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(CNN) -- When former death row inmate John Thompson left a Louisiana prison in 2003 he was one of the lucky ones. He had the support of his family and the lawyers who had worked for more than a decade to prove his innocence in the 1984 shooting death of a hotel executive from a prominent New Orleans family. Within six months of his release, he was married and holding down a steady job. By 2005, he had a brand new home, a car and a dog. He and his wife were running their own sandwich shop in a hotel in downtown New Orleans. "I was almost getting to feel the American dream," said Thompson, who spent 18 years in prison, 14 of them on Louisiana's death row. Then, Hurricane Katrina hit and wiped out his home, his business and the life he'd been struggling to build after nearly two decades locked up. He looked around and realized he was not alone in his struggle to ease back into society. He also wondered where the resources were for people like him who didn't know how to use email, find a doctor or apply for a driver's license and social security card to apply for jobs. "Men come home and the system has nothing in place to help them put their lives back together," he said. "They need to be reprogrammed because the survival tactics they learned in prison don't work in the outside world." To help them Thompson started Resurrection After Exoneration, an education and outreach program that helps exonerated and formerly incarcerated inmates rebuild their lives. Again, he says he was lucky because he knew people who could help him write grant applications and navigate the waters of the non-profit world. But it takes more than good fortune and connections to make a go of it after spending nearly two decades in prison, said Michael Banks, one of Thompson's appellate lawyers. "He's proven himself to be resilient, resourceful and compassionate in ways that are unimaginable given his situation," said Banks, who helped Thompson win his freedom. Banks and his colleague Gordon Cooney helped reverse Thompson's capital murder conviction based on evidence that the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office concealed blood evidence that would have cast doubt on its case. District Attorney Harry Connick Sr., father of the entertainer on TV's "American Idol," reportedly defended his team at the time. "We follow the rules," Connick reportedly told The Associated Press. "We have an ongoing and continuing obligation to turn over exculpatory evidence and we do." In a retrial, jurors acquitted Thompson of all charges. "We felt good about the retrial, the evidence suggested we were going to win," Banks said. "We were worried about what happens next, after he walks out of prison after 18 years. "There's not a lot of vocational training on death row; the only thing you're trained for is to learn to die." Thompson's lawyers tried to convince him to go to a residential counseling program in California. But he insisted on staying in New Orleans to be close to his mother and sons, who were four and six when they saw police take him away in handcuffs in 1985. The first place Thompson visited when he left prison was his old neighborhood, where he received a hero's welcome complete with Mardi Gras beads, Banks recalled. However, over a seafood dinner at Pascal Manale -- his first as a free man -- he made it clear that he did not want to return to his previous life, Banks said. "He knew from the minute he got out, 'I don't want to go back to this old world because this will eat me alive,'" Banks said. "He was a 10th grade dropout with no money, no ATM card, he'd never used a cellphone or a computer. The temptation of street crime, drugs and poverty seemed overwhelming. But to his credit he had the emotional intelligence and strength to pursue a different path." Still, it's been a bumpy road. Thompson won $14 million in damages after suing the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office for violating his federal civil rights by hiding blood tests that would have proven his innocence. The state appealed and the case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned the judgment in a sharply divided 5-4 decision. Read the Supreme Court opinion . That -- coupled with Katrina -- led Thompson to dedicate his life to fighting for the rights of other exonerees. State laws vary when it comes compensation, but in Louisiana exonerated inmates are eligible for $25,000 per year for each year of wrongful incarceration with a $250,000 cap. But former inmates need more than money, Thompson said. They need guidance and mentoring to help them manage it wisely. Besides, they shouldn't have to wait for compensation to find services essential to their transition and rehabilitation, he said. "We think states and cities should provide housing and job training. They shouldn't have to wait for compensation to find those services," said Thompson. Resurrection After Exoneration offers a variety of services to former inmates. The nondescript building in New Orleans' famous Treme neighborhood provides temporary housing for four people while helping them develop a five-year plan, Thompson said. The first stage involves a lengthy evaluation to get to know the former inmate and to get them back on the grid with a Social Security card, driver's license and doctor's appointments. The organization also helps reconnect them with family or friends who can provide a support system. Next, they start job training by learning computer skills and building resumes. They also go through a long mental health checklist to ensure that the ex-inmate possesses the self-awareness to deal with lingering effects of prison. If needed, counseling referrals are provided. "If you can't identify and deal with the trauma you fall into depression, and look to drugs and alcohol to escape reality," said Thompson. "That's what keeps these guys from getting over the hump and moving forward." The organization also teaches participants how to tell their story so they can participate in community outreach efforts. These are key to build empathy and understanding of the needs of inmates returning to society, Thompson said. Like it or not, these people are going to be in the community; it's society's responsibility to help give them a fighting chance, he said. Thompson and other members of RAE visit high schools and law schools to tell their stories. In addition the organization hosts "Know Your Rights" classes for practicing lawyers, students and members of the community. Thompson also finds time to work with chapters of the Innocence Project, lobbying for federal guidelines related to compensation and looking for extreme cases of wrongful convictions across the country to cast a spotlight on the national scope of the problem. "We need to make everyone aware of the importance of accountability and oversight when it comes to prosecutions," he said. "When you send one person away it destroys entire families."

Ex-death row inmate John Thompson describes re-entering society after 18 years . Thompson was weeks from execution when new evidence led to his release . During Thompson's retrial on murder charges, a jury declared him not guilty . Thompson founded a group to help former death row inmates .

(CNN) -- NATO foreign ministers have approved Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to defend its borders, a statement of "solidarity" with its fellow alliance member. "Today NATO agreed to augment Turkey's air defense by deploying Patriot missiles to Turkey. Turkey has asked for NATO's support and we stand with Turkey in the spirit of strong solidarity," said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "To Turkish people we say, we are determined to defend you and your territory. To anyone who would want to attack Turkey, we say, don't even think about it. " The move is in response to the spilling over of the Syrian civil war into Turkey, where errant Syrian artillery shells struck the border town of Akcakale and killed five Turkish civilians in October. Turkey asked NATO to deploy Patriot missiles along its border to bolster its air defenses against Syrian threats. Syrian family hides from attacks in underground 'prison' The United States, Germany and Netherlands, which all have Patriot capabilities, have signaled they would be willing to contribute missiles. Rasmussen believes the "actual deployment will take place within weeks." "We welcome the intention of Germany, the Netherlands and the United States to provide Patriot missile batteries, subject to their respective national procedures. These systems will be under the operational command of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Any deployment will be defensive only. It will in no way support a no-fly zone or any offensive operation," Rasmussen said. The decision was made as news surfaced about fears of Bashar al-Assad's government using chemical weapons. Rasmussen echoed warnings from U.S. President Barack Obama that the Syrian government may be toying with the idea of using chemical weapons to crush the 21-month rebellion. "The Syrian stockpiles of chemical weapons are a matter of great concern," Rasmussen told reporters. "We know that Syria possesses missiles. We know they have chemical weapons and, of course, they also have to be included in our calculations. And this is also the reason why it is a matter of urgency to ensure effective defense and protection of our ally Turkey," he said. Opinion: Rape is shredding Syria's social fabric . "Let me add to this that the possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community, and if anybody resorts to these terrible weapons I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community." Violence raged Tuesday in Syria, with at least 155 people killed across the country, the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said. In one key development, rebel fighters scored a major gain where government forces once ruled. The rebels have cut off a sprawling military base outside Aleppo with some 450 government soldiers trapped inside. The rebels could easily overrun the base, fighter Ali Jadlan said, but they want to give government soldiers a chance to defect. Already, about 250 soldiers have defected from units at the base since the Syrian uprising began in 2011, and most of them have joined the opposition. It's another indication al-Assad is losing his grip on a country he once firmly commanded. As fighting subsides, Aleppo residents find little left . The government has tried air-dropping food to its soldiers, often missing the targets. Opposition fighters have shot out their water supply. While the soldiers still have stockpiles of artillery, their options are dwindling. "They have reached a point where they think that they can't go back," said Jamal, a defector. "They have reached a dead end. Slowly, they are weakening." In another incident, rebels and the government are reporting deadly shelling on a school in a refugee camp in the Damascus area. The LCC said 30 students were killed there. Alexia Jade, a spokeswoman for the opposition in Damascus, said the school was "showered by mortars leaving between eight and 12 dead, including children and a teacher." "I cannot say if this area was state loyal," she said, adding it was very remote and inhabited by refugees from the Golan Heights whose kin had suffered from government shelling in the south of the capital. "We have not reached a concrete conclusion at this point" about who fired the shells, Jade added. Syrian refugees face brutal winter with inadequate shelter and food . Rasmussen stressed that a Patriot missile deployment will be "purely defensive" and that NATO has "no intention to prepare offensive operations." The deployment would be an "effective deterrent" and de-escalate tensions along the border, he said. Such a deployment would compel "any potential aggressor to think twice before they even consider attacking Turkey." A Russian official, speaking with CNN on background, claimed the Patriot systems are more symbolic than militarily necessary. Russia has been a friend of the Syrian government over the years and has blocked tough action against the al-Assad government in the U.N. Security Council. Echoing comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the official said Syria has no interest in attacking Turkey. Concern over the issue has rippled across the world. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said before NATO moved on the issue that deploying Patriot missiles is a "good decision. We shall support it. " He noted "many attacks by Syria against Turkish borders." "Turkey has asked for protection," he said. "We are deciding to grant this protection through Patriot missiles." As for the chemical weapons issue, the Syrian Foreign Ministry denied that the country has any plans to use such arms, state TV reported. The government has also repeatedly stressed it will not use such weapons, if they exist, against its people under any circumstances. But U.S. officials say "worrying signs" suggest otherwise. Syrian forces have started combining chemicals that could be used to make deadly sarin gas for weapons to attack rebel and civilian populations, one U.S. official said. The intelligence, obtained over the weekend, the official said, came from multiple sources. But the official declined to provide more details about how the United States learned of it. Sarin gas, the source said, could most readily be used to fill artillery shells. Obama said Monday that "the use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences, and you will be held accountable." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel and the world community are "closely monitoring the developments in Syria regarding the stockpiles of chemical weapons." "I heard the important things President Obama said on this matter, we are of a single mind. It is forbidden to use these weapons and it should be forbidden to pass them on to terror elements," he said. U.S. concerned Syria 'cooking up recipes' for chemical weapons . CNN's Arwa Damon, Nick Paton-Walsh, Holly Yan, Gul Tuysuz, Barbara Starr, and Jill Dougherty, along with Journalist Ammar Cheikhomar, contributed to this report.

155 Syrians are dead Tuesday, including 30 in a shelling at a school, the LCC says . Syrian forces are mixing chemical warfare agents, a U.S. official says . The Syrian Foreign Ministry denies plans to use such weapons .

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- "The Earth is just too small," sighed South African adventurer Mike Horn, one of the few people on the planet who can get away with saying such a statement. Action man of climate change: Horn is hoping to inspire a new generation of leaders. During the past eight months the 43-year-old has sailed around the world twice and during a life of exploration, often living on the edge of survival, he has trekked to both poles, sailed solo across oceans and walked across almost every continent. The challenge for Horn now is to find the challenge. Even his first trek to the South Pole earlier this year, a dream he'd had childhood, left him underwhelmed. "I think it was just an overrated experience," he told CNN. "You were walking to civilization, away from the edge of Antarctica, which is completely wild, to the pole where there's an American base, airplanes landing everyday, red lights telling you if you can cross the runway or not. If I can't satisfy myself walking to the pole and back, let's try and do something else." That something else is pursuing a different type of adventure: motivating a new generation to take action to conserve the planet in the face of climate change. Using a specially designed and made 35-meter exploration boat called Pangaea, Horn is showing a lucky few parts of the world unreachable to most. Nearly a year into the four-year Pangaea Expedition, he's been more than encouraged by what he's seen in his "young explorers" selected from across the world. "I haven't been disappointed by one of them. They're not polluted by politics or money. I'm not changing their lives, they're changing them themselves. I'm just taking them to somewhere it's nearly impossible for them to go without the boat, infrastructure and my knowledge," he said. It's a knowledge he said he has gained through hard experience; he lost the tips of fingers to frost bite in the Arctic and claims to have narrowly avoided execution at the hands of militia in DR Congo. His desire to preserve nature in a changing world stems from his respect for it. "To come back alive [from an expedition], you haven't conquered nature, you've just managed to live in harmony with it. That is true competition to me. There's no start or end to it. Adventure becomes a way of living, an inner search of your knowledge," he said. View the gallery of Mike Horn's adventures » . Spirit for adventure . Horn's adventurous spirit manifested itself early. Growing up in South Africa he was given his first bike at age 8 and set off to visit his uncle, not the one 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away, but the one nearly 300 kilometers away. While his parents encouraged him to explore, a degree in Human Movement Science and honors degree in marketing gave him a greater of a sense of the psychology of competition. Time with the South African military's Special Forces fighting in Angola gave him a harsh lesson in survival and the difference between life and death. And a wife and two children who live in Switzerland remind him not to push it too far on his solo expeditions. Now when choosing the teenagers and young adults to join his expeditions he looks for things in them he saw in himself at that age; a curiosity and enthusiasm similar to his own and that continues to keep him motivated every day. Lecturers join Pangaea's voyages to add some scientific knowledge to Horn's first-hand understanding of the world, and there are ongoing projects for the young explorers to pursue when their time on the boat is over. Yet it is action, not words, that defines Horn. "I think it's time to act more than anything else. Why discuss global warming and what are we going to do, if we can basically go out and do it?" he said. "I don't believe in global warming as such, I believe more in the climate and seasons changing. I'm not a specialist, I'm an adventurer, but maybe I've seen things that other people haven't seen that leads to what I think is a change in climate," he said . "On the North Pole where before there was three to four meters of ice, today the ice breaks up, seals come through and polar bears can hunt there. When you see the big ice shelves break off around Antarctica, you think that there is something happening. I just talk about what I see." Action, not words . He's criticized the United Nations as a talking shop and says he has rebuffed advances to become affiliated with them, but has some plans to work with environmental groups, such as the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia, in the near future. "Politics slows down a lot. Everyone should have the freedom of speech and with organizations usually you have to keep to the protocol, but there's no protocol when it comes to the world and the future of the planet," he said. He's equally tired of adventures or projects that just raise awareness of climate change. "We have to have a different approach, not that the one I have is completely right, but an approach where you have to build a boat out of plastic bottles... is that something we really must do? It's not enough to just take water samples and say the planet is warming up, or say there is plastic floating in the oceans," he said. "Pangaea" has some eco-friendly elements. As well as being able to go almost anywhere in the world's oceans, it is made from aluminum, since it is the most recyclable metal and is unpainted to reduce pollution from noxious paints usually found on ships. Part powered by solar, the crew is able to make its own water onboard and there is a plastic compactor for all the trash the boat trawls out of the oceans. Horn's single-mindedness has also secured lucrative partnerships with some big-name brands that bankroll his missions. Mercedes Benz are contracted to change Pangaea's engines every year with the most efficient model; next year they will get one with zero CO2 emissions. "It gives them something to work on and me an opportunity to stay with my philosophy. There are some [companies] that don't give a s**t; you mustn't preach to the converted. That's why it's important to get companies involved that might change their mindset." Horn is positive that he can make a difference through educating his young charges and the problems many fear are impossible to solve, can be dealt with. "I came back after the expedition around the Arctic and the North Pole and I saw 'An Inconvenient Truth' and I thought, 'It's not that bad.' The world is still a beautiful place. Let's conserve that beauty and teach [the younger generation] how to conserve it."

Explorer Mike Horn aims to encourage new generation to take action on conservation . His Pangaea Expedition takes 'young explorers' around the world . Horn has circumnavigated the world and been to both poles . "I'm not a specialist, I'm an adventurer, but maybe I've seen things others haven't"

Washington (CNN) -- An air of inevitability exists around Hilary Clinton for 2016. Of course she hasn't said she will run -- that's a decision she said she'll make this year -- but she must feel pretty good about the tea leaves. A new CNN/ORC poll out this week found that 70% of Democrats said they are likely to support her if she launches a presidential bid. Additionally, she is beating top-tier Republican contenders, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, in hypothetical matchups. Democratic strategist Maria Cardona predicted, with the caveat that a lot can happen between now and then, that if she runs, "I don't think she'll have anyone running against her." That's because she is in such a strong position with her name recognition and her vast network of supporters, donors and campaign infrastructure ready to go. Emory political science professor Alan Abramowitz said the chances of Clinton being upset, like what happened in the 2008 primaries, are slim. "I don't see who's going to be the Obama of 2016," he said. Would she say no? But plenty of reasons exist for her to simply say no. Presidential campaigns are unbelievable grinds and they can exact a substantial personal toll. They're full of endless days, personal attacks, and heart-clogging food. There are infinite details to master, personalities to manage, debates, and then throw in the unknowns. She will be 69 on Election Day 2016 and would have been in the political spotlight for a quarter century by then. She would have run once as the favorite for her party's nomination and lost. Many people might reflect on a similar public service career and conclude there's nothing left to prove, or that it's time for others to get in the game even if becoming the first woman president was the prize. But what if Clinton doesn't run? Multiple people associated with the Democratic Party say there is a host of promising potential contenders. But one strategist, a veteran of several Democratic presidential campaigns who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely, said, "People saw Governor Clinton and Senator Obama as superstars." As for the potential 2016 crop: "No one talks about the rest of the field that way." Except for Joe Biden. "The truth is that, if Hillary doesn't run Biden becomes the class of the field by far," the veteran Democratic strategist told CNN. "It's gotta be Hillary or Joe or we're in trouble." Biden has been cagey with his intentions, dropping humorous references but refusing to commit. But his name recognition as vice president and as a veteran of the presidential campaign trail, some in the party think Biden is in a good position. Though, he would be 73 on Election Day 2016 and 74 on Inauguration Day. That's "middle age" for a U.S. senator, but no one has ever walked into the Oval Office on their first day of work at that age. Jim Manley, a former top Senate aide, thinks Biden "deserves a shot" because he's been "outstanding" as vice president. But Joe is Joe. People either love him, hate him or forget about him. For some Democratic operatives, Biden is almost an afterthought. People spouted off numerous potential Democratic candidates and Biden's name would come up, eventually. "Oh yes, Joe Biden," said one strategist after gently jogging his memory. The progressive wing of the party is not impressed. Adam Green, co-director of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, left it at this: "Joe Biden has had a great career in public service." After the interview concluded, Green e-mailed to say that his co-director, Stephanie Taylor, has this to say about a Biden run: "That would be funny," Taylor said. Martin O'Malley . Democratic pollster Margie Omero said Democrats Biden and Clinton aren't the only two who can appeal to Democratic voters. The party has "a really strong bench of candidates that people are excited about that have progressive appeal." She included Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, saying he has "quietly and consistently" built a strong record of good schools and good economy in Maryland. Interestingly, in this informal survey of half a dozen Democratic operatives and one political science professor, people mentioned O'Malley most often than any other possible contender, including Biden, but their reaction was far more muted. Manley said the "jury is out" and Abramowitz mused, "I just don't know what kind of candidate he'd be." Green called O'Malley "a blank slate." O'Malley is laying the groundwork for a run in the event Clinton doesn't, a source close to the governor told CNN. O'Malley amplified 2016 speculation when he told the Washington Post last week that he can't wait for the former first lady and secretary of state to make a decision. Elizabeth Warren . The first-term Massachusetts senator would have even less experience in public office than Obama when he ran in 2008. But Democrats have a high opinion of the former Harvard professor whose advocacy paved the way for the Consumer Federal Protection Bureau. Former Obama aide Bill Burton said Warren was one of a handful of "impressive" Democrats who could fill the bill should Clinton stay out. Cardona said Warren has to be "put on any list." The progressives love her for her populist agenda. Green said Warren is "the north star" of the Democratic Party. Kirsten Gillibrand . New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's name also came up as a potential contender. But Cardona said she would have to get over her lack of name recognition, which she said is relatively easy to do. Manley, however, said it's "too soon" for New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. She should show her campaigning and fundraising capabilities as head of the Democrat's Senate campaign arm. Andrew Cuomo . The New York governor received the most negative response from respondents, if he was mentioned at all. Manley said Andrew Cuomo should "stick to being the governor of New York." Green said he represents the Democratic Party from the 90s and would not fit in well with today's voters, adding that he "pays lip service" to progressives. More on the bench? There are other possibilities, including: Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. But even though lifelong people had little to say as they are so unknown on a national scale. "I'm not sure what I can say," Manley said. "Untested" is how Emory professor Abramowitz described the field outside of Biden and Clinton. "All these other candidates have never run for national office so we don't know how they'd do."

Some Democrats feel even without Clinton, Biden, their crop of 2016 candidates is strong . Veteran strategist disagrees: "It's gotta be Hillary or Joe or we're in trouble" Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren mentioned by some .

(CNN) -- An ATM transaction, a grocery store receipt, a GPS device planted by a concerned car dealer and videos -- including one that showed a 22-year-old woman manhandled, knocked to the ground, then forced into a car just blocks from her Philadelphia home. All of it, among other tips and pieces of evidence, added up. And because of that, Carlesha Freeland-Gaither is thankfully back in Philadelphia where she belongs. The 22-year-old nursing assistant was released early Thursday from Maryland's Howard County General Hospital, having been reunited with her family after a harrowing three days. "She's doing about as well as you can expect. Obviously, she's traumatized by the entire event over the past few days, so it's going to take a little time for that to heal. But she's doing well. She's back with her family and she's very, very happy about that," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront." "She had injuries, but nothing life threatening, fortunately," he said. The man who authorities say abducted her, 37-year-old Delvin Barnes, has a new home himself, at a detention center in Baltimore County, Maryland. According to a criminal complaint, Barnes admitted to the kidnapping. He also reportedly said he didn't know the victim before he took her. Appearing at a court hearing later Thursday from jail via video conference, Barnes waived his extradition to Virginia where he faces grave charges in another abduction case. That leaves Virginia authorities five days to pick him up. Maryland Judge Darryl G. Fletcher didn't set bail, due to the severity and number of charges in Virginia. It's not clear when Barnes will be arraigned in the Philadelphia case, though it seems unlikely he'll be free when that happens. But at least his alleged latest victim, Freeland-Gaither, is. Philadelphia police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says that's because of "a lot of police work, a lot of tips from the public. But we were able to track it down." Cinquetta Barfield, the victim's cousin, told CNN affiliate KYW on Thursday that Freeland-Gaither is "in good health." "God was on our side. Everybody was praying for us and prayer works," she said. And the victim's mother, Keisha Gaither, couldn't be happier or more thankful. As she said Wednesday night to law enforcement, the media and the public, "Thank you for keeping me up. Thank you for being there for us. I'm taking my baby home!" Abducted Philadelphia woman found alive in Maryland . Taken after visiting godson . On Sunday, Freeland-Gaither went to the house of her mother's godson, her aunt Dayah Freeland said, and took a bus toward home. After she was dropped off in Philadelphia's Germantown-Penn Knox area around 9:40 p.m., the suspect's car passed her, turned up the street, then met her at an intersection, Philadelphia police Chief Inspector Dennis Wilson told CNN sister network HLN. It was then that her abductor pounced. Surveillance video shows Freeland-Gaither being confronted by a man, then forcibly led away by him, tussling on the ground before being forced into a car. During the struggle, her glasses and cell phone fell to the road. Freeland-Gaither kept fighting -- even breaking out one of the passenger side windows -- but she couldn't stop the car from speeding away. Abductions are hardly unprecedented, but Ramsey said it is rare to see one captured on video. "I've been on the job 46 years, (this is the) first time I've ever seen a kidnapping on videotape. (It) really was horrific to watch it unfold." Police: Car dealer provided key tip . This wasn't the only video that police released. Another, from just after 6 a.m. Monday, shows a man in a dark hooded jacket using Freeland-Gaither's ATM card at a machine in Aberdeen, Maryland, which is about 75 miles from Philadelphia. And on Wednesday, police released an additional video of a man, also wearing dark clothing, making a purchase at a convenience store on Monday. Someone who sold a car to Barnes recognized him from one of the videos and alerted authorities. The dealer had placed a GPS device in the vehicle because of worries about Barnes' bad credit, according to Charles City County Sheriff's Office Capt. Jayson Crawley. "From that, we were able to trace the car," Ramsey said. "We were able to then contact Charles City (Virginia authorities), ... and things started really falling into place very quickly." Such devices are put in cars to alert customers if they're behind on payments and, if they don't pay on time, allowing dealers to shut down the vehicle and track it down, said PassTime USA CEO Stan Schwartz, the head of the company that made the unit. In this case, Barnes knew it was there. PassTime has about 1.5 million such units out on the road, but has been only asked by law enforcement 10 to 15 times to track them as part of a criminal investigation, according to Schwartz. He said that the car dealer worked with authorities earlier this week, with the PassTime USA headquarters getting involved Thursday morning. In the Virginia case, Barnes is charged with abduction, forcible rape, malicious wounding with a chemical and other charges related to the early October disappearance of a 16-year-old girl, according to Crawley. That girl managed to escape after two days, walking 2 miles naked and burned into a business seeking help. Like the case involving Freeland-Gaither, authorities believe that case was a stranger abduction, meaning the victim didn't know who took her. "We used to chill, hang out. He's a good guy," a friend of Barnes told CNN affiliate WTVR about the suspect. "I don't believe it ... He is always looking to help somebody, always looking to bend over backwards. He'll give the shirt off his back if he could," Ronald Davis said. Suspect allegedly abducted, raped, burned girl . The travels of Barnes ended Wednesday night in Jessup, Maryland. "We surveilled that vehicle in the area," FBI agent Ed Hanko said of the car Barnes is thought to have used in Freeland-Gaither's kidnapping. "... When the subject exited the vehicle, that's when Ms. (Freeland-Gaither) was recovered." CNN's Jean Casarez, Jeremy Harlan, Chelsea J. Carter, Lawrence Crook III, Ed Payne, Jason Hanna, Ray Sanchez, Dana Ford, Chuck Johnston and Tina Burnside contributed to this report.

Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, is "doing about as well as you can expect" Delvin Barnes admitted to the abduction, according to a criminal complaint . He waives extradition to Virginia, where he faces other charges; no bail set . Freeland-Gaither was found 3 days later in Maryland; Barnes didn't know her .

(CNN) -- Barack Obama never really had a chance when dealing with issues of race in America. From the moment he ran for office, critics questioned whether he was "black enough" or an "angry black man." As the first African-American president of the United States, Obama is supposed to prove America is post-racial, be the president of "all of America" and show a special empathy for African-Americans, all while battling institutional racism but not calling it out. While these debates are largely philosophical and symbolic, the nationwide protests in the wake of the non-indictments of police officers responsible for killing Mike Brown and Eric Garner have shown that race can no longer just be an academic subject for presidents and presidential contenders. The crowds marching across America protesting the ugly intersection of racism, law enforcement and economics are some of the largest, most diverse groups of protesters seen in American history. These issues are going to be laid at the doorstep of all serious 2016 contenders. So while many are grappling with the events of the last several months, we're left to wonder: Where's Hillary Clinton? We all know that, barring some bizarre unforeseen event, Clinton is running for president in 2016, and it's only a matter of time before she announces. She will not march smoothly to the nomination; there are questions about how much she connects with the middle class, her muddled book rollout this spring and of course, for those who still care, "Benghazi." But the most serious problem for Hillary 2016 is the perception that she's an overly cautious politician who is afraid to take tough stances on anything, especially those issues the Democratic base might be passionate about. And nowhere is this more evident than in her almost utter silence on the recent protest marches across the nation. Hillary Clinton took almost 19 days before she said anything about the violence and rioting in Ferguson, Missouri, and that was after Democrats and pundits called her out for her silence. At the time she said: . "Imagine what we would feel and what we would do if white drivers were three times as likely to be searched by police during a traffic stop as black drivers instead of the other way around. If white offenders received prison sentences 10% longer than black offenders for the same crimes. If a third of all white men -- just look at this room and take one-third -- went to prison during their lifetime. Imagine that. That is the reality in the lives of so many of our fellow Americans in so many of the communities in which they live." Which was fine, at the time -- better late than never. Mind you, she slipped these comments in at a tech conference where the majority of her comments would focus on other issues. Clinton seemed to have learned her lesson after a New York grand jury did not indict officers in the killing of Eric Garner. She only waited two days to say something about the result : . "Each of us has to grapple with some hard truths about race and justice in America, because despite all the progress we've made together, African-Americans, most particularly African-American men, are still more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes, and sentenced to long prison terms." But again, these comments were tagged onto a speech she was giving at a women's conference in Massachusetts and hardly echoed beyond the walls of the building where she was speaking. While Republican 2016 contender Rand Paul can come right out and say police militarization is a problem and that the officer who killed Garner should be fired, Hillary Clinton talks about restoring "balance." While former President George W. Bush admits that he found the grand jury decision "hard to understand," Clinton is backing limited measures, including police body cameras, contained in Obama's executive actions resulting from the Ferguson controversy. While Obama is sitting down to do a serious interview about race, law and justice on BET, Clinton is doing events with Prince William and Catherine in New York. The point is that while other political leaders who hope to lead this country can take the time out to seriously address the longest-running protests in American history since the Montgomery bus boycott, Hillary Clinton sandwiches her comments in at the tail end of paid speaking engagements and keeps it moving. That seems a little tone-deaf. And this isn't the first time Clinton has shown this penchant for avoiding thorny cultural and racial issues on the not-quite-yet-campaign trail. She assiduously avoided addressing race in a town hall interview earlier this year on CNN. And one has to wonder if she would've said anything about the George Zimmerman verdict in the killing of Trayvon Martin if she hadn't been giving a speech at the convention of Delta Sigma Theta (a black sorority) the night the verdict came in. She certainly hasn't said much about it since. If Clinton thinks she's being smart by avoiding thorny race issues on the campaign trail, she's making a huge mistake. Maybe Team Clinton thinks that whatever support she may lose in the African-American vote will be made up for by high turnout among white women. The problem with that logic is that these protests from New York to Chicago to Detroit, to Cleveland, to San Diego, Los Angeles and even St. Louis are incredibly diverse. Take a look at the crowds in Times Square after the Garner verdict and you could see white, Latino, Asian, African-American, old, young and other demonstrators all carrying signs that read "Black Lives Matter." A new NBC News/Marist poll shows that 47% of Americans believe that the justice system applies different standards to blacks and whites. In other words, the people out there marching right now are the Democratic base, with a few independents and libertarians thrown in there for good measure. This is the coalition that Clinton needs to win the presidency, and on the most important issue in decades she's not only not '"ready to lead," she doesn't seem to have much to say, and when she does speak on these issues it's always as an afterthought to some larger message. America is being wracked by nationwide protests and thousands of Americans of all colors are questioning the fundamental fairness of the American justice system. Boycotts are happening, malls are being shut down and transportation all across America is being affected by protests during the biggest shopping season of the year, because many Americans are unhappy with our justice system. No one expects Clinton to be out in Times Square marching with the #ICantBreathe hashtag plastered across her cheek. But if she decides she wants to be serious about being elected president of the United States, she needs to do more and say more than a few throwaway comments in the midst of her busy speaking and fund-raising schedule. The foot soldiers for Clinton's political future are out marching in the cold, marching toward the change they want to see in America. Clinton might want to catch up to them, because if she doesn't, I'm sure Rand Paul, Elizabeth Warren or Andrew Cuomo would be happy to do so. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.

Jason Johnson: Hillary Clinton's supporters are protesting Ferguson, Garner verdicts . He says Clinton's comments on the issues of police and race have been late, minimal . Others, including Rand Paul and Elizabeth Warren, have been more forceful .

Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- A group of international cyclists gathered around in the restaurant of Khartoum's old Accropole Hotel and listened attentively to an orientation by the tour's chief coordinator. He listed what they would need to pack for the daily ride, which included water, snacks, energy bars, patch kits, pumps, cash, cell phones and cameras. "And you'll need butt cream," Randy Pielsticker, 36, added jokingly, referring to small containers of protective balm designed for cyclists. Considering the average 12 hours daily ride and the 12,000-kilometer length of the tour, he was right. Last week a group of cyclists took to the road on the Tour d'Afrique expedition starting from Khartoum, Sudan, where the White Nile and the Blue Nile meet. The four-month road trip will take them through nine countries until they reach Cape Town, South Africa, on the continent's southern-most tip. The idea for the expedition came to a former development worker, Henry Gold, who had worked in places like Ethiopia and Sudan. Gold wanted to find a way to provide cheap, sustainable transportation solutions to local populations on the continent, and attract attention by organizing a continental bike race. "I wanted to start producing bikes for Africa that would help kickstart development -- sort of like China and India with their bikes," he said. The bike production project did not take off, but the idea of a Cairo to Cape Town bike race did, and in 2003, the first Tour d'Afrique race took place, setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest human-powered crossing of Africa. It is run by a Toronto-based company of the same name, which now sponsors seven global treks, with Tour d'Afrique representing its flagship race. "This one tends to be the biggest draw," said Pielsticker. "There is a mystery and magic to it." For the past 11 years, the Tour d'Afrique expedition began from Cairo. This year, however, matters were different, because of current events. "There's an international travel advisory against traveling to Egypt right now," explained Pielsticker. Ironically, perhaps, the tour started this year from Khartoum. It may be better known for its involvement in conflict in regions like Darfur, but Pielsticker described the north of Sudan as "one of the safest places in the world." "People here are really nice and hospitable," he added. The change in plans made organizers add new routes and destinations to this year's tour to maintain the tour's length, including routes passing by the pyramids of Meroe in Sudan and the rock churches of Lalibela, in Ethiopia, a favorite for many. "Ethiopia is a classic," said Sharita Van der Merwe, 29, a seasoned tour guide. "The history and the culture are amazing." In addition to ancient sites in Sudan and Ethiopia, the tour's highlights include crossing the equator in Kenya, passing Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti in Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, the dunes of the Namib desert and on to Table Mountain in Cape Town. But the trek, of course, is no easy ride. There are tremendous obstacles to overcome, including navigational challenges, mechanical problems with the bikes, harsh weather conditions, difficult terrain, possible water shortages, the risk of diseases like malaria, and even predatory animals. And then there's the challenge of having strangers get along for four months. "It's a social experiment," said Van der Merwe, giggling. But the greatest challenge, Pielsticker maintains, is a universal one. "The biggest hazard for cyclists is the same everywhere in the world: the automobile," insists Pielsticker. Cyclists of all walks of life, ages and nationalities have joined the tour in the past. This year, they come from 13 different countries, with the youngest being 20 and the oldest 73. Alessandro Mauri, 22, just graduated from college, and wanted "time off and to take an adventure." On his first tour, Mauri, whose father is Italian and mother is South African, sees the tour as an opportunity to reconnect with the continent. "I've always loved Africa," he said. Mauri is looking forward to some of the tour's challenges, including the sandstorms of northern Sudan. "I would like to experience a haboob," he said with a smile. The tour often brings back alumni and most notable of them is Sandra McMillan. McMillan, 73, a retired real estate agent and a mother of five from Canada, joined the first Cairo to Cape tour in 2003. It was personal tragedy that brought her to Africa. "My 18 year old daughter was killed in an accident in 2001," she said. "She had a burning desire to go to Africa." In 2002, McMillan saw an advertisement for Tour d'Afrique. "I said to myself, I want to do this. "And there was a category for the leisurely fit," she added with a laugh. McMillan acknowledged that many thought she would not make it to the end. "There was even a bet that I would be the first to go," she said. But she completed the tour, and is now back on her fourth tour, 11 years later. While the tour may provide an opportunity for some to take an adventure in Africa, the group's founders are keen on giving back to local communities by donating bikes to individuals or organizations in the continent, supporting projects that promote bicycle awareness and raising funds for cyclists' favorite charities. The Tour d'Afrique Foundation, the company's development arm, has teamed up with many African groups, such as the South Africa-based Happy Africa Foundation, to distribute donated bicycles to students and health workers in several countries. In Zambia, for example, Christabel Mushe, a 19-year-old female student used to walk four miles a day to school and arrive tired, which impacted her concentration in class, and even sometimes missed school. "But when I received the bike, all of this was over," she said. "Both of my performance and attendance improved." Roy Kagna, 60, is a health caregiver in Zambia. "I have been able to visit 10 to 15 patients on a daily basis, more than I used to when I had no bike," he said. But perhaps most importantly, the tour has provided its participants with a deeper insight into Africa. "I learned that there is such commonality among humanity regardless of color," said McMillan. "The tour is not life changing, it is life affirming," she added. "It teaches you what your strengths and weakness are."

The Tour d'Afrique is a four-month, 12,000 km cycle race across the length of Africa . Race starts in Khartoum, passes Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, ends in Cape Town . Oldest competitor is a 73-year-old Canadian woman . Organizers help local communities by donating bikes .

(CNN) -- The first time, it happened almost by accident. Just hours after delivery, a baby born with HIV in Mississippi was given high doses of three antiretroviral drugs. More than three years later, doctors say the little girl has no evidence of the life-threatening disease in her blood, despite being off medication for nearly two years. Now doctors say another child born with the virus appears to be free of HIV after receiving similar treatment. The case report was presented at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston this week. The girl was delivered at Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach, California, last summer to a mother with HIV who had not received antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy. Doctors gave the baby high doses of three drugs -- AZT, 3TC and Nevirapine -- four hours after birth. Eleven days later, the virus was undetectable in her body and remained undetectable eight months later. The California baby is still on antiretroviral treatment, so it's too soon to tell if the child is actually in remission. "Taking kids off antiretroviral therapy intentionally is not standard of care," said Dr. Deborah Persaud, a virologist with Johns Hopkins Children's Center who has been involved in both cases. "At this time, there is no plan to stop treatment." While doctors around the world are trying to duplicate the Mississippi case, more research needs to be done before new standards are implemented for treating babies born with HIV. "This has to be done in a clinical trial setting, because really the only way we can prove that we've accomplished remission in these cases is by taking them off treatment, and that's not without risks," Persaud said during her presentation at the conference. A clinical trial designed to test the effectiveness of early treatment on infants born to HIV-positive mothers is set to begin in the next couple of months, she said. Infants will be started on a combination of antiretroviral therapy within 48 hours of birth and followed "for an extended period of time to determine if the virus can be eradicated from their bodies," according to the National Institutes of Health. The results could be a game changer in the fight against AIDS. Timeline: AIDS moments to remember . The Mississippi baby . The child in Mississippi was born to a mother who received no prenatal care and was not diagnosed as HIV-positive herself until just before delivery, according to a case report published in October in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers: Toddler cured of HIV . "We didn't have the opportunity to treat the mom during the pregnancy as we would like to be able to do, to prevent transmission to the baby," said Dr. Hannah Gay, a pediatric HIV specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Doctors administered the antiretroviral drugs 30 hours after the girl was born in hopes of controlling the virus. Within a couple of days, Gay confirmed the child was HIV-positive. She said the baby had probably been infected in the womb. The child remained on antiretroviral drugs for approximately 15 months. Her mother then stopped administering the drug for some reason, Gay said. In March 2013, researchers announced that the girl was the first child to be "functionally cured" of HIV. A "functional cure" is when the presence of the virus is so small, lifelong treatment is not necessary and standard clinical tests cannot detect the virus in the blood. Gay told CNN the timing of intervention -- before the baby's HIV diagnosis -- may deserve "more emphasis than the particular drugs or number of drugs used." The researchers believe "the very early therapy is blocking the spread of HIV into viral reservoirs that hold the virus for a lifetime," Persaud explained. High-risk exposure . Researchers have long known that treating HIV-positive mothers early on is important, because they pass antibodies on to their babies. All HIV-positive moms will pass on those antibodies, but only 30% will transmit the actual virus, said Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, an immunologist at the University of Massachusetts who worked closely with Gay. And HIV-positive mothers who are given appropriate treatment pass on the virus in less than 2% of cases. "So all babies are born antibody-positive, but only a fraction of babies born to HIV-positive women will actually get the virus, and that fraction depends on whether the mom and baby are getting antiviral prophylaxis (preventive treatment) or not." Newborns are considered high-risk if their mothers' HIV infections are not under control or if the mothers are found to be HIV-positive when they're close to delivering. Usually, these infants would get antiviral drugs at preventive doses for six weeks to prevent infection, then start antiretroviral therapy, or ART, if HIV is diagnosed. ART is a combination of at least three drugs used to suppress the virus and stop the progression of the disease. But they do not kill the virus. Tests showed the virus in the Mississippi baby's blood continued to decrease and reached undetectable levels within 29 days of the initial treatment. HIV may be 'functionally cured' in some . The 'Berlin patient' Researchers say the only other documented case of an HIV cure is that of Timothy Brown, known as the "Berlin patient." In 2007, Brown, an HIV-positive American living in Germany, was battling both leukemia and HIV when he underwent a bone marrow transplant that cured not only his cancer but his HIV. In an interview last year, Brown told Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, that he was still HIV-free. "I've been tested everywhere possible," said Brown, who now lives in San Francisco. "My blood's been tested by many, many agencies. I've had two colonoscopies to test to see if they could find HIV in my colon, and they haven't been able to find any." But Brown's case is apparently unique. And the procedure, which is extremely dangerous, won't work in most patients because the bone marrow he received had a special genetic mutation that made the stem cells in it naturally resistant to the virus. Researchers tell CNN only 1% of Caucasians -- mostly Northern Europeans -- and no African-Americans or Asians have this particular mutation. In June, five years after he was "cured," reports surfaced that "traces" of the virus had been found in Brown's blood. Even then, some HIV experts said that doesn't matter, that he's been cured. In fact, many AIDS experts said they believe Brown has experienced what's called a "sterilizing" cure, meaning the virus has been eliminated from the body entirely. In July, Boston researchers said two HIV patients showed no sign of the virus in their blood following bone marrow transplants. However, researcher Dr. Timothy Henrich said in December that the virus had returned.

Baby born with HIV in California appears to be free of the virus . She was given high doses of three antiretroviral drugs shortly after birth . Case is similar to Mississippi baby "functionally cured" of HIV . A clinical trial designed to test effectiveness of this treatment is starting soon .

(CNN) -- Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was seconds away from landing when the passengers sensed something horribly amiss. The plane was approaching San Francisco International Airport under a beautifully clear sky, but it was flying low. Dangerously low. Benjamin Levy looked out the window from seat 30K and said he could see the water of the San Francisco Bay about 10 feet below. Even for an airport where landing strips run close to the water, the descent seemed alarming to the San Francisco man. "I don't see any runway, I just see water," Levy recalled. Further back in the Boeing 777, Xu Das had the same realization. "Looking through window, it looked on level of the (sea)wall along the runway," he posted on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter. Latest developments on the crash . Then, with no warning from the cockpit, the plane slammed onto the edge of the runway. The impact severed the plane's tail and sent the rest of it spinning on its belly. A massive fireball and clouds of smoke shot skyward. First responders rushed to the scene as horrified onlookers at the airport terminal feared the worst. Medics found the bodies of two Chinese girls on the runway, next to the burning wreckage. The airline identified the girls as students Wang Linjia and Ye Mengyuan, both 16. Remarkably, 305 others on the plane survived the crash Saturday morning. A total of 70 Chinese students and teachers were headed to summer camp in the United States, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. "We're lucky there hasn't been a greater loss of life," San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said. When rescuers arrived, they found some passengers coming out of the water. "There was a fire on the plane, so the assumption might be that they went near the water's edge, which is very shallow, to maybe douse themselves with water," Hayes-White said. Why this flight was survivable . While 182 of them were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from spinal fractures to bruises, another 123 managed to escape unharmed. Some jumped out or slid down emergency chutes with luggage in hand. Harrowing flight . The crash ended an otherwise mundane flight that originated in Shanghai, China. It made a connection in Seoul, South Korea, before flying 10 hours to San Francisco. Among the 291 passengers were 141 Chinese, 77 South Koreans, 61 Americans and one Japanese, Asiana Airlines said. The airline is one of two major airlines in South Korea; the other is Korean Air. At the helm of the plane was one of Asiana's veteran pilots who had been flying for 17 years, the airline said Sunday. Three other pilots were also on board, working in shifts. Once the plane fell short of the runway, passengers found themselves on a roller coaster. "I thought as the plane was landing, it looked like the pilot was trying to take off again," passenger Noni Singh said. The airplane dipped sharply. Expert: Flight shouldn't have been close to seawall . "And then just boom, the back end just hit and flies up in the air, " Elliott Stone, another passenger, said, "and everybody's head goes up to the ceiling." Dark gray smoke rose from the plane as it lay on its belly, with no landing gear evident. Its roof was charred and, in spots, gone. The back of the plane had been lopped off entirely. Flames and smoke burst out of its windows. "Honestly, I was waiting for the plane to ... start flipping upside down, in which case I think a lot of people would have not made it," Levy said. "If we flipped, none of us would be here to talk about it." Xu and his wife were among the fortunate. "We quickly slung on luggage and grabbed our child and walked toward the back," Xu said on Weibo. "Saw the kitchen at back mostly disappeared. A huge hole -- very round. We quickly rushed out. Only after coming out did we see three of us had slight bruises." The big question . Exactly what caused the crash could take up to two years to determine, said Choi Jeong-ho, head of South Korea's Aviation Policy Bureau. 'I just crash landed. I'm OK. Surreal' South Korean investigators will work alongside officials from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. The flight recorders from the plane have been recovered and are on the way to Washington, the NTSB said Sunday. The airline purchased the plane, a Boeing 777-200, in March 2006. Asiana CEO and President Yoon Young-doo said there was no engine failure, to his knowledge. "The company will conduct an accurate analysis on the cause of this accident and take strong countermeasures for safe operation in the future with the lesson learned from this accident," Yoon said. The survivors . Many of those who survived the crash chalked it to divine intervention. "I think it's miraculous that we have survived because things could have been much worse," said passenger Vedpal Singh. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's chief operating officer and author of the book "Lean In," was supposed to be on Flight 214. But she switched to a United flight, arriving about 20 minutes before the Asiana flight crashed. "Serious moment to give thanks," she wrote on her Facebook page . Not the first time . Prior to Saturday's disaster, Asiana Airlines endured two deadly crashes over the past 20 years. In 1993, a crash near South Korea's Mokpo Airport killed 68 of the 116 people on board. The Boeing 737-500 went down in poor weather as the plane was attempting its third landing, the Aviation Safety Network said. And in 2011, a cargo plane headed from Seoul to Shanghai slammed into the East China Sea, killing the only two people on board. Perhaps one of the reasons so many people survived Saturday's crash was because the Boeing 777 is built so that everybody can get off the plane within 90 seconds, even if half the doors are inoperable. Still, many questions linger. Yoon, Asiana's president and CEO, told reporters he could not confirm many details of the crash, pending the investigation. But he started the press conference by bowing his head in apology. New details from cockpit voice recorder . CNN's Diana Magnay, Mike Ahlers, K.J. Kwon, Kyung Lah, Amanda Watts, Jaime FlorCruz, Joe Sterling, Janet DiGiacomo, Richard Quest, Ben Brumfield, Seo Yoon-jung, Sohn Seo-hee and Dayu Zhang contributed to this report.

Flight recorders have been found, the NTSB says . Asiana identifies the two 16-year-old girls killed in the crash . 182 people were hospitalized, while 123 were uninjured . Passengers say the plane's rear struck the edge of the runway .

(CNN) -- President Barack Obama's announcement that the United States will move toward restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba is great news for those of us who looked at the 50-year-old embargo as an ineffective foreign policy relic. Not only will moves such as expanding commercial sales and exporting goods and services to the island of 13 million people create goodwill with a country just 90 miles away, it will create more U.S. jobs and allow Cuban cigar aficionados to come out of the closet. It is also an important countermove to the advances made by Russian President and geo-political agitator Vladimir Putin. In addition to his annexation of Crimea and invading the Ukraine earlier this year, Putin has quietly been re-establishing Russia's ties with Cuba. Ties that were severed because the Soviet Union was no longer able to be Cuba's Sugar Daddy following its collapse in 1991. Sitting back and holding on to a failed foreign policy strategy while Putin got reacquainted with our neighbor off the coast would not be a smart move -- even if Russia's economy is in shambles. In short, there are a lot of practical reasons why this historic announcement makes sense. And while there will certainly be critics pointing out what the deal with Cuba does not contain -- such as removal of the Castro regime -- it is important not to limit discussion about our relationship with Cuba to one family's ascendance to power. After all, Fidel Castro did not just appear in a vacuum. We created him. Or rather we foolishly nurtured the environment in which someone like him could rise to power. That's because before Castro there was Fulgencio Batista-- and he, unfortunately, was our guy. Batista authorized the killing of 20,000 of his own people to stay in power, according to a speech by Senator (soon to be President) John F. Kennedy in 1960. He was a man, who, when on the cusp of losing an election, led a military coup and abolished democracy to keep power. A man who stole hundreds of millions from his own people, denied dark-skinned Cubans an education, forced them to work as indentured servants on white-owned sugar plantations and used the weapons we supplied him to quash any movement that would challenge his corrupt government. So before Sen. Marco Rubio and others talk about Castro, we should talk about how the United States called Batista an ally and friend much in the way we called Egypt's corrupt president, Hosni Mubarak, an ally and friend. The way we supported Iraq's now-disgraced prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki. The way we propped up oppressive dictatorships such as Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay and the Dominican Republic's Rafael Trujillo. In Batista, the U.S. shamelessly backed someone who viciously oppressed his citizens because he protected our interests. In the 1960 speech, Kennedy noted "at the beginning of 1959 U.S. companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands -- almost all the cattle ranches -- 90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions -- 80 percent of the utilities -- and practically all the oil industry - and supplied two-thirds of Cuba's imports." In short, we pillaged the land and then became indignant when Castro sided with our enemy, Russia. Here we are decades later, Cubans are once again hurting economically because of our actions...should we sit back and allow an anti-U.S. sentiment to encourage Cuba to side with Russia once again? Or do we look at our history and learn from it? When we talk about the embargo, and the Cuban Missile Crisis and evil dictators, let no U.S. policymaker whitewash our role. When President Obama's critics demand we seek some say in Cuba's future leadership ask them about our history of picking leaders for other nations. And when Cuban exiles talk about the land Castro stole be sure to ask them why was life so good for them under Batista, a man Kennedy said led "one of the most bloody and repressive dictatorships in the long history of Latin American repression." As, I said earlier, Castro didn't appear in a vacuum. None of which is meant to defend the horrific human rights violations committed by his regime in the years following the Cuban Revolutionary War. I have spent weeks in Cuba and have heard the stories about Batista and Che Guevara from those who lived through the bloodshed. Who whisper about Castro's barbaric firing squads for fear that the wrong person may overhear. I spoke with people who quietly run restaurants out of their homes, fearing one night government officials will come to seize what they've worked so hard to build. The people I spoke with love their country...but they love our freedom. They desire our freedom. And clearly this 50-year-plus embargo has not led to them obtaining this freedom. We've managed to do business with other communist nations without viewing it as a threat to national security. We've managed to do business with other nations accused of gross human rights violations without questioning our own morality. And the Russia that provided so much angst during the Cold War is nowhere near the geo-political juggernaut it was when the embargo went into effect in 1960. Cuban neighborhoods are peppered with incomplete construction projects, a byproduct of the lost financial support after the 1991 collapse of the USSR. Libraries I visited have dilapidated roofs and are starved for current books. Tourists from Europe and Canada are greeted with opened arms. And here we are, 90 miles away, trying to pretend everything was OK until Castro showed up when we know that was not the case. A local in Havana told me when Batista was in power, the poor with physical disabilities were treated like pariah and sometimes killed when young because they couldn't work on the sugar plantations. The following week in Santiago de Cuba, I noticed a Castro quote on a sign that read "La grandeza de un estado se mide por la forma en que brinda attencion a los discapacitados" which roughly translates to "the greatness of a country is measured by how it treats its disabled." Again, I'm not saying Castro is a misunderstood angel. I'm saying our conversation about U.S.-Cuba relationship does not begin with him. Acknowledging the mistakes we've made that helped to taint our relationship with our neighbor may put us in a bad light. But it may also shed light on this foreign policy hamster wheel we're on, where we characterize a bad person as a good one just because we picked them. And not for naught, it may stop Putin from placing a thorn closer to our side.

LZ Granderson: US-Cuba rapprochement is a huge breakthrough . He says critics will point to human rights abuses under Castro's Cuba . He says those legitimate points need to be balanced with benefit of history . In the 1950s, the U.S. helped create Castro with its support of despotic Batista regime .

(CNN) -- When Bobbi Brown introduced her eponymous lipstick line to Bergdorf Goodman back in 1991, she never expected all 10 pinky-brown shades to fly off the shelves in just one day. Since then, the trailblazing makeup mogul has built a billion-dollar empire by making women look and feel beautiful in a natural way. Her cosmetics adorn the faces of VIPs such as Michelle Obama and Katie Holmes, as well as the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore the brand on her wedding day. With stores in 68 countries today, the company has grown from a mail-order business in the early 90s to a staple in women's makeup bags from London to Beijing. "When I started the company, my mission was to make a lipstick that looked like lips, because most of the lipsticks on the market looked artificial, they were greasy and they smelled bad," Brown told CNN's Poppy Harlow. "I wanted to create something that looked natural, and that worked with a woman's skin tone and her lip color," she adds. Brown's love affair with makeup started as she watched her mother's beauty rituals in their suburban Chicago home. But her true entrepreneurial streak came from her Russian immigrant grandfather, who worked his way up to become a successful car dealer: "I grew up watching Papa Sam in his dealership and I learned so much. He was an amazing role model," she says. School was never the focus of Brown's attention, and when she wanted to drop out of the University of Arizona after her first year, her mother asked her a question that would determine the course of her life: "If you could spend the day doing whatever you wanted, what would you do?" "Go to the mall and play with makeup," came the answer. After earning a degree in theatrical makeup at Emerson College in Boston, Brown moved to New York City, showing her portfolio to anyone and everyone. Living the life of a fledgling makeup artist, her talent and perseverance paid off. Soon she was working on high-profile magazine shoots, eventually landing a Vogue cover with Naomi Campbell -- her first big break. "I'll never forget it," recalls Brown. "It was Naomi Campbell's first cover and the photographer was Patrick Demarchelier. It was shot on the beach early in the morning, and you never know if it's a cover or not, but when I heard it was, I was beyond (excited)," she says. While her makeup artist career was burgeoning, Brown was frustrated by the lack of wearable, natural looking shades amid the fuchsia lipsticks and electric blue eye shadows which dominated the 1980s: "Everything was artificial and fake. It just did not look right to me," she says. A chance meeting with a Kiehl's pharmacist during a fashion shoot led to the creation of her first lipstick, Brown Lip Color, in her signature chocolate-based tones. Four years later, the company she started with just $10,000 was beating cosmetics giant Estee Lauder in major department stores. Brown soon got a call from Leonard Lauder, the scion of the makeup empire started by his mother Estee, offering to buy her company. She accepted, under the condition that she retained all creative control, and today it is estimated that Bobbi Brown products account for about 10% of all Estee Lauder sales. "You know, I think that women will always need their basics," Brown says, explaining how her business managed to weather the financial downturn of recent years. "They will always need their tried and tested things, they are not going to forgo makeup. Maybe they'll forgo the trendy things that come out every season, they don't need it. But most women still need what they need," she adds. When it comes to her role in an industry which has been heavily criticized for making women feel self-conscious, Brown says: "Everyone I know in the beauty industry, not just the people that work in my company, is really there to make products that make women look and feel better, they devote their lives to it. I think the biggest problem is that the Internet now shows everything. So if you are going to be an actress or a supermodel, you are unusually photogenic, you are unusually thin, that is not what all women are," she says. Brown still beautifies the faces of models in all her advertising campaigns, but her business interests are not limited to cosmetics. She has partnered with Safilo, a leading Italian eyewear brand, to design a range of glasses, and has recently been appointed as Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo's new beauty section. Read more: The dress that launched a $7 billion empire . "I'm trying to create a space that is empowering, that's teaching, that's fun, with a sense of humor, that's visually exciting and cool," she says, "but mostly, a place that will give women real answers to not just beauty but lifestyle and empowerment, and everything it means to be a successful, happy woman. And I hope a man, too, I have things planned for men as well," Brown adds. The entrepreneur has also channeled her energy into philanthropy, starting the Pretty Powerful Campaign for Women and Girls, where 100% of the purchase price of a limited edition product goes to programs helping disadvantaged women and girls around the world. The company also sponsors Dress for Success, a global charity which offers unemployed women career advice and professional attire for job interviews. Brown's youthful face and eyes exude humor, and she fosters a homey atmosphere in her headquarters in New York's trendy SoHo. Large windows flood the pastel-colored space with sunlight, and there are regular yoga sessions. "There are dogs and kids that come in, and I love having this atmosphere, it's who I am," she says. The make-up mogul jokingly describes herself as a Type A personality -- hardworking and efficient, yet able to unplug from the daily grind: "I enjoy things that are not about my work, I enjoy my husband, my kids and nephews, my 'entourage,' as I call them. And whether it's family vacations or trips, I'm able to let go," she says. However, the 57-year-old is not ready to hang up her brushes any time soon. "I'm bad at golf and even worse at tennis," she quips, adding that she doesn't feel she has reached her pinnacle yet. "So many things happened in my career which were important moments, from my first Vogue cover to getting into Bergdorf Goodman and Harrods, and finally when Leonard Lauder called, but then things just continued to happen. "So, I haven't made it yet," she concludes. Read more: Marina Abramovic, the sorceress who creates art out of thin air . Read more: Inside Tory Burch's billion dollar fashion world .

Makeup magnate Bobbi Brown started her company with $10,000 in 1991 . Today, the Bobbi Brown brand is worth nearly a billion dollars . Her cosmetics are worn by the likes of Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton .

Oslo, Norway (CNN) -- The man accused of killing 77 people in a bomb-and-gun rampage in Norway last summer said his actions were justified to save the country from multicultural forces as he went on trial Monday. Anders Behring Breivik raised his arm in a fascist-style salute -- a symbol of "strength, power and defiance against Marxist tyrants," to quote the 1,500-page manifesto attributed to him -- as soon as his handcuffs were removed in court Monday. "I acknowledge the acts but do not plead guilty," he told the court. His trial on charges of voluntary homicide and committing acts of terror is expected to last up to 10 weeks. He is accused of setting off a bomb in central Oslo that killed eight people, then fatally shooting 69 people at a youth camp run by the ruling Labour Party on nearby Utoya Island. Dressed in a black suit and sporting a jawline beard, Breivik listened impassively as prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh read the charges, describing how dozens of young people were shot to death. Breivik says his rampage was meant to save Norway from being taken over by multicultural forces and to prevent ethnic cleansing of Norwegians, said his lawyer, Geir Lippestad. In his manifesto, Breivik railed against Muslim immigration and European liberalism, including the Labour Party, which he said was allowing the "Islamification of Europe." And in court, he called the trial political and objected to the judge's friendship with a former justice minister. "I do not recognize the Norwegian court. You've gotten your mandate from political parties that support multiculturalism," he said. "OK, we will make a note of that general objection," Judge Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen said curtly. Prosecutors played a recording of a terrified girl phoning for help during the shooting rampage, a recording punctuated by constant firing in the background. They also showed security camera video of the central Oslo bomb blast that killed eight people, images that participants in the trial watched with ashen faces. Breivik sat in court without restraints, behind a bulletproof glass barrier set up to protect him during the six hours of proceedings. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg vowed to double down on Norway's traditions of liberal democracy in response to the attacks, and Breivik's trial appears to be no exception. "He was so close to having a bullet between his eyes. The police were so close," said Jorn Overby, who rescued some 15 people from the waters off Utoya during the massacre. But Overby told CNN that he owes Breivik only "a punch in the face for firing at me." "He will get the treatment he needs," Overby said. Experts have given different opinions about Breivik's sanity, which will be a factor in determining what punishment he receives if convicted. Norway does not have the death penalty, and sentencing options could include imprisonment or confining him to a mental facility. But Breivik's defense will try to prove he was sane at the time of the killings, Lippestad said Monday. Lippestad told reporters after the hearing that the defendant had his reasons, but would not disclose them. It is important to Breivik that he be considered sane, Lippestad said after the hearing. Prosecutors outlined Breivik's life before the killings, showing a photo of the messy room where he lived at his mother's house, listing his six failed businesses and referring to his many hours playing the online game "World of Warcraft." Prosecutors said he had "no job, no salary, no money from the government" and was "living off his savings." The defendant smiled briefly when his "Warcraft" character was shown, one of the few times he showed emotion on Monday. He also appeared to be overcome with emotion, fighting back tears, when part of his video manifesto "Knights Templar 2083" was played in court. Lippestad declined to say why Breivik wept, citing attorney-client privilege. But lawyers for the victims said: "No one thought he was crying for the victims." A survivor of Utoya Island, Tore Sinding Bekkedal, said he was surprised to experience "a strange feeling of relief" when prosecutors switched from listing the names of the dead to those of the wounded. "It was an intense gratitude, Bekkedal said during a break in the proceedings. "It took me by surprise that I felt it, that these wonderful people are still among us, that we managed to save these ones at least." Breivik is to begin testifying Tuesday, and asked Monday for his testimony to be broadcast, claiming it as a human right. Most of the relatives of the victims do not want that to happen, according to lawyers who represent the families of victims and survivors. "It's going to be 10 weeks of hell ... to hear this man, to hear his explanation of why he did it and how he did it," said Trond Henry Blattmann, whose son was killed on Utoya Island. In November, prosecutors said psychiatrists had determined that Breivik was paranoid and schizophrenic at the time of the attacks and during 13 interviews experts conducted with him afterward. However, the court sought a second opinion because of the importance of the question of sanity to Breivik's trial. In a report released this month, two court-appointed psychiatric experts said Breivik was sane at the time of the killings. The victims on Utoya Island were among 700 mostly young people attending a Labour Party camp, the same camp Stoltenberg said he had attended every summer since 1974. "I think that one of the main messages from Norway after the tragedy ... was that we were going to protect our democracy. And part of our democracy is the divisions of responsibilities between the government and the courts. It's up to the courts to decide whether this man is going to be sentenced or not, whether he is insane or not. It's not a question which is going to be decided by politicians. That's part of our democratic society," Stoltenberg said. Tore Bjorgo, a terror expert and professor at Norwegian Police University College, said Breivik appears to be overly concerned about his self-image and sees himself in the role of a "fantastic, great person who will save Europe." "It's we who should decide what kind of a society we want; it's not the terrorists," he said. "And the logic of terrorism is to try to provoke responses to get people to act in ways the terrorists want, and it was important that we didn't do that. We didn't go down that road, and that was, I think, a big victory." CNN's Per Nyberg and Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report.

NEW: Survivor says he owes Breivik "a punch in the face" Breivik's lawyer says it is important to his client that he be seen as sane . Prosecutors play a recording of a call for help during the shooting spree . Breivik is accused of killing 77 people in a bomb and gun rampage .

