 7-2 -RRB- 6-3 . Almagro , 25 , won two lower-level events on clay in South America in February before losing a final in Mexico . Another Spaniard , Feliciano Lopez , continued his country 's dominance by joining Nadal , Ferrer , Ferrero and Almagro in the last eight . The 29-year-old left-hander beat Japan 's Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-6 -LRB- 7-5 -RRB- to set up a clash with Croatia 's 56th-ranked Ivan Dodic , who knocked out young Canadian 15th seed 7-6 -LRB- 7-0 -RRB- 4-6 6-3 . Meanwhile , women 's No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki marched into the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart after a 6-4 6-1 win over home hope Andrea Petkovic on Thursday . The German , ranked 19th , led 4-2 in the opening set but Wozniacki fought back to avenge last month 's defeat at the Miami Masters . The 20-year-old Dane will next play Poland 's Agnieszka Radwanska , who beat German wild-card entry Kristina Barrois 7-5 6-3 . . Last year 's runner-up Samantha Stosur also reached the last four as the fifth seed upset world No. 3 Vera Zvonareva , beating the Russian 2-6 6-3 7-6 -LRB- 7-3 -RRB- in two and a half hours . The Australian , losing finalist in last year 's French Open , will next face Julia Gorges -- who beat fellow German Sabine Lisicki 6-4 6-4 .
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Top-ranked Rafael Nadal extends his unbeaten run on clay to 31 matches . Spaniard sets up quarterfinal clash with seventh seed Gael Monfils in Barcelona . David Ferrer to play Jurgen Melzer in rematch of Monte Carlo semifinals . Last year 's runner-up Sam Stosur beats women 's No. 3 Vera Zvonareva in Stuttgart .
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-LRB- Mashable -RRB- -- As the mainstream tablet war rages , a similar device battle is heating up in the restaurant industry . Tablets that take orders , entertain guests and accept check payments are coming to a table near you . One company that is selling those tablets , E la Carte , announced on Tuesday that it has raised more than $ 1 million in funding from prominent investors like Y Combinator , Dave McClure and SV Angel . The company will soon be launching tablets in 20 restaurants on the West coast . It also has a partnership with a large restaurant chain in the pipeline that has n't been announced yet -- but the fact that Applebee 's executives participated in the funding round might provide a hint . Why the interest in providing every table with their own touch-screen tablet ? For starters , people buy more food when they can do so instantly , without waiting for service . In the six restaurants that ran a pilot scheme , according to CEO Rajat Suri , customers at E la Carte tables spent 10 % to 12 % more than those at other tables . E la Carte tablets allow customers to browse a full menu and communicate their orders directly to the kitchen . They come loaded with social games and a calculator for check splits and tips . They also allow customers to email themselves a receipt or instantly sign up for a loyalty club . In high-end restaurants , the tablet can suggest an appropriate wine pairing for a meal . Eventually , E la Carte might offer restaurants the option to compile data about their customers ' preferences as they use the device . Some restaurants have attempted similar functionality by loading their menus onto iPads or asking customers to download an app onto their own devices . The iPad 's problem in this situation : its minimum $ 499 price tag . Restaurants that can afford menus that expensive are n't casual restaurants , like Applebee 's , where a digital ordering system seems more appropriate . Asking users to download an app like Storific poses the problem that not everybody carries a smartphone . Even those who do might not want to pause and download an app as they sit down to lunch . A dedicated device , which E la Carte plans to install for a price that is `` significantly lower '' than the iPad , seems to be a more promising way for the tech world to break into the $ 6 billion U.S. restaurant industry . Other companies are already in this game . Tabletop Media makes a similar tabletop product that it began to deploy in 2008 . The company has established customers with chains like Chili 's Uno 's Chicago Grill , and California Pizza Kitchen and will be in 250 stores by the end of the summer . Both E la Carte and Tabletop Media charge the restaurants a monthly fee to use a network of devices . `` It 's propelling the restaurant industry into the Internet age , '' Suri says . © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved .
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E la Carte tablets allow customers to browse a full menu and talk with the kitchen . The company will soon be launching tablets in 20 restaurants on the West coast . They come loaded with social games and a calculator for check splits and tips .
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Bangkok , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Renewed clashes in a disputed area along the Thai-Cambodian border killed at least one Thai soldier and left 11 people injured Saturday , Thailand 's MCOT news agency reported . The skirmish came a day after officials said three Thai soldiers and three Cambodian soldiers were killed in fighting there . Each side blames the other for the violence , which erupted Friday near two temples in the Phanom Dong Rak district of Thailand 's Surin province . Authorities have evacuated thousands of people from nearby villages . The Cambodian defense ministry on Saturday blasted what it called Thailand 's `` repeated deliberate acts of aggression , '' including firing heavy artillery weapons and flying military planes deep into Cambodian airspace . In a letter to the U.N. Security Council on Friday , Cambodia 's deputy prime minister said Thai troops had engaged in a `` large-scale attack with many types of weapons , '' targeting areas around temples `` deep inside Cambodian territory . '' Hor Namhong wrote that Thai artillery pieces fell as far as 21 kilometers -LRB- 13 miles -RRB- in its territory during what he called the fifth such attack since 2008 when the U.N. Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization placed Cambodia 's Preah Vihear Temple on its World Heritage List . Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya , meanwhile , said he 'd send off a `` protest letter '' of his own , the state-run MCOT news agency reported Saturday . He disputed reports that Thai forces had used poisonous gas or flown over Cambodian territory , except for helicopters trying to airlift out wounded soldiers . `` We protected our sovereignty , and our counterattack targeted the Cambodian army base to limit the area of the clash , '' said Kasit , who added that Thailand still wanted to settle the issues diplomatically . Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told MCOT on Saturday that one recent clash began after Cambodian troops fired into Thai territory.Earlier , Thai army Lt. Col. Siriya Khuangsirikul accused Cambodia of violating an agreement not to bring weapons or post troops in the disputed area . Cambodian Lt. Gen. Chhum Socheat claimed Thai troops shelled and damaged temples , and flew over Cambodian territory with spy planes , Cambodia 's state-run Agence Kampuchea Presse reported . At least 10 people were killed when renewed fighting flared up in another disputed border area between the two nations in February , prompting the U.N. Security Council to issue a statement calling on both sides to implement a permanent cease-fire and `` resolve the situation peacefully and through effective dialogue . '' The office of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement Saturday that the U.N. chief was `` troubled '' by the recent clashes , especially after `` initial signs of progress '' toward resolving their conflict peacefully . `` The Secretary-General calls on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and to take immediate measures to put in place for an effective and verifiable ceasefire , '' the statement said . Those clashes , which lasted four days , stemmed from a longstanding conflict related to the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple . Both Cambodia and Thailand lay claim to the temple , which sits atop a cliff on Cambodian soil but has its most accessible entrance on the Thai side . At the time , each nation accused the other of firing first , according to a statement from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations . Conflict over the site has taken place periodically for years . In 1962 , the International Court of Justice in The Hague , Netherlands , ruled that the site was in Cambodia , adding that the structure was `` an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture . '' But Thailand says the 1.8-square-mile -LRB- 4.7-square-kilometer -RRB- area around Preah Vihear was never fully demarcated , and blames a map drawn at the beginning of the 20th century during the French occupation of Cambodia . Thaugsuban said Saturday that the border dispute must be resolved peacefully between the two parties , without the involvement of a third party . In his latest letter to the United Nations , his Cambodian counterpart Namhong accused Thailand of not being earnest in its bids to resolve the dispute peacefully , calling its neighbor 's actions `` a pretext for using its larger and materially more sophisticated armed forces against Cambodia . '' CNN 's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report .
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NEW : U.N. chief is `` troubled '' by clashes along Thai-Cambodian border , urges talks . NEW : Cambodia 's military blasts what it calls `` repeated deliberate acts of aggression '' NEW : A Thai official says Cambodia fired first , saying its forces acted in self-defense . The tension revolves around who controls territory along the border .
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Dallas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Texas firefighters Wednesday battled blazes that have scorched more than a million acres and have been burning for more than a week , according to the Texas Forest Service . `` We 're actually seeing Texas burn from border to border . We 've got it in west Texas , in east Texas , in north Texas , in south Texas -- it 's all over the state , '' Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor told CNN Radio . `` We 've got one in the Dallas area that 's four fires that have actually merged together . '' Saginor said firefighters from 34 states are now in Texas battling blazes that , over the past two weeks , have destroyed more than 170 homes . `` Some -LRB- fires -RRB- are over 100,000 acres and they 've been burning for over a week , so that 's our priority right now , '' Saginor said , `` to put out the big ones . '' Firefighter Greg Simmons died Friday trying to extinguish the East Sidwynicks fire in Eastland County . Five other volunteer firefighters have been injured by the East Sidwynicks fire , which has burned 3,000 acres . High-res photos : Wildfires blaze across Texas . Another firefighter was treated and released from a hospital in Graham after his bulldozer clipped a gas line and caused an explosion . `` The state of Texas is under siege , '' Saginor said . `` Wildfire is dangerous and it 's threatening homes , lives and property on a daily basis . We caution residents to take this threat seriously and heed the call of their local authorities when told to evacuate . '' The tinder-dry landscape has provided no shortage of fuel : On Wednesday , emergency personnel responded to four new fires across more than 1,000 acres , according to the Texas Forest Service . On Tuesday , they responded to 10 new fires , totaling more than 2,000 acres . Since January 1 , the Texas Forest Service said , it has responded to more than 800 fires that have damaged some 5,000 structures across 1.4 million acres . Fire-friendly conditions were expected to return Thursday in various parts of the state , the National Weather Service said . `` Even if we get two inches of rain , the ground 's going to eat it up , '' said David Hennig , a Weather Service meteorologist in Midland , Texas . `` We need a pattern shift . '' West Texas averages nearly 15 inches of rain a year , according to Hennig . In the past six months , only 13-hundredths of an inch of rain have been recorded in that part of the state . While October through March is typically the dry season , that amount of rainfall is far below what it should be , Hennig said . He said weather models show the possibility of more storms this weekend and perhaps next week . While the rain is needed , storms accompanied by lightning pose a fire risk , he said . The Guadalupe Mountains face an extreme risk of fire through Thursday , according to the National Weather Service . Van Horn , which is 165 miles west of Odessa , is expected to face a critical fire threat on Thursday , as well as the nearby state Highway 54 corridor and the southeast New Mexico plains . One of the largest fires plaguing Texas rampaged between the towns of Graham and Graford . That fire , fewer than 70 miles west of Dallas-Fort Worth , burned into residential areas surrounding Possum Kingdom Lake Monday night , destroying and damaging homes in four or five neighborhoods , according to Marq Webb , a spokesman with the Texas Forest Service . Possum Kingdom resident Jackie Fewell set up a blog to provide updates on the crisis since fire warnings first were extended to the 3,000-home lake community . Crews protect Texas observatory with fire of their own . `` I was frustrated by a lot of misinformation that was being passed around by a lot of well-intentioned people through Facebook and text-messaging , '' she said . Fewell set up the blog Saturday as a part of the website for Pondera Properties , the lake 's managing real-estate company , where she works . `` We have been able to generate this incredible response , '' Fewell said , noting the site has served as a bridge between residents in need of help and those able to provide it . `` We get remarks from people all over needing help , '' she said . `` If we put out a query to get 200 leather gloves to the area , we 'll have those gloves within a few days . '' Wildfire ravages home but spares family roosters . Fewell said the site has been responsible for aiding residents in a number of ways , from saving abandoned pets to providing real-time updates on properties threatened by the blaze . The Palo Pinto County Sheriff 's office said it evacuated 200 residents from the town of Palo Pinto and moved them to shelters . Two buses were sent to evacuate jail inmates , said Deputy Randy Hunter . That evacuation order was lifted Wednesday afternoon . Dianne Simpson told CNN affiliate KSAN that she and her husband watched nervously as a wildfire approached their house near the Tom Green County-Coke County line , where residents had evacuated . Texas Forest Service : Fire dangers and advisories . `` We just sat out here on the deck and watched it burn , and it was just pretty devastating , '' Simpson said . `` You 're just sitting here going ` There 's nothing I can do . ' '' According to KSAN , the blaze stopped just 330 yards from the Simpsons ' house . By Wednesday , the evacuation order for Coke County had been lifted , according to Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Saginor . CNNRadio 's Thomas Andres and CNN 's Dave Alsup contributed to this report .
