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(CNN) -- If you are a survivor of sexual abuse who has not yet reported, you may be attending closely to the trial of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky to see what happens to those who do. The news is both good and bad. You see some courageous men being taken seriously by prosecutors and journalists. But you see a degree of potential exposure that few victims would want to face, and that we could do a better job of preventing. First, the better news: We all know that sexual abuse is still a crime that is mostly unrevealed. But progress has been made. Comparisons of recent surveys to those from the 1980s show far more victims today say they reported or that someone in authority found out. Yet boys are still disproportionately less likely to report, for some of the reasons showcased in this trial: the fear that others will not believe they are really victims, and the fear that they will be stigmatized as wimpy and/or homosexual. So a case such as this with male victims coming forward, explaining how conflicted they felt, why it took them so long, what it did to their lives, but nonetheless giving convincing testimony that has clearly been believed by the prosecutors and much of the press, this certainly must give other boys and men some sense of possibility. Indeed, that this case is being prosecuted at all shows how much has changed. People in law enforcement and the public at large now know that boys do indeed get abused. Thousands of professionals have gotten specialized training in how to identify victims, how talk with them and how not to exacerbate the harm when interviewing. Specialized Child Advocacy Centers exist in more than 600 communities to make the process more child friendly. These trained police and prosecutors do understand why it is so hard to report, why the testimony sometimes changes and how the fact of participating in the sexual activity doesn't signify enjoyment or lack of harm. Growing numbers of women in law enforcement have certainly helped. But we still have a long way to go. Jerry Sandusky trial: All you need to know about allegations, how case unraveled . The possibility of your abuse ending up fodder for a national media frenzy that rivals the Super Bowl would hardly seem comforting to most potential disclosers. The possibility of having your lifelong identity become "that kid who was molested by that coach" would be terrifying. In that light, perhaps the most discouraging news for survivors in the trial so far was the refusal of the judge to allow the victims to testify anonymously. This ruling would seem callous. Lots of other countries have built in legal protections that prevent the media and other court participants from learning the names of child victims of sexual assault. Even in the United States we have protections against the disclosure of the names of juvenile offenders. The notion behind that is that young people can be permanently stigmatized by such notoriety. Why not victims, too? True, many news outlets have policies to avoid reporting the names of sexual assault victims. But it is an entirely voluntary policy, proudly flouted by some outlets. Studies have shown that information that could readily identify victims appears in 37% of news articles that report on child sexual victimization. So far, the names of the Sandusky accusers have not gotten widespread circulation. But they could. What was the judge's rationale for denying what would seem like such a reasonable request? "Secrecy is thought to be inconsistent with the openness required to assure the public that the law is being administered fairly and applied faithfully," Judge John Cleland wrote in his order dismissing the request. "Consequently, there must be justifications of public policy that are very deep and well-rooted to support any measure which interferes with the public's ability to observe a trial and to make their own judgments about the legitimacy of their legal system and the fairness of its results." But there are. An enormous quantity of research shows sex crimes against children to be particularly traumatic, and aspects of the court experience to be a contributor to the trauma. Allowing victims to testify anonymously would not truly undermine the openness crucial to make a judgment about the fairness of the system. The victims still have to testify publicly, still have to be confronted by the defense, still have their credibility tested in the eyes of the jury and the media. Perhaps the judge was afraid of creating a basis for the appeal of a guilty verdict. But that only illustrates how the protection of victim identities needs to be better enshrined in law and practice so it is not seen as a risky anomaly. Opinion: Tell toddlers what's private about their bodies . However the rest of the trial goes, we we must continue to commit ourselves to building a justice system that takes into account the reasonable needs of child victims for privacy and protection. It is one of the biggest things we can do to help victims come forward and stop abusers after the first rather than the 10th victim. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Finkelhor.

David Finkelhor: Abuse victims may be watching Sandusky trial to see how victims are treated . He says good and bad news. Good: Victims today far more likely than in past to tell someone . He says teachers, cops, communities far more clued in, responsive on child sex assault . Finkelhor: Bad news is judge wouldn't let victims testify anonymously; this potentially hurtful .

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of confidential files on the U.S. military's most technologically advanced fighter aircraft have been compromised by unknown computer hackers over the past two years, according to senior defense officials. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's self-diagnostic system was compromised by hackers, officials say. The Internet intruders were able to gain access to data related to the design and electronics systems of the Joint Strike Fighter through computers of Pentagon contractors in charge of designing and building the aircraft, according to the officials, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. In addition to files relating to the aircraft, hackers gained entry into the Air Force's air traffic control systems, according to the officials. Once they got in, the Internet hackers were able to see such information as the locations of U.S. military aircraft in flight. The Joint Striker Fighter plane is the military's new F-35 Lightning II. It designed to become the aircraft used by all of the branches of service. Most of the files broken into focused on the design and performance statistics of the fighter, as well as its electronic systems, officials said. The information could be used to make the plane easier to fight or defend against. Additionally, the system used by the aircraft to conduct self-diagnostics during flight was compromised by the computer intrusions, according to the officials. However, the officials insisted that none of the information accessed was highly sensitive data. The plane uses stealth and other highly sensitive electronic equipment, but it does not appear that information on those systems was compromised, because it is stored on computers that are not connected to the Internet, according to the defense officials. The Joint Strike Fighter's main contractor is Lockheed Martin Corp., and Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems PLC are major subcontractors in the plane's production. Lockheed Martin's chief financial officer denied that there was any breach of classified information, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. "The U.S. government doesn't talk a whole lot about this, and neither do we. But in response to the [Wall Street Journal] report, we think it's incorrect," said Bruce Tanner of Lockheed Martin. "There's never been any effective attack. We have measures in place, and there's never been a successful attack." In a statement released later, the company reiterated its position that no classified information had been accessed. "To our knowledge, there has never been any classified information breach. Like the government, we have attacks on our systems continually and have stringent measures in place to detect and stop attacks," the statement said. Representatives of BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman would not comment on the story and referred all questions to Lockheed Martin. Different variations of the Joint Strike Fighter will be produced for the different branches of service it will be used in. Many international partners are helping build the plane, and it will be sold to U.S.-allied countries. The involvement of multiple nations raises concern about the level of computer security measures the partner countries have, officials said. Companies contracting with the Department of Defense now have to prove that they are using the proper computer security before a contract can be awarded, Pentagon officials said. That measure was put into place within the past year because of the increase in cyber intrusions, they said. Asked whether sensitive technology for the Joint Strike Fighter had been jeopardized, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, "I am not aware of any specific concerns." Whitman would not confirm the cyber-security breach on the Joint Strike Fighter program but said the number of attempted attacks on the U.S. military's network has been on the rise. "We have seen the number of intrusion attempts more than double recently," he said. He would not reveal a timeline. He said the computer systems of the Department of Defense are scanned thousands of times a day by entities looking for ways inside U.S. military computer networks. Officials could not say who was behind the computer hacking, which has occurred numerous times since 2007. The intruders were able to cover their tracks, making it look like the virtual break-ins were coming from various parts of the world, according to officials. The Wall Street Journal reported that the attacks appeared to originate in China, citing "former U.S. officials." Last month, a Pentagon annual report to Congress about China's military power said China has been making continued progress in developing cyber-warfare techniques. The report noted that U.S. government computers were the target of "intrusions that appear to have originated" in China, although they were not confirmed to be from the Chinese military. CNN requested a comment about the accusation from the Chinese Embassy in Washington. An embassy spokesman denied the allegations to the Wall Street Journal. The Air Force, the main program manager of the Joint Strike Fighter program, has a number of ongoing investigations into the multiple hackings, officials said. The officials said that a number of safeguards have since been put into place to protect that system. CNN's Eric Marrapodi contributed to this report.

Intruders got access to Joint Strike Fighter info through contractor computers . Hackers also gained entry to Air Force's air traffic control systems . Officials insist that no highly classified information was taken . F-35 Lightning II jet is designed to be used by all branches of military .

(CNN) -- Flight MH-370 may go down in history as one of most incredible aviation mysteries. The cruel reality is that even though we have a fair amount of information now, we still know so little. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak informed the families of the victims that the plane had crashed into the remote south Indian Ocean, and all 239 people onboard are presumed dead. That tragic but not unexpected conclusion was based on data analysis by satellite company Inmarsat, which Malaysia now says was able to track Flight 370 until the signal ended very near where searchers are now hunting for plane wreckage. The location tells a lot about what might have happened to the doomed flight while telling us not a single detail about why it crashed. The presumed location of the wreckage makes it all but impossible for certain scenarios to have played out as many observers insisted they must have. The first thing to understand is altitude is everything. A turbofan powered jet like the Boeing 777-200ER relies on altitude to make good on its ultra long-range capabilities. At its normal cruising altitudes from around 35,000 to 40,000 feet, the 777 can fly very long distances, in excess of 11,000 miles. But it seldom flies long routes. Flight 370 search unites global community . On its trip from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, the plane would have had, according to investigators' projections, around seven hours of total endurance at a normal cruising speed of around 600 mph -- just enough to have flown its suspected flight path north for 40 minutes, west for around that much time again, and then south for many hours. At lower altitudes, turbofan engines like the Rolls-Royce engines on the Malaysia Airlines airplane, burn substantially more fuel than they do at typical cruise altitudes -- as much as twice depending on the altitudes one uses for comparison. The increase in fuel burn will greatly reduce range, making it impossible for Flight MH-370 to have reached the southern Indian Ocean at a low altitude. It would need to have flown at a much higher optimum altitude in order to make it that far. Pilots can reduce the power to cut back on fuel flow, of course, but that also reduces airspeed, which again reduces range. There's no winning when it comes to flying a turbofan-powered airplane: If you want to fly far, you need to fly high. So the fuel required for MH-370 to have reached the presumed crash location around 1500 miles west of Perth, Australia, means that the airplane did not do a lot of climbing or descending after it deviated from its original planned route to Beijing while it was still an hour or so north of Kuala Lumpur. So if there was a struggle for control of the flight -- whether it was mechanical issues or a hijacker -- it could not have lasted long or involved great altitude deviations. This means it's hard, though not impossible, to explain the disappearance as being the result of a mechanical or electrical failure. Such a scenario, as I've been saying since the beginning of the mystery, would require a kind of mechanical magic bullet, an event that would have taken out the transponder and ACARS radio, as well as the voice communications radios. Why else would they not have communicated the emergency? Pilot: How mechanical problem could have downed Flight 370 . Then one must accept that such a failure chain could then allow the crew -- or skilled intruder-- to be able to drive the airplane around the sky for a protracted period of time, eventually pointing it south, in the opposite direction from where the airplane was originally headed. Let's remember, too, that the airplane would have to maintain an altitude sufficient to allow it to reach the southern Indian Ocean. All this must also have left the 777 in good enough shape to fly for another six hours or so before crashing. A failure of the pressurization system might account for the scenario, but only if the pilots completely mismanaged their response to the emergency. The 777's backup and emergency oxygen systems are just as intelligently designed as the rest of the jet's redundant systems. It's also difficult, if not impossible, to explain how the jet could have made the turns it did if the crew were unconscious during that time. Were they desperately trying to find an airport before time ran out? If so, they would have done two things they didn't do: They would have communicated the emergency and they would have descended. Neither of those things happened. While it's horrific to imagine, a botched hijacking or failed pilot commandeering of the airplane are still the most likely scenarios. Only when searchers have located and recovered the wreckage, as we all desperately hope they do, will we have our first good clues to what have might have unfolded on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-370. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Robert Goyer.

Robert Goyer: Flight 370 may be remembered as one of the biggest aviation mysteries . Goyer: Presumed location of the plane wreckage rules out certain scenarios . He says the best explanation is still a botched hijacking or failed pilot takeover of plane . Goyer: Mechanical or electrical failure cannot alone account for what we know .

Washington (CNN) -- One of the world's most famous poets and writers, an inspiration to countless women, recently celebrated her birthday. At her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Maya Angelou celebrated turning 82. Born in an era unfriendly to women whose ambitions would take them out of the home or away from a narrow range of "acceptable" jobs, she nonetheless succeeded in many fields. She has led an admirably peripatetic life; she has been an author, dancer, actor, civil rights activist, radio host. Hailed, above all, for her vivid written portrayals of adolescent life in the South and the horrors of her violent childhood, she's become a role model of resilience for generations of American women. When she speaks, it is with intense clarity, as if her words are aligned, standing at attention. Untethered from convention and politesse by age, hard-won experience and inner strength, she expresses truths that many women may suspect but are loath to admit. "I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels," she once said. "Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick a--." But 41 years after the she grabbed those lapels with her groundbreaking novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," I found myself reflecting at her party on what has -- and has not -- changed for women heading out into the world. The truth is, it's still very hard to get to the point of accomplishment of a Maya Angelou. Modern women still struggle to succeed without being labeled the witch, ditz or office pariah. Indeed, young women I meet when I speak with college students across the country are aware of this as they prepare to plunge into their adult lives. I find that regardless of the career opportunities that are at their fingertips, advances that their foremothers would scarcely have believed, some women (especially women of color) still brace themselves for limitations and obstacles. Is there a magic key to a life lived free of gender and racial biases, they ask? There is not. There are barriers. But how long must young women leaving high schools and universities expect to be swimming against generations-long waves? We have come a long way, but still we see reflected in the media daily the crude stereotypes that confront and trivialize accomplished and prominent women. It might be a first lady mocked for revealing a little cleavage, another first lady questioned for leaving her job to take care of her children or a candidate for vice president criticized for her commitment to family. And though women represent more than half the voting age population and are a significant political force, at this "post-feminist" moment, only six of the nation's 50 governors and only 17 of the 100 U.S. senators are women. At the same time, the U.S. Census Bureau's 2009 Educational Attainment Survey showed that more women than men over the age of 25 have bachelor's, graduate and professional degrees. And a recent AdAge White Paper, entitled "The New Female Consumer," cited statistics from a Catalyst survey that shows that women's median income rose 32.9 percent from 1990 to 2006, while men's only rose 6.3 percent. Should we be surprised how young women respond to these mixed messages? I talked with Angelou about such issues when she welcomed me as a guest on her program and later invited me to her home to discuss themes about womanhood that I would eventually explore in a book. We talked about how the limitations placed on us as young girls began with our families. I still bristle, and told her so, about how my family had advised me to learn to type and become a secretary. She counseled that they had done that out of love, that their intention was not "to break you." Rather, the intent was "to keep you from breaking your heart." But as we all know, the world can be much crueler than our families: The route to success for women, politically, economically and personally, is often lined with broken hearts and humbling moments that I would hope do more to ignite our determination than quell it. Maybe we can argue that our defeats kindle resilience? I wonder if Angelou's living legacy reaches today into the lives of modern women whose intelligence, determination--and resilience--helped them surmount obstacles on the way to lofty positions in the world. Yes, there are mixed messages everywhere for young women, but then there are the achievements of a Hillary Clinton, a Michelle Obama, a Sarah Palin. Young, determined women willing to push aside the obstacles that a sometimes retrograde culture throws in their way can take inspiration from those women's successes. And as Angelou once said, "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." The birthday girl speaks the truth. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Leslie Sanchez.