(CNN) -- A prominent Egyptian activist says that continued sexual assaults of women protestors shows the Mubarak regime's "culture of violence" towards women remains unchanged in Egypt today. "For years Mubarak's regime was torturing women, harassing women, detaining mothers and daughters and wives of prisoners to put pressure on them," said Mozn Hassan, director of the research organization Nazra for Feminist Studies. "For sure it's the culture of the SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces). "It's a culture-based violence towards women. They want to exclude us from the public. The SCAF want to give the message that revolutionary people, if they are men, they are thugs, if they are women, they are sex workers and prostitutes." More: Egypt braces for last-chance protests . Well-known American-Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy was left with a broken left arm and right hand after what she describes as a "brutal beating" and sexual assault by Egyptian riot police Wednesday. Eltahwy says the attack took place in Tahrir Square while she was covering the protests. "Right now my left arm is broken and my right hand is broken and this is as a result of a brutal beating by the Egyptian riot police. "A group of riot police surrounded me -- about five of them -- and they beat me and their big sticks kind of rained down upon my arm and that's why it's broken because I was trying to protect myself. "And they also sexually assaulted me -- I was groped all over my body. I lost count of the number of hands that tried to get into my trousers. "They dragged me to the Ministry of the Interior ... they dragged me by the hair, called me all kinds of insults," she said. Eltahawy says she was detained there for for 10 to 12 hours, first by ministry officials and then by military intelligence. More: Film shines a light on sexual harassment . She says that sexual assault has long been used by the Egyptian security forces as a weapon against women. "Egyptian security services have used sexual assault to try to intimidate women from street protests and activism and for years now Egyptian women have bravely spoken out. "I'm taking this chance to shame them, to shame them for what they did because when I was being assaulted by those riot police officers, it was as if I was set upon by a bunch of beasts," she said. Colonel Islam Jaffar, Head of the military's Morals Department in Central Cairo said he saw Eltahawy and spoke to her during her detention. He said that she had no Egyptian press pass that identified her as a reporter while she was in Tahrir Square taking photographs and reporting on clashes between protesters and the police and army. He said: "What did she expect? She could be a spy for all we know. When she told me she was sexually assaulted I encouraged her to take the appropriate legal action." Eltahawy is not the first prominent Egyptian female to accuse security forces of sexual assault in the recent violence in Egypt. More: Ten must-read blogs from the Middle East . Bothaina Kamel, Egypt's only female presidential candidate and a strident opponent of military rule, says she was the victim of sexual assault by soldiers after she joined a protest near Tahrir Square on Sunday. Kamel, a former television presenter, told CNN, with her husband Ashraf El Baroudi, a judge, translating, that she was arrested and "beaten all over" and "touched" sexually by army officers. She said that some officers recognized her and tried to dissuade others from carrying out the assault: "They (some officers) don't want to punish me or to beat me (because they know) I will talk to all the world." Kamel said the army and police have been brought up on a "culture of torture and not respecting human rights." "We made a revolution to stand against all the phenomenon of bad behavior and what happened was we removed Mubarak ... but we are still living under the umbrella of the same regime," she said. Following her assault Kamel returned to Tahrir Square to participate in the uprising, urging the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to make way for a civilian government. An Egyptian army spokesman said Thursday Kamal Ganzouri had agreed to become Egypt's prime minister and will form a new government. More: Would-be prime minister no stranger to Egyptian government . Feminist activist Hassan said that since the revolution, Egyptian women were "experiencing a new public space." "Before that, based on the cultural values we have been raised on, women had to be protected and didn't used to be in the public." She said about 1,000 women had marched on Tahrir Square Tuesday to reassert women's position at the forefront of the revolution. "It's important to give messages that we are not afraid and we are willing to die," said Hassan. "We will be in the front, defending the revolution and defending other women and men." She added that in the tumult since January, certain voices were still trying to drive women out of public life, "because we have been raised like this." But she said many women had decided not to retreat into the domestic sphere as was expected of them. "Some people thought the culture-based discrimination we had been raised on could be changed in 18 days," she said. "Now they know it's a long struggle. Eighteen days is not changing a society. This is about continuing the revolution." Hassan believes that by remaining front and center, women activists were gradually helping to shift cultural attitudes around gender roles. But the attitude of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in its treatment of women remained unchanged from the Mubarak era. Human Rights Watch says the Egyptian military has not investigated or prosecuted anyone for the sexual assault of seven women by military officers in the military prison in Hikestep in March. An unnamed general admitted to CNN in May that the military had subjected the women to "virginity tests." "We didn't want them to say we had sexually assaulted or raped them, so we wanted to prove that they weren't virgins in the first place," he said. "The girls who were detained were not like your daughter or mine. These were girls who had camped out in tents with male protesters in Tahrir Square, and we found in the tents Molotov cocktails and (drugs)." Heba Morayef, the organization's researcher in Egypt, said that in many ways women had been sidelined since the beginning of the revolution in January. She said: "Have they been excluded from key decision-making posts? Has there been a failure to prioritize participation of women in the transitional mechanism set up by the military? Yes." Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Ivan Watson in Cairo .

Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy says she was beaten; sexually assaulted by riot police . She has a broken left arm and broken right hand . Egypt's only female presidential candidate alleges sexual assault by army Sunday . Activist: For years Mubarak's regime was torturing women, harassing women .

(CNN) -- In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the threat from villainous Lord Voldemort is ignored until it's almost too late. "Harry and his friends start Dumbledore's army to bring awareness to this," said iReporter Andrew Slack. "Meanwhile, our world ignores AIDS, Darfur and global warming." Harry Potter Alliance members attend a midnight screening in Burlington, Massachusetts. Some Potter fans, under the leadership of Slack, have come together to bring the spirit of "Dumbledore's army" to life. Slack is the executive director of the Harry Potter Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging Potter fans in social activism. Slack's group has taken on many issues over the past few years. "Because we're basing it on a modern myth, you can point to many issues at once," he said. In the "Potter" books, "implications toward public policy are profound," Slack said. Slack, a former sketch comedian with an interest in building social movements, came up with the idea in 2005 after reading Potter books to children at a Boys and Girls Club, something he said transformed him. "I saw that the books weren't just empowering personally," he said. "I think the books speak to something that is very unique, because ["Potter" author] J.K. Rowling has been able to express a story about the importance of love." Slack founded the group with his friends Paul and Joe DeGeorge, members of a "wizard rock" band called "Harry and the Potters," as well as comedian Seth Reibstein and music therapist Sarah Newberry. Slack sees parallels between the magic in the "Potter" books and expanding one's mind to come up with solutions in a creative way. One of his mottos is "Don't ignore the magic of being alive." One of the group's projects has been to gather thousands of signatures for petitions in protest of the war in Darfur. The alliance also helped hundreds to register to vote last year, according to Slack. Earlier this year, the Harry Potter Alliance conducted a book drive for children around the world, an effort led by "Potter" actress Evanna Lynch. Slack said they raised over 13,000 books, 4,000 of which went to youths in Rwanda who were very young at the time of the Rwandan genocide. Slack also sees parallels between Voldemort and world leaders who have supported genocidal policies. "Potter" author J.K. Rowling has many times compared Voldemort to Adolf Hitler. On the other hand, Slack compares Potter's mentor Dumbledore to Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lennon. This has led to the group's "What Would Dumbledore Do?" campaign. The campaign takes Dumbledore's ethics and beliefs and translates them to the real world. For the midnight screenings of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," members were encouraged to wear buttons mentioning lessons that Dumbledore taught them. When iReporters were offered the opportunity to ask a question of President Obama, Slack knew exactly what he wanted to ask about: Darfur. Slack thinks Obama's approach so far is "more than a disappointment. ...There's a great deal of hope for Darfur, if President Obama can move on that." Rowling herself has praised the Harry Potter Alliance, one of Slack's proudest moments. "It's incredible, it's humbling, and it's uplifting to see people going out there and doing that in the name of your character," she told Time magazine in 2007. "What did my books preach against throughout? Bigotry, violence, struggles for power, no matter what. All of these things are happening in Darfur. So they really couldn't have chosen a better cause." Rowling has also written personally to Slack about his efforts. Science fiction and fantasy aficionados have translated their fandom into real-world action for years. Recent examples: "Star Wars" fans put on a charity auction to benefit victims of the brushfires in Australia, and comic book fans such as "Crimson Fist" donned superhero costumes to help the needy. Christopher "b!x" Frakonis came up with the idea of screening the sci-fi movie "Serenity" for charity as a way of keeping it on the big screen in 2006. This year, 52 such "Can't Stop the Serenity" screenings are taking place around the world for charities such as the human rights organization Equality Now!, in response to a challenge by the film's director Joss Whedon. Members of the Harry Potter Alliance, 4,500 of whom make up the most hardcore group, are inspired by what it has done. "I know I would have loved to have had a group like this when I was a child or teenager, to support me and show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it," said 29-year-old Amanda Bolton, from Calgary, Alberta. Bolton first learned about the group when it was mentioned on a fan podcast. She was intrigued by the similarities between the plot of the books and its application to real life as well. In the books, "muggle-borns and other intelligent nonhumans are discriminated against, treated like scum and forbidden from having equal rights," she said, adding that love was the main weapon used against the forces of evil. Like Slack, Bolton condemns the "Muggle mindset," what members call an ignorance of or refusal to act on the important issues facing the world. Some bloggers have criticized the group for taking their fandom too far or using young fans' love of Harry Potter to promote an agenda. Slack denies that he has a partisan agenda. "I sort of took it as a compliment," he explained. At the same time, he hopes that at least some of their causes, such as promoting literacy, are things that all can agree on. Alliance member Bobby Lang says that some within the group have occasionally raised questions about some of their projects. "There have been some interesting debates over whether or not Dumbledore would be an activist," he said, mentioning that some see Dumbledore as "teaching through living." Lang adds that such debates usually don't get too heated, since "we're all Harry Potter fans, we all have that in common." Noth Lang and Bolton say they are more knowledgeable about world affairs because of the organization's connection to Harry Potter than they would be otherwise. "There are issues I didn't know much about or hadn't thought about too deeply that I'm now involved in, like Darfur," Bolton said. "It has introduced me to new issues and new ideas."

"Harry Potter" fans have formed the "Harry Potter Alliance" organization . Group uses lessons from Potter's mentor Dumbledore for good in the real world . Watch Andrew Slack's question for Obama . Share your thoughts on the latest "Potter" movie at iReport.com .

(CNN) -- It started with a haircut. The year was 1960, and Bela Guttmann sat in his chair at the local barber's shop. Guttman, one of the most iconic football coaches of his day, had just led Portuguese club Benfica to the European Cup and achieved legendary status. But that was not enough for him -- he wanted more. While pondering his plans, a gentleman in the next chair, who happened to be visiting the country as coach of touring Brazilian side Sao Paulo, let Guttmann in on a little secret. He told the Hungarian about "A Pantera Negra" -- the man they were calling "The Black Panther." A legend had begun to spread from Mozambique about a young player plying his trade with a youth team in the African country's capital, now known as Maputo, with links to Benfica's great rivals -- Sporting Lisbon. The son of a white Angolan railway worker and a black mother from the Mozambique community, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was the name on everybody's lips. Guttmann took no chances -- Eusebio's mother had already turned down the advances of Italian club Juventus, so he made the family an offer they could not refuse. The financial incentive worked and the player joined Benfica, much to the dismay of Sporting officials, who had dallied in their pursuit of the player. The rest, as they say, is history -- and what a history: 733 goals in 745 matches confirmed Eusebio's status as one of the all-time greats. As Portugal said goodbye to one of its most famous sons Monday, following his death at the age of 71, thousands took to the streets to farewell a man who had brought joy and inspiration to a generation as the government declared three days of mourning. "As a man, he was quite humble, kind and very down to earth," said CNN's Duarte Mendonca, a Benfica supporter who was in Lisbon for the funeral. "He had a tremendous amount of love for his club Benfica, for whom he served as an ambassador. "I've seen fans from various clubs, including longtime rivals, paying homage to a man they've learned to respect for his talent and flair, but also for his personality. "Only a man such as Eusebio would be able to unify fans in such fashion. That says a lot." During an illustrious career in which he won 11 Portuguese league titles, five domestic cups and a European crown, Eusebio became a legend of world football. From the moment he entered national consciousness by helping Benfica retain the European Cup in 1962, where he scored twice in a thrilling 5-3 final win over Real Madrid in Amsterdam, the country began to fall in love with the man from Mozambique. His incredible acceleration and lethal right foot helped him take Benfica to the very top of the European game, while he was honored as the continent's best player by winning the Ballon d'Or in 1965. But it was at the 1966 World Cup that he became worldwide sensation as he produced a series of performances which brought adulation from from across the globe. His nine goals, the most by any player at the tournament, helped Portugal reach the semifinal where it was beaten by the host nation England, which eventually went on to win the tournament. Such was Eusebio's impact that Inter Milan reportedly offered the striker 40 times his salary to lure him away from Benfica and even approached his wife to sign the contract on his behalf. The move was scuppered, however, in rather bizarre circumstances though, as Portuguese Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar refused Eusebio permission to leave the country. Instead, Eusebio remained at Benfica, scoring goals and helping his side reach the 1968 European Cup final, but this time losing to Manchester United at Wembley after extra-time. It was in that contest that Eusebio's sportsmanlike qualities shone through. With the game tied, Eusebio had the opportunity to win the contest but when his effort was brilliantly saved by United keeper Alex Stepney, the striker simply stood and applauded. It was a gesture which would not be forgotten. That same year, he won the European golden boot as the continent's top goalscorer -- a feat he repeated five years later. After leaving Benfica in 1975, Eusebio moved across the Atlantic to play in the U.S. before retiring in 1980 following ongoing problems with his right knee. He continued to work in football as an ambassador for Benfica and Portugal's national side, meeting with high-profile players on European match nights and attending global tournaments on a regular basis until his death on January 5, 2014. He left behind his wife Flora and their two daughters. "I think he is immortal," Chelsea's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho told state broadcaster RTP. "We all know what he meant for football and especially for Portuguese football. "He was not only a great inspiration but also an important figure in upholding the values, principles and feelings of football, even after finishing his career." Eusebio's status as Portugal's greatest football player was confirmed by the thousands who flocked to watch his coffin paraded through the streets of Lisbon. His statue, which stands proud outside Benfica's Stadium of Light, is adorned with scarves, flowers and banners from fans across the globe. "I was the best player in the world, top scorer in the world," Eusebio once said. "I did everything, except win a World Cup." That he did not win one does not detract from the impact he made on Portugal and on football around the world. Within moments of the news breaking that he had passed away following a heart attack, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo were paying tribute to "O Rei" -- the King. In Lisbon, despite the rain, fans continued to line the streets to say farewell as the black hearse moved slowly through the streets. "Even though my generation didn't see him play, through archive we were able to witness some of his brilliant skill," added Mendonca, who grew up listening to tales of Eusebio. "But even better than that, we were able learn about what he meant as a footballer and person through the stories of our parents and grandparents. "The way that he exploded on the pitch, with his fast pace combined with the power of his right foot, was simply unreal. His attributes could easily make him a star even in today's game." Though he may now have passed away, Eusebio's legacy remains. A trailblazer who overcame poverty and early hardship in Africa to become one of the game's most talented and recognizable faces. It would appear that in barber shops in Lisbon, they'll be talking about Eusebio for many years to come.

Eusebio, 71, died from a heart attack, former club says . The striker was considered one of the sport's greatest players . Portugal star was top scorer at 1966 World Cup . Compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo among those to pay tribute .

(CNN) -- Stewart Copeland and Sting get along great. Really. Stewart Copeland's background includes a wide range of musical influences, many of which emerged in the Police. OK, the Police's drummer and bassist may have argued from time to time. Perhaps even ferociously. And Copeland finds Sting's attempts to be a drum arranger annoying. OK, maybe infuriating. But, as he writes in his new book, "Strange Things Happen" (HarperStudio), "We have discovered that we can be good friends -- as long as no one mentions music." Besides, Copeland adds in an interview, both Sting and guitarist Andy Summers "are crap at drums." Watch Copeland dish on the band » . Copeland may be best known for the hitmaking musical trio, but he hasn't let the Police define him. The son of a CIA officer, he grew up in the Middle East and has let his musical fascinations range widely. He's written operas and dozens of film and television scores and is currently working on a concerto for the Dallas Symphony. (He also plays polo.) Copeland took some time to talk about his relationship with the Police, the importance of percussion and the social niceties of West L.A. private schools. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: The pace of the book makes it seem like you've been living "A Hard Day's Night" for the last 30 or 35 years. Is it really that busy? Stewart Copeland: Oh, it's pretty busy, but if it wasn't busy, I'd be stressed and anxious. In fact, this week I've got some down time, and I'm looking at the walls. CNN: It's been inescapable that people are focusing on the part of the book involving you and your fellow Police members. You say that you have a great relationship with Sting until music gets involved. Copeland: We get along in every way until it comes to music. ... [But] both of them are crap at drums, so at least I don't have that to deal with. CNN: So Sting is not much of a drummer, despite the fact that he has all these ideas. Copeland: Actually, he can play a bit of drums, but he's much better arranging drums than playing them. And I think I'd rather have him as a drummer than as an arranger of drums, even though he's quite brilliant at [arranging]. CNN: Has there always been that friction in the band? Copeland: Yes. With Andy, there's no friction at all; we get along great. ... And by the way, he's not the man in the middle, either. He's not a mediator. He's his own little volcano. He's a very sharp point to the triangle. But this conflict ... when we did the reunion tour, it was like everything was different, but nothing had changed. From the first 16 bars, we were straight back into where we left off. CNN: With the Police, the friction seems -- for lack of a better term -- healthy. Copeland: Well, it's that musical dichotomy that makes the band what it is. If we didn't have those beautiful, sensitive songs, we'd be lost. Those beautiful, sensitive songs have an extra kick to them because there's a madman in the group. CNN: Does the madman change, or is it always Sting? Copeland: Actually, all three of us have our moments. CNN: You grew up in the Middle East. Do you see any reflections of that in the way you play the drums, in the way you feel the beat? Copeland: Absolutely. I grew up surrounded by Arabic music. The central element of Arabic music is the baladi rhythm, which is just Arabic for "country." And it has that drop on the three-beat. And it has that use of negative space. And it also has the very ornate use of the 16th notes, which are very expressive in Arabic music. And I suppose those are all factors that show up in the Police. CNN: You mentioned in the book that you put aside the sticks for many years until [Primus'] Les Claypool got you back into it. Copeland: Yes. The Police experience in the studio was so horrendous that my two colleagues actually managed temporarily to convince me that I had no talent and I was a menace to music. And I was distracted by composing. ... I wanted to play with all of those toys, and needed to shake off the rhythm label. And I think I was successful in doing that, to the detriment of my drumming career. CNN: Was picking up the sticks again like riding a bike? Copeland: Absolutely. The rhythm is still there. The pulse is still strong. The persnickety bits -- the finesse -- that took awhile to come back. CNN: You mention getting together with all-star bands with others -- Gene Simmons, Stephen Stills -- at your son's school. Is that common in L.A.? Copeland: Well, in Los Angeles in the west side here, there are three or four schools where all the alpha types send their kids. Between the three schools, we have all of the glitterati. CNN: Do you still find yourself a fan in those situations, seeing musicians you admire? Copeland: Not really. I'll get completely filled with fan fervor in listening to the music, but I've just learned so many times that the person is not the music. ... And also at these schools, everything is extremely downplayed. All of these alpha wives of these luminaries -- and the female luminaries themselves -- all go down to Gap especially to buy their school clothes. No bling, Gap clothing. It's all extremely dressed down and un-ostentatious. CNN: Is there a favorite or least favorite Police song you do? Do you get so that you think, "If I have to play 'Roxanne' one more time ... " Copeland: No, I still enjoy playing "Roxanne." ... Some songs are more of a mountain to climb physically, [like] "When the World Is Running Down." Andy takes a guitar solo that is so stratospheric, climbs so high and has such power, I get carried away. By the time he's finished, I am done. And I realize that I've just burnt every calorie, and I've got another 45 minutes of set to play. CNN: People don't realize how physically demanding it is. Copeland: But the thing is, when you're doing it, you're hardly aware of it as well, because you're sustained by 80,000 people freaking out. ... I don't want to get all metaphysical here or nothin', but something definitely happens. You are definitely empowered by the power of that huge audience. ... It pumps you up.

Stewart Copeland writes about his life in new book, "Strange Things Happen" Copeland says he and Sting get along fine when music isn't involved . Besides, he says, group's "sensitive" songs helped by "madman" in trio . Copeland grew up in Middle East, says rhythms of region part of his roots .

Paris (CNN) -- After a week of deadly international protests against an anti-Islam film, a French satirical magazine is pouring oil on the fiery debate between freedom of expression and offensive provocation. The magazine Charlie Hebdo, which is known for outrageous humor, published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Mohammed on Wednesday. The issue hit the stands eight days after a video mocking the Muslim prophet triggered angry protests, including one that led to the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Stephane Charbonnier, director of the French magazine, said his staff is "not really fueling the fire" but rather using its freedom of expression "to comment (on) the news in a satirical way." "It happens that the news this week is Mohammed and this lousy film, so we are drawing cartoons about this subject," Charbonnier told CNN affiliate BFM-TV on Wednesday. The magazine was directing its derision at "this grotesque film," Charbonnier said, not the Muslim prophet. That "grotesque film" is "Innocence of Muslims," a video that sat obscure on the Internet until September 11 when rioters, seizing on it, attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Protesters also breached the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, the same day, and protests over the video have erupted in at least 20 countries since then. There has been no violence reported as a result of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons. But France will close embassies and schools in about 20 countries on Friday, the main Muslim day of prayer, as a precaution, the French Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. It is already boosting security in some locations, including its embassies, and police vehicles were parked outside the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo late Tuesday. Any depiction of Islam's prophet is considered blasphemy by many Muslims. France has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe, with an estimated 4.7 million followers of the faith. The Charlie Hebdo cartoons are not labeled Mohammed, but several, including one that appears to show a man's naked rear end, could easily be interpreted as being depictions of Islam's prophet. France says it will not authorize protests over anti-Islam film . Charlie Hebdo journalist Laurent Leger said the magazine did not intend to provoke anger or violence. "The aim is to laugh," Leger said. "We want to laugh at the extremists -- every extremist. They can be Muslim, Jewish, Catholic. Everyone can be religious, but extremist thoughts and acts we cannot accept." Leger defended the magazine, saying it was within its rights and not responsible for people's reactions. "In France, we always have the right to write and draw. And if some people are not happy with this, they can sue us and we can defend ourselves. That's democracy. You don't throw bombs; you discuss, you debate. But you don't act violently. We have to stand and resist pressure from extremism." French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault expressed his support for the freedom of press, but he said there are limits. "We have a free press that can express itself right up to the point of caricature," Ayrault said Tuesday. "But there is also a question of responsibility." He assured the public that "all the precautions will be taken" to maintain order. The cartoons are provoking outrage among the French Muslim community, while other Muslims have accused the magazine of pandering for attention. Wednesday's cartoons were published a day after hundreds of Muslims took to Twitter to satirize the U.S. magazine Newsweek's cover story on "Muslim Rage" in which the Somali-born writer and former Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali said the recent protests represented mainstream Muslim opinion worldwide. Muslims shot back with tongue-in-cheek tweets about what really enrages them, such as having a really good hair day but no one notices because they're wearing hijabs. Hend Amry, who posted that tweet as @LibyaLiberty, said Charlie Hebdo's latest cartoons were a cynical attempt to inflate sales. She disputed the magazine's position that it just wants to provoke laughter and express its right to free speech. "No it isn't. It's for ratings," she said. Opinion: Media don't get #MuslimRage . She compared it to the French magazine that printed topless photos of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. "Like printing tawdry pics of (Catherine) Middleton -- lowbrow rating booster," she said. "If we're going to chart it on the Muslim insult-o-meter, it is less inflammatory than the 'film' but does continue the East/West divide we see," she told CNN. A South African student -- who said that what really enraged her was the release of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" during Ramadan -- said she had no intention of looking at the Charlie Hebdo cartoons. Tweeting as @oh_my_golly, she said: "Refuse to be a pawn in a game where people deliberately insult beliefs&wish to incite hate/anger/violence citing 'free speech'" Dalil Boubakeur, head of the Grand Mosque in Paris, condemned the cartoons "in the strongest possible terms" and expressed surprise that the magazine was running new Mohammed cartoons after its offices were attacked the last time it did so. "To repeat the same stupidity, the same idiocy and the same calumnies, the same ignominy seems to us to be nearly psychotic action," he said. The magazine's offices were the scene of an attack in November when they were burned on the day the magazine was due to publish an issue with a cover appearing to make fun of Islamic law. The cover featured a bearded and turbaned cartoon figure of Mohammed saying, "100 lashes if you're not dying of laughter." The cartoonist known as Luz, who drew the cover, has been under police protection since then. Wednesday's issue does not have a Mohammed cartoon on the cover. "We learned our lesson," Luz said. French Muslims feel like scapegoats for nation's problems . France has seen rising tensions over its rapidly growing Muslim minority. Last year, the country banned the wearing of Islamic veils and other face coverings, claiming they were both degrading and a security risk. Belgium has passed similar legislation, and Switzerland banned the building of minarets, the tall spires that often stand next to mosques. CNN's Dheepthi Namasivayam, Richard Allen Greene, Ana Bickford, Susannah Palk and Alex Felton contributed to this report.

Head of Grand Mosque in Paris condemns cartoons, expresses surprise . France boosts security at embassies, but there are no reports of violence . A Muslim who satirized Newsweek on Twitter dismisses cartoons as cynical sales ploy . Editor: The cartoons mock a "lousy" anti-Islam film, not the Muslim prophet .

(CNN) -- The apparent resumption of forced "virginity tests" by security forces in Egypt has dashed activists' hopes for democratic reforms and fueled fears of a return to police brutality and abuse reminiscent of the Hosni Mubarak-era. Four women arrested in recent months for taking part in anti-military protests have said they were subjected to virginity tests by the police whilst in custody. First-hand accounts of their traumatic experience -- published by the social news website BuzzFeed last week -- prompted an outcry from local and international rights groups angered by what some groups have described as "atrocious crimes" committed by the state since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsy in July. The virginity checks allegedly performed on the female detainees signal the return of a practice aimed at humiliating and terrorizing women protesters. One of the women who says she was forced to undergo a virginity test in January while she was in detention at Qanater Prison told Buzzfeed: "I thought the tests were history. I thought we had left them behind in the days of Mubarak." Pattern of abuse . In December 2011, activists had celebrated after the Cairo Administrative Court ordered an end to the shameful procedure, declaring it illegal in Egypt. The verdict was seen as a victory for Samira Ibrahim, the young activist who had filed a legal complaint against the military after she and at least six other female protesters were subjected to virginity checks performed by a military doctor on March 9, 2011. "We performed the tests to prove that the girls were not virgins so that they would not accuse the army of rape later on," a high-ranking general told me in a telephone interview on May 30, 2011. It was the first admission from a military general that the tests had been performed, reversing earlier denials by the army that they had happened. However, in March 2012, a military court acquitted the military doctor charged with performing virginity tests, on grounds of "conflicting testimony." His acquittal was seen by rights activists as a blow for any hopes of accountability for the abuses women had suffered at the hands of the military. Analysts and rights advocates say the virginity checks are part of a pattern of abuse practiced by the State Security Service that was reportedly dismantled after the January 2011 revolution but that has now returned. Since military-backed protests led to Morsy's overthrow, thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters have been arrested and an estimated 1,400 people have been killed in political violence. Many of the deaths were caused by "excessive and unwarranted use of force by the police and military," according to Amnesty International. In recent months, the security crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood -- designated by Egypt as a terrorist organization in December-- has widened, targeting dissenters of all stripes including secular activists and journalists. Reports of torture . Many Egyptians have turned a blind eye to the rights abuses committed by the security forces against Brotherhood supporters and some even condone the killings as necessary to rid the country of the the people they call terrorists whose aim, they say, is to destroy Egypt and plunge it into chaos. In recent weeks, there has been an increase in reports of torture of political detainees, many of them based on testimonies of the prisoners themselves. Earlier this month, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim issued a statement denying allegations of torture or sexual assault by police. Ibrahim said several human rights organizations had visited prisons in Egypt and met with inmates and he welcomed further requests from groups wanting to check the conditions for themselves. A police officer working for the Ministry of Interior's media department (who requested to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the media) said that those who make such allegations were "enemies of the state" who wanted to damage relations between the people and the police. In a televised address to the nation broadcast on July 3 -- hours after Morsy was toppled -- Defense Minister General Abdel Fattah El Sisi promised a democratic transition and an inclusive government. He has delivered neither. Riding high on a wave of nationalist fervor, he is widely expected to announce his presidential candidacy in the coming days. While he is being touted as "the nation's savior" to bring stability, his potential candidacy is certain to deepen the polarization and increase political turmoil in the country. Atmosphere of fear and uncertainty . El Sisi has said Morsy's ouster has saved Egypt from civil war but a surge in apparent revenge bomb attacks by jihadi groups targeting security installations and checkpoints across the country since then is evidence to the contrary. Indeed, the fear barrier was broken during the January 2011 revolution and young revolutionary activists believe the trend is irreversible. They insist their revolution -- "hijacked by Islamists and subsequently, by the military" -- will continue despite the setbacks. But with a draconian law in place, criminalizing protests without prior permission from the police, the activists' mission has been made difficult. They have been left with no alternative but to turn to social media networks to garner public support for their campaign. Security agencies meanwhile, have made no secret of the fact that these networks are now heavily monitored, increasing the risk of arrest of internet activists critical of the government. And with the traditional pro-military media continuing to communicate messages that incite hatred of Islamists and spread fear among the public, an overwhelming majority of Egyptians have decided to back the military's return to power. It is in this atmosphere of uncertainty and fear that the virginity tests have made a comeback. Few Egyptians are willing to speak out against the degrading practice and other rights violations. Many of them say they cannot afford to forsake security and stability for democratic principles and human rights. One of the detainees who says she was recently subjected to a virginity test whilst in custody told BuzzFeed "The people have forgotten what the army did to us in 2011. El Sisi supported the virginity tests for those girls in Tahrir," she said. To her and other opposition activists, the overwhelming popular support for the military is both bewildering and frustrating. Explore: Press freedom in the Middle East . Read more: Egyptian court rules against virginity tests . Read more: Egyptian general admits 'virginity checks' conducted . Read more: Al Jazeera journalists face criminal trial . Read more: 8 Al Jazeera journalists charged by Egyptian authorities, network says . Read more: Journalist says Egypt cracking down on foreign media . Read more: Is Egypt back where it was in 2011? The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of Shahira Amin.

Four women claim they have been subjected to "virginity tests" by security forces . The tests were ruled illegal in 2012. A general had said they were to avoid false rape claims . Activists say allegations they have returned suggests a pre-2011 pattern of abuse is back . Shahira Amin says Egyptians are turning a blind eye, putting stability ahead of human rights .

Bastrop, Texas (CNN) -- An elite search team joined local officials Wednesday in Bastrop County, Texas, to help look for people who may be trapped in a huge wildfire that has destroyed hundreds of homes. The cause of the Bastrop County fire, one of many burning in Texas, remains under investigation. County Judge Ronnie McDonald said during an afternoon news conference Wednesday that 576 homes had been destroyed in the county and "that number will increase." In Leander, Texas, about 60 miles northwest of Bastrop, authorities said a smaller fire this week was believed to be the result of arson. Investigators were searching for four teen suspects -- two boys and two girls, all believed to be 15 to 16 years old -- who were spotted running from the wooded area prior to and during the fire on Monday, the Leander Police Department said. That fire destroyed 11 homes in the Mason Creek North subdivision. Authorities estimate the damage at $1.4 million, said Connie Watson, spokeswoman for Williamson County. For nearly 300 days, wildfires have been taking a toll on drought-stricken Texas, scorching communities and creating dangerous conditions. A new wildfire broke out in the western part of Camp Bullis, north of San Antonio, Wednesday afternoon, but authorities say it is already half-contained. At least 125 acres have been burned in the area and 100 homes within a quarter-mile radius have been evacuated, according to Bexar County Fire Marshall Public Information Officer Laura Jesse. Officials have called in air support to drop water and fire retardant and there is a strike team ahead of the blaze creating fire breaks, Jesse said. An air quality alert was in place Wednesday for San Antonio, Austin, Victoria, Houston and Galveston, said CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. While winds were relatively calm, humidity was low, expected to be in the "very dry 10% to 20% range this afternoon," said HLN meteorologist Bob Van Dillen. "That's the real danger today." Of biggest concern is the Bastrop County Complex fire, which has killed at least two people. It was 30% contained Wednesday. Authorities were hoping to having the blaze contained by the end of the day Wednesday, said Mike Fischer, the county's emergency management coordinator. "We can say we're comfortable the fire won't get any larger," he said. The fire, near Austin, began Sunday and has spread across 33,000 acres, forcing the evacuations of at least 5,000 people, officials said. "Last night was the first night we've had (since the blaze started) with no structures destroyed," McDonald said at the afternoon news conference. He identified one of the Bastrop County victims as 48-year-old Michael Troy Farr, a worker in the city of Austin's electrical department. Farr's body was found at his residence, McDonald said. The identity of the second victim was not released. Authorities called on residents to take evacuation orders seriously. "I cannot emphasize enough to Texans in the impacted areas the importance of heeding all warnings from local officials, especially evacuation orders, as these fires are mean, swift and highly dangerous," Gov. Rick Perry said. The 600-member Texas Task Force 1 will assist local officials and first responders, Perry said. A leadership team from the task force arrived Tuesday. "Based on the needs of local officials, a wide area search team consisting of approximately 100 members and nearly one dozen search canines will be in Bastrop Wednesday morning to work with the local incident management team and assist with search operations," Perry's office said in a statement. The announcement did not say that anyone was missing, but said Perry made the decision to send in the team after being "briefed on the potential loss of life." A White House statement Wednesday said Perry got a call from President Barack Obama to "express his concern for citizens of Texas impacted by the unprecedented fires." The president assured the governor "that requests for additional assistance, including as recovery begins, would be quickly assessed," the statement said. At the local convention center in Bastrop, evacuees were stopping by to pick up supplies and water. "It's shocking, mostly, not knowing what the end result is going to be," Bill Ludwig said. Linda Arebalos said that while her house can be replaced, "all the memories is what really hurts, hits the heart." She said she thought about the baby pictures, the things her children made in elementary school, "the things I put up to save to give to their kids. And it's gone. It hurts." Jerry Hooten found little more than ashes when he returned to his home and the burned-out shells of cars he had to leave behind. "We ain't happy about it, but we're all alive," said Hooten, who is staying at an RV park outside the danger zone. "I don't think it's registered in our brains that our house is gone and that, really, half of Bastrop is gone," said evacuee Claire Johnson. The two people killed by the blaze were not public safety personnel, according to incident command officials, who declined to offer details. The deaths raise the overall toll from the outbreak of fires to four lives lost. A wildfire killed a woman and her 18-month-old child Sunday when flames engulfed their home near Gladewater, officials said. The Union Chapel fire, 18 miles from the Bastrop fire, appeared to be under control Wednesday, Fischer said. The danger from a fire near Houston -- called the Magnolia fire -- appeared to be lessening for the most populated areas. Officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, said the fire was no longer a threat there. Also, many residents were allowed back into their homes Tuesday in neighboring Montgomery County. About 4,000 homes in Montgomery had been evacuated, according to Lt. Dan Norris of the county's emergency management office. Firefighters continued to battle hot spots in Montgomery, but the bulk of the problems from the Magnolia fire appeared to be centered in Waller and Grimes counties, Norris said. So far in 2011, 7.2 million acres of grass, scrub and forest have burned in wildfires nationwide. Of those, some 3.5 million acres -- nearly half -- have been in Texas, according to Inciweb, a fire-tracking website maintained by state and federal agencies. More than 2,000 firefighters are working fires across the state, said Tom Boggus, director of the Texas Forest Service. The drought in Texas has cost the state an estimated $5 billion this year in loss of crops and livestock, said CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. "Now fires are adding to that number." CNN's Nicole Saidi, Jim Spellman, Josh Levs and Ed Payne contributed to this report.

NEW: New wildfire at Camp Bullis near San Antionio is half-contained . NEW: President Obama places call to Gov. Rick Perry . Official: 576 homes have been destroyed by Bastrop fire; "that number will increase" Leander, Texas, police seek 4 teen arson suspects .

Misrata, Libya (CNN) -- NATO said Tuesday that it lost contact with a U.S. unmanned helicopter flying surveillance for the organization over the central coastal area of Libya. Contact with the Fire Scout was lost at 7:20 a.m., said Wing Cmdr. Mike Bracken, a NATO spokesman. A Pentagon source told CNN that the Fire Scout belonged to the U.S. Navy. Libyan state television reported that an "Apache helicopter was downed in the area of Majr in Zliten," claiming it was the fifth NATO aircraft to be downed. An Apache is a manned attack helicopter. Bracken denied that NATO had lost any attack helicopters during the alliance's mission in Libya. The loss for NATO came as the military chiefs of the 15 nations participating in the Libya campaign met in London and two influential U.S. senators introduced a resolution expressing support for limited U.S. involvement in Libya -- part of an effort to counter rising pressure from U.S. lawmakers to withdraw backing for the mission. The resolution, introduced by John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, and John McCain, R-Arizona, authorizes the commitment of U.S. forces for one year while stressing the lack of support for any use of American ground troops. Libya state TV on Tuesday reported a NATO strike southwest of Tripoli in Nalut city, resulting in "material and human damages." Libyan forces were also continuing their attacks. At 6 p.m. in Misrata, a CNN employee saw three Grad-type rockets strike the center of the city, slightly wounding a 13-year-old boy in front of a bicycle shop. In Dafniya, between Tripoli and Misrata, five rebels were killed and 31 were wounded in clashes along the frontline, according to officials at Misrata's Al-Hikma Hospital. The Libyan war erupted from anti-government protests in February. Following a United Nations mandate to protect civilians, NATO began bombing military targets in March. However, strongman Moammar Gadhafi still maintains control in Tripoli. Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said that Libyan government forces had planted more than 150 landmines in at least one location in the Nafusa Mountains in western Libya. The global monitoring group visited the site, inspected mines that had been removed, and interviewed the rebel fighters who removed them. "These antipersonnel landmines pose a huge threat to civilians," said Steve Goose, arms director at Human Rights Watch. "More than 150 countries have banned landmines, but Libya continues to defy this global trend." The human rights group said it has confirmed Gadhafi's use of five types of landmines in six locations in Libya. NATO officials stressed that it was Gadhafi who was deliberately and indiscriminately targeting his own people as the alliance faced questions over a series of incidents over the weekend and into Monday that resulted in allegations of civilian casualties and strikes on Libyan opposition vehicles. "Let's not lose sight that it is the Gadhafi regime which started this crisis," Bracken said. Libya said that 15 people, including three children, were killed in Monday's incident. Libyan government spokesman Musa Ibrahim said the attack included strikes from eight rockets. "You are planting the seeds of hatred, NATO," Ibrahim said. Five houses and a farm were hit Sunday in the Surman area, west of Tripoli, he said. One of the homes belongs to Khaled el-Kweldi, a top aide to Gadhafi, Ibrahim said. The Libyan leader was not home at the time of the attack, but three children were killed, Ibrahim said. NATO said a residential building west of Tripoli was targeted early Monday. "NATO is aware of allegations that this strike caused civilian casualties," Bracken said. "That is something we cannot independently verify, but I say again that this was a legitimate military target." He would not detail how NATO came to determine that the target was a command-and-control communications node except to say that 17 satellite dishes could be seen in aerial imagery. Bracken said the center was involved in coordinating attacks on the Libyan people. Monday's strike in Surman came a day after NATO acknowledged an errant airstrike in Tripoli may have caused "a number of civilian casualties." Libya's government said Sunday that nine people were killed and six wounded when a NATO strike hit a residential neighborhood in the Libyan capital. NATO said Sunday that a military missile site was the intended target. "However, it appears that one weapon did not strike the intended target and that there may have been a weapons system failure," a NATO statement said. On Saturday, NATO expressed regret after its aircraft mistakenly struck vehicles aligned with the Libyan opposition in the key and hotly contested eastern oil city of al-Brega. Meanwhile, Libyan opposition leader Mahmoud Jibril arrived Tuesday in Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials, state media reported. Jibril, chairman of the executive board of the opposition Transitional National Council, will be in China for two days, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. "China's major task is to promote peace and encourage talks," Hong said. "China has followed closely the development of the situation in Libya, and calls for the political resolution of the Libyan crisis." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the rebels "an important political power of Libya." That recognition comes a month after Jibril said that China bolstered the opposition movement's stature by purchasing a shipment of oil from the opposition group for $160 million. "We have maintained contacts with both sides of Libya, and urge them to take actions that are conducive to the interest of the people of the country," Hong said. "We believe that the future of Libya should be determined by the Libyan people themselves, and China will respect the independent choice of the Libyan people." In May, Jibril met in Paris with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon. France has been a strong backer of the Libyan rebels and the NATO air campaign. Also in May, Jibril tried to secure formal recognition for the interim council from the White House, but failed. Since then, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the United States views the group as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. For weeks, NATO forces have been targeting forces loyal to Gadhafi in an effort to prevent them from inflicting civilian casualties. Most of those strikes have come from missiles fired from ships located offshore or from aircraft flying above the North African nation. CNN's Ben Wedeman, Elizabeth Joseph, Jack Maddox, Per Nyberg and Helena Hong contributed to this report.

NEW: 5 rebels killed along frontline in Dafniya, hospital officials say . Human Rights Watch reports landmines in the Nafusa Mountains . The drone that went down was a U.S. Fire Scout, NATO spokesman says . U.S. senators introduce a resolution for limited U.S. involvement .

(CNN) -- A Blue Ribbon Panel of distinguished leaders and humanitarians -- including Gen. Colin Powell, Whoopi Goldberg and Sir Elton John -- has selected 2009's Top 10 CNN Heroes. CNN will announce the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year and honor the Top 10 CNN Heroes in a star-studded gala celebration, "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" on Thanksgiving, November 26, from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Also among the Blue Ribbon Panelists is Malaak Compton-Rock, founder and director of The Angelrock Project, an online e-village that promotes volunteerism, social responsibility and sustainable change. "Being a panelist is really special," Compton-Rock told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "This happens to be my favorite awards show -- not the Emmys, not the Oscars, not the Grammys or the MTV awards -- but this show. "So, when I got the invitation in the mail, I was ecstatic -- I mean, I ran around the house, I told my husband, I was so excited. It's a privilege to even be in the company of my other panelists, first of all, and to be able to learn so much about people who are changing the world." Learn more about Compton-Rock and the other members of the Blue Ribbon Panel, all of them heroes to others through their continuing commitment to public service: . Wallis Annenberg, Philanthropist and community advocate Considered a visionary philanthropist and leader, Annenberg is committed to improving the well-being of people and communities worldwide. She is the chairman of the board, president and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation, which has given more than $250 million dollars in "high-impact" grants to over 500 organizations. Her cause . Tory Burch, Designer, entrepreneur and humanitarian Burch is an award-winning fashion designer who launched the Tory Burch Foundation, which provides economic opportunities to low-income women and their families in the United States. Under her direction, the foundation helps women entrepreneurs access financial tools that improve their lives. (Photo provided by Tory Burch) Her causes: 1 | 2 . Kirk Cameron, Actor, producer and author Cameron is a Golden Globe nominated actor who, with his wife, founded Camp Firefly, a week-long retreat for terminally and seriously ill children and their families. He is the producer and co-host of a spirituality-based reality television program airing weekly in over 100 countries. His cause . Malaak Compton-Rock, Humanitarian, public speaker and author Compton-Rock is the founder and director of The Angelrock Project, an online e-village that promotes volunteerism, social responsibility and sustainable change. She creates and champions initiatives focused on at-risk and orphaned youth, child abuse awareness and prevention, and Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Her cause . Whoopi Goldberg, Actress, author, producer and humanitarian Considered a premier talent in the entertainment industry, Goldberg is an Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner. She is a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations and supports a number of humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Phil Jackson, NBA coach, author and philanthropist The head coach of the L.A. Lakers, Jackson has won an NBA-record 10 championships and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. He is a longtime supporter of the American Indian College Fund, which provides scholarships and support for Native American students and tribal colleges. His cause . Sir Elton John, Singer, songwriter, composer and humanitarian A renowned singer/songwriter and performer, John is one of the top selling solo artists of all time and recipient of Grammy Awards, Tony Awards and an Oscar. He is founder and chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which supports HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs in 55 countries. (Photo: Deborah Anderson) His cause . Masi Oka, Actor and humanitarian Oka is a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor and star of NBC's Heroes. As a member of the American Red Cross' National Celebrity Cabinet, he donates his time, skills and energy to help raise awareness of the organization's initiatives, services and response efforts nationwide. His cause . Mariane Pearl, International journalist, author and speaker Pearl is an award-winning journalist and author, and a member of the Daniel Pearl Foundation's honorary board. Formed in memory of her husband, the Wall Street Journal reporter kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002, its mission is to promote cross-cultural understanding. (Photo: Martin de la Serna) Her causes: 1 | 2 . Retired Gen. Colin Powell, Presidential Medals of Freedom recipient, statesman, author Powell is a retired four-star general, former U.S. Secretary of State, and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is the founding chairman of America's Promise Alliance, an alliance of national partner organizations advocating for the needs of young people and encouraging Americans to engage in volunteer service. His cause . Rossana Rosado, Journalist and community advocate Rosado is publisher and CEO of El Diario La Prensa, the oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the United States. She serves on the boards of many New York organizations advocating for women and children, including the New York Women's Foundation, which supports initiatives for low-income women and girls. Her cause . Shakira, Recording artist, children's advocate and humanitarian Shakira is a Grammy-winning recording artist and founder of the Barefoot Foundation, which works to increase access to high-quality education, especially for the world's poorest children. She serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and honorary chair of the Global Campaign for Education. (Photo: Jaume De La Iguana) Her causes: 1 | 2 . Tavis Smiley, Media personality, author and advocate Considered an influential voice on leadership, accountability and the black experience, Smiley hosts a late-night PBS talk show and a national radio show. He is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of leaders and is the founder of the Tavis Smiley Foundation, which provides leadership training and development for youth. His cause . Ted Turner, Entrepreneur, environmentalist, philanthropist and author Turner is the founder of Turner Broadcasting and CNN and chairman of Turner Enterprises Inc. Considered one of the most influential philanthropists in the United States, his foundations support projects that will help to guarantee a stronger and safer planet for future generations. His cause .

Blue Ribbon Panel of leaders and humanitarians chose Top 10 CNN Heroes . "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" will celebrate work of this year's honorees . Anderson Cooper will host the global telecast on Thanksgiving, 9 p.m. ET . Vote for the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year at CNN.com/Heroes.

(CNN) -- Chris Ferguson remembers being 9 years old, watching astronaut Neil Armstrong take man's first steps on the moon on July 20, 1969. Like thousands in his American generation, Ferguson dreamed in his childhood of becoming an astronaut. "I was very interested in the space program," Ferguson. "It was something that gripped the world, something that all of the world was talking about." And unlike all but a very, very few in his generation, he realized his childhood goal. iReport: What did you want to be when you grew up . As an American astronaut, he has logged a total of 28 days in space to date. After receiving his master's degree in aeronautical engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School, Ferguson flew for the U.S. Navy as a pilot, officer and instructor. But his ambitions stretched far beyond the clouds. Ferguson said he tried not to get his hopes too high, and he persistently turned in his forms when NASA accepted astronaut applications. The first three times Ferguson applied, he didn't make the cut. On the fourth try, he was selected as a member of the NASA Astronaut Class of 1999, and he now holds the title of deputy chief of NASA's Astronaut Office. But with no set plans of launching astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil after the final trip to the International Space Station slated for February 2011, Ferguson and others in the space world are anxious. In addition to fretting about funding and jobs, they wonder if the government is losing an initiative that engages the next generation of engineers and mathematicians. "If we aren't doing things that inspire them, we'll suffer from the creative standpoint," he said. Teresa Gomez, assistant manager for NASA's Astronaut Selection Office, said that most applicants who make it to the interview rounds have been grooming themselves their entire lives for the job. In past years, candidates said it was the first lunar landing that sparked their interest in space. More recently, astronaut hopefuls said it was the first shuttle landing they saw that hooked them on aeronautics, Gomez said. Many number-crunchers and rocket builders in the space exploration field also say they were space junkies in their younger years. "It appeared as pure magic to see something so massive lift off the Earth," said Brad Toellner, an aerospace engineer major who has been working at NASA as a part of its Cooperative Education Program for the past four years. "It seemed so different from everyday life." NASA and the commercial space community are waiting to hear the hard federal funding numbers to determine if, when and how American astronauts can go back into space. President Barack Obama's NASA proposal currently being scrutinized by Congress focuses on researching propulsion for deep space and asteroid landings. It scraps the Constellation Project, which was launched six years ago with the aim of sending humans to Mars and back to the moon. The proposal would also halt NASA shuttle launches to the International Space Station. Instead, federal funds would be used to help send U.S. commercial shuttles to the station. Clark Moody, who remembers watching NASA videos with his dad in the 1980s, is a graduate student in aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University. He worries that NASA's other feats could be lost on the general public without the highly visible human spaceflight endeavors. "When most people think of NASA, they think of NASA spaceflight and don't know 99 percent of what (else) it does," Moody said. "That's what gets people really excited when they're younger." Others think there are cheaper ways to inspire young scientists than with NASA manned space missions. "What are we trying to do here?" asked Roger Launius, the senior curator of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. "If we're trying to inspire kids, is this the way to do it, at $20 billion a year?" he questioned, referring to the cost of sending humans to the moon. He said NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers -- active twin robots that were launched in 2003 to research the planet's water history -- should also grab young people's interest. Robert Cort, the acting deputy manager of White Sands Test Facility in southern New Mexico, said he and others reach out to elementary and middle school children in the area to tell them that with hard work, they can be a part of the local space program efforts. The facility conducts safety tests for NASA, but most children say they want to be flying, not testing. He's also worried that the manned spaceflight hiatus could damper children's interest in NASA. Cort said many students tell him they'll be astronauts when they grow up. In return, he said, he tells them, "Hey, that's great, and if you do, we'll work to protect you," so as not to give them false hope. The odds have historically been against those whose ambitions are out of this world. Since 1978, only .6 percent of astronaut applicants have been hired, according to NASA statistics. Launius said there's potential for humans to travel farther with NASA's new vision, including turning shuttles over to commercial organizations. "I'm not anxious," he said, "I'm curious as to where it'll go." He said he's hopeful that commercial space entities will be successful and progress human space travel more efficiently than NASA's past vision. Many others involved in aerospace, while holding their breath as Congress holds the American space program in limbo, are excited about the prospects of more people having the chance to travel into space -- including NASA's chief deputy astronaut. Ferguson and most other astronauts paid for their shuttle tickets with post-graduate degrees and years in the military. But, if commercial organizations take over NASA's suborbital shuttle missions, the next generation's astronauts might purchase their ticket as they would a bus or plane ticket. For his entire life, Ferguson said, he had imagined watching a sunrise from space. He finally had the chance as pilot of the STS-115 shuttle mission to the International Space Station in 2006. Watching the sun light up the underside of Earth, staining the ocean blue and the land green, was what he called a "gee-whiz moment." "Space shouldn't just be reserved for those who've taken 10 years learning how to work a rocket," Ferguson said. Instead, as the space program evolves, it could be reserved for those willing to put a couple hundred thousand dollars down as soon as the next decade, according to John Gedmark, executive director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.

Astronaut Chris Ferguson says human spaceflight inspired him when he was younger . There are no set plans for human spaceflight within Obama's NASA revamp . Ferguson and others in aerospace worry what will inspire children . Many hope commercial spaceflight will change the game for manned missions .

(CNN) -- The U.S. relationship with President Hosni Mubarak's Egypt is full of contradictions and tensions, according to recently published U.S. diplomatic cables, but is also underpinned by similar basic interests in a rough and unpredictable part of the world. A CNN analysis of secret and confidential cables published by WikiLeaks and its media partners reveals U.S. frustration with Mubarak's lack of succession planning, concerns over stuttering economic reform and private criticism of the Mubarak government's hard line toward domestic opponents. But the cables also show that Washington sees Egypt as an important and -- until now -- stable ally on issues, including Iran's nuclear program, promoting negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and making life difficult for Hamas in Gaza. And above all, Egypt is regarded as a moderate bulwark against Iranian-sponsored Islamist fundamentalism. The cables show that Mubarak has taken a persistently hard line toward Iran, telling U.S. diplomats in 2008 that he had warned Tehran "not to provoke the Americans" on the nuclear issue and insisting Egypt could never accept a nuclear-armed Iran. Mubarak has also repeatedly warned of Iran's influence with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and in a cable from February last year, was quoted as describing "Tehran's hand moving with ease throughout the region, from the Gulf to Morocco." A 2009 cable noted that with "the discovery of a Hezbollah cell in Egypt, the Egyptians appear more willing to confront the Iranian surrogates and to work closely with Israel." To that end, the cables describe the Mubarak government as a helpful partner in stopping smuggling into Gaza from Egypt. A cable from 2008 quoted a senior Egyptian military figure as stating that Egypt had spent approximately $40 million to purchase the steel for an underground wall on the Gaza border, "and Egypt was paying the cost of this wall in terms of public opinion both within Egypt and the region." There is no guarantee that any "successor" to the Mubarak government would take such a hard line with Hamas. For the U.S., the alliance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia has also been an important counterweight to growing Iranian influence on the "Arab street" and among states such as Syria and Qatar. Egyptian officials, from Mubarak down, have also repeatedly impressed upon visiting Americans -- military, diplomatic and Congressional -- that it alone among Arab states can play a mediating role between Israel and the Palestinians. [Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and Mubarak has resisted popular opposition to it.] . Ahead of Mubarak's visit to Washington in May 2009, Ambassador Margaret Scobey wrote from Cairo that "the Egyptians want the visit to demonstrate that Egypt remains America's indispensable "Arab ally." Scobey continued that Mubarak was "a tried and true realist, innately cautious and conservative, and has little time for idealistic goals." He viewed himself as "someone who is tough but fair, who ensures the basic needs of his people." At the same time, the Mubarak government has been very sensitive to any perceived slight from Washington. It has complained about cuts in U.S. economic aid and a stagnant level of military aid "because it shows our diminished view of the value of our relationship" according to one cable. On pressure to improve human rights, according to one cable from Scobey in 2009, "Mubarak takes this issue personally, and it makes him seethe when we raise it, particularly in public." In a later cable, she said that Mubarak "harkens back to the Shah of Iran: the U.S. encouraged him to accept reforms, only to watch the country fall into the hands of revolutionary religious extremists." The Egyptian president relied on his interior minister and intelligence service to "keep the domestic beasts at bay, and Mubarak is not one to lose sleep over their tactics." The U.S. cables display frustration with Mubarak's reluctance to address human rights issues, with one in 2008 saying: "While Egypt has made some limited gains over the last several years, such as on freedom of the press, progress overall has been slow." In a later cable, Scobey suggested the new U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton "may wish to lay down a marker for a future discussion on democratization and human rights concerns." But given Mubarak's sensitivities, the U.S. has trodden carefully in pressing the Egyptian government on human rights. A cable from 2009 said the United States now avoided "the public confrontations that had become routine over the past several years" over human rights. Over the past five years, the cables reveal a growing unease with the lack of a succession plan, and apprehension about the prospect of Mubarak's younger son, Gamal, taking over from his father. As far back as April 2006, one cable observed that Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, was their son's "most ardent booster" but added: "The possibility that Gamal might succeed his father remains deeply unpopular on the street." It adds that "unlike his father, (Gamal) cannot take the military's support for granted," having never served as an officer. But the same cable laments the lack of obvious contenders to succeed the aging Mubarak -- a situation that appears to hold today. Scobey wrote in apparent frustration two years ago that Mubarak "seems to be trusting to God and the ubiquitous military and civilian security services to ensure an orderly transition." Recent events may have eroded that confidence, but one cable in 2007 pointed out that Egypt's internal security apparatus, "an estimated 1.4 million strong, is at least twice the size it was under Sadat ... and makes any kind of violent change of leader unlikely." That perspective is now being challenged -- and the role of the military may be critical in deciding the outcome. A cable from 2008 cites Egyptian experts as describing a "disgruntled mid-level officer corps" with military salaries falling far behind the civilian sector and the top brass averse to Gamal succeeding his father. Egyptian commentators also noted that many officers were frustrated that loyalty to the regime trumped competence, and that the best military talent was sidelined in case it should pose a threat to the government. Even so, one cable concludes: "The military still remains a potent political and economic force." After discussing whether the military might step in to prevent Mubarak from passing the baton to his son, the cable concludes: "In a messier succession scenario, however, it becomes more difficult to predict the military's actions."

A CNN analysis of secret cables published by WikiLeaks reveals U.S. frustration . U.S. has concerns over economic reform, Mubarak's lack of succession planning . Cables also reveal Washington sees Egypt as an important and -- until now -- stable ally .

Washington (CNN) -- In the days before the Senate voted to end a filibuster and take up gun control this week, President Barack Obama crisscrossed the nation, flying from Colorado to Connecticut in an effort to energize public opinion and pressure reluctant lawmakers. Vice President Joe Biden also made an emotional plea at the White House. And even the first lady brought an audience to tears at a high school in Chicago where gun violence has been felt most painfully. But, as a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement on what some have called a watered-down proposal for expanded background checks for gun purchases, the question remains whether all that lobbying really made a difference. "It has helped, but it's sort of a two-part story," said Robert Spitzer, author of "Politics of Gun Control" and chairman of the State University of New York-Cortland's political science department. "Part one is the president using the bully pulpit to make news events and congratulate those states where they've enacted tougher laws. There's a certain downside that anything that Obama is for is anything his opponents are against," Spitzer said. As the president spent considerable political capital over the past few days to champion gun reform, opponents have raised the stakes by vocally speaking out against such policies and making it clear there will be a reckoning come Election Day for any lawmaker who supports them. Take the president's fiery comments on Monday in Hartford. It was a message crafted as much for lawmakers as it was for the families of students and educators killed in December's school massacre in Newtown, which is not far from where Obama spoke. The families sat behind him on stage and traveled to Washington with him on Air Force One to lobby Congress on gun control. "This is not about politics," the president said to applause. "This is not about politics." "This is about these families and families all across the country who are saying let's make it a little harder for our kids to get gunned down." But it is, at least in part, about politics. Why we're still debating guns . Sen. Joe Manchin, the conservative West Virginia Democrat and avid gun supporter who helped lead a bipartisan compromise agreement with fellow senator Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania, over background checks, was visibly moved after meeting with Sandy Hook families. "I can do something," an emotional Manchin told parents who lost children in the attack. But when the pair announced their compromise to expand federal background checks to gun shows and Internet sales, the executive director of the Gun Owners of America, Larry Pratt, tweeted the sentiment of many in his organization. "May Sen. Toomey experience in 2016 the same as he did to Sen. Specter in 2010." In 2010, Toomey was the more conservative challenger to the late Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania's Republican senatorial primary. Specter, who beat Toomey in a similar, contentious GOP primary in 2004, later switched parties and lost in the Democratic primary to Rep. Joe Sestack, who then lost to Toomey in the general election. "It means that he ought to be held politically accountable and the way to do it is in the primaries," Pratt told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in a heated exchange, indicating his organization would support a primary challenge to Toomey when he is up for reelection in 2016. The timing of Obama's speech in Hartford preceded the Senate's vote clearing the way for consideration of a Democrat-backed gun control package. The House of Representatives has not yet decided when or if it will take up a similar bill. And the timing of first lady Michelle Obama's emotional homecoming to Chicago, speaking Wednesday at a luncheon fundraiser for a new initiative seeking to curb youth violence, was not by accident, either. She recalled the shooting death of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old who was killed a week after performing in Washington during the Inauguration in January. Saying Pendleton "was me, and I was her," Mrs. Obama reflected on the opportunities that led her to the White House instead of a similar fate. Obama was in Colorado last week, just miles from the scene of last July's movie theater shooting that left 12 people dead, to push for expanded background checks. "I've come here to Denver today because Colorado, in particular, is proving a model for what's possible," Obama told the audience. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper recently signed measures into law that will require universal background checks for gun sales, restrict the size of ammunition magazines and make buyers pay for their own background checks. Before the Colorado gun-control vote, Biden, who heads the Obama administration's efforts on the issue, called several state lawmakers to underscore the broader national importance of the heated gun control policy debate. But those efforts may have backfired, galvanizing pro-gun advocates instead. Colorado gun groups have vowed to help defeat lawmakers in tough districts who supported passing the gun control package. "I don't want to go their cocktail parties. I don't want to make friends. I just don't want them to stop Americans of their rights including me and my kids," said Dudley Brown, executive director of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. His group, as well as pro-gun rights groups and publications, such as Concealed Carry magazine, have stepped up gun giveaways in states like Colorado, New York and Arizona, where tough gun control laws have passed or are pending. The National Rifle Association, the nation's largest and most powerful gun lobby group, said Wednesday that expanding background checks at gun shows "will not prevent the next shooting, will not solve violent crime and will not keep our kids safe in schools." The group's leaders have also been deeply critical of Obama's efforts. "President Obama should be as committed to dealing with the gang problem that is tormenting honest people in his hometown as he is to blaming law-abiding gun owners for the acts of psychopathic murderers," the NRA said in a statement. Obama has often said that the fight for new gun control is personal. He wiped away tears when reflecting on the Newtown shooting spree. And the president was animated in talking about what he sees as national support for stricter gun control policies. However, gun control advocates have worried and polls have shown that in the months following the Newtown shooting, support for stricter gun laws has waned. In that, Obama's fierce push to keep the issue up front has been extremely valuable to those seeking stricter gun laws, Spitzer said. "It's an imperative that the president be out front on this issue," Spitzer said. "Obama's ability to keep this in the minds of the public paves the way a little more for legislative reforms." CNN's Ashley Killough, Kevin Liptak, Matt Smith, Jake Tapper, Sherisse Pham and Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.

President Obama flew from Colorado to Connecticut pushing gun control agenda . Question centers on whether lobbying has made any difference as Senate takes up bill . Opponents up pressure on lawmakers to vote against any gun control legislation . Obama has often said gun control fight is personal .

Epernay (CNN) -- French presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande chose to spend the final day of his first round campaign in the Ardenne, an area famous for that most Gallic of luxuries -- champagne. Some of the vintners he met there may well be disappointed to learn the Socialist candidate chose not to crack open that ceremonial bottle of bubbly after sailing to victory on April 22. CNN was informed he toasted with red wine instead. With 28.6% of the initial vote, Hollande will be pitted against incumbent conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's 27.2% in a run off on May 6. Does Sarkozy need a miracle? Before the final showdown, each side will try to win support from the eight other parties who failed to make the cut. Key to their success will be proposals to tackle immigration, the eurozone crisis and, above all, France's domestic economy. High times, hard times . Nestled in the north east of the country, near the border with Belgium, France's champagne belt provides a unique glimpse into one of Europe's most protected agrarian economies. The region is something of a national treasure while also being heavily reliant on exports abroad. At its heart is the picturesque town of Epernay. The champagne business is big money. Revenues last year amounted to €4.4 billion ($5.8 billion). And despite finances being fragile these days, the champagne industry's trade body, the Committee Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne, says the world quaffed around 323 million bottles of the stuff last year. But champagne producers remain aware of potential challenges on the horizon. Sarkozy relishes tough battle . "How can I put it?" says Claude Giraud, owner of the 300-year-old champagne house -- or "maison" -- Henri Giraud. "To make champagne you need good weather, good soil, good grapes but you also need a good economic climate." Giraud's firm has survived two world wars and one revolution. Now into its 12th generation, centuries of investment have left the family well placed to weather the storm. Annual revenues reach around $4 million. But with net income only hitting a tenth of that figure, making this finite commodity isn't cheap. Only 33,500 hectares of prize vineyards can give rise to the wine that will ultimately become champagne. Just three varieties of grape are used: One white and two red. Though the actual process of making the champagne may be standardized, the (often secret) blends are not --thus leading to a plethora of distinct champagnes to sample for anyone lucky enough to visit the region. Pricey to drink and expensive to make . Producing champagne requires extensive experience, and the bottles must mature for three to six -- sometimes even nine -- years before consumption. The result: A vibrant wine carrying the promise of high labor and storage costs. Not to mention concerns about varying levels of stock from one year to the next. Over a glass of his fresh and fruity Cuvee "Exception" Grand Cru ($40 a bottle) Jean-Michel Lagneau explains why, after 20 years at prestige houses like Krug, Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, he decided to go it alone. "My wife, Agnes, and I are from this region. Our family had land and it made sense. We were passionate and convinced we could make great wines," he said. Economy: French election's unspoken issue . And the Lagneaus are finally reaping what they sowed. After six years of hefty investment, Champagne Paul-Etienne Saint Germain is posting a profit. Into only their third year of trade, the Lagneaus now count top hotel groups among their clients, like Relais & Chateaux and the Leading Hotels of the World. Bon viveurs in Paris can find Paul-Etienne Saint Germain on top tables, like Pierre Gagnaire's eponymous culinary mecca in the 8th arrondissement, a winner of 3 Michelin stars. What Lagneau would really like to see from the next French government is support for those who take risks to start a business. With ambitions to expand his foreign customer base, Lagneau also reckons the viability and stability of the common currency are crucial. "We need the euro. As champagne producers France isn't the only market for us. Much of the champagne we make in this region is sold elsewhere," he said. Wine of kings and the king of wines . Last year, six out of the top 10 foreign markets for the luxury liquor were outside the eurozone. The rest include supposedly cash-strapped countries like Spain and Italy, which also make their own rival sparkling wines. Yet France still has the biggest thirst for its royal nectar. In 2011 domestic demand swallowed 56% of bottles sold. As such, talk by Hollande of a 75% tax on the nation's wealthiest citizens risks eroding demand for Champagne in its target market. How DSK sex scandal boosted Sarkozy rival . "It will probably not hurt the big fortunes too much but effectively it's a concern," concedes Lagneau. Giraud is more philosophical. If anything, he says, unlike his latest vintage this year's elections have left him rather flat. "No one seems to be tackling the real issues that matter to people," he said. Both Sarkozy and Hollande aim to balance the books but they differ on how to achieve that goal. The center-right says controlling spending is the way forward whereas those on the left would rather focus on growth. The one thing they do agree on -- much to Giraud's delight -- is a proposed tax on financial transactions, which the winemaker says should rein in "speculators who do nothing to contribute or support France's economy.'' The economist John Maynard Keynes, famed for encouraging governments to spend their way back to health, once quipped that his "only regret in life" was that he "didn't drink enough champagne." Champagne socialists the world over -- or the Gauche Caviar in France -- have often trotted out his rhetoric as justification for splashing the cash during a downturn. So, is France ready for its first left-wing leader in 17 years? "I'm not sure," muses Giraud. "Mind you, it could be a bit like Champagne. It's cold up here and we make white wine out of red." He adds: "On paper it shouldn't work but somehow it does and now this region is rich." Saksya Vandoorne in Paris contributed to this article.

French presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande will be pitted against incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in a run-off May 6 . Key to election success will be showing ways to tackle the eurozone crisis and France's domestic economy . Making champagne is big business in France, bringing in $5.8 billion last year . Champagne producers are aware of potential challenges on the horizon .

(CNN) -- Dee Caffari did not seem born for a life on the high seas. One of the greatest female sailors on the planet clearly did not take after her mother Barbara, whose fear of water is so strong she will not even take a shower. So when Caffari announced she was quitting her job as a school teacher to pursue a career sailing some of the roughest oceans on the globe, unsurprisingly it sent shock waves through her mother. "It's a bit beyond her as she's scared stiff of water, to the extent she won't shower as she doesn't like the sensation of water running over her," says Caffari of her mother. "She has an understanding of what I do but, in genetics terms, I clearly have taken after my father." Last week, Caffari set out from Cape Town with a course for Abu Dhabi and the 6,125 nautical miles in between as part of the all-female Team SCA on what will be her fifth yachting voyage around the world, this time in the Volvo Ocean Race. Caffari is the first woman to have sailed single-handed, non-stop around the world in both directions. "I never dreamt this would happen, I never dreamt I'd once sail around the world," admits Caffari, who was teaching physical education to 11 to 18-year-olds and loved the job, meaning she had no great urgency to leave. Her first voyages on water were on a boat on the Thames with her father, Peter who, in many ways, was the inspiration for her change of career -- the 41-year-old quit her job not long after his death 15 years ago. "It's strange because I loved my job and had a lot of fun but I had a craving as an adventurer and to travel," says Caffari of her job teaching from a classroom on England's south coast where she regularly saw sailing boast pass by in the distance. Water sports were the immediate calling -- first windsurfing and then scuba diving before she finally settled on her sport of choice, sailing, which she had, at least, done at university as part of her degree. "I remember thinking 'this is something I could do'," she recalls. "I told my Mum I was going to take a break from teaching to go sailing and you should have seen her face. It was a picture -- her face just fell. I tried to reassure her by telling her I could go back to it if things didn't work out but thankfully they did. "Now the only time I go back to school is to give talks, to hopefully inspire people and give them the confidence to dream." As for Mum, her outlook has considerably shifted to one of pride, although still laced with a modicum of bemusement due to her own discomfort in water. For Caffari, leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race will be her first of the race. The last of the 14-strong team to sign a contract in March, she sat out the opening leg, with only 12 competitors allowed on board to race at any one time. It is perhaps befitting for this latecomer to professional sailing to be a latecomer to this latest venture. She expects to add a fresh gusto to her teammates and is very clear what her role will be on board, one she hopes to keep right until the race finish next year. "I think I'm the Mum of the group, a combination of experience with this being my fifth time around the world but also the fact I'm the oldest in the group," she says. "I'm hopefully the level-headed one so they can look to me for confidence, particularly as for many this will be their first time in the Southern Ocean. "It's shell shock when you first go down there, it's the race's first big weather system and you realize how big the waves are and how cold it can be. But this is what I signed up for, this is the good stuff, when it's blowing 40 knots and icy -- that's fabulous." Despite her positive outlook, like many other competitors in the race she too has her fears, in particular one of heights and another of fish, both of which she has to tackle head-on. She recalls her time in the 2005 Aviva Challenge race when she was stuck up the mast of her boat for three hours being flung around like a rag doll or having to squeamishly scoop up flying fish that have landed aboard her vessel during the Vendee Globe. But she has a remarkable aptitude for dealing with the harsh nature of the ocean from just 50 minutes sleep at a time during the Vendee Globe to being pumped up on painkillers after suffering a badly swollen knee but having to plough on in the race. Plus there is the issue of solitude -- at one point during her solo circumnavigation, the closest human beings to her were the astronauts on the International Space Station. On this journey, Team SCA currently lie in fourth place overall, defying critics who argued that an all-female team could not match their male counterparts in such a rigorous race. "The sport itself is still pretty male dominated," she explains, "but I think it's beginning to change that it doesn't matter whether you're male or female. We're all in the same boat doing the same stuff in the same conditions. Hopefully we're breaking down the stereotypes and I believe our peers see us as proper competitors. "We used to be called the girls but that's changed, now we're all referred to as Team SCA. I like that, it shows we're being taken seriously." This race is one of the few big outings left on Caffari's to-do list. It also doubles up as another chance to feed her wanderlust and travel the globe again. "You could say that round-the-world sailing is a drug," she says. "When you're not on the water, you're pining to be back there. It's just no two days are ever the same. It's a fabulous place to be. The day I stop enjoying it is the day I stop." On the eve of the competition starting for her, the great granddaughter of a Sicilian sea captain -- the only family maritime history she knows of -- she talked excitedly about getting out there, chomping at the bit to get going. She is well-versed to the potential dangers but argues that "the more miles you do, the more confident you are." She is relishing the intensity and camaraderie of the team, a far cry from her solo venture. She wants to bring fresh arms, fresh legs and a fresh mind to Team SCA. In her case, mum's the word. Read more: Superyacht movies: Droned at sea .

Britain's Dee Caffari is one of the world's great sailors . The 41-year-old introduced to sailing by late father, but mother has water phobia . She was first woman to sail non-stop, single-handed around globe in both directions . Caffari currently heading all-female crew in Volvo Ocean round-the-world race .

London (CNN) -- Whatever the literary merits of J.K. Rowling's new novel, the Harry Potter author is unlikely to earn many plaudits for the originality of her subject matter. Have you read it yet? Share your review? With a plot examining social tensions and class divisions between the rich and poor residents of an English village, "The Casual Vacancy" is a modern take on themes that have provided fertile inspiration for dramatists, novelists and satirists of English manners since at least the 17th century. Muggle moms await first adult J.K. Rowling book . "We're a phenomenally snobby society and it's such a rich seam," Rowling said in an interview with The Guardian newspaper by way of explanation, in words that might as well have been attributed to Jane Austen, George Eliot, Joanna Trollope or any number of other female British writers. "The middle class is so funny, it's the class I know best, and it's the class where you find the most pretension." Still, Rowling clearly has an authorial eye for the preoccupations of her middle-brow audience. Britain can sometimes feel like a country in the midst of a permanent, low-intensity class war in which all targets are fair game and all are left feeling routinely persecuted. While the wealthy and privileged are derided as snobs and "toffs," members of the working class are grotesquely parodied and vilified as illiterate "chavs" and the middle class is roundly mocked, often from within its own fragmented ranks, for its petit bourgeois obsessions with house prices, farmers' markets and amateur dramatics. Julian Fellowes, the script writer behind lavish Emmy-nominated period saga "Downton Abbey" complained last year that "poshism" was the "last acceptable form of prejudice", while Benedict Cumberbatch, the well-heeled star of "Sherlock" said last month he had contemplated relocating his career to the U.S. because "posh-bashing" in the UK had gone too far. At the opposite extreme, Owen Jones, the author of "Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class," argued that the widespread blaming of last year's riots in London and other cities on a supposed feral underclass was "classic demonization, reducing complex social problems to supposed individual failings and behavioral faults." Class, swearing and sex fill J.K. Rowling's first adult book . If Rowling needed any further evidence of the enduring power of issues of class and status to raise British heckles, it came last week in the blundering form of Andrew Mitchell, a senior member of Prime Minister David Cameron's cabinet, whose job as chief whip is still in the balance over whether or not, during an altercation with a policeman, he called the officer a "pleb" and suggested that he ought to "learn his f****** place." For critics of Cameron's government, Mitchell's alleged insult and the fact that, like the Eton-educated prime minister and many of his colleagues, he attended one of the UK's elite fee-paying public schools appeared to offer further proof of a blue-blooded conspiracy to keep the proles firmly in their place. As Kevin Maguire wrote in the Mirror newspaper: "In Mitchell's angry flash of social superiority ... we glimpsed the naked prejudice of the posh boys sitting at the cabinet table. The mask slipped to reveal how voters, the great British public, are viewed as inferior creatures, drones expected to know their place and tug a forelock at Conservative rulers in their government castle." Yet there are good reasons, aside from unvarnished prejudice, why class remains such a potent political issue. For those worst affected by the present government's austerity program, portrayed by opponents as an ideologically motivated assault on the founding principles of Britain's welfare state, the "We're all in it together" mantra coined by British Finance Minister George Osborne -- the heir to a baronetcy and a multimillion dollar wallpaper fortune -- understandably rings hollow. Class remains the single most important factor in shaping the life prospects of every single person born in Britain; a fact most glaringly illustrated in terms of life expectancy itself, with men in the most deprived areas of the Scottish city of Glasgow typically dying at 71, while those in London's wealthy enclave of Kensington and Chelsea can expect to live beyond 85. Time: We read 'The Casual Vacancy,' here's what we think . At the heart of the British class structure still sits the English public school, the best known archetype of which is now probably Rowling's own Hogwarts -- a place of arcane rituals and Latin lessons, bunk-bedded boarding houses and Gothic grandeur. Real-life public schools may not offer lessons in magic and wizardry, but they do equip the offspring of those willing to cough up annual fees of tens of thousands of dollars with access to a world of privileged connections and a fast track via a well-oiled "old boys' network" into lucrative and successful careers in the upper echelons of politics, government, the military, the judiciary, banking and business. About 7% of English pupils attend fee-paying schools yet alumni of the top 100 public schools make up almost one third of annual admissions to Oxford and Cambridge -- universities whose own peculiar traditions owe more to their archaic ties to those institutions than to the rigors of a modern, egalitarian education system. Opinion: J.K. Rowling's daring leap . Former public schoolboys even punch above their weight on our screens, with two of Britain's leading actors -- Damian Lewis, an Emmy winner this week for his starring role in "Homeland", and Dominic West, celebrated for his portrayal of a rough-edged Irish-American detective in "The Wire" -- both also alumni of Eton. It remains to be seen whether Rowling has anything novel to add to the class debate, but one thing of which she is undoubtedly aware is that it is a subject that will shift copies from the shelves in droves. As "Downton Abbey" and the entire careers of Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis have demonstrated there remains an insatiable appetite beyond British shores for the sort of cut-glass accents, excruciating social awkwardness and polite self-effacement that the country has turned into a thriving export industry. Rowling, famously canny businesswoman that she is, will surely already have negotiated movie rights to a story that will be lapped up as eagerly across the Atlantic. Social class, swearing and sex permeate Rowling's first adult book . The opinions in this piece are solely those of Simon Hooper.

J.K. Rowling's new novel, "The Casual Vacancy," is author's first book aimed at adults . Plot examines social tensions and class divisions in English village . Simon Hooper: Britain feels like country in midst of low-intensity class war . Rowling is aware class is subject that will shift copies in droves, he adds .

(CNN) -- It was like a scene from a big-budget Hollywood disaster movie -- a Godzilla of a fire roaring down the mountain, straight toward Brandon Hanson's Colorado Springs neighborhood. Winds gusting at 65 mph pushed the fire over a ridge and sent it roaring into the city. Suddenly, a blaze in the mountains threatened to consume homes and businesses and change lives. Hanson, 29, snapped a photo from his driveway of the thick plumes of smoke, some spiking as high as 20,000 feet, and sent it in to CNN iReport. He'd just moved to Colorado Springs in April with his wife, Maria. Now their new house, their new life, was in peril. "It's a lot worse than we thought," he ran in and told Maria. Hanson packed up his Nissan Rogue. Paperwork, passports, pictures. And baby things for Xavier, their 1-month-old son. Every hotel room in Colorado Springs was already occupied, so he kept driving south on Interstate 25 to Pueblo. Wednesday, the Waldo Canyon Fire had doubled in size and was only 5% contained. Photographer shoots wildfire photos amid the flames . The Hansons scoured through photos posted on online news sites trying see their house. Maria drew an arrow on a photograph showing their neighborhood, flames devouring houses everywhere. "Our home," it said in white lettering. They still could not tell if they had been spared. The fire, fueled by high winds and hot, arid weather conditions, could be raging for some time to come. All the Hansons can do now is wait. They are not alone. The fire has forced about 36,000 people to evacuate their homes. One of them, Mindy Levinson, was forced to leave her apartment Tuesday, accompanied by her young son. She regrets she didn't take photos and other mementos. "It was like Armageddon. You couldn't see anything but dark smoke and glowing red all around you," Levinson told CNN's "AC360." Help for wildfire evacuees and first responders . Levinson said she doesn't believe her apartment has been affected. The curtain of flame was moving so fast that some people just had minutes to leave. At moments like that, you realize what's important. What to keep with you. For Scott Deed, it was the red, white and blue fluttering outside his house. "This flag is my son's. I lost him in Iraq. I want to make sure I take that down," he told CNN affiliate KCNC. Patrick Sobecki, 18, didn't have much time to think about what to take with him. He had been sleeping after taking Percocet to dull the pain of having all four wisdom teeth pulled Tuesday morning. "That's just one more thing I am having to deal with in the middle of all this," he said. Open story: iReporters share their harrowing views of the western wildfires . When his parents roused him from slumber, Sobecki grabbed his MacBook Pro laptop and a World War I book published in 1920. His grandfather gave it to him. The family fled the Peregrine neighborhood in northwest Colorado Springs on a two-lane road that quickly turned into a parking lot. About 7,000 people were trying to get out the same way. Sobecki said it took two hours to travel four miles. They found refuge at a friend's house on the east side of town, away from the fire. Sobecki was born and raised in Colorado Springs, and he'd seen fires before. But none like this. None that blazed into the city. He thought about Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper's words that it looked like nothing short of a full-scale military invasion. "That is Colorado Springs, the city I was born and raised in, the city that is at war with nature," Sobecki said. Wednesday, Sobecki's family, like the Hansons, checked online sites and Facebook, anxious to know what happened to their homes. Mark Galley wondered whether he would see his house again in the Mount Shadows neighborhood. He wondered what had happened to his neighbors. It was raining ash, and the smoke blanket hung so heavy Galley couldn't even see across the street. It was surreal, he told CNN affiliate KUSA. It was scary. Becky Schormann made a pile at the front door of things to take with her. But she couldn't take everything. The fishing boat parked under her deck. The antique dishes from her grandparents. Her antique doll collection -- save one, the oldest one she owned. "I keep telling myself it's going to be OK," she said. For Russ Wolfe, it's going to take a long time for it to be OK. Wolfe founded the Flying W Ranch more than 60 years ago, building it into a regional tourist draw. It served chuckwagon suppers and provided Western-style entertainment. Wednesday, Wolfe had nothing left. "With much sadness we have to report that the Flying W Ranch as well as several homes in the Mountain Shadows area has in fact been burned to the ground," the website said. "We ask that in this sad time that you remember the Flying W and the Wolfe family who has owned and operated the Flying W Ranch since 1953. New app tracks Colorado wildfires . "If you have made an online reservation or a deposit your money will be refunded at a later date when we have had a chance to gather our thoughts," the website said. "We ask that you pray for all the families within the area and assure you we will rebuild." It will be another good, clean family show, Wolfe said. Jenny Stafford, whose husband is deployed, fled her Colorado Springs home with her two young children and her cat Tuesday afternoon. "It was like nothing we have ever seen before in our life," she told CNN. "We turned back to look, the flames were coming over the hill. Everything looked like it was on fire, smoke everywhere." Meanwhile, the temperatures soared again Wednesday and the air was acrid with the smell of everything burning. Filmmaker Joshua Keffer closed his windows, even though he has no air conditioning, and kept working at home. People were still trying to go on with life, as though that were possible. Keffer was someone who marveled at the visual, in awe of the images of the angry fire. "It was stunning to look at," he said. Especially at night, when the embers glowed hot orange against the blackness of the sky. But the truth quickly marred the images and tore Keffer apart. It wasn't just trees anymore. It was homes. It wasn't a fire somewhere out there anymore. The flames were among the people, in their city. 3 dead, 1 missing as sodden Florida bids Debby goodbye .

Fueled by high winds, the Waldo Canyon Fire doubles in size . A fire that was in the mountains comes roaring down into the city . Suddenly, it's not trees but homes going up in flames . Frightened residents evacuate, then wait anxiously to learn the fate of their properties .

(CNN) -- With spring break nearing, my mother contacted my father and arranged for Paul and me to visit him again in Princeton. He suggested that we arrive on a Sunday, and since she had a class to teach the next day, she told us that she would drive us as far as New York and put us on a train the rest of the way. When we got to Penn Station, she bought us two tickets, and half an hour later Paul and I got off at Princeton Junction and started looking around the little station for my father. He was nowhere to seen. A middle-aged white couple walked over to us. "Do you remember me?" the man asked. "I'm Hube Wilson, an old friend of your dad's." "Yes," I said. "We met you in California a long time ago." "I remember it well," he said. "But I had a different wife then." "I'm his new wife," the woman said, putting out her hand. "I knew you too when you both were little boys. My name is Gina." I didn't remember her. "Where's Dad?" I asked. "He's under the weather," Hube said. "He asked us to pick you up. He'll be at home when you get there." The Wilsons grabbed our duffel bags and took us to their car. It was an ordinary sedan, not the VW bus I remembered from Venice. They did their best to make small talk, remarking on how much we had grown and asking how we liked school. But it was awkward, and Hube no longer matched the matinee idol image I had of him in my mind. His hair had gone white and his face was etched with deep wrinkles. When we arrived at the apartment, I noticed that the blinds were drawn. Hube rang the bell and we waited for over a minute before my father opened the door. He said hello and gave my brother and me a hug, but his embrace felt weak and he looked tired. It took several minutes before he said anything about my appearance. "It looks like you've lost some weight, Mark," he said wanly. Is that it? I thought, dejectedly. Is that all you're going to say? I lost eighty pounds and you barely even noticed? He had prepared sandwiches and iced tea for lunch. The Wilsons stayed and chatted while Paul and I ate. My father smoked and drank coffee and didn't touch anything on his plate. When the Wilsons left, he told us that there wasn't much to do in Princeton on Sundays but that he had plans to take us sightseeing and to a movie the next day. He suggested that we might want to take a nap. I wasn't tired, so I browsed through the bookshelves in the living room to find something to read. I picked out "The Godfather," by Mario Puzo, and quickly became engrossed by the opening scenes of the big wedding and the horse's head in the movie producer's bed. For dinner, he reheated spaghetti he emptied from a plastic container in the refrigerator and made garlic bread in a toaster oven. "I remember how much you like garlic bread," he said. Paul and I got into our pajamas and climbed into the sofa bed that he had prepared in his upstairs study. He kissed us goodnight and went down the stairs. I still wasn't sleepy, and as I lay awake thinking, I heard the front door open and close. Where's Dad going? I wondered. Is it okay for Paul and me to be here by ourselves? Then about twenty minutes later, I heard the door open again and the sound of my father's footsteps. Relieved that he was home, I drifted off. Paul was sound asleep when I awoke the next morning. I listened for other noises but didn't hear any. I felt hungry, so I rose quietly and tiptoed downstairs to see if I could find something to eat. The kitchen in his condo was small and modern, with a little eating counter and bar stool. I didn't know exactly what sizes liquor came in, but I could tell that the Beefeater bottle on the counter was the big kind. There was still some liquid left in it, but not much, only a tiny bit at the bottom. Next to it was a pumpkin pie. It was the storebought variety in a tin shell, not like the pies my mother made from scratch for Thanksgiving. The center had been scooped out, as if by a scavenging animal. There were no slices, just an ugly hole in the middle. I stood there for a long time, trying to figure out the meaning of what I saw in front of me. It reminded me of the still-life paintings in my mother's big books about French art, only with a gruesome twist. Had Dad done this? I wondered. Did he drink that whole bottle of gin? Was that why he went out at night, to go to a liquor store? And why would he eat the pie that way? Was he so drunk he couldn't even hold a knife and fork? I heard Paul getting up. I didn't want him to see the sad tableau, so I hid the bottle and the pie in the back of the refrigerator. I made us toast for breakfast, and we sat around waiting for my father to wake up. Sometime after noon, I smelled cigarette smoke upstairs. Then there was the sound of a phone being dialed and my father talking in a low voice. At last he came downstairs, covered only by a terrycloth bathrobe. "I'm sorry, boys," he said. "I have to leave. I've called your grandmother in Pittsburgh and she's going to come to take care of you." "Where are you going?" I asked anxiously. "Back to the hospital," he said. "I wanted to get well to spend time with you boys, but I'm sick again and have to go back." He went back upstairs, and Paul and I sat there in the living room until sundown, dazed and disappointed, not knowing what to think about what was happening. The next day Grandmother Edith arrived, and a taxi came to take my father away. He must have been too proud to call my mother, because she only learned what had happened when Grandmother phoned her to make plans to meet at Aunt Cleo's. On the train ride to New York, Grandmother Edith tried to keep our spirits up, but I could see how distraught she was. "Do you know we're going to France next year?" I asked, hoping to say something that would make us both feel better. "Yes, Jeanne told me," she said. "I think it will be a wonderful experience for you boys." "And what about Dad?" I asked. "Do you think he'll be okay while we're gone?" There was a long pause before she answered. "I don't know, child," Grandmother said, "but I want you to pray for him."

In new book, CNN managing editor tells story of his family . Following parents' separation, Mark Whitaker and his brother visited their father . Father was too ill to pick the boys up from the train station due to alcoholism . Visit was cut short when Whitaker's dad had to check into a hospital for treatment .

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Soon after I first came to visit China in the autumn of 1971, I saw a contingent of militia soldiers doing marching drills in Tiananmen Square. I was told they were rehearsing for the annual National Day parade on October 1, which people eagerly awaited. Mao Zedong proclaims the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on October 1, 1949. Weeks later, however, I was informed that the civilian and military parade had been cancelled in the spirit of "simple-living and hard struggle," as Chairman Mao decreed. The real reason: Lin Biao, then defense minister and Mao's anointed successor, had reportedly died in a plane crash while attempting to flee the country after a failed coup attempt. China's achievements in the last 60 years have come in zigs and zags. The best place to look back at what China went through in the past six decades is Tiananmen, or the Gate of Heavenly Peace. Behind it lies the Imperial Palace, or Forbidden City, where China's Emperors used to live. The emperor is now history, but Tiananmen remains Beijing's political center. It was on the Tiananmen rostrum where Chairman Mao formally proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic. "The Chinese people have stood up!" he declared in a shrill Hunanese accent. For decades, the whole nation followed Mao loyally. He emphasized political mobilization of the common man, especially the peasantry. In Mao's ideology, the Chinese people found hope in a New China, wherein citizens would always have a bowl of rice to eat and clothes to wear. Mao proved to be good at fighting but poor at governing. He pushed sweeping socio-economic initiatives and strident ideological campaigns, often with disastrous results. During two political campaigns in the late 1950s, over 550,000 "rightist" intellectuals were persecuted and imprisoned. The Great Leap Forward led to widespread famine and the deaths of an estimated 30 million Chinese. In the late 1960s, Mao would again stand in the Tiananmen rostrum to launch the Cultural Revolution. There, he rallied hundreds of thousands of young Chinese -- the radical Red Guards -- who lionized him like a demi-god. "To rebel is justified!" they proclaimed. They rebelled against everything and wreaked havoc everywhere. For ten years, China was condemned to political turmoil and economic malaise. Perhaps the only factor that kept the country from total collapse was the people's incomparable resilience and their ability to "chi ku" (eat bitterness, or bear hardship). Mao's reign is also credited for positive changes. He banned child brides and polygamy, built Beijing's first subway line and started a space program with China's first satellite launch. In 1972, the People's Republic of China replaced the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the United Nations. Still, for three decades under Mao, China tried to break out of its backwardness and isolation but only met modest success. Mao died in 1976 and his remains are kept in a mausoleum in Tiananmen Square. Take an audiovisual tour of Mao's hometown » . Soon enough, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the new paramount leader. Deng overturned most of Mao's policies and embarked upon reforming the economy and opening up the country to the outside world. His quest for stability and prosperity took off in the early 1990s, propelled by his pragmatic policies to entice foreign investments and build China's private sector. Just south of Tiananmen, one landmark stands as a symbol of Deng's bold open-door policy. In the early 1980s, the first Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet opened in Beijing, just a stone's throw away from Mao's mausoleum. Today, the fast food chain still does brisk business, with a large portrait of founder Colonel Sanders hanging on the three-story building. Not every Chinese embraced Deng's reform and open-door policy. Old Guards and conservatives in and outside the communist party accepted Deng's reform policies, but with a great deal of misgiving. The backlash came to a boil in 1989, when Tiananmen witnessed an outpouring of support for the students who called for freedom and democracy, and more reform. After six weeks of heady demonstrations, the Tiananmen movement was brutally suppressed. See landmark moments in China's 60 years » . China has returned to world prominence through a 20-year economic boom, the speed and breadth of which is unparalleled in the history of mankind. China went from global economic irrelevance to the third largest economy in the world. The People's Liberation Army, no longer a "junkyard army," has emerged as a formidable military power capable of launching a human being into space and shooting down satellites. Take a look inside China's space program » . The People's Republic of China marks its 60th anniversary on Thursday with 300,000 participants and 60 floats to highlight the country's achievements in various sectors of the society and economy. See anniversary preparations in photos » . A military parade will feature goose-stepping troops marching down the Avenue of Eternal Peace. Modern military hardware -- tanks, armed personnel carriers, missiles, helicopters and fighter jets, all made in China -- will be on display. Fireworks will cap the festivities. See how China has changed over 60 years » . But pomp and pageantry aside, China's phenomenal economic growth over the decades has triggered unintended consequences: rising unemployment, growing income gaps, endemic corruption, rising criminality, environmental degradation and social malaise. Millions of Chinese live on less than $1 a day, and social tension sometimes boil over into violent clashes. Chinese president Hu Jintao is pushing to promote democracy in the party, curb corruption and seek a harmonious society. "To build a well-off society for 1.3 billion people and a democratic, civilized, harmonious and modernized country," he recently told a communist party meeting, "China must firmly push reform and opening up and stick to its own path." Meet some of China's young communists » . Like the cutting-edge CCTV tower intended to formally open this year but didn't after a celebratory fireworks display went awry and caused a fire, China's great achievements stand side by side with daunting challenges.

Mao proved to be good at fighting but poor at governing . Mao pushed sweeping socio-economic initiatives, strident ideological campaigns . His successor Deng Xiaoping embarks upon reforming the economy, opening China . China gains world prominence via 20-year economic boom, but has consequences .

Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- The slaughter of bottlenose dolphins in an infamous Japanese cove took place on Tuesday. About 500 dolphins were driven into the cove this year, a larger number than usual, according to the local Taiji fishermen's union. A fisherman who is a union board member, and who did not want to be named, told CNN that the total number of dolphins to be captured or slaughtered was less than 100, and that the rest would be released. The yearly event is a focal point of the Taiji community's dolphin hunting season, which many in the community in southwest Japan view as a long-held tradition. The annual hunting season begins in September and runs through March, according to animal rights activists. But the hunt is heavily scrutinized by environmental activists, who have been monitoring activities and livestreaming and tweeting about the latest developments. In recent days, environmentalist group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has provided livestreams showing bottlenose dolphins splashing frantically as they tried to escape their human captors. Dolphins separated by nets into smaller partitions bobbed up and down, trying to reach other members of their pod. The group said that the dolphins appeared bloodied, and had had nothing to eat since their capture in Taiji Cove four days ago. The union representative said that the fishermen had introduced what they considered a "more humane" method of slaughtering the dolphins, cutting their spines on the beach to kill the animals more swiftly and cause them less pain. Defending tradition . Although the hunting of dolphins is widely condemned in the West, many in Japan defend the practice as a local custom -- and say it is no different to the slaughter of other animals for meat. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters at a news conference Monday that marine mammals including dolphins were "very important water resources." "Dolphin fishing is one of traditional fishing forms of our country and is carried out appropriately in accordance with the law. Dolphin is not covered by the International Whaling Commission control and it's controlled under responsibility of each country." Taiji mayor Kazutaka Sangen echoed the sentiments. "We have fishermen in our community and they are exercising their fishing rights," he said. "We feel that we need to protect our residents against the criticisms." He accused the Sea Shepherd of using the issue of dolphin hunting to raise funds and attract attention. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been live-streaming video of events in the cove and posting frequent updates on Twitter. The Wakayama Prefectural Government, where Taiji is located, gives an annual "catching quota." This year, the government allows for the hunting of 2,026 small porpoises and dolphins (557 are for bottlenose dolphins). The dolphin hunt has seen some changes, Sangen said. The town wants to create a whale/porpoise study with the aim of bringing a marine park to the city. And the method of hunting has been changing, becoming less crude, he added. On Monday, the fishermen focused on selecting dolphins to be sold into captivity at marine parks and aquariums in Japan and overseas, the conservation group said. Trainers marked the dolphins deemed unsuitable for captivity, which would be either killed or driven back out to the ocean, according to the Sea Shepherd group. Kennedy's tweet met with criticism in Japan . Caroline Kennedy, the recently installed U.S. ambassador to Japan, tweeted that she is "deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing." "I understand her statement as an expression of her concern on this debate," said Sangen. "There always are the people who say it's wrong and it's right, but what we have to see is if fishermen are hunting endangered species or not. They don't. We are fishing under the permission just like the U.S. does." While Japanese media did not cover the dolphin hunt, several outlets reported on Kennedy's comments. On social media, Japanese users blasted Kennedy for commenting on what many consider a tradition. One user, named @simaya tweeted: "She refers to humanitarian treatment to animals. What about the atomic bombing, Agent Orange and missiles falling on civilians in the Middle East?" Masayhisa Sato, a Japanese lawmaker tweeted: "The dolphin hunt is also a traditional fishing culture. I wonder whether it's appropriate for ambassador to comment on this." Captivity, death or freedom . On the days leading to the killing, divers and boats drove the dolphins into increasingly small segments of the water to select the ones that will be held in captivity. In the days leading up to the dolphin hunting, 40 to 60 local fishermen worked with nets to divide up the dolphin pod. "They tighten up the nets to bring each sub-group together then the skiffs push them toward the tarps. Under the tarps in the shallows is where the trainers work with the killers to select the 'prettiest' dolphins which will sell and make the best pay day for the hunters," said the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Dozens of men circled around dolphins pinning them against a boat and hoisting them into black nets by pulling on their dorsal fin. When men successfully captured the dolphins into the net, they cheered "Yay!" The Cove Guardians counted 51 bottlenose dolphins taken in the last few days, but the fishermen's union did not disclose the number of dolphins captured or killed. Japan at center of controversy . A 2009 Oscar-nominated documentary film, "The Cove," brought the issue of dolphin hunting in Taiji to the fore with bloody scenes of dolphin slaughter. The prefecture government has condemned the film in an online response as distorted, biased and unfair to the fishermen. "'The Cove' filmed secretly the scenes of dying dolphins, and depicted their death in a manner designed to excite outrage," according to the Wakayama Prefecture statement. "The Taiji dolphin fishery has been a target of repeated psychological harassment and interference by aggressive foreign animal protection organizations," it said. The Japanese practice of whale hunting has also put it in conflict with the views of much of the world. Earlier this year, Sea Shepherd said it had chased Japan's whalers out of Antarctic waters. Japan's fleet carries out an annual whale hunt despite a worldwide moratorium, taking advantage of a loophole in the law that permits the killing of the mammals for scientific research. Whale meat is commonly available for consumption in Japan. CNN's Junko Ogura and Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report. Madison Park reported and wrote from Hong Kong. Yoko Wakatsuki reported from Tokyo.

Local fisherman: Dolphin slaughter took place in cove in Taiji, Japan . Local officials defend hunting of dolphins as a traditional practice . Prefecture government allows hunt of more than 2,000 dolphins and porpoises .

(CNN) -- The Islamist rebels fighting to overthrow Mali's government are "determined, well-equipped and well-trained" and still hold a key town in the central part of that African country, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday. French troops and warplanes joined the battle last week on the side of Malian government forces, and Le Drian said the intervention stopped the Islamists from overrunning Bamako, the capital. The Islamists, who have seized much of northern Mali, had hoped to deliver a "definitive blow" to the government by capturing the city of Mopti, he told reporters in Paris. "We prevented it," he said. But the push has not yet driven them from the town of Konna, the scene of a fierce battle last week that weakened the Malian army, Le Drian said. "We are facing a versatile adversary who is determined, well-equipped and well-trained," he said. France, the former colonial power in Mali, has committed about 1,700 troops and air crews to the fight, Le Drian said. The force includes about 800 troops on the ground in Mali, including an armor unit. The operation is hitting "significant concentrations of fighters and vehicles" in the north, behind the front lines, and bolstering government troops' defense of Bamako, he said. The campaign will continue "as long as it is necessary" to defend Mali's embattled government and allow the speedy deployment of an African-led peacekeeping mission and a European force that will train Malian troops, Le Drian said. And speaking on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, French President Francois Hollande said the number of French troops deployed would increase "so that France can make way as quickly as possible" for an African force. France has no intention of staying in Mali permanently but would do what was necessary until the African force was ready to take over, he said. Read more: What's behind the instability in Mali? Hollande said France had three aims: stopping the "terrorist aggression" from the north; securing Bamako and safeguarding French nationals there; and enabling Mali to recover its territorial integrity. And he stressed that France was in Mali at the request of its government, with the support of its neighbors and world powers, and within the framework of international law. "If we had not taken up our responsibility and if on Friday morning we had not acted with this intervention, where would Mali be today?" he asked. French defense minister: Islamist rebels gaining ground in Mali . Defense chiefs from the members of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS were meeting Tuesday in Bamako to discuss military options, said a spokesman for the bloc, Sunny Ugoh. Ministers will meet Friday to finalize plans that will then be presented to the heads of state Saturday in Ivory Coast, he said. Leaders from a number of countries, including NATO allies the United States and Canada, have said they'll send troops or provide logistical support for the fight against Islamist militants in the West African nation. Col. Mohammed Yerima, a spokesman for the Nigerian army, told CNN that 190 of its soldiers would arrive in Mali within 24 hours. In total, Nigeria will deploy 900 soldiers -- slightly more than a full battalion -- within the next 10 days, as part of a U.N.-mandated African force to fight the insurgents in Mali, he said. Read more: Is this al Qaeda's 'last chance' for a country? Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal and Benin are also among the countries that have pledged to send troops, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters Monday. Hollande said he had spoken to the leaders of Mauritania and Algeria, both of which have agreed to close their borders with Mali to prevent fleeing militants from seeking refuge. Morocco has also authorized French planes to fly over its territory, he said. France also has wide support for its intervention within Europe, where countries including Britain, Denmark and Belgium have offered support, Hollande said. Two British military transport aircraft have been assigned to help with the French troop deployment, but no British forces will be in a combat role, the UK Foreign Office said. A spokesman for Germany's Foreign Ministry said the country's leaders were considering offering medical, logistical and humanitarian aid to Mali. The United Nations said preparations are under way for a U.N. multidisciplinary team to go to Bamako soon. Read more: France aims to 'eradicate' terrorism in Mali . The United States has shared intelligence from satellites and intercepted signals with the French, defense officials said Monday. In addition, the Pentagon is considering sending refueling tankers so that French jets can fly longer, more sustained combat missions, according to the officials. Drones "are under consideration," the defense officials said, though the military's stash of unmanned aerial vehicles is in heavy demand. Both stressed that these would be surveillance drones and said there are no plans yet to deploy them. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, meanwhile, said the United States is reviewing requests from the French, but no decisions have been made. The United States is "not in the position to support the Malian military directly until we have democratic processes restored by way of an election in Mali," she said. The U.N. Security Council authorized a one-year military peacekeeping mission in the country in December. Members of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, pledged thousands of troops, and the Security Council has urged other nations to contribute forces as well. A French colony until 1960, Mali had military rulers for decades until its first democratic elections in 1992. It remained stable politically until March, when a group of soldiers toppled the government, saying it had not provided adequate support for them to fight ethnic Tuareg rebels in the country's largely desert north. Tuareg rebels, who'd sought independence for decades, took advantage of the power vacuum and seized swaths of land. A power struggle then erupted in the north between the Tuaregs and local al Qaeda-linked radicals, who wound up in control of a large area as the Tuaregs retreated. The United Nations says amputations, floggings and public executions -- like the July stoning of a couple who had reportedly had an affair -- have become common in areas controlled by radical Islamists. They applied a strict interpretation of Sharia law in banning music, smoking, drinking and watching sports on television, and damaged Timbuktu's historic tombs and shrines. CNN's Antonia Mortensen and Saskya Vandoorne contributed to this report.

French airstrikes hit behind Islamist rebel lines while troops bolster Bamako, minister says . France now has about 800 troops on the ground, the French defense minister says . Nigeria says it's sending 190 troops in the next 24 hours, with 700 more in coming days . World and regional powers are concerned about the advance of Islamist militants .

(CNN) -- The gun outrages continue, the latest the shooting of a gun instructor in Arizona by a 9-year-old girl who was taken to the range by her parents so she could shoot an Uzi, an Israeli-made submachine gun. The question that the whole world asks is this: Why was a 9-year-old girl allowed even to try to shoot a submachine gun? I have a further question: Why does anybody not on the front lines of the military in a war zone need to have access to a submachine gun? It's not as though we haven't had plenty of evidence that this gun thing in America isn't working. Since the ghastly massacre of elementary school children at Sandy Hook on December 14, 2012, by a deranged teenager, as of June there were at least 74 school shootings, on school grounds or in schools themselves. It's commonplace in this country now: A deranged shooter appears, armed to the teeth, out of his mind. Everyone ducks or runs for cover. The shooter proceeds calmly through the building, taking out innocents. What kind of country have we become? Was this what the Founding Fathers had in mind? The NRA will scream: The Second Amendment! The Second Amendment! Please be aware that most of what you think you know about the history of this amendment is nonsense. Many good books and articles exist on the subject, all neatly summarized by Saul Cornell a couple of years ago. He wrote: "If the nation truly embraced the Second Amendment as it was originally written, it would be the NRA's worst nightmare." Look at this amendment again: "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." James Madison and the others who framed this single sentence understood perfectly well that you can't have unregulated mobs running around in the streets with guns. That's why "A well-regulated militia" goes first in this single sentence. Regulation is the key concept here, which is why the framers foregrounded this clause. So who were these militias in need of regulation? In the South, they were called "slave patrols," and they were paramilitary groups that regularly patrolled slave plantations to make sure restive slaves weren't going to rise up against their white overlords.Remember the line in the movie "Django Unchained"? Leonardo DiCaprio wonders: "Why don't they just rise up and kill the whites?" It was a real question, and the answer was that "well-regulated militias" in the Southern states kept the slaves in check. Patrick Henry, George Mason and James Madison knew, as they considered the Second Amendment, that it would be essential if they hoped to get the Southern states to ratify the brand-new U.S. Constitution. It was designed to keep these states on board. There were hundreds of slave uprisings in the South before the Constitution was ratified. For a full history of this, get your hands on Sally E. Haden's book, "Slave Patrols: Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas." As Haden demonstrates, most men in the slave states between age 18 and 45 would have had to serve on one of these well-regulated militias at some point. The Southern states were police states designed to keep slaves in check. Their economy had been built around slavery. It is clear in the recorded speeches of Patrick Henry and George Mason, two of the Founding Fathers, that the Second Amendment was specifically handed as a bone to the Southern states, manufactured to keep them happy. James Madison, a slave-holder himself, had no doubt about the need to keep these slave militias going in the South. He wrote about this often and without ambiguity. Thom Hartmann discussed these ideas in a recent article. The National Rifle Association has tried to blur the historical truth about the Second Amendment. In fact, at its headquarters in Washington, the words of the amendment are emblazoned right in front of the entrance. Oops! They have emblazoned exactly half of this brief amendment, leaving off the embarrassing front part, about a "Well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State." (Notice also, the amendment says State, not Nation -- and these framers knew the difference, as it's a major difference noted elsewhere in the Bill of Rights.) The idea that owning a gun in America was an individual right only dates to the 1980s. A bunch of right-wing think tanks got to work creating this individual right. In 1991, Chief Justice Warren Burger called this new wrinkle in the Second Amendment "one of the greatest pieces of fraud -- I repeat the word 'fraud' -- on the American public by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime." Burger was right. It's a fraud. There just is no right for the individual to bear arms in the Bill of Rights. You have to belong to a well-regulated militia, such as the National Guard, if you want to bear arms. Of course, the Supreme Court did an end run in recent years around what the framers of the Bill of Rights actually intended. (So much for our famous "originalists," such as Justice Antonin Scalia, who really does whatever he wants and comes up with a bogus argument to say he's going back to what the framers actually meant.) The 2008 case known as Heller is a botched piece of argumentation, as even conservative judge Richard A. Posner has written, tearing Scalia's opinion to shreds as an incoherent piece of tripe. Let's say, however, that hunters should have the right to possess and use hunting rifles. Why not, if they keep them unloaded except for when hunting? It should be just fine to belong to a gun club and shoot skeet or whatever. But nobody needs an assault weapon who is not fighting in the Middle East, or perhaps going after drug lords in Mexico. Why, then, do Americans love their guns? I will make a bold suggestion. In a country where Americans sense, quite genuinely, that their freedoms have been taken away by the government -- as in the U.S. Patriot Act, as in NSA surveillance -- people feel powerless. It makes you feel more powerful if you can enhance your personal strength with a gun. There is the romance of the Old West, too, which reinforces this idea. It's "High Noon" all the time in America. But this is dangerous and false thinking, and it leads to chaos. Chaos is what we now face on the streets in this country every single day. It's time for us to revisit the Second Amendment and get every assault weapon off the streets, for good.

Jay Parini: Only someone on war's front lines should have access to a submachine gun . Parini: At least 74 school shootings since Sandy Hook: Is our romance with guns working? He says amendment gave gun rights to "well regulated militias" to appease South's slave patrols . Parini: Gun ownership as an individual right only dates to 1980s Supreme Court ruling .

Sydney (CNN) -- Backpacking across India in 1981 as a young man fresh out of Sydney University, Tony Abbott found what he called "a country of contrasts, where bullock carts would take supplies into nuclear power stations." Now the man who opinion polls predict will be Australia's next prime minister after the September 7 national election is prepared to see those power stations run on Australian uranium -- a position that goes down well in New Delhi. Abbott, a religious man whose time in India included six weeks at the Australian Jesuit mission in Bihar, leads the conservative Liberal-National opposition that is locked in a struggle for power with Labor, led by Abbott's political rival and incumbent Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd. Australian PM announces new elections for September 7 . Uranium is the key energy commodity that differentiates how Rudd and Abbott approach relations with India. On paper, a bipartisan position . Australia, which has about a third of the world's recoverable low-cost uranium resources, sells the nuclear fuel to China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Canada and the European Union, but not so far to India. How Australian political rivals view China . Both the Labor and Liberal parties have a policy that they will sell Australian uranium to energy-starved India. So on paper, it looks like a bipartisan position. But Rudd is a reluctant helmsman for his party's policy, believing India must accept stringent conditions before it gets Australian uranium for its power plants. In his first stint as prime minister in 2007-2010, he was adamant that because India was not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, uranium sales to it were precluded. He said this was not a policy directed against India, but one that applied globally. When Julia Gillard, the deputy prime minister who overthrew Rudd for the leadership in June 2010 (before herself being ousted in June this year by Rudd), decided to push through a Labor Party policy change on the uranium issue in late 2011, Rudd was not consulted. Rudd has said that India does not need to source uranium from Australia. It gets most of its supply now from Russia, France and Kazakhstan. Abbott's Indian ambitions . In contrast, Abbott is happy to see Australian uranium shipped to Indian nuclear power plants. At the India Australia Friendship Fair in Sydney last year, he said: "Yes, we will sell uranium to India because we know that India is one of the world's great democracies." In reality, any uranium sales are years away, so the Australia-India nuclear trade is more symbolic than substantial. New Delhi views it as a touchstone for the state of the bilateral relationship. In March this year, the first official-level talks were held on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that is the first step towards uranium sales. A prerequisite is an undertaking by India that it will not use Australian uranium in any weapons-related capacity. When Rudd addressed the Indian Council of World Affairs in Delhi in November 2009, he harked back to his days at Canberra's Australian National University, where he studied Indian civilization and its impact on China. But Rudd's primary focus has always been China. He is a Chinese speaker, a former diplomat in Beijing and a lifelong student of all things Chinese. For his part, Abbott, a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, maintains that if he becomes prime minister he will take India seriously, "as I have always done." China 'not the only superpower' In an address to the Australia India Business Council in Sydney last December, Abbott said that as prime minister he would treat India as one of the key countries helping to shape the future of Australia and the wider world. "It's important to note that China is not the only emerging superpower of Asia," Abbott said, pointing to the quadrupling of India's gross domestic product (GDP) in two decades and high economic growth rates. "What's more, India is the emerging democratic superpower of Asia, and also the emerging English-speaking super power. As far as I am concerned, this means it should never be the emerging superpower that's taken for granted or neglected." Abbott said India fell into all three categories of countries that were particularly important to Australia: "Our neighbors, our major trading partners and our key strategic allies." He said that by 2050, India was forecast to be the world's most populous nation. "Unlike China, which is tipped to grow old before its citizens grow rich, India is tipped to grow rich before it goes gray." Australia-India relations . In general, relations between Australia and India are good, up from a low point in 2009-10 when the uranium issue and a series of attacks on South Asian students in Melbourne sparked heated discussion. India in some years is the largest source of new immigrants to Australia, and Indian student numbers continue to be strong. Trade and investment flows are increasing -- India is now Australia's fourth biggest export market, taking mainly coal, gold and copper, and it has made substantial investments in Australia's mining sector. A "strategic partnership" launched in November 2009 by Rudd during his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given a further push by Gillard during her visit to India in October 2012. Negotiations for a free trade agreement began in 2011 and reached a fifth round of talks in Canberra in May. No Indian prime minister has visited Australia since Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. Since then, six Australian prime ministerial visits to India have taken place. Singh was invited to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Perth in October 2011, but sent vice president Hamid Ansari instead. In the view of some political observers, Singh's no-show reflected annoyance over the uranium issue. There is also a sense that Australia strategically is not really all that important to India, which must contend with a neighborhood made up of China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka. In contrast, India ranks as a top-five priority for Australia in Asia, along with China, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. If Abbott wins office on September 7, expect Australia to give even more priority to India. If Rudd retains office, it will be a case of "steady as she goes." Ahead of his last visit to India in 2009, Rudd noted that like most of Australia's relationships, the one with India "has some bumps in the road" occasionally. "But we can work our way through them," he said. Uranium likely will continue to be one of those bumps.

Hiscock: If elected, Abbott and Rudd will likely adopt different positions towards India . Sales of uranium, which India seeks, is a touchstone issue in the Australia-India relationship . Abbott has stated that India is the emerging superpower Australia will never take "for granted" Rudd, a former diplomat to Beijing, is seen as more reluctant to sell uranium to India .

(CNN) -- Shin Takemori throws a handful of old brushes onto a fire on a flat stone "altar," where a mound of similar brushes is already ablaze. A dozen people queue behind him, waiting to do the same. Collective garbage disposal? No -- this is a ritual cremation. "It's to honor the souls of the brushes, for the work they've done," explains Takemori, president of Chikuhodo Ltd., one of 80 family run brush-making companies located in Kumano, Japan. Used brushes from all over Japan are brought here to end their days. The brush pyre is a key part of the Fude no Matsuri, or Brush Festival, held annually in Kumano, a mountain town 20 kilometers east of Hiroshima. The festival is held on September 23, the autumn equinox, a national holiday in Japan, when the souls of the dead are believed to return to their earthly homes. Alongside the pyre stands the Fudezuka stone tablet, Kumano's most iconic monument, commemorating the town's first brush makers. Its inscription reads: "A brush dances to the wind of the heart." Kumano has long been synonymous with quality brush production, officially recognized by Japan as a traditional industrial art. Of Kumano's 27,000 inhabitants, 1,500 are fude-shi, or brush-making craftsmen. The town turns out a staggering 15 million brushes a year -- 80% of Japan's total brush production. When Japan won the Women's Soccer World Cup in 2011, then prime minister Naoto Kan presented the team's members with a set of Kumano makeup brushes. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the brushes "showcase Japan's traditional craftsmanship and global brand power." How it all started . "It began about 160 years ago, toward the end of the Edo era (1603-1867)," explains Takemori. "This is a mountainous area, with little flat land for farming, so it was hard to survive in winter. Many men used to make ends meet by going away to Nara prefecture, to work in forestry. "They'd buy calligraphy brushes there and re-sell them on returning to Kumano." Around 1840, a few enterprising farmers decided to learn to make the brushes themselves. They combined different brush making techniques they'd learned on their travels and developed a method unique to Kumano. In 1877, Japan's introduction of compulsory education, including calligraphy, triggered a surge in demand for calligraphy brushes. Word of Kumano's distinctive brushes began to spread and a brand was born. In recent times, as demand for calligraphy brushes has declined, Chikuhodo (founded in 1952, the company employs more than 100 workers) and other well known Kumano companies began producing high-end makeup brushes and paint brushes, while still using traditional artisan techniques. Now as in times past, most of the brushes are made with animal hair. But what makes Kumano brushes so special? "Touch them and see!" Takemori smiles. They're silky soft -- rub one against your face and it's like brushing your cheeks with rose petals. "Even today, Kumano brushes are all handmade," Takemori adds. "You wouldn't get that softness otherwise." Baby hair brushes and octopus dumplings . Visitors can watch the time-honored technique in action at Kumano's Fude-no-sato Kobo Brush Museum, where local craftsmen give demonstrations. The museum houses one of the world's largest calligraphy brushes (3.7 meters long, weighing 400 kilos), suspended from the ceiling. In the souvenir shop, you can have your name engraved on the brush. You can also find the Birth Fude -- a special brush for a baby's hair. Better yet, you can have a souvenir brush made from your baby's first hairs. You can also try your hand at making your own brush. During the Brush Festival, tens of thousands of visitors from all over Japan throng tranquil Kumano. The air is alive with the smoky tang of yakisoba noodles, octopus dumplings and skewered squid sizzling on grills at colorful food stalls. At other stalls, local companies sell brushes at discount prices. The heart of the festival is Brush Avenue -- the steep, 99-step path leading to the 10th-century Sakakiyama Shrine. Brush Avenue is festooned with 10,000 brushes of various sizes, hanging down around head-height, "so everyone can feel them," Takemori says. A festival highlight is a demonstration by a master calligrapher. The master paces barefoot around his "canvas" (a large vinyl sheet spread on the ground) in a balletic whirl, wielding a heavy brush longer than his arm, while an assistant stands by with an ink pot as big as a barrel. With great, graceful strokes, the master composes a message of gratitude to the Fude no Kokoro (Spirit of the Brush). As the applause fades, an explosion of fireworks heralds the arrival of a boisterous procession, led by a brightly decorated bamboo boat. It carries the kami, or spirit of the local deity. Men in colorful happi coats haul the boat up Brush Avenue (all 99 steps), back to the shrine. There, the kami will rest until next autumn equinox, when Kumano once more falls under the Spirit of the Brush. When to visit . The Fude Matsuri is held on September 23 in Kumano, Hiroshima Prefecture. Kumano is 45 minutes by bus from Hiroshima JR Station and 35 minutes from Kure JR Station. The brush museum is open year-round and sells brushes of all varieties and prices. Kumano brushes are also sold at Japanese department stores, large stationery stores and Hiroshima Station. Fude-no-sato Kobo Brush Museum, 5-17-1 Nakamizo, Kumano-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture; +81 82 855 3010; open daily, except Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; $5 per person .

Of the town of Kumano's 27,000 inhabitants, 1,500 are brush craftsmen . The best time to visit is September, when the annual Brush Festival takes place . When demand for calligraphy brushes declined, Kumano companies began producing high-end makeup brushes . Kumano turns out 15 million brushes a year -- 80% of Japan's total brush production .

Atlanta (CNN) -- A medical plane whisked an American infected with Ebola from Liberia to Georgia on Saturday, the latest leg of a race to save the first known patient with the deadly virus to be treated on U.S. soil. Shortly after the plane landed, an ambulance rushed Dr. Kent Brantly from Dobbins Air Reserve Base to Atlanta's Emory University Hospital. He's one of two Americans sickened by the deadly viral hemorrhagic fever last month while on the front lines of a major outbreak in West Africa. Video from Emory showed someone in a white, full-body protective suit helping a similarly clad person emerge from the ambulance and walk into the hospital. Hospital visitor: 'Oh, my God' Emory has said it will treat Brantly, 33, and fellow missionary Nancy Writebol in an isolation unit. The plane equipped with an isolation unit can only transport one patient at a time. It will now pick up Writebol in Liberia and bring her to Georgia early next week, said Todd Shearer, spokesman for Christian charity Samaritan's Purse, with which both Americans were affiliated. Brantly's wife, parents and sister cried when they saw him on CNN walking from the ambulance into the hospital, another representative of Samaritan's Purse said on condition of anonymity. His wife, Amber, later said she was relieved that her husband was back in the United States. "I spoke with him, and he is glad to be back in the U.S.," she said in statement. "I am thankful to God for his safe transport and for giving him the strength to walk into the hospital." Brantly's wife visited with him from behind a glass wall for about 45 minutes, the Samaritan's Purse representative said. Kent Brantly was described as "in great spirits and so grateful." Tennessee doctor who worked with Ebola patients quarantines self . Brantly, who has ties to Texas and Indiana, and Writebol, of North Carolina, became sick while caring for Ebola patients in Liberia, one of three West African nations hit by an outbreak. Treatment in isolation . This will be the first human Ebola test for a U.S. medical facility. The patients will be treated at an isolated unit where precautions are in place to keep such deadly diseases from spreading, unit supervisor Dr. Bruce Ribner said. Everything that comes in and out of the unit will be controlled, Ribner said, and it will have windows and an intercom for staff to interact with patients without being in the room. Ebola is not airborne or waterborne, and spreads through contact with organs and bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, urine and other secretions of infected people. There is no FDA-approved treatment for Ebola, and Emory will use what Ribner calls "supportive care." That means carefully tracking a patient's symptoms, vital signs and organ function and taking measures, such as blood transfusions and dialysis, to keep patients stable. Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Ebola will go global . "We just have to keep the patient alive long enough in order for the body to control this infection," Ribner said. Writebol was given an experimental serum this week, Samaritan's Purse said, though its purpose and effects weren't immediately publicized. The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever, which refers to a group of viruses that affect multiple organ systems in the body and are often accompanied by bleeding. Early symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat. They later progress to vomiting, diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver function -- and sometimes internal and external bleeding. Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA, a Christian mission organization with which Writebol also is linked, said Saturday that both were seriously ill but stable. "My last report (on Brantly) was yesterday. ... He was ambulatory, being able to talk, converse, and get up. So that was encouraging," Johnson said Saturday morning. On Writebol, Johnson said: "She's responsive, and we're encouraged at how she's doing." Emory's isolation unit was created with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based down the road. It aims to optimize care for those with highly infectious diseases and is one of four U.S. institutions capable of providing such treatment. The World Health Organization reports that the outbreak in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea is believed to have infected 1,323 people and killed more than 729 this year, as of July 27. Fear, conspiracy theories . As officials worked to bring the two Americans home, the idea of intentionally bringing Ebola into the United States has rattled many nerves. "The road to hell was paved with good intentions," wrote one person, using the hashtag #EbolaOutbreak. "What do we say to our kids When they get sick& die?" On the website of conspiracy talker Alex Jones, who has long purported the CDC could unleash a pandemic and the government would react by instituting authoritarian rule, the news was a feast of fodder. "Feds would exercise draconian emergency powers if Ebola hits U.S.," a headline read on infowars.com. Ribner repeatedly downplayed the risk for anyone who will be in contact with Brantly or Writebol. "We have two individuals who are critically ill, and we feel that we owe them the right to receive the best medical care," Ribner said. The fight against Ebola . All concerns about the United States pale in comparison to the harsh reality in the hardest-hit areas. Even in the best-case scenario, it could take three to six months to stem the epidemic in West Africa, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. There's no vaccine, though one is in the works. There's no standardized treatment for the disease, either; the most common approach is to support organ functions and keep up bodily fluids such as blood and water long enough for the body to fight off the infection. The National Institutes of Health plans to begin testing an experimental Ebola vaccine in people as early as September. Tests on primates have been successful. So far, the outbreak is confined to West Africa. Although infections are dropping in Guinea, they are on the rise in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the 1990s, an Ebola strain tied to monkeys -- Ebola-Reston -- was found in the United States, but no humans got sick from it, according to the CDC. Experts: U.S. health care system well-prepared for Ebola . CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Greg Botelho, Deanna Hackney, John Branch, Danielle Dellorto, Barbara Starr, MaryLynn Ryan and Ben Brumfield contributed to this report.

Kent Brantly visited with his wife, separated by glass wall, for 45 minutes . Brantly is first known Ebola patient in U.S. Both Americans infected with Ebola will be treated at Emory University Hospital . Plane will head back to Liberia for the second American patient .

(CNN) -- The stunning news has been spreading through the city of Greenville, South Carolina, shaking residents in a way they hadn't felt in recent memory. Two families -- including five children -- were killed Sunday in a plane crash while vacationing together in Soldotna, Alaska, about 65 miles southwest of Anchorage. They were all passengers in a small, single-engine plane that crashed on takeoff into the runway at the town's airport, officials said. While much of the country focuses on the intensely covered plane crash in San Francisco, many of Greenville's approximately 60,000 residents have been thinking about Soldotna. The Alaskan town sits thousands of miles away, but this crash feels much closer to home. "Without a doubt, it's the most devastating tragedy I think we've had to experience since I've been here," said Scott Sanders, a 21-year Greenville resident. "Losing two entire families -- it just doesn't happen." Greenville was mourning Dr. Chris McManus; his wife, Stacey McManus; and their children, Meghan and Connor, said Johnathan Bragg, a spokesman for the Greenville Police Department. McManus was a radiologist who practiced at a local hospital. Also killed aboard the plane were the Antonakos family: Milton "Melet" Antonakos; his wife, Kimberly Antonakos; and their children Mills, Ana and Olivia, Bragg said. All the children ranged in age from grade school to high school, said Sanders. Melet Antonakos worked in medical equipment sales while Kimberly Antonakos served as a president of a parent/teacher group, according to The Greenville News. "You name it, if you needed somebody to volunteer, you called Kim Antonakos and she was there," State Rep. Bruce Bannister told the newspaper. Bannister, who lives just down the street from the Antonakos home, told CNN he and Melet Antonakos had become good friends. Melet was Antonakos' traditional family Greek name. "He was 'Melet' to his friends and 'Milton' to his business associates," Bannister said. The Bannister family's son was a classmate of 12-year-old Ana. Now Bannister tells his children the Antonakos family "got to go to heaven together." In light of the San Francisco plane crash, Bannister said that sometimes it's hard to really appreciate the significance tragedies have when they take place far away. "You hear about a plane crash in California and you're in Greenville, South Carolina, and you think, 'that's a terrible tragedy.' And now you hear about a plane crash and you think about the Antonakoses and how those families connected to the crash out there in California are feeling. You really recognize how huge these tragedies are." Both families were "very involved in their community, very involved in their church and their schools," said Sanders, who is president of a swimming pool where some of the children went. "Very few people here have not been touched by this tragedy." Christ Church, where the families worshipped, has been especially striken by the news. Sunday school teacher Heather Meadors, who taught the children of both families as toddlers, told The Greenville News she felt "like there's a big black cloud over Christ Church right now." McManus had been named among the nation's best physicians in 2011, according to his hospital website. He had a sibling who is employed by Turner Broadcasting, the parent company of CNN. "Chris was one of our lead interventional radiologists, who brought a number of new and innovative diagnostic and therapeutic tools to the community," McManus' colleague, Dr. C. David Williams, told The Greenville News. "He was an extraordinary physician but also an extraordinary human being who was known to be both compassionate and conscientious." The Antonakoses and McManuses were bound for Bear Mountain Lodge off Alaska's Chinitna Bay, about 80 miles southwest of Soldotna, the lodge's co-owner, Mac McGahan, told CNN on Monday. In addition to the families, the pilot of the plane also died in the crash, authorities said, putting the death toll at 10. The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter "struck the runway and burned," the FAA said, citing local law enforcement officials. By the time firefighters and medics arrived, the aircraft was engulfed, Soldotna police said. The plane was operated by Rediske Air, according to the FAA. The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team to the crash site Tuesday and were investigating. This isn't the first NTSB case for Rediske. In August 2011, a Rediske Air Cessna got stuck in sand after a sightseeing excursion, the NTSB said, damaging its propeller. The NTSB lists a 2004 incident when a pilot taxiing a Rediske Cessna at an airport in Trading Bay hit a 55-gallon drum of soap, bending the plane's propeller. No one was reported hurt in either incident. In Greenville, the children's classmates were mourning their loss. Students from J.L. Mann High School -- where Olivia Antonakos was about to start her junior year -- had flowers delivered to the family's home, The State reported. Classmates also left a guest book for mourners to sign, according to the paper. Olivia's involvement in the school stretched from the school varsity basketball team, to student government. Her classmates had just elected her the student body secretary. That's five children lost -- whose hopeful promise of a fruitful and productive life will go unfulfilled. "It's just a loss for the school and for the whole community," Charles Mayfield, the school's principal, told The State. "They were just good people. They thought of others before they thought of themselves. To lose the whole family, it's just really shocking." For the city as a whole, Bannister said church members, friends and neighbors of the two families will be gathering for prayer and memorials during the coming days. But the mourning seems more difficult somehow. "This is especially hard because it's a whole family," he said. "There's this void. There's nobody to console, because there's nobody at the Antonakos house. There's nobody to take a casserole to. Everybody wants to do something, but there's nobody to do anything for." There's little else to do, Bannister said, except to lean on each other. This unforgettable tragedy, he said, "has almost brought us closer together." CNN's Aaron Cooper, Meridith Edwards, Rene Marsh, Cristy Lenz and Justin Lear contributed to this report.

Plane crash kills 9 people from two different South Carolina families . The McManus and Antonakos families of Greenville included five children . FAA: The plane "struck the runway and burned" on takeoff Sunday southwest of Anchorage . The plane's pilot also died in the crash, officials said .