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NEW : Forest Service responded to 4 new fires Wednesday totaling more than 1,000 acres . Evacuation orders were lifted for Coke County and Palo Pinto , Texas . Possum Kingdom resident Jackie Fewell has set up a blog to provide updates . New fires emerge in Stephens and Garza counties in northern Texas .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somali pirates released a chemical tanker after holding it for more than four months , the European Union 's naval protection force said Thursday . The MV Hannibal II was seized November 11 off the Horn of Africa , EU NAVFOR said . All 30 members of the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel are safe and in good health , the naval force said , citing the owner of the ship . The waters off the coast of largely lawless Somalia have become a danger zone for ships in the past several years as pirates seize them for ransom . EU NAVFOR did not say if a ransom had been paid for the Hannibal II .
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The MV Hannibal 's crew is safe and in good health , the ship owner says . The waters off Somalia are dangerous for ships due to piracy .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It all happened so fast . In January , less than a month after fruit vendor Mohammed Bouazizi lit himself on fire , nationwide protests in Tunisia forced out President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali . One month later , Egypt experienced its own revolution , and unrest spread across the region to other countries such as Bahrain , Jordan , Syria and Yemen . But in the last couple of months , it seems , the rate of change has slowed . A stalemate has developed in Libya 's civil war . Government leaders are n't budging in Bahrain or Syria , and Yemen 's future is still up in the air . So what happens next ? Is more change on the way , or have we already seen the peak of what some call the `` Arab Spring '' ? CNN.com reached out to five experts for opinion and analysis . More specifically , we posed the following question : How do you see the `` Arab Spring '' playing out as we move toward the summer months ? Taylor : Expect regime change in Libya , Yemen Julie Taylor , a Middle East specialist who lived in Egypt for four years , is a political scientist at the RAND Corp. . It is likely that we will see at least two more regime transitions in the next six months . One is Yemen , where the ruling party has agreed to have President -LRB- Ali Abdullah -RRB- Saleh step down . It is not clear whether Saleh is on board with the deal -- if the opposition rejects the portion of the agreement that would protect Saleh and his family from prosecution , the president 's departure might be delayed . But it will still be imminent . Saleh enjoys little support both inside and outside of Yemen , and all parties are growing frustrated with his attempts to drag out the inevitable . Another is Libya , where most think any resolution that keeps -LRB- Moammar -RRB- Gadhafi in power and divides the country is untenable . Syria is harder to call . The protesters are unrelenting , but -- unlike in Yemen -- troop leaders in Syria 's armed forces are highly committed to President -LRB- Bashar -RRB- al-Assad . Their fates are tied to the maintenance of the regime because they are from the same minority Alawite sect . Al-Assad also has the ability to initiate a mass crackdown , and the regime 's primary patron , Iran , would likely support such a move . Overall , prospects for consolidated democracies look somewhat bleak . Prior to the revolutions , a network of civil society groups had developed in Egypt and Tunisia , cultivating a civic culture that promoted popular engagement and democracy . But the two countries still struggle to establish democratic systems . The countries in a possible `` second wave '' of Arab revolutions have even dimmer prospects . Other than tribes , Libya essentially has no civil society , and it has a long-isolated educated class . Yemen has civil society organizations but fewer well-educated individuals or solid state institutions . And Syria , despite its comparatively well-educated population , has virtually no civil society ; removal of the regime would likely devolve into a civil conflict between Alawites and majority Sunnis . Sharqieh : ` We are seeing dictators inspiring dictators to resist ' Ibrahim Sharqieh is deputy director of the Brookings Doha Center . One major lesson that Tunisia and Egypt shared with their fellow Arabs is that dictatorships do have an end and that they can be abolished sooner than many think . Furthermore , they inspired the entire region with their success , breaking the barrier of fear and replacing it with a pragmatic optimism that change can be achieved . However , the other half of the story that remains is the question of what it takes to effect democratic change in the region . In particular , it is becoming increasingly obvious that a smooth overthrow of entrenched dictators is quite an elusive goal . The Tunisian and Egyptian paradigm of regime change in three weeks probably can not be repeated . In the coming months , a new paradigm for political transition will likely emerge in the Arab world . We should be prepared to see different means of quelling public unrest in the region . Possible new scenarios include civil wars , coups , disintegrations , sectarian tension , external intervention , internationalization and negotiated political settlements . The countries at risk -- particularly Libya , Yemen , Syria and Bahrain -- are unlikely to follow one particular path because each one of them has its own set of dynamics and domestic drivers for change . In Tunisia and Egypt , we have seen people inspiring others to revolt ; however , in the new paradigm , we are seeing dictators inspiring dictators to resist . It is true the emergence of these new dynamics is likely to make the process of political change longer and more complicated . But regardless of how long this process takes , the Arab public has learned that the time has come for aging dictators to depart -- and that the only option at this point is to move forward with the long-overdue call for freedom and justice . Khanna : Arab world has the money to solve its problems Parag Khanna , author of `` How to Run the World : Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance , '' is a senior research fellow with the New America Foundation . As the `` Arab Spring '' moves into summer , things are likely to remain hot . While it is anyone 's guess what will happen in Libya -- consolidation or partition are still equally viable scenarios -- tensions will surely rise in Egypt as government reforms falter and election preparations ramp up . And Bahrain might have quelled the protests in its streets , but it will have done little to address the core sectarian inequalities that are a key driver of its present instability . Importantly , the bottom-up push for accountability will continue as long as citizens , business groups and other reformers keep the pressure on for emergency laws to be repealed , parliaments to be strengthened and economic reforms to be undertaken . Particularly with respect to the economy , private creditors and outside agencies such as the International Monetary Fund can play a valuable role in forcing governments in Egypt and Syria to loosen their economic grip faster than entrenched elites would like . The role of the Gulf Cooperation Council , which includes countries such as Saudi Arabia , Qatar and the United Arab Emirates , will remain pivotal and come ever more into the spotlight . These oil-rich states have been key investors across the Arab world and play a vital role in financing the necessary structural economic modernization the region needs . Remember that the Arab world is not the third world -- it has all the money it needs to solve its own problems . The question is if it can overcome the stale Arabism of the past , which affirmed insecure nationalism , in favor of a new Arabism that champions trans-Arab interdependence . Cherif : Odds stacked against Syrian revolution Feryal Cherif is an assistant professor for the political science department at the University of California , Riverside . The events in Tunisia and Egypt offer hope that uprisings elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa will meet with success . Perhaps most striking are the events unfolding in Syria , where few predicted mass protests against Bashar al-Assad 's regime and where the conventional wisdom suggests that past repression , ethnic-religious diversity and relative popularity would shield al-Assad . In many ways , the events in Syria draw strong parallels to Egypt . In the hopes of appeasing protesters , al-Assad offers concessions every few days -- a lifting of the niqab ban , offering citizenship to Kurds and promising to rescind emergency law . But much like -LRB- Egyptian President Hosni -RRB- Mubarak , al-Assad constantly appears to be a step behind the protesters ' demands . While the magnitude of Syrian protests is impressive , the fate of al-Assad 's regime remains an open question . Specifically , a loyal military and the legacy of limited association rights significantly diminish the prospects of a successful revolution in the country . In Egypt , protesters benefited from relatively strong NGOs -LRB- nongovernmental organizations -RRB- and experience with activism , but Syria has a more limited and restricted civil society . Data from the NGO Regulation Network reveal that there are nearly five times more civil society organizations per capita in Egypt than Syria . Except for the Hama revolt in 1982 and Kurdish demonstrations in 2004 , political protest in Syria has been minimal . All of this suggests that Syrian protesters have less local political experience and knowledge , fewer resources and smaller networks that they can tap into . These deficiencies limit protesters ' ability to pressure the regime and ensure it is held accountable for its actions . Hashemi : Revolts leave a ` powerful legacy ' Nader Hashemi teaches Middle East politics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver , and he is author of `` The People Reloaded : The Green Movement and the Struggle for Iran 's Future . '' The notion of an `` Arab Spring '' is a misnomer because it assumes that the Arab world is a monolith . Yes , these uprisings are motivated by common political and economic grievances rooted in decades of authoritarian rule . And , yes , the protesters aspire to common democratic objectives . But each country in the Arab world is different . Each has its own internal story and confronts different obstacles related to class and minority cleavages , the strength of the military and state institutions , and the unity and democratic orientation of the opposition forces . Moreover , the nature and character of the forms of authoritarian rule in the Arab world -- and the devastation they have wrought -- pose different challenges for democrats moving forward . There is cause for optimism even if we assume a worst-case scenario where democratic forces are crushed in Libya , Syria , Yemen and beyond . Were this to happen , these revolts would still leave behind a powerful legacy that future democratic forces can build upon , buttressed by the successful of examples of Tunisia and Egypt , where the prospects for democracy appear to be the greatest . Regardless of how many democratic transitions we witness this year , the tide of history has turned . The days are numbered for Arab authoritarian regimes , and those who argue that Islam/Arab culture is incompatible with democracy are left scrambling .