Leslie Sanchez says Maya Angelou, whose life has inspired many women, has turned 82 . She says Angelou tells women to "grab life by the lapels," but culture presents hurdles . Women succeed in earning, education; lag in Congress, pop culture portrayals, she says . Sanchez: Angelou can inspire women to be determined, resilient and to surmount barriers .

(CNN) -- People upset at George Zimmerman's acquittal are calling for awarding various new powers to prosecutors at the expense of protections for criminal defendants. Maybe this would make it easier to hang a rap on some future Zimmerman. But it also would have an effect that its backers probably don't intend: increasing the number of persons convicted and sent to prison. As part of that effect, more young black men -- as well as more members of other groups -- will end up behind bars. On Twitter and Facebook, many people have expressed frustration with the conviction standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt," which the state of Florida was unable to overcome. Couldn't we lower it? Others hoped prosecutors could appeal the verdict (right now, they can't; an acquittal is final). To change either of these basic features of our judicial system, we'd have to overturn the Supreme Court's settled view of the Bill of Rights or amend the U.S. Constitution itself. And what would happen if we did? Convictions would rise, and the nation's outlandishly large and disproportionately black prison rolls would swell yet further. Or consider the popular notion of retrying Zimmerman on federal charges. Under our Constitution, even serious crimes such as murder are traditionally offenses under state law only. In a controversial 1959 opinion, Bartkus v. Illinois, the Supreme Court ruled that consecutive prosecutions under state and federal law do not violate the Constitution's ban on double jeopardy. Interestingly, that was the view of the court's five more conservative justices. The dissenters, who warned eloquently of the dangers of letting government try people twice for the same conduct, were the four liberals: Earl Warren, William Douglas, Hugo Black and William Brennan. For many years thereafter, such prosecutions were a rare exception. Occasionally they were of national note, as when a Jim Crow authority would refuse to prosecute a white-on-black crime. Only with the Rodney King case in California in 1993 did anyone seriously propose giving prosecutors a second bite at the apple after a state prosecution pursued in good faith before an ordinary jury ended in an unpopular acquittal. If the floodgates now open, how long before we see federal enforcers begin to second-guess state-court acquittals in, say, drug cases? Others call for narrowing self-defense rights, though the Zimmerman case wound up being tried under pretty much the same self-defense standard that prevails in the great majority of states. Florida's so-called "stand your ground" law, which did away with the "duty to retreat," was ignored by both prosecution and defense, and the jury appeared to accept Zimmerman's contention that retreat was not an option for him once the altercation began. A key constituency seeking to roll back stand your ground in the Florida legislature is prosecutors, whose interests just might not be fully congruent with those of the people they prosecute. Although critics insist that stand your ground leads to racially disparate effects, the Tampa Bay Times, a paper that has been highly critical of the law, concedes its in-depth investigation "found no obvious bias in how black defendants have been treated" under the law. It also quoted Alfreda Coward, a black Fort Lauderdale lawyer "whose clients are mostly black men," as saying it had sometimes worked to the advantage of her clients facing charges over altercations. "Let's be clear," Coward told the paper, "this law was not designed for the protection of young black males, but it's benefiting them in certain cases." If you're looking for things that really went wrong in the Zimmerman case and are part of wider patterns unfavorable toward minorities, try looking at the prosecution's misdeeds. In particular, Florida State Attorney Angela Corey overcharged, going for second-degree murder when even manslaughter was shaky. That didn't cow Zimmerman, who had a sizable legal defense fund, but such tactics work every day in extracting plea-bargain surrenders from ordinary-Joe defendants who fear a worse verdict. Corey's team also tried the case in the news media, made jury-inflaming assertions it couldn't back up with proof, and (according to a whistle-blowing employee, soon fired by Corey) even withheld evidence from the defense side, an ethical breach should it be proven. A public stirred up to outrage over sins like those might come to realize that they're not a fluke of the Zimmerman case, but crop up regularly in the everyday criminal justice system, to the disfavor of minority (and nonminority) defendants. When the emotional grip of the moment has relaxed, we may wonder how we ever imagined that the way to help minorities in the justice system was to take away criminal defendants' rights. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Walter Olson.

Walter Olson: Those upset with verdict call for giving new powers to prosecutors . Olson: The unintended effect of this would be that more black men would end up in prisons . He says what really went wrong in the Zimmerman case is the prosecution's misdeeds . Olson: To help minorities in the justice system, don't look to taking away defendants' rights .

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- There's probably no way to describe the feeling. Joe Pirrone's pride and joy, his F350 Super Duty turbo diesel truck, turned out to be a stolen "clone." One moment, Guiseppe "Joe" Pirrone was on a long weekend at the beach. The next moment, he found out the pickup that he bought a year ago is stolen, and he is still on the hook for the $27,000 loan. Stories like Pirrone's are scattered across the country, and Tuesday the FBI announced that it has broken up one of the largest auto theft cases in the U.S. Capping "Operation Dual Identity," arrest warrants for 17 people were executed in Tampa and Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico. The suspects were accused of "cloning" vehicles, which is making stolen cars look like legal ones. The FBI says that the ring was operating in the U.S. for more than 20 years. More than 1,000 vehicles were stolen in Florida, with more than $25 million in losses to consumers and banks. "Individuals have been victimized at every level, from the average Joe, to the banks, to big companies," said Dave Couvertier, of the FBI's Tampa field office. Car theft rings clone vehicles by taking license plates, vehicle identification numbers (VIN), and other tags and stickers from a legal car and putting them on a stolen vehicle of similar make and model. "This does not just affect big business. Anyone could become an unwitting victim of this particular scam. It could happen to anyone," said Couvertier. Pirrone knows how it was done because it happened to him. Last year, he bought a used 2005 F350 Super Duty turbo diesel pickup to use for his landscape business in Fort Myers, Florida. He bought it off a small used car lot and took out a $27,000 loan from a credit union. "I had it for about nine months. It was a great truck," he told CNN. In the fall, Pirrone decided to drive across the state to spend a long weekend in Fort Lauderdale. He was lying on the beach when his father called him to tell him that a detective from the Lee County Sheriff's Office was at his house with a tow truck. Pirrone got back in his car and drove back home immediately. "I was confused, honestly," he said. "I had to ask the detective for credentials. I didn't believe what was going on." Pirrone said the detective explained to him that he was the victim of a scam, that he was sold stolen goods. Left without a truck, Pirrone called the Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union. He found that his $536 a month payment would live on after his truck was long gone. Pirrone said he was able to get a 30-day payment exemption, but was told that he had a signed agreement with the bank, and he was still obligated to pay the loan in full. "I am making payments on a piece of property that I don't have," Pirrone said. "They can't even repossess it. The bank doesn't have any help to offer me." The bank is a victim in the car cloning scam as well. Lisa Brock, a spokeswoman for Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union, told CNN that the company never discusses private information about any of its members. "It is a police matter, and it's nothing we can make any substantial comment on," she said. Pirrone has hired an attorney, and he is considering filing a lawsuit against the dealership to get the bank's money back. Pirrone said he was advised by his lawyer not to name the used car lot. Law enforcement hopes that this is the beginning of the end of the "car cloning" scam. The National Motor Vehicle Information system (NMVTIS) database was implemented in January. It allows state DMVs to share title and registration information. Cloned vehicles were moved and sold to buyers in 20 states and several countries, often for less than market value, the FBI said. Many of the vehicles were exchanged for drugs, according to the bureau. The FBI says that people need to be careful when buying a car independently. "Folks should be educated enough so that they don't buy a car from a stranger, on the street, or in a back alley somewhere," said the FBI's Dave Couvertier. "And if you're getting it for too good a deal, it should be raising flags." Like so many others, Pirrone is feeling the economic squeeze. Without a truck, he had to sell his landscaping business, which he had as a side business. He is still working his other job as a restaurant manager. "It's not a good time for this to happen. I've had hours cut back at work, I'm not making what I used to make." "I don't know what's real anymore," he said. CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti contributed to this story.

FBI to announce 17 arrests in huge "car cloning" scam . Under scam, VINs, other details taken from legal car, given to similar stolen model . In one case, owner lost truck but was still saddled with payments . Ring stretched from Chicago to Florida to central Mexico .

(CNN) -- Nothing about Melissa Huckaby, a Sunday school teacher at her grandfather's California church, would indicate she's capable of killing her daughter's 8-year-old friend as police allege, relatives say. Melissa Huckaby faces charges of kidnapping and murder in the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu. Huckaby, expected to be arraigned Tuesday in the death of Sandra Cantu, is a wonderful mother who is at ease with other children, relatives say. Cantu's body was found last week in a suitcase submerged in a pond. But they acknowledge her life was less than tranquil before moving into her grandparents' Tracy, California, home last year. They say she's had difficulties dealing with a divorce, and she's had legal problems, including bankruptcy and a theft conviction. "She is a good, church-going girl, but she has had her challenges," California resident Cynthia Browning, Huckaby's great-aunt, told the San Francisco Chronicle. Huckaby, 28, was arrested on charges of murder and kidnapping late Friday, four days after the suitcase with Cantu's body was found at a dairy farm's pond in Tracy, not far from the church run by Huckaby's grandfather. Cantu was last seen alive March 27 in the Tracy mobile home park where she lived. It's the same park where Huckaby lives with her 5-year-old daughter and grandparents. The two children were close friends and played frequently, Tracy police said. Investigators believe the suitcase is Huckaby's and that she lied about it being missing, police said. Police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters over the weekend that he didn't know the motive in the slaying, and he declined to say whether Huckaby confessed but said "she revealed enough information that we had probable cause to arrest her." On Sunday, Huckaby's relatives told reporters in Tracy they were shocked by the allegations against her. "The information we've been given regarding the charges against [her] are completely out of character for her," said one man, who identified himself only as a relative. Another relative, also declining to give her name, said Huckaby "is a fantastic mother, very loving." Huckaby, who grew up in Orange County, California, moved in with her grandparents about eight months ago, according to the Contra Costa Times. She did so in part so that she'd have more time "to take better care of her daughter, who ... gets sick a lot," Browning told the Chronicle. Huckaby divorced a few years ago and has had a hard time coping, her father, Brian Lawless of Orange County, told the Chronicle. She has fought depression, her relatives said, according to the newspaper. She also has faced legal difficulties. Citing court records, the Tracy Press reported she pleaded no contest January 9 to a felony charge of second-degree commercial burglary and a misdemeanor charge of property theft. A criminal complaint says she was jailed in Los Angeles County on a property theft conviction in 2006 and that she tried to steal from a store in November 2008. According to the complaint, she was on probation in San Joaquin County and was due back in court Friday. And she filed for bankruptcy in 2003, reporting credit card and medical debt, according to CNN affiliate KCRA-TV. Relatives said her only current job was the Sunday school teaching, according to the Chronicle. The allegations stunned a friend of Huckaby's from high school, Emily Glyer Fontes, according to the Orange County Register. Fontes said she recalled that Huckaby "was almost like a mother" to a baby girl that Huckaby's parents adopted while she was in high school. "That's why this is so overwhelming to me," Fontes, who said she and Huckaby were on the school's dance team, told the Register. "She was so wonderful with kids -- absolutely amazing. I feel so completely confused and so devastated about this. Everything I knew has been turned upside down." Police have not said how Cantu died. The day she was last seen, she came home from school, kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives nearby, a family spokeswoman has said. Before her arrest, Huckaby told the Tracy Press that Cantu came by her home to see whether she could play with Huckaby's daughter, but Huckaby would not let her daughter play because she wanted her daughter to pick up her toys. Cantu left for another friend's house, Huckaby told the newspaper. Huckaby also told the Tracy Press that she owned the suitcase in which the child's body was found, but said she reported it missing the day before the body's discovery. She said it disappeared about the same time the child did. Sheneman told reporters after Huckaby's arrest that "inconsistencies" between that interview and statements Huckaby had made to police were one reason police re-interviewed her Friday night.

Melissa Huckaby faces murder charges in death of Sandra Cantu, 8 . Huckaby, a Sunday school teacher, was arrested last week . Huckaby had difficulty dealing with divorce, relatives say . Relatives say allegations are "completely out of character" for her .