(CNN) -- Desiré Henriksen feared that there would be no Christmas for her two boys. She had lost her job at Denny's, where she worked the graveyard shift. Her fiancé, who works as a glazier, was having a hard time finding regular work. And the couple fell behind on the mortgage last month. Desire Henriksen decided to sell her hair after losing her job and falling behind on her mortgage. So Henriksen, of Phoenix, Arizona, cut her hair and sold it on the Internet to a hair trader in the Netherlands. "Everyone was telling me how beautiful my hair was," the 27-year-old said. Her friends suggested that she sell it. "I thought, 'Why not? I'll check it out,' " she said. "We're trying to keep our place here," she said. "We don't want to become like people right now who are losing their homes." With the economy squeezing the budgets of more Americans, some people are looking for creative ways to pay their monthly bills. Selling hair on the Internet is just one of those unusual methods. "We've seen about a 20 percent increase in the last four months," said Jacalyn Elise, co-founder of TheHairTrader.com, referring to the number of ads offering hair for sale posted on her site. "These days, some people are just in need of money." Henriksen was paid $1,200 for 27 inches of her tresses. But most hair is sold for about $300 to $900, says Marlys Fladeland of Hairwork.com. The hair is used to make wigs or hair extensions or is used in artwork. The longer the hair, the more it is worth. Untreated hair is also likely to fetch a higher price, Elise says. For Henriksen, cutting her hair was always in the cards. But she had planned to give it to a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces for children who lost their hair after cancer treatments. "Initially, I had grown my hair out to donate to Locks of Love in memory of my mother, who passed away from cancer last year. I was going to try to give back to people who didn't have any hair. But it didn't work out that way. Instead, I got my kids Christmas [gifts]," she said. In addition to buying presents for her 10-year-old son and 3-year-old stepson, Henriksen paid off the overdue mortgage bill. She was so pleased with how easy her hairy business deal was, she says she's planning on growing her hair out again and selling it on TheHairTrader.com to help pay for her wedding. A professional lab rat . Others are taking more drastic measures, becoming medical guinea pigs. Paul Clough, 30, fell on hard times five years ago. A homeless man suggested that Clough take part in medical clinical trials, and now it's his full-time gig. Clough estimates that he brought in $28,000 this year by participating in seven medical trials, having his blood taken 500 times and ingesting about a dozen medications. The Austin, Texas, resident has tested everything from cholesterol-lowering drugs to hepatitis C and HIV treatments. He even set up a Web site, Just Another Lab Rat, which explains how and where to volunteer. Clinical research requires testing drugs on volunteers to determine whether the drug is appropriate for the market. The test subjects may be required to stay at a clinic or may have to visit the clinic a few times. Depending on the clinic and the trials they participate in, they may be paid $50 to $5,000 each time. Trials can last 10 days to a month. Safety concerns include side effects or drug reactions, but for many volunteers, the payout outweighs the risks. "Some people live study-to-study," Clough said. "They have immediate bills to take care of. And a lot of times, when people don't get into the study, they are concerned about how to pay those bills. They don't know what they're going to do." "Five years ago, it was mostly students," he said. But today, he sees "Realtors, taxi drivers. ... It's any walk of life you can think of." Your personal gold mine . Jeweler Les Harrell of Littleton, Colorado, struck gold when he had the idea to give people cash for their gold -- at parties. It started out as a fundraising event. But seven months later, he has a Web site, Gold Exchange. He's hired three employees, and he's throwing gold parties seven days a week. Friends and neighbors assemble to swap gossip, have drinks and get their jewelry appraised. Harrell pays cash on the spot for folks willing to hand over their gold. Later, he sells it on the market. He has operations in Colorado, New York and California. Deanna Molinaro was skeptical when she was invited to one of Harrell's gold parties this summer. But the Denver, Colorado, resident changed her mind after walking away with $700 for a wad of tangled gold bracelets, a herringbone necklace and some mismatched earrings. "I was floored," she said, when she first heard about the cash. "I made a lot of money on things that were lying around in my jewelry box for 20 years." Harrell says he typically pays $5,000 per party, not including the cut the hostess makes and the referral fee. And it's not always jewelry he's appraising. "I've seen it all," he said. "Grandma's old dinosaur ring, gold teeth. I buy a lot of gold teeth, class rings." One item he remembers fondly: Uncle Louie's bridge. "It weighed almost 2 ounces," he said with a hint of amusement. People have, on average, about $300 worth of gold just lying around, Harrell says, and liquidating that hidden treasure can help them balance the family budget. Harrell's parties were initially geared toward the upper class, but his clientele is changing. "What was fun money becomes, 'Oh, my gosh, this is a big help,' " he said. In reality, a drawer full of costume jewelry, broken chains, errant earring backs and muddled memories may turn out to be next month's heating bill. One woman, living alone on Social Security, recently turned over a shoebox full of jewelry to Harrell to see what, if anything, she could get for it. "She really didn't know what was real or not," related Molinaro, who helped with the transaction. But she cleaned out everything she had. In the end, her shoebox was worth $350. "She was so excited to get it," Molinaro said. "I got a big hug out of her for it, too."

Many Americans are looking for creative ways to make ends meet . A hair-selling Web site says it's seen a 20 percent increase in recent months . A Texas man makes a living participating in medical trials . Guests of Gold Exchange parties swap stories, have drinks and sell jewelry .

(CNN) -- Jesse Owens' triumph over the Third Reich in Berlin at the 1936 Olympic Games, Zinedine Zidane's perfect volley in the 2002 European Champions League final, Tiger Woods' astonishing chip-in at the Masters in 2005 or Rafael Nadal celebrating in the growing dusk around Wimbledon's Centre Court after overcoming Roger Federer in 2008. All iconic moments in the history of sport, forever etched in the memory of spectators lucky enough to be able to say "I was there". But these days witnessing greatness is clearly not quite enough for the modern sports fan as countless spectators religiously record career-defining events on mobile devices and post their own personal accounts on various social media websites. Shades of greatness: Duval dreams of British Open renaissance . "The pleasure of sport lies not so much in witnessing an event as talking about it," explains Ellis Cashmore, professor of Culture, Media and Sport at England's Staffordshire University. "We've all at some point sat at home and watched a fight or a tennis match in isolation and it's never as enjoyable as when we are in company, talking about the competition as it unfolds. Mobile phones have opened out the possibilities. We can talk to anyone, anywhere while the action is taking place." One event to have resisted the tidal wave of mobile technology which has swept through society is the British Open -- golf's oldest major -- which will take place for the 141st time this weekend. Blog: Why U.S. golf has a healthy future . But this year the R & A, which governs golf outside the United States and Mexico, has relented, allowing spectators at north-west England's Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club to bring their phones into the event for the first time since 2006. "The attachment people have to their mobile phones is getting ever stronger," R & A head of communications Malcolm Booth told CNN. "People feel it's an item they really don't want to be separated from. It's very clear to us that people coming to any sporting event, and the Open is no exception, want to have their mobile phones with them." This is a view supported by Cashmore as he outlines how people are increasingly unwilling to venture out of the house without a mobile phone in their pocket. "Mobiles are now less accessories, more extensions of our lives," said Cashmore, who is currently conducting a study entitled "Barbaric Britain?" "We can manage without our watches or our keys, but not our phones. They are like pacemakers -- artificial devices, but vital for the regulation of organs. "More generally we are consuming sports differently today than we were as recently as five years ago. The pattern is towards a much more remote consumption through smartphones and mobile computers. "Portability is the key to this. We consume not just sport but everything on the move." Current world No. 3 Lee Westwood, searching for a first major title in front of his home fans, sees no reason why the public should be separated from their trusty mobile phones, providing the players are not distracted at crucial moments. Australian Adam Scott, also looking for a first win in one of golf's four marquee events, agrees with Westwood, though as long as the sport's fans observe the customary on-course etiquette. The R & A have set up designated "Mobile Device Zones" where visitors can use their phones, while also attempting to ensure spectators do not take home their every own visual souvenirs. "There are obviously great challenges with that," outlined Booth. "That provision is in keeping with many sporting events, including the Olympics where they are going to have exactly the same challenge. "We have a very strict mobile phone policy at the Open Championship this year which means there are dedicated areas where people can use their phones. "The hope is they will not use phones to any great extent near play and we'll have a marshal near play encouraging that behavior. It is one of the great challenges of allowing mobile phones at any sporting event." Cashmore argues such personal recordings of events are used by people to enhance their eye-witness memories. "We remember experiences by context: the circumstances that form the setting for an event, what happened immediately before and afterwards, and the people with whom we stood, sat and chatted to," said Cashmore. "Phones enable us to extend this to a wider network of people. By describing an experience we memorialize it." One man who believes sport's iconic moments do not require additional "memorializing" is British journalist Richard Williams, the author of Perfect 10: Football's dreamer, schemers playmakers and playboys. Ten years ago Williams was at Hampden Park, Glasgow when Zidane's audacious left-foot strike in the last minute of the first half proved enough to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win over Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in one of soccer's most high-profile matches -- the European Champions League final. Williams believes he witnessed a sporting moment of such complete perfection he decided to never watch a replay of the now iconic goal. "Maybe people growing up now, in the age of technology and media saturation, will develop a different attitude," wrote Williams in a chapter extolling the talents of Zidane. "But one of the pleasures of being a football fan is the archive of individual images saved on the memory's hard drive. "Each of them is divorced from its immediate context: only with the greatest difficulty could I dredge up the details of the matches in question, never mind its result. "I wanted Zidane's goal to claim a place in that personal file ... If I watched it again on television, I would inevitably be replacing my own image of the moment with that of a television camera, if only partially. "It would not contain within it the surge of exhilaration and admiration that I felt in that moment and that remain part of the emotional response to replaying the goal as it was experienced from my own point of view." Despite the compelling and heartfelt argument put forward by Williams, Booth is confident the British Open will retain the aura which has helped it become one of golf's most cherished tournaments. "You can't swim against the tide in terms of technology and we're not the only sporting event having to deal with this challenge," said Booth. "We've got great television partners and they are always going to find a way to romanticize those phenomenal sporting moments. Equally, people will want to take their own records of sporting events. "There would be no point trying to fight that, it is the way people want to consume events now. But traditional media will always allow you to present events in the way they should be." So with the influence of the phone continuing to grow, how long before spectators are so busy tweeting about the British Open they miss the champion lifting the Claret Jug?

The British Open will allow mobile phones for the first time since 2006 . Academic Ellis Cashmore believes mobiles have become like pacemakers -- artificial devices, but vital for the regulation of organs . Top golfers Lee Westwood and Adam Scott have backed the move . Use of phones will be restricted certain zones, while they must be switched to silent .

(CNN) -- The Obama administration likely will succumb to growing pressure to "do something" kinetic and dramatic in Iraq, and when it does, it will most likely be air and missile strikes against ISIS targets. This could relieve the political pressure on the President: His critics continue to blame him for abdicating U.S. leadership in Syria and in Iraq --which now faces the advancing extremist militants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). But answering the political mail in Washington is not the same thing as dealing with, let alone resolving, the complex issues on the ground that have led to this crisis. To do that would require a comprehensive reengagement strategy, even without boots on the ground. And President Barack Obama should not be drawn into a veritable Iraq war III. Most of Obama's detractors engage in what I call "woulda/coulda/shoulda" criticism. That is to say, if the President had only invested more time and effort in negotiating a status of forces agreement with the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, left a residual presence there, enforced his chemical weapons red line in Syria and backed the moderate opposition there, we wouldn't be seeing the ISIS jihadi rampage playing out in both countries. But given the limited amount of intervention this administration, Congress, and the public would support, even under the best of circumstances, the U.S. could not have stopped the dynamic that is occurring. We cannot hold Iraq's hand forever, nor end Syria's civil war without a major military commitment. And the longer the Syrian conflict continued, the more of a boon the conflict would provide to jihadi elements who fed off its violence and sectarian character. As for Iraq, the al-Maliki government's insistence on maintaining Shia dominance and privilege, and repressing Sunnis, created the perfect ferment for ISIS's spread. No amount of U.S. military power summoned by any administration could have compensated for this kind of bad sectarian governance. That and the weak institutions of the Iraqi state have allowed ISIS to thrive. No matter how much progress the U.S. made in Iraq between 2003 and 2011, the dysfunction that now shapes Iraq's future was driven by factors set into motion by the very act of the invasion, Iraq's nature and its location. And those same factors limit now what the U.S. can do; they should make Washington wary of getting sucked back in. Back to Iraq: What can - and should - the U.S. do now? Maliki's sectarian dominance . How can you expect stability and security in a country where the political contract between the governed and those who govern is completely skewed in the direction of the Shia community? But that's what you have with Nuri al-Maliki; and that's unlikely to change. Shia repression has left Sunnis feeling disenfranchised -- one reason why violence has surged in the last year -- and this is why it's hard to get Sunni elements of the military to fight and resist ISIS moves. It's also why some key Sunni elements are reportedly in league with the ISIS jihadis. It's a reason to be careful about backing a government not committed to serious power sharing and reform, let alone to use direct U.S. military intervention to defend it. The U.S. couldn't build the new Iraq on the backs of American military power before it was clear that al-Maliki was a Shia triumphalist. How are we to do it today when it's clear that he is? The neighbors . Geography is destiny. This isn't America's neighborhood: It does not have the same kind of stake as those who live there. The U.S. may be committed to a nonsectarian, pluralist, democratic Iraq where everybody gets along in one big happy family. But Iran and Saudi Arabia envision very different outcomes, and they will act in ways detrimental to our interests. Iran is worried about ISIS to be sure. But Iran knows that its long-term interests depend on a stable Iraq under Shia dominance. That means that while it will assist al-Maliki, it won't pressure him to reform. The Saudis, on the other hand, can't abide al-Maliki and while they are worried about the Sunni jihadis, they see some merit in weakening the Prime Minister. Both Tehran and Riyadh will continue to see Iraq as a battleground to check the other's influence and to promote their side in a Sunni-Shia war. Iraq's stability and the U.S.'s altruistic vision of Iraq's future will be the casualties. The Syrian civil war . Any U.S. strategy that deals with Iraq in isolation will fail to get at a main sources of the ISIS threat. The Syrian civil war was a godsend for these jihadi groups. And unless the United States is prepared to expand its area of operations and to develop a sustained, aggressive strategy to contain if not destroy the ISIS presence in Syria, any effort in Iraq will at best produce a short-term success. Having willfully avoided militarizing the U.S. role in Syria, the President may well go ahead and do so now, with all the risks of mission creep. Attacking ISIS will also help Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Iran in Iraq. A serious strategy . And that brings us to the most difficult dimension of this entire problem. Without a serious and sustained strategy that has a military, counterterrorism, political and economic component, including mobilizing the international community, it's hard to see how the Obama administration can realistically put these Humpty Dumptys back together again. To do that would mean American involvement -- for starters CIA or special forces in an advisory capacity, most likely functioning clandestinely. Airstrikes, even if they worked to check ISIS, would have to be used repeatedly over time. And more training for the Iraqi military -- most likely with advisers on the ground to instruct in the use of sophisticated military equipment -- would be necessary. And despite all of this, it's likely that ISIS may still be able to secure enclaves in Iraq. Haven't we seen this movie before? It was called Iraq 2003-2011, and it clearly didn't have a happy ending. So, Mr. President, you probably have no other choice but to get sucked back into Iraq with military strikes. It might even have positive short-term results. But it likely won't over time. Triumphalist Shia, unhappy Sunnis, Iranian influence, and Kurdish separatists will guarantee it. Iraq was a trap for America once before. It will be again. 5 predictions revisited: Iraq's troubles are years in the making .

Writer: Obama administration will likely yield to pressure to act on ISIS advances in Iraq . He says it should not. The U.S. could not have prevented crisis. Bad Iraqi governance was key . He says any success repelling ISIS in Iraq will be short-lived unless U.S. also does so in Syria . U.S. would need sustained strategy if it is to address crisis. We've seen this movie before, he says .

(CNN) -- The mainland United States, which was largely recovering Monday from a near-nationwide heat wave, has experienced the warmest 12 months since record-keeping began in 1895, a top government science and weather agency announced Monday. The report from the National Climatic Data Center, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, does not take into account blistering heat from this month, with 2,116 high temperature marks either broken or tied between July 2 and July 8 in communities nationwide. Share your heat photos and videos on CNN iReport . But it does incorporate the warmest March recorded as well as extreme heat in June, which also helped make the first six months of 2012 the warmest recorded of any January-June stretch. In the last half of June, 170 all-time temperature records were matched or smashed in cities across the lower 48 states. The U.S. State Climate Extremes Committee also is reviewing whether 113-degree temperatures in South Carolina and 112-degree recordings in Georgia qualify as all-time records in those two states. Southwest heats up as rest of U.S. cools down . "There are a lot of things going on that have been very unusual over the last several months," said Dev Niyogi, earth and atmospheric sciences professor at Purdue University. That includes an outbreak of particularly large wildfires in Colorado, which had its warmest June ever, according to NOAA. Most of that state is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, which is also true in places as far afield as Arizona and Georgia, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, run out of the University of Nebraska. That's a pressing problem in Indiana, where Niyogi is the state climatologist and where the National Weather Service says conditions in central and southern parts of the state "resemble the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s." Niyogi said it is "very hard to root out" the role played by short-term weather patterns and longer-term trends in creating conditions recorded over a given stretch, such as the period from June 2011 to June 2012 measured by NOAA. But he said, "They're all tied together" and can contribute to major issues, pointing specifically to the interdependent relationship between heat and drought. "That is an intriguing and fairly dangerous kind of event that obviously has affects on humans," he said, referring to drought. The average temperature for the U.S. mainland in June was 71.2 degrees -- 2 degrees above the 20th-century average. It was the 14th warmest June on record. Besides the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region, coastal states have also felt the heat of late: New Jersey, for instance, has experienced 16 straight months (not including data from June) in which average monthly temperatures measured above normal. Stepping back further in time, 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest ever, based on global surface temperatures, according to NOAA. In fact, a March report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change noted that "climate change has led to changes in climate extremes such as heat waves, record high temperatures and, in many regions, heavy precipitation in the past half-century." Triple-digit strategies for staying healthy . Millions in the central and eastern United States who experienced the latest heat wave got somewhat of a reprieve Monday. But the break in the heat also brought severe storms to some areas. The cold front, while welcome, prompted a series of thunderstorm warnings late Monday afternoon and into the evening from Virginia south to Georgia. The National Weather Service warned of potentially "quarter-size hail and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph." There were few indications, by 9:30 p.m., that these storms packed anywhere near the wallop of those from late June. But they did affect some trees and bring torrential rain in spots. Flash floods left as much as five inches of rain in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, on Monday night, said Darin Figurskey, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Raleigh bureau. "Motorists are encouraged to stay off the roads, if possible," the city said in a press release noting two road closures. Nearby on Interstate 40, between 20 to 30 cars were stranded due to flooding rains, said Figurskey. One upside to the front moving through was much cooler temperatures. High temperatures Monday were in the 80s in cities including Chicago, New York, Boston and Washington, where temperatures on Sunday hit 102 degrees and surpassed 95 for the 11th straight day. Even the 91 degrees recorded Monday in St. Louis was a welcome relief. This cool-down follows a heat wave that roasted much of the country for more than a week and contributed to dozens of heat-related deaths, including 18 in Maryland and 10 in Virginia, according to state officials. Millions also lost power at one point or another, many of them for several days, because of severe storms that swept east from Indiana to the Mid-Atlantic states starting on June 29. As of Monday afternoon, just under 100,000 customers in 11 states and metropolitan Washington still lacked electricity. West Virginians brace for storms, aftermath . On Sunday damaging winds struck Fredericksburg, Virginia, and collapsed a building, injuring two people, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. The storms have complicated power restoration efforts in some spots and caused even more damage. One person died Saturday in storms in Cuba, Missouri, the prediction center said. "It has been a tough few weeks for many Virginians," Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell said late Sunday. "They have suffered from record-breaking temperatures and an historic storm that brought widespread damage and power outages. Now, many have lost power again. I ask Virginians to remain patient and to continue to help each other get through this latest storm." Still, even as the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast cool a bit, the U.S. Southwest is practically boiling. The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for parts of Arizona and California through Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to peak Tuesday at 114 degrees in Las Vegas; 113 in Phoenix; 116 degrees in Yuma, Arizona; and 125 degrees in Death Valley, California. "The combination of hot afternoon temperatures and very warm overnight lows will result in oppressive conditions," the weather service said. Use caution if you drive in extreme heat . CNN's Greg Botelho, Joe Sutton, Devon Sayers and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

NEW: Floods in North Carolina strand up to 30 cars on highway, a meteorologist says . The first half of 2012 has also set temperature records, NOAA says . The analysis doesn't include more record-breaking heat from July . Temperatures Tuesday in Arizona and California may go as high as 125 .

(CNN) -- So Yeon Ryu was seven years old when she gave her first violin recital. She was in love with music, but at age 12 she had to make a tough decision. "I started playing golf in elementary school. One day my golf coach took the team to a golf course and I fell in love with it. I loved walking the course and being out in nature," recalls Ryu, now 22. She started to notice several professional golfers, like fellow South Korean Grace Park. "She was fashionable, powerful and beautiful," Ryu says. Her golf was getting so much better that her mother asked what everyone had been thinking: "Do you want to become a violinist or a professional golfer?" The moment of truth . "It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I always wanted to become violinist," Ryu acknowledges. By that time, she already had a role model: a girl who played on the elite U.S.-based LPGA Tour, and who, at age 20, became the first South Korean to claim a major title: Se Ri Pak. "She is a great trailblazer for all Korean golfers. She played super great on the LPGA and because of that we could dream about playing on the world stage," Ryu says. "But, this is not only her influence, we must be thankful to Grace Park, and Mi-Hyun Kim and other first generation Korean players on the LPGA." With her mind solely on golf, Ryu informed her family about her decision to put the violin to one side, though her mother was not convinced. "'Really? No violin?' My mom was so disappointed with my decision because everybody said I had a talent for music. I think my mom enjoyed choosing my recital dresses and having me perform on stage." The transition . Waking up early for practice was one of the toughest things in Ryu's new life. Little by little she got used to it and during the transition she discovered that her musical background would be very helpful. As a junior golfer, she had some trouble with her swing but her shots were good enough. "My swing tempo was consistently well and I think I got my good tempo from music," she says. In 2006, at age 16, Ryu represented South Korea in the Asian Games in Qatar and won gold in the individual and team events. Having impressed as an amateur, Ryu turned professional at the end of the following year and joined the KLPGA, the Korean women's tour. She won her first tournament as a KLPGA member, triumphing by four strokes at the Sports Seoul Open in April 2008. Her first winner's check brought her back to her first love -- she bought a violin for her sister, who had decided to pursue music as a career. The 2009 season would be even better for Ryu. Aged just 19, she won five times, earned over $500,000 and finished second in the Player of the Year race. But the real breakthrough came in 2011, at the most prestigious tournament in the female game: the U.S. Women's Open. After a shaky opening round that put her six strokes off the pace, Ryu shot 69 on Friday and Saturday to share the lead going into the final day. The tournament ended in a showdown between Ryu and her rival Hee Kyung Seo -- who had beaten her to the KLPGA player of the year award two years earlier. This time it was Ryu who prevailed. She forced a playoff with a birdie on the last regulation green before, after three extra holes, becoming just the fifth South Korean to win the major. A sixth, Na Yeon Choi, will defend her title at Sebonak Golf Club in Southampton, New York, this week. Ryu emulated her hero Pak -- who 13 years earlier became the first Korean to win it -- and, along with the winner's check of $585,000, it prompted her to make the next big step in her career. "I transferred from the KLPGA to the LPGA and people started to recognize me," she says. "I moved to the U.S. and I am now based in California. That was a pretty big change, relocating to another country." A keen student . Despite moving, Ryu continued studying physical education at Yonsei University, a private institution and the oldest of her country, and graduated in February this year with a bachelor's degree in sports management.. "I could not and would not trade my university life for anything. It was such a great time for me," she says. "Sometimes I couldn't sleep during a tournament because of assignments. I had to wake up early if I wanted to practice before going to class. Physically, it was a hard job but it was worth it." That work ethic goes some way to explaining the success of Korean women golfers and Ryu is now hoping that she can inspire new generations of young players like Pak and Kim did for her. "I'd love to be someone's role model. I want to share my experience and heart," says the golfer, who finished second behind compatriot and close friend Inbee Park at this season's opening major, the Kraft-Nabisco Championship in April,. "I would like to donate to poor people or junior golfers. I really want to support young golfers, not as an instructor but as a manager." The best decision . Ryu's determination at age 12 has led her to become one of the best players in women's golf; she currently sits fifth in the Rolex world rankings, just behind Choi, while Park is No. 1 after also winning this month's LPGA Championship. Last weekend the two friends battled for victory at the NW Arkansas Championship event, with Park beating Ryu in a playoff to claim her fifth win this season. "Inbee and I practice together a lot so when we are standing at the 18th hole, it feels like just a practice round," Ryu told reporters. "I wasn't really nervous. Two players cannot be champion, so she deserved it." Ryu was named 2012's LPGA Rookie of the Year, having won the 11th title of her pro career by a massive seven shots at the Jamie Farr Toldeo Classic. Her love for music is still alive, and Ryu acknowledges that it "is too hard" to even think of trading her accomplishments in golf for a night as concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic or Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Her mother, who once was not satisfied with her daughter's decision, is now "so happy that I am a professional golfer." And it was from her mom that she received the advice that has shaped her career: "Enjoy your life."

South Korean golfer So Yeon Ryu has come a long way since her days as a musician . Ryu became the fifth player from her country to win the U.S. Women's Open in 2011 . She will tee off at this week's 68th edition of the tournament in New York state . The 22-year-old was named the LPGA's Rookie of the Year for 2012 .

(CNN) -- "Rethinking grid dependence in new climate reality." That was my sole tweet in the aftermath of Sandy, sent after four long nights with my wife and daughter in our cold, dark living room, cut off from the infrastructure -- and the people -- that normally keep us going. Indeed, in a reality where charging a cell phone requires finding a friend who not only admits to having power but also agrees to let you come over and plug into it, the relationship of self-sufficiency to community resources takes on a whole new meaning. And it reflects not only the core themes of the election, but also the main conceptual challenges facing our society at the dawn of the digital age: Do I depend on the collective, or do I go it alone? 'Insane,' 'inspiring' New York polling places in Sandy's wake . In the hard-hit areas of Lower Manhattan, Queens, Jersey and the unlucky suburbs, people who had their own generators, supplies, and wood stoves fared better than those of us depending on downed wires, closed supermarkets, and electrically ignited furnaces for power, food, and heat -- at least for a while. Some offered extension cords from their homes, or even a spot on the floor to sleep. Others nodded in acknowledgment when they heard of our misfortune, but offered no help -- as if they didn't understand that we were suffering from more than the inconvenience of no cable TV. Their quizzical looks seemed to say, why should their own success -- but for the grace of God, in many cases -- obligate them to help others? LZ: Obama still fighting for those who are hurting . This all changed soon enough, when they lost the ability to find gasoline to power those generators, ice to keep the food cool, or dry firewood to burn. Then they were out scavenging for resources like the rest of us. In my little world of media and technology, self-sufficiency had more to do with having chosen to keep copies of all of my work files, computer programs, and entertainment right on my own devices rather than depending entirely on the miracle of cloud computing. This meant that when my family finally evacuated our frigid home (turns out fireplaces don't make much heat), we could bring my book drafts and my daughter's American Girl movies along with us. I'm no doomsday prepper, but I have always had reservations about relegating my files to the servers of others. When we finally arrived at the closest open hotel room to our home in New York's suburbs -- it was downtown Philadelphia -- we didn't bother with any of our technology, anyway. My daughter was excited to see and play with other kids -- families relocated by FEMA from devastated parts of New Jersey, arriving at the hotel with dogs, hotel vouchers, and printed Google maps. Now that I was in a hotel lounge with working WiFi, I really didn't care anymore about whether my work was getting done, or whether I could dazzle my Twitter followers with any insights or witticisms about this whole mess. I didn't care about the election or about the New York Marathon, or least of all about e-mails about work. Anthony Bourdain says help NYC restaurants: Eat out, tip big . Instead, I sat in a hotel lounge with working WiFi, and along with a half dozen dads my age, watched our childhood rock 'n' roll heroes -- Springsteen, Aerosmith, and Billy Joel -- perform at a telethon over images that may as well have been our own neighborhoods: fallen trees, crushed homes, families wading through the floods. Sting came on and did a strange, acoustic version of Message in a Bottle. There with my fellow displaced Sandy victims, I realized that I, for the first time, was on the other side of the telethon. I was the one "sending out an S.O.S." Although I had fared a lot better than the poor denizens of Breezy Point or the Rockaways and I wasn't going to be seeking a FEMA reimbursement or need help rebuilding my home, I was still on the victim's end of the equation. I was the person looking to be shared with rather than looking how to share (or hoard) what I had. With found time to rethink my approach to life and its inevitable disasters, zombie apocalypse scenarios playing out in my head, it became clear to me that the ideological divide America seems to be facing is a false one. Those of us needing help weren't lazy or weak, and those in a position to provide it were able to do so only by virtue of collective resources. Opinion: Jersey Shore, I'll miss you . The only home generators that worked all week, for example, irrespective of the long lines at the pump, were the ones that used natural gas, itself the product of the energy grid. The men getting in fights over the few available gasoline generators being sold out of the back of trucks at the local Home Depot (as a 125-pound intellectual, I didn't stand a chance) may have proven their muscle, but ended up with at best three hours of heat before they went in search of nonexistent fuel. See, what we used to call the commons -- the resources and technologies used by everyone -- are what make individual success even possible. A shared resource like the Internet may allow great entrepreneurs to break from the pack to achieve wild success, but they need to continue to invest in the commons, not as a form of charity or penance but as a self-interested strategy for their own sustainability. Or, put another way, the family that shares its electricity and living room with less fortunate storm victims will have more friends collecting firewood when the lights go out the next day. Those of us who got hit hard will remember who was there with an open hand, and who wasn't. As the checkout lady at the A&P said to me this morning, "it takes something like this for people to show their true colors." Then she added, with a smile, "at least now you know." New Jersey lets Sandy victims vote via e-mail . People who managed to succeed in the crisis employed mixed strategies. They did make wise personal preparations -- such as wood stoves instead of ineffectual fireplaces, natural gas generators instead of gasoline ones, a good supply of stored food and water. But they also employed ones that showed an awareness of the need for infrastructure, the importance of longer term thinking, and the strength of community. Our political parties make it out to be an irreconcilable distinction, as if America had to choose between one path or the other: greed or compassion, liberty or communism. But there is no choice. We do not choose between our personal success and our collective welfare. We don't get one without the other. The storm that broke records -- and hearts . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Douglas Rushkoff.

Douglas Rushkoff: Sandy's aftermath points up something about election issues . "Do I depend on others, or go it alone?" is false dichotomy, he says . He says those needing help weren't lazy; those providing it did it from collective resources . Rushkoff: Personal success needs concern for collective welfare .

(CNN) -- Sometimes, when you least expect it, the good guys win. Sometimes, the good guy is a woman -- a strong, wise and extraordinarily brave woman, such as Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi, 67, has led her people in a decades' long quest for democracy in Burma, the country renamed Myanmar by a brutal military dictatorship, which now appears ready to usher in democratic reform. At a time when the struggle against dictatorships elsewhere in the world seems to bring nothing but disappointment and bloodshed, Suu Kyi's freedom and the richly deserved accolades she is receiving are a welcome reminder that nonviolence, smartly deployed and backed by powerful international supporters, can become a most powerful weapon. This week, Suu Kyi made a triumphant and stirring return to the world stage, traveling to the West, her home for 24 years before she became an accidental leader of the revolution and the regime's prisoner in her home in Yangon, the generals' new name for Rangoon. Suu Kyi was received as a hero in world capitals. She spoke to the British Parliament and received an honorary degree at Oxford University. But the most poignant moment of her five-country trip came when she delivered the Nobel Peace Prize lecture in Oslo, Norway. She gave the speech more than 20 years after her chair had stood empty on the stage during awards ceremony in 1991, the year she won the prize, as she languished in isolation, enduring years of house arrest. "The Lady," as she is known among her countrymen and women, stands as one of the few genuine heroes of our time, someone in the mold of Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi, who not only inspired by their ideals and sacrifice but, just as importantly, who prevailed in achieving their goals against powerful foes. There was always something mystical about the way the small, willowy woman struck fear in the hearts of the generals -- humorless men in starched uniforms, leading one of the world's largest armies and most ruthless regimes. Her family name was well-known at home before she became an activist. Her father, Gen. Bogyoke Aung San, was the hero of Burma's battle against British colonial rule and a revered statesman. During the first quarter-century after the military took power, Suu Kyi lived abroad, as a mother, wife and academic. But then her mother became ill. She traveled to Burma from her home in Oxford to care for her. Suddenly, she was in the middle of a revolution. When anti-junta protests broke out in August 1988, she addressed a crowd of hundreds of thousands at the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda Buddhist shrine in Yangon. She unexpectedly became the movement's leader and her life changed forever. She would spend 15 of the next 22 years as a prisoner in her own home. The regime put down the uprising (known as 8-8-88) killing some 3,000 protesters. Suu Kyi found herself as a top target of the regime. Even under arrest she managed to lead efforts to topple the dictatorship. The West looked to her for guidance. She looked to her Buddhist faith, learning to understand and endure her own suffering and keep her focus not on herself but on the larger goals of human rights and freedom for all. She told the West to maintain strict sanctions. She feared the world would forget her, as she lived out her life in isolation under heavy guard on Yangon's University Avenue. In 1999, when her husband was dying of cancer in Britain, the junta refused to let him come to Burma to say goodbye, offering instead to let her leave. She knew if she traveled abroad she would never be allowed to return. She stayed a prisoner in Burma and never saw her husband again. Suu Kyi's unique brand of "realistic idealism" appears to have succeeded in pressuring the junta to start relinquishing power. She won a seat in parliament in April elections, part of a slow process of promised democratization. She is preparing her party, the National League for Democracy, for general elections in 2015. Her personal story, closely braided with that of her country, proves that nonviolence is not just a philosophy, not just a moral stance. Instead, it is a tool that can bring heavily armed opponents to their knees. The technique worked because her charisma, spirituality and moral courage inspired not only her people, but the rest of the world. That created the pressure to build international economic sanctions that eventually forced the regime to fold. There's more to it, of course. China, the junta's protector, overplayed its hand in exploiting Burma's vast natural resources. But the bottom line is that without international support, the strategy probably would not have worked. Without Suu Kyi, the world would not have known about the misery and repression that the junta had foisted on the Burmese people. Nonviolence is not always a viable course of action -- its slow methods can run out of time, or simply fail against despotism -- but sometimes it can work. I had counted myself as a skeptic -- until I traveled to Burma during the days when it all seemed hopeless and finally understood what her presence there meant to the Burmese people. In Burma and in the Burmese refugee camps on the Thai side of the border, I discovered just what Suu Kyi's strength and personal sacrifice meant to her people. She had become their only source of solace, their only reason for hope. She was also their movement's brilliant strategist. In recent months, the generals who have ruled Burma since 1962 have declared their commitment to democratic change and have started loosening restrictions on political activity. The world is taking its cue from the woman who has become a moral compass. For years she was the one who insisted the West should not lift economic sanctions, even when that meant more hardships for her and her people. But now she says she cautiously believes the generals are serious about reform. Ever the realist, Suu Kyi has warned against overconfidence, calling for "healthy skepticism" about reforms. But if she and her supporters do, in fact, forge democracy in their country, as now seems probable, it is because she was able to leverage her appeal to bring harsh international sanctions against Burma. Suu Kyi has proven her wisdom. She has proven she is one of the few people who truly deserve to become a hero, an icon of their time. And she has shown, just when we needed it most, that even in a time of grim realities, heroes can win in the end. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frida Ghitis.

Frida Ghitis: Aung San Suu Kyi's quest for democracy inspires with its apparent success . Ghitis says others struggling with dictatorships can look to her as reminder they can win . She says Suu Kyi's charisma and sacrifice made her a leader that drew world to her cause . Ghitis: Suu Kyi has proven that she's among few who deserve to be called a hero .

Washington (CNN) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao wrapped up his visit to the U.S. capital Thursday, telling an audience of American business leaders that Beijing is seeking closer ties and greater trust with the United States on a range of issues. He sought to assuage concerns about China's rising economic and military power, declaring that his country "will never seek hegemony or pursue an expansionist policy." The Chinese leader was unapologetic, however, about Beijing's position on the politically sensitive status of Tibet and Taiwan, calling it a matter of Chinese territorial integrity and a "core interest." We are building "a socialist country under the rule of law," he asserted. He said relations between Washington and Beijing need to be governed by a belief in "equality" and "mutual respect." Hu made his remarks at a luncheon hosted by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the U.S.-China Business Council, and several other organizations. Earlier in the day, Hu traveled to Capitol Hill, where congressional leaders used the occasion to raise strong concerns about Beijing's commitment to human rights and economic issues such as the protection of intellectual property. Hu met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, among others. Neither man attended Wednesday night's White House state dinner in honor of the Chinese leader. Earlier in the week, Reid called Hu a "dictator" -- a word that was later recanted by his spokesman. Reid refused to answer CNN's Dana Bash when she asked him what he expected "to accomplish with a man you called a dictator." Boehner noted that concerns related to tensions on the Korean peninsula also were raised during Thursday's talks. We had "a good meeting," Boehner said. "I would hope that the dialogue on all of these subjects would continue." Disagreements over human rights -- including China's treatment of imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo -- were "raised very strongly," according to Rep. Howard Berman of California, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "I would not indicate there was great engagement ... other than a general recognition by the president of China that they have a ways to go," Berman told reporters. On Wednesday, Hu met with President Obama behind closed doors at the White House for several hours as top officials from both countries worked to address issues tied to the global economic crisis, international security, the environment and human rights. Obama administration officials used the president's meeting with Hu to highlight economic progress between the two countries, announcing Beijing's approval of $45 billion in new contracts for U.S. companies to export goods to China. The contracts will support an estimated 235,000 American jobs, according to the White House. The two leaders acknowledged continuing differences on human rights, but pledged to keep working on the matter in a "frank and candid way," according to Obama. Human rights remains a touchy subject in China, as censors in the Asian nation made clear during Hu's visit by blacking out CNN's news broadcast each time the topic of human rights was mentioned. Even when Hu spoke about human rights, it was blacked out. Censors also blacked the network out in China whenever a CNN report mentioned or showed video of Liu. Footage of anti-China protesters near the White House was similarly blacked out. Obama has nevertheless hailed Hu's visit as a chance to lay a foundation for the next 30 years of Sino-American relations. "At a time when some doubt the benefits of cooperation between the United States and China, this visit is ... a chance to demonstrate a simple truth," Obama said Wednesday. "We have an enormous stake in each other's success. In an interconnected world, in a global economy, nations -- including our own -- will be more prosperous and more secure when we work together." Hu declared the relationship between the two powers to be one of "strategic significance and global influence." Under "new circumstances, and in the face of new challenges, China and the United States share broad common interests and important common responsibilities," he said. "China and the United States should respect each other's choice of development path and each other's core interests." The formal state dinner for Hu on Wednesday evening was the third such occasion of Obama's administration. Among the 225 dignitaries who attended were former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton; former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright, George Schultz and Henry Kissinger; Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; actor Jackie Chan; Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire; and designer Vera Wang. Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang provided entertainment after the dinner. The last White House state dinner for China was in October 1997, when Clinton welcomed President Jiang Zemin and his wife, Wang Yeping. While Hu was at the White House, he joined Obama in a meeting with key business leaders. The list of corporate executives taking part in the discussion included Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs, HSBC's John Thornton, Intel's Paul Otellini, Motorola's Greg Brown, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, GE's Jeff Immelt and Boeing's Jim McNerney. Hu later met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden at the State Department. He was scheduled to head to Chicago on Thursday after the meetings on Capitol Hill. During a news conference with reporters Wednesday, Obama said he had received a promise from Hu to establish a more "level playing field" for U.S. trade. China's currency, Obama said, remains undervalued -- a key factor in America's trade imbalance with Beijing. The two countries need to develop a "win-win situation as opposed to a win-lose situation," he said. Hu conceded that key differences remain over economic policy, but he promised that Beijing would continue making attempts to resolve those differences. Obama noted that he and Hu agreed on the need to reduce tension on the Korean peninsula and prevent further provocations from Pyongyang. A Korean peninsula with no nuclear weapons remains a key goal for both leaders, Obama stressed. Obama also defended his administration's decision to engage with China despite differences over hot-button issues such as human rights. Obama said that "China has a different political system than we do" and is at a "different stage of development." "I have been very candid with President Hu about these issues," he told reporters, and "occasionally, they are a source of tension." Hu defended his country's human rights record, arguing that "China recognizes and also respects the universality of human rights." At the same time, he said, it is important to account for "different national circumstances." "We will continue our efforts to improve the lives of the Chinese people" and promote "democracy and the rule of law," he said. But Washington, he indicated, should respect the principle of "noninterference" in domestic affairs. CNN's Alan Silverleib, Ben Rooney, Tom Cohen and Aaron Smith contributed to this report .

Hu Jintao tells business leaders China is not pursuing an expansionist policy . Congressional leaders discuss human rights and economic issues with Hu . The session follows Hu's meeting Wednesday with President Obama .

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Dr. Conrad Murray's "severely distressed" financial situation may have led him to "break the rules" in his fatal treatment of Michael Jackson, a police investigator testified Tuesday. Los Angeles Police Detective Orlando Martinez testified in the Jackson wrongful death trial that Murray was trying to deal with the large drop in value of his Las Vegas home, unpaid taxes and child support payments for eight children with seven women. Michael Jackson's mother and children claim AEG Live is liable for the pop icon's death because it hired, retained and supervised Murray, who worked as his personal physician as he prepared for his comeback concerts in 2009. AEG says Murray was hired and supervised by Jackson, whom they blame for making bad choices because of his drug addiction. One contention in the lawsuit is that the concert promoter should have known that Murray's financial stress could lead to unsafe treatments for Jackson. AEG lawyer: 'Ugly stuff' to come . Martinez, the second witness in the trial's first day of testimony, said that after interviewing Murray and after the search of Murray's car four days after Jackson's death, his "thinking at the moment was the crime was negligence." Inside the BMW -- which belonged to Murray's sister in Texas -- he found a contract between AEG Live and Murray saying he would be paid $150,000 a month to work as Jackson's doctor, along with AEG Live President Randy Phillips' business card and cell phone number, he said. "That's a lot of money for anyone," Martinez said. "Seeing the scene and talking to him about what he had done and how he did it raised questions." "Focusing on the financial aspect may have been important for Dr. Murray's willingness to disregard his Hippocratic Oath for financial gain," he testified. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Prosecutors said Jackson death was caused by a fatal combination of the surgical anesthetic propofol and sedatives Murray gave him in a desperate effort to treat his insomnia. Martinez said what he learned about Murray's financial troubles in the weeks after Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, led him "to opine that he may have, for this easy money -- the $150,000 a month -- may break the rules, bend the rules, to do whatever he needed to do to get paid." His investigation revealed that Murray hadn't paid his mortgage in more than six months, his home was being foreclosed on and he had several liens for unpaid child support and tax debts, Martinez said. Murray's Las Vegas home, which he bought for $1.6 million, was appraised at barely $1 million in 2009, he said. The Las Vegas real estate market had suffered a major decline in home values up to that date. Elvis' ghost haunts Michael Jackson death trial . Judge rules: Jacksons can't watch trial without mom . The judge ordered that only one of Michael Jackson's brothers and sisters can come to court to watch the testimony at at a time -- and then only if Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson is present. AEG Live lawyers argued at the start of the second day of the trial that there was "a risk in allowing any of them in the courtroom." AEG expects to call Janet, Jermaine, Jackie, Tito, La Toya, Rebbie and Randy Jackson as witnesses in its defense. Only brother Marlon Jackson is not on the defense witness list. AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam said in his opening statement Monday that Jackson family members will testify about their failed attempts to intervene with Michael Jackson's drug addiction and their lack of knowledge about what was happening. The defense lawyers asked that Randy Jackson, the only one attending the trial Tuesday with his 82-year-old mother, be booted from court. After that, Jackson lawyer Brian Panish told the judge that Katherine Jackson, who can stay in court because she is a plaintiff, needed one of her children to sit with her each day. "He can remain, but you cannot have five in the courtroom," Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos said. Because Katherine Jackson left the courtroom early to avoid gruesome testimony by a paramedic who described Jackson's death, Randy Jackson was unable to watch Tuesday's testimony. Randy and Rebbie Jackson attended court Monday, the trial's opening day. All of the siblings attended the 2011 criminal trial of Murray at various times. Having members of the famous entertainment family in court could influence the jury because their seats are just a few feet away from the jury box in the small Los Angeles courtroom. Paramedic: Jackson looked like "a hospice patient" The first witness called Tuesday was Richard Senneff, one of the Los Angeles County paramedics who responded to the 911 call from Michael Jackson's home on June 25, 2009. Senneff mostly repeated the testimony he gave as one of the first witnesses in the Murray trial, describing how he initially "thought perhaps this was a hospice patient." "He looked like someone who was at the end stage of a long disease process," he said. "No, no, this just happened," Murray told him, Senneff said. Jackson was not breathing and appeared to be dead, he said. An AEG lawyer asked him during cross-examination if he thought Murray was not telling him the truth. "I don't even go there," Senneff said. "I'm not worried about that." Senneff's testimony is important to informing the jury about the circumstances of Jackson's death, but the drama that filled the Murray courtroom was not duplicated. In fact, humor sometimes emerged. Panish even asked Senneff whether he had ever rescued a cat. "I have not rescued a cat," Senneff, who is also a firefighter, joked. "I rescued a dog that was lying in the street." He also shared the ironic story of the next emergency he responded to after leaving Michael Jackson at the UCLA Medical Center's emergency room. His ambulance was called to a west Los Angeles apartment to help an elderly Russian woman, Senneff said. "When she heard the news on TV that Michael Jackson had died, she fainted," he said. She suffered a minor head injury in her fall. "She was just deeply emotional when we took her to the hospital," Senneff said. Martinez will return to court Wednesday to resume his testimony, but the trial will break early so a juror can attend a funeral in the afternoon. A medical examiner from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office is expected to take the stand Thursday. No court is scheduled for Friday.

NEW: LAPD detective suspected Murray would "do whatever he needed to do to get paid" NEW: Dr. Murray's house was in foreclosure when Jackson died . NEW: Paramedic: Jackson "looked like someone who was at the end stage of a long disease process" Judges limits Jackson family to one in court at a time and only if mom if there .

(CNN) -- Authors' voices can resound long after they're gone. For Alicky Sussman, that's the hardest part of living without her husband, Paul -- but it's also what's helping her cope with his sudden death. Readers have his latest book to digest. And for his literary team, there is the painful dilemma of what to do with an unpublished manuscript. Paul Sussman was a crime-fiction author whose books have sold more than 2 million copies. His latest, "The Labyrinth of Osiris," came out just weeks after he died at 45 from a ruptured aneurysm. It's the fourth in a series of thrillers set in the Middle East, against the backdrop of the region's ancient past. The idea that "The Labyrinth of Osiris" could be his last book is all the more poignant, because reviewers and editors alike say it's his best -- even Sussman agreed. Simon Taylor, editorial director at Transworld Publishers, says, "He very rarely blew his own trumpet." But after Sussman's most recent book was complete, his editor says he changed his tune. Taylor recalls: "He turned to me and said, 'Simon, I do think perhaps I've written quite a good book here.' " To which Taylor replied: "It's bloody brilliant." Promoting a book without an author presents unique challenges -- especially because Sussman took such an active role in publicizing his work. Taylor remembers Sussman riding around London on his motor scooter, with a publicist in tow, on his way to interviews to support his books. He joked that the writer terrified his passengers with his driving. But Sussman set himself apart by making time for all of the interview requests that came his way, no matter how small the publication. Now his book is getting noticed for its author's absence. "In some ironic way, it (his death) got a little bit more attention for the book in the UK," says Morgan Entrekin, president of Grove/Atlantic, Sussman's U.S. publisher, "as people wrote about the tragedy of his death and the fact that this was going to be his last book." His widow didn't finish his latest book until after his death last year. Reading it now makes her miss him the most. "Some of the turns of phrases that he uses are so quintessentially Paul," she says. "There couldn't be anyone else who had written them." She says she yearns to talk to him each time she finds one of the inside jokes he scatters throughout "The Labyrinth of Osiris." In all of his books, he includes characters named after people he and his wife know. "I wish I'd been able to tell him I'd spotted them," she says. Sussman also wove his wife into all of his stories. Each book includes a character called Alexandra (Alicky's full name). His widow was amused to discover the circumstances of her namesake's appearance in the most recent book. The Alexandra figure relieves herself in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. She then makes a gruesome discovery when she loses her footing and falls down a shaft. "I think one of the really, really difficult things about losing someone is the conversation ending," Alicky says. "And the person that you've been in the most amazing, wonderful conversation with -- suddenly that stops." To keep the dialogue going, his widow writes letters to Sussman. She tells him about his two sons, ages 5 and 3, and what she's up to around their London home. "All of those things that you would normally talk about," she says. She has a treasure trove of material that she can turn to when she wants to remember his voice. In addition to his books, Sussman kept 25 years' worth of diaries. And there is a book that even his most ardent fans haven't read yet. Before finding his niche in Middle Eastern detective thrillers, Sussman made his first foray into novel writing down quite a different path. His agent says she has a manuscript Sussman wrote more than 10 years ago. It's the story of a 100-year-old man who decides to kill himself, because he thinks he's lived long enough. In a suicide note, he confesses to 10 murders. But readers soon realize that the narrator isn't a murderer at all; rather, he just failed to prevent accidents. Along the way, they get a history of the 20th century. "It's an absolutely hilarious book," says Laura Susijn, his longtime agent and friend. "But it's painful because we all miss him so much." (Sussman and I crossed paths briefly at CNN in London, where he worked about 10 years ago.) Susijn says the unpublished manuscript reflects its author even more than his subsequent novels, largely because it's so funny. But without Sussman, working on it would be heart-wrenching. His literary team also worries that introducing a new work too soon after his latest crime thriller's release could distract readers from the marketing campaign around his existing books. They focus on Sussman's background as an archaeologist, rather than his modern wit. Even so, publishing expert Ava Seave says she believes the manuscript should be published. "If the product exists, you should get it out there," she says. The adjunct associate professor at Columbia Business School finds plenty of upsides to bringing out new material from an author who has passed away. "I think it would be great if ... they can make a few bucks, or if they just want to make sure that the fans are happy," she says. As they mull over sharing his unpublished work with the world, his colleagues and friends find that Sussman lives on through his books. "For me, he's very much alive," Susijn says. "As his literary agent, I'm selling rights around the world." His widow is taking a year off from her job as a documentary producer for the BBC in London. She is focusing on putting together a book of memories for her sons about their dad. She says she would also be keen to publish her husband's early manuscript -- in time. "I want people to hear his voice," she says. For now, his readers can seek solace in Sussman's current collection. "He knew how to tell a rip-roaring story," says Taylor of Transworld Publishers. But more than that, he left his friends and family happy with the time -- and the work -- that they got from him. "That's basically his legacy," Susijn says. "You would always feel better having spent time with Paul." Do you think it's a good or bad idea to publish an author's work posthumously? Give your take in the comments section below.

Best-selling author Paul Sussman, 45, died last year from a ruptured aneurysm . Widow says one of the difficult things "about losing someone is the conversation ending" Sussman's literary team faces a painful dilemma -- what to do with an unpublished manuscript . His widow finds writing letters to her husband helps her cope with his death .

(CNN) -- Here's the thing: Blaming Arizona is easy. In the wake of the terrible shooting at that congressional town hall meeting, it is simple to point to a rampant culture of easy gun access, intolerance, and anti-government fever and say, "Sure, this man was unbalanced, but the wild winds of the Grand Canyon State blew him over the edge." Just ask Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who jumped into the fray with his reaction. "Well, I think we're the Tombstone of the United States of America," he said, evoking his state's storied history. "We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry." Since then Dupnik has been assailed on TV, radio, and the internet as a grief-blinded malcontent by some conservatives, and praised as a clearsighted analyst by some liberals -- both sides armed with broad generalizations about Arizona. But having lived out West for 10 years, I have a generalization of my own: Pundits in the East often make pronouncements about the world beyond the Mississippi, when their on-the-ground experience with such places consists of campaign visits, speaking engagements, and skiing trips. In other words, they're talking out of their Jackson Holes, if you know what I mean. So I thought I'd look at some of the evidence to see if Arizona really has become unmoored from the rest of us -- a rogue state in which the unthinkable not only happens, but may be a byproduct of social and political unrest run amok. I started with guns. In August 2009, President Obama spoke in Phoenix, only to find a guy outside the hall making off with the headlines by showing up with a semiautomatic rifle slung over his shoulder. He said he was exercising his Second Amendment rights. He picked the right place. Arizona has some of the nation's most lenient gun laws. You can buy, possess and carry a handgun there far more easily than in most places, and gun-control advocates were plenty worried long before these killings. As Paul Helmke from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence told me about the accused Arizona shooter, Jared Loughner, "This individual broke no laws in purchasing the gun, broke no laws in carrying the gun, broke no laws in having an extended clip with 30 bullets in it. He didn't break a single law until he pulled the trigger!" Gun-rights advocates counter that other places which have pioneered much more restrictive laws, such as the District of Columbia, still have higher violent crime rates. True. But the facts suggest that whatever problems Loughner faced, Arizona's laws made sure that getting a gun was not one of them. Next, I looked at Arizona's sociopolitical climate, which seems to be broadly accepted as one of the hottest in the country. Among the flashpoints: cuts for Medicaid transplants, Gov. Jan Brewer's bizarre election claim that headless bodies were being found in the desert, and the always entertaining adventures of hell-for-leather lawman Sheriff Joe Arpaio. But the biggest one has been, and continues to be, illegal immigration. Last year's controversial immigration law spurred protests, angry denunciations, and nationwide calls for a boycott. But often overlooked amid the noise: Polls found that a tremendous number of Americans all over agreed with the state's actions. And for anyone who wants to paint Arizona as the poster child for intolerance, this is worth noting: The FBI reports that there were 274 hate crimes in Arizona in 2009. That's pretty robust, but on a per capita basis, the state of Washington had about the same, and Massachusetts was considerably worse. The Southern Poverty Law Center says Arizona has 10 active Patriot groups embracing extreme anti-government doctrines, and the Center's Mark Potok has found echoes of Patriot ideology in Loughner's rambling writings. "The relationship is indirect, and it is filtered through a mind that is not right," Potok tells me, but it is there. So is Arizona's murky right-wing counterculture partially to blame for the shootings? "It doesn't seem unreasonable to look at something like this and consider its provenance," Potok says. Probably so. After all, the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh, believed his attack would spur a popular uprising against the government and that an army of fellow travelers was waiting in the wings; and he did much of his planning while living in Arizona. The problem is almost half the states, according to the Center's website, have as many or more Patriot groups, which would mean if we are going to connect these dots, that those states too are potential hotbeds in which violent, maybe mentally ill extremists could grow. For example, New York has 17 Patriot groups; Michigan, 47; Texas, 52. We reached out to one of Arizona's most well-known Patriot groups, the Arizona Citizens Militia, which clearly portrays big government as an enemy and urges citizens to be prepared to defend their rights, their homes, whatever. Its website is packed with military imagery. These groups, in my experience, are notoriously media-shy and difficult to reach. And yet within minutes of my request for their views on the shooting, they sent this response: . "It makes your heart hurt for the entire country. This just keeps happening over and over again. The one common denominator seems to be that most of the shooters are mentally ill, but driven by current events. We don't have any answer either. We're just trying to do what we can to protect our country and our borders." I suspect how people react to that message would tell me as much about the reader as it would about the writer. And maybe that's the whole point. The facts suggest that Arizona does have difficulties; certainly, it is near the upper end of states around which furious social and political debates are swirling. It is not unfair to consider that some of the language, actions, and laws connected to those debates can combine with a violent, deranged mind to produce awful consequences. But Arizona is far from alone. If the shots had been heard in any number of other states, we might also hear the same innuendoes that are now being sneered at Arizona. The viciousness of our public debates, the dirtiness of our politics, the anger of our people are not confined to one town, one state, or one region. They are everywhere. Only the degrees are different. How you see the facts on Arizona depends on how you come at them. As I said: Blaming Arizona is easy. But almost 7 million Americans live there, and all we know for certain is that one of them did something terribly wrong.

Some blame Arizona's culture for shootings, Foreman writes, but is that realistic? Arizona has very lenient gun laws, but places with stricter laws have higher crime rates . Arizona's rates of hate crimes, extremist groups are comparable to other states . Anger, vicious political debate are found everywhere, Foreman says .

(CNN) -- Relatives of slain California 8-year-old Sandra Cantu expressed "shock" Saturday at news that a neighbor -- a Sunday school teacher whose daughter was a playmate of Sandra's -- was arrested in the girl's death. Melissa Huckaby was charged with kidnapping and murder in the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu. "Just utter shock and disbelief," Sandra's aunt Angie Chavez told CNN affiliate KOVR. "I can't imagine a mother doing this to a child." Melissa Huckaby, 28, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail early Saturday and faces charges of kidnapping and murder in the death of Sandra in Tracy, California. Sandra was last seen March 27 in the Tracy mobile home park where she lived with her family -- the same mobile home park where Huckaby lives. The girl's body was found Monday, stuffed into a suitcase submerged in a pond at a dairy farm. "We have to live the rest of our lives without Sandra. [Huckaby] is in jail. She can still see her little girl grow up," Sandra's uncle, Joe Chavez, told KOVR. He said the family is "shell-shocked" and hopes that in time they can learn to trust people again. "Who can you trust at this point?" he said. "Who do you know?" A police spokesman told reporters Saturday he "couldn't begin to theorize" a motive for Sandra's death. Watch police discuss the arrest » . Huckaby is the granddaughter of Clifford Lane Lawless, pastor at the Clover Road Baptist Church, which was searched as part of the investigation, Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters. Huckaby taught Sunday school at the church, he said. In addition, Huckaby's 5-year-old daughter was close friends with Sandra, who often played at Huckaby's home. Earlier Saturday, Sheneman said he did not believe Huckaby had retained an attorney. In a Friday interview with the Tracy Press newspaper, Huckaby acknowledged owning the black rolling suitcase that held Sandra's body, but said she reported it missing the day before the girl's body was found. She said it disappeared the same day the girl was last seen. "There's been a lot of speculation on the news about what happened to my suitcase," she told the newspaper. "It's not my granddad's. It's mine, and someone took it." Police said Huckaby lives in the same mobile home complex where Sandra lived with her family; the Tracy Press reported Huckaby lives with her grandparents. Police noted "inconsistencies" between comments Huckaby made to the newspaper and a previous statement she gave authorities, Sheneman said. It was one reason police asked her Friday to come to the station to be interviewed again. She drove there about 6 p.m. Friday, he said. Authorities believe Huckaby lied about the suitcase being missing, Sheneman said. Asked whether authorities believe Sandra's death was planned, Sheneman said the question is "not something I can answer right now" but "we do have an indication." He said authorities have found where they believe the girl was killed, but would not divulge that location to reporters. "I couldn't begin to theorize what her motive is," Sheneman said of Huckaby. During the Friday night interview with police, Huckaby was "very relaxed for a bit, and then she became very emotional, and then she became relaxed again" before appearing resigned, Sheneman said. He declined to say whether Huckaby had confessed, but said "she revealed enough information that we had probable cause to arrest her." Huckaby was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail about 3:25 a.m. (6:25 a.m. ET), according to the county sheriff's Web site. She is set to appear in court Tuesday. Police took Huckaby into custody about 11:15 p.m. Friday (2:15 a.m. ET Saturday), Sheneman said, but she chose to continue talking with them for more than two hours. Authorities told Sandra's family of the arrest about 2:15 a.m. local time, he said. "They were in disbelief." Watch neighbors remember slain girl » . Police have had contact with Huckaby before, but she does not have a record of violence, Sheneman said, but did not elaborate. He said no other arrests are expected in Sandra's death. Citing court records, the Tracy Press reported Huckaby pleaded no contest January 9 to a felony charge of second-degree commercial burglary and a misdemeanor charge of property theft with a prior theft, burglary or robbery. A criminal complaint says she was jailed in Los Angeles County on a property theft conviction in 2006 and that she attempted to steal from a store in November 2008. According to the complaint, she is on probation in San Joaquin County and is due back in court April 17. Asked about the court records, Huckaby told the newspaper it wasn't her and that she did not know why the address and cell phone number in the court documents match her own. "I don't know what to say," she said. "That's not me." Police believe that by the time Sandra was reported missing, she was already dead, Tracy Police Chief Janet Thiessen told reporters Saturday. "There was some speculation early on that [the suspect] would be a man," Sheneman said Saturday. "It's unusual for a woman -- statistically, according to the FBI -- to be involved in anything like this." The day Sandra was last reported seen, she returned home from school, kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives nearby. A short time later, wearing a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings, she left to go to another friend's home, according to a family spokeswoman. Police said the girl's clothing helped them identify her body. Huckaby told the Tracy Press that Sandra stopped by her home that day to ask if she could play with Huckaby's daughter, but Huckaby refused because she wanted her daughter to pick up her toys. Sandra left for another friend's home, Huckaby told the newspaper. How Sandra died has not been made public. An autopsy was conducted earlier in the week, but CNN affiliate KRON-TV said results are not expected for weeks. Thiessen said Saturday any autopsy information as well as search warrants filed in the case remain under seal.

NEW: "I can't imagine a mother doing this to a child," Sandra Cantu's aunt says . NEW: Suspect's daughter was Sandra's friend, playmate . Melissa Huckaby was arrested on charges of kidnapping and murder, police say . Body of Sandra, 8, was found Monday stuffed in a suitcase submerged in a pond .

(CNN) -- I have suffered from debilitating panic attacks since 1986. They were brought on by what happened on January 10, when I was a young reporter at WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, and witnessed the electric chair execution of a convicted killer. I volunteered for the assignment. It was an important case. James Terry Roach was 17 when he committed the crime -- borderline mentally disabled, with a degenerative brain disorder. Authorities had every reason to commute his sentence. Former President Jimmy Carter and Mother Teresa sent in pleas on his behalf -- but to no avail. On the morning of the 10th, Roach was strapped into the electric chair and the switch thrown. His body slammed into the back of the chair and instantly tensed up. For one solid minute, electricity coursed through his body. Executioners paused for one minute, then once again threw the switch. For 60 more seconds his body absorbed electricity. A short time later, he was pronounced dead. A lot of reporters probably could have distanced themselves emotionally and moved on. But something happened to me in those few minutes. Afterward, I was anxious, couldn't sleep, and found myself reliving the execution over and over in my mind. I came back to work after a couple of days off. The assignment desk had planned to take it easy on me, but as luck would have it, there was some kind of fatal accident, and I was sent on the story. A large garbage truck was picking up a dumpster and accidentally made contact with power lines. So, my first story back was another electrocution. Heading back to the station I had my first panic attack. People have told me, "I get panic-stricken, and nervous too. It happens." But getting nervous is not a panic attack. An attack makes you feel as if your world is ending. Your heart is racing, you begin to hyperventilate, every nerve in your body is exploding -- it seems you're about to die, and you have an overwhelming sense of doom. Opinion: Why do we keep executing people? My initial reaction to a panic attack was to find something to drink -- beer, wine, anything to calm down after work. But eventually I had to make a deal with myself: No drinking to help "take the edge off." If I was going to drink, it would be when I felt good -- pounding a few back to ease anxiety would lead me down a road I didn't want to take. In the late '80s and early '90s panic attacks came on to one degree or another almost daily, and of course the deal with myself was violated all too often. I sought help, and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I was embarrassed and humiliated, but kept it to myself. For years it was very difficult. Instead of getting better, it seemed to be getting worse. I withdrew, and couldn't be by myself without thinking the panic attacks would send me -- in my term -- "cycling out of control." I remember taking a writing test at CNN in 1989 and having three punishing panic attacks that were so bad I almost got up and walked out of the building. Professional support made things get better, but the attacks never completely went away. Certain situations and environments could take me back and an attack would come on, my heart feeling as though it would burst through my chest, worried that I would just collapse on the ground gasping for breath while sweat was trickling down the side of my face. OK, now imagine that happening while you're getting ready to do an on-camera interview, or tethered to a live shot, or the very worst -- sitting in the anchor chair. It wasn't just happening to me, it was happening to me in front of millions of people. I have been a journalist a long time. Along the way I have picked up what I consider a nice collection of awards and honors, and reported on everything imaginable: hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fires, wars, elections, you name it. I am proud of that work, but still feel a huge sense of failure every time I let panic attacks get the best of me. It is hard to describe a panic attack to someone who hasn't lived through it. As well as an overwhelming sense of dread, a physical weight is on your shoulders -- as if something terrible is going to happen. But my colleagues never seemed to know anything was wrong. If I couldn't concentrate, or felt like I couldn't get through a live shot I would sometimes say, "Ugh, I don't feel good. I didn't sleep well last night." It was all very believable. Once, I was anchoring a live environment show on CNN on a weekend morning. When I started to read the headlines, I was hyperventilating and couldn't make a sound. People at home were seeing video of what I was supposed to be talking about. I reached down, took a drink of water and told the producer I was just choking for a second. The hour show went off without a hitch from there on. I have flown nearly a million miles on Delta Airlines alone, and on nearly every flight I worried about a panic attack, and on a few of them, suffered through the full-blown thing. One time a flight attendant walked down the aisle and asked me if I needed oxygen. The sheer ridiculousness of the whole episode made me laugh and the panic passed, like it always does. What I went through is nothing compared with troops returning home from war zones struggling with PTSD, and my heart goes out to them. I am healthy, happy where I am in life, and have been blessed with great jobs and great friends. I am still reporting, anchoring and doing live shots. If you tune in, you won't see me collapse in a fit of panic. I am doing a lot better. More than once in my life, I thought there was no way to get through this. I vividly remember being on a warm, sunny beach in the throes of a panic attack and wondering if my life would ever be normal again -- if I would ever again simply be able to close my eyes and be at ease. For those going through anxiety issues, I have a message: You can get better, you can work through it. It may be therapy, medication, or just the realization that you aren't alone. I kept a journal during the worst period of my panic attacks which helps me to remember how far I've come since my darkest hours -- when I felt as though the sun would never come up again. It isn't easy to write about this. A big part of me still considers myself a failure for having to cope with this condition. Yet by and large, I have made peace with myself -- things are a lot better. I can look inside, and ask myself: "What's the worst that will happen?" And I've found the worst thing that can happen is giving in to the fear. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sean Callebs.