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Experts weigh in on the Arab unrest and describe what they think will happen next . Several are optimistic about the possibility of more regime change . The exception might be Syria , where the odds seem to be stacked against protesters . Even if more change is slow to come , `` the tide of history has turned , '' one expert says .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was two years late and billions of dollars over budget , but this week the Singapore Airline-owned A380 completed its maiden passenger journey between Singapore and Sydney . Making history : the first double bed on a commercial jet . On board were nearly 500 passengers who had bid thousands of dollars for the historical experience . This was a turning point in aviation history as Airbus ' superjumbo became the world 's largest aircraft . And the time had finally come for it to receive some admiration . Singapore Airlines ' CEO , Chew Choon Seng named the jetliner the `` queen of the skies '' . Tom Enders , CEO of Airbus said he would like to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary on one of its double beds . And CNN 's Richard Quest , who was on board the maiden flight , said there was `` nothing quite like it '' . The luxury on board , he said , sets a new standard for air travel . It 's the quietest large passenger jet ever built -LRB- inside and out -RRB- , it has a low fuel-burn to reduce fuel use and emissions , it can carry 40 percent more passengers than other large aircraft and in greater comfort . But the feature that has attracted greatest interest on the Singapore Airlines A380 is its '' beyond first class '' cabins . Behind the sliding doors of the Singapore Airlines Suites , the well-heeled can luxuriate in a private cabin designed by leading French yacht designer , Jean-Jacques Coste . There 's a wide leather seat and alongside that , a standalone bed . This is two meters long with Givenchy duvets and cushions . And for couples traveling , the beds on the middle two suites can be converted into double beds . From bed or chair , travelers can catch a movie on a 23-inch widescreen LCD . Laptops can be plugged into an in-seat power supply and business travelers with just a thumb drive can plug this into a USB ports and access a suite of office tools on Singapore Airlines ' in-flight entertainment system . Celebrity chefs including Britain 's Gordon Ramsay and Georges Blanc were behind the first class menu that can be eaten off Givenchy tableware . Unlike other airlines , that have considered offering casinos , gyms and showers on their future A380s , Singapore Airlines has opted instead for a configuration that , whilst offering luxury , also makes money . As Chew Choon Seng , CEO of Singapore Airlines reminded reporters last week , the first Boeing 747s soon ditched the lounges and bars on the upper decks in favor of seats that could generate cash . Behind the 12 luxury suites there are 399 economy seats , ranked 10-abreast on the upper and lower decks , as well as 60 business class seats that are the biggest yet at 87 centimeters wide . Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 superjumbos for an estimated price tag of $ 5.7 billion . The second is due to arrive next February with further deliveries later in 2008 . Tickets for the A380 's first return commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney were sold at auction on eBay . One passenger paid $ 100,000 for the experience , with the majority paying between $ 1,500 and $ 5,000 . The $ 1.4 million raised has gone to charities in Singapore , Sydney and a global humanitarian organization . From Sunday 28 October , Singapore Airlines will commence its scheduled service between Singapore and Sydney on one of the three daily flights in each direction . The jetliner to be delivered next spring will be used on one of the three daily flights between Singapore and London 's Heathrow Airport . It 's been a long road to this point for Airbus , but the journey is by no means over . The airline has a tough delivery schedule ahead to fulfil its 185 orders to 15 customers -LRB- see figures below -RRB- . Next year it plans to deliver 13 , a further 25 in 2009 and 45 in 2010 . Tom Enders , Airbus ' CEO does n't underestimate the scale of challenge ahead . `` This is not a piece of cake , '' he told CNN , `` but we have learned our lessons and we are very confident today that we can deliver to our customers . '' It has n't just been Airbus that has been frantically preparing for the A380 launch . Airports around the world have had to make changes to runways and gates , as well as buy in new vehicles that can tow the giant aircraft and lift high enough to its upper decks . Seventy airports are now ready , Airbus has said . Singapore 's Changi Airport , home to the Singapore Airlines A380 fleet , was the first , and when its new Terminal 3 opens early next year , 19 gates across the three terminals will be A380-ready with aerobridge access to both decks . Heathrow 's new Terminal 5 will be able to handle four A380s at one time . British Airways , the Terminal 's sole occupant , recently confirmed an order for 12 superjumbos and it now wants BAA to upgrade a satellite building to be built next to Terminal 5 to accommodate them . As Willie Walsh , BA 's CEO told CNN , `` we want to make sure that development is built with the A380 in mind . '' But whether the arrival of the A380 sets a standard for future air travel is still undecided . As CNN 's Richard Quest points out , while these giant airplanes may be suitable for getting large numbers of people between key destinations quickly , demand could be even higher for the medium-size jets such as Boeing 's up-coming 787 Dreamliner . As Richard Quest says , `` there 's no doubt the A380 will sell , but it is going to take a long time to reach the 420 sales which is the amount Airbus needs to make money . '' But those worries , he adds , are for another day . Thursday was a day for celebration . SOME KEY FIGURES . Orders . Total : 185 orders -LRB- 165 firm orders -RRB- 15 customers . Emirates : 47 Qantas : 20 Singapore Airlines : 19 Lufthansa : 15 Air France : 12 British Airways : 12 ILFC : 10 Emirates : 8 Virgin Atlantic : 6 Thai Airways : 6 Malaysia Airlines : 6 Qatar : 5 Kingfisher : 5 Korean Air : 5 China Southern : 5 Etihad : 4 . Delivery schedule . 1 in 2007 13 in 2008 25 in 2009 45 in 2010 . The Aircraft . Wingspan : 79.8 meters -LRB- 747 - 64.4 meters -RRB- Length : 73 meters or seven London buses in a row -LRB- 747 - 70.7 meters -RRB- Height : 24.1 meters -LRB- 747 - 19.4 meters -RRB- Internal cabin width : 6.58 meters -LRB- 747 - 6.1 meters -RRB- Seats : 555 -LRB- 747 - 416 -RRB- Flight range : 15,000 kilometers -LRB- 747 - 13,450 kilometers -RRB- Wiring : 500 kilometers . Ideal routes . SIN-LHR DXB-LHR SYD-LAX CDG-NRT JFK-NRT . Ticket sales for maiden passenger trip between Singapore and Sydney Top ticket price : US$ 100,380 The bargain : US$ 560 for a single economy seat E-mail to a friend .
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Singapore Airlines A380 superjumbo completes historic maiden flight . Luxury first class cabins have separate leather seats and double beds . One passenger paid $ 100,000 for the first Singapore to Sydney trip .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Moammar Gadhafi 's first grab at power occurred 42 years ago in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi , when he led a crew of fellow military officers in taking over key government institutions on his way to usurping the nation 's monarchy . Ever since , he 's referred to himself as the Leader of the Revolution -- though politically , at least , Libya has appeared to be largely stable , with few threats to Gadhafi 's power . But that all changed this past week , with reports that tens of thousands took to the streets calling for an end to Gadhafi 's rule . And , once again , that change began in Benghazi . CNN has been unable to independently confirm information on the escalating unrest in Libya , the most isolated nation in the region . The government has not responded to repeated requests from CNN for access to the country and maintains tight control over communications . Still , phone interviews with witnesses and others on the ground suggest that some of Gadhafi 's strongest opposition has been in Benghazi , where protests began and have escalated . Since then , there have been indications that the opposition movement has spread westward toward the capital Tripoli . Why Gadhafi suddenly came under fire after decades of a strong-handed , seemingly stable rule remains a question . One obvious factor is that Libya borders Tunisia , where popular unrest last month helped unseat authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after more than two decades in power . Weeks later , a similar movement contributed to the end of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak 's 30-year rule . Gadhafi is far from alone now . Anti-government protests have popped up all around the Arab world , with pressure growing on powerful leaders in places like Bahrain , Yemen and Algeria . But what makes Libya unique , in large part , is its colorful , controversial and powerful leader . Gadhafi was a captain in Libya 's army when , on September 1 , 1969 -- which is referred to as Revolution Day in Libya -- he and others launched the coup by assuming control of key institutions in Benghazi . The overthrow was completed in two hours , according to GlobalSecurity.org , an independent provider of security information . At the time , the United States had military aircraft at Wheelus Air Base in Libya . And Washington did not initially oppose the coup , a 2008 Congressional Research Service report noted . Gadhafi soon established himself as one of America 's most vocal , and flamboyant , enemies . By 1972 , Gadhafi urged Muslims to fight the United States and Great Britain and vowed support for black revolutionaries in America . The next year , he launched a program `` to destroy imported ideologies , whether they are Eastern or Western , '' a U.S. State Department timeline noted . In 1979 , the U.S. designated Libya as a state sponsor of terrorism . The relationship only worsened in the 1980s , when U.S. military aircraft shot down two Libyan fighter jets . Libya 's alleged attacks in Sudan , support for Nicaragua 's Sandanista government and role in the bombing of a West Berlin nightclub only further stoked the ire of the administration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan , who called Gadhafi a `` mad dog . '' Libya 's standing took a turn with the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland , killing 270 people . World pressure intensified on Tripoli after Libyan intelligence agents were implicated . By 1993 , Gadhafi told the International Herald Tribune that he was taking a more conciliatory approach to world affairs . He called U.S. President Bill Clinton `` the savior of the new world , '' and decried Islamic militants as `` mad dogs '' and `` terrorists . '' Clinton continued to keep pressure on Libya , signing a law imposing sanctions on companies that invested more than $ 40 million in that nation 's petroleum industry . By 1999 , Libya finally agreed to transfer the Pan Am 103 suspects for a trial in the Netherlands , leading to their conviction two years later . While still known for sometimes unconventional comments , Gadhafi appeared to evolve into more of a statesman -- at least internationally . In 2009 , he was elected by member states as head of the African Union . That year , he also addressed the United Nations ' General Assembly for the first time . Still , he proved to be more a firebrand than an even-keeled diplomat , delivering a blistering , wide-ranging 96-minute rant . His topics ranged from the U.N. Security Council to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy to a one-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians : Isratine . Gadhafi blamed the U.N. for failing to prevent 65 wars since its founding in 1945 . But he also had kind words for U.S. President Barack Obama : `` We are content and happy if Obama can stay forever as the president of America , '' Gadhafi said . While Gadhafi seemed to take on a new role internationally , the world had few insights into what was happening inside Libya itself . Even as the U.N. , the United States and other nations gradually began to soften their stance on Libya , reports suggested that freedom and basic rights remained widely restricted under Gadhafi . `` He has n't changed , '' said Fouad Ajami , a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies . `` This is a monster . And the Libyan people are suffering from this . '' The government maintained a tight control over its communications , clamping down on news accounts critical of Gadhafi and his colleagues . It also restricted outside media access , including denying repeated requests from CNN to enter the country this month . On Friday night , Libyan authorities shut down the nation 's access to the internet , the U.S.-based tech firm Arbor Networks reported . While there have been indications of spotty Web coverage since , Libya sent out a text message warning about the `` inappropriate use of telecommunications services . '' Internal political dissent was largely and often violently squashed . Moftah , an anti-government protester who did not give his full name for security reasons , said Gadhafi `` always plays on fear '' -- relying on a broad network of intelligence agents , secret police and others . `` He makes you afraid of your family , of your friends , '' Moftah told CNN . `` He will tell you that his secret police are everywhere . '' And yet , despite the odds , people have still risen up this month against Gadhafi . For years , Libya profited greatly from its vast oil reserves . One of Gadhafi 's first orders of business after taking over was to assume control of properties and other interests of international petroleum companies . Still , even the great wealth of oil could n't change the fact that Libya has suffered in the recent global economic downturn . As in much of the Arab world , youth unemployment is high in Libya -- and most of the population has never known a leader other than Gadhafi . And the fact it began in Benghazi , despite the Libyan leader 's early history , is not a surprise , said Dirk Vandewalle , an associate professor at Dartmouth and author of `` A History of Modern Libya . '' He noted that the coastal city has traditionally been seen as somewhat disloyal to Gadhafi 's regime . Whether the Libyan demonstrators can follow the leads of their Arab colleagues in Tunisia and Egypt remains to be seen . If they do , they will have to overcome a cult of personality -- much like prevailed in those countries -- without having any fallback as far as political institutions or legislation to build off should they succeed . Unlike Egypt , Libya has no constitution , established institutions or any kind of mechanisms in place to support a new nation . The nation and its leader are one . `` In Libya , '' Vandewalle said , `` there is nothing beyond Gadhafi and his close circle . ''
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Moammar Gadhafi led a military coup in 1969 that began in Benghazi . He now faces his first real popular unrest in 42 years centered in Benghazi . Gadhafi has been controversial internationally and has become more a statesman lately . His government has restricted communication and freedom , experts and critics say .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A female correctional officer at a Washington state prison was strangled and an inmate who told officers he had planned to escape is under investigation , authorities said Sunday . Jayme Biendl , 34 , was discovered late Saturday night after workers at the Monroe Correctional Complex noticed her keys and radio were missing , according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Corrections . Staff at the prison immediately went to where she worked and found her unresponsive , it said . Emergency responders declared Biendl dead at the scene shortly before 11 p.m. PT , the department said . She had been strangled , according to Chad Lewis , a department spokesman . Also Saturday night , a prison inmate was reported missing during a routine count , the department said . He was later found in the chapel lobby and told officers he had planned to escape , but changed his mind . The inmate , who Lewis identified as Byron Scherf , has since been taken to a segregation unit . The entire complex was on lockdown Sunday as officers investigate the incident , the statement said . Police are interviewing Scherf as a suspect in the officer 's death , Lewis said . Biendl had worked with the corrections department since 2002 .