(CNN) -- Could the captured Sinaloa cartel boss who was one of Mexico's most wanted fugitives be heading to the United States for trial? He will, if U.S. federal prosecutors have anything to say about it. Bob Nardoza, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York, said Sunday that American authorities plan to seek the extradition of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Authorities captured the notorious drug lord Saturday in the Mexican Pacific resort city of Mazatlan. Cases are pending against him in New York and several other United States jurisdictions, and it's not clear which requests would take priority. But just because the United States wants to extradite him doesn't mean Guzman will be heading north of the border any time soon. "Mexico is going to want to prosecute him. They're going to want the first shot at him," CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes said Sunday. "The extradition to the U.S. could happen at a later date, but I doubt it. I think that the Mexicans are going to want him, and they're going to want to keep him in prison down there." Guzman escaped from a high-security Mexican prison in 2001, reportedly hiding in a laundry basket. Throughout the years, he avoided being caught because of his enormous power to bribe corrupt local, state and federal Mexican officials. His nickname, which means "Shorty," matches his 5-foot-6-inch frame. From New York to Chicago, Texas to San Diego, Guzman and his lieutenants are named in indictments for marijuana, cocaine and heroin trafficking, as well as racketeering, money laundering, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder. In Chicago, the city's crime commission named Guzman its Public Enemy No. 1 last year. But more than anywhere else, Fuentes said, the "Public Enemy No. 1" designation is true for Guzman in Mexico. "He's responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. He's considered one of the richest men in the world, and the Sinaloa cartel...is considered the most prolific drug-trafficking organization in the world," said Fuentes, former assistant director of the FBI's Office of International Operations. When Guzman escaped from prison, he had served seven years of a 20-year, nine-month sentence. Mexico's attorney general's office said there were eight warrants for Guzman's arrest there -- two tied to his 2001 escape, and six more for alleged crimes committed since then. Authorities said they were taking him to the Altiplano prison outside Mexico City on Saturday, where he was set to be interrogated. No attorney had yet come forward representing the cartel boss, officials said, and no extradition request had been made. Eduardo Medina Mora, the Mexican ambassador to the United States, told The New York Times that authorities from the United States and Mexico had been working together on the case for months, but hadn't worked out whether Guzman would be extradited. "I think it's important that first he faces the charges against him in Mexico," Medina Mora told the newspaper. Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Mexican officials should consider extradition now. "The normal sequence is, Mexico being a sovereign nation, (it) has the first prosecution. However, there's a history here. He escaped from a prison in 2001. There is corruption in that country. And I would ask that the Mexicans consider extraditing him to the United States, where he will be put into a 'supermax' prison under tight security, where he cannot escape, and be brought to justice with a life sentence," McCaul told ABC's "This Week." "I think that would be the best course of action for not only Mexico, but also the United States, in ensuring that what happened in 2001 does not happen again." How likely extradition is, the Texas Republican congressman said, depends on how much pressure the State Department puts on Mexico's government. But he said it would be worth the effort. "The track record's not good with this individual," he said. "This is an exceptional case. This is the largest, biggest drug lord we've ever seen in the world." Phil Jordan, who spent three decades with the DEA and headed the agency's El Paso Intelligence Center, said extraditing Guzman is the only way to truly cripple his organization. "It is a significant arrest, provided he gets extradited immediately to the United States," Jordan told CNN Saturday. "If he does not get extradited, then he will be allowed to escape within a period of time. ... If he is, in fact, incarcerated, until he gets extradited to the United States, it will be business as usual." CNNMexico.com and CNN's Ray Sanchez and Evan Perez contributed to this report.

Official: The United States will seek to extradite Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman . The Sinaloa cartel boss faces charges in several U.S. jurisdictions . Analyst: Mexico will want to prosecute him, keep him in prison . He had served seven years of a 20-year sentence when he escaped .

(CNN) -- What do you do with 6,000 tons of space junk traveling at thousands of miles an hour? Harpoon it of course. It might sound like a scenario straight off the pages of a science fiction novel but it is a suggested solution to an increasing and potentially costly problem in space -- that of debris littering low earth orbit. The harpoon plan is one of a range of options being discussed by scientists at a forum in Germany next week, and aimed at finding a way of tackling space debris that threatens commercial operations. Engineer Jaime Reed, who is leading the harpoon project for the space technology company Astrium, explains that if a rogue satellite hits another, not only does it ruin the mission but it creates more debris and propagates the problem. This run-away scenario is often called the Kessler Syndrome, named after NASA's Don Kessler who first highlighted the risk. "There's a lot of space debris -- 6,000 tons in orbit -- that could pose a threat," said Reed. "Perhaps unwittingly, the average person relies a lot on space -- GPS in their phones, telecoms, TV, weather forecasts -- they are things people expect to have," he said. Read more: 3 new planets could host life . "Space debris could very easily take out some of those satellites -- it would have a real impact on people's lives." Astrium's plan to tackle defunct satellites is to use an unmanned chase spacecraft to get in range, fire a barbed harpoon into the body of the rogue hardware and then use a smaller propulsion unit attached to a tether to tow it back towards the atmosphere where it will burn up safely on re-entry. "Because the harpoon we are using is very light and the chase satellite more than a ton, momentum is very tiny... it's a small recoil," said Reed. The harpoon system has been tested in the laboratory in the UK and Reed will present findings at the conference on Wednesday. Reed estimates that the system could tackle 10 targets per mission and says simulations show that if five to 10 objects were removed each year then that would "stabilize the debris population." Read more: NASA shoots for asteroid . He said he hoped the next step would be a demonstration mission to capture something small. So how big is the problem? Reed warns that if space junk is not removed it could mean that low-earth orbit might eventually become unusable. According to NASA there are about 20,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10cm (3.9 inches) and its chief scientist for orbital debris Nicholas L. Johnson says most robotic satellite missions are vulnerable to particles as small as 5mm (0.2 inches) -- there are thought to be millions of those in orbit. "A 5mm (0.2 inches) particle striking a large solar array is likely to have a very little long-lasting effect, but such an object hitting the main body of a satellite could cause a vital component to fail," he said. "Normally, it takes the impact of an object about 10cm (3.9 inches) or larger to cause the satellite to suffer a severe fragmentation in which large numbers of new debris would be created. "Collision speeds can vary from less than 1km per second (2,236mph) to 16km per second (35,790mph)." He explained that ground-based radars are able to track objects of about 10cm (3.9 inches) and sometimes smaller, depending on altitude above the earth, while other sensors can detect particles down to about 5mm (0.2 inches) in low earth orbit. "Space debris poses real threats to both human space flight and robotic missions. However, today those threats are largely handled by spacecraft design and operation techniques," said Johnson. "Since the 1980s considerable efforts have been made to curtail the creation of new space debris." The NASA scientist said the odds of an operational satellite being disabled by space debris remain quite small, though he points out that two have been lost after being hit by man-made debris -- a French satellite in 1996 and an American craft in 2009. Last month, CNN reported that space debris left over from a 2007 Chinese missile test had collided with a Russian satellite, according to a researcher at the Center for Space Standards & Innovation. And in 2012 the crew of the space station were ordered into escape capsules as a precaution after a piece of debris passed close by. Both Reed and Johnson say the focus over the last 30 years has been on mitigation but NASA and other space agencies are looking at ways to remove large derelict spacecraft and rocket launch stages from low earth orbit. The harpoon is clearly aimed at capturing the larger objects but many other solutions have been proposed, including the use of lasers to nudge space junk out of the way, or using giant nets and space tugs. "It's a very active area," said Reed. "Lots of people are coming up with ideas." More space and science news from CNN Light Years .

Scientists are set to meet in Germany to discuss ways of tackling space debris . It is estimated that there are 6,000 tons of space junk in Earth's orbit . Space technology company Astrium has devised a plan to harpoon debris . The debris would then be towed towards Earth's atmosphere, where it would burn up .

(CNN) -- In an attack orchestrated by a Pakistani Taliban commander, around 250 prisoners, most of them militants, were freed this week at the central prison in Dera Ismail Khan in northwestern Pakistan. The commander, Adnan Rashid, had been freed a year earlier, this time at the central jail in Bannu, where 150 Taliban fighters stormed the facility and released nearly 400 prisoners -- Pakistan's largest jailbreak. Both prison breaks happened in the stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders North and South Waziristan, and both were conducted with a high degree of sophistication. This week's attack unfolded in multiple stages, beginning with cutting the prison's electricity, detonating bombs that had been planted around the facility to breach its external wall, and ambushing the security forces that rushed to the scene. Once the militants overwhelmed the guards, they used loudspeakers to contact and locate specific prisoners, freeing them from their cells with hand grenades. At least 13 people died in the attack. Pakistani authorities launched a search operation for the missing prisoners, but few have been recaptured. The others have simply melted away into the mountains. Jihadist militants have been breaking people out of prison across the Middle East and South Asia for years, some with significant consequences for the United States and its allies. Militant group claims responsibility for Iraq prison attacks . A 2006 prison break in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, led to the creation of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, one of al Qaeda's most virulent affiliates, the one that recruited the "underwear bomber" who nearly brought down Northwest Airlines Flight 253 over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. During the 2006 prison break, 23 inmates escaped through a 460-foot tunnel into a nearby mosque. Two of the escapees went on to become the leader and deputy leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In 2008 and again in 2011, the Afghan Taliban led attacks on the Sarposa prison in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan that freed an astounding number of militants, around 1,700. Like the prison attacks by the Taliban in Pakistan, the Kandahar plots showed sophisticated planning. In the aftermath of the 2011 breach, Afghan officials discovered an intricate network of tunnels under the jail, equipped with electrical and ventilation systems. But perhaps no group has made prison breaks an organizational focus more than al Qaeda in Iraq. On July 21, 2012, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al Qaeda in Iraq's leader, announced the "Breaking the Walls" campaign, a yearlong effort to release his group's prisoners. According to a count by the Institute for the Study of War, since al-Baghdadi's announcement, al Qaeda in Iraq has conducted assaults on seven major prisons. Earlier this month, hundreds of prisoners, including senior members of al Qaeda, escaped from Iraq's Abu Ghraib jail on the outskirts of Baghdad following a military-style assault on the prison. Al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate claimed responsibility for that attack. Elsewhere in the Middle East, a prison riot and an attack launched from outside Al-Kuifiya prison in Benghazi, Libya, freed more than 1,000 inmates Saturday. Although it doesn't appear that groups such as the Taliban and al Qaeda are coordinating strategies in freeing their fellow militants, it is likely that they are inspiring each other with every successful, and well-publicized, prison break. The attacks are generally well-organized and often free significant numbers of inmates, refreshing the militant groups' ranks, and each successful prison break is a propaganda coup. Insiders assist in varying degrees in these different prison breaks, but the militants are also exploiting the countries' inadequate correctional systems. Many of these prison facilities where convicts have escaped en masse were meant to house criminals, not terrorists, and they often lack the fortification needed to fend off armed assaults. 1,200 inmates break out of Benghazi prison . Security concerns regarding prison facilities are part of the reason that 86 Guantanamo Bay detainees who were cleared for transfer into the custody of their home countries three years ago still remain in jail at Guantanamo. Fifty-six of those men are from Yemen, which has a notoriously porous prison system. The recent prison breaks in Pakistan, Iraq and Libya are reminders that the United States needs to do more to strengthen high security prisons in countries such as Yemen if there is any hope that prisoners who are cleared for transfer -- but have been languishing at Guantanamo for many years -- are ever to return home.

A Taliban commander leads prison attack in Pakistan, freeing 250 inmates . Peter Bergen: Jihadists have conducted jailbreaks in Middle East and South Asia for years . Bergen: Huge numbers are freed to join militants' ranks and score propaganda coups . U.S. needs to help make prisons vulnerable to attacks much more secure, he says .

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Sarah Palin touched on a host of topics -- including Reaganomics, China and human rights, Tibet, the Asian and U.S. economies, family and moose in Alaska -- as she delivered a speech to investors Wednesday in Hong Kong, according to audience members. Sarah Palin's speech at CLSA Investors' Forum appeared to be largely well received. The former Republican vice presidential candidate was the keynote speaker at the 16th CLSA Investors' Forum, in what was billed as her first speech outside North America. She recently stepped down as Alaska's governor. Her 90-minute address, which was closed to the media, was heard by 1,100 people, according to CLSA head of communications Simone Wheeler. Those who attended her speech said she did well, though some could be seen leaving early on. A few of those people said they were heading to other forum offerings. Most people declined to speak with the media about the speech. Would you pay to see Sarah Palin give speech? Soundoff below . "I can't say I was actually impressed," said Mel Goode, a business developer from New York who lives in Hong Kong. "She speaks well -- a broad spectrum of what her beliefs are, family views. "She didn't get (into) anything too harsh ... just kept it, five children, my husband's here, we believe in what Asia's doing, America has a way to go to get itself back together, Reaganism." Watch more about Palin's trip » . One area she touched on was human rights, calling on Beijing to be more attentive to the issue in Tibet and countries such as Myanmar and North Korea, he added. Read about the secrecy surrounding Palin's speech . Rajesh Kothari, a fund manager, noted that Palin's "address was more geared towards politics and very focused on China." "She did speak about the political implications of China's rise on Asia and the region, and China with America," he said. "I was quite impressed by her knowledge. It seemed like she did her homework now, this time around." Palin also spoke about Alaska, the need for less government and fewer regulations, fiscal responsibility and "how the U.S. and Asia can be better partners on the global stage," said Jasbeena Layman, a fund manager in the United States. "I think she is very well spoken," she said. Palin's political ambitions are unclear, though she has recently attacked U.S. President Barack Obama's health care initiative. During the 2008 presidential campaign, she was lampooned by critics and comedians for suggesting that she had foreign policy experience because she was then governor of Alaska and "you can actually see Russia" from part of the state. Watch CNN's Jessica Yellin report on Palin's speech » . Goode said it appeared Palin had "learned quite a bit" from the vice presidential campaign spotlight. "I am sure she's taken enough criticism where, at this point, she would definitely try to learn a little bit in her mistakes," he said. He said she shied from discussing U.S. politics, though she did say it had been 10 months since Obama took office and Americans were questioning whether he had made significant headway. Past CLSA keynote speakers include former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, rocker and activist Bob Geldof, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former U.S. Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan, Wheeler said, noting that CLSA does not disclose whether or how much it pays speakers. "What we look to do is invite our keynote speakers who we feel are opinion makers, who are newsworthy and who we feel our clients -- a very broad international client base -- would be interested in hearing from," Wheeler said Monday, noting that CLSA was a politically neutral, independent brokerage. Chad Tendler, who works in the financial industry, said Palin's speech tried "to tick a lot of boxes," touching on domestic and foreign policy, as well as issues that resonate with investors. He said she spoke about the U.S. relationship with China and recent issues, such as a tariff dispute between the two nations involving the sale of tires. He said her speech was "very well scripted," but a question-and-answer session afterward "brought out a bit more color about her as a person" and reminded everyone of "the candidate who we all saw campaigning for vice president." She talked about her family, her interests and even Alaskan moose, he said. "She said on her way to the airport in Anchorage, there was a moose in the town," he said. "As she arrived in Hong Kong, coming in from the airport, she was surprised -- not surprised -- but, very different from the rural setting to an urban setting." Wheeler said Palin would be in Hong Kong only for the speech, adding that it was a short trip. Chinese-language media did not give much coverage to her appearance, and some residents and visitors were surprised to learn she was in town.