Sean Callebs suffers from panic attacks that began after he saw an electric chair execution . Callebs: In an attack, your heart races, you hyperventilate, you think you're about to die . Callebs had to hide his attacks while he was reporting or even sitting in the anchor chair . He is doing much better today after seeking help and not giving in to the fear .

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Opposition fighters continued to push west, entering territory loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, but were quickly beaten back, rebels told CNN, as diplomats arrived Tuesday in London to discuss the crisis. The setback for the rebels highlights the tenuous nature of their recent gains and suggests they might face more resistance in the days to come. As they moved into Umm el Ghindel -- near Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace -- rebels began searching homes and found that Gadhafi's forces had armed residents in the area, they said. As they were talking to residents, asking them to join the opposition, gunfire broke out. Rebels told CNN they refused to fire back and began a hasty retreat. A stream of vehicles could be seen fleeing the area. CNN could not independently confirm details of the report. Earlier, a wounded rebel with bandages on the left side of his head and face described what happened Monday about 30 kilometers (nearly 20 miles) from Sirte, near the city's main entrance. He said he and a group of fellow opposition fighters came across a group of Gadhafi forces who raised a white flag -- a suggestion that they would not shoot. But as the opposition approached the group, Gadhafi forces fired on them indiscriminately, killing some of the opposition members and wounding others, the rebel told CNN's Arwa Damon. Vehicles were destroyed as well, he said. Rebels credited coalition airstrikes with helping them regain ground, noting that they had encountered little resistance as they headed west over the weekend. But they said Monday that they need more airstrikes to advance further. Coalition officials say they are enforcing a U.N. Security Council resolution approved on March 17 that creates a no-fly zone above Libya and mandates the protection of civilians. Taking Sirte would be a symbolic victory for the rebels, who regained control of several significant towns over the weekend as coalition airstrikes continued. Rebels said the fight to take over Sirte could be their toughest and bloodiest battle yet. Opposition forces claimed to have gained control of the town of Ras Lanuf on Sunday. The opposition also appeared to have taken control of the key oil town of Brega. Those victories marked a comeback for the ragtag group of amateur soldiers who are unified by one mission: toppling Gadhafi's nearly 42-year rule. On Monday, opposition troops and Gadhafi's security forces battled over the town of Nawfaliya. Rebel forces told CNN they had gained control of the city. CNN could hear explosions and see plumes of smoke in the area of Nawfaliyah and Sirte. In Misrata, where rebel fighters have said they have been under siege for weeks, CNN's Nic Robertson saw evidence of heavy fighting and damage Monday when the government organized a trip for reporters to the city. Government forces said they were in control of Misrata, though they did not allow Robertson and others into the city center, which rebels have said they control. Meanwhile, diplomats from around the world began arriving in London Tuesday for a conference on the crisis in Libya. More than 40 foreign ministers, representatives from regional groups and top diplomats are expected to attend, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Chairman of the African Union Jean Ping and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech about Libya Monday, making his case for military intervention amid tough calls for him to clarify the United States' role in the U.N.-authorized military mission. He stressed the United States has a strategic interest in stopping the Libyan leader, and said "history is not on Gadhafi's side." Despite the pressure for more international action, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained Monday that the coalition's actions seemed to expand beyond the U.N. resolution's scope. "There are reports -- which go undenied -- that the air forces of the coalition conduct airstrikes on Gadhafi's troops and support the military actions of rebels. There is an obvious controversy there," he told reporters in Moscow. "We believe that the interference into what is, essentially, an internal civil war is not sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council resolution." Russia abstained from voting on the U.N. Security Council resolution but did not veto it. Libyan government officials have also argued that coalition forces target only troops loyal to Gadhafi. "The rebels are making their advance and no one is stopping them. And no one is even talking to them or saying, 'Where are you going?' or 'Why are you taking offensive positions and attacking the Libyan army and Libyan cities?' " Moussa Ibrahim, a Libyan government spokesman, told reporters in Tripoli Sunday. He accused NATO of "starving the Libyan population to get Libya on its knees to beg for mercy." "They are trying to weaken our spirits. They are not trying to protect civilians," he said. NATO, which has 28 member countries, formally approved plans Sunday to take control of enforcing the U.N. Security Council resolution. The coalition enforcing the resolution has been led by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. "Our mandate is very clear. We're there to protect civilians against attacks. No more, no less," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told CNN. Rasmussen said military commanders will make decisions on day-to-day operations within the framework NATO members agreed upon over the weekend. He declined to discuss specific rules of engagement, but stressed that NATO also is enforcing an arms embargo in Libya. "We are not in Libya to arm people, but to protect people," he said. On Monday, Libyan state television displayed images of injured people in a hospital and destroyed buildings as it reported that civilians were wounded when bombs struck the central Libyan city of Sabha in the early morning hours. CNN was unable to independently verify that report. U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said at the Pentagon Monday that there have been no confirmed civilian casualties in Libya as a result of coalition activity. Also Monday, video footage emerged online purporting to show forces loyal to Gadhafi abusing prisoners. CNN was not able to confirm the authenticity of the video or determine exactly when and where it was shot. In the clip, soldiers are seen taunting and slapping prisoners, who are crouched in the back of a truck with their hands bound. Qatar announced Monday that it would recognize the Transitional National Council, composed of opposition representatives, as the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people. CNN's Reza Sayah, Arwa Damon, Nic Robertson, Paula Newton, Maxim Tkachenko and Yousuf Basil contributed to this report .

NEW: U.S. President Obama makes his case for intervention in Libya . NEW: Diplomats prepare to meet in London . Rebels enter Gadhafi loyalist territory, then flee gunfire, they say . Libyan state television claims civilians are injured from Sabha bombing .

(CNN) -- Ebola virus disease is sweeping across West Africa in the largest outbreak of the virus to date. Mortality rates are currently at 60% in a disease where up to 90% of infected people can die. But despite this lethality there remain no licensed treatments or vaccines available, nearly 40 years after the disease was first discovered. In March, Ebola was reported for the first time in Guinea, West Africa, in districts that border neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone. This proximity meant that unlike previous outbreaks in other parts of Africa, the usually remote Ebola virus had the opportunity to cross borders. With residents migrating back and forth, it did just that. Four months later the outbreak has reached unprecedented scales, with 1,093 people infected and 660 deaths attributed to the virus. "This is clearly an outbreak across international borders and it has not been handled properly," explains David Heymann, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), who was on-site at the first human Ebola outbreak in 1976. He says the 24 known outbreaks of Ebola to date have shown that it should be easily controlled. "It's not rocket science to control these outbreaks but instead basic epidemiology: infection control, hygiene practices, contact-tracing and safe burial practices," says Heymann of the virus, which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. "Ebola is its own worst enemy, it's too lethal and cannot sustain its own spread." But whilst it should be easily contained, this time something has gone wrong. The Guinean and Liberian capital cities were reached exposing many more to the virus and making those infected and their contacts harder to trace and isolate. The outbreak has been described as "out of control" by Doctors without Borders -- so why is there no other approach? Opinion: Why Ebola epidemic is spinning out of control . The usual response in disease outbreaks is to use drugs to treat those infected and stop them transmitting to others, in combination with vaccines that protect those exposed and slow down, or halt, the spread of a virus through a population by enabling herd immunity. But there are no licensed drugs or vaccines for use against Ebola as its periodic, remote and usually small-scale nature means there has not been a big enough market, nor the ability to conduct large-scale trials in humans exposed to the disease. The biology of the virus also makes it challenging to develop vaccines that create a strong enough immune response; the occurrence of multiple forms of the virus means an immune response is needed against all of them, and Ebola's ability to replicate rapidly means it could equally rapidly evolve resistance to the vaccine. Despite these challenges, there are vaccines being developed by a range of organizations, including the vaccine research center at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) -- and some argue that an outbreak is the perfect time to trial them. "It would be unethical not to acknowledge that potential new treatments could both save lives and reduce transmission in this and future outbreaks," says Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of global charitable foundation the Wellcome Trust. Farrar has recently called for new approaches to be used in controlling the outbreak as no other opportunity will enable the further development of new treatments or vaccines. "Any new intervention must have preclinical safety and efficacy data and Phase I safety data in healthy volunteers," he says describing the slow progression of phases involved in pharmaceutical development, "But ultimately there can be no Phase II (vaccine efficacy) data in Ebola other than that acquired during an epidemic." Peter Piot, director of the LSHTM, who co-discovered Ebola during its first outbreak, agrees with Farrar. "In general I believe that this continuing outbreak is a rare opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of experimental drugs," he says, but stresses, "as long as all ethical standards are respected, and as long as it does not create more problems for controlling the outbreak, since medical experiments may decrease even more trust in health authorities and add to hostility to healthcare workers." Piot is referring to resistance from affected communities towards healthcare workers and health officials who enter their villages dressed in astronaut-like quarantine clothing and ask them to change their cultural practices such as burials, where the traditional cleaning of bodies puts those mourning at risk of transmission. Long-standing mistrust exists towards governments and ministries of health, leading to healthcare staff having rocks thrown at them, being threatened by machetes and facing general aggression, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson. Tensions between those controlling the outbreak and those affected by it mean trialling vaccines in outbreak communities is not supported by WHO officials on the ground. "Using an experimental vaccine on human beings in the middle of an outbreak in this case would not be ethical, feasible, or wise," according to the WHO. But there remain other avenues. "The vaccines are likely safe and effective but aren't used by public health teams and they won't use them without adequate trials," explains Dr Peter Walsh, from the University of Cambridge, who is developing vaccines for use in non-human primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas who are also victims of the virus. Walsh's vaccines have shown a good immune response when trialled in chimpanzees and he suggests trialling human vaccines incrementally in healthcare workers rather than the mass population. "Healthcare workers are at the greatest risk and are hubs of infection who are likely to spread it to others," he says. "The risk of dying from the vaccine is tiny compared to dying from Ebola and unlike communities, healthcare workers would understand the risks better and should be able to give informed consent." This approach is supported by the NIAID, whose Ebola vaccine programs have progressed the furthest. "We are supporting a number of vaccines and they are all in a roughly similar position and getting ready for Phase I trials for safety," says Dr Mike Kurilla, director of their Office of Biodefense Research Resources and Translational Research. "If these make it through testing what we're likely to see in future outbreaks is healthcare workers and outbreak investigators taking the vaccine under informed consent," Kurilla explains. "Working with those at the highest risk will enable you to see if the vaccine has an impact." It is too late in this outbreak for vaccines to have enough of a preventative impact, but Ebola will emerge again in the future. If safety can be proven, the stockpiling of vaccines could improve the outcome of future outbreaks. "Vaccines enable a preparative framework to be established rather than a reactive one," explains Heymann. "But firstly it must be shown to be safe in humans." The ability to control future epidemics may depend on it. Opinion: Why Ebola epidemic is spinning out of control .

40 years after its discovery, there are no licensed treatments or vaccines for Ebola . Ethically, a vaccine for Ebola can only be trialled for effectiveness during an outbreak . Vaccines are better trialled in high-risk groups, including healthcare workers, say experts .

(CNN) -- Caroline Wozniacki has had her critics in the past. A defensive game and not landing a grand slam title while she was ranked No. 1 provided fodder for her detractors. But now everyone, it seems, is rooting for the Dane. Why? Well, much of it must be down to the fact that Wozniacki was dumped -- and very publicly -- by golf sensation Rory McIlroy only months before they were due to tie the knot. McIlroy ended the relationship in May, saying he wasn't ready for marriage, and the news left Wozniacki devastated. She was visibly distraught as she spoke to reporters at the French Open soon after, and exited in the first round, her earliest loss at Roland Garros in seven years. The Northern Irishman has since rediscovered his vintage form, claiming he is more focused, and has won two major titles and regained his No. 1 ranking. Wozniacki has also picked up her game after a lengthy slump. She's the favorite to reach the U.S. Open final from the bottom half of the draw after upsetting Maria Sharapova on Sunday. And whereas Wozniacki said earlier in 2014 she would like to become a young mother -- suggesting her tennis days were numbered -- her own focus is now solely on the court. That Wozniacki is prospering in New York is slightly ironic -- it was where she was reportedly supposed to marry McIlroy in November. She's sure to return to the Big Apple that month, however, having decided following their split to run in the New York City Marathon. Wozniacki has so far refused to discuss her relationship with McIlroy at the U.S. Open, not that any of the fans minded. The crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in her match against Sharapova was firmly behind the 24-year-old, leading her to gush afterwards: "The crowd was amazing today." Her victory over Sharapova put Wozniacki into a first grand slam quarterfinal since the 2012 Australian Open. "The season for me has been a little bit up and down," Wozniacki said. "And it's so nice to kind of start feeling like I'm playing the way I want to. "This hard-court season has been amazing for me. I actually started already feeling really good on court since Eastbourne (in June). I have just been building on my game since then." Wozniacki won a title in Istanbul in July and even though she didn't add to her haul in Montreal and Cincinnati, the player that stopped her was world No. 1 Serena Williams. Both of their encounters went to three sets. They have become good friends this year, spending time together in Miami after their early departures from the French Open. Although Wozniacki still can't be considered an attacking player, her serve has improved, and she has become more aggressive on the baseline. Her retrieving, though, is still what gives opponents problems. Making Sharapova keep running paid off, as the Russian committed 43 unforced errors. "I think she's better at what she's done really well in her career," Sharapova said. "I think she's moving extremely well; she's fit. "I mean, she's always been fit, but there is a little bit more on her defense shots. "It's not just balls up in the air. She's doing a little bit more with them." Wozniacki faces another counter puncher, Sara Errani, in the last eight on Tuesday, and could face Williams -- again -- in the final. Williams advanced to the quarterfinals Monday by beating Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-3 6-3. "I have had a great summer, and I told Serena I'm pretty tired of her," said Wozniacki. "I said, 'Can you just get out of my way?' "We just laugh about it. This one was a great win for me. Maria, again, is a good player. For me, I think mentally as well to get that in my pocket is kind of nice. "I still have hopefully a few good matches in me here in this tournament." Pennetta continues U.S. success . New York is also proving to be a happy hunting ground for Flavia Pennetta, a semifinalist last year. The Italian won the biggest title of her career in Indian Wells, California in March but has done little to back that up since. However, the 11th seed is now one win away from matching that feat after topping Australia's Casey Dellacqua 7-5 6-2 in early play Monday to earn a place in the last eight. But to get any further the 32-year-old will have to get past defending champion Williams. The winner of that match will face either former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka or Russia's Ekaterina Makarova. Azarenka, a beaten finalist in New York the past two years but seeded 16th after a year of injury problems, came from behind to beat Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 4-6 6-4 6-4. Makarova, the 17th seed, reached the last eight for the second year in a row after upsetting Canada's rising star Eugenie Bouchard, winning 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 against the seventh seed. Meanwhile, men's No. 1 Novak Djokovic beat Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1 7-5 6-4 and will face Andy Murray in the quarterfinals. Eighth seed Murray, who beat Djokovic in the 2012 final to win his first grand slam title, brushed off France's world No. 10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5 7-5 6-4. Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori reached the second grand slam quarterfinal of his career after outlasting Canada's No. 5 Milos Raonic in a marathon match that ended at 2:26 a.m. local time -- equaling the latest finish in the tournament's history. Nishikori triumphed 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (6-8) 7-5 6-4 in four hours 19 minutes to earn a clash with third-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka. The Australian Open champion, a semifinalist here last year, defeated Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.

Caroline Wozniacki is winning matches as well as fans at the U.S. Open . The former world No. 1 had the crowd behind her as she upset Maria Sharapova . Wozniacki is now picking up her game after being dumped by Rory McIlroy in May . Dane will play Italian 13th seed Sara Errani in quarterfinals in New York .

(CNN) -- A man on trial for gunning down a Kansas abortion provider in church said he had no regrets because "abortion is murder." Scott Roeder, 51, said he shot and killed Dr. George Tiller as services began on May 31 to save the lives of the unborn. "There was nothing being done and the legal process had been exhausted, and these babies were dying every day," Roeder said. "I did what I thought was needed to be done to protect the children." Roeder is charged with one count of first-degree murder for the death of Tiller, who ran a women's clinic in Wichita where abortions were performed, including the controversial late-term procedure. Roeder was the only witness for the defense, which rested its case Thursday. Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert told jurors closing arguments will be held Friday morning, depending on the weather. After the jury left, Wilbert ruled that the jury could not consider convicting Roeder of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, which is defined as "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force" under Kansas statute. Wilbert said testimony did not support the defense claim that Roeder's beliefs on abortion justified the use of deadly force against Tiller. Tiller, 67, was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions. He had already survived one attempt on his life and a clinic bombing before he was slain. During Roeder's testimony Thursday, Tiller's widow, Jeanne, and other family members sat in the gallery. Initially stoic, they began to dab at tears as Roeder described putting a gun to Tiller's head. Asked if he regretted what he did, Roeder said, "No, I don't." Upon learning that Tiller's clinic was shut down after his death, he said he felt "a sense of relief." Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and a red patterned tie, Roeder calmly testified that he had a long-standing belief that Tiller should die. He thought about different ways to kill the doctor -- driving a car into him, perhaps, or shooting him with a rifle. His main concern, Roeder said, was that he might harm others. Under cross-examination by Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston, he said he also considered cutting Tiller's hands off with a sword, but decided that would not be effective, as Tiller would still be able to train others. Roeder said that through the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue he learned that Tiller took measures to protect himself -- traveling in an armored car, using a security escort, wearing a bulletproof vest and living in a gated community. He decided to kill Tiller at his church, he said, because "I felt that actually if he was to be stopped, that was probably the only place he could have been stopped. ... It was the only window of opportunity I saw." Roeder said he visited the church four or five times before Tiller's death. The week before the shooting, on May 24, he carried a .22-caliber handgun with him, he testified, but Tiller did not attend church that day. On May 31, though, the doctor was greeting congregants in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church before Roeder walked up to him and shot him at point blank range. "The lives of those children were in imminent danger if someone did not stop George Tiller," Roeder said. "I shot him." Under questioning from Foulston, Roeder acknowledged that he "somewhat" admired those who previously had committed violence against abortion providers. He said his anti-abortion beliefs "go hand in hand" with his religious beliefs. He said he became born again in 1992 after watching an episode of "The 700 Club." Asked if there are any circumstances in which he believes abortion is acceptable, Roeder said he thought it could be if the mother's life was in "absolute" danger. "I struggle with that decision," he said, "because I believe that ultimately, it is up to our heavenly father. But if there was a time, that would be it." He said he did not believe abortion was justified in the case of rape. "You are taking the life of the innocent. You're punishing the innocent life for the sin of the father. Two wrongs don't make a right." Asked about incest, he said his beliefs were the same: "It isn't our duty to take life, it's our heavenly father's." Roeder's testimony was peppered with objections from prosecutors. Many objections were sustained by Wilbert, who has maintained he does not want the trial to become a forum on abortion. In a conference out of the presence of jurors, Wilbert cautioned Roeder, saying specifics on medical procedures would not be allowed. Roeder's testimony would proceed, Wilbert said, "on a question-by-question basis." Roeder recounted conducting what he called "sidewalk counseling" at Kansas City abortion clinics, handing pamphlets and other literature to women as they went inside. "Some of them did ultimately change their mind," he said. In opening statements Thursday, defense attorney Steve Osburn told jurors Roeder "killed Dr. Tiller because he believed that was the only way, necessary to save the lives of the unborn." Defense attorneys claim Roeder was also motivated by authorities' failure to punish him through the judicial system. Wilbert refused to allow former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline to testify on behalf of the defense. On Wednesday, he refused to allow testimony from current Deputy Attorney General Barry Disney. Kline unsuccessfully attempted to prosecute Tiller in 2006. Disney charged Tiller with 19 misdemeanor counts, but a jury acquitted the doctor. Wilbert said Roeder can testify about the cases and how they affected his beliefs, but to allow testimony from Kline would "get into legal matters that do not concern this jury." And, the judge said, the cases do not give Roeder a basis to state absolutely that Tiller's actions were illegal, since the doctor had never been convicted. Roeder testified he was "very frustrated" by Tiller's acquittal, saying it "seemed like that was the last attempt by the state of Kansas to find if there was anything at all going on illegally in George Tiller's clinic." Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, told reporters outside the courtroom the trial is "a railroad, a kangaroo court, where they are denying critical evidence about what was on Scott Roeder's mind when he pulled the trigger." "Perhaps if the Sedgwick County prosecutors had done a better job prosecuting Tiller for how he illegally killed babies, he would still be alive," Terry said.

NEW: Judge rules jury cannot consider manslaughter charge for abortion provider's shooter . Scott Roeder says he has no regrets over killing Dr. George Tiller at church in May 2009 . Tiller ran a women's clinic where he performed abortions in Wichita, Kansas . Roeder testified he thought of various ways to kill Tiller .

(CNN) -- Vladimir Putin's gala address before Russian parliamentarians and officials Tuesday surprised no one when he announced Russia's annexation of Crimea. The interesting part was his distorted view of Russian history, and his proclamation that a bizarre kind of simultaneously aggrieved and aggressive hyper-nationalism is now Russia's official ideology. In discussing Ukraine, however, Putin seemed to go out of his way to suggest he had no aggressive intentions and was not planning to divide the rest of the country. Listening to Putin, one could easily forget that Russia is and for many centuries has been the largest country in the world and that it acquired its territories by imperialist expansion often accompanied by genocide and ethnic cleansing. Instead, Putin prefers to see Russia as having been permanently on the defensive, a victim of both Western and Communist machinations: "In a word, we have all the reasons to believe that the notorious policy of containing Russia, which was pursued in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, is continuing to this day. "They are constantly trying to drive us into some corner, because we have an independent position, because we defend it, and because we call things by their names and are not hypocrites," he said. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, according to Putin, it was the turn of the Bolsheviks to aggrieve Russia. Putin conveniently ignores that the vast majority of Bolsheviks were Russian and that the party Lenin founded was institutionally Russian as well. No matter. Putin says: "The Bolsheviks, for a number of reasons -- may God judge them -- added large sections of the historical South of Russia to the Republic of Ukraine. This was done with no consideration for the ethnic makeup of the population, and today these areas form the southeast of Ukraine. Then, in 1954, a decision was made to transfer Crimean Region to Ukraine. ... What matters now is that this decision was made in clear violation of the constitutional norms that were in place even then." Once again, Putin's historical myopia is breathtaking: Nikita Khrushchev's decision to grant Crimea to Ukraine was as constitutional as anything any Soviet Communist leader did in the entire period of the USSR's existence. The Soviet Union rested on illegality and the systemic violation of human and civil rights. If Khrushchev was wrong, then that's only because the USSR was wrong and should never have been created in the first place. Unsurprisingly, there is no room in this narrative for the nation that Russian imperialism almost managed to annihilate -- the Crimean Tatars. Russia conquered the Crimean Tatar khanate in 1783. Afterward, the Russian authorities forced the Tatars out of their ancestral homeland and replaced them with settlers from Russia. Tens of thousands of Tatars died or were killed; some two-thirds had to leave the Crimea. In 1944, the ethnic cleansing was completed when Stalin expelled the entire Crimean Tatar population -- about 200,000 people -- to Uzbekistan and some other Soviet regions. About half died on the way. It was only in the late 1980s that they began returning to their homeland to find that their land and their homes had been occupied by Russian settlers. Instead, Putin primarily explains why Crimea matters to Russia: "The graves of Russian soldiers whose bravery brought Crimea into the Russian empire are also in Crimea. This is also Sevastopol -- a legendary city with an outstanding history, a fortress that serves as the birthplace of Russia's Black Sea Fleet ... symbolizing Russian military glory and outstanding valor." And what of the Crimean Tatars? Here's Putin: "True, there was a time when Crimean Tatars were treated unfairly, just as a number of other peoples in the USSR. There is only one thing I can say here: Millions of people of various ethnicities suffered during those repressions, and primarily Russians." The mendacity is astounding. The Crimean Tatars were not just "treated unfairly" by some vague force. They were subjected to genocide by a Russian totalitarian empire. Russians also "suffered," but the brunt of the suffering fell, as Yale historian Timothy Snyder describes in "Bloodlands," on Poles and Ukrainians. Despite all this victimization, Putin's speech loudly asserts that Russia is back: It's mad as hell and it won't take being humiliated anymore. This Russia, the new Russia, is both victim and bully: . "Today it is imperative to end the hysterics and to renounce the rhetoric of the 'Cold War,' and to recognize an obvious thing: Russia is an independent and active participant in international life, and it has, like other countries, its national interests, which must be acknowledged and respected." And then, remarkably, Putin adopts a conciliatory tone with respect to Ukraine. Naturally, he first denounces the new democratic government as illegitimate and in the thrall of imaginary fascists and asserts Russia's obligation to help defend Russians and Russian speakers from their supposed assaults and predations. Here's the soft and fuzzy Putin: . "I appeal to the people of Ukraine. I sincerely want you to understand us: Under no conditions do we wish to bring you harm, to insult your national feelings. We have always respected the territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. ... "Don't believe those who terrify you with Russia, who shout that other regions will follow Crimea. ... We want Ukraine to be a strong, sovereign and self-sufficient state. ... We want peace and amity to come to the land of Ukraine, and together with other countries we are ready to provide full cooperation and support to that end. But I repeat: Only the citizens of Ukraine are able to bring order to their own home." If these words were sincere, then they may mark a significant departure from the war-mongering rhetoric Putin employed at his March 4 press conference, where he stated he "wasn't worried" by war with Ukraine. Indeed, if sincere, Putin has clearly stated that he will not invade the rest of Ukraine and attempt to annex some of its southeastern provinces. Is Putin being truthful, or is the speech a smoke screen for further aggression? We don't know, of course, but now that Putin has gone on record as having nothing but peaceful intentions toward Ukraine, the international community would do well to remind him of that whenever the temptation to rattle sabers on Ukraine's borders and foment trouble in Ukraine's southeast proves too strong for him to resist. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alexander J. Motyl.

Alexander J. Motyl: Putin describes both an aggrieved and aggressive Russia . Motyl: He rewrites history, portraying Russia as a victim of the West and Communists . Motyl: Putin says Russia has the right to be a bully, dismisses its previous abuses . Motyl: West must hold him to his statements that he wants peace with Ukraine .

Washington (CNN) -- It is the second big speech of his presidency's second act, but there is little or nothing to suggest President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address offers any hope of a new beginning or a new spirit in divided Washington. Consider the vast partisan differences in expectations. "Obama core supporters are getting what they hoped for in 2009," says veteran Democratic pollster and strategist Peter Hart. "He is a president who seems both more confident and at the same time at home with himself both legislatively and philosophically." If there is one certainty in today's political climate, it is that when one party is happy, the other is not. Security Clearance: Foreign policy will take back seat . "Republicans should wear asbestos suits to the House chamber because they're going to be torched," said longtime GOP operative Ed Gillespie, a veteran of senior jobs in the House leadership, the Republican National Committee and the George W. Bush White House. "President Obama seems to think that the best way to get things done is not by retail persuasion but by wholesale attacking." The president's wish list already has him on a collision course with the GOP on several fronts, from the familiar sniping over taxes and spending and red ink to new battle lines over White House calls for sweeping changes to immigration and gun laws. Veterans of previous administration note the first year of the second term is critical. "Of his second term, this is the one that will get the most attention," said Karen Hughes, the George W. Bush confidante. "This is the list of what he still wants to accomplish as president." As such, Hughes said, the biggest challenge is focus. "It was never my favorite speech because it is a legislative laundry list and everyone is trying to get their piece in," Hughes said. Huge challenge: How will we reduce the deficit? The biggest immediate challenge is a carryover from the first term: Navigating differences over how to achieve a substantial deficit reduction package. A March 1 deadline looms when temporary fixes enacted in the first term essentially expire and across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration loom if no new plan is passed. "The economy still languishes and the obvious threat is sequestration, which is omnipresent," is how Hart described the moment to CNN. "But I think the president can look presidential and put the GOP between a rock and a hard place." There is little doubt that the president has the upper hand in the battle for public opinion: what he calls a "balanced approach" of more tax revenues and spending cuts including, again in the president's words, "modest" savings in Medicare and Social Security. "I am prepared, eager and anxious to get a big deal, a big package that ends governance by crisis," the president told House Democrats this week in offering a bit of a State of the Union preview. But there is no hint of any big deal in sight, and the president himself has called for another temporary fix to push the deadline back a few months. It is a glaring example of Washington dysfunction, and the longer the stalemate goes on, the more extremes in both parties try to block the path to any grand bargain. Conservative groups, for example, warn of retribution against Republicans who consider giving the president any additional tax revenues, and liberal groups repeatedly are reminding newly elected Democrats of their promises not to support Medicare cuts. As this plays out, again, White House aides talk confidently of the president's place in the political debate. But even in "winning," there could be a price. A crisis of confidence . GOP pollster Bill McInturff notes a post-election drop in consumer confidence and says there are parallels to past battles over the debt ceiling and the fiscal cliff. In a consumer-driven economy, a collapse in confidence because of more Washington paralysis could stall an economic recovery that is critical to the president's second term political standing. "Economic confidence plays a key role in building the type of optimism that encourages businesses to hire and people to spend," McInturff writes in a presentation offering his take on what he labels "The Washington Economy." "It is important leaders in both parties begin to recognize how the tenor, tone and outcome of the policy debates in Washington are actually retarding economic confidence in a way that makes building a sustained recovery more difficult." What about immigration and gun laws? Question marks also can be attached to other top State of the Union priorities. Some congressional action on immigration and gun laws seems likely, though what emerges could be significantly less than what Obama wants. Immigration is the most likely source of a major package. But it remains a highly divisive issue, and both parties will be tested. The biggest question mark, perhaps, is whether the Republican-controlled House would pass legislation granting a path to citizenship to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. And if the House passed legislation granting legal status but not full citizenship to such immigrants, would the president accept that compromise? There is little question the president won't get his way in the gun control debate. He wants new universal background checks for gun purchases. More robust background checks do appear to have significant bipartisan support, but not as sweeping a plan as envisioned by the president. At the moment, the math is against the president when counting votes in Congress for his proposals to ban assault weapons and magazine cartridges that hold more than 10 rounds. On guns, Democrat Hart sees it this way: "The president has the moral high ground but not necessarily the political high ground. It is still an intensity issue." Republican Hughes recalls how President George W. Bush later regretted putting a push for Social Security reforms ahead of immigration, an issue that, back then, had better prospects for bipartisan action. Especially now, she says choosing priorities is critical. "If I were in their shoes, I would be looking to get some things done," she said. "Show people can work together and restore some confidence." Hart predicts one line that will win applause across the political spectrum, in living rooms across the country if not in the House chamber: "We will be out of Afghanistan in 2014. Americans cannot wait for this." A more aggressive Obama . More broadly, he sees a new Obama in the second act even if Washington's partisan polarization is a sharp as ever. "There is an aggressiveness to his action and a willingness to recognize that he can use his political strength either to win in policy terms or political terms or maybe both fronts," Hart said. "Bottom line: The wind is at the president's back. The problems haven't changed or disappeared, but this is a more confident and politically sharp president right now." Not surprisingly, Republicans see a different bottom line. "It's not likely to produce much by way of legislative accomplishment," GOP strategist Gillespie said of the president's second term tone. "I suspect this speech will be in the rear view mirror pretty quickly."

President Obama to give his first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday . On the eve of speech, gridlock in Washington continues to be the biggest obstacle . He is expected to lay out an agenda focusing on the economy, guns, immigration . Looking at other two-term presidents, this next year will be crucial to get things done .

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The home life Diana Krall shares with husband (and fellow musical brain) Elvis Costello and their 2-year-old twin boys is a little nutty. Diana Krall's new album, "Quiet Nights," was inspired by a trip she made to Brazil. "It's zany in the most wonderful way," says the 44-year-old jazz singer-pianist. "You have two little boys leaping off the furniture who think they're Buzz Lightyear while we're practicing and playing. It's just a happy house." Krall's domestic bliss -- "domestic" being a new concept for the ever-touring artist -- is suggested in the warm, intimate vibe of her latest album "Quiet Nights." "It's a very natural process for me, making a record. It ends up being a reflection of where I am at that time. My life is just tremendous right now. It couldn't be better," she says. No kidding. "Quiet Nights" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album charts last week, a career high for Krall. A memorable trip to Brazil in 2007 inspired the Canadian chanteuse to take her 12th album in a bossa nova direction: The title track is the English version of the bossa nova classic "Corcovado." She also covers "The Girl from Ipanema" -- though naturally in her whispery rendition she flips "girl" to "boy" -- and gives a fresh spin on Frank Sinatra's "Where or When." Watch Krall find bliss in Brazil » . "There was something about turning 'Where or When' into a bossa nova that changes the feeling for me of the song," Krall said. "It's much more emotional than if I sang it in a swing feeling. I've always experimented with that." Krall brought arranger and conductor Claus Ogerman on board. He was a natural, having worked with Sinatra and Brazilian singer-songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim who wrote both "Ipanema" and "Corcovado." And Krall co-produced the album with frequent collaborator Tommy LiPuma. "One of the best parts of making a record is the dinner after where you all you go to the restaurant, you decompress, have some great wine and just tell stories and listen to Claus and Tommy and [engineer] Al Schmidt and all these people telling amazing stories," says Krall. Diana Krall recently sat down with CNN to share some stories of her own about a teenaged letter to Oscar Peterson, idolizing Harry Connick Jr. and Mickey Mouse pancakes. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: This is the first album you've made since becoming a mother. Does it feel different somehow? Diana Krall: I think [this album reflects my present] state of mind. It's not about loss, it's not preparing for loss. I'm not peeling grapes. Life has changed a lot and it's not just about performing and touring. It's motherhood and having a home for the first time, because I've always been on the road. So it's an incredible thing to be making Mickey Mouse pancakes in the morning while you're doing your interviews. CNN: You've been producing Barbara Streisand's new album. What has that been like? Krall: Incredible. I just am so thrilled with her performance on this album. [She gives] one of the most incredible performances I think of her career on a song called "You Must Believe in Spring" with a great pianist from New York named Phil Charlap. It's just piano and voice and it's so incredibly stunning. She said to me, "Maybe it needs some strings or something." I said "Don't touch it! Just leave it! It's gorgeous!" It's been great working artist to artist and we had a lot of fun. We played cards. So when there were moments in the studio where there was something technical that had to be fixed, we'd deal the cards and we'd play gin rummy, which I'm lousy at. Thank goodness. CNN: This is the first album you've produced for another artist. Way to choose somebody really small to start off with. Krall: She chose me! I had a few phone calls and it was a little daunting, but it was a great experience and really, really intense, as you would expect it to be. CNN: Some people were a little put out by your record "The Girl in the Other Room" because you strayed from jazz. How did you process that reaction? Krall: Somebody's always put out with anything I do (laughs). "Why'd you do 'The Look of Love?' " "Why don't you do 'The Look of Love' again?" I don't know! I'm too busy trying to put the Lego back in the box, and making sure nobody's eating all the Play-Doh. That record did very well and a lot of people say to me, "That's my favorite record." And I wrote [it] with my husband, so I don't really look back. I look forward. And I've got a pretty loyal audience. CNN: What would you say to your sons if they tell you they want to be musicians when they grow up? Krall: They should do whatever makes them happy. This is what they know so if that's what they choose to do -- who knows. They could be like my mom and my dad and be a teacher-librarian and a chartered accountant. That's fine too. A month ago I found this letter I wrote to Oscar Peterson when I was 16 years old and my mom had saved it for me and put it in a box in the attic. It was a five-page letter I wrote to Oscar Peterson saying, "Dear Oscar, I'm 16 years old and I hear a professional musician's life is a very difficult one but I know this is the only life I want to have." And it was really enlightening for me to see the focus of a 16-year-old. It reminded me of how much I love the music and always wanted to do what I'm doing, so how lucky am I? CNN: But it's not all luck. Krall: I think it's a lot of luck. I think I started in a very good time. When I went to see that film "When Harry Met Sally," and I heard Harry Connick playing the piano, I though there's somebody who's my age and he's playing the music that I love. And I felt like there was a kindred spirit and it inspired me to go, "I want to do exactly what he's doing." And I still owe a lot of thanks to Harry. I've only met him like a couple of times, but he's still a favorite artist of mine.

Diana Krall's new album, "Quiet Nights," features bossa nova interpretations . Singer-pianist is producing Barbara Streisand's new album . She's doing what she loves; "How lucky am I?" she says .

(CNN) -- As protests continue over the disputed presidential elections in Iran, we asked two analysts to explain the background to the controversy. Supporters of President Ahmadinejad wave flags at a massive rally in Tehran Sunday to celebrate his victory. Q) What degree of election monitoring is there in Iran? A) The problem with this election, according to London-based Mideast analyst Amir Taheri, is that there is no independent monitoring at all in Iran with the interior ministry arguing that the Council of the Guardians of the Constitution, a "star chamber" of 12 mullahs, would have that role. "Candidates are not allowed to be present at polling stations during voting or counting. Many voters are illiterate and officials help them fill in their ballot papers, so the possibilities for rigging are immense. And there are no booths in the polling stations so voting is done in public, not in private -- a major obstacle for transparency," Taheri said. So the problem for opposition candidates in this election, said Taheri, the author of "The Persian Night," is that there are no concrete examples of fraud because there was no monitoring. "You could say all of Iran's 10 presidential elections have been fraudulent or that all were fair -- we just don't know. All have been held in the same way. The whole electoral process from the vetting of candidates to voting and ballot counting is conducted by the state." Q) So is it possible that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did win the election? A) The president does indeed have great public support in Iran, Taheri said, adding that "I'm sure he did win the election but it's impossible he won 63 percent of the vote. The results probably exaggerated the scale of his support." According to official results, Ahmadinejad won in all regions and among all classes and ages -- again, something that Taheri said was unlikely, "but I can't prove it." Had he not exaggerated the scale of his victory, Taheri said, unlike in previous presidential elections, it is possible there wouldn't be the outcry there is now. "Many Iranians feel insulted by the results because they feel their vote didn't count. Everybody knows, for instance that Ahmadinejad is unpopular in cities but he still won the vote there. That is why people are so angry." Another Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour agreed, saying he believed this was "a stolen election." Watch Sadjadpour explain why election was "stolen" » . "There are a lot of signs there were major improprieties. First of all there were 40 million votes cast and just two hours after the polls had closed they announced Ahmadinejad's victory: and these votes are hand counted in Iran... Sadjadpour, an associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, added: "Another example I give is that (opposition leader Mir Hossein) Moussavi, who is an ethnic Azeri Turk, lost the province of Iranian Azerbaijan. This is the equivalent of Barack Obama losing the African American vote to John McCain in 2008." Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the record voter turnout in Friday's election showed Iranians value "resistance against oppressors," the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. "Pointing to enemies' massive propaganda campaign to discourage people from taking part in the elections, Ayatollah Khamenei also said there was really a divine miracle behind this elections, given its results that was 10 million higher than any of the previous ones in the 30-year history of elections in Iran," IRNA reported. Q) Will the anger and protests on the streets subside or grow into something much greater? A) Much depends on what the opposition candidates do in coming days, according to Sadjadpour. "We've never in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic seen the revolutionary elite so divided," he said. Former centrist president Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a founding father of the Islamic republic, and Moussavi are now both opposition candidates. "They feel the election was stolen from them and that the majority of public support is on their side. They're planning more public protests so this tumult may not subside any time soon." Gallery: Emotions run high after election » . Q) How will the regime deal with these protests? A) Iran's leaders "have repression down to a science," said Sadjadpour. "Before the election they ease political and social restrictions because they want to project a democratic face to the world. But at times like these when rallies are getting out of hand they use overwhelming force to nip them in the bud. So I anticipate more use of force to ensure they don't get out of hand." Watch report on latest violence in Iran » . Q) What will the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei do? A) This is the big question and there were reports on Monday he would agree to an investigation into allegations of vote rigging. Speaking earlier, Sadjadpour said he felt the supreme leader would not intervene unless he felt his sustainability as leader was at stake. "The reason why is that I believe he was behind this power grab. Ahmadinejad was his candidate so he's not exactly an objective actor. Opposition candidates are trying to appeal to Khamenei before they take to the streets but I'm not sure how he walks back from this." Q) What does four more years of Ahmadinejad mean for Iran and the rest of the world? A) The big problem the United States and Europe is to stop Iran from going nuclear and Ahmadinejad's reelection means Iran's aggressive policy towards the West is not going to change. "I feel the results are quite disastrous," said Sadjadpour. "In terms of the U.S.-Iran relationship, Ahmadinejad's mere presence could well serve as an insurmountable obstacle to confidence building. He presses the worst buttons in the context of domestic U.S. politics with his denial of the Holocaust and belligerence towards Israel. Domestically in Iran he has profoundly mismanaged the economy with one of the highest inflation rates in the world and high unemployment." However according to TIME magazine, behind closed doors the White House may be relieved by the result. Despite the attention paid to the office of the Iranian presidency, nuclear policy is set by the country's religious leaders and appear determined to amass enriched uranium whether or not a hard-liner or a moderate is president, the magazine said Monday. "Ahmadinejad's win may increase Washington's chances of getting tougher sanctions on Iran if they refuse to negotiate," TIME reported senior Administration officials as saying.

Analysts explain background to allegations of ballot fraud in Iran's elections . Difficult to prove fraud in absence of any independent monitoring of voting . President Ahmadinejad has exaggerated scale of support, analysts say . Protests set to continue but regime often cracks down on dissenters, they say .

(CNN) -- A large storm system flooding portions of New York, Pennsylvania and New England on Friday afternoon has claimed at least eight lives, including seven in North Carolina, officials said. Nowhere was the misery more evident than Bertie County in northeastern North Carolina, where water in places was almost to the top of stop signs. The situation in the town of Windsor, which has about 2,000 residents, was dire Friday afternoon, said County Manager Zee Lamb. Perhaps 175 people have been rescued from rising floodwaters since Thursday night, Lamb said. "A lot of people cannot get to their homes." Rescue shelters were set up and animals in a small zoo were taken to higher ground. Dramatic video footage showed the damage and the Cashie River, which is about 16 feet above flood stage. Most roads to the town were closed or partially closed. "The county library is under 5 feet of water in the town of Windsor," Lamb said. "You cannot get to the courthouse by road. I got here by boat today." Many businesses in the city are underwater, said Lamb, adding the county has asked the state for emergency assistance. Some buildings had water 6 to 7 feet deep on their first floor. Historic homes in the town were damaged. Townspeople were surprised by the extent of the flooding, Lamb said. "[Hurricane] Floyd [in 1999] was supposed to be the 100-year-old flood. Eleven years later we have another major flood." The storm system was dropping heavy rain in the Northeast as the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole interacted with an upper-level low and a frontal boundary. An advisory from the National Weather Service said up to three more inches of rain may fall in the region. Flood watches and warnings were in effect from the mid-Atlantic states to Maine. High-wind warnings were in effect from Massachusetts to Maine, with wind gusts up to 60 mph. Boston was already feeling the effects, although the rain was expected to clear by Saturday morning. Philadelphia and much of eastern and central Pennsylvania were deluged by rainfall and a motorist died after driving into floodwaters near Skippack Creek, state troopers said. Troopers saw the vehicle floating near a golf course but were unable to reach the female driver, who was later found dead. Police said a 72-year-old woman was trapped for more than eight hours inside her car in Cumru Township before she escaped, according to WFMZ. The outlook was for clearer skies later in the day. A weather-related accident Thursday claimed four lives in Washington County, North Carolina, where a Jeep Grand Cherokee hydroplaned and ended up in a ditch filled with water. Four of five people in the SUV drowned. They were from Gwinnett County, Georgia. A 3-year-old survived and was hospitalized Friday, officials said. Two motorists died in Dare County on Friday, and another was killed in Pamlico County, said Julia Jarema, spokeswoman for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. About 150 roads were in North Carolina at one point were closed and some people were evacuated in Bertie County, said Patty McQuillan, communications officer for the state's Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Major road closures included U.S. 158 in Elizabeth City, U.S. 264 in Beaufort County and U.S. 17 in Windsor. In Swansboro, North Carolina, eight people were rescued, an emergency management official said. That scene repeated itself in a few other North Carolina and Virginia communities. Airport delays are expected to be crippling in the Northeast again, with ground stops and delays of three hours or more at the New York City airports and in Boston, Massachusetts. Baltimore, Maryland -- at 6.02 inches -- on Thursday had its wettest September day ever. Norfolk, Virginia, endured nearly 12 inches of rainfall. CNN affiliate WUSA showed images of flooding in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Rain left city streets underwater, stranded vehicles and sent scores of people to shelters and caused major delays at airports along the East Coast. Skies were beginning to clear Friday in much of the Carolinas and Virginia. Wilmington, North Carolina, has received 22.54 inches of rain since Sunday, the National Weather Service said. September's total of 22.72 inches was shy of the record 23.41 inches in 1999. "Water-wise, it was significant," said Warren Lee, emergency management director for New Hanover County, which includes three beach communities. Monday was actually worse than Thursday, said Lee, because the heavy rain hit bone-dry ground and sparked flash flooding. Crews will do a damage assessment Friday, he said, indicating there were few evacuations and little wind damage. Sixty miles up the coast, there was extensive flooding in Swansboro, according to Norman Bryson with Onslow County Emergency Management. The town was completely cut off to vehicular traffic. In Carolina Beach, a lake overflowed and flooded downtown, a video from CNN affiliate WRAL showed one person kayaking through the streets. U.S. 421 remained closed Friday morning. Carolina Beach Town Manager Tim Owens said the weather was improving Friday and the town expects tourists to return for the weekend. He said some residents near the retention lake likely have some flood damage. "We fared pretty well," he said. CNN iReporters snapped flood photos and told their tales. In upstate New York, Esopus Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River, overflowed and flooded shops and homes in downtown Phoenicia, said Kevin Keaveny. "I've never seen the water come up to the streets," he said. Margaret Pelczynski of Buffalo, New York, was visiting Carolina Beach. "This only confirms my beliefs that I'd gladly take a blizzard any day over this rain, wind and flooding," she wrote. And William Bernstein Jr. posted photos of Virginia Beach, Virginia. He said there were rescues Thursday and trees down in the Tidewater area. "I believe this will be one we will remember a long time," he wrote. In Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, many streets were flooded, as were stretches of Interstate 264, according to CNN Virginia affiliate WAVY 10. Some in the area are without power because of downed lines. Chris Hauser of Suffolk told WAVY he woke up to find water in his garage and up to 14 inches of water in his back yard, which is near a lake. As he stood on wooden planks just above the floodwater, Hauser quipped, "Now I have my dock that I always thought about building." CNN's Shawn Nottingham, Angela Fritz, Dave Alsup, Phil Gast, Taylor Ward and Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

Town in Bertie County, North Carolina, virtually underwater . At least eight deaths attributed to storm . CNN iReporters file dispatches from the scene . High wind warnings issued for parts of Northeast; airport delays likely .

Washington (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her South Korean and Japanese counterparts jointly condemned North Korea on Monday for recent attacks and nuclear arms proliferation that the three diplomats said threaten stability and peace in the Korean peninsula and, more broadly, the Far East. The trio pledged support for South Korea in the latest escalation of its long-running conflict with North Korea, and urged China to take on a larger role in constraining Pyongyang. "We all agree that North Korea's provocative and belligerent behavior jeopardizes peace and stability" in the region, Clinton said after a meeting at the State Department in Washington with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara. Any effort to resume multinational talks with Pyongyang "must start with North Korea ceasing all provocative and belligerent behavior," Clinton said at a joint news conference by the three. "We want the people of South Korea to know we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you and that we are deeply committed to your defense," Clinton said. Kim said the United States, Japan, and South Korea all "share the view that North Korea will face severe consequences" if it launches further attacks on his country. Monday's meeting came as Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, prepared to depart Washington for South Korea, Pentagon officials said. The hastily planned visit is aimed at reassuring the South Korean military of U.S. support, according to the officials. "The principal message is to the South Koreans that we continue to stand by them in the defense of their territory, for stability on the peninsula," said Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman for Mullen. "Nobody should mistake our resolve," Kirby said, adding that the situation on the peninsula is tense but "relatively stable" at the moment. Next week, Deputy Secretary James Steinberg will lead a delegation to Asia to follow up on Mullen's visit, two senior administration officials told CNN on Monday. The delegation will include Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary for Asia, and Jeff Bader, the White House's top Asia adviser, the two senior administration officials said. At the joint news conference, Maehara said Japan would send an envoy to China to discuss the situation. China is North Korea's main ally, and Clinton said Monday that the three diplomats agreed in their talks that China should be doing more to get North Korea to change its behaviour and meet its international responsibilities. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court said Monday it had opened a preliminary investigation into North Korean shelling of South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island last month, as well as the March sinking of a South Korean warship -- allegedly by a North Korean torpedo -- to evaluate if the incidents constitute war crimes. A preliminary investigation will determine whether criteria for an investigation is met, the court said in a news release. Four people died in the Yeonpyeong incident; 46 South Korean soldiers died in the Cheonan sinking. North Korea, meanwhile, continued its strong rhetoric Sunday, blaming its southern rival for stoking tensions in the region. North and South Korea are technically still at war, 57 years after the Korean War truce. Through the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang said the "South Korean puppet group ... is getting more frantic in military provocations." The report warned that Seoul was "rapidly driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to an uncontrollable extreme phase." These latest comments come as South Korea, the United States and Japan have stepped up their public cooperation, further isolating the communist state. On Saturday, President Barack Obama announced what he called a "landmark" trade agreement with South Korea that he said would bolster U.S. exports by $11 billion, support 70,000 American jobs and eliminate tariffs on more than 95% of industrial and consumer goods. Meanwhile, the United States and Japan are holding the largest ever bilateral military exercises between the two countries, according to the U.S. military. The exercises, dubbed "Keen Sword" and running through December 10, include elements throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa and the surrounding waters. Monday's meeting among top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan aims to bring together three "cornerstones of the region," according to a senior State Department official speaking on background because of the issue's diplomatic sensitivity. Representatives from Russia and China -- part of the six-party talks which have focused on North Korea's nuclear program -- were not invited to participate. But the official stressed that China, especially, should not view its exclusion as a "snub." U.S. officials have been pressuring Beijing to do more to exert its influence on North Korea and urge Pyongyang to cease its aggressive behavior. Obama called Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday -- Monday in China -- and told him that North Korea needs to "halt its provocative behavior," according to the White House. The state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that Hu called for a "calm and rational response from all sides to prevent the deterioration of the fragile security situation" on the Korean peninsula. North Korean officials have been pushing for the resumption of six-party talks including China and Russia. But the United States has thus far refused, looking first for proof that North Korea is serious about not stoking military tensions and stifling development of its nuclear program. The conflict in the Koreas has intensified since November 23, when North Korean forces launched an artillery barrage Yeonpyeong Island. Pyongyang accused the South of provoking the attack, which also injured 18 people, because shells from a South Korean military drill landed in the North's waters. The following week, members of the U.S. military joined their South Korean counterparts in a military drill that, while long ago scheduled, was meant as a show of military force. Meanwhile, the South Korean navy on Monday began live-fire exercises on seas surrounding the Korean peninsula. The exercises are taking place off all three coasts of the peninsula, officials at South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Yonhap. They are scheduled to last through Friday and are a routine monthly exercise aimed at securing the safety of ships in the area, the officials said. The Korean Central News Agency lambasted the exercises in a Sunday article, claiming Seoul is trying to orchestrate another clash around the border island "at any cost" and "ignite a war." Kim Kwan-jin, South Korea's new defense minister, said Friday his country will respond with airstrikes if North Korea attacks it again, in some of the strongest rhetoric since the Yeonpyeong incident. CNN's Jill Dougherty, Elise Labott, Tom Cohen and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report.

NEW: Another U.S. delegation will go to Asia, sources say . NEW: Japan sending an envoy to China to discuss the Korean crisis . Top U.S., Japanese and S. Korean diplomats condemn recent N. Korean actions . U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman to head to South Korea to demonstrate support .

(CNN) -- Are you better off today than you were four years ago? With 26 consecutive months of job growth, it seems like the answer should be yes. With an 8.2% unemployment rate, it's no wonder that in a recent Gallup poll, most said no. This disconnect is the reason some Democrats -- meeting for their convention this week in North Carolina -- are having a hard time finding an answer with the right tone. It also explains why Mitt Romney and the Republicans love asking the question: Nuanced answers to what appears to be a simple yes or no question sounds like spin, and voters hate spin. More important, the question tricks the middle class into condensing all of their money problems into the three-plus years of the Obama administration. I say "trick" because the truth is, the "better off" question does nothing to address the real reason why things are tight: Americans' wages haven't kept up with the cost of living for a good long time. And because of that, the middle class has been dying a slow death for the past 40 years, not four. Romney likes to say that he is a financial whiz, so you have to know that this bit of information is not news to him. That he doesn't bother bringing up that trend when talking about the economy is yet another sign that he's more interested in winning the election than helping those less fortunate than himself. Here's what I'm talking about: . In its recent report, "The Lost Decade of the Middle Class," the Pew Research Center found that in 1971, 62% of the country's income was earned by the middle class, which at that time represented 61% of the population. In 1991, the middle class took in 54% of the income and represented 56% of the country. In 2011, the middle class represented 51% of the population, but its earning was down to 45%. Opinion: What Democrats need to do in Charlotte . None of this would be a problem if the percentage of Americans who became rich was in line with the amount of money the rich were taking in. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In 1971, the rich represented 14% of the country and took in 29% of the income. In 2011, the rich represented 20% of the country but took in a whopping 46% of the money. So Romney asking "are you better off today than you were four years ago" is a bit insulting; he's really just a rich guy preying on the emotions of a middle class in long decline. Maybe if he starts talking about the dramatic redistribution of wealth that's occurred since 1971 and the wage/inflation gap, I'll think differently. And that gap? Over a 12-month period ending in December, wages went up 1.8%, while through October, the consumer price index was up 3.5%. This is not an anomaly, it's been the norm. This is why Pew found that "85% of self-described middle-class adults say it is more difficult now than it was a decade ago for middle-class people to maintain their standard of living." We're working just as hard as in years past, but we're behind the 8-ball because for most of the country, wages are not even set to meet the cost of living. Indeed, some of us are closer to being poor than middle class and don't know it. The 2011 middle class median income started at $39,418 for a family of three. Yet Pew found some families making less than $30,000 still self-identified as middle class, even though they're closer to the nation's bottom fifth, according to the U.S. Census. How does this translate on the ground? The starting salary for K-12 teachers in 42 states is below the $39,418 bar of median middle class salaries. Beyond the basic necessities, such as food, housing and a car to get to work, many young teachers are paying back student loans. So if there's a young teacher with a family -- say in a state like Ohio, where the starting salary is $31,876 -- there's a good chance that person is poor, not middle class. The starting salary for a New York firefighter is $43,074. Now, that may sound like a lot of money until you realize that "a New Yorker would have to make $123,322 a year to have the same standard of living as someone making $50,000 in Houston," according to the Center for an Urban Future. Depending on the neighborhood, full-time day care in New York can cost a family about $25,000 a year. I don't know about you, but I think it's kind of messed up that our teachers and firemen, professionals that used to represent a legitimate middle class -- only a short time ago -- are living check to check. That's not all about taxes and government. It's not about Obamacare or a "war on the rich." It's about a trend that has gone on under the radar for decades finally making its presence known. Apple has worldwide sales of $16 billion. But a New York Times article this summer reported "about 30,000 of the 43,000 Apple employees in this country work in Apple Stores, as members of the service economy, and many of them earn about $25,000 a year." Meanwhile, it went on: "Last year, (CEO Tim Cook) received stock grants, which vest over a 10-year period, that at today's share price would be worth more than $570 million." After much criticism, this summer, Apple gave all of its retail stores employees raises up to 25%, and last I checked, the company is still making a lot of money. In fact, both Obama and Romney acknowledge that big business is doing OK, remarks supported by Wall Street. So why are so many of us still struggling? "Are you better off today?" is not a question looking for a productive answer. It's a rallying cry for those opposed to the Obama administration -- an administration that has certainly made its share of economic mistakes but is hardly the reason why this generation is projected to make less money than the one before. If Romney wants to show the nation that he is the truly the best man for the job and not just another candidate seeking it, he will start talking about ways to turn things around for the middle class. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.

LZ Granderson: Romney asking if you're better off than four years ago is wrong question . He says study shows middle class shrinking for 40 years, with smaller share of wage pie . LZ: In 1971, rich were 14% of U.S., 29% of income; in 2011: 20% of U.S., 46% income . LZ: If Romney wants to really do something for country, he'll have plan to address this trend .

(CNN) -- Elizabeth Smart was not afraid to face Brian Mitchell in her first testimony detailing her 2002 abduction. Elizabeth Smart, now 21 and in college, testified that Brian Mitchell raped her daily. In fact, her father said, she wanted the man who allegedly kept her tethered to a tree in the Utah woods muzzled and forced to listen to her testimony. Mitchell was in court Thursday for a competency hearing, but Smart never saw him because U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball ordered him removed from the court when he ignored requests to stop singing and disrupting the proceedings. He watched via a closed-circuit camera from another room. "She actually wanted to face him," Ed Smart said. "I think she asked [U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman] if he could be muzzled and have to sit there and watch it." Tolman, standing alongside Smart's father after Thursday's hearing in Salt Lake City, confirmed the 21-year-old woman's request: "She did ask me whether or not [Mitchell] got to see that testimony and hear that testimony, and I indicated to her, to her relief, that he was there in a room with the audio and video and had nothing else to do but listen." Mitchell is accused of abducting Smart from the bedroom of her Salt Lake City, Utah, home in June 2002. She testified that she was kept captive in Utah and California until March 2003, when she was found walking down a street in Sandy, Utah, with Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Smart said that, during those nine months, no 24-hour period passed without Mitchell being able to rape her. Public defender Robert Steele says Mitchell is mentally ill, but Tolman said he believes that Mitchell "has attempted to fool or to deceive the system." Ed Smart said he hopes his daughter's testimony nixes the notion that Mitchell cannot stand trial, "and if this doesn't clinch the issue of competency, our nation is in really, really bad shape, because it means that anyone out there can manipulate and make the court do what it wants." Watch Smart's father talk about the hearing » . Mitchell and Barzee are charged with six felony counts, including aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault. Smart's testimony began with details of how she was abducted at knife point while she slept next to her sister. She was 14 at the time. She said Mitchell took her to a wooded area not far from her home, performed a marriage ceremony and began raping her. Mitchell often sang about his intentions, she testified: "He would come up the mountainside, yelling, 'I'm going to [expletive] your eyes out.' " Mitchell also threatened to kill her if she tried to escape, Smart said. "He said an angel would strike me down with a sword," she said, "but he also told me that he would be that angel." Mitchell gave her drugs and alcohol, showed her pornography and used religion to justify most of his actions, she testified. He also said he was God's servant, a prophet, and would one day face and kill the Antichrist, she said. On one occasion, Smart said, she vomited after Mitchell gave her too much to drink. "He let me lie face-down in my vomit for the entire night until I woke up the next day," she told the court. "He said that was showing my true state, that I was laying face-down in my vomit." That morning illustrated a recurring theme, she said, explaining that Mitchell often rationalized his actions by saying they would ultimately yield greater spirituality. "He said that first I had to be humbled and to sink below all things before arising above all things," she recalled. "You have to experience the lowest form of humanity to experience the highest." Smart, now a Brigham Young University student and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, described Mitchell as "evil, wicked, manipulative, sneaky, slimy, selfish, greedy, not spiritual, not religious, not close to God." During her nine months in captivity, Mitchell kept her in Utah until the winter approached, at which point he transported her to San Diego, California, she said. It's unclear when they returned to Utah, but Elizabeth Smart testified that she convinced Mitchell that they should hitchhike back to Salt Lake City. She told the court her ulterior motive was to return to an area where she more easily could be recognized and rescued. While in Utah, Mitchell kept her confined with a cable attached to her leg, she said. The 10-foot tether was locked on to another cable that was 15 to 20 feet long. "He had a big cable bolted onto my leg, which was strung between two trees, and there was a lock that would slide between the two trees," she said. "He had the key around his neck the entire time." Asked how often she was raped, she replied, "On a daily basis, up to three or four times." She resisted his advances several times, she said, once biting him as he tried to have sex with her. "He said that if I ever did that again, he would never have sex with me again, and I would be the most miserable woman in the world," she said. "It didn't make a difference that he said that. I mean, it didn't stop him." After the hearing, Ed Smart said he was "amazed at her strength" and "I don't know how she could have done a better job." Asked about his daughter's reaction following her testimony, he said, "Phew, it's over." He bordered on tears when asked whether he had learned anything Thursday about his daughter's abduction. "There were certainly a lot of things that I had never heard before, and I had no idea what she had gone through -- so much out there," he said. Prosecutor Tolman said Smart's "powerful" testimony demonstrated that Mitchell was manipulative and inclined to be deceptive, but defense attorney Steele said Mitchell's guile did not negate his mental illness. "Those things can exist side by side: manipulativeness and mental illness," he said. Smart testified Thursday because she is scheduled to leave soon on a mission, customary of the Mormon religion. The prosecution plans to call dozens of witnesses when the competency hearing continues at the end of November, Tolman said. Included are people who have been incarcerated with Mitchell, he said. "The battle is not over. This is the very beginning of it," he said. Asked whether he would be willing to accept a plea bargain, Tolman said there was no indication that one was imminent. "We're inclined to prosecute this case vigorously and present it to a jury," he said.

Elizabeth Smart testifies against accused captor for first time . Smart, now 21, was abducted from her bedroom at knife point at age 14 . Brian Mitchell sings in court and is ordered removed . Mitchell's defense says he's not competent to stand trial; prosecutors disagree .