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Jayme Biendl had worked with the corrections department since 2002 . She was found strangled , with her keys and radio missing . An inmate who told officers he had planned to escape is considered a suspect .
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Victoria , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This small Texas town is half a world away from the nuclear disaster unfolding in Japan . Nevertheless , the calamity is having a ripple effect . This week , the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a scheduled two-day public hearing on a nuclear power plant near Victoria . There , Texans for Sound Energy Policy got a chance to voice their opposition on the proposed plant that would be built by electric power giant Exelon Generation . Those who support the plant repeatedly stated , `` Nuclear power is a safe energy source '' at the two-day hearing . In addition , supporters argued that the $ 16 billion project would add over 750 permanent jobs and 2,500 temporary construction jobs . How close are you to a nuclear plant ? The money spent on the plant would be nearly five times more than Victoria 's yearly budget , said Don Pozzi , an administrative judge and lifetime resident of Victoria County . `` That 's a lot of money , '' said Pozzi , 67 . In addition to the jobs , he argues the project would help add to the town 's coffers through sales taxes and real estate taxes from new housing . That , he says , will help the small town of about 87,000 people continue to grow . And that 's exactly what rancher David Huber is afraid of -- a larger Victoria with a nuclear power plant . `` I 've been opposed from the beginning and I 'm still opposed , '' said Huber , 62 . The proposed site for the reactor is located in a rural farming district approximately seven miles from Huber 's ranch . Huber , a 6-foot-2 rancher with a thick Texas accent and an affable personality , said he loves his land and his way of life . His family has been a part of the Victoria farming community since the late 1800s . `` The road Exelon is planning on using for heavy hauling , my grandfather built around 1920 , '' the rancher said , while driving around his ranch with his son , Jason Huber . Along the way , he proudly points the results of his family 's hard work . `` Our roots are in the ground . '' His concerns over the dangers of a possible nuclear reactor so close to his ranch have increased since the nuclear disaster triggered by last week 's quake and tsunami in Japan , he said . Japan 's nuclear crisis explained . Prior to choosing the location , Exelon Generation studied the possible impact of a nuclear power plant on Victoria 's community , water and ecology . Exelon is the United States ' largest nuclear power plant operator , running 17 plants in 10 states . See locations of U.S. nuclear power facilities . After studying the Victoria site , the power company found the risks to be low . But not everyone agrees . `` Nuclear power is a high risk , high stakes business , '' said Jim Blackburn with Texans for Sound Energy Policy at this week 's NRC public hearing . `` Everyone here should be sobered by the events in Japan and by the seriousness of matters at hand , '' Blackburn added . `` Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people in Japan . '' The NRC must grant final approval before any new nuclear plants can be built and operated . No new nuclear plant has won final approval in the United States since the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 , although site work is being done at a couple of locations around the country . At this week 's hearing , Exelon representative William Scott acknowledged the events in Japan , but he urged people not to overreact to what 's going on in light of the continuous news coverage of the unfolding crisis . Texas town OK with nuclear plant expansion . He said he understands people 's concerns and why politicians have taken a closer look at the safety plans for nuclear plants in their states . `` That 's a perfectly natural reaction . We expect to be held accountable , that 's part of our commitment to safety , '' said Scott . The situation in Japan does n't seem to have any effect on those who steadfastly support the proposed nuclear plant near Victoria , Pozzi said . `` I do n't expect people will change their minds , '' he said . `` I think people have had their minds made up . '' He pointed to an unscientific online poll in the local newspaper , the Victoria Advocate , which found that despite the Japan incident , 53 % of the 394 people polled said they favor the Victoria plant compared to 23 % who oppose it . `` There are plane crashes , people continue to fly . There are car accidents , people continue to drive , '' Pozzi said . `` There 's going to be nuclear power . '' Victoria 's Mayor Will Armstrong agreed . `` My support has n't wavered at all , '' he said . Victoria county commissioner Gary Burns said he and other city officials have `` wined and dined '' Exelon in hopes of bringing billions of dollars to Victoria 's economy . Burns said if the deal falls through , the town 's economic future is at risk . Those who oppose the plant said the site where Exelon would build the plant lies on a `` growth fault '' which does n't trigger earthquakes but can cause the Earth to shift . Blackburn and his Texans for Sound Energy Policy group fears the ground beneath the proposed nuclear site could sink , causing the cooling water ponds , vital to a nuclear plant , to drain away . `` It has active oil and gas extraction , '' Blackburn said about the proposed site . `` It can and will change over time . '' Blackburn said Exelon has not addressed the growth fault issue in its filings with the NRC . But Steve Frantz , an attorney representing Exelon pointed out that the growth faults are `` are not tectonic in nature . '' A study of the area shows one growth fault in the area moved only 8 inches over 40 years . `` They pose no seismic threat , '' said Frantz . `` The only threat is a possibility of surface deformation if the growth faults were to move . '' He did say all safety structures including vital safety cooling ponds would be located away from the growth faults . `` We did find it and studied it , '' said Frantz . `` We planned the safety-related structures 500 feet away , which we felt was more than adequate . '' Blackburn insists that even though growth faults are not seismic , they still pose `` potential dangers to the safe operation of a nuclear facility . '' `` TSEP believes that good engineering can address many potential safety issues , '' he said . `` However , you can not engineer around issues that are not recognized , studied and evaluated . '' Some residents , like Huber , who would live near the proposed site , feel that it 's a risk that is not worth taking . '' -LRB- What if -RRB- all of a sudden that -LRB- proposed -RRB- plant has a problem and there 's an evacuation for a 10-mile radius ? '' the rancher wondered . `` I 'm in the 10-mile radius . What do I do ? Try and pick up and try to run ? This is my life . '' `` Why would you even want to risk this natural beauty ? '' he asked , as he stood on the banks of the San Antonio River next to his ranch at sunset .
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Exelon wants to build a $ 16 billion nuclear plant near Victoria . Supporters say it will be a boon to the small town 's economy . The plant would lie on a `` growth fault '' that opponents say could be unsafe . Exelon says growth faults are not seismic and do not pose a risk .
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-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- February 23 , 2011 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • New Zealand • Libya • Bahrain . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : It is Wednesday , February 23rd , and we have a lot of international stories to tell you about today on CNN Student News . My name is Carl Azuz . We 're starting off in New Zealand . First Up : Earthquake in New Zealand . AZUZ : The earthquake that jolted the South Pacific country yesterday left one of its biggest cities in ruins . Christchurch , located on New Zealand 's east coast , was badly shaken during lunch hour . It was a 6.3-magnitude quake , followed by strong aftershocks , and it was heartbreaking , according to New Zealand 's prime minister . Dozens are dead . Parts of the city , as we said , are in ruins . Rescuers are streaming in from all over the country and all over the region , rescue being the nation 's top priority at this point . 80 percent of Christchurch is without power and phone lines are down , making communication challenging for many survivors . This quake was actually an aftershock itself , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . New Zealand 's been rattled by a series of earthquakes since last September . This one was the worst , causing what could be New Zealand 's darkest day , according to its leader . Yacht Hijacking . AZUZ : What started off as an around-the-world boating trip ended in tragedy on Tuesday . Four Americans were shot and killed by pirates who hijacked their ship in the Indian Ocean last week . The U.S. military says 19 pirates were involved in the hijacking . Four of them were killed . The other 15 , captured . In these photos , you can see the ship , a 58-foot yacht called the Quest , along with its owners , Jean and Scott Adams . The couple , with two friends , changed course during their boating rally . They ended up in a part of the Indian Ocean where a lot of pirate attacks happen . Zain Verjee talked with a security expert to get an idea of how these pirates work . Here 's part of that conversation . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . ZAIN VERJEE , CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR : Just walk someone through how pirates hijack ships and , geographically , what do they do and then where do they end up ? TIM HART , MARITIME UNDERWATER SECURITY CONSULTANTS : OK , well , pirates are predominantly based in the area called Puntland , which is this area here . It 's in the the northeast area of Somalia . And realistically , what they 'll do is they 'll base themselves out of the pirate towns using mother ships , but disperse themselves . But they 'll move further out into the Indian Ocean using these mother ships until they can find suitable targets . And some groups will obviously go further north , as we can see . And some will go further down south and stick to the coast of Tanzania or deep into the Indian Ocean . What they 'll do is they 'll move further out , they 'll identify the targets and use these small attack skiffs to try and get on board . Once they 've got on board and they 've seized control of the vessel and the crew , they 'll take the ships back to the anchorages off the coast of Somalia , and they 'll sit there and negotiate with the shipping companies to pay a multi-million dollar ransom . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . I.D. ME . JOHN LISK , CNN STUDENT NEWS : See if you can I.D. Me ! I 'm a country that borders the Mediterranean Sea . I 'm home to part of the Sahara Desert . You 'll find me in northern Africa , between Tunisia and Egypt . We 're talking about Libya , a country the CIA characterizes as `` an authoritarian state . '' Libya Unrest . AZUZ : Protesters in Libya have been speaking out against that authoritarian government for more than a week now , and the government has reportedly responded with force . A human rights group says at least 200 people have been killed in violence there . The target of the protests is Libya 's leader , Moammar Gadhafi . He 's been in power more for more than forty years , as we told you yesterday . Protesters are calling on Gadhafi to step down . But during a speech yesterday , he refused . Colonel Gadhafi actually urged Libyans to go out and demonstrate for him . Ben Wedeman filed this report from one of the areas in Libya where Gadhafi 's government is no longer in control . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . BEN WEDEMAN , CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT : We were able to go to the city of Tobruk in eastern Libya , where we saw that , despite what Colonel Gadhafi is saying , he is not in control of the eastern part of the country . There 's no army , no police on the streets . The anti-Gadhafi protesters have been able to burn down the police station , burn down party headquarters , burn down the intelligence headquarters . They are in open revolt . Some of the protesters telling us they not only want to overthrow the regime of Moammar Gadhafi , they want to see him killed or put on trial in the international court of The Hague . We also heard from some people that they have a plan to cut the export of oil from eastern Libya . Eastern Libya is where much of Libya 's oil comes from . And this , they say , they will do unless the massacres , as they describe them , committed by the Gadhafi regime are put to an end . Otherwise , the situation in the heart of the country seems fairly calm . Gas stations are open and some stores are open . Although clearly , people are not going about their normal lives . One of the big concerns here is that the Libyan Air Force , which has been used against protesters in Tripoli , could be used again in this area to punish the people of eastern Libya for trying to overthrow the regime of Moammar Gadhafi . I 'm Ben Wedeman , CNN , reporting from eastern Libya . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Rallies in Bahrain . AZUZ : `` No Shia , no Sunni , only Bahraini . '' That was the chant from this massive crowd marching through the streets of Bahrain 's capital on Tuesday . Shia and Sunni are two of the main sects of Islam . In the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain , the majority of the population is Shia , while the rulers are Sunni . Protesters there have been calling for change in their country 's government . And some are saying that those Sunni rulers need to go . The king of Bahrain has met with some of the leaders of the groups that are against him and his government . And he 's been taking steps to reform the country . Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Today 's Shoutout goes out to Mrs. Sowa 's social studies class at Memorial Middle School in Albany , Oregon ! Which of these animals is a reptile ? You know what to do ! Is it : A -RRB- Sea turtle , B -RRB- Frog , C -RRB- Salamander or D -RRB- Electric eel ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! A sea turtle was the only reptile we listed . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Creative for a Cause . AZUZ : Most sea turtles , including the loggerhead species , are endangered . But a group of 8th grade art students got the chance to meet one in person recently . This was part of a class project that started with a field trip and ended with a fundraiser that might help save some of these renowned reptiles . Take a look at this . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . SARAH MURRAY , GEORGIA AQUARIUM BIOLOGIST : They 're an intricate part of the chain out there , the wildlife out there . We would just hate to lose this species completely . They 're part of the balance , for sure . Without them , then a piece would be missing . Good morning , guys ! Welcome to the Georgia Aquarium ! Loggerhead sea turtles are endangered . Unfortunately , a lot of their habitats are getting destroyed along the beaches where they like to make nests . KENNETH DAVIS , 8TH GRADER : It was the first time I ever saw a sea turtle in person . When we came there , he was so excited to see us . QUAHMAYLA BROOKS , 8TH GRADER : Sea turtles are actually not only important , but they are really magnificent to look at the way they are in the water . KATY KING , DAVIS MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER : And what are some of the reasons why they are becoming endangered or why they are endangered ? Ansley , name one . ANSLEY , 8TH GRADE STUDENT : Because we keep on destroying their habitat . SAMANTHA GODWIN , 8TH GRADER : We 're gathering sketches of Murphy over here , and we 're going to make these little clay models that we are going to sell so that we can raise money to actually adopt some sea turtles . DAVIS : I really think it 's going to help make a difference because , not only for us , maybe other schools will say , `` this pretty much is a good idea , we probably should do the same . '' You do n't have to be a certain age to help out sea turtles that are endangered . KHAYREE ACKLIN , 8TH GRADER : I really did n't think I would be actually doing a project of something that is important to the world . MURRAY : I think it 's awesome . I mean , having 8th graders take such a stance and an initiative to write letters to Congress and to care about these animals , I think it 's absolutely great . We need all the help we can get . KING : I can teach the kids that we are a voice for change , that we can make people aware . And I think that 's the purpose of an educator , is to make kids know that . MURRAY : They should want them for their children , as well . They should want them around for future generations , to come for their great-great-grandchildren . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , it might seem a little early to be talking about a presidential race . But do n't tell that to these guys . They 're not running for the White House . They 're campaigning to be one of the racing presidents for Major League Baseball 's Washington Nationals . Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln : These monumental mascots are certainly at the head of the class when it comes to presidential pedigree . And after spending a season rounding the bases ... Goodbye . AZUZ : ... they 'll be in great shape to make a presidential run . They just better make sure they follow the rules , though , 'cause no one will root for a commander in cheat . Okay , we 're gon na strike up another edition of CNN Student News for you tomorrow . Hope you all have a great day . Talk to you then .