Sarah Palin speaks before about 1,000 investors at conference in Hong Kong . Speech by ex-GOP vice president candidate billed as first outside North America . Palin touched on China and human rights, Tibet, Asian, U.S. economies, family . Bill Clinton, Al Gore have been previous speakers at investors' conference .

(CNN) -- Two of the most influential papers for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire -- the first two states to weigh in at the polls in 2008 -- both endorsed John McCain in the Republican presidential race, but differed in their choice in the Democratic contest. The Des Moines Register backs Hillary Clinton, while The Boston Globe picks Barack Obama. The Des Moines Register backed Hillary Clinton, while The Boston Globe picked Barack Obama, in excerpts of Sunday's editorials posted on their papers' Web sites Saturday night. The Iowa caucuses are January 3, and New Hampshire's primary follows five days later. The Globe's editorial board dismissed concerns over the Illinois senator's relative lack of Washington experience. "It is true that all the other Democratic contenders have more conventional resumes, and have spent more time in Washington," the board wrote. "But that exposure has tended to give them a sense of government's constraints. Obama is more open to its possibilities." But the Register's editorial board -- which noted that Obama "demonstrates the potential to be a fine president" -- still gave the edge to the senator from New York, saying it made the nods in both parties' primaries based on competence and readiness to lead. "When Obama speaks before a crowd, he can be more inspirational than Clinton," the board wrote. "Yet, with his relative inexperience, it's hard to feel as confident he could accomplish the daunting agenda that lies ahead." The Iowa paper's endorsement is widely viewed as a major boost for Clinton, and a blow to the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, whose Register endorsement during the 2004 race was followed by a surprisingly strong showing in the state's Democratic caucuses. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told CNN's Mike Roselli that the campaign was "not surprised" by the Register's decision, adding "that it was a bigger surprise to get the Globe's," and noting that the Des Moines paper "said good things about us." Obama told CNN, "I think we are doing pretty good. We split it today between the Globe and the Register." The Clinton campaign immediately sent out a news release containing the full text of the paper's endorsement, which took Edwards to task for recent campaign trail rhetoric, writing that "We too seldom saw the 'positive, optimistic' campaign we found appealing in 2004." "Obama, [Clinton's] chief rival, inspired our imaginations," the Register board wrote. "But it was Clinton who inspired our confidence." Clinton spokesman Mark Daley told CNN's Suzanne Malveaux that the campaign is incredibly pleased and honored. "But we know we have a few weeks left to go before the caucuses and a lot of work to do," Daley said, adding that after Clinton's Thursday debate performance, her Friday endorsement by Iowa's Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell and Saturday's Register nod, "we feel good about our campaign heading into the final weeks." The three Democrats are battling for the lead in Iowa, placing within just a few points of one another in most recent state polls. Watch a report about who might win in Iowa » . On the Republican side, the Register's board wrote that the endorsement went to the senator from Arizona because "time after time, McCain has stuck to his beliefs in the face of opposition from other elected leaders and the public. "The force of John McCain's moral authority could go a long way toward restoring Americans' trust in government and inspiring new generations to believe in the goodness and greatness of America," they wrote. Meanwhile, the Globe's board passed over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying that while McCain's views might differ from theirs, his "honesty has served him well." "As a lawmaker and as a candidate, he has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest discussion of the problems facing the United States," the board wrote. In 2004, the newspaper stuck with the native son on the ballot, giving the nod in the Democratic primary to Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who went on to win the New Hampshire primary. The Boston Globe's endorsements are influential in neighboring New Hampshire, especially the southern part of the state, where many residents make the daily weekday commute to work in Boston. And the endorsement weighs even greater with Democratic voters there, since the state's main newspaper -- the New Hampshire Union Leader -- has a conservative editorial board and makes only one primary endorsement, which is almost always a Republican. McCain's Globe endorsement follows a recent nod from the New Hampshire Union Leader. Political pundits almost left McCain for dead this summer, after his campaign nearly ran out of cash and hemorrhaged staff, and the candidate sank in the polls. Now, the senator is in second place or tied for second in the most recent Granite State polls. McCain won New Hampshire's Republican primary during his 2000 presidential run. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Suzanne Malveaux and Mark Preston contributed to this report.

The Des Moines Register and The Boston Globe endorse John McCain in GOP race . On the Democratic side, the Register backs Clinton, while the Globe picks Obama . Both newspapers are influential for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire . The Iowa caucuses are January 3; New Hampshire's primary follows five days later .

(CNN) -- The United States shares the blame for Mexican drug trafficking and the attendant violence that has killed thousands in the past year alone, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Mexico for a series of meetings on the drug crisis and other issues. "Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," she said en route to Mexico City, Mexico, according to pool reports. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians. So, yes, I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility." Clinton will meet with President Felipe Calderon and other Mexican leaders to discuss bilateral strategies for the drug war. But her aides said she will also make an effort to show that the U.S.-Mexican relationship is not restricted to matters related to drug violence. As Clinton arrived in the Mexican capital Wednesday, a day after the United States unveiled its plan to improve security along the southern border, the United States' investment in the drug war emerged as a predominant theme. Watch Clinton acknowledge the U.S. role in Mexico's drug war » . She emphasized that the United States has already appropriated $700 million in aid to Mexico, and Congress wants to see how the administration is applying it before sending more. "We are going to demonstrate that we are spending it in an accountable and effective manner that will assist the Mexicans" in law enforcement and justice, she said. The United States needs to stop the flow of guns, body armor and night-vision goggles to the cartels, Clinton said. "When you go into a gunfight or are trying to round up these bad guys and they have military-style equipment that is much better than yours, you start out at a disadvantage. Since we know the vast majority of that comes from our country, we are going to help stop it from getting there in the first place." Arturo Sarukhan, Mexico's ambassador to the United States, called the Obama administration's willingness to accept co-responsibility "a very encouraging sign." Watch Sarukhan share his thoughts on the U.S. move » . "I think that the fact that the Obama administration is seized with the importance of this issue is a clear indication that they understand that, to defang the drug syndicates in Mexico, we have to eliminate two of their most powerful sources -- bulk cash from the United States into Mexico and illicit weapons." In most instances, local and state police "are outgunned by the drug syndicates," which has necessitated the use of federal forces, he said. The Mexican army arrested a man Mexico calls a top drug cartel chief and four of his bodyguards, the government announced Wednesday. Hector Huerta Rios, also known as "La Burra" or "El Junior," was arrested Tuesday in the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia, outside Monterrey in Nuevo Leon state, a little more than 100 miles from Mexico's border with the United States. The Obama administration announced a crackdown on border violence and on the smuggling of cash and weapons into Mexico on Tuesday, a step that could mark an end to a nasty blame game over where responsibility for the violence lies. Clinton called the fighting "a terrible law-enforcement problem" in U.S. cities along the Mexican border, but said it does not yet pose a major threat to overall U.S. security. "This is more about trying to act proactively," she said in an interview with CNN's Jill Dougherty in Mexico City. "We need to help them, or we'll see the results in our own country. "[Traffickers] are distributing these drugs in our country. They're causing all kinds of criminal activity in our country. It has an effect on us, so we want to prevent it from going any further." Clinton will visit a Mexican police base to show U.S. support for the nation's embattled police force. And she will travel to Monterrey, a thriving industrial town, to meet with students, hold a town-hall meeting with business leaders and visit a clean energy plant. The Defense Department and the director of national intelligence have both warned of the national security threat an unstable Mexico poses to the United States. Congress has seized on the issue, holding eight hearings since coming back into session two months ago. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on violence along the U.S.-Mexican border Wednesday. Mexico is the United States' second-largest export market, after Canada, and its third-largest total trade partner. Hundreds of U.S. companies have factories in Mexico, and Mexico is a leading supplier of crude oil to the United States. Clinton noted many Americans have close ties and families in Mexico, adding she honeymooned there. Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder are due to visit Mexico soon, to be followed next month by President Obama, before he attends the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.

NEW: Clinton says fighting does not pose major threat to U.S. security -- yet . Mexico's U.S. ambassador says willingness to share an "encouraging sign" "Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," Clinton says in Mexico . U.S. needs to stop flow of guns, body armor, night-vision goggles to cartels, she says .

(CNN) -- Two words, delivered with index finger punctuating the air and directed at the president of the United States, made a little-known South Carolina congressman one of the most controversial men on the Internet -- at least Wednesday heading into Thursday. Many Facebook and Twitter users condemned Rep. Joe Wilson for his outburst toward President Obama. As soon as Rep. Joe Wilson was identified as the person whose angry and audible outburst disrupted President Obama's health care speech to Congress, condemnation was swift -- and brutal. Within minutes, someone had altered Wilson's entry on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia: . "He is a [expletive] that called the president of the United States a liar on national television and has no respect for the office he holds." When the Web site scrubbed the sentence, an even more offensive entry wormed its way in. iReport.com: "You are disrespectful, sir" Soon, the site disabled edit options for Wilson's entry, chalking it up to "vandalism." On Twitter, post after post urged users to condemn Wilson's breach of protocol, listing his Web site address and his congressional office phone number. Web surfers who visited http://www.joewilson.house.gov/ were greeted with the message: "This site is down for maintenance. Please check back again soon." Those who called his office number either could not get through because the line was busy, or could not leave a message because the phone continued to ring without activating voice mail. "If he's the face of the GOP, we'll have public option by Columbus Day!" wrote Andisheh Nouraee, a columnist for Creative Loafing, an alternative weekly in Atlanta, Georgia. Democrats on Capitol Hill piled on the condemnation as well. "Biggest disappointment of evening, the total lack of respect show by one member for the president," wrote Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri. "Never acceptable to behave like a jerk." As "Joe Wilson" trended on Twitter as the most popular conversation topic -- and on Google among the most searched terms -- the lawmaker's supporters fought back. Many set up Twitter accounts and posted their first tweets Wednesday night and early Thursday. "You have nothing to apologize for. You should be applauded for standing up and speaking the truth," said Jamie Sawyer of Madison, Wisconsin. "Good for him! Too bad he had to apologize" was a comment on the Lonely Conservative blog. "At last the little man found his voice tonight and called Obama what he surely is, a liar," said another blog, Sunlit Uplands. By early Thursday, genuine tweets about Wilson were interspersed with ads for male erectile dysfunction: "Joe Wilson Cialis $1.9 Viagra $1.1 (Web site address)" Though Wilson issued an apology, saying his emotions got the best of him, few online bought it. Watch Obama react to the "You lie!" outburst » . On the Internet, where speculation runs rife, tweeters pointed to a comment Wilson posted on Labor Day as evidence that his outburst was planned: . "Happy Labor Day! Wonderful parade at Chapin, many people called out to oppose Obamacare which I assured them would be relayed tomorrow to DC," the tweet from Wilson's account said. On Facebook, where users aren't impeded by Twitter's 140-character limitation, a prolonged and nasty war of words dominated Wilson's page. "I have no problem being called a liberal hack by illogical, fear filled, unintelligent people. and actually, I will take it as a complement," wrote Janine Feczko. Name-calling was met by ad hominem attacks: "Janine, I'm sure in the trailer park where you live they gush over your incredible intellect and witty commentary. After all that toothless grin and tripple chin screams Harvard Law," wrote Dan Colgan. Nine hundred and 10 comments later, the battle raged on early Thursday. Amid all this, the campaign of Democrat Rob Miller, who hopes to unseat the Republican Wilson in next year's midterm elections, raked in the dough: more than $200,000 from 5,000 individuals overnight and Thursday morning after Obama's speech, according to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Finally, there were those who found humor in Wilson's heckle. A hastily created Web site, JoeWilsonIsYourPreExistingCondition, hurled a new insult at the politician with every click of the refresh button. "Joe Wilson poured salt on your lawn," said one. Refresh. "Joe Wilson traded the dead batteries in walkman for the fresh ones in your TV remote." Refresh. "Joe Wilson yells 'Freebird' at concerts." Not everyone, however, was busy assigning blame to Wilson. Los Angeles actor and comic Paul Scheer decided to shoulder it. "I apologize 4 yelling 'liar' during Obama's speech," he jokingly wrote. "Sen McCain ate my Kit Kat while I was in the bathroom & he pretended like he didn't."