(CNN) -- On Sunday, Raquel and Pedro Alvarado buried three of their children -- Erica, Alex and Jose Angel -- in the Mexican village of El Control, just five miles south of the Texas border. The final resting place for the youths -- all in their 20s -- is the place where their family originated. But this small community, administered by the larger border city of Matamoros, merely provides bookends to the lives these three Americans had north of the Rio Grande. The siblings were born in the United States, grew up in Progreso, Texas, and continued to make their lives there. They disappeared on October 13 -- kidnapped, witnesses say -- as they returned to Texas from a trip to visit their father in El Control. Their bodies were found last week. Each was bound at their hands and feet, the Tamaulipas State Attorney General's Office said, and each had a gunshot wound to the head. A fourth victim, Jose Castaneda, met the same fate. Castaneda was Erica's boyfriend, her family said. All four were killed the same day they disappeared, a spokesman for the State Attorney General's Office said, without elaborating. Some witnesses told investigators that the armed men who confronted and took the youths belonged to a new security force known as "Grupo Hercules," State Attorney General Ismael Quintanilla Acosta told reporters. Grupo Hercules was created one month before the disappearance of the youths. It is touted as an elite security force under the direction of the mayor of Matamoros, 37-year-old Leticia Salazar. In parts of Mexico like this stretch of border, where drug cartels battle each other and law enforcement, things aren't always what they seem. Drug gangs have been known to pose as cops. Cops have been known to be on cartel payrolls. Cases of mistaken identity have had deadly consequences. But what troubles Pedro and Raquel Alvarado is that no one has offered a motive or theory about why their children and Castaneda were killed. No one has accused the Alvarado siblings of being involved in criminal activity. And while nine members of Grupo Hercules were interrogated by investigators, no arrests have been made. Salazar, the Matamoros mayor, has neither defended nor disciplined her security forces -- at least publicly. Contacted by CNN, Salazar referred questions to the city's public affairs team, which earlier said it did not have any comment on the allegations against Grupo Hercules and could not confirm why the group was created or even its size. In a news release announcing the group's unveiling, Grupo Hercules is described as being tasked with combating crime and made up of forces capable of carrying out intelligence and high-risk operations. A week ago, the attorney general said his investigators would call in the mayor for questioning, but that has not happened. "I don't know why they took them," Pedro Alvarado said. "They didn't start trouble with anyone. They were quiet, not aggressive." If her children were mixed up in something criminal, there should be a record of their arrests or charges against them, but those are nonexistent, Raquel Alvarado said. "If I knew they were doing something wrong, I would have recognized it as their mother," she said. "And until someone proves otherwise, I will continue defending them." Pedro, Raquel's former husband, was the one to identify the remains of his children, which were in an advanced state of decomposition, the State Attorney General's Office said. He identified them by their clothing, shoes and some tattoos. The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros has been assisting the family. "We have been in contact with Mexican officials both in Washington and in Mexico to find out further details of the case, and will take appropriate action (if necessary) once more is known about the circumstances," a State Department official said. An FBI spokeswoman said the agency is assisting Mexican officials with any part of the investigation on the U.S. side of the border. Three lives . The final Facebook post that Erica Alvarado shared -- at least publicly -- is a fitting, if unplanned, goodbye. It is a collage of photos of her four children atop a backdrop with the words "I love you." She was born in Florida, and like her siblings, grew up in Progreso, a Texas town on the border and about as close as you can get to El Control on the U.S. side of the boundary. She was a dedicated mother, Pedro Alvarado said, and was planning to enroll in a nursing program. Her brother Alex loved his Chevy Tahoe, his father said. Alex's social media postings reflect that: photos of the Tahoe muddied, photos after a paint job, the Tahoe as a profile picture. The same armed men who took his children took the Tahoe, Pedro Alvarado said. The 22-year-old had a prominent tattoo on his left arm -- an image of St. Jude, the saint of lost causes -- the father said. By now, Alex and his brother, Jose Angel, should have been in Missouri, doing seasonal agricultural work, Pedro Alvarado said. Jose Angel was born in Houston, and Alex in Harlingen, during Pedro's own days as a seasonal migrant worker in the United States, their father said. Routine visit . The siblings visited their father in El Control each week, Pedro Alvarado said. On their short drive back to Texas, the Alvarado siblings stopped at "La Curva Texas," a small restaurant underneath the last major overpass before the Los Indios International Bridge, Pedro Alvarado said. They arrived separately, Raquel Alvarado said. According to what witnesses have told her, Alex and Jose Angel arrived at the restaurant to find armed men beating up their sister and her boyfriend. The brothers intervened, and the armed men overpowered all four and placed hoods over their heads before escorting them away, the mother said. It was there, he said, that they were last seen before their bodies were found 16 days later. Raquel Alvarado said she and Pedro have told all this to authorities, but she accuses investigators of moving slowly. The facts that are known, she said, are thanks to the investigative work of Pedro, who tracked down witnesses. There was an outpouring of support at the funeral, Raquel Alvarado said. Family from across Texas and Mexico attended, and when the funeral procession moved from the church to the burial ground, they found that the crowd wouldn't fit in the cemetery. On Monday, the mother was back in Progreso, hoping to get some sleep to recover from the whirlwind of mourning, frustration and media spotlight. "I hope when I wake up I will learn this was all a nightmare," she said. "But I know it isn't." Mexican mayor, wife arrested in case of missing students . CNN's Elwyn Lopez and Rosa Flores contributed to this report.

Three siblings from Texas, another man, went missing in Mexico on October 13 . Some witnesses say security forces took them . Erica, Alex and Jose Angel Alvarado, and a fourth person who was with them were found dead . They were buried Sunday in Mexico .

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he governs Italy out of a sense of duty and sacrifice, not because he enjoys the job. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at a press conference in Rome on Oct. 7, 2009 . The conservative, flamboyant Italian leader, 73, says he actually doesn't like governing at all. But he stays in the job because he is considered the "only leader able to hold the center-right together." Berlusconi says there's nothing simple about the prime minister's job. He said: "I'm doing what I do with a sense of sacrifice. I don't really like it. Not at all." He added: "Very often there is a lot of dirty dealing, there is really the gutter press, worse than that, the shameless and sickly. It's a difficult life to be responsible for leading the government in a country like Italy." In a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Paula Newton, Berlusconi also discussed some of the controversial statements he has made, including calling U.S. President Barack Obama "tanned." He denied the comment was a gaffe. "I have never made any gaffes, not even one. Every gaffe is invented by the newspapers." He said he always thinks before he speaks. "I tell stories and tell jokes," he said. "I only tell jokes that can be heard by anyone. I'm always conscious of what we are talking about." Berlusconi said his supposed gaffes, like the time he left German Chancellor Angela Merkel waiting by the side of the Rhine while he finished a call on his mobile, were "invented by the papers." Watch more about his extraordinary year » . Berlusconi explained the incident to CNN, saying had been on the phone to Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Afterwards Merkel -- who he described as "happy" -- asked him if the call had been successful. Another time, he startled Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during a group photo at Buckingham Palace when he shouted over to the American president: "Mr. Obama! It's Berlusconi." This prompted the queen to raise a gloved hand and complain: "Why does he have to shout?" Look at photos of Italy's flamboyant leader » . Berlusconi told CNN "the Queen defended me." The billionaire media mogul-turned politician also blames the Italian media as the reason his second wife and mother of three of his five children, Veronica Lario, asked him for a divorce, saying Lario erred by believing what was in the Italian papers. Lario cited Berlusconi's presence at the birthday party of an 18-year-old Naples model, reported in the Italian press, as the reason for seeking a divorce earlier this year. "There is absolutely nothing at all which is negative," Berlusconi told CNN about his appearance at the birthday party of Noemi Letizia in Naples. Berlusconi, Italy's longest-serving prime minister, said his friendship with the young woman and her family were "relationships which have a right to privacy." He said the newspapers had accused him of lying in statements he made to them about it. "I will react and I will explain the situation," Berlusconi told CNN. "I will have all the Italians with me and the accusations will be a boomerang against those who made it against me." Lario also accused him of choosing starlets and showgirls as European parliament candidates and of consorting with young women. At the time Lario was interviewed by Dario Cresto-Dina, a reporter from the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, who told CNN, "In Veronica's words, 'This time he went beyond the limit with his latest public humiliation. I want to close this chapter on this marriage." Allegations that Berlusconi went to parties with escorts were also widely reported. Giampaolo Tarantini, the businessman accused of hiring the escorts denied any wrongdoing and said he brought women to the parties to make a "beautiful impression." "I have never paid money to those who accompanied me except for refunding their trip expenses," he said in a statement issued in June this year. "I exclude that the premier could have been aware of these reimbursements and I want to ask forgiveness for having involuntarily damaged him." The scandals have done little damage to Berlusconi's political standing in Italy. Polls have shown his popularity has dipped only slightly, mostly among women, since the scandals broke in the spring. Watch more about Berlusconi's love for his people » . "When I go around, it's embarrassing to see the affection showered upon me," Berlusconi told CNN. "I know that people can change their opinions ... but I must say that I just note the fact that I am close to the heart of many Italians and they show this to me very often." Berlusconi, who's also a songwriter, a real estate and insurance tycoon, and owner of Italian soccer team AC Milan, said he's always been "liked by those who have worked with me. I'm liked and loved by all the people in politics." Even his critics acknowledge his popularity among Italians. Giulio Anselmi, veteran Italian journalist and chairman of the Italian news agency ANSA, says Berlusconi's popularity is because he's a populist. He describes him as "a man who pulls the most elementary strings of the public opinion; a public opinion, which in Italy in these times, prefers simple paths." Berlusconi, who controls almost half of Italy's television stations, was elected in 2008 to his third term. The next Italian election, barring an early vote, is scheduled for 2013. His conservative coalition has control of both the Italian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Berlusconi, a former cruise ship singer before turning his hand to media ownership, said he entered politics in 1994 to combat the growing power of the Left and "communist ideology" in the country. "I couldn't imagine that the country where I had lived, where I had great success as the first Italian entrepreneur, that it would fall prey to these people," he said. Asked for the secret of his success, the wise-cracking entrepreneur replied: "Everybody knows that I have a sense of friendship, I'm loyal, I always say what I think -- I don't have any hidden thoughts, I don't hide anything, I speak openly." He also attributed his success to sheer hard work, his practice "not to leave anything undone. To aim for 10 if you want to achieve eight." Paula Newton contributed to this story.

Berlusconi says he doesn't like his job as Italian leader . Says he entered politics because of growing power of communists in Italy . He insists he hasn't committed a single gaffe; all "invented by the papers" Blames press for his wife's divorce announcement earlier this year .

(CNN) -- A key part of the law banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage was struck down as unconstitutional by a U.S. appeals court Thursday. The Defense of Marriage Act -- known as DOMA -- defines marriage for federal purposes as unions exclusively between a man and woman. Same-sex couples find their stride on wedding day . At issue is whether the federal government can deny tax, health and pension benefits to same-sex couples in states where they can legally marry. The ruling is a boost for gay rights advocates and the Obama administration, which in a rare move, has refused to defend a federal law in court. "If we are right in thinking that disparate impact on minority interests and federalism concerns both require somewhat more in this case than almost automatic deference to Congress' will, this statute fails that test," said the three judge panel. Same-sex marriage fast facts . The 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, based in Boston, did not rule on the federal law's other key provision: that states that do not allow same-sex marriages cannot be forced to recognize such unions performed in other states. Traditionally, marriages in one jurisdiction are considered valid across the country. DOMA was enacted in 1996, when Hawaii was considering legalizing same-sex marriage. Marriage between two males or two females is legal in the District of Columbia and six states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. It is set to become legal in Washington state next week and in Maryland in January, but in each state the implementation could be delayed by opponents placing the question on the November ballot. Many other states have legalized domestic partnerships and civil unions for such couples, including New Jersey, Illinois, Delaware, Rhode Island and Hawaii, a step designed in most cases to provide the same rights of marriage under state law. But other states have passed laws or state constitutional amendments banning such marriages. Lesbian couple can file for divorce in Maryland, court rules . The appeals court said it recognizes how divisive the issue is, and noted it may ultimately be up to the Supreme Court to decide. But this decision is the first at this judicial stage to find the heart of the law unconstitutional. "Many Americans believe that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, and most Americans live in states where that is the law today," said Judge Michael Boudin, appointed to the bench in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush. "One virtue of federalism is that it permits this diversity of governance based on local choice, but this applies as well to the states that have chosen to legalize same-sex marriage. Under current Supreme Court authority, Congress' denial of federal benefits to same-sex couples lawfully married in Massachusetts has not been adequately supported by any permissible federal interest." Chief Judge Sandra Lynch, a Clinton nominee, and Judge Juan Torruella, a Reagan nominee, joined in the opinion. It is in effect only within states with gay marriage laws covered by the 1st Circuit -- Massachusetts and New Hampshire -- and has limited enforcement. That means there will be no immediate eligibility for financial benefits currently denied same-sex married couples. No change is likely until the high court decides the matter. Massachusetts had challenged Section 3 of the law on behalf of a group of seven couples. Similar lawsuits have been filed across the country. Couples challenge Illinois law denying same-sex marriage . DOMA is being officially defended in court by House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who stepped in after the Justice Department refused to participate. The Obama administration announced last year it believed the law to be unconstitutional. A bill known as the Respect for Marriage Act is working its way through Congress and would repeal DOMA. Congressional opponents of DOMA hailed the court's opinion. "It's very good new for those who are fighting discrimination in any place, including in the area of marriage equality," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California. The case was argued in Boston last month. The lawyer for the couples said states have long-standing authority to control and define marriage, and that Congress has no right to intervene through DOMA, clearly designed, said the lawyer, as "disrespect" to lesbians and gays. But Paul Clement, the private attorney hired by Boehner to defend the law, argued a congressionally mandated, uniform standard to define marriage for federal purposes is both proper and practical. Obama calls for marriage equality, says 'I want everyone to be treated fairly' Groups fighting DOMA were ecstatic at the decision. "All Massachusetts couples should be afforded the same rights and protections under the law, and we hope that this decision will be the final step toward ensuring that equality for all," said the state's attorney general, Martha Coakley, who in 2009 filed the initial lawsuit challenging DOMA. "As more loving same-sex couples commit their lives to one another in marriage, the harms of this unjust law become more clear," said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, "from service members, risking their lives to protect ours, being denied the ability to protect their own families through military medical insurance or survivor benefits, to senior citizens having to move out of their homes after their partners of many decades pass on because they cannot access Social Security protections afforded any other legally married couple." There was no immediate reaction from Boehner or the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group in the House of Representatives. But gay marriage opponents expressed confidence the Supreme Court would eventually reverse the ruling. "Society should protect and strengthen marriage, not undermine it," said Alliance Defense Fund Legal Counsel Dale Schowengerdt. "In allowing one state to hold the federal government, and potentially other states, hostage to redefine marriage, the 1st Circuit attempts a bridge too far. Under this rationale, if just one state decided to accept polygamy, the federal government and perhaps other states would be forced to accept it, too." The issue has been working along two legal tracks. A federal appeals court earlier this month ruled against California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, arguing the ban unconstitutionally singles out gays and lesbians for discrimination. In a split decision, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the state's Proposition 8 "works a meaningful harm to gays and lesbians" by denying their right to civil marriage in violation of the 14th Amendment. Both the California and Massachusetts cases could soon be presented to the U.S. Supreme Court for review. The justices would have the discretion to accept one, both, or neither case -- perhaps deferring judicial review until a later time, after more lower courts have had time to debate the matter. The case is Massachusetts v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (10-2204).

At issue is whether federal benefits can be denied in marriages legal under state law . A three-judge panel of a federal appeals court says no . The appeals court notes it may ultimately be up to the Supreme Court to decide . The law is being defended by congressional Republicans, not the Obama administration .

(CNN) -- In the age of the cell phone, in which every public space buzzes with the conversation of strangers, is it any surprise that a silent movie has captured the public imagination? On Tuesday "The Artist," a silent movie about the transition to sound, was nominated for 10 Oscars. Alfred Hitchcock once said that the only problem with silent movies was that people's mouths moved and no sound came out. Today we face the opposite problem, inside and outside the movie theater: Sound comes out of people's mouths even when it shouldn't. To get a break from overhearing the incessant, unwanted talk that surrounds us is a valuable thing, and the box office and award-season success of "The Artist" proves it. The secret to "The Artist"'s success goes beyond shutting off the surround-sound, however. The transition from silent cinema to the talkies, which was the greatest technological change in the movies before the digital era, came at a time of enormous economic devastation all around the world, a time very much like ours. The talkies were born in the late 1920s, as the stock market rose, but only triumphed during the Depression, after it crashed. Back then, movie theaters had to retool for sound amid economic uncertainty, just as they are doing today as they make the switch from film projection to digital. For film fans this is a melancholy change, just as the end of the silent era was for cinephiles then. The two great transitional films of their periods, "The Jazz Singer" in 1927 and "Avatar" in 2009, are linked by more than actors in face paint. Conceived during economic booms, both films ushered in new technologies that only fully emerged during economic crises. By setting "The Artist" in the Hollywood of the late 1920s and early 1930s, during a transition that was artistic, technological, and societal all at once, the film's director, Michel Hazanavicius, connects the film to our time. The key to the film's appeal is how lighthearted Hazanavicius keeps it. For him, the lost era of the silents was an innocent time, unmarred by the rape, murder, and suicide scandals other depictions of that period often exploit. "The Artist," essentially a happy film, shows us that we can accommodate change and thrive. Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," set in 1931, treats the same subject but reaches further back, to the birth of cinema. Its backward glance has been rewarded with one more Oscar nomination than "The Artist," although "Hugo" has not done as well at the box office, in part because of an advertising campaign that was afraid to embrace its real values. Scorsese's ambitious film links the handmade, hand-painted, and hand-cranked movies the magician Georges Meliès made between 1896 and 1913 to the digital wizardry of films made today, 100 years later, especially to the Harry Potter films. "Hugo," a beautiful and overwhelming phantasmagoria, chooses 3-D and color over "The Artist"'s flat-screen black-and-white. Those choices inject the film with a layer of whimsical irony: Today's technology is contrasted with yesterday's. Scorsese uses the most sophisticated digital technology available to reconnect us to a cinema that was optical and mechanical -- glass and gears; hardware, not software. More and more, we put ourselves in the strange position of using technology to get away from technology. When we travel, smartphones connect us with places to find quiet and solitude, sometimes from within quiet cars on trains; when we shop, we browse computer screens for hand-sewn fashions and crafts. When we watch TV, high-def screens show us the natural world in never-seen-before detail, taking us to places we will never visit, including, recently, thermal volcanoes on the bottom of the ocean, where undreamed of species exist, looking uncannily like the papier-mâché creatures in Meliès' "A Trip to the Moon." The world is in our face, but untouchable. As digital imagery takes over the movies, filmmakers and audiences seek to reconnect to an analog, hands-on world, one in which machines are understandable and fixable. We want to see and feel how they work. High tech renders all the strings, smoke, and mirrors invisible; low tech exposes them, and by so doing presents magic as made by hand. We desire a less perfect world than the digitized one blockbuster movies have shown us, one where the scratches and seams are added as an aftereffect. "The Artist" and "Hugo" are both films of clocks, where time is running out or winding down or an alarm is about to go off. Two other impressive and unpredictably popular clock-centric films made in the past year also deal in the exhumation of the past: Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" (which got four Oscar nominations), in which Owen Wilson's Woody-stand-in goes back in time every night to live in the Paris of the 1920s; and Christian Marclay's monumental "The Clock," an art-gallery film that was itself a timepiece, a 24-hour-long compilation of shots from other movies that shows the hands of clocks through every minute of the day. Recent books, like Simon Reynolds' "Retromania: Pop Culture's Addiction to Its Own Past," take a despairing view of our current nostalgia, a longing that, say what you will, makes sense given the bleakness we face. Movies like "The Artist," "Hugo," "Midnight in Paris" and "The Clock" present a deeper view of the past than that. It is one in which our future is linked to the twilight of another time, which is paradoxically the era of F. W. Murnau's "Sunrise," a silent film which still stands at the pinnacle of cinematic expression, and which came out a month before "The Jazz Singer" sang away an era. Do these movies smuggle the past into the future or just use it as pastiche? In an era where airports feature bizarre signs reading "Snow globes are not allowed through the security checkpoint," these movies insist on the physicality of silent cinema, a memento mori in the age of the delete button. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter . Join the conversation on Facebook . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of A.S. Hamrah.

'The Artist,' a silent movie about the transition to talkies, was nominated for 10 Oscars . A.S. Hamrah: It gives us a break from the incessant, unwanted talk that surrounds us . Nominee 'Hugo' uses technology, he writes, to depict a handmade, mechanical world . Hamrah says as digital imagery takes over, we seek an analog, hands-on world .

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Setting one species up to scare off or even kill another is nothing new. One of the world's most fearsome killers? Me? The heart-stoppingly infamous cane toad. Toads, bees, mongoose and even moths have all been utilized with varying degrees of success over the years in the hope that they could do the job humans couldn't. Sometimes it works, frequently it doesn't, and in some cases we are still waiting to find out. If any of these following examples teaches us anything at all, it is that if you are going to play with Nature, you do so at your own peril. Click here for gallery » . The Cane Toad . Who would have thought a humble toad could end up as the killer of one of the world's most fearsome creatures, the crocodile? It all started off so innocently, too. Introduced to Australia in 1935 from Hawaii, the cane toad, which is native to Central and South America, was supposed to kill off the scarab beetles that were decimating Australian sugarcane crops. Unfortunately, the toads failed to go after the beetles and decided to multiply at a very fast rate instead (they can lay between 8,000 and 30,000 eggs in one go) ending up as another pest the Australians were keen to see the back of. According to the Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH), the cane toad "expanded through Australia's northern landscape at 27-50 kilometers a year" and is now heading south at a rate of 1.3 kilometers a year. Cane toads not only eat pretty much anything that can fit in their mouths, but as of yet, no known predators or diseases have been identified that can take them on. The problem is that they are extremely toxic, with the DEH stating "almost anything that eats the toad dies rapidly from heart failure". And that includes crocodiles. According to the University of Sydney, crocodile populations that have come across these new pests have been dropping like flies, in some places by as much as 77 percent. Small Indian mongoose . The risk with hired killers is that sometimes they can be a bit too good at their job. Such is the case with the small Indian mongoose, which was introduced into Hawaii and some of its surrounding islands in 1883. The idea was the mongoose, a "voracious and opportunistic predator," according to Columbia University, would keep rats out of the sugarcane fields, where they had been feasting on what was on offer. The mongooses came in and missed out on the rats, as the former happened to be day-lovers, while the latter was nocturnal. So they turned their attention to other species instead, including birds (specifically ground nesters), small mammals and reptiles (they particularly liked snakes and iguanas). Little did the Hawaiians know at the time, but the small Indian mongoose is one of the world's most fearsome killers, now listed by the World Conservation Union in the top 100 of the world's worst invaders. These tiny creatures have hunted several species to extinction, including, says Columbia University, at least seven types of amphibians and reptiles in the West Indies; and in Jamaica alone it has been responsible for the extinction of a lizard, a snake, a rat and two birds. In Hawaii, the endangered Hawaiian crow, the endangered dark-rumped petrel and the nene goose are now all at risk, thanks to the appetite of this tiny, furry creature. And to make matters worse, this particular mongoose is a vector for rabies too. The English sparrow . The early bird catches the worm, but if that bird is an English sparrow, it does a little more than that, as the Americans found out in 1850. It was then that the bird was intentionally introduced to the U.S. as a means of protecting trees from canker worms. But according to Cornell University, the sparrow also set about feasting on crops as well. The sparrow had a very varied appetite, feeding on wheat, oats, corn and barley, pretty much any vegetable or fruit it laid its eyes on and it had a taste for chicken feed too. Surprisingly for its size, the sparrow is also a fairly aggressive creature and proved a bit of a bully to the locals, "displacing some native birds and harassing others", says Cornell. To add insult to injury, it carried 29 diseases that infected both humans and livestock. While U.S. populations are now largely on the decline, according to the Global Invasive Species Database, Australia meanwhile is on high alert, with the bird now having been assigned as "an extreme threat category" there. The red Fox . Australia has an unenviable claim to fame: it is home to the most number of mammal extinctions in the world. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), nearly half of all mammals that have gone extinct in the last 200 years, have been Australian. And much of the responsibility for these extinctions rests on the shoulders of introduced predators like the red fox. Just on its own the red fox could be responsible for "dozens of small mammal extinctions" in the country, according to Columbia University. The English brought the red fox with them to the country in 1855, not only introducing it for a spot of hunting, but also, it is thought, to control the brown hare populations. Unfortunately, the red fox was an excellent predator but it liked chasing after more types of creatures than just the brown hare. It had a ball, as Australian wildlife just wasn't equipped to deal with it. As a result, it freely preyed on birds, mammals of varying sizes and reptiles. It particularly seemed to like newborn lambs, goat kids and chickens, creating an economic headache for local farmers. And it didn't take them too long to spread either -- according to Australia's DEH, it took the red fox just 100 years to inhabit almost the entire continent. A natural scavenger, the red fox is incredibly adaptable too, which has meant not only has it proliferated on a massive scale, but with the absence of any real predators to speak of, they have proven very difficult indeed to kill. The European red fox is often described as Australia's number one predator; and as its also a "key carrier of rabies", says Columbia, the red fox is up there amongst Australia's most unwelcome guests. (Sources: Discover Magazine; Mongabay.com; Australian Department of Environment and Heritage; University of Sydney; WWF; Columbia University; ScienceDaily; University of Washington College of Forest Resources; Global Invasive Species Database; National Geographic;Cornell University)

Cane toads have been blamed for mass crocodile deaths in Australia . Small Indian mongoose one of the world's "worst invaders" Red fox responsible for "dozens of mammal extinctions"

(CNN) -- Reubin Askew, whose straight-arrow demeanor helped restore many Floridians' trust in government during his two terms as governor in the 1970s, died Thursday. He was 85. He had been admitted Saturday with pneumonia to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, where he then suffered a stroke, former aide and family spokesman Ron Sachs told CNN. "He was Mr. Integrity," said Mike Vasilinda, a journalist at Capitol News Service who has been covering Tallahassee since 1974. "Governor Askew pushed us into the 20th century." As governor from 1971 to 1979, Askew secured legislative approval to levy corporate income tax, repealed consumer taxes on household utilities and apartment rentals and doubled homestead exemption amounts. He also pushed through a law requiring public officials to disclose their income sources. "Everyone called him the guy with the white hat," Vasilinda said. Askew was unafraid to roll up his sleeves and pitch in. Vasilinda recalled stopping in at the building where, in the 1970s, the "Sunshine" initiative campaign on income disclosure was being spearheaded. There sat the governor. "He was sitting there counting and organizing petitions by county, so they could be turned in," Vasilinda said. Askew's terms coincided with a time of upheaval in government at a national level and in Florida, where three state Supreme Court justices and three cabinet officers had resigned amid scandal. "He governed at the height of Watergate, when there was huge mistrust," Vasilinda said. "He was the man who gave people confidence that Florida government would run honestly and fairly for everyone." That passion for equality explained his fervent opposition to segregation, which he expressed through support for busing. "He felt that busing was a necessity so that people could have equal education," Vasilinda said. In 1972, he confronted then-Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace, who was campaigning in Florida on the busing issue. "Askew took him on directly, and went to the people," said historian David Colburn, who met Askew in 1978, wrote about his political career and considered him a friend. Askew had been advised not to jeopardize his political future by getting involved in that battle, but he did not heed the advice. Askew believed that the fight to end segregation in the state "was about the soul and the future of Florida," according to Colburn, who wrote "From Yellow Dog Democrats to Red State Republicans" (2013, University Press of Florida) and serves as director of the Bob Graham Center at the University of Florida. Though Askew lost on the busing issue, he proposed a second referendum on providing quality schools for all Florida children, which won. Years later, Askew recalled his handling of busing in a conversation with Colburn. "I think probably the thing that he said that struck me the most was, 'I felt my job was to help people overcome their fears,'" Colburn recalled. The question of how Florida would balance aggressive growth and stewardship of the environment was another challenge facing the governor, who assumed office after a decade in which the state's population grew by 2.2 million people, according to Colburn. So Askew brought together 150 state leaders and asked them to consider the direction the state should take, the historian said. The outcome: passage of the Environmental Land and Water Management Act, the Water Resources Act, the Land Conservation Act and the establishment of the division of state planning. He also muscled through a $200 million bond to buy environmentally sensitive land for conservation and parks. As he sought to persuade conservative leaders to sign on to an effort that placed some restrictions on growth, Askew's political prowess rose to the fore. "He understood how the process worked, and he tried to work through the leadership," buttonholing his adversaries and inviting them into the governor's limo, where he would hold them hostage in the back seat and regale them "until they said they'd listen or agree, or he'd agree to make some changes so he could get their support." "When you look at his integrity, belief and support for open government, his commitment to the opportunities for people of all ethnicities and races and backgrounds, his leadership on the environment -- it's an incredible record." Askew's rectitude extended to his personal life, too. He neither smoked nor drank and did not allow alcohol into the governor's mansion, Vasilinda said. That restriction is widely believed to be the reason that then-Vice President Spiro Agnew changed his plans at the last minute to overnight at the mansion during a visit to Tallahassee in the early 1970s. Security concerns were cited as the official reason. Reubin O'Donovan Askew was born on September 11, 1928, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the U.S. Army paratroopers in 1946 and was discharged as a sergeant in 1948. He graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he was student body president; then from the University of Florida Law School, where he was class president. He served as second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953 and began his public career in 1956 as assistant county solicitor for Escambia County. In 1958, he served in the Florida House of Representatives, moving four years later to the Florida Senate, where he served as president pro tempore from 1969 to 1970. Elected governor in 1970, he became the first governor in the state's history to be elected to a second, successive four-year term. In 1956, he married Donna Lou Harper; they had two children. After he left office, Askew went on to teach at all 10 of the state's major public universities, most recently at Florida State University's Askew School of Public Administration and Policy. Though Askew was a Democrat, "he was not a liberal Democrat," said Vasilinda, who went on to become friends with the former governor. "The Democrats were really moderate Republicans in today's world." He was a tough taskmaster, according to Vasilinda, who took a master's-level class from the retired politician. "He would lecture on a different federal and state case every week for an hour and a half, and then the final was just brutal -- it was a 2½-hour, handwritten, pencil-and-paper, no-notes final in which he expected you to tell him everything he'd told you." People we've lost in 2014 . CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton and Paul Caron contributed to this report .

"He was Mr. Integrity," says Mike Vasilinda . Askew was a fervent opponent of segregation and supported busing . He secured legislative approval to levy corporate income tax .

Sydney, Australia (CNN) -- In Ireland it took years to weed out the details of systemic sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy. In Australia, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has put no time limit on what will be the most wide-ranging inquiry into child sex abuse in the nation's history -- one that will not be confined to the Catholic Church. As she announced the establishment of a Royal Commission into institutional responses to instances and allegations of child sex abuse, Gillard said the inquiry would not target any one church but would encompass all religious institutions, state institutions, schools and not-for-profit groups like scouts and sports clubs. "There have been too many revelations of adults who have averted their eyes from this evil," she said. The evil of which she speaks is said by the mother of one victim to be endemic. Pat Feenan's son, Daniel, is now 36 years old. "Every morning he opens his eyes, he walks with that pain," she told CNN. Daniel was an 11-year-old altar boy at St Patrick's Church in Maitland in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, when the abuse began at the hands of Father James Patrick Fletcher, who died in prison after being found guilty of child abuse -- including that of Daniel. The family were devout Catholics when Fletcher was assigned to the parish and to the Feenan family, who opened their home to him. Soon after, the grooming began, and in time, the family says, so did the abuse. According to court evidence, throughout Daniel's high school years Fletcher forced him into violent oral and anal sex, often in open spaces and always under threat. Fletcher would tell Daniel their "special time" together should be kept secret lest Fletcher hurt one of Daniel's brothers. The abuse ended when Daniel was 17. Seven years later he went to the police. Though he was later contrite, the archbishop of the diocese tipped off the abuser, moving him to another parish, according to a police investigation. "I am ready and willing to help the Royal Commission in any way I can," Pat Feenan told CNN. "And so is my courageous son. He's brave. He was the first in the Maitland Archdiocese who had to testify in court. My Daniel had to go through the pain of the inquisition and the media and the reporting of the horrible details. "He knows he has played a part in this, and he knows I fought really hard for this Royal Commission and for justice. He feels vindicated," she added. Vindication is not something the Royal Commission can deliver Chrissy and Anthony Foster of Victoria. "Our girls were assaulted at school by the local Catholic priest," Anthony Foster told CNN. "They were five years old and up, raped multiple times over many years. It went on for several years -- we think about five years with Emma and with Katie probably about three or four years," he said. When Emma was 14, parish priest Kevin O'Donnell, now deceased, was convicted of the sexual assault of 13 others. During his trial, testimony was offered that he had abused consistently from 1946 until he was brought before the courts. When Emma heard news of his conviction, she began to harm herself, the family says. "We saw her with blood pouring out of her wrists," said Foster, "taking heroin to dull the pain." When she was 26, Emma killed herself. Katie's story is equally tragic. When she 14, her parents found a suicide note she had written along with her diary in which she had detailed how O'Donnell had abused her. The Fosters were alarmed when they saw their daughter had begun to binge drink. A year later, just before her 16th birthday, tragedy struck. "She was at a friend's house," Foster told CNN. "She was drunk, crossed the road and was hit by a car. She has severe brain injuries," he said. "She has pre-accident memory. But she can't run her life. She has a five-minute window on life," added Foster. Katie and Emma Foster's abuser is buried in the Catholic Church crypt at Melbourne Cemetery. Prime Minister Gillard insists the inquiry -- with the power to compel witnesses, offer indemnities and seize documents -- is not aimed at the Catholic Church. "This is a Royal Commission which will be looking across religious organizations as well as state-based care and the not-for-profit sector. It is not targeted at any one section or religion," she said. However, the only religious leader Gillard consulted after she decided on the Royal Commission was the Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell. A divisive figure, Cardinal Pell defended himself and his church against claims last week of systemic cover-ups by the church hierarchy. As calls for a national inquiry grew louder in the wake of explosive claims by a senior police officer that the church was complicit in the crimes by moving offending priests and destroying crucial evidence to stymie prosecutions, Cardinal Pell said the Catholic Church was being disproportionately targeted. "We have to answer up for what we've done," Cardinal Pell told his congregation on the weekend. "But any suggestion that we are the only culprit or only community producing culprits is entirely misleading," he preached. But others disagree. "This is really an inquiry into the Catholic Church and the cover-up," Foster told CNN. "It's all the revelations of abuse in the church that brought this to a head. We know there is other sexual abuse, but this has come about because of rampant sexual abuse by Catholic Church clergy," he said. For Pat Feenan and her son Daniel, the Royal Commission is most certainly about the sins of the Catholic Church and what he sees as the lack of compassion shown to its victims. "We went through the whole trial with no support from the church," she told CNN. "The priests supported Fletcher, to see how he was, to pray with him. We were in the same courthouse, and no one came near us. The church community were not encouraged to be mindful of the victim. There were prayers for the priests and not for the victim. That's not fair," she said. As for the police officer who blew the whistle on both fellow officers and the church for covering up the abuse, the announcement represents an opportunity. "Now we're going to start listening to the victims and start listening to their families," said Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox. "And we're going to start doing something about the problem. The big problem is denial, when you're not prepared to sit down and actually start to acknowledge that there's a problem and look at ways of fixing it," he said. Gillard said her government will consult with victims' support groups, religious organizations and state and territory governments to determine the Royal Commission's terms of reference.

Australia to investigate institutional responses to allegations of child sex abuse . Country's Catholic Church facing claims of systemic cover-ups by church hierarchy . Senior police officer: Church complicit by moving offending priests, destroying evidence . Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the inquiry will not be limited to the Catholic Church .

(CNN) -- There was a time when few travelers visited Colombia, when the country was synonymous with drug lords, when the only English you heard on the streets was spoken by American Marines. That Colombia -- a country of conflict and cartels -- has largely disappeared, replaced by a rejuvenated capital of Bogota and a resilient culture that refuses to be bogged down by the dark days. Premonitions and stereotypes should be swept aside before visiting this South American country of spectacular scenery. Today's Colombia is much more than the ugly Escobar legacy or its famed Andean coffee -- though a cup of café will most certainly reach your hands during a trip. 5 luxury vacations in Chile . Here are some important things to keep in mind before visiting the country with the third-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world (about 46 million), after Mexico and Spain. 1. Medellin is the world's most innovative city, officially . Jutting out of a mountainside packed with russet cinder-block slums, the three black shards of Medellin's Espana Library stand out in a sea of shanties. Completed in 2007, the Espana Library has become a calling card for the revitalized city, just one of the examples that led the Washington-based Urban Land Institute to name it the 2012 "Innovative City of the Year" in a competition co-sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and Citi. Zipping up to connect the library and surrounding area to the city is the MetroCable, a novel approach to addressing poverty at the grass-roots level. "Medellin is a city that works hard to tell the world of its capabilities and broadcast its impressive tourism opportunities," said Maria Claudia Lacouture, president of trade group Proexport Colombia. 2. Drug culture stereotypes are false and offensive . Drop your ideas of a coke-soaked land still lost in the days of the Escobar gang. While residents of Medellin can recall growing up in a battlefield, where even trips to buy groceries meant dodging violence, Colombia is no gangster's paradise. The coca leaf is still chewed in some rural communities, and coca leaf tea is stocked for tourists, but suggesting that Colombia hasn't moved on from its inglorious past is considered ignorant and rude. Colombia has persevered, though unfortunately so has the drug war, migrating closer to its end market -- the U.S.-Mexico border. 7 luxury vacations in Mexico . 3. Bogota must be seen from Monserrate . Every big city has a perfect vantage point from which to appreciate its immensity. For Bogota, that magic spot is Monserrate. Perched on a mountain dominating the city, Monserrate is home to a church where pilgrims visit a shrine devoted to El Senor Caido (Fallen Lord). From the summit, Bogota's vast gray and red concrete expanse absorbs the green valley that frames it; the sight puts the sprawling proportion of this megacity into perspective. Monserrate can be reached via an aerial tramway, funicular or by climbing on foot. 4. Security has dramatically improved . Since controversial policies implemented in 2006 by former President Alvaro Uribe encouraged paramilitary groups to "demobilize" after their conflict with communist guerillas, Colombia's security situation has vastly improved. The country's new image has led to a rise in tourism, with bus trips (albeit on select routes) now considered safe for foreigners. It's common to see military personnel at checkpoints outside cities, but this is once again an improvement that represents the government's control of the country. 5. Real Colombians drink cafe tinto . Colombia is synonymous with coffee, so it's little surprise that the morning beverage is in such high demand that leagues of women walk Colombian cities serving it. At first glance, these women may appear equipped to snuff out pests, but their mobile packs aren't meant for exterminating bugs, they're meant for pouring hot coffee. A real Colombian, you'll inevitably be told, takes the stuff black, or cafe tinto. Insider Guide: Best of Cancun . 6. Salsatecas are best when hot and sweaty . What's Colombia without salsa? Not Colombia. Beginners can take salsa classes to get familiar with the basic steps. Those who can't be bothered with formal lessons will find Colombians to be warm people, even warmer when dancing. Most will be happy to show you some introductory moves on the spot if you're charming enough. 7. Pueblitos are favored weekend destinations . Pueblitos, or small villages, dot the Colombian countryside, serving up a colonial past and antiquated charm not found in cities. From almost every major Colombian urban hub, pueblitos can be accessed via road, making for easy weekend trips. Outside Bogota, Guatavita is a small town near Guatavita Lake that offers idyllic views of casitas, the small houses that exemplify Colombia's countryside. 8. Nothing is more Colombian than aguardiente . If you're looking for a stiff drink, a $6 bottle of aguardiente is the most Colombian way to find it. All departments (administrative regions) in Colombia have license to produce their own aguardiente, a 60%-alcohol spirit that means "fiery water." There's no Colombian celebration without aguardiente. Even more local? The unforgettable guayabo (Colombian slang for hangover) de aguardiente. Insider Guide: Best of Mexico City . 9. Colombian climates vary wildly . Colombia may straddle the equator, but that doesn't mean you should leave your gloves and sweater at home. Bogota and Medellin are in tropical highlands and can get chilly at night -- especially Bogota, where heavy jackets and scarves are the norm year-round. Visit the coast around Cartagena, however, and you'll be sweltering. This climatic disparity is reflected in Colombia's cultural composition. Locals come in as many varieties as the weather; there's no one look for a Colombian. 10. Cali is Salsa City . The gravity-defying female assets of Cali's nightclubs thrust out to such fierce degree that they can't be overlooked -- the sultry salsa city is renowned for its talent-laden, sexually dynamic dance floors. Those seeking a more subtle experience can start with a viejoteca, where there's more actual dancing, less physical drama and fewer crazy drinkers. Gallery: Chamber of mirrors and salt waterfalls at Nemocon salt mine .

Sweep stereotypes aside: Colombia is much more than the Escobar gang legacy . Safety policies implemented in 2006 have vastly improved the security situation . The salsa city of Cali is renowned for high-energy dance clubs . Pueblitos (small villages) dot the countryside and make for great getaways .

La Jolla, California (CNN)A black-and-white photo shows the 16-year-old ballerina at her prime, mere months before her world would be destroyed. She is dressed in a bathing suit, smiling radiantly while performing a gymnastic split. Edith Eva Eger says the portrait was taken by her first teenage crush: a Jewish boy named Imre. He, like so many others, would not survive the Holocaust. "I had my 17th birthday in Auschwitz," Eger says. Seventy years later, Eger appears frail at first glance, until she astounds a new acquaintance by performing a dance kick that goes shoulder-high. The 87-year old says her fondest childhood memories still revolve around dancing and training to compete for the Hungarian Olympic team as a gymnast. "But then I was told that I had to train somewhere else because I'm Jewish, and I do not qualify [for the Olympics]," Eger recalls. "My dream was totally shattered." Eger was a Hungarian Jew, the youngest of three daughters, living in a town called Kosice in what is modern-day Slovakia. Her father was a tailor; her mother, a civil servant. It wasn't until March 1944, late in World War II, that Eger says Hungarian Nazis came to her house and arrested her family. The Jews in Hungary were among the last of Europe's Jewish communities to be targeted by the Nazis. The family was taken to other internment centers before they were finally loaded into a train and shipped to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, occupied by Nazi Germany. "My mom held me in the cattle car," Eger recalls. "And she said, 'We don't know where we're going. We don't know what's going to happen. Just remember no one can take away from you what you put here in your own mind.' " Upon arrival at the camp, Eger said Dr. Joseph Mengele, one of the Auschwitz complex's top medical officers, stood at the end of a line of prisoners deciding who would go to the gas chambers and who would head for the prison barracks. "He pointed to my mom to go to the left, and I followed my mom," Eger says. "And Dr. Mengele grabbed me -- I never forget that eye contact-- and he said 'You're going to see you mother soon, she's just going to take a shower.' " It was the last time Eger saw her parents. They died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz along with more than a million other Jews. But that would not be the ballerina's final encounter with the infamous SS doctor who later became known the "Angel of Death." "Dr. Mengele came to the barracks and wanted to be entertained," Eger says. Fellow inmates "volunteered" Eger to perform for the man who had ordered her parents' death. She asked her captors to play the Blue Danube Waltz as she danced for one of the worst war criminals of the Holocaust. "I was so scared," Eger says. "I closed my eyes, and I pretended that the music was Tchaikovsky, and I was dancing 'Romeo and Juliet' in the Budapest opera house." The German doctor rewarded the Jewish girl with an extra ration of bread, which she later shared with the girls in her prison quarters. Eger says months later, those same girls rescued her when she nearly collapsed from disease and starvation during a forced death march through Austria. "They formed a chair with their arms, and they carried me so I wouldn't die," she says, adding, "Isn't it important that the worst conditions really brought out the best in us?" Decades after the horrors of the Holocaust, dance is still a passion. Eger's house on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean is decorated with statues of ballerinas. Every Sunday, she says she goes swing-dancing to the music that American soldiers introduced her to when they liberated her in Austria in 1945. "I want to have a full life, not to be damaged goods," she says. Perhaps that defiant spirit helped the teenager survive the horrors of World War II and later blossom as an emigre in the United States. Shortly after the war, Eger met and married a fellow Hungarian Jew who had been a partisan, anti-Nazi fighter. The young family moved with their infant daughter to the United States to escape communist rule in Hungary. "She was very shy when I was growing up," recalls Eger's eldest daughter, Marianne who says her mother transformed in the 1970s, after a visit to Auschwitz. "After that, she changed dramatically," the daughter says. "There had always been a bit of sadness behind her eyes, and afterwards, it was gone. I think it did free her, and she became who she is now." It was also in the 1970s that Eger began studying psychology. Decades later, she still works as a clinical psychologist, running a practice out of her home in La Jolla. Her specialty involved treating patients suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. "She evolved at a time as a psychologist when PTSD wasn't even on the map," says Dr. Saul Levine, professor emeritus in psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego, who has known and worked with Eger for more than 20 years. "She is an expert by definition almost by having had that experience herself but also relating to it in a clinical way, as well as in a deeply personal way," Levine said. Throughout her career in psychology, Eger has done extensive consulting work with the U.S. military, treating American veterans of wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also helped set up shelters for female victims of domestic abuse. "Auschwitz gave me a tremendous gift in some ways, that I can guide people to have resilience and perseverance," Eger says. In time, Eger also become a motivational public speaker, performing a Ted Talk and giving speeches at schools and universities. She litters her Hungarian-accented English with aphorisms aimed at mental healing. "Self love is self care," she tells patients. "The biggest concentration camp is in our mind." "She blew me away with her extraordinary optimism and energy," Levine says, recalling the first time he saw Eger speaking to an audience. "She is a force of nature." Seventy years after the liberation of Auschwitz, this Holocaust survivor's greatest pride and joy are clearly her three great-grandchildren. "That's the best revenge to Hitler I can think of," says the dancer, pointing at one of several portraits of her smiling great-grandchildren in her office.

Edith Eva Eger was taken to Auschwitz when she was 16 . Dr. Mengele, the "angel of death," had prisoners entertain him . Long after Auschwitz was liberated, Eger still finds joy in dance .

(CNN) -- Most of what you read or hear in mass media about President Hugo Chavez is always negative, his faults exaggerated, his discourse distorted and his achievements ignored. The reality is quite different. Hugo Chavez was beloved by millions around the world. He changed the course of a continent and led a collective awakening of a people once silenced, once exploited and ignored. Chavez was a grandiose visionary and a maker of dreams. An honest man from a humble background who lived in a mud hut as a child and sold candies on the streets to make money for his family, Chavez dreamed of building a strong, sovereign nation, independent of foreign influence and dignified on the world scene. He dreamed of improving the lives of his people, of eradicating the misery of poverty and of offering everyone the chance of a better life -- the "good life" (el buenvivir), as he called it. President Chavez made those dreams come true. During his nearly 14 years of governance, elected to three full six-year terms but only serving two due to his untimely death, Chavez's policies reduced extreme poverty in Venezuela by more than 75%, from 25% to less than 7% in a decade, according to statistics from the Center for Economic and Policy Research. And overall poverty was reduced by more than 50%, from 60% in 1998 when Chavez first won office to 27% by 2008. What's next? Chavez's death leaves many questions . This is not just numbers, this translates into profound changes in the lives of millions of Venezuelans who today eat three meals a day, own their homes and have jobs or access to financial aid. But the dreams don't stop there. Chavez dreamed of a nation filled with educated, healthy people, and so he established free, quality public education from preschool through doctoral studies, accessible to all. In fact, for those in remote areas or places without educational facilities, schools were built and mobile educational facilities were created to bring education to the people. Chavez also created a national public health system offering universal, free health care to all, with the help and solidarity of Cuba, which sent thousands of doctors and medical workers to provide quality services to the Venezuelan people, many who had never received medical care in their lives. To strengthen and empower communities, Chavez propelled policies of inclusion and participatory governance, giving voice to those previously excluded from politics. He created grassroots community councils and networks to attend to local needs in neighborhoods across the nation, placing the power to govern in the joint hands of community groups. Opinion: Chavez used force of personality to win votes, influence leaders . His vision of diversifying his nation and developing its full potential transformed into railways, new industries, satellite cities and innovative transport, such as MetroCable Cars soaring high into the mountains of Caracas to connect people in their steep hillside homes with the bustling city. The centuries-old dream of Independence hero Simon Bolivar to build a unified "Patria Grande" (Grand Homeland) in South America became Chavez's guiding light and he held it high, illuminating the path he paved. Chavez was a driving force in unifying Latin America, creating new regional organizations like the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). These entities have embraced integration, cooperation and solidarity as their principal method of exchange, rejecting competition, exploitation and domination, the main principles of U.S. and western foreign policy. Chavez inspired a 21st century world to fight for justice, to stand with dignity before bullying powers that seek to impose their will on others. He raised his voice when no others would and had no fear of consequence, because he knew that truth was on his side. Opinion: Chavez empowered the poor, divided a nation . Chavez was a maker of dreams. He recognized the rights of the disabled, of indigenous peoples, all genders and sexualities. He broke down barriers of racism and classism and declared himself a socialist feminist. He not only made his own dreams come true, but he inspired us all to achieve our fullest potential. Don't get me wrong, things are not perfect in Venezuela by any stretch, but no one can honestly deny that they are much better than before Hugo Chavez became president. And no one could deny that President Hugo Chavez was larger than life. The first time I flew on President Chavez's airplane, he invited me to breakfast in his private room. It was just me and him. I was nervous and felt anxious and rushed to tell him about the results of my investigations into the United States government's role in the coup d'etat against him in 2002. Chavez leaves a revolutionary legacy . After all, that's why I was on the plane in the first place. I had been invited to participate in his regular Sunday television show, Alo Presidente (Hello Mr. President) to present the hundreds of declassified documents I had obtained from U.S. government agencies through the Freedom of Information Act that exposed U.S. funding of coup participants. The date was April 11, 2004, exactly two years after the coup that nearly killed him and sent the nation into spiraling chaos. (Editor's Note: The U.S. government denied involvement in the 2002 coup.) As I began pulling out papers and spreading documents on the table that separated us, he stopped me. "Have you had breakfast yet?" he asked. "No," I said, and continued fiddling with the revealing paper before me. "We can discuss that later," he said. "For now, tell me about yourself. How is your mother?" he asked me, as though we were old friends. A flight attendant came through the door of his private room with two trays and placed them on the table. I quickly gathered up the documents. "Let's eat," he said. I started to protest, trying to explain that his time was so limited I wanted to take advantage of every minute. He stopped me and said: "This is a humble breakfast, a breakfast from the barracks, what I most love." I looked at the tray for the first time. On it was a small plate with an arepa, a typical Venezuelan corn patty, a few shreads of white cheese, a couple of pieces of canteloupe and some anchovies. Beside the plate was a small cup of black coffee. No frills and not what you would expect on a presidential airplane. "After all, I am just a soldier," he added. Yes, Chavez, you are a soldier, a glorious soldier of a dignified, proud and kind people. And you are a maker of dreams for millions around the world. Chavez leaves Venezuelan economy more equal, less stable .

Eva Golinger says Hugo Chavez reduced poverty for millions of Venezuelans . She argues his achievements are ignored by western media . Under Chavez, cities, transport and industry grew, says Golinger .

(CNN) -- His song is one of the enduring anthems of the turbulent 1960s, a soulful call to action awash in a psychedelic wave of sound. It has appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows, even a multimillion-seller video game, and has been covered by artists from Sheryl Crow to Joan Jett to The Ramones. So, decades later, what does Lester Chambers have to show for "Time Has Come Today"? So little that, early this year, the 72-year-old found himself posting a photo online. In it, he held a poster declaring that he was living on Social Security and charity, having gone nearly 30 years before seeing his first, paltry royalty check. The poster was taped to one of his gold records. "It's been a long journey," said Chambers, who said he never blew his money on drugs or booze like so many artists before and after. "I have not understood what happened yet and how it happened." But now, through a series of events only possible in the digital age, he's getting a chance to start again -- this time making and selling music on his own terms. "We've got a lawyer now," Chambers said. "It's called the computer." "Time Has Come Today" was a pop hit for The Chambers Brothers, spending five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968 and peaking at No. 11. The group, which shared the stage with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Doors, would fail to match its success again . But it became emblematic of the political and social upheaval of the late '60s and would be used for decades to invoke the spirit of that era. As recently as last year, it was used in a pivotal scene in "Homefront," a military-style video game that has sold somewhere around 3 million copies. Chambers said the entire group got about $4,000 for its use in that game. "If they did that with one of the major groups, mainly one from England and you know who they are, they would have gotten $150-200,000 for that," he said. "We never got taken care of at all." It's a story of bad contracts -- and record company executives refusing to even honor those, he said. The contract for "Time Has Come Today" promised a small percentage of sales, but the record company kept finding expenses that came out of the band's share before they saw any of it. Other albums were produced but never released, he said, although the "expenses" for them kept racking up. To this day, he's not sure how some of those albums are available for sale online or who's getting the money for them. That all led Chambers, with the help of his son, Dylan, to post the Web photo as part of the "I Am the 99 Percent" movement. "People were all riled up about the '1%' screwing over the little man," said Dylan Chambers, who has lived with his parents and helped support them through the lean years. "Dad wrote that piece of paper and I taped it to his gold record. "We woke up the next morning and it had 200 shares and 10,000 'likes' on Facebook. Dad had 500 new friend requests." Chambers didn't identify himself in the photo. But it had picked up steam on social-news site Reddit and it didn't take long for members of the site's popular music community to figure it out. That's where Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, came in. He was fresh off of helping lead the Web's successful fight against the Stop Online Piracy Act, legislation supporters said would crack down on Internet piracy but that many in the Web community felt would stifle free speech and creativity. "One of the few narratives the entertainment industry kept trying to push was that they were really pushing for this on behalf of the artists," Ohanian said. Chambers' story, he said, showed how that business really treats its own sometimes. Furthermore, he said, it was personal. "I was raised right by my dad -- the Stones, Dylan, Janis, Hendrix ... . I had no idea, and my dad had no idea of the fate of Lester Chambers," said Ohanian, 29. View the Kickstarter project: "Lester's Time Has Come Today" He wasn't the first person to reach out to Lester and his family. But they say many of the offers they'd gotten sounded just as dodgy as ones from the days Lester said his band would play concerts for 1/10th of what other acts were getting. "Sure, you'd get five or six snakes out of the grass saying ... I want to book you a gig or something," said Dylan Chambers. "But I was familiar with Reddit and checked out who Alexis was. He said, 'I want to do this project with you guys, and I want this to blow up.' " Ohanian helped Chambers host an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") on Reddit and create a project on crowd-funding site Kickstarter to pay for his first new album in decades. With 16 days to go, "Lester's Time Has Come Today" had raised $37,000 of its $39,000 goal on Monday. If successful, that cash will pay for rehearsal, production and musicians. This time, Chambers will retain the rights to the songs he records. "It's very, very different -- much cleaner," said Chambers, who has continued to perform live through the years. "You don't have to sit and hear somebody (with a record company) tell you their little stories. "There are so many of us who never got anything out of being a musician. I'm just so blessed to have this opportunity to come back into the music world and put my feelings and lyrics and music out." He's already gone into the studio to record a pair of Christmas songs, which were sent digitally to Kickstarter backers. (To listen, click the audio links to the left of this story.) To Ohanian, it all shows the promise of what the Internet could, and should, be. "It fills me with so much hope and optimism ... ," he said. "That's why you saw millions of people fighting for this." The man who sang that his "soul's been psychedelicized" puts it differently. "You can get on the Internet with all your creative processes and thought processes and it will take you to higher places than you could ever dream," Chambers said. "A whole lot of people are going to be able to come out of the dark and into the light and the mountains that were so high will be easy to climb."

"Time Has Come Today" singer getting second chance online . Lester Chambers hit hard times despite his song's popularity . Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian is helping with a Kickstarter campaign . Campaign will fund a new album; Chambers will have the rights .

(CNN) -- Almost before the smoke had cleared at Pearl Harbor, he had enlisted to serve his country in the Army Air Forces. He viewed the war in the South Pacific through the bomb sight of a B-24 Liberator as a second lieutenant and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery. When he got home to Texas, he was eventually elected to Congress and served 34 years, including a term as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. But Jim Wright found out the other day he wasn't qualified to vote in the election in his home state. Wright, who no longer drives at 90, tried to get a voter card under a new Texas law and was told his expired driver's license and university lecturer's ID were not adequate proof of his identity. A war hero and former congressman had to go home and dig through old files to return with his birth certificate. Hurrah for the flag of the free? Although there has been only one indicted incident of voter fraud in Texas since 2000, Gov. Rick Perry and the GOP-controlled legislature passed a stringent voter ID law. Perry had argued impersonators jeopardized the sanctity of elections. There had been, however, only four such cases on file with the Texas attorney general from 2008 to 2010, a brief time span during which 13 million people cast ballots. That data had much to do with the federal courts tossing out the Texas ID law as discriminatory against minorities. But a Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act immediately reinstated the Texas ID law -- which by design was intended to discriminate, as a lower court said. Texas conservatives and other states pushing voter ID laws are facing demographic destinies they cannot avoid. The laws of mathematics might have prompted the laws of discrimination. According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, in 1990, white children younger than 18 outnumbered Latinos in Texas by 843,000. The 2010 numbers were an almost exact reversal with 995,000 more Hispanic kids than whites. Assuming new Hispanic voters will follow familiar trends and tend to vote for Democrats, the end of the story for the GOP might just be biology. The average white female in Texas, and the rest of the country, is 41 with a fertility rate of 1.9, according to Census Bureau figures and and the Texas state demographer Lloyd Potter. The Latina female average age, meanwhile, is 25 with a fertility rate of 2.7. No need to be a mathematician to draw that graph. Women, in fact, are the most likely to be jeopardized by the new Texas law, which requires a government issued photo ID to have your name be "substantially similar" to how it appears on registration rolls. Unfortunately, divorces, taking a husband's surname, remarriages and retaining maiden names serve to create conflicts between old registrations and current IDs for women. And because younger women don't immediately update their government documentation after marriage, a survey by the Brennan Center for Justice indicates about 34% of them won't be qualified to vote because their names will not match state records. Because there's no way to measure what doesn't happen, we can't know how many women simply did not vote in the election this week because they didn't have the appropriate photo ID. The political impact of this plot is expected to be disproportionately significant with the gubernatorial candidacy of State Sen. Wendy Davis, which will likely increase turnout of female voters. Unsurprisingly, Davis, who is divorced, encountered the problem when she went to cast her ballot in the statewide constitutional election, the first to be held under the law. She was allowed to vote after signing an affidavit confirming she was, indeed, a senator and resident of the state. Davis' likely GOP opponent for governor is Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. His name didn't match registration records. His campaign manager said Abbott, too, would have to sign an affidavit. Abbott, a big supporter of the photo requirement, would not have been able to vote had it not been for Davis passing a last-minute amendment to the voter ID law that allowed the signing of sworn documents to enable voting when records did not match. Davis, essentially, saved the state's attorney general from disenfranchising himself. And if a law nearly victimizes people with resources and advanced educations, consider its implications for the poor. Up to a million registered voters in Texas could be without a valid ID to be eligible to participate in elections. How many did not show up at the polls November 5 because of worries about IDs? And Texas isn't exactly making it easy to acquire one, especially if you are a minority. First, identification has to be confirmed with a document such as a birth certificate, which costs $22 in Texas. The prospective voter can use that to get a driver's license -- but 81 counties out of the state's 254 don't even have a Department of Motor Vehicle office. Supreme Court testimonies showed that some people would have to drive 250 miles to reach a DMV facility and that in those counties, Hispanics were twice as likely as whites to be without a vehicle. It's not exactly simple for wage earners in urban areas, either. There are almost no DMV offices in the inner cities; they are mostly located in suburban areas and only open during work hours. An hourly employee would have to jump a bus out to a DMV location during lunch hour to get an ID. We can assume how often that might happen, which is rarely, especially in a state with almost no viable mass transit. That's why generous Texas lawmakers funded mobile facilities in 20 counties to help people obtain IDs in locations with limited access to state services. Unfortunately, the Department of Public Safety has only issued about 100, which hasn't made much of a dent in hundreds of thousands of registered voters still lacking legal ID to vote. And that's probably what the legislature and the governor of Texas wanted to happen. No, that is precisely the outcome they desired. Texas law continues, however, to respect certain population groups. In the state Capitol, if you have a concealed carry handgun permit, your gun and you can move right into the building through the security express lane and avoid inspection. That handy little gun card will also get you access to a voting booth, even when a war hero and former U.S. House speaker and potential future governors are temporarily denied. The kinda, sorta right to vote is still safe in Texas. Join us Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Moore.

James Moore: Ex-speaker of the House wasn't qualified to vote in home state of Texas . Moore: Tough voter ID law passed even though voter fraud practically nonexistent in Texas . Moore: Hispanics, women, the poor, rural and urban folks most likely to be turned down . Moore: If you have a concealed gun permit, you can walk right through Capitol .

(CNN) -- It was a remarkably short interview by cable news standards. The moment that veteran military reporter Thomas Ricks, in an appearance on Fox News, begin to unload on Fox, he found his segment abruptly ended. Thank you, very much. Nice of you to drop by. Adios, amigo. Some of those who love to dish it out, it seems, aren't very big on taking it. The self-protective shield that some media organizations erect around their companies is hardly limited to Rupert Murdoch's network. But what happened with Ricks this week is a case study in sidelining a guest who dared challenge the premise of a story. To be sure, anchor Jon Scott was polite and didn't interrupt Ricks, but he couldn't have hustled him off the set faster if he had used a vaudeville-style hook. Watch: Should Fox have pulled plug on Tom Ricks for ripping the network? Ricks, a longtime reporter for the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, has been making the rounds to talk about his latest book, "The Generals." (He appeared on "Reliable Sources" on Sunday, and I welcomed his criticism of the media.) Fox, not surprisingly, wanted to focus on an issue that it frames as a scandal: the Obama administration's handling of the fatal attack on American diplomats in Libya. Watch: Twitter on fire as Chris Brown slimes a female critic . Fox's angle was clear from Scott's setup: "Right now, pressure mounting on the Obama administration over its response to the deadly attack on our consulate in Benghazi." But Ricks didn't pull his punches based on the venue. "I think Benghazi was generally hyped by this network especially," he said. Scott pushed back, which he had every right to do: "When you have four people dead, including the first U.S. ambassador in more than 30 years, how do you call that hype?" That's when Ricks, after explaining the difficulty of determining what happened in a firefight, went for the jugular: "I think that the emphasis on Benghazi has been extremely political, partly because Fox was operating as a wing of the Republican Party." The interview was over, less than 90 seconds after it started. Was Ricks being deliberately provocative? Perhaps he was, for controversy sells books. And maybe his criticism was overstated. But the fact remains that he was invited as a guest, was asked about the Libya attack and responded in a way that made Fox's relentless coverage of the controversy part of the story. And that was deemed unacceptable. Watch: Is it time for Chelsea Clinton, gay rights activist, to leave NBC? Michael Clemente, Fox's executive vice president, told me that Ricks's conduct "felt like a stunt ... That was just bush league, especially for a veteran reporter." Ricks wasn't answering the anchor's question, says Clemente, and Scott, feeling "offended," decided that "I'm not going to give this guy any more airtime." What's more, Clemente says, Ricks "apologized" to a Fox staffer on the way out. Ricks denies this, saying he told the staffer, who accused him of being rude, that he "might have been a bit snappish" because he was tired from his book tour. "This was in no way an apology," Ricks told me, "but rather an explanation of why I jumped a bit when the anchor began the segment with the assertion that pressure on the White House was building, which it most clearly was not." As for the interview itself, "I was not picking a fight with Fox. I was answering their questions." Watch: Why Matt Lauer is getting a bum rap on Twitter . Had Scott wanted to argue that his network was right to pound away at the administration's shifting stories on Libya, and that it was the rest of the media that was underplaying the matter, they could have had a substantive discussion. Instead, it was over before it began. "You have a point," Clemente said. "It could have been a back-and-forth debate. But that's just not Jon's style. Jon is a more traditional anchor-reporter." The episode reminded me of an uncomfortable clash in 2010 when Fox anchor Megyn Kelly repeatedly berated Kirsten Powers, a liberal contributor to the network, for challenging her constant harping on a minor scandal involving the New Black Panther Party. Kelly repeatedly interrupted her guest, told Powers she didn't know what she was talking about and at one point threatened to cut her mike. The difference is that Kelly later realized she had gone too far and told me she had apologized to Powers. The anchor, of course, holds the power in such situations. In May, MSNBC's Tamron Hall was interviewing Tim Carney, a conservative columnist for the Washington Examiner. She asked about Mitt Romney's testy reaction to a reporter's question, the day after a report that the candidate had bullied another student in high school, when Carney tried to turn the tables. "What you're doing here is a typical media trick," he said. "You hype up a story and justify the second-day coverage of the story." Hall began lecturing Carney, saying "you don't have to answer a single question and you didn't have to accept the invitation to come on ... You're kind of in my house here," as if he were an unruly dinner guest. As Carney tried to get a word in, Hall kept talking over him: "You're irritating me right now ... You're not gonna come on and insult me, you're not gonna come on and insult the network when you knew what we were gonna talk about. Done." And he was. The anchor went to another guest and Carney had been summarily dismissed for challenging MSNBC's handling of the story. Watch: Media buzzing as Newt Gingrich says he may run again . What's at issue here is not that on-air personalities sometimes let their tempers flare; anyone spending many hours on the air (including me) may get a little peevish now and then. It's an attitude that one's own organization is so above reproach that a guest's criticism amounts to insulting behavior. And since anchors pride themselves on their aggressive questioning, they look small and defensive when they shut down the guest. Not everyone fits this description, of course. In fact, Fox's Bill O'Reilly seems to relish the chance to repeat the swipes of anyone who takes him on, punch back and invite the offender on for a debate (which many decline). Cable news can be a rough arena. But honest debate, even with puglistic guests, ought to be a two-way street. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Howard Kurtz.