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Learn about the devastation caused by a powerful earthquake in New Zealand . Contrast the political unrest unfolding in the nations of Libya and Bahrain . Discover how some art students plan to use their creativity for a cause . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories .
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[[502, 606]]
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Madrid , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned Wednesday in a televised speech to his debt-ridden nation after parliament rejected his government 's austerity plan intended to ease the financial crisis . Opposition parties combined to vote down the plan , which they viewed as hurting Portugal 's poor , that had been formulated without broad consensus . Socrates , a Socialist , had threatened to resign if the plan failed . He gave his resignation to the Portuguese president , Anibal Cavaco Silva . The presidential website indicated it was not clear there would be snap elections . Another option , the website indicated , would be for a replacement to be appointed without elections . Socrates said the country is the real loser in the decision . `` The obstruction from the opposition today was taken to intolerable levels . '' Socrates said in his address . `` It was n't just about obstructing the government , it was about obstructing the country . '' The defeated plan was the latest in a series of austerity measures aimed at resolving Portugal 's financial crisis . Where previous plans had increased the country 's value added tax to 23 percent and cut salaries of government workers by an average of 5 percent , the latest proposal included budget cuts and a freeze on pensions . Critics said the plan would unfairly hurt low-income residents already struggling under higher taxes . Miguel Macedo , a member of parliament who voted against the proposal , said all of Socrates ' plans have failed and the country needs change . He said the government 's policies have increased poverty . But Silvia Pereira , a lawmaker who supported the plan , said in debate over the proposal that rejecting the plan could throw the country into turmoil . `` The responsibility belongs to whom wanted to add a political crisis to our existent economic crisis , '' Pereira said . The political turmoil comes on the eve of European Union summit in Brussels that had been expected to focus on the debt crisis in the eurozone but which will now likely include additional attention on Portugal . Portugal 's high debt and borrowing costs have prompted repeated speculation in the European Union and in international financial markets that the nation might need a bailout , like Ireland and Greece before it . Socrates ' Socialists hold 97 seats in the 230-seat parliament . A spokesman for the main opposition center-right Social Democrats , with 81 seats , said his party was rejecting the government 's plan because `` we are trying to save the country , not the prime minister . '' Smaller opposition parties on the left and right also voted against it . The question for many is how Portugal 's delicate financial situation , with 10 percent unemployment and tepid economic growth , will fare under a caretaker government . A top Socialist Party official , Jose Lello , told CNN that Socrates will go to Brussels on Thursday for the European Union summit . Socrates ' resignation will not have much `` impact on the Portuguese economy , '' financial analyst Filipe Garcia told CNN before the vote . `` It 's more important what 's discussed in Brussels than in Portugal , '' Garcia said from his office in the northern city of Porto . Portugal aims to cut its public sector deficit from 6.8 % of gross domestic product last year to 4.6 % this year and to just 3 % next year , in line with European Union guidelines . But Lello said the opposition had distorted the plan 's contents . He said the pension cuts it envisioned would have hit some of the wealthiest Portuguese , not the poorest . `` We offered to negotiate to all parties , '' Lello said . `` If we go to elections , let 's see . '' CNN 's Joana Godinho contributed to this report .
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NEW : Prime minister resigns after parliament rejects austerity plan . NEW : Supporters of the plan say the defeat could create political turmoil . NEW : Opponents say the plan placed too much on the backs of the poor . Portugal is struggling with fiscal problems that could require a bailout .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of angry Iraqis demonstrated in the holy Shiite city of Karbala on Thursday , protesting the use of foreign troops in the crackdown against anti-government protests in Bahrain . This week , military forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council -- including Saudi Arabia -- arrived in Bahrain to help the kingdom control a wave of anti-government protests , prompting the Obama administration and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to urge council members to act with restraint and to allow the citizens of Bahrain to demonstrate peacefully . Although Bahrain 's protesters are making primarily economic and political demands , there is a sectarian dimension : Bahrain 's population is 70 % Shiite ; the royal family is Sunni , as is the royal family of Saudi Arabia . Saudi Arabia recently has seen small demonstrations among its minority Shiites . In Karbala , some protesters carried Shiite flags as they condemned the brutal force wielded against Bahrain 's predominantly Shiite demonstrators . The U.N. human rights chief and Amnesty International issued statements Thursday calling on the Bahraini government to halt the violence against its people . Some of the Iraqi demonstrators held up banners reading , `` No foreign troops in Bahrain . '' Others shouted , `` Wahhabis ! Leave Bahrain immediately , '' referring to Saudi Arabian troops . A similar protest was held in Baghdad Thursday , and , during the parliamentary session , Sunni and Shiite lawmakers also condemned the foreign troops being employed in the crackdown . Sunni Parliamentary Speaker Osama al-Nujaifisaid the violence against protesters could `` potentially tear apart the social fabric of the country and in the region . '' Former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari , a Shiite , used stronger language during a speech to lawmakers , calling the use of foreign troops in Bahrain a `` flagrant violation . '' Sunnis make up the majority in the Arab world . Iraq has seen its own share of clashes over anti-government demonstrations this year . Since February , at least 20 Iraqis have been killed and hundreds have been wounded in protests across the country , part of a series of demonstrations that have swept across the Middle East and parts of Africa this year , toppling the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt . The protests in Iraq demanded economic progress , an end to corruption and basic services and freedoms . `` Many Iraqi protesters were killed and wounded when they only demanded some political reforms , '' Ali Raheem , an Iraqi activist , told CNN . `` God knows what will happen to them if they demonstrate to topple this sectarian government . '' The United Nations expressed its concerns about violence used against protesters across the country . `` While acknowledging the duty incumbent on the Iraqi authorities to ensure law and order in the country , the U.N. in Iraq notes with concern that several instances of human rights violations in relation to the demonstrations have been reported , '' it said in a statement . `` The reported violations include disproportionate use of force by Iraqi security forces that resulted in the death and injury of a number of citizens ; restrictions on the media and attacks on media organizations ; and arrests and detention of , in particular , journalists . '' The Iraqi government was formed in December , nine months after an inconclusive national election . This is the second elected government in the nearly eight years after a U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein .
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Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations are helping Bahrain quash protesters . Bahraini royal family and Saudi Arabia are Sunni . Iraqi protesters decry violence against Shiite protesters in Bahrain .
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Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Tel Aviv district court Tuesday sentenced former Israeli President Moshe Katsav to seven years in prison on multiple charges of rape and sexual harassment . The case involved three women -- two in the president 's office and one in the Tourism Ministry . In late December , the three-judge panel found Katsav guilty of two charges of rape , two charges of forceful sexual harassment and one charge of sexual harassment . Katsav had agreed in 2007 to plead guilty to lesser charges and pay a fine to avoid jail time , but he pulled out of the deal when it came time to enter his plea . The plea bargain caused a public storm in Israel , mainly because it did not include charges of rape , contrary to what had been suggested in a draft indictment . Katsav , of the center-right Likud Party , was president of Israel from 2000 to 2007 . He was minister of tourism before that . The charges stem from allegations made against him in both jobs . He resigned the presidency in June 2007 because of the sexual assault allegations . The judges who read the verdict said that `` due to the severity of the crime , the punishment must be clear and precise . '' They added that `` all are equal in the eyes of the law . '' Katzav shouted at the judges , `` You let lies win . '' The former president 's sentence will start on May 8 . His lawyers said he will appeal the sentence . Katzav left the court without saying a word , surrounded by family members and security who tried to shield him from the media . `` This is a day of sadness and shame , but also one of deep appreciation and pride in the Israeli justice system , '' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said . `` No one is above the law , not even a president . '' CNN 's Michal Zippori contributed to this report .
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Moshe Katsav pulls out of an earlier plea deal . He is guilty on multiple charges of rape and sexual harassment . He resigned the presidency in 2007 because of the sexual assault allegations . The case involved three women -- two in the president 's office and one in the Tourism Ministry .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nintendo 3DS , a glasses-free 3-D handheld video game system , arrives March 27 for $ 249.99 . Nintendo hopes it will make the strongest case yet for 3-D special effects affordability and relevance . But calling it a gaming console may be the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American public . Gaming , it turns out , might be among the least of the system 's capabilities . The device will also deliver an array of other fully-connected entertainment experiences , according to Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime at the 2011 Game Developers Conference . From 3-D movies to TV shows , digital music to augmented reality applications , the company is clearly assigning tremendous importance to non-gaming applications . Though they wo n't say it directly , Nintendo clearly plans to make the system a Trojan horse for the larger world of 3-D multimedia . This should scare the competition . It 's an infinitely more practical , and reasonably priced , 3-D argument than a $ 1500 + HDTV that tethers you to your couch . If Nintendo can make this portable device as common and trusted for 3-D entertainment as smartphones are for e-mail or Web surfing , it may single-handedly deliver the breakthrough that carries this technology to mainstream prominence . Yes , the system will play 3-D versions of premium game franchises like `` Street Fighter '' and `` The Legend of Zelda , '' says Fils-Aime . Yes , in the wake of increasing pressure from tens of thousands of readily available free and 99-cent apps , it will redouble efforts to justify $ 39.99 average software prices by offering `` premium experiences you ca n't get anywhere else . '' But with free AT&T WiFi hotspot availability , Netflix movie streaming and the ability to create , download and physically interact with 3-D content among its arsenal of tricks , the company may have yet to play its trump card . The system lacks 3G/4G high-speed connectivity , and Nintendo is known for ardently policing material licensed for sale or distribution -- virtually or otherwise -- for its consoles . But by letting users view , download and generate a variety of 3-D material , the system could prove to be the most cost-effective and practical on-demand 3-D content portal on the market . Should Nintendo decide to enable sharing of user-generated content or enable the three-camera device for high-speed cellular connectivity and casual videoconferencing , the scope of this potential power play becomes even larger . While a dedicated stand-alone gaming system such as the Nintendo 3DS ca n't rival smartphones or tablet PCs for sheer ubiquity , consider this : . If 3-D technology takes off the way manufacturers hope , Nintendo 's new device may give them an instant entrée into entirely new areas of entertainment , a leg up in the race to legitimize 3-D content and a secret weapon in the war to reclaim the territory recently ceded to Apple and its growing gaming focus .