Little-known South Carolina congressman shouts, "You lie!" at President Obama . Wikipedia disables editing for Rep. Joe Wilson's entry, citing "vandalism" Name-calling rampant on Facebook and Twitter as political passions run high .

(CNN) -- An Indiana judge Monday froze the assets of Marcus Schrenker, a suburban Indianapolis financial manager who authorities say tried to fake his own death by crashing his private plane into a Florida swamp. Marcus Schrenker exited his small plane before it crashed, and investigators are looking for him, police say. Investigators looking into his business dealings for possible securities violations requested the temporary restraining order in Hamilton County Superior Court, said Jim Gavin, spokesman for the Indiana Secretary of State. He said the order, which also applies to Schrenker's wife, Michelle, and to his three companies, is aimed at protecting investors, and is related to a receivership filing. He didn't elaborate. Heritage Wealth Management, Heritage Insurance Services and Icon Wealth Management are "the subjects of an active investigation by the Indiana Securities Division," Gavin said. Public documents list Schrenker as president of Heritage Wealth Management in Fishers, Indiana. A search warrant related to the inquiry was served December 31, Gavin said. According to The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Indiana, Michelle Schrenker filed for divorce in Hamilton Superior Court on December 30. A hearing was set for February 5. Schrenker, 38, took off alone Sunday night in a corporate plane, a Piper PA-46, from Anderson, Indiana, en route to Destin, Florida. Authorities said the Fisher, Indiana, businessman parachuted to the ground before letting the plane crash in the Florida panhandle. The craft came down near the Blackwater River, only 50 to 75 yards from homes, said Sgt. Scott Haines of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office. Watch more about the mysterious flight » . "It is a neighborhood -- some very nice waterfront property," he said. Military aircraft from Whiting Field, which were dispatched to intercept the plane after Schrenker reported an emergency, witnessed the crash about 9:15 p.m. CT. The crews fired flares and noticed the plane's door was open and the cockpit was dark, Haines said in a news release. They got no response. Haines said the plane appeared to have been put on autopilot at around 2,000 feet, over the Birmingham, Alabama, area, before the pilot parachuted to the ground. Schrenker had contacted air traffic controllers, saying that the windshield imploded. "The pilot stated that he was bleeding profusely," the news release said. "Radio contact with the plane was not able to be established after that point. When deputies located the plane at the crash site, no blood was present and the door to the plane was open." The Childersburg, Alabama, Police Department reported that Schrenker approached one of its officers shortly before 2:30 a.m., "and said that he had been in a canoeing accident with some friends," a news release said. Childersburg is about 35 miles southeast of Birmingham. Childersburg officers, unaware of the plane crash, took Schrenker to a hotel in nearby Harpersville. After hearing about the crash, they went back to the hotel, where they found that Schrenker had checked into the hotel under a fictitious name. "When authorities entered Schrenker's room, he was not there," the release said. Authorities said Schrenker checked in under a fake name, put on a black cap and fled into a wooded area. Hotel manager Yogi Patel, who identified Schrenker on surveillance video, told CNN that Schrenker was the only guest overnight. He signed in as Jason Galouzs of Bolingbrook, Illinois, Patel said. A hotel employee said Schrenker went up to his room, but didn't enter before leaving the building. iReport.com: Are you near the crash site? Tell us about it . Steve Darlington, manager of Anderson Municipal Airport, told CNN the plane was in fine condition at takeoff, and said Schrenker is "an accomplished pilot" who owns "a couple of airplanes" and flies regularly. No agency has come forward to lead the probe. "The FBI is looking into the matter, along with other agencies," said Paul Draymond, of the Birmingham FBI office. Kathleen Bergen, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said several factors indicated the pilot likely left the plane before the crash: a "detailed review of radar data," the fact that the plane was switched to autopilot before it crashed, the sighting by military jet crews and the fact that the cockpit was found mostly intact with no one inside. After the pilot alerted air traffic controllers about the alleged problems with his plane, authorities tried to persuade him to land in Pell City, Alabama, east of Birmingham, Haines said. Schrenker also flew an acrobatic plane, and made a video featured on a YouTube site. A message preceding the video warns, "No pilot should attempt this stunt. You will get yourself killed. Pilot specially trained to fly unlimited acrobatics and shows." CNN's Josh Levs contributed to this report.

Authorities say pilot tried to fake his own death by crashing his private plane . Officials searching for Marcus Schrenker, who they say parachuted out of plane . Investigators looking into possible securities violations request the restraining order . Manager in Alabama says Schrenker was his only guest at hotel overnight .

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Reports conflicted Wednesday over whether the 84-year-old former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, was clinically dead. The state-run Middle East News Agency, citing medical sources, said he was declared clinically dead shortly after arriving late Tuesday at a military hospital in Cairo, where he had been taken after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest earlier in the day. But Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, told CNN, "He is not clinically dead as reported, but his health is deteriorating and he is in critical condition." Fast facts on the life of Hosni Mubarak . Mubarak was taken by helicopter to the military hospital in the Maadi suburb of Cairo, Shaheen said. "He had a heart attack and his heart stopped and he was saved by electric shocks, then placed on respirator," he said. "His pulse is 40. He then got a brain clot. He is NOT clinically dead as reported but his health is deteriorating and he is in critical condition." And Mubarak's lawyer, Fareed El Deeb, told CNN, "He has been in a coma for hours now. He has had water on the lungs for 10 days now and his blood pressure is down today, which obstructed his breathing and forced doctors to put him on a respirator. He was given medicine intravenously to relieve the brain clot, and electric shocks were used to revive him but there was no substantial response. He is not dead as reported." El Deeb added that Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, was at his side. He blamed SCAF for not having moved Mubarak last week from the prison to the hospital. Adel Saeed, the official spokesman of the Egyptian prosecutor, had said earlier, "We were informed by prison authority that Mubarak's heart has stopped and they used electric shocks and CPR to resurrect him. He is now on an artificial respirator and doctors from the armed forces and International Medical Center will inspect him." Nile TV reported that Mubarak had suffered a stroke. He was taken from Tora prison hospital to Maadi military hospital, El Deeb told CNN. "He has suffered a stroke, but he is not dead." The prosecutor and the military council denied Mubarak had been moved. His health had been reported in decline since he was ousted as president of Egypt in February 2011 and found guilty of charges related to the killings of hundreds of anti-government demonstrators during the revolution. Last week, an Interior Ministry spokesman said he was comatose; the spokesman said he suffered from high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and difficulty breathing. "We should be skeptical," said Fouad Ajami, a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. "There's a great Arab expression I like and it asks the following question: When you're told that someone is dead, you say, 'Is he dead and buried, or just dead?' I think we are in the middle of this kind of situation." "Clinically dead is not a phrase that is commonly used, but when it is used, what it usually means is that someone is brain dead," said CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. "In the United States, we would call this person dead because they have no brain activity." Meanwhile, crowds jammed Tahrir Square once again on Wednesday. But their focus this time was not on Mubarak. Instead, it was on the power grab by the Egyptian military, which last week issued a constitutional decree that stripped the position of president of much of its power after a top court dissolved the parliament. Those moves were followed by the nation's first presidential election, which pitted Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi against Mubarak's former prime minister, Ahmed Safik. Final results have not been announced. "It's a media stunt to divert attention from the constitutional decree," said Taha Shaker, a demonstrator in the square. "If he's really dead, it won't make a difference. We've started a sit-in and won't leave unless the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces leaves unconditionally." "I've come from far away. I'm not leaving until Morsi swears the oath in front of the legitimately elected parliament," said demonstrator Sayed Ahmed. "I don't care about Mubarak. These are games played by the intelligence services." "If he's really dead, its God's will," said Nasser Shaaban, another demonstrator. "I would hope he lives to see the new president." Outside Maadi Military Hospital, shortly before midnight Tuesday, there was no additional security. Instead, there were a few policemen outside the main gate and two military police inside the gate. Across the street perhaps a half-dozen journalists sat on the curb smoking cigarettes. Have you witnessed demonstrations in the Arab world? Tell us what you see. Follow coverage on CNN Arabic . Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report for CNN .

A general and Mubarak's lawyer say he is not dead . State-run Middle East News Agency, citing medical sources, says he's dead . Mubarak's attorney: "He has suffered a stroke but he is not dead"

London (CNN) -- The lawyer for Amir Hekmati, an American sentenced to death in Iran for espionage, has called for the ex-Marine's case to be judged on humanitarian, not political grounds. Pierre Prosper, who has been engaged by the 28-year-old's family to try to secure his release and return home, said Hekmati was at risk of falling victim to the animosity between the United States and Iran. "What worries me most is that this case is entrapped in an intense political environment," the U.S.-based lawyer told CNN. "We want to remove it from the political environment and establish a humanitarian corridor of communication and see if we can just talk about Amir as a human being." Hekmati, who served in the U.S. Marines from 2001 to 2005, was arrested in August 2011 while visiting his grandmother and other relatives in Iran. His family has said he made the trip after obtaining permission from the Iranian Interests Section of the Pakistani Embassy in Washington. On Monday, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that he had been convicted of espionage, "working for an enemy country," being a member of the CIA and "efforts to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism." He has 20 days in which to appeal against his death sentence. His family, who live in Michigan, claim that a "confession" aired on Iranian state television last month was coerced. "We believe that there's a fundamental misunderstanding, and that the accusations against him are false," said Prosper. "That said, we're prepared to open a line of communication with the government. We hope that they will accept it, because we believe that there is a workable way around this." Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Iran, has officially confirmed the verdict and sentence, U.S. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said Tuesday. The United States has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980, but "strongly condemns" the sentence and passed that condemnation to Iran through the Swiss, she said. "We maintain, as we have from the beginning, that these charges against him are a fabrication and we call on the Iranian authorities to release him immediately," Nuland said. "We've also called on them to allow him to have legal counsel. Defendants in Iran are allowed to appeal within 20 days." Nuland said Washington has urged Iranian authorities to allow Swiss diplomats to visit Hekmati, a step they have so far denied. Prosper is a former ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues under the George W. Bush administration, and served as a war crimes prosecutor at the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In 2010, he negotiated the release of Reza Taghavi, an Iranian-American businessman detained in Iran for more than two years on suspicion of supporting an anti-regime group. The high-profile lawyer said he hoped his previous experiences in Iran would help in the case. "I've established some relationships based on my prior negotiations with the Taghavi case. I'll try to revive those connections and see if they are willing to have a conversation. "It will be difficult, but it's possible, and one of the ways to do it is to move the government out of this, and have it be a communication from the family to the [Iranian] government." Prosper said he had been shocked at the speed of the proceedings against Hekmati, and was concerned at a lack of openness surrounding the trial. "This was literally a half-day trial; he was in detention only for a few months, and the verdict came within weeks. We also are troubled by the fact there's been no transparency, so it is really hard to see what happened." Hekmati's family is "obviously shocked and troubled" at news he has been handed a death sentence, Prosper told CNN, particularly since they have had no contact with him in recent months. "The family in the United States has not spoken with him since his incarceration, his detention. From the videos we've seen he looks to have lost weight, he appears to be under duress, and we're concerned. "It is very difficult. I hear from them easily five or six times a day -- as you can imagine, the stress level is very high," he said. "The news is not positive, but we try to reassure them that it is not over: We will engage with the government and we hope that they will show compassion. "Our hope is that they will talk to us. Our hope is that they will listen to the family and... make a humanitarian decision. "The family's message [to Iran] is: Please show some compassion. You've made your decision, we obviously disagree with the decision, but we are where we are, please allow him to come home, back to the United States." CNN's Elise Labott contributed to this report.

Pierre Prosper, lawyer for Amir Hekmati, is set to plead for the American's release in Iran . Hekmati is facing the death penalty after being convicted of spying . Prosper says case should be treated as humanitarian issue, not political issue . Prosper is a former ambassador-at-large on war crimes issues .