A Fox News interview with author Thomas Ricks was cut short . Ricks said "Fox was operating as a wing of the Republican Party" Howard Kurtz: Fox acted too self-protectively rather than allow a debate on its role . Kurtz says other cable anchors have shut down guests who question their networks .

(CNN) -- They say the first step to overcoming a problem is realizing you have one in the first place. If you asked me whether I'm addicted to my smartphone or whether I overuse it, I would say absolutely not. I pride myself on not keeping my devices (I have two of them!) in my bedroom while I sleep, and keeping them out of reach on the kitchen counter when I'm home with my kids. But, every time I walk into the kitchen, I find myself checking my email and Twitter feed. There's almost a gravitational pull toward my BlackBerry and iPhone even when I know the chance that there is anything I need to see at that moment is next to zero. I feel that same pull the minute I wake up and make checking my devices one of the first things I do once I get out of bed. Those behaviors alone probably put me in the "you have a problem" camp, but I'm sorry to say there's now even more evidence. I recently took the "Smartphone Abuse Test," an online quiz administered by the Center for Technology and Internet Addiction, one of the few organizations focused on the issue. 'I've got a problem' The quiz asks questions like: "Do you find yourself spending more time on your Smartphone than you realize?" and "Do you feel reluctant to be without your Smartphone, even for a short time?" If you answer "yes" to more than five of the 15 questions, "you might benefit by examining how much time you spend on your Smartphone," according to the quiz. I answered "yes" to 11 questions. I've got a problem, and I'm not alone. Dr. David Greenfield, the director of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, says around 90% of Americans would fall in the category of overusing, abusing or misusing their devices, according to a recent nationwide telephone survey he did with 1,000 people in conjunction with AT&T. "The analogy that I use is right before they go to bed, the last thing they do before they pass out is check their phone and the minute they open their eyes, they check their phone," said Greenfield during an interview. "Doesn't that sound like a smoker? This is what we used to hear with smokers is that the last thing they would do before they go to bed is they'd have their last cigarette." 61% of respondents in the survey said they regularly sleep with their cell or smartphone turned on under their pillow or next to their bed, and more than 50% feel uncomfortable when they leave their smartphone at home or in the car, or when they have no service or their phone is broken. Signs you are truly addicted . Greenfield, who is also author of "Virtual Addiction: Help for Netheads, Cyber Freaks and Those Who Love Them," says fewer people would actually be classified as addicted to their devices. That number is around 10 to 12%, according to his latest research. "What puts somebody in that category is they are using it to a point where they are experiencing some degree of withdrawal. They are developing intolerance, meaning they are using it more and more," said Greenfield, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. "They are using it like a drug so they're bored, they pick up the phone. They're tired, they pick up the phone. They're lazy, they pick up their phone. They're angry, they pick up the phone. They're lonely, they pick up the phone." To fall into the addicted camp, Greenfield also says your smartphone use has to have "some deleterious impact on a major life sphere, whether it's an impact on your work, your academic performance, your home life, primary relationship, parenting, legal status." "Let's say you get pulled over and get a ticket for texting and driving. There has to be some negative impact generally for us to say you have a problem," Greenfield said. And while the majority of Americans wouldn't be classifed as addicted, and are more likely overusing their devices, there is a fair amount of denial at work, he said. Greenfield's research found that while 98% of respondents said that texting while driving is dangerous, nearly 75% admit having done it. "Just like drinking and driving, people have a very poor perception of impact, so, in other words, people will be doing their normal thing," he said. "They'll be driving and balancing their cell phone and drinking their coffee, and they'll say to you, and they'll mean it, that they are not impacted ... but actually we know from a lot of data and research that that is absolutely not true." PHOTOS: Our mobile 'addiction' So how else can you tell if you might be addicted to your smartphone or if you fall in the larger category of your smartphone use getting out of hand? I asked on social media and got a tremendous response from people who were on their smartphones at the time! Here are ten of my favorite responses: . Ten signs you may have a problem . 1. When you check your phone to see the current temperature instead of opening a window, and/or when you check your phone to see the current time instead of looking at the watch that's right on your wrist. (I just did this!) 2. When you have to consciously say to your spouse "Let's put our phones away" while watching TV because it's more common that they're out than away. 3. If you are answering emails in a dimly lit reception area while waiting for your massage therapist to destress you, you may have a problem. (OK, I've done this too!) 4. When your kids have to text you their carry-out orders because you've lost the ability to retain information that is not received on your phone. 5. When you hope you hit a bunch of red lights on the way home so you can comment on a Facebook post. 6. When one of your daughter's first drawings of you has a BlackBerry in your hand. 7. When you wake up, you grab your phone and check it before you get up to pee. 8. When you drop a phone on your face because you're dozing off. 9. When you choose your clothing based on the best pockets to hold your phone. 10. When you are staring at photos you took on your phone while the actual moment is taking place right in front of you. (Done that too!) I promised ten but here is one more that cracked me up: If you let your lunch get cold so you could answer a query -- on your smartphone -- about signs you may have a problem with your devices. Do you think you are addicted to your smartphone or have a problem with how much you use it? Tell Kelly Wallace on Twitter or CNN Living on Facebook.

Online quiz allows people to assess if they have a problem with their smartphone use . 90% overuse or misuse their devices, according to Center for Internet and Technology Addiction . About 10 to 12% are addicted to their smartphones, says organization's director . 61% sleep with their smartphones in their bedrooms, according to new survey .

(CNN) -- Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann formally announced her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination Monday during an appearance in Waterloo, Iowa -- the city where she was born. Bachmann, a 55-year-old Tea Party favorite currently serving her third term in the House, told a crowd of supporters that Barack Obama's presidency has been a failure. She promised to lead a new conservative revolution characterized by smaller government and a lower federal debt. "Make no mistake about it: President Obama is a one-term president," Bachmann declared. "Together we can rein in all the corruption and waste that has become Washington and instead leave a better America for future generations." Bachmann blasted Obama's controversial 2009 economic stimulus plan, telling the crowd that "spending our way out of this recession hasn't worked." Echoing Ronald Reagan's famous refrain, the congresswoman asserted that "more than ever, Washington is the problem." "The real solutions will come from our businesses, our communities, our schools and the most basic and powerful unit of all -- our families," she proclaimed. While making a direct appeal to the Tea Party's deficit hardliners, Bachmann also made a pitch to religious conservatives, praising the country's past military victories in part by citing a line from the Bible: "Greater love hath no man than this, but that he lay down his life for his friend." Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt dismissed Bachmann's claim she could lead a new economic recovery, arguing that "her policies would erode the path to prosperity for middle class families." Most political analysts consider Bachmann's candidacy for the GOP nomination a long shot at best, as front-runner Mitt Romney cranks up a formidable campaign operation and fundraising machine. Few House members have proven to be nationally viable candidates in the past. On Sunday, Fox News Channel's Chris Wallace asked Bachmann if she's a "flake" -- a question the congresswoman said she found insulting. Wallace later apologized. Regardless, Bachmann appears to have considerable appeal among Republicans in Iowa, which will host the nation's first caucuses next winter. She finished a statistically insignificant one point behind Romney in a Des Moines Register Iowa poll released Saturday night. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and familiar face from his 2008 bid, was favored by 23% of the likely Iowa caucus-goers, while Bachmann was favored by 22% of respondents. Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain -- like Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite -- received 10%, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas each got 7%. Bachmann, according to a number of observers, is believed to be banking on heavy support among Iowa's influential evangelical voters to give her a breakthrough victory in Iowa and establish her as the main GOP alternative to Romney, who is still struggling to overcome skepticism among conservatives. To help accomplish that task, Bachmann has assembled a team of veteran political operatives. Among others, she hired Ed Rollins, who directed Reagan's landslide re-election bid in 1984 and managed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's 2008 effort, to run her operation. She has also brought in top-flight Republican talent like pollster Ed Goeas, who was working with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour before Barbour decided not to seek the nomination. The congresswoman has also brought on board message maven Brett O'Donnell, who worked for President George W. Bush and for Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign. O'Donnell coached McCain running mate Sarah Palin before her high-stakes vice-presidential debate. Also aiding Bachmann are veteran consultant Bob Heckman, who has deep ties to the conservative movement; former McCain campaign web guru Becki Donatelli; and Tom McGill, a fundraiser for Bush's 2004 campaign and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's 2008 bid. Asked about the steep challenge ahead, Bachmann boasted Sunday that she has a "titanium spine for doing what we need to do." She also stressed her sincerity -- a characteristic supporters hope will allow the congresswoman to draw a stark contrast with Romney, who is accused of being a politically opportunistic flip-flopper on abortion and other key issues. "What people know about me is I do what I say and I say what I mean," Bachmann said on Fox. "I think people recognize I'm very sincere in what I say." Bachmann, who backs deep spending cuts to balance the federal budget, became defensive when asked Sunday about a Los Angeles Times report on federal money that benefited her family -- including nearly $30,000 for a counseling clinic operated by her husband and almost $260,000 for a family farm. The money didn't directly benefit her family, she explained, saying the $30,000 was for training employees, and the farm that got the $260,000 was owned by her father-in-law, so she and her husband didn't get any of it. Asked about another hot-button issue -- same-sex marriage -- Bachmann said she supported both the right of states to pass laws on the matter and the superseding authority of a federal constitutional amendment on the issue. Bachmann said New York's state legislature and governor have the right under the Tenth Amendment to legalize gay marriage, which they did Friday night and early Saturday. But, Bachmann added, she also backs a federal constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. In the end, Bachmann said, it would be better to settle the matter with citizens voting on a constitutional amendment rather than Supreme Court justices issuing a decision. Asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" whether she believes homosexuality is a choice, Bachmann said it was up to individuals to make their own decision and that she wasn't judging anyone on the issue. She described herself as a Christian who gets guidance in her life and political career through prayer. She also challenged the widespread assertion -- backed by the White House, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and a host of economic analysts -- that a failure to raise the current $14.3 trillion federal debt ceiling by August 2 would have potentially dangerous economic consequences. "It is scare tactics," Bachmann said, adding that the government takes in plenty of money to pay the interest it owes on federal debt and avoid default. In that case, she conceded, other spending such as funding for the military would have to be cut. CNN's Alan Silverleib, Tom Cohen, and Peter Hamby contributed to this report .

Rep. Michele Bachmann has formally announced her presidential candidacy . Bachmann made the announcement in Iowa -- home of the first caucuses . Bachmann is considered a long shot, but is a Tea Party favorite . She was virtually tied with Mitt Romney in Iowa in a recent Des Moines Register poll .

(CNN) -- Ethan Fisher is small for his age. The 8-year-old looks 6, though his natural athleticism aids him on the baseball field. He's outgoing and spontaneous -- a bundle of energy with big blue eyes and a welcoming smile. You'd never guess from looking at him that Ethan has Fanconi Anemia, a rare blood disorder that may one day kill him. "He's the ask-for-forgiveness child," his dad, Florida State University head football coach Jimbo Fisher, says with a laugh. The FSU Seminoles have had an outstanding year. They're undefeated at 13-0. Their quarterback, Jameis Winston, recently won the 2013 Heisman trophy. The team is set to play Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game on January 6. Basically, Jimbo Fisher is on fire. "I love what I do," he says. "The more success I have, the more awareness I can bring to this disease." In December 2010, Ethan fell ill with the flu. The Fishers were visiting family in Alabama, so his mom took Ethan to an urgent care clinic. A blood test revealed his platelet count was low. Probably nothing to worry about, the doctors told Candi Fisher. Just follow up on it when you get home. A few months later, Ethan was diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia. "All we knew about the disease was what we looked up online," Jimbo says. "It was all the worse-case scenario. We thought it was a complete death sentence. "That day was..." After a moment, he finds the word: "devastation." Fanconi Anemia is an inherited blood disorder that affects about 1 in every 130,000 people, says Dr. Margaret MacMillan, a pediatric hematologist oncologist at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital. Patients with Fanconi Anemia can't repair their DNA. When their bodies make new cells, they come with mistakes -- big ones that can lead to birth defects, bone marrow failure and cancer. Acute myelogenous leukemia is seen 15,000 times more often in FA patients than it's seen in children in the general population. FA patients are also more at risk for head and neck, breast, and brain cancers. Close to 100% need bone marrow transplants before they reach adulthood. Other than stunted growth, Ethan didn't show any external signs of Fanconi Anemia, MacMillan says. About 60% of cases present with a birth defect, such as a shortened thumb. But the average pediatrician will see only one or two cases in a career, and it's difficult to diagnose. "Most patients go into full bone marrow failure before they ever find out," she says. When he was diagnosed in 2011, doctors estimated Ethan would need a bone marrow transplant in three to five years. His blood is tested every few months, and once a year the family travels to Minnesota to get a bone marrow biopsy. "It's hard ... for the parents, because he's a ticking time bomb," MacMillan says. A bone marrow transplant will buy Ethan more time, but it's not a cure. And the procedure itself is dangerous, requiring up to a year of recovery. "Time isn't really on our side, or anybody's side, with this disease," Candi says. The prognosis for Fanconi Anemia patients is difficult to predict, MacMillan says. Research suggests the average lifespan is between 20 and 30 years, but the data are based on past success rates for bone marrow transplants. When MacMillan started at the Minnesota hospital 16 years ago, the survival rate after a bone marrow transplant was about 20%, she says. Now it's 85%. The Fishers created the nonprofit Kidz1stFund shortly after Ethan's diagnosis to increase awareness and raise money for research about Fanconi Anemia. In September, Jimbo joined forces with Paul Chryst, head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, to promote his cause. Players from both teams wore "I fight Fanconi" decals on the backs of their helmets during the televised Labor Day game. "We thought, we can go private with this and keep it within, or we can go out publicly and not only help Ethan, but help all those kids who don't have a voice -- whose dads aren't the head football coach," Jimbo says. To date, Kidz1stFund has given more than $1.5 million to MacMillan's program. Donations stream in from all over the country. Most are in $100 or $200 amounts from fans who hear about Ethan and want to help. But the donation Candi remembers best came from former FSU player Andrew Datko, who gave $5 the night the foundation's PayPal account was set up. "Five dollars to him was a lot of money because those players rely on their program money heavily," she says. "It touched my heart." The FSU players have been "unbelievable," Jimbo says. They've all signed up for the bone marrow donor registry. Several have already donated bone marrow to help another child in need. And they're great with Ethan, who is doing his best to live life as a normal kid. His parents have told him about his Fanconi Anemia, but haven't explained the seriousness of the disease. "He's very aware that all of these people have come together and are trying to help," Candi says. "He has the rest of his life to worry." Through the foundation, the Fishers have met other families who've been through similar struggles. A 15-year-old who hasn't yet gone into bone marrow failure gave Candi hope that Ethan could hold out a few more years. A practicing attorney named Christopher showed the Fishers that FA patients can live well into their 30s if the bone marrow transplant is successful. And Logan Stevenson, the 2-year-old who served as his parents' best man before passing away in August, cemented their resolve to do everything they can to fight Fanconi Anemia. "God put us on this path for a reason," Candi says, "And I don't feel he's going to let us down." For Jimbo, that means winning as many football games as possible to keep FSU -- and Kidz1stFund -- in the spotlight. "Oh, we're definitely going to try to win the championship."

FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher's son has Fanconi Anemia, a rare blood disorder . Fanconi Anemia affects 1 in every 130,000 people . Almost all FA patients need bone marrow transplants before they reach adulthood . The prognosis for Ethan Fisher is hard to predict, due to old data .

(CNN) -- When Tropical Storm Washi ripped through the southern Philippine city of Cagayan de Oro last weekend, it dumped in one day more than the city's entire average rainfall for the month of December. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, a total of 181 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in the area last Friday, compared to the expected 99.9 millimeters for the whole month. The devastating flash floods, which have so far claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people, arrived just weeks after a report from the UK's Met Office Hadley Centre for Climate Change indicated that global warming has significantly increased the number of people at risk from flooding. The report, "Climate: Observations, projections and impacts," examined how climate change will modify the weather in 24 countries around the world. While findings vary from region to region, it forecasts an overall increase this century of coastal and river floods, extreme weather events and a global temperature rise of between 3-5C, if emissions are left unchecked. According to climate change experts, cities from New York in the U.S. to Dhaka in Bangladesh are likely to be heavily affected. Migration . Simon Reddy, executive director of the C40 Cities network, which promotes sustainable development among local city authorities around the world, says this could be a catalyst for migration into urban areas. "If the forecast temperature rise is accurate, then entire countries could be irrevocably damaged in certain parts of the world -- and their inhabitants will have to find somewhere else to live," he said. To illustrate his point, Reddy says that a third of flood-prone Bangladesh, in South Asia, could be made uninhabitable by a two-foot (60 cm) rise in regional sea-levels. The Met Office report echoes this point, predicting that climate change will subject an additional five million people in Bangladesh to floods, if they continue to live in the same place. "Where are they going to go?" asks Reddy. "In most cases they'll move to where the opportunities and the jobs are -- the nearest habitable city." With 70% of the world's population expected to live in cities by 2050, according to figures from the U.N., the impact of climate change on the urban environment appears more pressing than ever before. Floods . Historically, cities built up around water highways and coastal regions have flourished due to their association with maritime trade and transport, said Jan Corfee-Morlot, senior climate change analyst for the OECD. "This means that a disproportionately high number of the world's cities are located in areas that are now increasingly at risk of floods," she added. According to Morlot, recent risk studies from the OECD as well as the newly published data from the Met Office report predict that extreme "once-in-a-lifetime" weather events such as flash floods and coastal hurricanes are going to become significantly more commonplace. But, she says, it's not just cities in the developing world that are ill-equipped to manage the problem. "In America alone -- New York, Miami, New Orleans -- these cities face terrible exposure to floods, and unlike cities such as Rotterdam (in the Netherlands) -- they do not have the defenses to prevent them." In the future, Morlot believes that major cities will have to adapt to the reality of regular flooding by building new infrastructure, such as vast flood barriers and "evacuation avenues" -- wide roads with dedicated lanes for emergency vehicles. Extreme heat . Global temperatures are projected to rise by between three to five degrees over the next century, according to the Met Office. Dr David Dodman, senior researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development, says that temperatures in the city will far exceed that, due to a phenomenon known as the "urban heat island effect." "The built environment tends to absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, so there's little opportunity for the city to cool down" he said. "This means that temperature rises from climate change will be significantly exaggerated in urban areas." Aside from increased instances of heat-related deaths, particularly among the elderly population, Dodman says that the "wicked irony" of the urban heat island effect is that it stimulates a demand for air conditioning. "In places like Delhi, we're seeing a growing middle class use their wealth to pay for electricity-hungry air-conditioning units, which contribute to global warming, and this of course creates a negative feedback loop." Water shortages . According to Dodman, the predicted rise in global sea levels pose a threat to city aquifers -- underground wells that provide a source of fresh water for many urban settlements around the world. "In coastal cities, the rise causes 'saline intrusion' -- where salty water gets into the fresh water aquifers, making it undrinkable" he says. In addition, Dr Doug Crawford-Brown, executive director at Cambridge University's Centre for Climate Mitigation Research, anticipates that stock piles of bottled water will be have to be rationed when fresh water distribution systems buckle under the impact of city floods. "Even in a developed city like London, which is very well protected by the Thames barrier, high intensity rainfall could create problems with the old sewage system -- causing the potential spread of microbial disease," he said. Adaptation . Simon Reddy believes that urbanities of the future will be defined "not just by how they restrict their own contributions to climate change, but by the infrastructure and policies they employ to defend against the consequences of it." To this end, Reddy says that many of the cities in the C40 network have already started to implement adaptive measures. "In Seoul, for instance, they have removed a highway and restored an ancient river running through the city. This creates a wind corridor to it keep cool, and will also help drain water away in times of high rainfall," he said. Meanwhile, New York and Tokyo have led the way with green rooftops and urban gardens. "Urban green spaces are going to be more critical than (they have) ever been," he said. "Not only do they absorb heat and rainfall -- helping to keep cities cool and dry, but they provide opportunities for small scale food cultivation -- so city dwellers can become a little less dependent on imports." For Matthew Kahn, economics professor at the UCLA's Environment Institute, the accelerated urbanization caused by climate change, will mean that for most cities, the only way is up. The professor, whose book "Climatopolis" details how future cities could turn climate change to their advantage, says that he expects future modern cities to accommodate the flood of migrants by building energy efficient high-rise residential tower blocks, over small areas of land -- "much like we see in Singapore today," he said.

Tropical storm in Philippines comes just after report on climate change predicts floods . Climate change refugees are catalyst to urbanization, stretching city capacity . Climate scientists predict how effects of climate change will impact city . Floods, droughts, and "urban heat islands" among common characteristics .

Hong Kong (CNN) -- If Sunday's by-election in Myanmar is deemed to be free and fair, it will cap off a startling about-turn by the former military men currently running the country. For the first time ever, credible alternatives to the ruling party appeared on the ballot, including pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, who was serving the final days of her house arrest during the general election in November 2010, which was widely derided as a sham. This by-election, analysts say, will be the first real test of the government's commitment to removing the fear and paranoia of citizens silenced by nearly five decades of military rule. The vote was called to fill seats vacated by the promotion of parliamentarians to the Cabinet and other posts last year. "It's hugely important and it will provide a new semi-democratic political system with an opportunity to show that it has ambition to become more transparent, more inclusive and thus more democratic," said Nicholas Farrelly, a research fellow at the Australian National University. In the weeks leading to Sunday's vote, Suu Kyi has traveled up and down the country, rallying support for her once-banned National League for Democracy party (NLD). Opening up Myanmar . Just the sight of her brazenly pitching her policies to huge crowds of people has emboldened many to dare to believe that democracy might be possible. "I'm so happy Suu Kyi is free and campaigning... she will bring a better future for this country," said Nu Wary Lwin, who went to see Suu Kyi in Myaungmya, in the country's south. But others are more wary about what the future holds. "I have more freedom to say what I think now, but Aung San Suu Kyi has to remain free and do more so we all have a better life than this," said another prospective voter, Din Dun Zayawin. Analysts say Suu Kyi is all but guaranteed to win her seat in Kawhmu, south of Yangon, one of 45 up for grabs in the by-election. "It would be a major shock if she did not win her own seat. But I think we have to prepare people for the expectations that the NLD will not win all seats in the by-election," said Jim Della-Giacoma, a project director at International Crisis Group. Della-Giacoma stresses that the NLD does have competition, not least from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which was formed less than two years ago to contest the 2010 election by former general, and now president, Thein Sein, and a number of other former military leaders. "The USDP has shown it is able to recruit good candidates, local figures who are popular in their own right. They've got something to lose here so they're competing, like governments everywhere," he added. However, others say that it doesn't matter who wins what seats in this by-election. After attracting international condemnation for manipulating the voting process two years ago, Myanmar's leaders know the real test of this election is proving to the world they can conduct a legitimate vote. "I don't think it matters how many seats the NLD wins. I think the only thing that really matters whether it's free or fair. I don't think the people of Burma care about how many seats the NLD wins either. What they want to know is whether the next set of elections, the national elections (expected in 2015), are also going to be free and fair," said Monique Skidmore, of the University of Canberra. The staggering pace of change in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, has shocked and thrilled observers. In the past 12 months, the country has pardoned hundreds of political prisoners, secured a ceasefire with Karen rebels and has agreed to negotiate with other ethnic rebel groups. Freer press rules have encouraged the proliferation of journals and magazines. "There's a whole slew of information out there for voters that just wasn't there in 2010," said Della-Giacoma. Unlike the 2010 general election, international observers have been invited to monitor the vote. The U.S., European Union and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are sending monitors, as are Japan, Canada and Australia. However, analysts say the sheer number and spread of polling booths across the country will make it impossible for international monitors to ensure an honest count. "We just have to take Thein Sein at his word and have a look at the outcome," said Skidmore. "There is no way the Burmese people would ever vote overwhelmingly for the military party and so we'll know on the basis of who is elected whether it was free and fair." So far, Myanmar's efforts to thaw its frosty relations with the rest of the world have been warmly welcomed and rewarded. In recent months, a steady procession of foreign ministers has visited the country and, in February, the EU lifted a travel ban on Myanmar officials. There have been hints too that a free and fair vote on Sunday will lead to the relatively swift unraveling of sanctions that have long choked the country's economy. "The rapid reappraisal of sanctions is likely to come almost immediately," said Farrelly. "(However) there will be those who will consider the sanctions that are in place should only be rescinded when certain other benchmarks are met. There will be some, I'm sure, who will argue that it's terrific that Aung San Suu Kyi now can play an active role in Burma's politics, but that franchise needs to be extended to all ethnic minority groups as well." As a member of parliament, Suu Kyi would also be expected to be free to travel outside Myanmar -- and more importantly to return -- something that wasn't possible during her long years of repression and confinement. Another potential shift is underway as well, said Skidmore. Thousands of Burmese living in exile around the world are watching and waiting for a clear sign that it is safe to return home. For many, that clear sign could come with Sunday's vote. "The Burmese chat rooms are full of discussion about when is it safe to go back and what will we do when we go back," she added. "Already we're starting to see exiled media organizations coming back into the country and so the time is getting closer and closer for a whole generation of Burmese people to return home. And that's going to be a very exciting aspect of Burma's next democratic phase as well." CNN's Paula Hancocks contributed to this report.

Vote called to fill seats vacated by the promotion of parliamentarians to the Cabinet and other posts . Credible alternatives to ruling party include pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi . 2010 general election won by Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), viewed as 'sham' Unlike two years ago, international observers have been invited to monitor the polls .

Damascus, Syria (CNN) -- North Korea requested permission from Iraq this week to fly a plane through its airspace to Syria, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told CNN on Friday. Al-Maliki rejected the request out of suspicion the plane would be carrying weapons, said adviser Ali al-Mousawi. The prime minister talked by phone with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday afternoon, officials said. Biden asked Iraq for help in stopping weapons from reaching Syria, according to a statement released by his office, and stressed to the Iraqi prime minister "the need to prevent any state from taking advantage of Iraq's territory or airspace to send weapons to Syria." Al-Maliki "expressed the Iraqi government's discomfort with some informal U.S parties of stirring suspicions about Iraq's position toward the Syrian crisis," and that Iraq has held a "firm position in rejecting any weapon supplies or violent activity over Iraq's territories or its airspaces," according to a release from his office. "Al-Maliki reiterated the position of the Iraqi government based on the need to find a peaceful political solution for the Syrian crisis and its rejection to supply ammunitions to any party involved in the Syrian conflicts," the release said. Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule are concerned about the shuttling of arms to his government by entities such as Iran. Iraq borders Syria and Iran. Al-Assad magazine interview . Earlier, Syria's besieged president slammed the rebels battling his government forces, but said the "door to dialogue is open." "Dialogue with the opposition is the only way out to address the crisis," al-Assad said in a magazine interview published Friday. The cries for freedom and democracy that spread across the Arab world last year also reached Syria. That set the wheels in motion for a standoff that morphed into a civil war between the al-Assad government and a burgeoning rebel movement. More than 26,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the one-and-half-year-long conflict, according to opposition activists. Al-Assad, who blames the violence on terror groups, told Egypt's Al-Ahram al-Arabi magazine that "armed men are engaged in terrorism against all of the state's institutions." "They have no support in the society. Rather, they have harmed the interests of the people by targeting the infrastructure that serves the people and killing innocent Syrians. Ultimately, they will not emerge victorious," he said. He said backers of these forces "think the only solution is through a Libyan scenario." That's a reference to rebel forces, with foreign backing, toppling Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and his government. "But a decisive end (to the crisis) will take some time, of course. However, the door to dialogue is open and we have offered several initiatives for amnesty for all of those who put down their arms in order to encourage dialogue," al-Assad said. Libyan fighting in Syria symbolizes fears . The president took jabs at Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar -- all supporters of the opposition. "They suddenly saw money in their hands after a long period of poverty and think they can change (the role of) history and geography, and play a regional role," al-Assad said, referring to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Before the Syrian conflict started last year, Saudi Arabia served only as a "mediator with the West that does not appreciate the axis of resistance against Zionism advocated by Syria," the president said. "Let me correct a prevalent idea that Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt are the triangular axis of stability in the region. This is not true. It has always been, and will remain, Syria, Iraq and Egypt," he said. As for Qatar, it "uses the power of money and revolves in the orbit of the West by providing weapons and money to terrorists to repeat the Libyan scenario," al-Assad said. And Turkey, he said, has "lost a lot" by taking its stance on Syria. "They are unconcerned about the interests of its people, focusing solely on its ambitions that include the new Ottoman Empire," he said. Here's a roundup of other developments in Syria's conflict: . Mass grave, massacres reported in Damascus area . Twenty-five "bound and blindfolded" bodies were found in a mass grave in the al-Qadam area of Damascus Friday, Syria's state news agency said. Authorities blamed the deaths on "armed terrorist groups." The government also said its armed forces "killed a number of terrorists" in the Damascus area town of Beit Jen. The opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said regime forces conducted a "massacre" in the suburb of Buwaida. Seventeen people were stabbed to death after soldiers stormed the area, it said. The LCC said the 17 were among 117 people killed across Syria on Friday. Forty-eight deaths occurred in the Damascus area. Seventeen people were killed in Aleppo and 15 each in Homs and Idlib provinces. Violence also raged in Daraa, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, Latakia and Hama provinces. Opposition figures disappear upon arrival in Syria . Two members of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change -- an opposition group -- and a friend who came to pick them up disappeared shortly after leaving the airport in Damascus, the group said. "The National Coordination Body's Exile Branch holds the kidnappers, whoever they be, completely responsibility -- ethically, legally, and politically -- for any physical or mental harm done. We demand an explanation for why there has been no communication, whatever the motives and reasons. We demand they be immediately returned safely to their families," the NCB said in a statement. Syrian state news blamed terrorists for kidnapping the men. Help for Syrians . The U.N. refugee agency says it is making progress relocating Syrian refugees in Lebanon. It is also working to enroll refugee children in Lebanese and Iraqi schools, the agency said Friday. Nearly 73,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon have registered or are awaiting registration with the United Nations. There are now more than 29,000 Syrians in Iraq. A second Russian plane transporting 38 tons of food arrived in Damascus Friday, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, which reported the arrival of a similar shipment Thursday. Christians in Syria fear uncertain future . CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq reported from Baghdad and Nic Robertson reported from Damascus. Hamdi Alkhshali, Amir Ahmed and Joe Sterling contributed to this report from Atlanta.

NEW: Two members of an opposition group - and a friend - disappear in Syria . At least 117 people are killed across the country Friday, another opposition group says . U.N. refugee agency says it is making progress relocating Syrian refugees in Lebanon . In an interview, Syrian leader is critical of opposition supporters Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar .

(CNN) -- It hardly seems fair. After a grueling campaign, Barack Obama will have virtually no time to celebrate his re-election. Enormous challenges await. For the victor and his party, there are many signs this may someday be seen as the "be careful what you wish for" election. Some of those challenges are well known and frequently discussed. Within days if not hours, the president will have to turn his attention to assembling and finalizing the team that will be at his side for the next four years. In addition, the fiscal cliff looms, as do critical decisions about whether -- and how -- to extend the Bush tax cuts. Share your reactions to the election outcome . Beyond these most apparent immediate challenges there are a host of other conundrums that will bedevil Tuesday's winner for months if not years to come. How can the United States create jobs more quickly? How can Iran be stopped from gaining nuclear weapons? How can we contain the threat of spreading unrest in the Middle East? How can we get China to play by the rules of fair trade? Can we do something to help prevent an EU meltdown from taking place and hammering the still fragile U.S. economy? What about immigration reform? Fill in your favorite pressing issue here: education reform, reducing the budget deficit, addressing flaws in the health care system, speeding up approvals of big new energy projects. There is an agenda for everyone and an army of special interest lobbyists in Washington raring to get back to work. Opinion: Five things Obama must do . But these issues, formidable and contentious as they are, are really just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface there are far greater questions that many in Washington will be less inclined to address, or even give any attention at all. But it is really these more profound challenges and how we adapt to them that will ultimately determine how the next administration is judged and indeed, how we are judged as a generation. At the core, the deeper challenges have to do with what must change in order for America to keep growing and leading as we have for generations. The problems we must fix are deep, complex and interrelated. We are not able to grow our economy as we have in the past. That does not just mean we are unable to provide the jobs that perhaps as many as 25 million Americans want but cannot get. It also means that the wages those jobs pay are not rising fast enough, that we are not training workers for the jobs that may be available, and that across our society inequality is growing as never before in our history. Opinion: Obama's victory won't transform America . In our cities, roughly half of minority students never finish high school and thus are consigned to lives of deprivation and frustration. At the other end of the spectrum, and regardless of your political affiliation, you must acknowledge the social risks created when the top 1% benefit so disproportionately to the rest of a population. From 1979 to 2007, the income of the top 1% grew more than four times faster than any other group. Despite what you may have heard during the political campaign, however, these are not problems that necessarily can be solved by invoking the political formulas of the past — cutting taxes or increasing social programs. The world has changed. America will never get back the manufacturing jobs that once were the bedrock of our middle class. It is not just that some have been outsourced overseas. Most have been outsourced to the past. Automation and enhanced productivity are making it possible for companies to do much more with fewer people. Opportunities exist for us to create better jobs if we retool for a new era in which we can use our better schools, tradition of innovation, intellectual property protection and cheap domestic energy sources to give us a competitive edge in new industries. But to do so we need to embrace new models, invest in new infrastructure, welcome foreign investment, simplify regulations and tax codes, and fight America's most dangerous special interest group: the anti-change lobby. But we find ourselves unable to make many of these changes not just because they are big and difficult and not well understood but also because our political system is broken. Look at this most recent campaign season. Six billion dollars spent, vastly more than any other nation in the world spends on political campaigns. But our voter turnout, if this election followed the pattern of recent ones, lagged the standards set by much of the rest of the world. News: Hot-button ballot initiatives . Much of the money came from shadowy contributions through super PACs and big checks from fat cat "bundlers," giving influence to the few. Further, for all that, not much was expected to change in terms of the composition of Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, which is just as our political leaders want it. They have built a system that is good at gridlock, name-calling and blame-gaming and not much else. It is thick with such strategies as gerrymandering districts, fostering extra-constitutional rules on filibustering and using senatorial prerogatives to hold up presidential nominations . A country facing great challenges that has a system resistant to the changes we need is at a dangerous crossroads, one that could determine its future place in the world. Interestingly, tellingly, we are not the only great nation to face such a choice this week. China, too, the world's second largest economy and most populous country, faces a once-in-a-decade leadership change. While its system is very different, it, too, is designed to allow the few to hold on to power and to resist change. And while our two countries face very different challenges, China also needs its new leaders to confront deeper issues and embrace more sweeping political and economic transformations. World worries as U.S. fiscal cliff looms . Ironically, as I have traveled across Asia during the past several weeks, many leaders I have spoken to have worried aloud that it is the nation that is best known for openness and for periodic reinvention of itself that has less of a chance of embracing the big changes it needs than the one known for being closed and repressive. While I don't believe that must be so, it puts the central challenge facing President Obama into perspective. The stakes have never been higher. To meet that challenge our president will have to lead only as great presidents have: confronting his own party as well as the opposition, but most importantly, confronting conventional wisdom and old models and demanding the rarest of all the things Washington produces: real creativity. This is the time not just for change we can believe in. This is the time for change we can actually see. If not, it could well be that the other leadership change taking place this week, the one taking place on the other side of the world, may be seen as more consequential than that which took place in the United States on Tuesday. Analysis: Obama won with a better ground game . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Rothkopf.

David Rothkopf: Winner of the presidential race facing urgent crises . He says the winner has to pick his team for next four years, deal with fiscal cliff . But the biggest challenge facing White House is the economy and inequality, Rothkopf says . Rothkopf: America's challenges can be overcome, but not if partisan gridlock gets in the way .

(CNN) -- Most craftsmen bask in glory when others admire and gush over their art, but a compliment is the last thing Christie Erickson wants. "I don't want the general public to know what I do is fake," Erickson says. "It's best if it's not noticed at all." Erickson is an ocularist, or trained technician who makes prosthetic eyes. While some call it a skill, Erickson says recreating the "personality," "emotion" and "sparkle" conveyed in a person's eye is an art. Each eye "tells a story and reflects a lot," Erickson explains. Erickson and her son Todd Cranmore are two of the six ocularists in the state of Washington and among the few hundred in the country. Because no school teaches ocularistry, people who want to enter the profession must spend 10,000 hours, or five years, of apprenticeship to become certified. The career blends the fields of art and science -- as only people with a creative side and anatomical knowledge can duplicate the organ that gives the gift of sight. It's a common misconception that prosthetic eyes are made of glass, but they're actually designed using acrylic materials and paint. The only nonacrylic piece is the silk thread placed on the eye's surface to simulate veins. Today, no member of the American Society of Ocularists, which includes 200 professional ocularists in the United States and Canada, makes glass eyes, according to Christine Boehm, the society's education chairwoman. She explained that acrylic eyes last longer, fit easier and can better match the color of the original eye. "There aren't many people left who make glass eyes," says Boehm, who has been an ocularist for more than 25 years in Toronto. The art of eye making dates back to the fifth century B.C., when Romans and Egyptians painted clay eyes and wore them over eye sockets. In the 1500s, the Venetians crafted blown-glass eyes that could be worn inside the sockets, but the globes were uncomfortable and sometimes shattered. It wasn't until World War II that eye makers switched from glass to acrylic, because Americans couldn't import glass from Germany. To their delight, ocularists found acrylic eyes didn't break like glass ones and the material was more flexible to mold. For several decades, stock eyes were mass produced as a one-size-fits-all concept. But production has since evolved into the handmade craft of today that brings makers and patients together to custom fit the perfect eye. Erickson, who has crafted prosthetic eyes for 30 years, took up the trade after her son Tim lost his eye in an accident. Tim, who was 3 years old at the time, was watching his father fix a tractor when a bolt flew off into his eye. Tim was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, but the eye was damaged beyond repair. The Ericksons decided to get Tim a prosthetic eye before he entered kindergarten so kids wouldn't taunt him about his shrunken and callused eye. "We wanted him of course to be whole again and have nobody notice it," Erickson says, adding that she would have traded places with her son if she could have. "You're watching your child go through this, you'd give anything to have it be yourself instead of them," she says. After agonizing over Tim's lost sight and overcoming the pain by seeing him "made whole" again, Erickson decided she wanted to help others erase the suffering she had felt. Erickson apprenticed in between raising four kids, and eight years later she had her professional ocularist license. Erickson's younger son Todd tossed around the idea of attending medical school, but ultimately decided to follow his mother's path and become an ocularist. The two run Erickson Labs Northwest in Kirkland, Washington, where thousands of patients have come through their doors. Erickson, 58, and Cranmore, 36, make their patients' eyes together. While Cranmore says he has friends who could never work with their mothers, both Erickson and Cranmore say they love collaborating on a project that takes 30 to 40 hours to complete. "It's helpful to have someone come in who hasn't been staring at (an eye) for an hour and a half and say, 'Oh, you're missing this color' or 'I think you need to start again,' which thankfully doesn't happen that often," Cranmore joked. Despite being a very specialized field, it's not in danger of losing professionals. Similar to Erickson and Cranmore's business, the art form tends to be passed down within families. Members of the American Society of Ocularists are mostly second-, third- and fourth-generation ocularists. Most patients seek a prosthetic eye -- which costs around $3,000 -- after an accident or disease such as cancer or diabetes. Erickson says more people lose their eyes to disease than injuries today, but she has seen accidents involving bungee cords, golf balls and rocks flying out of lawn mowers. "There's still the typical 'Christmas Story' of the BB gun injuries," she added. Less than 1% of the population requires an ocular prosthesis, according to Boehm, who says she often sees people in public who could benefit from one. "I think there are a lot of people out there that don't realize they would be a good candidate for an ocular prosthesis, and they don't realize that's something they can get," she says. Marysville, Washington, resident J.D. Blackwell, who lost an eye in a skiing accident 16 years ago, recently got a prosthetic eye from Erickson. He compared his new blue eye to contact lenses. "When you first get them, you're quite aware of them, but after a while, you don't even notice it," Blackwell says. In the past few months Blackwell has worn the eye, he's noticed a difference in the way people respond to him. He pointed out one interaction with a Costco employee stationed at the exit. "About 10 feet before I got to her, she gasped and said, 'Oh, my God, you've got the most gorgeous blue eyes,' " he recounts while laughing. Erickson wishes no one needed her talents but says she's honored when patients let her into their lives to aid the healing process. "It's an amazing thing to be able to be a part of somebody's life and that transformation from the tragedy, the grief ... and for us to be able to just heal, pray and love them through it," Erickson says. "And also (give them) a dang good-looking eye."

Christie Erickson became an ocularist after her son lost his eye in an accident . Glass hasn't been used to make eyes since after World War II . It takes 10,000 hours of apprentice work to become a certified ocularist .

(CNN) -- After the past week's political upheavals in Washington and around the country, we are reminded that certain things remain constant in politics. Unfortunately, one of those things is the sexism leveled at any woman who rises to power in the White House -- under presidents of either party. No sooner was the hunt on for a fall guy for the Democratic midterm losses than some in the press predictably went after a fall gal -- President Barack Obama's senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett. Reporter Carol Felsenthal in Politico and others have decided that the best way to address Democratic losses is to have a "shake-up" at the White House, and the person they most want to see shaken out is Jarrett. She is pilloried for everything from run-ins with other staffers to playing herself in a cameo role on CBS' "The Good Wife." That's how much they object to the job Valerie Jarrett is doing -- they don't even want her doing it in the fictional realm. The Politico story, headlined "Fire Valerie Jarrett, even notes that "nobody knows precisely what Jarrett does in the White House." But whatever it is, it's wrong enough that she needs to be fired. Withering criticism is something that is meted out regardless of gender in Washington. Attorney General Eric Holder has been called every name in the book, including the ones that have to be spelled using asterisks. But Jarrett is being subjected to a refrain of snipes and swipes that sound like they were cribbed from the Twitter feed of one of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." The litany of Jarrett's run-ins with other White House power brokers reads like a plot synopsis for a new "Mean Girls" movie. Even more telling are the descriptions of Jarrett that trivialize her position and the skills that got her to that position. The Politico article states, "If her role in this administration reflected reality, Jarrett would be called 'First Big Sister' to both Michelle and Barack." "Big Sister!" Karl Rove may have been characterized as an evil genius, but he was never reduced to being called merely George Bush's big brother figure. He was given credit for being good at what he did, not dismissed as a sycophantic surrogate sibling. But Felsenthal fails even to acknowledge any of Jarrett's good works. Senior administration officials have told me she played an important role in making sure that the uninsured, particularly uninsured women, were enrolled in the Affordable Care Act. More than 4.3 million women and girls enrolled in coverage during the first open enrollment period. As of June, 29.7 million women are estimated to have access to expanded preventive services coverage such as mammograms, HIV testing, contraception and other screenings with no cost-sharing. She spent months developing and executing a plan to bring community leaders and celebrities into the ACA rollout to reach uninsured people "where they are." In another article, U.S. News & World Report is somewhat more generous to Jarrett. Mark Davis, a former White House speechwriter in the George H.W. Bush administration, says, "Jarrett is the White House 'mirror, mirror on the wall' who has cultivated the psychological dependency of the president of the United States." According to him, Jarrett still attained her power through mere flattery, but at least she has a certain Disney villain sinister cachet. And as someone who psychologically controls the President, she's more Big Brother than big sister. Valerie Jarrett is certainly not the first woman who achieved power in Washington to be treated so disrespectfully. The shards of the broken glass ceiling cut both Democrat and Republican. When George W. Bush was President, The New York Times' Maureen Dowd dismissed Bush female staffers Condoleezza Rice, Karen Hughes and Harriet Miers all as nothing more than "adoring work wives, catering to W.'s every political, legal and ego-affirming need." Evidently presidents of either party choose their male advisers based on their talents, and their female advisers based purely on their ability to serve up chicken soup for the soul. Dowd said, "W. loves being surrounded by tough women who steadfastly devote their entire lives to doting on him." One can't even read that statement without picturing Miers tousling Bush's hair. Dowd was especially fond of the phrase "office wives," which is the sort of thing that really should only be said by characters in the show "Mad Men," and even then only the early seasons. At another point, Dowd implies that Rice got her job as secretary of state by just spending time with W. and "making him feel like the most thoughtful, farsighted he-man in the world." In one sentence, a woman who had devoted her life to diplomacy and public service has been reduced to a cheerleader ... and a self-serving cheerleader at that. Hillary Clinton has been attacked for being Hillary Clinton for so long now that it's easy to forget that the criticism of her began with the same sexist overtones now being used on Jarrett. Before Hillary-bashing became its own thing, she was subjected to the standard-issue woman-bashing used on every powerful woman in Washington. Well, Clinton got the royal treatment -- she was routinely compared to Lady Macbeth. A New York Times piece from 1992 said that at least 20 articles in major publications that year had compared her to Shakespeare's homicidal heroine with the stain problems. "Out, damned spot!" Great -- even Shakespeare's greatest villainess sounds like a laundry-obsessed housewife to modern ears. The only surprising thing about all of the comparisons of Clinton to Lady Macbeth is that so many Washington pundits are familiar with the classics. The Politico article calling for Jarrett's ouster ends up suggesting that maybe she can be transitioned out by making her the "Obama librarian" in charge of plans for the presidential library. Really, librarian? Why not just give her another stereotypical female job? She could become his secretary -- fielding phone calls and taking messages. Or bookkeeper, balancing the checkbook. White House nurse, or a stewardess on Air Force One! Women in Washington -- and in positions of power anywhere -- should be subjected to the same criticisms and held to the same standards as men. That does not include the assumption that any successful woman has attained her position through flattery, feminine wiles or her ability to provide maternal comfort to a more powerful man. We can criticize a person's performance without demeaning her based on gender. After all, our most basic human flaws transcend gender -- so should our criticism of those flaws.

In wake of Democratic election losses, some call for firing of Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett . Donna Brazile: Everyone gets attacked in D.C., but Jarrett is target of sexist criticism . She says Jarrett is being given the disrespectful treatment that Hillary Clinton, others have seen . Brazile: It's OK to criticize but don't demean people based on their gender .

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- On the same day it ratcheted up its rhetoric against North Korea, South Korea on Monday decided to put off an artillery drill on the island central to the latest conflagration between the two nations, state-run media reported. South Korean military officials "delayed" the drill on Yeonpyeong Island that had been scheduled for Tuesday, according to the official Yonhap News Agency. Earlier, island residents had been told to move to bomb shelters for the drill. The announcement came as North Korea stepped up its threats recently on its southern rival, as well as the United States, if any military activities infringe on what the communist nation considers its territory. South Korea earlier deployed more long-range artillery and rocket launchers to the border island in the Yellow Sea, which was struck by North Korean shelling last week, according to military officials quoted by Yonhap. Also Monday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak warned that North Korea will face severe consequences if it launches another military attack across its southern border. "If the North commits any additional provocations against the South, we will make sure that it pays a dear price without fail," Lee said in a nationally televised address. "We are aware of the historic lesson that a disgraceful peace achieved through intimidation only brings about greater harm in the end." Lee said Monday that South Korea "cannot remain patient" in the face of continued hostility from Pyongyang. "Fellow citizens, at this point, actions are more important than words," Lee said in a televised address. "Please have trust in the government and the military and support us." The divided peninsula -- tense at the best of times -- has been near the boiling point since Tuesday, when four people died in a North Korean artillery barrage that targeted Yeonpyeong Island. Lee called the attack an "inhuman crime" that followed decades of attacks by North Korea, including the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March. North Korea has consistently denied responsibility for the sinking of the Cheonan, which killed 46 South Korean sailors. "It is difficult at this point to expect North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons or military adventurism," Lee said. "We are now clearly aware that we cannot stay patient and be generous. That will only give rise to bigger provocations." Lee's address came a day after South Korean and U.S. forces started joint military exercises, prompting a furious response from North Korea. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington joined South Korea's forces near the coasts of China and North Korea for the four-day drill, which the North called "no more than an attempt to find a pretext for aggression and ignite a war at any cost," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. China, North Korea's closest ally, called Sunday for an emergency meeting of the six major powers involved in talks about the Korean peninsula. Top diplomats from the six nations -- which also include Japan, the United States and Russia -- need to meet soon to "maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and ease the tension" in the region, Beijing's special representative for the region, Wu Dawei, said Sunday. A top Chinese envoy met with Lee on Sunday, and a high-ranking North Korean official will visit Beijing on Tuesday, China's Xinhua news agency said. South Korea said Sunday that it did not think the time was right for a resumption of the six-party talks but said it would "bear in mind" the Chinese proposal. In Washington, a State Department official said that the United States is consulting with its allies but that resumed six-party talks "cannot substitute for action by North Korea to comply with its obligations." "Clear steps by North Korea are needed to demonstrate a change of behavior," said the official, who was not authorized to speak for attribution. And U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that the flare-up exposed the failure of "continued appeasement" of North Korea by Republican and Democratic administrations. He said the United States has given North Korea more than $1 billion in aid over the past 15 years with the goal of getting them to the negotiating table. "It seems the purpose of everything is to get the North Koreans to the table," said McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. "The North Koreans' only claim to their position on the world stage is their nuclear capability. And they have a terrible, most repressive, oppressive regime in the world. They have hundreds of thousands of people in slave labor camps. And all of that seems to be sacrificed in the altar of, quote, 'negotiations.' " Meanwhile, the Washington-based ANSWER Coalition called for "an end to the U.S.-South Korean provocations" and announced rallies in New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, on Monday. "The United States and South Korean governments have been pursuing a policy of deliberate provocation over the past several months," targeting North Korea and China, ANSWER's website states. "While hypocritically calling for 'calm' in words, Washington is escalating the crisis by its actions," it said, referring to the U.S.-South Korea military exercises and the USS George Washington. In his Monday speech, South Korea's Lee said efforts to resolve the international standoff through negotiations and humanitarian assistance to the North were met with "nuclear development and the sinking of the Cheonan." He said the attack on Yeonpyeong Island would have been unlawful even in wartime, adding, "I cannot but be angered at their cruelty." North Korea said the South provoked the attack because shells from a South Korean millitary drill landed in the North's waters. The North called reports of civilian casualties part of South Korea's "propaganda campaign" and accused the "enemy" of creating "a human shield by deploying civilians around artillery positions and inside military facilities before the launch of the provocation." The violence has sparked anger and political turmoil in South Korea. The country's defense minister, Kim Tae-young, resigned after the exchange of fire. Veterans of the South Korean military protested over the weekend on the streets of Seoul, saying they were angry that their country's government had not done enough to respond to the North's shelling. The tense maritime border between the two Koreas has become the major military flashpoint on the Korean peninsula in recent years. The Yeonpyeong attack was the first direct artillery assault on South Korea since 1953, when an armistice ended fighting. North and South Korea are still technically at war. Journalists Andrew Salmon and Jiyeon Lee and CNN's Stan Grant, Alan Silverleib and Tim Schwarz contributed to this report.

NEW: South Korea cancels live artillery drill on disputed Yellow Sea border island . South Korean President Lee Myung-bak warns North will pay a price if it attacks again . South Korea will consider a Chinese call for emergency talks among six major powers . North Korea calls the U.S.-South Korea military exercises a pretext for war and aggression .

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- At 33, Joe Sullivan is serving a life term without the possibility of parole in a Florida prison while confined to a wheelchair. Joe Sullivan, now 33, was convicted of burglary and rape when he was 13. He is serving a life sentence without parole. The crime for which he was convicted was brutal: burglary and the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Pensacola. The man's lawyers say the punishment was equally harsh, particularly for someone with Sullivan's circumstances. He was 13 at the time, and is one of only two people his age in the world, say his supporters, tried as an adult and sentenced to "die in prison" for a crime that wasn't a homicide. Now the Supreme Court is being asked to decide whether that sentence was cruel and unusual punishment for someone who was barely a teenager at the time of his crime. The justices are scheduled to announce Monday whether they will accept the case for review. If they do, oral arguments would be held in the fall. If the review is rejected, Sullivan would have few legal options remaining to reduce his sentence. His lawyers are also fighting to get him a new trial. Outside a death-penalty context, the high court has offered little recent guidance on how to treat the youngest of underage criminal defendants. The appellate record for rapists under age 15 is almost nonexistent, say legal experts consulted by CNN. Child legal advocates say many states lack adequate resources to handle young inmates given long sentences, including a lack of proper jailhouse counseling. Few studies have been conducted on the psychological effects on young defendants facing life in prison, said the Equal Justice Institute, which is representing Sullivan in the high court case. "We have created a forgotten population with a lot of needs," said Bryan Stevenson, Sullivan's lawyer. The crime happened in 1989, when Sullivan later admitted he and two friends ransacked a home in West Pensacola. But he denied the prosecutor's claim he returned with a knife and sexually assaulted the elderly homeowner. An older co-defendant claimed Sullivan was the rapist. According to the trial record, the victim testified the assailant was a youngster with "kinky hair and he was quite black and he was small." She could not recognize Sullivan by his facial features, but the defendant was made to repeat at trial what he allegedly told the woman: "If you can't identify me, I may not have to kill you." The victim testified, "It's been six months, it's hard, but it does sound similar." After a daylong trial, Escambia County circuit court Judge Nicholas Geeker sentenced Sullivan to life without parole. "I am going to try to send him away for as long as I can, he is beyond help," the judge told the boy. "The juvenile system has been utterly incapable of doing anything with Mr. Sullivan." Sullivan had a lengthy juvenile record, but continues to deny the attack. At the time, state prosecutor Larry Kaden, who retired last month, said, "It was a brutal crime and he had an extensive record. This was a bad, bad crime." The Florida Attorney General's office told the high court that prosecutors should have the discretion they have long been given to decide how harshly young criminal should be prosecuted. Sexual battery remains a crime punishable by life imprisonment in Florida. A study by the Equal Justice Institute found eight prisoners serving life terms for crimes committed at 13, all in the United States. Besides Sullivan, Florida inmate Ian Manuel is in a similar situation. He was 13 when convicted of attempted murder and robbery in 1990 and will not get out of prison. The Justice Department reports no 13-year-old has been given life without parole for crime that wasn't a homicide in a decade. And while about a thousand people every year under 15 are arrested for rape, none have been given life without parole since Sullivan. Only a handful of states -- including Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Oregon -- prohibit sentencing minors to life without a chance for parole, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Equal Justice Institute says 19 states have laws allowing the possibility of life without parole for those under age 14. The high court in April 2008 refused to hear the case of a South Carolina boy who was 12 when he murdered his grandparents and was given a 30-year sentence, the maximum allowed under state law. Tried as an adult, Christopher Pittman's lawyers had argued the sentence was excessive, and that heavy doses of antidepressants the boy was taking at the time sent his mind spinning out off control. While disappointed, Pittman's attorney Michelle Deitch speculated the justices may "have recognized the growing national trend against sentencing young children to harsh mandatory terms in prison, and wants to give state legislatures the opportunity to correct this problem before it rules again on the issue." Sullivan's attorneys hope the high court is ready to revisit the issue. The Supreme Court in 2005 banned the death penalty for underage killers. The justices in that case cited evolving "national standards" as a reason to ban such executions. "When a juvenile commits a heinous crime, the state can exact a forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy at the time. "But the state cannot extinguish his life and his potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity." Sullivan is in deteriorating health from multiple sclerosis and confined to "close management" for dangerous or trouble-prone inmates, say state corrections officials. His lawyers admit he has had more than a 100 incidents of fighting and threatening inmates and guards, and having contraband and weapons, but say Sullivan is the victim of bullying by other prisoners and is mentally disabled. "It's important for the criminal justice system to recognize that inmates like Joe [Sullivan] are going to change, biologically, psychologically and emotionally as they grow up in prison," said Stevenson. "We should not assume it is a change for the worse." Sullivan's appellate team places much of the blame on his original trial attorney, who presented no opening statement and only brief closing remarks. No DNA results were offered and the state destroyed the biological evidence in 1993. "It was absolutely outrageous," said Stevenson. The trial lawyer was later suspended from practicing law. The thrust of their argument before the high court is not that Sullivan is innocent, nor that he seeks his freedom now, just that he deserves to someday make his case before the state parole board.

Convicted for a crime committed at 13, Joe Sullivan appeals to Supreme Court . He is serving life without parole for burglary and the rape of a 72-year-old woman . Defense attorneys say punishment for Sullivan, now 33, was too harsh . The Supreme Court is expected to decide Monday if it will hear the case .

(CNN) -- Paul Anthony Ciancia was a newcomer to Los Angeles -- a 23-year-old Catholic school graduate and son of a popular Fraternal Order of Police member back in New Jersey. According to a profile emerging of the suspected gunman, he also harbored anti-government views and fears of an ominous New World Order when he walked into Los Angeles International Airport on Friday. Police say Ciancia pulled an assault rifle out of a bag and opened fire in the airport, killing Transportation Security Administration officer Gerardo Hernandez, 39, and wounding several others, including at least two other agents, in what appeared to be an orchestrated assault on members of the federal agency. A federal criminal complaint was filed Saturday afternoon charging Ciancia with murder of a federal officer and commission of violence in an international airport, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said. Investigators unable to interview suspect . Ciancia remained hospitalized Saturday. FBI Special Agent in Charge David Bowdich described him as "unresponsive." "We are unable to interview him, as of today," Bowdich said. Asked at a news conference if Ciancia had any known run-ins with TSA officers, Bowdich said, "To this point, we have found none." Shooter:"Are you TSA?" Eyewitnesses said Friday's shooter walked from person to person, calmly asking, "Hey, are you TSA?" "I just shook my head," Leon Saryan, a traveler at the airport, told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "And he kept going." Ciancia was eventually shot multiple times in the chest and taken into custody as he allegedly continued his eerily calm run through the airport's Terminal 3. He had enough ammunition to "have literally killed everyone in that terminal," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Ex-roommate in L.A. shocked . In the hours after the attack, with the terminal at one of the world's busiest airports still closed, authorities were piecing together a picture of the man in hopes of finding answers. If they're looking for telltale signs of trouble from before he moved to Los Angeles about a year and a half ago, nothing has emerged, at least publicly. John Mincey, who said Ciancia was his roommate in a Los Angeles apartment complex until February, said he was "absolutely shocked" by the charges. "From knowing this guy, I can't believe that he would -- it just doesn't make sense," Mincey told CNN affiliate KABC-TV. "He would always talk about documentaries he would watch," but Ciancia never talked about "any hatred," Mincey said. Mincey told KABC he had lunch last week with Ciancia, who said he was going to New Jersey for the holidays and hoped to make amends with his family. Chaos, terror unfold inside LAX Terminal 3 . No history of mental illness in New Jersey . Allen Cummings, the police chief in Ciancia's hometown of Pennsville, New Jersey, said Ciancia has no history of violence or recorded mental illness. Family members told police he didn't seem troubled the last time they saw him -- when he visited family for a wedding this summer. "Obviously, you know, they're upset," Cummings told CNN. "I mean, this is a shock to them. It's a shock to our community." Ciancia grew up in a quiet, wooded neighborhood just minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge, according to The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware. Houses there are far apart, nestled in the woods at the end of driveways sometimes hundreds of feet long. He once worked in a popular auto repair shop owned by his father, an associate member of the local Fraternal Order of Police who neighbors say has always been known for how well he takes care of customers there. Remembered as quiet high school student . The younger Ciancia graduated in 2008 from an all-boys Catholic school, the Salesianum School, in Wilmington, according to Brendan P. Kennealey, the school president. Classmates there described him as awkward, saying he never fit in. "In four years, I never heard a word out of his mouth," David Hamilton, who graduated with Ciancia in 2008, told the Los Angeles Times. "He kept to himself and ate lunch alone a lot. I really don't remember any one person who was close to him." Texts alarmed family . It wasn't immediately clear Saturday why he moved across the country. But that may have been where the first signs of trouble began to surface. In texts to his brother and father, Ciancia said he was unhappy and discouraged living in Los Angeles, according to an intelligence source with knowledge of the investigation. The source spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing investigation. It was one of those text messages that made his family think something bad was about to happen. "Basically, the text message was just a message to the little brother, and the way it was written, they had some concern about it, and that's when they brought it to our attention," Cummings said. The intelligence source described his texts as "angry" and "rambling." LAX shooting underlines security vulnerabilities . Father called hometown police chief . The father called Cummings about 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Cummings, in turn, called the Los Angeles Police Department, asking them to check on him and make sure he was OK. When they checked, he wasn't home. The next Cummings heard, he said, were media reports linking Ciancia to the shooting. Angry note found on suspect . A note found on the alleged shooter paints a picture of an angry young man. The materials included a rant that appeared to refer to the New World Order as well as anti-TSA and anti-government claims, a federal law enforcement official said Saturday. The New World Order is a common conspiracy theory focused on a secretive group of international elites bent on controlling the planet and forming a one-world government. Sources: Note said "kill TSA" Investigators found information on the suspect expressing not just anti-federal government sentiment but also anger at the TSA specifically, according to a federal law enforcement official. Multiple reports cite police sources saying the note included language saying he wanted to "kill TSA" and "pigs." The evolution of those thoughts, and how they may have led to Friday's bloody shooting, is a story that is yet to unfold. "We are currently investigating his background and more about him," FBI Special Agent in Charge David Bowdich told reporters. CNN's Greg Botelho, David Simpson, Deborah Feyerick, Chelsea J. Carter, Joseph Netto and Paul Matadeen contributed to this report.

NEW: FBI unable to interview wounded LAX shooting suspect Paul Anthony Ciancia . NEW: FBI has found no evidence of prior TSA incidents involving suspect . Federal charges filed against Ciancia for murder of officer and violence in an airport . Ciancia sent "angry, rambling" texts to his brother and father, police say .

(CNN) -- There was time, a generation ago, when it was hardly insanity -- or, to use the operative word here, Linsanity -- for the NBA team in New York to play an unselfish style of basketball. It was simply called "playing the game the right way," and the Knicks did it better than anyone. Fifteen years before Jeremy Lin was born, they built their franchise on the principles their new star has brought to the team over the 12 days since the Harvard graduate broke into the starting lineup and captivated the nation. Make the extra pass. Don't worry about individual statistics. The championship Knicks of 1970 and 1973 had plenty of talent -- there were a combined six Hall of Famers on their rosters and one, head coach Red Holzman, on the bench -- but they put aside their egos for the betterment of the team. They won as a group, not as individuals, and in the process became the pride of a struggling city in the early '70s. The stars of those teams -- Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Jerry Lucas and Earl Monroe -- could appreciate the way the Knicks have transformed with Lin as point guard. "What I would say to young fans is, 'Close your eyes and imagine five Jeremy Lins on a team -- that's what those teams were like," said Harvey Araton, author of the recent book "When the Garden was Eden" on those great teams. "Lin is a 21st century carryover of what the old Knicks brought to the city." Now fans have to wonder: Will the return to the team first style under Lin stick for the long term, especially with superstar Carmelo Anthony expected to return to the lineup this weekend? And can it help end a championship drought for the Knicks that dates back to that 1973 title? So much about Lin's incredible story has focused on what he could do. He could knock down the stereotype that Asian-Americans can't excel at team sports, opening opportunities for countless others. He could become a marketing force generating tens of millions a year -- and, with his picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated, is already on his way to becoming an international star. The NBA even added him to its All-Star weekend because of the enormous interest. He could dramatically increase the bottom line for the big-market Knicks, with the team's parent company already having seen its valuation increase $71 million since he jumped into the starting lineup and ignited a seven-game winning streak. But head coach Mike D'Antoni is more focused on how his presence has dramatically changed the chemistry of a middling basketball team, turning the Knicks from a tough-to-watch unit into something more fitting their home address just off Broadway. SI: Inside the Knicks playbook . The Knicks are still just 15-15, a long way from the elite teams in the NBA. But they have been playing a pretty brand of basketball since Lin took the reins as point guard. "He's changed everything," D'Antoni said an hour before the new-look Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings, 100-85. "Everybody knows what they're supposed to do and how they should act. Nobody looks at stats and nobody cares about that. It's a great feeling as a coach to have a group like that." It is what every basketball coach wants: A team that is stronger than its five individual parts. But for years, with few exceptions, the Knicks have put predictable, star-driven teams on the floor, living and dying on the abilities of a couple of great players rather than an entire unit. With Lin, that's changed. In the win over the Kings, the Knicks were a balanced and unselfish team -- the top eight players scored between nine and 15 points -- with Lin leading the way with a career-high 13 assists to go along with his 10 points. Lin became a national story when he torched the Los Angeles Lakers for 38 points, but he said he'd rather be a true point guard in the mold of a Steve Nash or a Jason Kidd, one who passes first and scores when the opportunity is there. It's what the Knicks hope to get from him. "As a point guard, my field-goal attempts have been really high," Lin said after hitting just four of six. "I don't think that's necessarily good. I think it's my job to distribute and get people in a rhythm." So how does Anthony fit in? Lin has won over the desperate fan base of this franchise so quickly and dramatically that the return of a superstar to the lineup has been met with worry, not excitement. Anthony arrived from Denver in a blockbuster trade just a year ago as the player who was supposed to deliver a title to a franchise that hasn't even won a playoff series since 2000. The small forward is a five-time All-Star who led the Nuggets to the playoffs every year from 2004-2010, averaging 24.8 points a game over his nine-year career. But he also has the reputation as a player who needs -- and demands -- the ball in his hands, one who routinely takes more than 20 shots a game. Can he fit in with Lin? He was insulted at the question. "That's like a slap in the face," Anthony said when asked by ESPN if he was a selfish player. "None of my teammates I've ever played with would say that I was a selfish player. Nobody." Anthony has a point. He won a national championship at Syracuse elevating his teammates and, while playing alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, took a complementary role for the benefit of the team's gold-medal pursuit. He is also smart enough to have watched the Linsanity unfold in Manhattan and to know that any player who stalls this movement will not be treated kindly by the fans at Madison Square Garden. Anthony insists he'll adjust, and that the Knicks will be a better team when he's back. Lin, for one, is not worried. "He's a lethal scorer," Lin said, "and he runs the pick-and-roll so well. We will probably be on opposite sides on the offense and when we swing-swing the ball and set up plays off the pick-and-roll ..." He let the sentence trail off, but fans understand the potential. There's no telling how far the Knicks can go if Anthony and his teammates are willing to put aside their egos for the betterment of the team. This team will captivate the city with selfless basketball. And, as any old school Knicks fan can tell you, it won't be the first time it's happened.