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Nintendo 3DS may be the greatest hoax ever perpetrated , says Steinberg . Steinberg : Nintendo wo n't say directly , but system is portal for loads of 3-D multimedia . The system will play 3-D versions of premium game franchises like `` Street Fighter ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Getafe became the third Spanish football club to pass into foreign ownership on Thursday after signing a deal with Dubai 's Royal Emirates Group . The Madrid-based team followed in the footsteps of Malaga and Racing Santander , which were also taken over by overseas interests in the past year . Royal Emirates Group , a conglomerate chaired by Sheikh Butti Bin Suhail Al Maktoum , has a portfolio of more than 200 companies including oil and gas , renewable energy , travel and tourism , health care , water purification , real estate & construction . The deal is worth between $ 70-90 million -LRB- $ 101-131 million -RRB- and will see the club 's title rebranded to `` Getafe CF Team Dubai . '' Getafe 's previous owner and president Don Angel Torres Sanchez signed over to his successors in a ceremony at Dubai 's Burj Al Arab hotel on Thursday , accompanied by club captain Manu del Moral . The group said it was heavily involved in sports in the United Arab Emirates and abroad . `` The investment in Getafe CF is an evolution of this vision and an expression of renewed confidence that Dubai 's businesses are more confident today to make large investments abroad as well as at home , '' Royal Emirates partner managing director Dr. Kaiser Rafiq said . `` Caring for community needs through sport is at the heart of what the Royal Emirates Group aims to achieve . This will send the positive message to the world that Dubai cares . '' Rafiq said that , being conscious of football 's popularity with young Arabs , the group hoped to build a bridge between Europe and the Middle East ahead of the 2022 World Cup to be staged in Qatar . `` Royal Emirates Group plans to invest heavily in inducting new blood and promoting the team in the region , '' he said . Getafe , first formed in 1946 and refounded in 1983 , has been in Spain 's top flight since 2004-05 . The club made a strong start to this season but hopes of qualifying for Europe have evaporated , with coach Michel 's team 14th out of 20 with six matches remaining . Malaga became the first Spanish club to be bought by a foreign investor when Qatari billionaire Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani paid a reported $ 36 million -LRB- $ 52 million -RRB- in June 10 . He splashed out on players and hired former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini , but the club is battling to avoid relegation . Santander sold out to Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed in January , with his Western Gulf Advisory company taking over . Since replacing coach Miguel Angel Portugal with the club 's former boss Marcelino , the Cantabria-based team is four points above 17th-placed Malaga .
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Royal Emirates Group completes takeover of Spanish club Getafe . Madrid-based team 's captain and former owner go to Dubai for official signing . Group hopes to build a bridge between Europe and the Middle East . Malaga and Racing Santander also bought by overseas investors in the past year .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Borussia Dortmund 's title celebrations have been put on hold for another week after the champions-elect suffered a shock defeat on Saturday and closest rivals Bayer Leverkusen won . Dortmund would have clinched a first German crown since 2002 with victory against the Bundesliga 's bottom team if Leverkusen had drawn or lost . But the second-placed club kept the title race going into the final three games of the season with a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim , then Borussia Monchengladbach kept alive the club 's slim survival hopes with a 1-0 victory in the late match . Defending champions Bayern could not return to third place , being held at Eintracht Frankfurt , and face a battle for the final Champions League spot with Hannover -- who beat Freiburg 3-1 on Thursday . The title race continues next weekend in a similar scenario as Dortmund host Nuremberg on Saturday and Leverkusen travel to Cologne on Sunday . Hannover win puts pressure on Bayern . Dortmund 's lead was trimmed to five points after Mohamadou Idrissou 's winner 10 minutes before halftime , which moved Gladbach off the bottom on goal difference above St. Pauli and left three clubs on 29 points . Wolfsburg can climb out of that triumvirate at home to 14th-placed Cologne on Sunday , but even victory will still leave the 2008-09 champions in the relegation playoff place . Cameroon striker Idrissou held off Neven Subotic , cut in from the left and beat Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller to give the home team a shock lead . Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp brought on Mohamed Zidan and top Lucas Barrios , but the closest the visitors came to scoring was when teenager Mario Gotze hit the crossbar . Leverkusen came from behind to beat mid-table Hoffenheim , who led in the 28th minute when Iceland midfielder Gylfi Sigursson went past three men before before beating goalkeeer Rene Adler . Sigursson also hit the post before the home team equalized five minutes from halftime , when Michal Kadlec headed in Arturo Vidal 's corner . Jupp Heynckes ' side then went ahead six minutes after the break as Vidal slammed home the winner when Hoffenheim 's defense could not clear the ball from their own box . Bayern needed a controversial late penalty to salvage a point at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt , who took the lead nine minutes after halftime . The home side , hovering uncomfortably above the relegation playoff place , cheered the sellout crowd when Sebastian Rode drove in a 54th-minute shot after Bayern midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk deflected Benjamin Kohler 's free-kick into his path . Theofanis Gekas should have doubled the lead but squandered two chances before Bayern received a lifeline with two minutes left when Martin Fenin was ruled to have fouled Luiz Gustavo . Mario Gomez netted the resulting penalty for his 23rd league goal this season , while angry home coach Christophe Daum was sent to the stands for arguing . Schalke 's erratic season continued as the Champions League semifinalists lost 1-0 at home to Kaiserslautern ahead of Tuesday 's visit by English leaders Manchester United . The winner came four minutes before halftime as Adam Hlousek played in Srdjan Lakic and the Croatian striker beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer , who announced this week that he is poised to leave Schalke after deciding not to extend his contract . Kaiserslautern 's first win at Schalke in more than a decade lifted the promoted club to eight points above third-bottom Wolfsburg . St. Pauli , however , look set for an immediate return to the second division after the 3-1 home defeat by Werder Bremen left the club bottom . Fin Bartels put St. Pauli ahead in the first half , but Markus Thorandt put through his own net five minutes after the break . Then Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro scored twice in 60 seconds with less than 20 minutes to play to lift Bremen up to 10th , a point above Kaiserslautern . Stuttgart also eased any relegation fears with a 3-0 win at home to seventh-placed Hamburg , moving seven points clear of Wolfsburg . Germany striker Cacau opened the scoring in the sixth minute and rounded off the day after substitute Christian Gentner doubled the lead with 12 to play . In Sunday 's other game , fifth-placed Mainz travel to fellow Europa League hopefuls Nuremberg .
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Long-time leaders Borussia Dortmund must wait another week to clinch seventh title . Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen keep race alive with victory over Hoffenheim . Dortmund 's lead cut to five points with three games left after Gladbach defeat . Bayern 's Champions League hopes dented by 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- AC Milan edged closer to a first Italian league title since 2004 after Saturday 's 1-0 win at lowly Brescia , whose fellow strugglers Bari dropped into Serie B. Massimiliano Allegri 's Milan , seeking to end years of dominance by Inter and claim an 18th scudetto , moved eight points clear of their city rivals with just four games to play thanks to a late goal from Brazil forward Robinho . Robinho netted on the counter-attack with eight minutes left after being set up by fellow frontman Antonio Cassano , leaving Brescia second from bottom and likely to follow Bari -- whose fate was sealed by a 1-0 defeat at home to Sampdoria . Brescia had hit the crossbar through Alessandro Diamanti 's free-kick just before that goal , but an 18th defeat in 34 games left the club five points from safety and facing an immediate return to the second division . Cassano , starting with Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended , had wasted three opportunities to put Milan ahead . Inter Milan moved up to second place with a 2-1 win over fourth-placed Lazio , bouncing back from last weekend 's defeat at Parma which effectively ended the Nerazzurri 's five-year title reign . Last season 's success under Jose Mourinho was the club 's 18th overall . Inter coach Leonardo saw Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar sent off for bringing down Mauro Zarate in the 22nd minute , and the Argentine striker put the visiting Rome side ahead from the resulting penalty . However , Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder curled in a trademark free-kick five minutes before halftime and top scorer Samuel Eto'o put Inter ahead eight minutes after the break after a mistake by defender Giuseppe Biava . Lazio also lost a player in the 66th minute when captain Stefano Mauri was sent off for a foul on Inter 's Japan fullback Yuto Nagatomo . Napoli crashed 2-1 at eighth-placed Palermo despite taking the lead in the second minute with a penalty by striker Edinson Cavani . The Uruguayan missed a late spot-kick in last weekend 's home defeat by Udinese , but was on target this time for his 26th league goal this season to be Serie A 's leading scorer alongside Antonio Di Natale . Palermo , boosted by the 2-2 draw with Milan in the midweek first leg of their Coppa Italia semifinal , leveled in the 38th minute as Mattia Cassani made up for his early handball . Cesare Bovo then fired the winner with a penalty right on halftime after Giulio Migliaccio went down under the challenge of Christian Maggio . Udinese could have moved into fourth above Lazio , but lost 2-0 at home to Parma in a blow to the club 's European hopes . On-loan Brazilian striker Amauri scored in the 13th and final minutes to lift his side three points above the relegation zone . Roma retained sixth place with a 1-0 win over Chievo as midfielder Simone Perrotta scored the only goal in the fourth minute . Seventh-placed Juventus were held 2-2 by Catania in the day 's late match after blowing a two-goal lead . Veteran striker Alessandro del Piero netted twice in the first half , the opener from the penalty spot , but the Sicilians leveled with goals in the last 10 minutes by Argentine Alejandro Gomez and fellow midfielder Francesco Lodi . The result lifted Catania two points clear of the relegation zone . Sampdoria moved out of the bottom three on goal difference above Lecce thanks to a 59th-minute winner from striker Nicola Pozzi at Bari . Lecce lost 4-2 at Genoa despite a first-half double from striker David Di Michele , as on-loan striker Antonio Floro Flores and Argentina international Rodrigo Palacio both scored twice for the 10th-placed home side . Fiorentina moved up to ninth with a 2-1 win at Cagliari thanks to two goals from midfielder Alessio Cerci , while Cesena moved two points clear of the bottom three with a 2-0 win at Bologna .