(CNN) -- House Republicans pushed through a trillion-dollar farm bill -- approved by the Senate Tuesday -- that will cut food stamps by $8 billion over the next decade and reduce food allotments for more than 850,000 households by around $90 a month. The measure passed despite opposition from Tea Party Republicans who were seeking even more savage cuts. If the Republican Party hopes to revive the Bush-era idea of "compassionate conservatism," this isn't the way to do it. The bill was the culmination of a three-year battle over food stamps, also called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. House Democrats who supported the measure said they compromised. This version, they said, was better than previous ones; Tea Party Republicans had wanted a 5% cut, not 1%. The White House has signaled that President Obama will sign the bill. He shouldn't, but this is a pragmatic president. So he probably will. That the legislation slashes aid to hungry children might be justifiable if it didn't also hand out $90 billion over 10 years -- $7 billion more than before -- in subsidized crop insurance to farmers, which virtually guarantees revenue. The agribusiness lobby, which includes large farming concerns as well as publicly traded corporations like Monsanto and Kroger, spent $111 million pressing lawmakers, according to Bloomberg. That's more than the defense and union lobbies combined. Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat who voted against the measure, called it "nothing more than reverse Robin Hood legislation that steals food from the poor in favor of crop subsidies for the rich." If not for the hungry children, there might be a bright side. It's not every day that the real constituency of establishment Republicans is revealed so clearly. Typically, the GOP's representation of big business is shrouded by rhetorical expressions of concern for workaday Americans. For instance, after President Obama announced he would use his executive authority to raise the base wage of workers employed by companies with federal contracts, House Speaker John Boehner accused Obama of hurting workers by hurting their employers. "We know from increases in the minimum wage in the past that hundreds of thousands of low-income Americans have lost their jobs, and so the very people the President purports to help are the ones who are going to get hurt by this," Boehner told reporters last week on Capitol Hill. While it may sound credible to argue that paying workers $3 and some change more per hour actually hurts them in the long run (because businesses hiring them shed workers to avoid paying more), it's completely incredible to say feeding hungry Americans more hurts them. The most extreme wing of the Republican Party, including those who opposed the farm bill, claims that it spends money the government doesn't have. If so, such moments of scarcity demand tough and moral decisions be made according to priorities. With this bill, the Republicans have said loudly that corporations with billions in revenue are more important than children. The Republicans' real constituency isn't the only thing exposed. So is their opposition to "redistribution." That's movement conservatism's core complaint with the welfare state: They say government takes money from hard-working Americans, who play by the rules and strive to succeed, and gives it to the undeserving poor. Another variation comes from talk-radio show host Rush Limbaugh: "Redistribution is theft," he said last month. "It is a powerful government taking from people they deem to have too much, or more than they need, and then just giving it to people they deem worthy of receiving it." But as this farm bill reveals, Republicans are not opposed to redistribution at all. Quite the contrary. The question isn't whether the government should redistribute. The question is who should get the distributions. Republicans have argued for years that help should only be given to those who help themselves. During a fundraising event, Lee Bright, a Republican state senator of South Carolina who is challenging U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, said: "Able-bodied people, if they don't work, they shouldn't eat." That argument is exposed as fundamentally bankrupt in light of the fact, as journalist Sasha Abramsky reported last year, that "22% of children in America live in poverty -- a number far higher than that in any other peer nation. More than 47 million Americans avoid hunger only because of the existence of the federal food stamp program." But of course this is about hungry children. Lots of them. Perhaps worst of all is the moral climate created and maintained by Limbaugh & Co. in which depriving children of food is permissible. Case in point: In Utah recently, around 40 students in one of Salt Lake City's elementary schools watched as food-service workers seized their lunches and threw them into the trash. The reason? Unpaid meal accounts. Said one outraged mother: "These are young children that shouldn't be punished." Amen to that. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Stoehr.

John Stoehr: If GOP wants "compassionate conservatism," food stamp cuts aren't the way . Stoehr: Cuts might be justified if agribusiness didn't get $90 billion over 10 years . He says the GOP is not opposed to redistribution of wealth if it gets distributed to the wealthy .

(CNN) -- The head of Hezbollah denied involvement Thursday in attacks this week on Israeli targets in India, Georgia and Thailand. "We are not afraid to say that we had nothing to do with these explosions," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address from an undisclosed location in Lebanon. He denied that the death of a Hezbollah commander in 2008 in an explosion in Damascus, Syria, inspired the attacks. "The blood of Imad Mogniyeh will always haunt the Israelis," he said, referring to the commander whose death Hezbollah blamed on Israel, and Israeli denied. Hezbollah has longstanding close ties with Iran and Syria. "It is quite insulting to accuse Hezbollah of plans to kill average Israeli civilians in retaliation of killing our leaders," Nasrallah continued. "Those who we will take our revenge from know themselves very well and they will need to keep taking precautions for their safety." Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim group active in Lebanon that the United States views as a terrorist organization. Nashrallah's remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Tehran for the attacks. "Iran is a threat to the stability of the world; they are targeting innocent diplomats," he said. "The international community has to denounce the Iranian actions and to indicate red lines concerning the Iranian aggression." But Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, "condemned the blasts and said that Israeli agents are often the perpetrators of such terrorist acts," Iran's state-run Press TV said on its website. And state-run Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an analyst as saying the Israeli allegations against Iran involving the bombings in India and Thailand represent "a prelude to terrorist attacks against the Islamic Republic." Thai state-run MCOT Television said Thursday that the country's criminal court had issued arrest warrants for four Iranians on charges related to Tuesday's Bangkok bomb incidents. The approval came after police submitted closed-circuit television pictures, explosive devices seized from their rented house and testimony of witnesses, MCOT reported. Thai authorities said they are holding three Iranian suspects -- Saeid Moradi, 28, whose legs were blown off by his own bomb -- and Mohammad Hazaei, 42, who was taken into custody Tuesday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as he tried to board a plane to Malaysia. Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 31, was arrested Wednesday by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur, MCOT said. All three face charges that include joint assembling of explosive devices, joint possession of explosive devices without permits and causing an explosion injuring other persons. Moradi also faces charges of attempted killing of state officials on duty and the intentional attempted killing of other persons, it said. A fourth Iranian, a woman identified as Rohani Leila, remained at large. She is suspected of renting the house where the first device exploded, apparently by accident, MCOT said. A Thai police official said Wednesday that Israeli diplomats were the intended target of the Bangkok blasts. "I can tell you that the target of the operation of this group is specifically aimed at Israeli diplomats," Police Gen. Priewpan Damapong told CNN affiliate Channel 3. His comments came after a senior Thai security official had drawn a tentative link between the Bangkok blasts and attacks aimed at Israeli officials in India and Georgia, saying the materials used in the explosive devices were similar. Last month, Thai authorities charged a Lebanese man they said they believed was a member of Hezbollah with possession of explosive materials. The police charged the man, Atris Hussein, after finding outside Bangkok "initial chemical materials that could produce bombs." The authorities said they believed Hussein was trying to attack spots in Bangkok popular with Western tourists. In the events Monday, a device attached to an Israeli Embassy van in New Delhi exploded, wounding four people. Another device, found on an embassy car in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, was safety detonated. Indian police said Thursday that they have not established an Iranian tie to the New Delhi bombing. The materials used in the Bangkok bombs were similar to those used in India, the Thai National Security Council said. Analysis: Was Iran behind the Bangkok bombings? The attacks and accusations come amid tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel had made clear it is considering attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel, the United States and other countries have expressed concern that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons, despite Tehran's insistence that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. Iranian officials have openly antagonized Israel, and Israeli officials have described the regime in Tehran as an existential threat. CNN's Tom Watkins, Kocha Olarn, Jethro Mullen, Kevin Flower, Harmeet Singh and Josh Levs contributed to this report.

"We had nothing to do with these explosions," head of Hezbollah says . Hassan Nasrallah suggests "revenge" plots wouldn't target average Israelis . Israeli PM blames Iran, calls nation "a threat to the stability of the world" Iranian minister says Israeli agents "are often the perpetrators" of terror .

(CNN) -- "All around me my friends were lying injured and dead." These are not the confessions of a battle-hardened soldier who signed up to fight in his nation's war. They are the words of a 15-year-old boy lying in a hospital bed in Peshawar, Pakistan, after Taliban militants attacked his school in an act of savagery so bloody and brazen it seized the attention of a world grown nearly indifferent to the barbarism vying regularly for its attention. At a time of playground bombings in Syria, kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria, girls' schools shuttered under threat in Afghanistan and conflicts descending into chaos in real time, the attack on the Pakistan's Army Public School brought home once again the danger children face simply for the act of heading to school. Are we ready to watch schools become the new front lines? It is a question we all must answer. The Peshawar attack was not a one-off. It was simply larger and even more horrific than previous carnage. "In 2013, 78 attacks against schools, teachers and schoolchildren were reported to the United Nations in Pakistan," a news release from the U.N.'s special representative for children and armed conflict noted. This morning, condemnations poured in, including one from a global leader who knows firsthand such deadly violence. "I condemn these atrocious and cowardly acts," Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai said in a statement. Two years ago, the Taliban shot the Pakistani teenager at close range on her school bus in retaliation for her eloquent advocacy for girls' education in Swat Valley in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; its capital is Peshawar, site of Tuesday's attack. Nor is the violence new. Armed conflict increasingly has made the world's children its front lines. In a wrenching interview, a girl named Margaret tells of being abducted from her girls' school in northern Uganda in 2004 at 14 by soldiers for Joseph Kony. She was forced to become his sex slave and to bear his children, one of countless children forced into soldiering and slavery by Kony's Lord's Resistance Army. As schools become battlefields, the need to protect them has never been greater. Indeed, education is one of the most potent weapons in the fight for global stability and security. Another Nobel Prize winner, economist Amartya Sen, has written that there is no clearer route to economic development and, ultimately, to peace than education. In 2011, 57 million children were out of school; half of them in countries that are home to armed conflict. And that should concern everyone who wants to see a world that is stable, peaceful and secure. And yet, today in Syria millions of refugee children remain out of school. A "No Lost Generation" campaign to fund education and support for these children is under way but remains vastly underfunded. "Before the war, almost all of Syria's children were enrolled in school," according to the charity Save the Children. Today, "Syria now has the second worst enrollment rate in the world with almost 3 million school-aged Syrian children no longer in school." At an event in September hosted by U.N. Education Envoy Gordon Brown, frustration was palpable. Everyone agreed that education was key to guaranteeing that millions of Syrian children had a chance at a future. But getting the world to open up its wallet when it came to keeping them in any kind of classroom has proved more challenging. One of the people fighting for that safer world is Beatrice Ayuru Byaruhanga, founder of the Lira Integrated School in once violence-riddled northern Uganda. Herself a groundbreaker -- as a woman who graduated from college -- Ayuru grew and sold cassava to fund a school that would fight illiteracy and poverty and battle for the rights of children to stay in the classroom. "During the war, we would always run with the children from school to the town to hide them," Ayuru told a reporter. "Then, during the day we collected them from town again to come and have lessons." Ayuru would not be cowed by the violence around her. Nor would Malala Yousafzai. "I, along with millions of others around the world, mourn these children, my brothers and sisters -- but we will never be defeated," Yousafzai said in her statement. That resolve will be required for the fight ahead. The militants have shown they will stop at nothing to take the fight to the Pakistani Army. And they have made clear the stakes. Those who care about the future not just of their own children, but the stability and prosperity of the world they will inherit, must agree that the world needs a lot more Malalas and Beatrice Ayurus if there are to be fewer blood-soaked days like today. And they must fund, support and speak out for the right of every child to have a classroom that does not double as a battle zone. It is a shared fight. And one in which we all have a stake.

Gayle Lemmon: Peshawar attack wasn't a one-off; schools have been targeted often . She says the bloody, brazen attack has seized the world's attention . Lemmon: Are we prepared for schools becoming the front lines of a barbaric battle? We must speak out for the right of children to education and peace, she says .

NEW YORK (CNN) -- So far it has been a very sunny summer for newbie pop singer Kristinia DeBarge. Kristinia DeBarge has broken through with the summer hit "Goodbye." She has a Top 20 hit with "Goodbye," a peppy pop number which borrows from Steam's 1969 stadium anthem "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." The energetic video just earned DeBarge an MTV Video Music Award nomination in the best choreography category. And later this month the 19-year-old will demonstrate her dance skills as the opening act for Britney Spears' global "Circus" tour. The L.A.-based singer is well connected in the music business: she's the daughter of James DeBarge, a member of the '80s R&B group DeBarge. Her debut album, "Exposed," dropped last week, and was produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Watch DeBarge tell her subject "Goodbye" » . Kristinia DeBarge (pronounced Kristi-NEE-ya) dropped in to CNN to talk about why her dad initially wanted her to follow a different career path, her different personalities and lip synching. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: Your dad must have a wealth of advice for you. Kristinia DeBarge: Yes he does. His advice is stay true to yourself. He's also told me many times that I should have a lot of strength in this business, and that I'm going to need my family around me. CNN: He didn't want you to go into music, did he? DeBarge: No, because he knows how the music industry is. And some people can become a little jaded and tainted after. So he likes that I'm innocent and wants to keep that innocence fresh. CNN: What did he want you to do? DeBarge: Something like be a doctor or a veterinarian or a lawyer. I totally admire all those jobs. ... But it's not my passion. My passion is singing, so if I was to do those things I wouldn't be happy because I'd be like, what a waste of talent. I'm a singer. CNN: You were on the "American Idol" spin-off show "American Juniors" in 2003. What was that experience like? DeBarge: I had a lot of fun. I met a lot of different people on the show who are pursuing not only music but acting and modeling and all that fun stuff. It was really cool to interact with the kids my age because we were all there inspiring each other. CNN: What do you like about working with Babyface? DeBarge: I like that he's so down to earth and he's open-minded. He's open-minded in the sense where he allows me to have a lot of input on my music. He allows me to write with him and then bring in other writers and other producers. ... He's like another dad to me. He's very protective and sweet. CNN: Whose idea was it to borrow from Steam? DeBarge: The producers and the songwriters. ... And I was like gosh, what a great idea. Maybe I could take over the old version that's playing at basketball games and the hockey games! Even for people who don't really like pop music ... they can listen to that song and sing along to it. CNN: Tell me a little bit about your album. DeBarge: I named it "Exposed" because I feel that in introducing myself to the world you're getting to know Kristinia from all angles. So you're going to get to know all different characteristics and personalities that she has. CNN: Does she have many personalities? DeBarge: Sometimes, but they're good. They're good personalities. She's just like everyone else. And that's also something that I want to make clear on the album -- that I'm very normal and I experience all of the same things that 19-year-old girls go through. ... It's my first album and I'm hoping that everyone from little girls to older women will really be able to relate to it. CNN: Are you excited about being one of the opening acts for Britney Spears? DeBarge: Yes, I'm really excited about that. ... She's a great performer and entertainer and I think that she has so many fans and so to gain her fans is going to be great for me. And I mean the fact that she even approved of it is great. CNN: What are your thoughts on lip-syncing? DeBarge: I would say that I understand it, but if you're a vocalist it's good to sing. ... I love to perform. I also like to sing. [When I performed on] "So You Think You Can Dance" I sang and I was dancing, so a lot of people were like "Is she lip-syncing?" But I was really just singing as well. It's really hard to do. People think it's a lot easier than it is.