Steve Politi says Lin represents "team first" style the Knicks exhibited a generation ago . He says in the '70s, the Knicks "put aside their egos for the betterment of the team" Politi on Knicks: "This team will captivate the city with selfless basketball"

(CNN) -- Media magnate Rupert Murdoch will meet journalists at his News International subsidiary in London Friday, to take charge of the crisis surrounding the embattled Sun newspaper, with some speculating whether he will "sacrifice" UK staff to prevent the controversy from spilling across the Atlantic. "At the moment it appears he is ready to sacrifice the journalists and journalism in London to do whatever it takes to be seen to be cleaning up his act there so that it will play better in the United States," Andrew Neil, a former editor of Murdoch paper The Sunday Times, told CNN. "The consequence of that is quite amazing -- The Sun, which is the most loyal newspaper Murdoch has ever owned -- now believes it is being hung out to dry and the Sun journalists are turning against them." Murdoch issued a personal assurance to one of his executives that he'll continue to own and publish The Sun newspaper, according to an internal staff memo sent by News International Chief Executive Tom Mockridge. Allegations of pay-offs to public officials by Sun employees -- five of whom were arrested Saturday -- threatens to bring the UK crisis across the shores to the U.S., where the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prevents companies from paying bribes overseas. "This is for Rupert Murdoch no longer about journalism. This is about defending News Corp., his American based parent company, from judicial action and investigation in the United States," Neil said. Such actions could put broadcast operations, the most profitable part of the News Corp. operations, in jeopardy, said Porter Bibb of Mediatech Capital Partners in New York. "If it can be proven that anybody working for News Corp. bribed or gave money to an official of a foreign government -- i.e. the UK -- that's a clear violation and the Justice Department will start the wheels in motion, and I think that's what Rupert Murdoch has been gearing up for in the past few months," Bibb said. All of the Sun employees were released on bail, and none so far have been charged. A wave of scandals . This latest controversy surrounding Murdoch newspapers in the UK also raises a larger issue of journalists protecting confidential sources and paying to get information. If the case moves to the U.S., it raises the specter of anti-bribery laws in a showdown with the First Amendment, which protects freedom of the press. "It's really ironic that the greatest threat to freedom of the press in Great Britain today, and around the world today perhaps, has come from Rupert Murdoch because of his excesses," said Carl Bernstein, the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist who, along with Bob Woodward, broke the Watergate series of stories that eventually led to the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon. The arrests of the Sun employees comes after Murdoch-owned newspaper News of the World was found to have hacked into private voice mails of a widespread range of public officials, celebrities and victims of crime. The phone-hacking scandal prompted Murdoch's son, News Corp. executive James Murdoch, to shut down News of the World in July. The best-selling British newspaper was 168 years old. So far, News Corp. and its subsidiary companies have paid more than $200 million in legal fees and settling of 59 of 60 lawsuits that have been filed in the phone hacking case. Phone hacking: How the scandal unfolded . James Murdoch is now facing new e-mail evidence that would have made him aware of widespread phone-hacking at the newspaper. The younger Murdoch has appeared twice before a UK investigatory committee and said he has no knowledge of the practice. While Murdoch started in newspapers, the UK division of his News Corp. empire -- which includes movie studio 20th Century Fox, the Fox Broadcasting Company and Harper Collins Publishers -- is only a $1.6 billion slice of the $32 billion empire. Dark side of the Sun . "I can't imagine a corporate crisis that is larger than this," said Michael Wolff, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and author of "The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch." "There are essentially two parts of the company: There's the American company which comprises most of the assets and earnings, and then there is the British company that is composed mostly of newspapers," Wolff told CNN. "That's kind of a legacy company. It's one of the places where Murdoch got his start and one of the places where his heart is. "Most of the News Corp. executives in America have been saying for a long time, `why do we have newspapers?'" Wolff said. "The legal jeopardy of his son and heir, James Murdoch, gets more and more dire every day. I think they need to do something big and final, and I think it's going to be getting rid of his UK business." The Sun's editor, Dominic Mohan, has said the paper has a readership of more than 7.7 million. Paying for stories . The arrests of journalists have spread alarm, and prompted an editorial by the Sun that police dawn raids against its journalists were part of a "witch-hunt" that had left Britain behind former Soviet states on press freedom. But there is a sense that the practices that helped Murdoch build his media empire are now threatening to bring it down. "This is a system that Rupert Murdoch set up, these are his values that the Sun has practiced, let's not kid ourselves about it any more than the atmosphere in the Nixon White House was about his aids and underlings," Bernstein said. "It's both a tragic story and story of real corruption -- institutional corruption, moral corruption of a journalistic institution, but at the same time we need to protect the principal of protecting sources." "Rupert Murdoch had tabloid view of journalism, probably still does, that you do whatever it takes to get the story. The end will justify the means. You've got to destroy the competition," said Neil, who worked with Murdoch for 11 years. Bernstein said there are circumstances where paying for information is permissible. "Such as if you are in Bosnia and you say to somebody, 'take me to a mass graves, I want to see the mass graves site'. (But) is it permissible while following the royals around to say, 'here's 100 pounds, tell me what the royal family was doing last night'? No. But at the same time, these bums ought to be protected along with those who practice real journalism. CNN's Peter Wilkinson, Dan Rivers, Atika Shubert, Max Foster, Richard Quest, Felicia Taylor and Soledad O'Brien contributed to this story .

Rupert Murdoch expected Friday to meet with employees of the Sun newspaper . Five Sun employees were arrested Saturday on allegations of bribery . Law prevents U.S. firms like News Corp to bribe officials in foreign governments . Wolff: Pressure growing inside New Corp to shed its UK newspaper business .

Los Angeles (CNN) -- The city of Los Angeles put up $1 million in reward money Sunday for help catching Christopher Dorner, the renegade ex-cop accused of killing three people in a vendetta against his old department. "We will not tolerate anyone undermining the security, the tranquility of our neighborhoods and our communities," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told reporters. "We will not tolerate this reign of terror that has robbed us of the peace of mind that residents of Southern California deserve. We will not tolerate this murderer remaining at large." The offer -- raised in conjunction with businesses, private donors and community groups -- is "the largest ever offered to our knowledge," Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said. The hope is it will shake loose a tip that leads to Dorner's eventual conviction. The Los Angeles Police Department says Dorner, a 270-pound, 6-foot former Navy officer, was fired in 2009 for filing a false complaint of excessive force against his training officer. In an interview aired Sunday on CNN affiliate KCBS, Beck called Dorner a "trained assassin" but said he wouldn't be harmed if he gave himself up. "If you turn yourself in, then you will be safe and nobody else has to die," he said. "If you don't, if you decide to try to take the life of another Los Angeles police officer or their family member, then you'll have to suffer the consequences." Amid the manhunt, the LAPD beefed up security at Sunday night's Grammy Awards show "out of an abundance of caution," police Cmdr. Andy Smith said. And Villaraigosa said authorities are confident they'll catch Dorner. "This search is not a matter of if. It's a matter of when," Villaraigosa said. "And I want Christopher Dorner to know that." Chief calls it 'domestic terrorism' Dorner accused his training officer of kicking a mentally ill man during an arrest in 2007. The LAPD ruled the complaint unfounded and kicked Dorner off the force for filing a false complaint. He challenged his firing in court and lost. In a manifesto released last week, he blamed racism and corruption in the department for his removal and vowed to wage "unconventional and asymmetrical warfare" against LAPD officers and their families. He called it a "last resort" to clear his name and strike back at a department he says mistreated him. Beck had a different term for it Sunday. "This is an act -- and make no mistake about it -- of domestic terrorism," he said. "This is a man who has targeted those that we entrust to protect the public. His actions cannot go unanswered." But the chief announced Saturday that the LAPD would re-examine its proceedings against Dorner. The review is "not to appease a murderer," but "to reassure the public that their police department is transparent and fair in all things we do," he said. "I am aware of the ghosts of the LAPD's past, and one of my biggest concerns is that they will be resurrected by Dorner's allegations of racism within the department," Beck said. Mountain dragnet scaled back . Meanwhile, about 90 miles east of the city, the dragnet was back in action around the Big Bear Lake resort in the San Bernardino Mountains. After working through a weekend of heavy snow and overnight temperatures in the single digits, investigators were trying to pick up Dorner's trail anew after his burned-out truck was found there Thursday afternoon near the property of someone a federal arrest affidavit described as a known associate. But there has been speculation, based in part on the affidavit, that the suspect could have crossed state lines into Nevada or made his way into Mexico. The day's effort began with about 60 officers, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Lehua Pahia said. But by early afternoon, it had been scaled back to about 25 investigators, aided by a helicopter equipped with body-heat sensors and other specialized equipment, Pahia said. None of the tips the department had received so far has panned out, she said. According to authorities, Dorner began making good on his threats a week ago when he killed Monica Quan and her fiance, Keith Lawrence, in a parking lot in Irvine, south of Los Angeles. Quan was the daughter of a now-retired Los Angeles police officer who represented Dorner in a disciplinary hearing that led to his termination. Time line in hunt for Dorner . Days later, early Thursday morning, Dorner allegedly opened fire on two LAPD police officers, wounding one, in the suburban city of Corona. Roughly 20 minutes later, Dorner allegedly fired on two police officers in the nearby city of Riverside, killing one and wounding another. On Sunday, authorities identified the slain officer as Michael Crain, an 11-year veteran officer. LAPD guarding 50 police families . Authorities say Dorner spent at least two days in the San Diego area after the shooting of Quan and her fiance. Dorner's ID and some of his personal belongings were found Thursday at the San Ysidro Point of Entry at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the affidavit. Border patrol agents have been searching cars crossing into Mexico for signs of Dorner, while authorities have searched a home Dorner owned in Las Vegas and one owned by his mother in La Palma, California. Two sailors reported that Dorner, a former Navy lieutenant, approached them at the San Diego-area Point Loma Naval Base, and local police allege he attempted to steal a boat. And Monica Quan's father told investigators that someone identifying himself as Dorner called him Thursday and told him he "should have done a better job of protecting his daughter," the federal affidavit states. Investigators traced the call to Vancouver, Washington, but based on the timing of other sightings, they don't believe Dorner was in Vancouver at the time, the affidavit states. Beck said the LAPD is now guarding the families of more than 50 police officers. Officers guarding one house early Thursday shot and wounded two women who were driving a pickup similar to Dorner's, something Beck called a "tragic, horrific incident." Beck said that the shootings of Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, occurred a day after the manhunt for Dorner began and that the officers were under enormous pressure. CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton and Irving Last contributed to this report. Paul Vercammen and Stan Wilson reported from Big Bear Lake, and Chelsea J. Carter reported from Atlanta. Matt Smith wrote from Atlanta.

LAPD beefs up security at Grammy Awards as a precaution . NEW: Slain Riverside officer identified as 11-year veteran Michael Crain . Los Angeles puts up $1 million reward for Dorner's capture and conviction . Dorner claims LAPD racism cost him his job and declared war on the department .

(CNN) -- Al Qaeda fighters in Syria have seized another town on the border with Turkey, consolidating their grip on a swath of northern Syria. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took control of the town of Atimah at the end of last week, further tilting the balance away from more moderate factions of the Free Syrian Army. If ISIL's record elsewhere is any guide, the people of Atimah can expect the imposition of strict Islamic customs, with women and girls being coerced to dress more conservatively and Sharia, or religious, courts being established to dispense justice. Opposition activists say ISIL has cut down a famous landmark -- an ancient oak tree -- near Atimah. The militants claimed people had been worshipping the tree rather than God, an allegation rejected by locals, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Rebels: Syrian airstrikes kill at least 40 . The loss of Atimah will make it more difficult for brigades of the Free Syrian Army to bring in supplies from Turkey and get wounded fighters across the border to hospitals. It also may worsen the plight of internally displaced Syrians who have swollen the population of this northern corner of the country. Another jihadist group now controls one of Syria's main oilfields, according to the Observatory. It says Jabhat al Nusra (JaN) took over the al Omar field over the weekend, though an industry source said the rebels' lack of technical expertise and damaged infrastructure would make it difficult for them to extract the crude. ISIL and JaN have made substantial gains in Syria in recent months. In an article for the forthcoming edition of Sentinel, the journal of the Combating Terrorism Center, Brian Fishman argues that ISIL and other jihadist groups are more dangerous in Syria than they ever were in Iraq -- "more likely to sustainably control territory, project power around the region, possibly sponsor global terrorist attacks, and catalyze a new generation of jihadist insurrection." They "now include up to 12,000 fighters combined," Fishman says. "The ISIL is also bringing in much larger numbers of foreign fighters, including approximately 900 Europeans, many of whom are learning to use sophisticated weapons and small unit tactics." He adds: "Not only are far more foreign fighters entering the conflict, they are playing much more complex roles as fighters and commanders rather than simply as fodder for suicide attacks. Considering that the most important role of a veteran jihadist is as a trainer and motivator, this outflow is worrisome." ISIL's videos posted online highlight the contribution of foreign fighters from Chechnya, Kosovo and across the Arab world and Europe. Last week, it posted a photograph of a 17-year-old French citizen killed while fighting in its ranks. Its rise to prominence will not upset the Syrian government. President Bashar al Assad has frequently characterized the rebels as terrorists associated with al Qaeda, and infighting among rebel groups, Islamists and Kurdish militia in the north works in the regime's favor. Activists say the group that had previously held Atimah, Suqur al Islam, had spent so much effort battling other FSA factions that it was helpless to defend the town. For the United States and other western governments, ISIL's expansion to north and eastern Syria, especially Idlib and Aleppo provinces, is alarming. Seven years ago, the United States committed tens of thousands of troops and billions of dollars to rolling back al Qaeda in Iraq. The famous 'surge' succeeded in buying time and space for more moderate forces, but the militants -- battered and bloodied -- clung on. Now they have space in Syria, where U.S. Special Forces and military technology are absent. Fishman, who is a fellow at the New America Foundation, says, "Although the worst fears of Iraq in 2006 were avoided, they have the potential to be realized in Syria," not least because jihadist groups benefit from the tolerance or even support of "close U.S. allies such as Turkey, which has allegedly backed JaN skirmishes against Kurds in Syria, and Qatar." Syria's brutal war within a war gains momentum . Both ISIL and JaN have been involved in attacks against Kurdish militia in northern Syria, with several vehicle-borne suicide attacks in recent days. But Fishman says Turkey's policy of using jihadist groups as a counterbalance to Kurdish ambitions in Syria is "inane." "Obviously Turkey has had a long fight with Kurdish groups, but toleration of al-Qaeda is always a bad idea," he says. "These groups cannot be controlled, and they contain elements that measure success in completely brutal ways." ISIL seems supremely confident of its destiny and has even defied the overall leader of al Qaeda, Ayman al Zawahiri, who earlier this year instructed it to confine its operations to Iraq. Rather than cede the lead role in Syria to al Nusra, as Zawahiri ordered, ISIL last week called for "all jihadist leaders and soldiers and people to accelerate in joining the project of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant." Its "project" is Islamic rule in areas it controls. ISIL has posted videos online showing its members staging games for children and providing social services, but it has also coerced women and girls into wearing the veil and gloves in public. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it has introduced Islamic dress for schoolchildren and banned men from teaching girls. Fishman says the group has used "internal discipline and good PR efforts to control the darker aspects of its nature, but that is a temporary fix. The group continues to espouse radical ideological concepts (even by al-Qaeda standards)." Fishman told CNN that while ISIL and JaN collaborate on the battlefield, they have different aims and ideologies. "JaN represents the newest breed of al-Qaeda franchises, which tend to blend nationalist and jihadi goals," he said. "ISIL on the other hand is the most direct descendant of Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi and the violence-first, absolutist strain of al-Qaeda. The conflict between these groups is indicative of larger tensions in the al-Qaeda enterprise." Jabhat al Nusra has joined forces with other Islamist groups both to strengthen itself against ISIL and because it "wants to win Syria. ISIL wants to win globally and the Syrian borders mean far less to it," Fishman told CNN. Within the fractured and increasingly discouraged rebel movement, both jihadist groups are assuming larger roles, with disturbing implications for Syria's future. Al-Qaeda-linked rebels mistakenly behead fellow fighter, rebel group say .

Terrorist groups are consolidating power in northern Syria, watch groups say . Al Qaeda offshoot took Atimah on Turkish border, which will impede Free Syrian Army . Group is imposing strict Islamic law; takeover benefits Assad regime .

ALBANY, New York (CNN) -- At the age of 21, Christopher Jenkins appeared to have everything going for him. The University of Minnesota senior was good-looking, had a near perfect grade-point average and had a future in business. Christopher Jenkins, 21, vanished on Halloween 2002. Four years later, police ruled his death a homicide. Then, suddenly, he vanished. He was last seen celebrating Halloween at a bar in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2002. Jenkins' friends said he left about midnight. Four months later, his body was found in the Mississippi River, still wearing his Halloween costume. Minneapolis police classified the drowning as accidental. Jenkins' blood-alcohol level was well above the legal limit, and police told his parents that he'd probably had too much to drink after bar -hopping with friends. They thought he'd fallen into the river. Despite a lack of evidence, his parents, Steve and Jan Jenkins, insisted that there had been foul play. "He was loaded into a vehicle, a van, driven around and eventually murdered," Jan Jenkins told CNN. "He was murdered and thrown away like a piece of trash." Hundreds of miles away, Kevin Gannon, a retired detective with the New York Police Department, was investigating the mysterious deaths of several college men from New York state. Each of the deaths had been ruled an accidental drowning. Watch how clusters of drowning deaths raise suspicion » . In 2006, nearly four years after Jenkins died, there was a break in the case. A tip from a man in jail, described by Minneapolis police as a witness or suspect, caused police to change Jenkins' cause of death from "unexplained drowning" to homicide. It was a lucky break for Gannon. He had promised the parents of Patrick McNeill that he wouldn't quit until he'd found out how the Fordham University student died. McNeill's body washed up in the East River two months after he left a bar in New York. Gannon enlisted the help of another former NYPD officer, Anthony Duarte, when Christopher Jenkins' death became a homicide. In 2003, the two traveled to Minneapolis to investigate Jenkins' death. They learned about a string of student drowning deaths, many of them involving young men who attended colleges along the Interstate 94 corridor in the Midwest -- in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Nine of the deceased attended the University of LaCrosse, in Wisconsin. Three attended colleges in New York state. In all, the investigators say they've connected the bizarre drowning deaths of at least 40 college-age men across the country. The two detectives believe that in each case, and in others they investigated, the men were drugged and then their bodies were slipped or tossed into the water to make it appear as if they'd drowned. Why would the killer or killers put the bodies in the water? The effect of water on evidence makes for an almost perfect crime, Duarte said. Not only does it make it appear like an accidental drowning instead of a murder, but the water frequently washes away key pieces of evidence such as fingerprints and fibers, so the killer can't be identified. Together, the two detectives began mapping out the drowning deaths and working the case backward. Instead of focusing on where the bodies had been found, they used GPS devices and tracked river flow patterns and water levels to figure out where the bodies entered the water. As Gannon and Duarte investigated the deaths, they began to see a trend. The cases spanned 25 cities in 11 states, and at least some of them were connected by a creepy symbol left near the water's edge: a smiley face painted on trees and other surfaces. The detectives believe that the smiley faces were left by the killer or killers. They varied in size, with each face more haunting than the next. The most sinister was found in Iowa. It was drawn in red with a devil's horns. Next to the smiley face was a note that read, "Evil Happy Smiley Face Man." Asked whether he believed there was a hidden message in the smiley faces, Duarte told CNN, "The message is, they're taunting the police." Duarte and Gannon said they found 12 other matching symbols similar to gang graffiti. But, to protect their investigation, they wouldn't describe them in detail. The detectives say the string of deaths could be the work of more than one killer because some of them took place on the same day in different states. "It's so widespread. We have so many different victims in so many different areas," Duarte said. "It would, in my view, be impossible to be one person." The detectives also believe the victims were targeted. All of the young men were popular, athletic and good students. Who would commit this type of crime? "The type of person that would be the opposite, not smart, someone not good in school, maybe doesn't have a job, not popular," Duarte said. Gannon and Duarte believe that the young men were drugged to weaken them and given a substance that couldn't be detected by an autopsy. "I believe these young men are being abducted by individuals in the bars, taken out, at some point held for a period of time before they're entered into the water," Gannon said. He also believes the victims were abused mentally and sometimes physically before they were killed. "This is a chance for them to have power and control over somebody else and manipulate. The fear of death is just as important as the act of death itself," Gannon said. Minneapolis police are not convinced that Jenkins' death was the work of a serial killer. "Although we have collaborated with investigators from the FBI and communicated with other jurisdictions in which similar drowning deaths have occurred, we can neither confirm nor endorse the 'smiley face murders' theory currently being publicized," the department said. The FBI also has its doubts. "To date, we have not developed any evidence to support links between these tragic deaths or any evidence substantiating the theory that these deaths are the work of a serial killer or killers. The vast majority of these instances appear to be alcohol-related drowning," the bureau said in a statement. Still, Gannon and Duarte are concerned that the killing could continue. They say whoever killed Jenkins might already be stalking other college students. "Unless you've been out there to the scenes to evaluate [them] yourself, if you haven't done that, you're basically Monday-morning quarterbacking," Gannon argued. Duarte thinks local police forces did not investigate the cases adequately and that the FBI could have done more, too. "I don't think any of them went out to the field and beat the bushes," he said.

Deaths of 40 male college students have been ruled "accidental drowning" Two retired NYC detectives believe deaths may be work of killer or killers . At least 12 creepy smiley faces found where bodies were put in rivers, lakes . FBI: No evidence linking tragic deaths or substantiating serial killer theory .

Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) -- By now, the entire country has gotten the message that Arizonans are angry and frustrated over illegal immigration. But, oddly enough, the anger and frustration isn't usually aimed at the illegal immigrants themselves. Many Arizonans would probably admit that, if they were unable to feed their families in their home country, they too might venture out in search of employment. And, if they were faced with waits of 10 to 15 years to enter another country legally, you can bet many of them would enter illegally. What really gets Arizonans fired up are three things: the feeling that they're under siege by spillover violence from Mexican drug cartels, the concern that the U.S. government isn't doing enough to protect them, and indignation that people in other states are judging them for responding to a reality most of us can't imagine. That's what you hear on talk radio and what you read in the letters section of local newspapers. And that's also pretty much the view of Jay Heiler, a top-notch political and public affairs consultant and a familiar fixture in Arizona Republican circles. Heiler served as chief of staff to former Gov. Fife Symington in the 1990s and counsels Gov. Jan Brewer today. He's a vocal defender of the state's new immigration law, Senate Bill 1070. What I wanted to know is whether that's because he really believes in the measure or whether he's just being a good soldier for the state GOP, given that just about every prominent Republican official in the state backs the law. As we met for what became a three-hour dinner in a Phoenix restaurant, I soon had my answer. Heiler began the conversation with a piece of advice. "If you're going to write about this issue with credibility," he said, "you have to acknowledge the reality of the violence caused by the Mexican drug cartels and the inability of the Mexican government to contain it." Not this again. The new bogeyman of the immigration debate is the Mexican drug cartels. In fact, when you engage a supporter of SB 1070, it's hard to get them to talk about anything else. The cartels are their strong card; why not play it? One of the arguments floating about -- advanced by Brewer -- is that most illegal immigrants act as drug mules for the cartels. Too bad Brewer can't seem to find anyone to back that up. Arizona Sen. John McCain said he doesn't believe that most illegal immigrants are used as drug mules. Neither does T.J. Bonner, head of the National Border Patrol Council, the labor union representing nearly 20,000 border patrol agents. Bonner said Brewer's claims are "clearly not the case" and "don't comport with reality." Heiler is too smart to repeat wild claims. Instead, he stayed focused on public perception. He submits that most of the support for the measure --- polls show that about 55 percent of Arizonans back the law, down from 70 percent when Brewer signed it in April -- is coming from people who are sincerely afraid that Mexico is spinning out of control because of the drug war and that the chaos is spilling into Arizona in the form of kidnappings and other lawlessness. According to law enforcement authorities, in 2008, nearly 400 kidnappings happened in Phoenix. But a prosecutor told me that most people don't understand that many of these "kidnappings" aren't for ransom. Rather, they're an extension of the human smuggling industry, in which rival coyotes raid each other's "drop houses" and steal the cargo. That's a serious crime, and yet it's probably not what most people think about when they hear the word "kidnapping." Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris, a vocal opponent of the immigration law, insists that he has the manpower to investigate each kidnapping. But, he warns, that could change if the portions of SB 1070 struck down by a federal judge come back to life like the mythical bird that shares the city's name. If his officers have to make immigration enforcement their top priority, Harris said, other crimes will probably go unsolved. Then, the crime rate could soar. Right now, the crime rate in Phoenix is down. The Phoenix Police Department confirms it. "Despite all the hype," spokesman Trent Crump told the Wall Street Journal, "in every single reportable crime category, we're significantly down." In the first quarter of 2010, violent crime was down 17 percent in the city, while homicides were down 38 percent and robberies 27 percent, compared with the same time period in 2009. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also confirms it. The number of violent crimes has fallen every year in Phoenix since 2006, the FBI reports. It's part of an overall trend in which, according to the bureau, crime rates are actually going down in cities that have large immigrant populations . It's pretty obvious that cynical politicians -- all of whom happen to be Republicans -- are exaggerating the fear factor to cover up what they recognize as some of the more unseemly motives of SB 1070 supporters. Although Heiler doesn't deny that some of the folks who have rallied around the law are motivated by anxiety over changing demographics, he wouldn't admit that this has anything to do with race and ethnicity. But isn't that obvious? For the past two decades, there has been a loud chorus of worry about how Latino immigrants are changing Phoenix -- and, according to some, not for the better. Those feelings didn't just go away. And the people who hold them are almost certainly part of the pro-1070 brigade. Not everyone who wants to get rid of illegal immigrants does so because he or she sees a connection to the drug cartels. In fact, most people just want to preserve the America they grew up with. Besides, if they really want to put drug dealers out of business, the best way is to support Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who has declared war on these criminal syndicates and yet vehemently opposes the Arizona law. Instead, Republican candidates for office are running TV ads in Arizona criticizing Calderon for criticizing the law. That makes absolutely no sense, just as it makes no sense for Arizona to crack down on illegal immigrants in the hopes that it will somehow get rid of drug dealers. Unless, of course, the real objective all along has been something much sneakier: to use the fear of drug dealers to get rid of illegal immigrants. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr.

Ruben Navarrette: Arizonans upset about drug violence, government's inaction . Defenders say law helps fight drug violence, he says, but crime down in Phoenix . Governor said most illegals used as drug mules, he says, which is untrue . Navarrette says scare tactics used to justify bias against ethnicity, fear of change .

(CNN) -- Hunger strikes marked the start of the Hong Kong school year as students, parents, and teachers protested against what they perceive as Beijing-led interference in the public school curriculum. Thousands of protesters dressed in black gathered outside the government headquarters Monday ahead of a 5:00 p.m. deadline for the government to drop the "Moral and National Education" subject or face further protests. Hong Kongers have decried the subject as an attempt to "brainwash" impressionable young minds with pro-mainland-Chinese propaganda. Amid no response from the government, the Civil Alliance against National Education -- a coalition of concern groups -- declared that plans were underway to organize city-wide student strikes and teacher boycotts of the subject. Organizers also called for demonstrators to return to the headquarters every evening in a kind of "Occupy" movement, adapted from the global protest against socioeconomic injustice. In a tactic uncommon in Hong Kong protests, by Monday evening, 13 protesters had joined a hunger strike outside the government headquarters, initiated by three teenagers Thursday who have since dropped out due to health concerns. Camped in tents, the mix of students, teachers, and scholars have vowed to remain there until the government withdraws the subject. A parent participating in the hunger strike, Linda Wong, told CNN: "I want to safeguard for my child the environment in Hong Kong in the future, so my son can learn and think independently." From Taiwan, Tiananmen activist Wang Dan posted on his Weibo microblogging account that he would engage in a 24-hour hunger strike to "support Hong Kong's opposition movement against educational brainwashing." While the city's embattled leader, Chief Executive C.Y. Leung, stayed clear of Monday's protest, the territory's Chief Secretary Carrie Lam addressed the crowd, urging broad discussion via the government consultation committee. "There is no topic that the committee cannot discuss with committee members and other parties," Lam said. "After discussions, according to the findings, we can bring independent and pertinent opinions to the government." Alliance members have previously declined the government's invitation to join the committee. Leung has said that there is a lot of room for compromise between keeping the subject and throwing it out. "It's very hard for the government to take any concrete action," said Waiman Lam, an assistant professor specializing in civil society and social movements at the University of Hong Kong. "The Hong Kong government is trapped between the Beijing government and the Hong Kong community," she explained. "I think most likely the government will not take any concrete action except reiterating that the officials are ready to talk to the protesters; please join our committee and continue discussions." The national education issue has been roiling the city for several months, most notably with a mass street protest on July 29 attended by 90,000 people (police cited 32,000), sparked by the dissemination of a set of government guidelines for teaching the subject. Another mass protest took place outside government headquarters on Saturday, where organizers reported 40,000 participants while the police estimated a turnout of 8,100. While the detailed content of the subject has not been determined, guidelines in a booklet called "The China Model" distributed to schools by the government's National Education Services Centre in July were widely interpreted as a basis for how the subject would be taught. The contents of the booklet inflamed longstanding fears of Beijing's encroachment into Hong Kong's affairs and freedoms by stating that China's ruling party is "progressive, selfless and united," and ignoring major events such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The centre has denied accusations that the subject promotes "brainwashing." "Hong Kong's future and China's future are inseparable," said centre director Wong Chi Man."We will never be independent so we should learn to think the same way as China. Teachers should lead our children to think about Hong Kong's future." "In the background, there's a huge mistrust between the central government and the Hong Kong population in general," said Lam. "The demonstrations and the concerns about the national education reflect the continuing anxiety of the Hong Kong people toward the mainland's politics and growing influence on Hong Kong affairs," echoed Peter Cheung, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Politics and Public Administration, who spoke to CNN after the July 29 protest. The uproar over the national education subject is reflective of anxieties being aggravated by the new government under Leung, which Cheung said "lacks legitimacy in the eyes of many people." "C.Y. Leung without a doubt reflects a much more pro-Beijing background. If the curriculum was introduced by a more neutral administration, the issue may play out differently," he said. The subject is due to be introduced this academic year in primary schools and next year in secondary schools. Each has a three-year period in which to roll out the subject in their classrooms. In Hong Kong, primary and secondary schooling comprises twelve years of government-funded education. A survey of more than 600 schools conducted by an alliance member, National Education Parents' Concern Group, found that only six planned to implement the program in the first year. Of the others, 155 said they would introduce it but not in the first year, 118 said they wouldn't introduce it at all and 198 said they hadn't yet decided what to do. Another 181 declined to respond. "It's the duty of every teacher, practically of every citizen to teach national education," said Leung Kee-Cheong, the principal of the Fresh Fish Traders' School, a primary school teaching the subject this school year. "You should teach your children that they are Chinese, you should teach your children how China has developed, its history and culture. While you are doing this, you can criticize and speak of the good parts and the bad parts." Lam said it remains to be seen how the protests will escalate and that government action "will depend on the bargaining power of the opposition." "The question in how much social support (the protesters) can draw in," Lam said, in regard to whether student strikes can be feasibly carried out. "If the government doesn't think these secondary students can constitute a political force opposing the government, including the policy itself, then can the students draw sufficient support from the community? So it really depends on the consolidation of the alliance." "It seems that among the secondary school students, the extent of mobilization is not limited, but not extensive enough to call for a Hong-Kong-wide school strike," she added. "So I think the government has also done such calculations." Tim Schwarz and Vivian Kam contributed to the report.

Protesters threatening student strikes, teacher boycotts if government does not drop Chinese civic education subject . Residents have decried subject as attempt to "brainwash" impressionable young minds with pro-China propaganda . 16 protestors have participated in hunger strikes outside government headquarters . Government is urging discussion, rather than keeping subject or throwing it out .

Washington (CNN) -- The sea of red that overtook Virginia on Tuesday night didn't just jeopardize Sen. Mark Warner's re-election bid — it exploded his entire worldview. Thirteen years after he famously employed a "Bubba strategy" in culturally conservative regions of Virginia — courting NASCAR fans and commissioning a bluegrass theme song for his campaign on his way to the governor's mansion in 2001 — Warner was clobbered in the commonwealth's southern and southwest counties. The results were a shock to a senator who put in heavy time there. The margins made for a too-close-for-comfort Election Night against Republican nominee Ed Gillespie, who conceded the race on Friday. Even so, it was a reckoning that cut to the heart of Warner's public identity as a self-proclaimed "radical centrist" and ratified the urban-rural divide that characterizes the re-aligned politics of Virginia -- and the South. Why, some flabbergasted Virginia Democrats are asking, did Warner spend so much time campaigning in rural Virginia in the first place? "He was running a campaign that was designed to win in the late 90's," said one Democrat with Virginia experience who did not want to talk on the record criticizing one of the state's most prominent party leaders. Coal country, and pretty much everything south and west of Richmond, drifted firmly into Republican hands in 2010, two years after President Barack Obama took office. Since then, Democrats running statewide — Sen. Tim Kaine in 2012 and Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2013 — paid only modest attention to rural Virginia, focusing instead on turning out the Democratic base in populous northern Virginia and other strongly African-American jurisdictions around Richmond and Hampton Roads. But even in 2014, Warner was still enamored with the mythology of his first statewide victory so many years ago. He spent considerable time visiting rural parts of the state, even teaming up with former GOP Sen. John Warner — no relation — for a last minute push before Election Day. "My path has been very different from Terry's or Tim's or others'," Warner told The Washington Post before the election. "To the annoyance of some of my so-called staff, I'm going to Abingdon and Russell County now because southwest Virginia gave me a start, and I'm not going to cede one part." The comments look like a misstep in hindsight: In 2001, Warner won Russell County by 21 points. In his 2008 Senate race, he won it by 33. But on Tuesday, he lost Russell by 23 points. The Post reported that even his own advisers were urging Warner to layer more direct appeals to unmarried women and African-Americans on top of his usual bipartisan rhetoric and conservative outreach. It might have made Tuesday's margin, around 17,000 votes for now, more comfortable. Certainly the 2014 midterms were a bloodbath for Democrats everywhere, and swing-y Virginia was hardly immune. "In a wave, even Jesus will have problems, and Mark Warner is as close as you get to Jesus in Virginia politics," said another Democrat who has labored on several Virginia statewide campaigns. "No one is immune to national waves, especially purple states like this." Looking at it another way, Warner was the only statewide Democrat on a ballot in the South to win an election on Tuesday. Or as one strategist close to the Warner campaign put it: "Who else but Mark Warner could have survived a Republican tidal wave?" "Performing well in southwest Virginia has been a mark of pride for Warner in the past, and a proven strategy for him in two elections," said Andrew Bleeker, a Democratic digital strategist who has worked for Kaine and McAuliffe. "No one expected the Republican wave to be as large. If the media narrative had anticipated a closer race we would have seen even higher turnout in northern Virginia and Norfolk." Still, after the results starting coming in, Virginia Democrats who have worked on other statewide campaigns said they were mystified at Warner's approach. "This is a base turnout state now," said one strategist who wondered why Warner was spending time on the trail with a white, 87-year old Republican ex-Senator instead of bringing in African-American surrogates for the final push. "Why was he spending so much time in southwest Virginia? He should have been focusing on black parts of Richmond, northern Virginia, Hampton Roads," the source said. Loudoun, one of three vote-rich northern Virginia counties, is a happy hunting ground for statewide Democrats. In last year's governor's race -- another off-year election -- McAuliffe made his campaign almost entirely about base turnout, focusing heavily on places like Loudoun in the Washington, D.C. suburbs and the African-American vote in Richmond and Hampton Roads. To be safe, he brought in President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton for closing campaign rallies. The result: McAuliffe 2013 outran Warner 2014 in every big northern Virginia county — Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William — as well as in Democratic strongholds like Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk. In Fairfax alone, McAuliffe banked almost 70,000 votes with a 22-point rout of his GOP opponent in the state's biggest county. Warner won Fairfax, but by less — a 17-point margin, or 54,000 votes. Of the biggest Democratic counties in the state, Warner only outperformed McAuliffe in Henrico. The comparison is imperfect. Last November was a better environment for Democrats, and McAuliffe was less well-known and viewed less favorably than Warner. But McAuliffe still only won the state by 2.5 points, validating his strategy of targeting the base with direct appeals to women and African-Americans. Warner, it should be said, held onto a shred of dignity in rural Virginia this year, outpacing McAuliffe in the region but still losing badly everywhere except for Montgomery County, home to Virginia Tech, and the city of Danville. And yet, the few thousand votes he picked up here and there added little to his total margin. If he invested similar energy farther north, his vote lead would have been larger. But Warner allies insist that in a surprisingly too-close-for-comfort race, every little bit helped. And if there's truth to the whispers of a rivalry between Warner and McAuliffe — the Senator escaped this year's midterms with a nice talking point. McAuliffe, after all, won 1,069,789 total votes last year. Warner's total? 1,071,049 and counting.

Mark Warner's re-election in Virginia was surprisingly close . He's being criticized for not focusing on heavily African-American parts of the state .

Park City, Utah (CNN) -- At its best, driving in Los Angeles is like driving backward into a parade. So, when my lady and I set out for the airport during rush hour, getting choked in traffic was inevitable. Yet, a quarter-mile later, we were still moving at a brisk clip. Which brings me to one of my cardinal rules of travel: Think inside the box. Here's how it works: When traveling during peak travel times -- Thanksgiving, spring break, even for the weekend -- schedule your journey at the most "inconvenient" time. This is because despite what we've learned from reality television, Americans aren't nutjobs. They're smart. They think outside the box. They tweak their schedules to avoid the big rush. They leave a day early or catch the red-eye. Which means peak times can be easy sailing. "So this 'think inside the box' philosophy has nothing to do with the fact that you waited to the last minute to buy tickets?" my girlfriend said, peering over a limp piece of airport pizza. "Nope. It was part of my plan all along." "Kinda like your 'famous' burnt broccoli recipe." "Exactly." And away we went to Park City, Utah, the former mining town, the schmancy ski resort, the home of the Sundance Film Festival. Like many Rocky Mountain ski towns, Park City's vibe is part snowhemian, part Patagucci. You can window shop for things you can't afford and then crack wise about it at the local independent coffee shop. Over-the-counter culture in Austin . Oh, and there's skiing. Three amazing resorts full. My girlfriend's family, who was hosting us, hails from California, so they're as comfortable with powder under their skis as they are with sand between their toes. Me? I grew up outside Philadelphia. So when I think "downhill," I think school systems. Accordingly, instead of skis, I brought three books and "National Lampoon's Vacation/European Vacation" double-feature DVD. As it turns out, I used these things exactly never. Is skiing something one should start doing in one's 30s? Does it make sense to start testing my body now, after decades in which playing cards was the height of my athletic activity? These questions ran through my mind, as well as this great American paradox: Now that I'm old enough to afford health insurance, I'm old enough to know that hurdling down a mountain on two slick sticks makes as much sense as strapping acoustic guitars to my feet and jumping off a roof. NYC: Cheap thrills with an old flame . "You skiing?" my girlfriend asked. "I think I'll hang here and practice sleeping," I said. "If you don't come skiing, you'll miss 'après-ski.' " "What's that?" "It's like a post-ski happy hour where you sit in front of a fire and drink cocktails and relax." "Well, I've always thought mountains looked cool in pictures," I said, grabbing my parka and heading to the door. So convinced of skiing's addictive power, the resorts in Park City offer a special lesson/ski lift package for first-time skiers. Thus, before I knew it, I was on top of a frozen mountain, feet in boots the size of Honda Fits, trying to decipher my instructor's Romanian accent through multiple layers of polar fleece. "Does 'après-ski' really require this much 'ski'?" I wondered . But soon, I was zigzagging around the slopes like an old pro. And when I say "old," I mean nonagenarian. I went very, very slowly, and despite the occasional 10-year-old using my crumpled body as a mogul, I made it through the day with little more than a bruised ego. But, man, did I excel at après-ski. We parked ourselves at High West, a handsome whiskey distillery, restaurant and saloon built in a turn-of-the-century house and livery stable on the edge of town. Within minutes, we were slaloming between gooey fondue bites and sips of house whiskey. We then moved up the street to Butcher's Chop House, where we ate prime rib the size of trash can lids. That night, my legs throbbed like two lighthouse lights, and I dreamed that I was on a ski lift traversing a giant lake of molten cheese. For our last day, we decided to give our knees and wallets a rest. We packed a picnic and went for a drive. While surveying the tony Deer Valley Resort, we glimpsed the new St. Regis hotel and decided to investigate. Is it OK to have a crush on a funicular? Because I do. Picture a roomy elevator with leather banquettes and windows that frame a panoramic view of the breathtaking Wasatch Mountains. It's the only way the public can visit the St. Regis resort, and that's fine by me. The funicular opens up onto the lobby of a posh grill owned and operated by famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Once at the top, my girlfriend and I were eager to hike. She along a snowy elk trail that necklaced the valley. Me from the funicular to the bar. The bloody mary as we know it was invented at the original St. Regis hotel in New York in 1934, the hotel claims. In honor of that brunch-changing event, every St. Regis hotel has its own signature version of the drink. The Park City version uses local vodka and wears a green cap of wasabi and celery mousse. But the coup de grace is a squeeze-bulb stir-stick filled with a Worcestershire/Tabasco sauce blend that lets you regulate the spiciness of your drink. It looks kind of like an IV, which is appropriate for a cocktail that people normally start consuming first thing in the morning. I was content in my après-après-ski state. "You know, instead of covertly eating our picnic, it would be easier if we just ordered lunch here," I said, eyeing a hanger steak being delivered to a nearby table. "Yeah, but we already have the leftovers," my girlfriend said, patting the Tupperware boxes carrying our premade lunch. "You said yourself that you didn't want to get suckered into paying for another overpriced meal in a tourist town. This way, we can admire the view and save money." "I know, I know. But maybe we should think outside the box on this one," I said, licking my wasabi and celery foam mustache.

The after-ski social hour is a true reward for the half-hearted skier . Park City, Utah, is a picturesque base of après-ski operations . Prime rib and locally distilled whiskey hit the spot after a day on the slopes .

PENSACOLA, Florida (CNN) -- A man police believe organized the slaying of a Florida couple earlier this month told authorities he knew the victims and received financial support from them for a martial arts studio, according to court documents released Monday. Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35, is one of seven people charged with murder in the July 9 killings. Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., 35, is one of seven people charged with murder in the July 9 deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings of Beulah, Florida. An affidavit for a search warrant for Gonzalez's van noted the connection between him and the couple, but gave no other details. "My understanding is, through speaking with the investigative agencies, that Mr. Gonzalez sought donations from a variety of community and business leaders and that perhaps Mr. Billings did not lend him money, but donated to this academy for children," Crystal Spencer, attorney for the Billings family, told CNN. "It was a defense academy -- a self-defense academy for children. But the connection goes no further that we are aware of." The Billingses, who were known for adopting special-needs children, were fatally shot during a home invasion robbery, according to police. Their bodies were found in their bedroom, said the court documents. Gonzalez told police he owns a red Dodge cargo van similar to one seen on surveillance video leaving the Billings home on the day of the slayings, but he said it was not in operating condition, according to an affidavit seeking a search warrant on the van. After a picture of the van seen at the crime scene was released to the media, a man contacted police to tell them it resembled a van he owned for a number of years and had recently sold to a woman named Terri Poff, the affidavit said. He provided pictures of the van, which appeared to match the one seen on the surveillance camera, including some of its unusual features, the documents said. The man told police that Poff told him she was buying the van for her son, Leonard Gonzalez, according to the affidavit. Watch recap of the case and links between suspects » . Authorities located the van at Gonzalez's residence, and its vehicle identification number matched that provided by the previous owner, the documents said. A search warrant document filed with the court shows that in a July 11 search of the van, police took carpet samples, seat covers, a piece of duct tape, paint samples, and containers of disinfectant wipes, garbage bags and soap pads, among other items, the document said. Police previously have said robbery was a motive, but not the only motive. Asked whether the slayings could have been a contracted hit, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan told CNN, "This gets back to motive and we want to assure the public that we haven't taken that or anything off the table. We're looking for any reason, any motive for this to have happened, so yes, we are looking at a hit as a motive. Morgan told CNN he wanted to talk to up to nine more people and planned to make at least one more arrest before he winds down the investigation in a few days. He did not provide further details, but said authorities planned to interview Gonzalez's wife on Monday. The Billingses had adopted 13 children, and each had two biological children, but three of the adopted children have died. Police said nine of the children were home at the time of the home invasion; one of them managed to flee and seek help at a neighbor's home. Ashley Markham, one of the adult children from Byrd and Melanie Billings' previous marriages, said she has decided to move into the home to take care of the children. Markham told CNN that they are having work done on the home to make it safer before they move back in. Additional documents released Monday from the Florida Department of Children and Families show a bizarre attempt by Byrd Billings to copyright the children's names and request money from the department for their use. A department attorney, Katie George, told the Pensacola News-Journal that every time the agency sent Billings a letter referencing the children by name, he would reply with an invoice demanding millions in copyright infringement. In one document released by the department, he demands $10 million in silver or federal reserve notes of equal value. In a sharply worded letter of December 2005, another department attorney, Richard Cserep, wrote to Billings, "you reference a wide variety of law in connection with this claim" for damages. "This includes copyright violations, trademark violations, contract violations, admiralty and maritime law, libel and the Truth in Lending Act. At no time in any of your correspondence have you made a plain demand for damages under a clear and cognizable theory of liability." A handwritten note on the letter says that no further correspondence was received from Billings after that letter. A safe containing prescription medication, family documents and some jewelry was taken from the Billings home at the time of their slayings, authorities said. It was found in the back yard of Pamela Wiggins, an eighth suspect, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact. Wiggins is free on $10,000 bond. Watch lawyer reveal contents of safe » . Morgan said when the safe was found, it was buried with bricks on top in "an obvious attempt to conceal" it. Wiggins is a friend and landlord of one of the suspects. Attempts by CNN to reach her and her attorney have been unsuccessful. One of the seven original suspects in the case, Donald Ray Stallworth, was arrested in Alabama. At a hearing Monday, Escambia County, Alabama, Judge Bert Rice withdrew an earlier $1 million bond and ordered Stallworth held without bail until Alabama Gov. Bob Riley signs an order to extradite him to Florida. Surveillance video from the home shows two vehicles pulling up to the property and five masked people dressed in black entering the house. Authorities believe both drivers remained in the vehicles. It appears the suspects did not believe they were under surveillance, Morgan said. The system, which was not disabled, was a "gaping hole" in a well-executed crime, he said. While the investigation into the murders continues, Markham said her focus now is on helping the rest of her family through the tragedy. She said she told the children about their parents, adding that her mother had explained heaven to the kids as a wonderful place. The kids were given balloons and told by writing messages on them, they would be able to talk to their parents since "they were angels." CNN's Susan Candiotti, Ross Levitt, Aaron Cooper, Mike Phelan, Ed Lavandera and John Couwels contributed to this report.

Bizarre docs show dad tried to copyright children's names . Cops: Murder organizer knew victims, received financial support from them . Sheriff says one more arrest expected in killings of Byrd and Melanie Billings . Couple who adopted special needs children fatally shot July 9 .

(CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service Wednesday announced it will stop delivering first-class mail on Saturdays, expecting to save about $2 billion a year. Given the rapid rate of decline in letter mail and the loss of revenues, this is a welcome cost-cutting move. But this change will not make the Postal Service sustainable for the long term. Cost cutting would not have made the horse and buggy business sustainable in the dawning age of the automobile. The same is true of typewriters during the advent of word processors, or slide rules when calculators arrived. There is a natural limit to how far costs can be cut, and to how much that can help the Service survive in the new communications marketplace. The Postal Service's business model needs fundamental change for it to thrive and avoid liquidation. Those reforms must focus not only on reducing costs, but also on allowing the Service to generate new sources of revenue from its existing assets. The experience in other countries suggests that this is possible. Following that lead, the first steps should include corporatization and de-monopolization. First-class letter mail -- by far the Postal Service's most profitable type -- has fallen by a stunning one-third since its 2001 peak, while overall mail volume is down by almost 25%. Revenues have also dropped which, when combined with high costs, have created the Postal Service's own fiscal cliff. The service lost almost $16 billion in 2012 and is now losing about $25 million per day. It has hit the limit of its $15 billion credit line with the U.S. Treasury, and has only enough cash for a few weeks of operations. Given the explosion in cheap, instantaneous, electronic communications, none of this is surprising. Mail delivery is now like offering transportation by horse in the dawning automobile era. Unlike horse transportation, however, it's possible for mail delivery services to remain viable, innovative, self-sustaining businesses even in the electronic age, as posts around the world have shown. For the Postal Service to survive and thrive, however, Congress needs to step up, and soon. Congress must determine what level of physical mail service, if any, is necessary for government to ensure when there are many electronic alternatives. Second, it must decide how it (as opposed to the Postal Service) plans to pay for that service level. Dimensions of such guaranteed service include the geographic area to be covered, what rate will be charged (and whether it will be uniform across areas), and how frequent mail service will be. Congress then needs to free up the Postal Service to become a more commercial entity. But that can't happen unless it also eliminates both of the service's monopolies (one over mail delivery and the other over mailbox use) and changes its organizational structure. Repeal of the monopolies is necessary because the service will never get the freedom to pursue new lines of business aggressively, and thus to generate new revenue, unless it is subject to the discipline of competition. CNN Money: How to build a better postal service . Changes in the service's organizational structure are necessary to attract the management talent and prompt the changes required to become self-sustaining. The first step is corporatization, which makes the service subject to the standard set of corporate laws and norms associated with a large commercial entity. Although it creates ownership shares in the new entity, those shares are not sold to the public. This is distinct from privatization in which shares are created and then sold to investors. Postal corporatization would be a big improvement. It provides managers with more focused incentives and helps to raise the additional capital necessary to pursue new services and lines of business. Focused incentives are critical since the only bright spots in the service's business are in its most competitive, such as parcel delivery. The United States now lags behind most other developed countries in all such reforms. All 27 members of the European Union have eliminated their postal monopolies. New Zealand repealed its delivery monopoly in 1998, Sweden in 2003. Germany and the Netherlands repealed in 2007 and 2009, respectively. The threat of competition associated with monopoly repeal has helped postal services in those countries to become more efficient, more effective enterprises. Other countries are also far ahead on organizational reforms. Germany's post -- now Deutsche Post DHL -- was privatized in 2005 and has become a major player in the global delivery and logistics business. It reformed its compensation structure, brought in managers from other sectors and modernized its delivery network. It operates in 220 countries and is now the world's largest courier company. The UK post -- Royal Mail -- will be privatized this year. One hundred percent of the formerly government-owned post in the Netherlands is now privately owned. New Zealand Post was corporatized in 1987, while all government subsidies were eliminated in 1988. New Zealand Post has become a successful, innovative global company focusing on parcel delivery, logistics and other businesses. There is no reason why the U.S. Postal Service cannot also become a leader in the global delivery sector. It already has a far-flung network of sorting centers and letter carriers that allows it to deliver physical documents to every U.S. address six days every week. Given the size and diversity of the United States, that is an amazing feat. It could use that capability to deliver mail "the last mile" in innovative ways, such as assisting new businesses in the area to advertise. It could also tailor its delivery frequency to the demand for home delivery in a particular region. Some mailers may want to saturate an area with mail, while others may want slow, steady delivery. The current "one size fits all" approach is clearly inefficient. The Postal Service would also be freed up to seek new revenue by forming alliances with global logistics and courier companies. Moreover, it has a massive portfolio of real estate that includes large buildings in prime downtown locations as well as massive sorting centers throughout the country. Its real estate alone is likely worth tens of billions of dollars. Selectively selling some of those assets would free up resources for the service to pursue new market opportunities. Indeed, it probably has enough assets so that -- if properly managed -- it could recapitalize its core business without a taxpayer bailout. But Congress must act to allow that to happen. As the experience in many other countries shows, there is no reason for the U.S. Postal Service's agonizing decline and impending collapse. If Congress borrows from international experience, and acts decisively to reform postal policy, the venerable U.S. Postal Service can also emerge as a viable company in the Internet age. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Rick Geddes.

Rick Geddes: U.S. Postal Service won't deliver first-class mail on Saturdays to cut costs . Geddes says it's a good move, but Postal Service must be upgraded to survive . He says other nations have ended mail monopolies, empowered postal services . Geddes: Postal Service has real estate assets, could be transformed for today's world .

Hong Kong (CNN) -- Eight Chinese officials have been fired or suspended after five boys died in a rubbish bin after suffocating on fumes from charcoal they burned to stay warm, according to state-run media. The bodies of the boys, aged between 9 and 13, were found by a trash collector on Friday in Bijie in China's southwestern Guizhou province, Xinhua reported. They are believed to have died the night before, as rain fell and temperatures plunged to as low as six degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit). Six officials have lost their jobs, including the principals of two local schools and four government officials in charge of education and civil affairs in Qixingguan district where Bijie is located. Two deputy heads from the same departments were also suspended pending an investigation. Users on China's social media platforms expressed shock and disgust, with some questioning how society could have allowed such young children to fall through the cracks. One user on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter, wrote: "China is supposedly an intermediate developed country but still can't protect its own children. At the age when they should be enjoying a happy childhood these poor kids are wandering and dying on the streets." (@Datounaonao) Another said: "I just can't believe this is a story happening in my country today...where are the "relevant departments" doing on this? And "where are the kids' parents? Why give birth to children and then abandon them?" (@Dongsir) Days after their deaths, details of the boys' lives emerged in local press. They all belonged to the same extended family, the sons of three brothers. Two of the fathers, Tao Yuanwu and Tao Xueyuan, were rural migrants, who had moved from Guizhou to the special economic zone of Shenzhen near the Hong Kong border, where they worked as rubbish collectors. The other father, Tao Jinyou, a poor man who was said to work long hours tending fields, told Xinhua that he and his wife paid little attention to their own son, let alone their nephews. "Sometimes they didn't even come home at night," he said. Persistent truants, the boys were said to have been missing for three weeks before they were found dead. "At first, I sent (my son) back to school by force," Tao said. "But every time he'd run away again, so I knew it was hopeless." There are estimated to be more than 150,000 street children in China, according to official figures quoted by Xinhua. However, Dale Rutstein of UNICEF China said up to 1.5 million children were thought to be fending for themselves across the country but, given the fluid nature of homelessness, it was hard to keep track. Rutstein says the presence of street children is obvious in some cities, but it's safe to assume that many remain in rural towns, the byproduct of a huge demographic shift in China, as parents move to booming cities for work. "It's not uncommon to see several children living in a household with an elderly couple in rural China. These are the left behind children. Right now people are coping the best they can," Rutstein said. It's estimated there are 55 million "left behind" children in China, the sons and daughters of 200 million migrant workers who have moved to the cities for a better life. "We would say in UNICEF that that's one of the most significant challenges for China right now, because all the data shows these children have lower nutrition, suffer a higher rate of accidents and injuries and are at greater risk of abuse and exploitation," Rutstein said. State media reported that four of the five boys found dead in the dumpster were being cared for by their aging, blind grandmother who had difficulty caring for herself. A local resident told CCTV that neighbors had noticed the boys wandering the streets. "They took a shabby shed in a construction site near the dumpster and ate some discarded vegetables in the market and played football that they had picked up," he said. Last year, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs launched a nationwide campaign to return "vagrant" children to their homes. Once sent back, the children would be placed in government-run shelters, according to Xinhua. "Street orphans should be placed in the care of welfare institutions or foster families if their guardians cannot be found," the article said, quoting the vice minister of civil affairs. Despite efforts to pull millions out of poverty in China over recent decades, the country still lacks modern child welfare systems seen in the West, Rutstein said. "The concept of social workers, for instance, which is quite well known in Europe and North America, is very, very new in China. China's aware of this and there are many efforts in place right now to professionalize the whole system of social workers, to introduce alternatives to institutionalization, or just sending children to a state orphanage, which traditionally has been the main response to these kinds of situations," he said. An opinion piece published Wednesday in China Daily asked whether authorities were too quick to lay the blame on local officials and suggested that major changes were needed to reduce the number of "left behind children." "This tragedy is a wake-up call that something needs to be done to improve the working and living conditions of migrant workers, so they can settle in the cities where they work and enjoy the same rights as their urban counterparts. This would enable them to have their children live with them," it said. The plight of the dead children in Guizhou has been compared on social media to the tale of the Little Match Girl, a Hans Christian Anderson story of a girl ignored by the rich who froze to death after trying to warm herself with a lit match. On Wednesday, messages of condolences for the five boys were still being posted on Weibo. "Hope they won't feel cold anymore in heaven," @Qingyu_aneya said. @KongXia added: "Rest in peace, don't reincarnate in China..." Referring to Beijing's decision to turn on the city's heating system two weeks early this year due to colder temperatures, one of China's most popular fairy tale writers, Zheng Yuanjie, posted: "Beijing spent 800 million [yuan] to start the heating system 15 days ahead of time, but you're out of the reach. Hope the 'The Little Match Boys' can forgive us in heaven." The boys were Tao Zhongjing, 12; Tao Zhonghong, 11; Tao Zhonglin, 13; Tao Chong, 12; and Tao Bo, 9. Wei Yuan Wen Min contributed to this report.

Eight officials sacked or suspended over deaths of five boys in dumpster . Children died from carbon monoxide poisoning after burning charcoal for heat . Aged between 9 and 13, the boys came from one extended family . UNICEF says one of China's biggest challenges is caring for "left behind children"

(CNN) -- South Korea's $230 million National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) opened in November with a towering ambition -- become what the MoMA is to New York and the Tate is to London. The museum couldn't be in a better location to attract attention -- it sits just across the street from Gyeongbokgung, Seoul's main royal palace, and adjacent to a neighborhood that's one of Seoul's most popular among tourists. Other than Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, a private art museum owned by Samsung, Seoul has no other large museum housing Korean contemporary art. All of these factors have added up to put not just the art, but the new museum itself, under intense public scrutiny. "There's an incredible anticipation from the art world here about which works will be shown and how the space will be used," says Gina Lee, a museum curator in Seoul. With South Korea anxious to maintain its world-class standing amid surging development in China and other regional rivals, the pressure for global recognition is particularly intense. "As South Korea's only national art museum, one of our biggest missions is to showcase Korean art to the rest of the world, and to advance Korean art via various collaborations and exchanges with international institutions," says Young-in Lee, the museum's international affairs manager. Early controversy . One of the museum's first five showcase exhibits, Zeitgeist Korea (showing through April 27), drew early fire from critics of the museum. The problem wasn't the art itself -- the exhibit showcases modern Korean art, with 59 works by 39 Korean artists -- but the way it was selected. The Korean Fine Arts Association and other artist groups alleged favoritism -- 32 of the 39 featured artists are alums of Seoul National University's art school, from which the exhibition's curator and MMCA director Chung Hyung-min graduated. Chung withstood calls for her resignation, but, coming shortly after the museum's official opening, the protests marred what museum supporters intended to be a grand celebration. A close eye . Apart from a few projects sponsored by companies, including Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Motor Co., the MMCA is funded mostly by the national government -- yet another reason for the intense scrutiny it's received since its very conception. Though some argue the museum has helped revitalize the neighborhood, proposals were met with numerous building restrictions, as well as protests against changes in the historic neighborhood. Since its opening, the reception from residents has been mostly positive. More than 160,000 people have visited the museum since the mid-November opening, and nearby cafes and stores teem with customers. "It feels like there's a new cafe or restaurant or exhibit opening here all the time now," says Young Lee, 54, an art collector who's lived in the area for more than 30 years. "The downside is, of course, the traffic." It's difficult to believe Seoul hasn't been home to a national contemporary art museum for nearly 30 years. In 1986, the original art museum moved from a small Seoul building to a bigger space in Gwacheon, about 10 miles south, during the 1986 Asian Games -- it's taken nearly three decades to move back to Seoul. The primary catalyst for the new museum was former president Lee Myung Bak. During his administration in early 2009, Lee announced the transformation of a former military site into a place where the future of Seoul culture could be celebrated. Big ambitions . MMCA leaders hope to harness the star power of internationally acclaimed Korean artists to help thrust the museum into the global spotlight. "If the museum can utilize the international attention that comes in these beginning stages, the pressure of the spotlight could be a major driving force," said Jae Seok Kim, editor of magazines Art in Culture and Art in ASIA. This is one of the reasons a work by Do Ho Suh, perhaps the most critically acclaimed living Korean artist, was chosen as the museum's central showpiece. Suh's 12-meter-high "Home Within Home Within Home Within Home Within Home" is housed in a 17-meter-high space called the Seoul Box. Transparent fabric has been shaped to resemble Suh's first American home in Rhode Island, while the traditional Korean building (hanok) inside represents his childhood home. "A vital institutional mission is to function as a connecting bridge between the domestic and beyond -- we will put our best effort to introduce Korean art to the world outside and vice versa," MMCA director Chung said in a local interview. With no permanent collection, the museum is under pressure to deliver more than any other Korean contemporary art museum has ever before provided the city. "In terms of scale, we are in line with with the MoMA and the Tate," says Soleh Choe of the MMCA Office of Development. "We have also signed an exhibition contract with the Tate and will continue planning exhibits in the context of the global art scene." New space . Architect Mihn Hyun Jun took an open approach to the new museum building, which spans 27,264 square meters over six floors (three above ground, three below), using skylights and expansive windows. "When you walk in, the first floor is meant to be a comfortable public space," says Choe. "Once you're inside, you can go down to B1 and enjoy the exhibitions." The museum opened with five inaugural exhibitions: The Aleph Project; Connecting_Unfolding; Zeitgeist Korea; Birth of a Museum; and the Site-specific Art Projects. Suh's "Home Within Home" is the most visible, though the most popular exhibition to date has been The Aleph Project, which combines science, art and architecture to create a decidedly technical experience. Overall, the museum has a 60:40 ratio of Korean art to international art. It remains to be seen whether the museum's presence, or the exhibitions it brings in, will live up to the massive hype and expectations that have surrounded its opening. One thing is sure -- Koreans and art communities around the world will be paying attention to see if it does. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), 110-200 30 Samcheong-ro, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul; +82 2 3701 9500; closed Mondays and January 1; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; â‚©7,000 ($6.50) for all exhibitions; see website for individual pricing. Free admission for all exhibitions from 6-9 p.m.

South Korea's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art opened in November . The gorgeous museum has world-class ambitions . Opening exhibit "Zeitgeist Korea" drew fire from critics who alleged artists were unfairly chosen .