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Robinho 's late winner puts AC Milan eight points clear with four games to play . Five-time defending champions Inter move up to second place with 2-1 win over Lazio . Napoli 's title hopes suffer another blow with second successive defeat . Bari drop down to Serie A following 1-0 defeat by fellow strugglers Sampdoria .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning , suspected of leaking classified information to the WikiLeaks website , is being moved to the Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , defense officials said Tuesday . `` At this juncture of the case , given the likely continued period of pre-trial confinement , we have determined that the new pre-trial facility at Fort Leavenworth is the most appropriate one for Private Manning going forward , '' Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Johnson told reporters . A defense official initially told CNN Manning was moving to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth , but later corrected that information . Manning , 23 , a military intelligence analyst from Oklahoma , was being held in the brig at Quantico Marine Base south of Washington . There had been a push by friends and supporters to have his confinement conditions eased . Supporters said he was confined in a one-man cell with only one hour a day outside of the cell for exercise . Defense officials said at a briefing that an evaluation aimed at determining whether Manning is competent has been completed , and there was no need for him to remain in the Washington area . Among those arrested at a demonstration protesting Manning 's conditions last month were Daniel Ellsberg , who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971 to the New York Times and retired U.S. Army Col. Ann Wright who resigned to protest the U.S. invasion of Iraq . Johnson told reporters that the decision to move Manning is not meant as a criticism of the Quantico facility and congratulated the military personnel there for the job they did `` in difficult circumstances . '' `` We remain satisfied that Private Manning 's pre-trial confinement at Quantico was in compliance with legal and regulatory standards in all respects , '' he said . Manning 's case -- and the details of his detention -- drew attention last month in the aftermath of comments by former State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley and Crowley 's sudden resignation . Amidst reports that Manning had been forced to sleep without clothing and was confined to his cell 23 hours a day , Crowley had criticized how Manning was held at Quantico , calling it `` ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid , '' according to news reports . He later stepped down from his post . The Pentagon has maintained that Manning is held in accordance with rules governing all maximum-custody detainees at Quantico , for his protection and the safety of others , and that Manning is on `` POI '' status , for `` prevention of injury . '' Rep. Dennis Kucinich , D-Ohio , released a statement Tuesday after news of Manning 's pending transfer broke , promising to demand written assurances from Defense Department officials that Manning 's rights will be protected . `` Any move of Pfc. Manning does not change the underlying fact , which has not been disputed by the Department of Defense , that he has been held under conditions which may in fact constitute ` cruel and unusual punishment ' in violation of the 8th amendment , '' he wrote . U.S. military officials have told CNN that Manning is the prime suspect in the leak of hundreds of thousands of classified documents that ended up on the WikiLeaks website . He is awaiting a decision on whether he will face a court martial . Last month , the Army notified Manning that he faces 22 more charges in connection with the alleged downloading of secret information from computers in Iraq , bringing to 34 the total charges in the case . The most serious new charge alleges he aided the enemy by making the information public ; that charge is punishable by death . A statement from the Army said the prosecution team `` has notified the defense that the prosecution will not recommend the death penalty , '' but technically it is up to the commander overseeing the case to make the final decision .
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NEW : The decision is not meant as a criticism of the Quantico facility , an official says . The conditions of Bradley Manning 's detention have been controversial . He is being moved to the Joint Regional Correctional Facility . Officials say a mental-health evaluation has been completed .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lionel Messi scored a record 50th goal this season as Barcelona bounced back from midweek Spanish Cup heartache to maintain an eight-point lead in La Liga on Saturday . The two-time world player of the year became the first player to reach the half-century mark in a Spanish season as he moved past Real Madrid 's Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas in a 2-0 win over Osasuna . The 23-year-old scored 47 in all competitions last season , matching Brazil legend Ronaldo 's Barcelona record . With arch-rivals Real Madrid following up Wednesday 's extra-time Copa del Rey triumph by thrashing third-placed Valencia 6-3 earlier , the pressure was on Barcelona to respond . Coach Pep Guardiola followed Real 's Jose Mourinho in fielding a much-changed line-up ahead of Wednesday 's Champions League semifinal first leg between the two teams in Madrid . Real star Ramos laughs off trophy blunder . But while Messi started on the bench , David Villa retained his place up front -- and it was the Spain striker who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when he scored his first goal since February . Villa slid home at the far post to convert a superb low cross from the left by Jeffren for his 18th league goal this season , and first in 11 matches . Xavi , Andres Iniesta and Messi came on in the second half , and the Argentina forward -- who replaced Villa -- settled the match with three minutes to play after being set up by Dani Alves . The victory left Barca on course for a third straight title with five matches to play , while Osasuna remained two points above the relegation zone . Real got the better of Barca for the first time this season with a strong defensive effort in Valencia , but went all guns blazing in Saturday 's return to the Mestalla . Is Mourinho the master of mind games ? Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a hat-trick and Brazil star Kaka netted twice in a match that Madrid led 5-0 after 53 minutes . France striker Karim Benzema opened the floodgates in the 23rd minute , and Higuain had completed his treble by the time in-form striker Roberto Soldado pulled one back on the hour for Valencia . But Kaka , who set up two of Higuain 's efforts , restored Real 's five-goal advantage with a superb solo burst into the box just two minutes later . Valencia threatened a late comeback when Jonas and substitute Jordi Alba scored in the last 10 minutes , but the match highlighted the gulf of class in Spain with Real moving 17 points clear of the home team . In Saturday 's late match , fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao beat Basque rivals Real Sociedad 2-1 to move five points clear of Sevilla , who host Champions League hopefuls Villarreal on Sunday . Teenager Iker Muniain and Gaizka Toquero scored inside the opening half hour , but an own-goal by Javi Martinez soon after the latter 's effort gave the 13th-placed visitors hope .
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Barcelona eight points clear in Spain as Lionel Messi scores record 50th goal of season . Argentine comes off the bench in much-changed team for 2-0 win over Osasuna . Real Madrid continue from cup win with 6-3 thrashing of third-placed Valencia . Fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao beat Basque rivals Real Sociedad 2-1 at home .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A travel website on Saturday flashed the word `` CANCELED '' in blinking red letters across an online flight schedule for Missouri 's largest airport after a rash of severe weather stranded travelers across the region . Lambert-St . Louis International Airport , the country 's 30th busiest , was closed after a tornado struck the facility on Friday , but officials expect it to reopen Sunday . `` All departing and arriving flights are canceled until further notice pending full safety assessments of airport facilities , '' the airport website said Saturday . St. Louis-bound flights were diverted to neighboring airports as a result of the storms , including more than a dozen flights to Kansas City International Airport , according to airport spokesman Joe McBride . Rerouted passengers were put up in hotels , and at least three airlines tried to accommodate frustrated travelers on Saturday by busing them from Kansas City to St. Louis , he said . See iReporter 's shots of airport damage . Airport Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge said an American Airlines 757 jet suffered significant damage and four other American aircraft had minor damage . Friday night , lines of weary passengers wrapped around airport car rental centers in a frantic attempt to find alternate transportation . `` It was pretty crazy , '' said Enterprise employee Daniel Tighe . `` People were getting into Kansas City just to figure out that their flight had been canceled . `` We took in 30 walk-in reservations just last night , '' he added . `` Plus it 's the holiday weekend . '' By Saturday the influx of one-way car reservations had abated as rerouted passengers made their way to St. Louis . `` We had quite a few runs to the Greyhound bus station and train station downtown , '' said Chris Bos , an employee for Nick & Nino 's taxi service in Kansas City . `` Most people did n't complain . There 's not much else they could do . '' AirTran said it will fly its St. Louis-bound passengers to Bloomington , Illinois , or Kansas City , Missouri , according to company spokesman Christopher White . But potential thunderstorms and flooding still loomed over the St. Louis area by Saturday afternoon , the National Weather Service said . Major damage was evident in nearby communities , where an estimated 30,000 homes were without power . See iReport images from elsewhere in Missouri . Meanwhile , 30-minute delays lingered at Chicago 's Midway and O'Hare airports , where severe storms prompted more than 500 flight cancellations Friday , according to Karen Pride , a spokeswoman for the city 's Department of Aviation .
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Rerouted passengers are put up in hotels . Airport closed after a tornado struck Friday . St. Louis is the country 's 30th-busiest airport .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. government experts trying to construct a model of radiation plumes emanating from Japan 's Fukushima Daiichi power plant are being hampered by a `` paucity of good data , '' a senior administration official told CNN . `` We have done some -LRB- computer -RRB- modeling , '' the official said , noting the government `` got a little bit of data '' when helicopters from the USS Ronald Reagan encountered low levels of radiation during flights in the area . But information has been scant , the official said , adding , `` Garbage in , garbage out . '' The official spoke on background because he was not authorized to speak publicly . Experts use computer models of plumes to both track radioactivity or other harmful releases and predict their paths . U.S. officials as well as industry officials and critics say radiation from Fukushima Daiichi will not pose a significant health threat to the United States . But plumes could be a factor in causing flight and maritime restrictions . The official said the United States is sending 39 people and 17,200 pounds of equipment to Japan to assist in efforts to bring the reactors under control . Among the gear is aerial measuring capability to provide radiation readings . He stressed the importance of getting `` boots on the ground '' to get good data . From the first hours of the incident , the president 's chief Homeland Security adviser , John Brennan , along with personnel from the Department of Energy , the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies have been maintaining close contacts `` as best we could '' with people on the ground in Japan , the official said . Officials have been drawing on a variety of sources for information , including both official and personal contacts in Japan , and open-source material , such as public statements from the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company web sites . At the Department of Energy , a nuclear incident team has been monitoring developments around the clock , he said . But data has been hard to come by , and there are `` conflicting reports '' about damage in some of the reactors , the official said . `` There 's a lot of genuine confusion about what is going on , '' he said . U.S. officials also still do not know what caused the fire in Reactor 4 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant . There is concern that fuel rods in a spent fuel storage pool may have been exposed . That fire reportedly burned for two hours before being extinguished .
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Data is scare on radioactivity coming from Japan 's damaged reactors . Experts need good data in building computer models to track radioactivity . Official : `` There 's a lot of genuine confusion about what is going on '' Experts say radiation from Japan does not pose a significant health threat to the U.S.
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's his first trip to South America , one that many doubted would happen at all . President Obama 's five-day tour to Brazil , Chile and El Salvador happens as a nuclear and humanitarian crisis unfolds in Japan after a powerful earthquake and tsunami hit the island . And a civil war rages on in Libya , threatening stability in the Middle East . The United States is getting involved in a third conflict in the region in addition to Afghanistan and Iraq . That 's why many speculated that Obama would either cancel or postpone his Latin American trip . In his weekly internet and radio address , Obama spoke about the reasons why he 's looking south . `` As we respond to these immediate crises abroad , we also will not let up in our effort to tackle the pressing , ongoing challenges facing our country , including accelerating economic growth , '' he said as he made the case for economic opportunities for U.S. businesses in Latin America . Analysts say the United States ca n't afford to ignore Latin America in spite of the challenges in Asia and the Middle East . China , not the United States , is now the largest destination for Brazilian exports . And former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defied most countries on the U.N. Security Council last year -LRB- and certainly the United States -RRB- on the issue of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program . In recent years , Brazil has discovered oil reserves off the coast of Rio de Janeiro that could be the largest in the world if the estimates of Petrobras -LRB- the state-owned Brazilian oil company -RRB- are right . Add to that the fact that Brazil is hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 , and it becomes a logical choice for a country to be visited by an American president . That 's why Cynthia Arnson , director of the Latin American program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington , calls Brazil `` the obvious country on the itinerary . '' She said Brazil `` is , depending on whose numbers you use , anywhere from the fifth to the eighth economy in the world . It is a global player on issues like climate change , environmental preservation , innovation and biofuels development . It 's also seeking a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council . '' Chile , considered an economic Latin American success , will be Obama 's second stop . A devastating earthquake that hit the country in February of last year had little effect , if any , on its booming economy . Gross domestic product grew more than 5 % in 2010 , in spite of the catastrophic 8.8-magnitude temblor , one of the 10 most powerful earthquakes on record . Chile signed a free trade agreement with the United States on January 1 , 2004 , and its government claims to have more such agreements than any other country in the world , with pacts signed with the European Union , Mercosur , China , India , South Korea , and Mexico . -LRB- Mercosur , or the Southern Common Market , is an economic agreement that promotes free trade among Argentina , Brazil , Paraguay and Uruguay . -RRB- . With a mixture of open market policies and strong economic institutions , Chile has dramatically reduced poverty . Only 18.2 % of the population lived below the poverty line in 2009 , compared with nearly 40 % 20 years ago . `` The center-right government of -LSB- President -RSB- Sebastian Piñera has by no means done away with the social programs put in place under the Concertación -LSB- a coalition of center-left political parties -RSB- that were so successful in reducing poverty in Chile , '' Arnson said . El Salvador , Obama 's third stop of the tour , is also a success story , although on a much lesser scale . Arnson says that in a relatively short period of time , the Central American country has managed to professionalize and downsize its army and establish a system of political competition in which everyone agrees on the rules of the game -LRB- a great achievement when one takes into account that El Salvador was ravaged by a civil war that lasted from 1979 to 1992 -RRB- . `` They are not the only success stories , but they 're very important success stories in all three countries . El Salvador came out of civil war , Brazil and Chile came out of decades of military dictatorship , and there 's been significant progress in all three countries in moving away from that past , '' Arnson said . For Kevin Casas-Zamora , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington , El Salvador is important for the White House for other reasons as well . `` In El Salvador converge in a very clear way three issues that are crucial when it comes to the relation between the United States and Latin American countries : migration , trade and security , '' Casas-Zamora said . More than 2.5 million Salvadorans live in the United States , and the government of President Mauricio Funes wants a resolution on their immigration status . As Mexico has scored important victories against major drug cartels , these criminal organizations have moved into Central American countries , including El Salvador . According to Casas-Zamora , El Salvador is looking for a closer partnership with the United States to increase its security . `` So far , the U.S. government has earmarked $ 100 million -LSB- to boost security -RSB- for fiscal year 2011 , which is quite limited . This amount of money for the Central American region is minuscule , compared to the magnitude of the drug trafficking problem they face , '' Casas-Zamora said .