Kristinia DeBarge has a hit with "Goodbye," borrowed from '69 Steam hit . DeBarge is daughter of James DeBarge, of '80s R&B group DeBarge . Singer will be opening for Britney Spears on "Circus" tour .

(CNN) -- Too lazy to have a shower? Worry no more, there's a lotion for that. DryBath is a germ-killing gel that allows you to take a bath without using a single drop of water or soap -- all you need is to apply the gel on your skin and then vigorously rub it off using your hands. "The special formula will cover the whole body with the cleansing gel, which will use the vigorous rubbing to lift the dirt off the skin," explains Ludwick Marishane, the inventor of DryBath and founder of Headboy Industries. The 23-year-old entrepreneur came up with his revolutionary idea back in 2007, during a hot winter day when he was relaxing with some friends under the blazing sun in Limpopo, northern South Africa. "Man, why doesn't somebody invent something that you can just put on your skin and you don't have to bathe," quipped one of his pals, complaining that he didn't feel like having a shower -- and this got Marishane thinking. Still in high school, Marishane immediately took to Google and Wikipedia to start researching creams and lotions, learning everything about their components and how they are produced. Since he didn't have a computer he carried out his investigations using his mobile phone and a few months later he'd devised his own special formula -- at the age of 17, Marishane became South Africa's youngest patent-filer. Marishane, who won the global student entrepreneur award in 2011, went on to study at the University of Cape Town and soon got his DryBath-producing business running. He says his trademarked invention can be a "precious tool" for the millions of people lacking access to clean water and sanitation, as well as an an attractive option for corporate groups -- from airlines and hotels to gyms and even aid agencies -- who want to encourage their clients and users to save water. CNN's African Start-Up caught up with Marishane to speak about DryBath, his plans for the future and why he doesn't shower on the last weekend of September every year. CNN: How would you describe DryBath to someone who's never used it before? Ludwick Marishane: DryBath is a bath-substituting gel, designed to replace the need for soap, water and skin lotion. DryBath provides its users with a fun and convenient alternative to traditional bathing and showering, a precious tool for helping people to lower the excessive water use that is leading to a looming global water crisis. CNN: What are DryBath's ingredients? LM: It is a proprietary blend of cleansers and moisturizers that make it a uniquely viscous blend of bioflavonoids, natural emollients, and fruit acids to cleanse the skin, while preventing dryness, irritation and body odor. CNN: Can you talk about your company's social goals? LM: As it stands, there are almost two billion people in the world without adequate access to water and sanitation, all while people in urban societies consume an average of 80 liters of water every time they bathe/shower. It is our goal for DryBath, and other products like it, to change the way society practices personal hygiene, and to provide cheap personal hygiene alternatives to the poor. We know we cannot do this on our own, and we request any and all help that anyone can provide. The easiest way to provide assistance to our cause is by participating in our annual "DryBath No-Bathing Weekend" -- this is our strategy to allow the public to participate in helping us skip one million or more bathes/showers by skipping them for a whole weekend in September. CNN: What are the challenges you've faced so far? LM: The challenge our business has been facing in recent years is pricing; we have constantly been struggling to produce and distribute the product at prices that are affordable for people in water-insecure communities -- ideally less than $0.10 per bathe. As a startup, we have had to create a parallel product (DryBath Premium) for the urban market -- campers/hikers, parents with kids, shared/public-shower users, etc. -- that can be sold at a reasonable margin to allow us to make the original DryBath product affordable. CNN: Which entrepreneurs do you most admire? And what advice would you give to those aspiring to start their own business? LM: I admire the everyday entrepreneurs -- those who sell fruits from their stall at the corner, have a great barbershop/salon, use their car as a taxi cab, etc. They don't do it for any glory or adoration, they just wake up every day to get the job done while still dealing with the risk of not breaking even each month. I urge all aspiring entrepreneurs to have this approach to business, because it's what every great business -- big or small -- succeeds on. READ THIS: Teen turns $14 into paper bag empire . READ THIS: Pizza maker 'gets Nairobi naked'

South African Ludwick Marishane has invented a bath-substituting lotion . Users need to put DryBath on their skin and then rub it off with their hands . Marishane says DryBath can be a valuable tool for people lacking water access . In 2011, Marishane won the global student entrepreneur award .

London, England (CNN) -- What if you could buy a smartphone that would last you for the rest of your life? This is the dream of Dutch designer Dave Hakkens, whose 'Phonebloks' concept has captured the public imagination and received celebrity endorsement from the most unexpected quarters. Phonebloks is a radical cell phone idea that aims to dramatically reduce global electronic waste ('e-waste') by offering users the opportunity to upgrade parts -- or bloks -- of their cell phone rather than having to replace the entire device. Hakkens says that he came up with Phonebloks as a response to the accelerating pace of technological waste: "I don't like the direction electronics are heading. They get more disposable and get a shorter life with every model. This gives a lot of e-waste." The environmental campaign organisation Greenpeace estimates that global e-waste now amounts to between 20 and 50 million tons a year. Put into perspective, they say that quantity of waste, loaded onto container trains, would stretch all the way around the world. Speaking at the CleanUp 2013 conference in Melbourne Australia, Professor Ming Wong, director of the Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences at Hong Kong Baptist University, described the growing problem of e-waste as a "timebomb." "[It] is the world's fastest growing waste stream, rising by 3 to 5% every year," said Wong. The Phonebloks concept aims to decrease e-waste by offering consumers the opportunity to replace individual components of their phone, while retaining the device's basic frame. Once constructed, Hakkens hopes that the Phonebloks handset will be built from components that can be 'clicked' together like Legos. Each component will have its own function e.g. Bluetooth, WiFi, battery, or camera. When a component stops working or needs to be upgraded, it can be quickly replaced with a new 'blok'. In theory, Hakkens believes that choosing separate components could enable users to personalize their cell phone to their own specifications, adding an improved camera, increased storage or a larger battery. "The idea is to set up a platform which, if used correctly, can reduce the amount of waste significantly," Hakkens says. At present, Phonebloks is still a long way from reaching the market -- indeed its inventor hasn't even asked for any money to begin developing it. For now, Hakkers has simply been gathering support for the concept through the "crowd-speaking" platform Thunderclap. At the time of writing, the Phonebloks concept video has received more than 12 million views on YouTube and been shared on social networks more than 650,000 times. The project has also received support from the actor Elijah Wood and television correspondent Jessica Northey. The Phonebloks concept is not without its critics. Some argue that making a device that can more easily be upgraded will increase e-waste rather than reducing it. Others suggest that it would be impossible to build a functional smartphone in a modular way. Hakkens says that at the very least his campaign has shown that there is an appetite for an environmentally friendly cell phone and that even though the concept was only officially launched a week ago "we are already having conversations with some serious players." Tom Dowdall, a Climate and Energy spokesperson for Greenpeace, says that the interest in Phonebloks may be useful in underlining the growing prooblem of e-waste: "Hopefully the popularity of the Phonebloks concept will spark more action from the major manufacturers. It should not be beyond the innovative phone companies to make products that are upgradable and designed to last." Read more: Technology of tomorrow . Martin Cooper, the inventor of the cell phone, told CNN that while the Phonebloks concept is 'well-meaning' he suspects it will never become a reality: "the main reason that the Phoneblok will not hit the market is it will cost more, be bigger and heavier, and be less reliable ... By the time it could be brought to market, the problem that engendered it will be gone." Andy Redfern, co-founder of the 'ethically-conscious online retailer' Ethical Superstore says he thinks Phonebloks is an excellent concept, but agrees with Cooper that it will be difficult to produce: . "Phonebloks seems such an obvious idea that it makes you wonder why no one has ever taken this approach before ... However it faces two significant challenges - one technical and one cultural," Redfern says. "To reduce cost and increase battery life as much of the phone functionality as possible is crammed on to a single piece of silicon ... So the technical challenge is meeting the current battery life and size requirements if we are going to benefit from easy upgrades. "And culturally? Well we want the lightest phone with longest battery life. The Phoneblok is likely to have to compromise on that and we will have to change our expectations and our thinking." "However," Redfern says "creating a phone that feeds our appetite for upgrades without having to throw away the whole phone would seem to make great sense." Monique Rivalland contributed to this article .

Phonebloks concept aims to reduce global e-waste . The invention will 'click together' like Lego . Global e-waste amounts to between 20 and 50 million tonnes a year . Critics argue that modular phones could increase e-waste rather than reducing it .

(CNN) -- In many ways, my life is ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. I am a working mother with three young children ages 2, 4 and 6. I got them dressed today. We fought over wearing hats because it was cold outside. I packed their snacks. I dropped them off and kissed their chubby cheeks. I am the PTA treasurer for my daughter's school. I am a volunteer in the community. I am a wife to a partner I have been with nearly 14 years. I live in a suburb. I have all the trappings of a comfortable life. I am content in my daily life. What sets me apart from the typical soccer mom is that I am an outspoken recovering heroin addict. Many people might be familiar with my story from the movie "Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street." I agreed to be featured in the film because I thought it would live on after I died from an overdose as a testimonial to the dangers of drug addiction. Yet I survived eight years of heroin addiction. I was one of the lucky few from that time period when treatment options and evidence-based treatment solutions were limited. I started my journey as a heroin addict while a college student in Cincinnati. I had been given Vicodin after removal of my wisdom teeth. I fell in love with that feeling opiates provided me. My burdens seemed to slip away under the influence. I longed for that feeling. After experimenting with many drugs, I found opiates provided me with the ability to forget my problems. No longer was I obsessed with feeling different. I was happy with being numb. My addiction quickly spiraled until I ended up being a homeless junkie in the streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin district. At first I was doing the drugs, but in short order the drugs began to control every aspect of my life. I was living on the streets and in and out of rat-infested hotels. In a few short years, I was completely unrecognizable as my former self. My last day using was February 26, 1998. I was injecting heroin into the soles of my feet because I no longer had any usable veins. I could barely walk, I was emaciated, and I was relieved when I was arrested that night. I spent my first months off drugs in the San Francisco County Jail. This was not my first time detoxing from heroin. Fortunately, it would be my last time. I was able to get into a treatment program followed by a sober-living house, where I lived for four years. In the years I have been off heroin, I have struggled with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Many addicts find that once the drugs are removed, the underlying cause to the use can be nearly as painful as the use itself. When the drugs are removed, there can be an overwhelming sense of sadness. Getting clean can be seen as the ultimate solution. When the veil of chemicals lifts, the person may not like what is revealed to him or her. I dealt with these feelings without using heroin. However, the thought crossed my mind many times that relief can easily be found at the bottom of a spoon. That is part of my affliction. Everyone has a different treatment story. The reality for me was and is that stopping use of the substance is relatively easy compared with staying off drugs. The lifetime commitment to abstinence from drugs is what kills many people. When they have cravings to use, the stigma attached to heroin use forces them to deal or not deal with their affliction in private. This decision is frequently fatal, as in the case of Philip Seymour Hoffman. If we were courageous enough to try to conquer our insatiable desire for heroin, we feel weak telling another person that we feel like using is once again a viable option. I know these feelings. Fifteen years later, I still deal with the stigma of being a heroin addict. The track marks and scars are visible, but the pain of longing lies deep under the surface. Many heroin addicts are embarrassed to admit they ever had a problem with this powerful substance. If you are open about it, it triggers speculation and scrutiny as to your personal well-being. Addiction is a medical condition, yet there is little sympathy because society views it to be self-inflicted. I have chosen a different path for myself. I chose to be completely open about my experience in hope that others can learn that recovery is possible. What will I tell my children? They are too young to understand drugs, but they know I used to be homeless. I want them to understand how fortunate they are in hopes they will not go down the same path. What do I say when people see the movie and contact me through social media looking for answers to their own addiction? There are many roads to recovery. The path that I followed worked for me, but I cannot dictate what may work for another user struggling to get off drugs. I can only share my experience. I have spent my second chance at life teaching both harm reduction and overdose prevention because all of us have a life worth saving. I feel blessed I am able to bring a voice and a face to the issue.

Tracey Helton Mitchell says her drug addiction spiraled after she was given painkillers . She says she wound up homeless in San Francisco's Tenderloin district . The underlying cause of addiction can be painful to confront, she says . "There are many roads to recovery," Mitchell writes .