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Obama visiting Brazil , Chile , El Salvador amid war in Mideast , post-quake crisis in Japan . Analysts say the U.S. ca n't afford to ignore Latin America despite those challenges . Obama makes case for economic opportunities for U.S. businesses in Latin America . Despite their problems , Latin American countries have made economic , political strides .
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Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three civilians and a police officer were killed Wednesday after militants fired two rockets at security checkpoints in Pakistan 's western city of Quetta . Police spokesman Abdullah Afridi said militants fired the rockets along Saryab Road , injuring an additional 15 people . Earlier this month , four civilians were killed and 10 were injured when a bomb exploded near a security patrol in Pakistan 's Balochistan province , police told CNN . Balochistan has long been plagued by sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias , and separatist Baloch militant groups who demand political autonomy . Quetta , Balochistan 's provincial capital , is widely believed to be a safe haven for senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban , but rarely are militant attacks in Balochistan linked to them .
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3 civilians and a police officer were killed Wednesday in a rocket attack . Police say the attack injured an additional 15 people . Quetta is Balochistan 's provincial capital .
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[[12, 196], [318, 336], [339, 365], [197, 229], [283, 317]]
|
Tokyo -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In her cramped downtown office where wedding dress displays fight for space with file cabinets , Miyuki Uekusa has been busy answering the phone for the past month . `` Before the quake , many of our members were just thinking about marriage vaguely , '' said the professional matchmaker , whose agency Marry Me has sent 30 couples to the altar since it launched two years ago . `` After experiencing the tremors and repeatedly seeing the tragic images on TV , they felt the fear of being alone and wanted to find a partner in life . '' As existing members turn more serious about going on dates , Uekusa says phone inquiries about joining her club have gone up 30 % since the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11 , killing more than 14,000 people . On this Wednesday afternoon , a 49-year-old makeup artist -- who wants to be known simply as Yoko -- showed up at the Marry Me office to sign up as a new member . Despite the hefty price tag of a $ 1,200 sign-up fee and a $ 120 monthly charge , Yoko says the natural disasters and the subsequent nuclear crisis have jolted her into adjusting priorities in life . `` I need to act now , before another massive disaster strikes , '' she said . Experts are not surprised by the seemingly sudden change of heart on marriage , especially among women . `` In Japan , women take the initiative to get married -- and the trend for them had been to focus on their career and enjoy single life , '' explained Ritsuko Matsui , a prominent psychiatrist who counseled survivors of Japan 's last devastating quake around Kobe in 1995 , which left more than 6,000 people dead . `` Seeing heartwarming scenes of couples and families staying together in the face of recent tragedies has made many single women realize the importance of relationships . '' This new appreciation has turned the wedding industry into an unlikely bright spot in the gloomy Japanese economy , as other sectors ranging from manufacturing to tourism struggle to recover . Jewelers -- big and small -- have reported strong sales of engagement and wedding rings , in sharp contrast to slumping demand for other luxury items . Koji Fujimoto owns Concept Jewelry Works , a Tokyo boutique that specializes in custom jewelry . He has seen a 20 % jump in ring buyers since the disasters . `` After the quake , couples want to create something that commemorates their relationship and that they can hold forever , '' he said . At the Aldobrandini bridal shop a few blocks away , Maki Maruta echoes such sentiment . Trying on her Italian-made silk wedding gown for the first time , the bride says she will walk down the aisle on May 28 with a new sense of purpose . `` The disasters reminded me the importance of family , '' Maruta said . `` It 's so important to have someone who is precious to you . ''
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Marriage industry is rare bright spot in Japan . 30 % more people call matchmaker after disasters . Importance of family highlighted , woman says .
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Lagos , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Concerned about ongoing violence , Nigerian election officials Thursday delayed gubernatorial elections in two states . Voters in Kaduna and Bauchi states will now go to the polls on April 28 , said Attahiru M. Jega , chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission . Elections will continue April 26 in other states . `` This is to allow for further cooling of tempers and for the security situation in those states to improve , '' Jega said . The development came after Goodluck Jonathan , who was declared the winner in the recent presidential election , warned perpetrators of postelection violence that `` enough is enough . He said the unrest in a series of elections brings back memories of events leading up to a 1960s civil war in the nation . Jonathan , who ran as the incumbent , hails from the oil-rich southern region , which is majority Christian . Parts of the mostly Muslim north charged the elections were rigged . Armed protesters in the region prowled the streets chanting the name of former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari , the main opposition frontrunner . `` We are shocked by these horrific acts , which strike at the heart of our nation , '' Jonathan said in a statement Thursday . `` These acts of mayhem are sad reminders of the events which plunged our country into 30 months of an unfortunate civil war . '' Muslims fearing reprisal attacks in Christian areas have fled to military barracks or neighboring states , the Nigerian Red Cross said . More than 40,000 people are displaced in the north , according to the aid group . Government officials have declined to release the number of fatalities or injuries over fears it could prompt revenge attacks . Jonathan urged protesters to avoid violence , saying `` enough is enough . '' `` There are ... no grievances that our laws and courts can not address , '' he said . Jonathan 's warning comes two days after he pledged a `` new dawn '' for the nation following the vote hailed as a significant improvement from past polls . The last election four years ago was widely condemned for rampant vote rigging , violence , theft of ballot boxes and intimidation . While Saturday 's election was marred by violence , reports of underage voting and other logistical problems , observers considered it an improvement . Action Congress of Nigeria , an opposition party , Thursday called the presidential election `` the most systematically rigged election in Nigeria 's history '' and warned against a repeat in next week 's gubernatorial elections . '' President Jonathan should call his dogs of war at the PDP -LRB- Peoples Democratic Party -RRB- to order , so that they will not push their luck by attempting to thwart the will of the people any more than they have already done , with the grim consequences that we all can now see , '' the party said . World leaders have urged the west African nation to probe allegations of ballot stuffing and unusually high turnout in some areas . Nigeria is Africa 's largest oil producer and its most populous nation with 150 million people .
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NEW : Electoral commission postpones voting in two states . The president tells protesters to avoid violence . `` There are ... no grievances that our laws and courts can not address , '' he says . Protesters in the mostly Muslim north charge the vote is rigged after Jonathan 's election .
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|
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While most first-person shooter games want players to kill as a means of completing a mission , `` Bulletstorm '' takes that premise to the next level by having players `` kill with skill . '' The new first-person shooter from Epic Games , People Can Fly and Electronic Arts ends up being a campy , over-the-top offering , featuring a new game play style that awards points for killing enemies in unique ways . The more outlandishly someone dies , the more skillshot points you get . You play as Grayson Hunt , an assassin-turned-mercenary who is on a mission to redeem himself by going after the people who used him to kill innocents . Sound convoluted ? There are enough twists , turns , betrayals and unlikely partnerships that it feels like you will end up targeting everyone at some point in the game . That mounting body count , which is the game 's true lead character , is n't just about using different weapons to off your opponents , but includes using the environment around you to deal death blows . Spiked cacti and steel beams become your friends for the `` Spiked '' or `` Voodoo Doll '' skillshot points . Kicking an opponent off a high platform earns you the `` Vertigo '' skillshot points . Players can cash in the points for upgrades to weapons and a special device called the Leash . It 's a wrist device that shoots out an energy tendril , allowing Hunt to pull enemies or items toward him . You can also use the Thumper feature of the Leash to fling people into the air , where you can pick them off and earn `` Trap Shooting '' points . Hunt starts off the game with a standard assault rifle , but other weapons are found throughout the scenes . My favorite ended up being the Flail Gun , which fires off two bombs attached together by a chain . Wrap up an enemy , kick him into a crowd of bad guys , and then set off the bombs . It clears out a room quickly and will earn you points for the `` Gang Bang '' skill or the `` Grenade Gag '' skill . Get the idea ? The more creatively a player uses his weapons and surroundings , the better his weapons become and the more destructive he can be . Instead of just mowing down enemy after enemy , I found myself taking a few extra moments to survey what was around me and how I could use it to destroy others . The wanton mayhem is n't the only thing that 's over the top in `` Bulletstorm . '' Dialogue is one obscenity after another in some of the most outlandish ways . Obviously , they are all NSFW -LRB- or for any real conversation -RRB- , but they are laugh-out-loud funny if you keep your tongue firmly in your cheek . There is no real character development or even an attempt at real interaction between Hunt and the nonplayer characters that will help you along the way . Also , do n't worry about trying to figure out where to go next . The nonplayer characters will lead the way and then stop right before heading into a danger zone . There are also indicators along the way -LRB- like a message telling you to press `` B '' to kick open a door -RRB- that lead the player by the hand through the linear game play . Single-player maps can be replayed after completion to see if you can improve your skillshot score in a timed setting . Multiplayer action ramps things up by introducing three team members to destroy the bad guys with you . The play is the same , but team skillshots are introduced to add a bit of spice . Cooperation is needed to move along , so play with people who will work with you rather than go off on their own . `` Bulletstorm '' is an entertaining attempt at making bloody fun with the skillshot feature . I think of it as a teenage shooter game that tries to get attention by being gross , obscene and sexually charged . It is funny at first , but after a while , it becomes tired -- especially the dialogue . But the shooting aspect is really something new and does keep interest levels high . Even toward the end of the game , I was still figuring out new combinations of weapons and environment that unlocked more new skillshot points . If you go into `` Bulletstorm '' thinking it is an elite first-person shooter game , you will be very disappointed . However , `` Bulletstorm , '' with its `` kill with skill '' mentality , is a great change of pace in the first-person shooter genre that rewards players for doing something different . And that is refreshing . `` Bulletstorm '' is now available on the Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 and PC . It is rated M for mature because of blood and gore , intense violence , partial nudity , sexual themes , strong language and use of alcohol . This review was done playing a retail copy on the Xbox 360 .
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`` Bulletstorm '' follows Grayson Hunt , an assassin-turned-mercenary . In the game , the more outlandish the killing , the more points you get . It is not only about using the different weapons , but also the environment .
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[[212, 293], [342, 429], [2004, 2066]]
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