New York (CNN) -- As a 9/11 widow, I understood my role on the memorial jury to have both a personal and a public component. At no time was the confluence of those roles more clear to me than when we discussed the placement of victims' names on the memorial. And nothing had a more profound effect on my feelings of closure than the decision to use the concept of "meaningful adjacencies" to determine the placement of those names. When I first heard the phrase "meaningful adjacencies," I had no idea how powerful the concept would prove to be. At the time, in 2004, those of us who had the honor of serving on the jury that selected the winning design for the 9/11 Memorial had been struggling hard with how best to display the names. It was clear that arranging the names alphabetically or by company would be too cold and dispassionate, as if this were a listing you'd see in a building directory posted near the elevator. The alternative, displaying the names randomly, seemed at first to make more sense. After all, it was random, wasn't it, who lived and who died on that terrible morning 10 years ago? But ultimately, we realized, a random arrangement felt wrong, too. The deaths of our loved ones may have been random, but their lives were not. In the concept of meaningful adjacencies, we had at last found a powerful response to the senselessness of our loved ones' deaths. Placing names in thoughtful proximity to one another would give us the opportunity to bear witness to the shared care and concern, the labor and joy that bound these people together while they were alive -- whether as siblings or colleagues, as friends or family, or even as former strangers who turned to one another for comfort at that moment of cataclysm. In a profound way, we realized that meaningful adjacencies would convey both the disturbing appearance of randomness with a comforting underlying truth: We are all connected. The idea captured us all. Michael Arad, the designer of the memorial, came up with this simple yet powerful concept. I will always remember how he explained it to the jury: A memorial is a monument unless it lists the names of those lost. It was crucial that the names on this memorial be displayed, and displayed with purpose. And so although it would be a Herculean task to get the needed input from family members, we all felt strongly that the effort to evoke this underlying network of connections would elegantly and simply convey not only the way in which these precious lives were lost but, perhaps more importantly, how these precious lives were lived. It would be upon us, the family members, to decide who to list our loved ones near, and it would come from knowledge that only we could supply. When the 9/11 Memorial sent personalized letters to victims' next of kin across the globe, there were more than 1,200 meaningful adjacency requests. All of them were honored. Powerfully calling to mind the image of an invisible web linking those who perished, the reasons for some adjacencies will be fairly obvious to the general public. The Hanson family — Sue, Peter, and their 2-year-old daughter Christine, the youngest victim on September 11 — died together on Flight 175 and will be listed together. Their names might have been adjacent even in an alphabetical listing. But then there is a family that died on Flight 77 — Charles Falkenberg and Leslie Whittington, married for 17 years, and their children Zoe and Dana — whose names would have been separated by a simple alphabetical order. And then there are adjacencies that express connections that are more hidden, and yet profound. Abigail Ross Goodman lost both her father, Richard Ross, on Flight 11, which crashed into the North Tower, and her best friend, Stacey Leigh Sanders, who was working that morning in the North Tower on the 96th floor. For Abigail Ross Goodman, the names of these two loved ones will forever be linked in her memory and now also at the memorial. It's important to note that the memorial also launched a Memorial Guide, a digital tool to help family members and visitors locate any name. Not only does the guide show the exact place where a person's name will be, but it also provides background information on all of the victims and lists any adjacencies. People will be able to locate a name in advance via the 9/11 Memorial's website or use an on-site kiosk to find a loved one or learn more about any of the victims. In the case of my husband, David Berry, I requested that he and his trusted colleague and friend, Thomas Theurkauf, be listed near each other. Although we will never know for certain, Tom's widow and I are convinced that our husbands died together. There is no more powerful testament to the special bonds that could not be broken by the murderous attacks of that day. We are comforted to know that their names will be kept close, reflecting how they stood together on the morning of September 11. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paula Grant Berry.

Paula Grant Berry was one of the jurors who selected the memorial design . Architect Michael Arad had an idea for listing names by "meaningful adjacencies" Those who lived or died together are listed together if families wish . Berry: The deaths of our loved ones may have been random, but their lives were not.

(CNN) -- Politics might well be a dirty game, but in Malaysia where allegations of vote-buying, sex scandals and violence are a feature of the political landscape, a group of disaffected activists have distilled these predictable shabby tricks into a popular card game. Called Politiko, players are asked to woo voters with cash handouts, use elements of Sharia law to lay low rivals, or pour petrol subsidies on troubled electoral waters. "Hire phantom voters. Control the media. Cook up a sex scandal to alienate your enemy's supporters - or to betray your own allies!" says the game's website. "Choose from 10 distinct (and familiar) political parties to lead to victory. Play with up to six friends, of any race. But are they really your friends? Remember: it's not about the people -- it's about Putrajaya," it adds, referring to Malaysia's administrative capital. The tongue-in-cheek game is loosely based on Monopoly Deal but instead of dealing in property, players compete to get voters - the first to hold eight voter cards gets elected to parliament. Before that can happen, players must negotiate the pitfalls of the "scheme" cards - either rising on the pork-barrel politics of free highway tolls and urban metro projects, or falling on crumbling allegiances and misplaced racial scapegoating. Typically, the richest person at the card table gets to deal the first card. In an ironic twist, the game has even become popular with some politicians in Malaysia's ruling UMNO coalition, according to the group that developed the card game. The brainchild of 31-year-old designer Mun Kao - part of a group called Loyar Burok, which is affiliated with the Malaysian Center for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) - the game has quickly sold out of its initial run of 850 decks. "I had the idea about two years ago when there really was a political circus going on - we had some ridiculous things happening in Malaysia," Mun Kao told CNN. "You had people being arrested for the color of their T-shirts and things like that and to me that period was really absurd. "It prompted a lot of emotions in a lot of people and it's being expressed in different forms. If you have Malaysian friends you can see it on Facebook and online - I think there's a creative expression tsunami going on," he said. Malaysian media reports say about 2.6 million of the country's 13.3 million eligible voters will cast their ballots for the first time in a bitterly fought poll that could see the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition - which has been in power for 56 years - lose to opposition parties for the first time. The number of new voters, many of them without party loyalties, has increased markedly since elections five years ago when there were 638,000 new voters. Analysts say that many young voters may have been encouraged to register by the closeness of the 2008 poll which the ruling coalition only narrowly won. "We don't have a reliable mainstream media in Malaysia," said Chi Too, a communications officer with MCCHR. "The government owns pretty much all newspapers, all radio stations and TV stations. A lot of people are now relying on social media and alternative media that can be found with online newspapers and the like." Websites such as Malaysiakini have become popular with young voters, streaming news and views generally unobtainable in Malaysia's mainstream press. Even so, it claims that it has been the victim of censorship tactics that have involved denial of service cyber-attacks on its streaming videos. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission investigating the attacks said there were no such restrictions, adding that the public should not speculate until a proper investigation has been carried out. The power of the online campaign has not been lost on the ruling coalition which this year launched the UMNO New Media Unit; a team of 2,000 of what it calls "cyber-activists" tasked with logging opposition attacks. On Sunday, voters will be asked to choose between the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which -- with its predecessor -- has ruled the country for more than five decades, and Pakatan Rakyat (PR), a loose coalition of opposition parties formed after the last election in 2008. BN is led by Prime Minister Najib Razak, the son and nephew of former prime ministers, who has held the post since 2009. PR is headed by Anwar Ibrahim, a former finance and deputy prime minister who served time in prison on corruption and sodomy charges which he says were politically motivated. The first sodomy charge was overturned in 2004 and in January 2012 he was acquitted of a second charge of sodomy, a serious offense in Malaysia which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. In a hard-fought campaign, both parties have been trying to entice voters with promises of generous government spending.

Tongue-in-cheek card game is based on Malaysian dirty politics . Players must out-scheme each other to be voted into parliament . Contestants are asked to buy votes, hire phantom voters and control the media . In an ironic twist, the game has become popular with some Malaysian politicians .

(CNN) -- The first day of 2014 was a day to celebrate in our history -- it was the first time that all Americans could buy health insurance regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But despite the good news, criticism of the ACA continues. Some Republicans have eagerly identified individuals who are not happy with the ACA. Sanjay Gupta: Better health not about Obamacare, it's about you . As 2014—a midterm election year—dawns, it is time to ask: What does the GOP offer other than negativism? What is the GOP alternative to the ACA, who would it help and who would it hurt? Until now, the Republican war cry has been repeal, for which they have voted repeatedly. But ACA repeal is neither realistic, responsible, nor perhaps, even possible. The 10 titles of the ACA contain hundreds of provisions that reform Medicare payment, combat fraud and abuse, and improve health care quality. Many are already in place. Total repeal of the ACA would rip many threads already woven into the fabric of our health care system. Opinion: When will we get the verdict on Obamacare? A targeted repeal of the less popular provisions of the ACA, the individual and employer mandates and some ACA taxes and fees, might be more feasible. But revoking the mandates would disrupt insurance markets and repealing the taxes will increase the deficit. Does the GOP have anything constructive to offer? The answer, sadly, is not really. House Republicans have put forward two proposals -- the American Health Care Reform Act, sponsored by a majority of House Republicans, and Rep. Tom Price's Empowering Patients First Act. Both are lengthy bills that largely recycle longstanding Republican panaceas. The American Health Care Reform Act would replace the ACA's income-based tax credits with flat dollar tax deductions. Tax deductions are valuable to high-income Americans with high tax rates, but offer little or nothing to the low-income Americans helped by the ACA. The Empowering Patients First Act offers flat dollar tax credits that do not vary by age, geography, or health status—all of which could influence health insurance premiums. These tax credits might almost fully cover the health insurance premium of a young healthy male, but would be essentially useless to an older, low-income family, which would be left thousands of dollars short of the cost of basic coverage. The American Health Care Reform Act touts health savings accounts as the solution to every problem, but tax-subsidized health savings accounts are also primarily of value to higher-income Americans and useless to Americans whose income is too low to be taxed and who lack discretionary income to invest in health savings accounts. As the media spotlight high cost sharing under ACA plans in the coming months, it should ask how much higher cost sharing would be under the GOP plans. Conservatives, such as John Goodman, champion very high deductible policies, and Republican proposals, unlike the ACA, do not limit cost sharing. By repealing the ACA, Republicans would reinstate pre-existing condition exclusions for many of the uninsured. The primary relief they offer to the uninsured with health problems are state high-risk pools. High-risk pools, however, are very expensive, and without massive federal support would be unaffordable to many Americans. Exclusion of Americans from insurance coverage would also likely increase under Republican proposals to permit interstate health insurance sales, which could drive a race to the bottom in state insurance regulation. Association health plans have a history of undermining state reforms aimed at covering individuals and groups with pre-existing conditions. Opinion: Why I signed up for Obamacare . One cannot imagine a GOP health care proposal that did not promise to place more barriers in the way of Americans injured by medical negligence who seek compensation. Although our medical litigation system could certainly use reform, proposals for change would reduce health care costs by only a small amount: half a percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office, including defensive medicine. Republican malpractice "reform" proposals may be politically popular, but do not address our health care system's real problems. The GOP does not promise that if you like your insurance plan you can keep it, and with good reason. The vast majority of privately insured Americans are covered through their work. The American Health Care Reform Act would abolish current deductions and exclusions for employer-sponsored health insurance. This would not only be one of the largest middle class tax increases in American history, but could result in millions of Americans losing employer-sponsored insurance. Whatever disruptions the ACA may cause in coming months, it moves us toward more comprehensive and affordable coverage for low- and middle-income and sicker Americans. The alternatives proposed by House Republicans would be very disruptive, and unsurprisingly, benefit the healthy and wealthy. Americans must ask themselves: Who offers the most needed reforms for our health care system? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Timothy Jost.

Timothy Jost: The first day of 2014 was a day to celebrate in our history . Jost: Despite promises of Obamacare, Republicans are critical or call for repeal . He says alternative proposals offered by House Republicans help the rich and healthy . Jost: As high cost sharing under Obamacare will be discussed, just look at GOP plans .

(CNN) -- When trash disappears into the dumpster, where does it go? A straightforward question for many of us, but in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte there's seldom a simple answer where garbage is concerned. That's because the catadores (trash collectors) of the ASMARE cooperative are adept at transforming any old disused material into furniture, jewelry or even works of art. "I have two jobs," explained 39-year-old collector Edimar Ferreira. "I go and collect the trash and then I transform it into art. I make small sofas, wooden benches, tables, and other plastic adornments." "We have a phrase (at ASMARE): 'o seu lixo e o meu luxo,' (roughly translated as 'your trash is our luxury,')" he cheerily added. See also: Brazil's middle class boom . Catadores like Ferreira are a familiar sight in towns and cities across Brazil -- a motley collection of individuals who sift through mountains of street trash or landfill to locate paper, cans, bottles, metals and other types of recyclable materials. A 2010 estimate by the Business Commitment for Recycling (CEMPRE) association stated that there were roughly one million catadores in Brazil, although only a small number work officially for cooperatives and organizations like ASMARE. Many are the formerly homeless, ex-convicts or individuals who have stumbled upon hard times, selling what they find to recycling companies. Arts and crafts . In recent years, however, the cash return for many of Belo Horizonte's catadores has become too inconsistent to ensure a stable income. The solution that ASMARE -- a professional group representing nearly 200 pickers-- came up with was to get creative with the one material they have plenty of -- trash. Recruiting the help of local artists and volunteers, ASMARE has run an arts program for the best part of a decade where workers are taught how to transform the recyclable items they find during their daily collections. "The art center started with the purpose of us being able to make our own carts, and then for the catadores' children to learn how to make crafts and other art pieces with the material collected," said Dona Geralda, founder and president of ASMARE. "The main benefits are the generation of employment and income for the catadores and their children. We (have now) started to implement the culture of 'garbage that is not garbage,'" added the 63-year-old, who has herself been a catadore since she was eight. See also: Brazil's thriving African culture . All items created at ASMARE are sold in a shop near the organization's headquarters, with profits shared equally amongst the catadores. Combining art sales and the money accumulated from selling on recycled materials, an ASMARE worker's monthly income now averages out a respectable 1,700 Brazilian Reais (about $800). Branching out . Yet although it was one of the first to introduce creative programs (as well as claiming to be the first catadore cooperative in Brazil), the Belo Horizonte outfit is far from alone in its aesthetic endeavors. Other organizations and artists have adopted similarly imaginative tactics in undertaking creative projects with catadores in recent years. In Sao Paolo, a street project called "Pimp My Carroca" has been adding colorful graffiti to the wooden carts used by many catadores since last summer. The 2010 Oscar-nominated film Wasteland documented the catadores of Rio de Janeiro's now closed Jardin Gramacho landfill as they became subjects of works by the Brazilian artist Vik Muniz. The artworks eventually sold for tens of thousands of dollars each. See also: Does Brazil deserve its B for BRIC . According to Mauricio Soares, an artist who heads the ASMARE creative program, helping catadores to produce art is about much more than just the obvious financial or creative benefits. "In Brazil the catadore is often discriminated against because of their origin," Soares said. "Therefore, linking art to recycling allows them to go to places that they have never been before and they end up having better acceptance because their creative work gives them a good visibility," he added. Recycling attitudes . Soares also sees the potential to promote the possibilities of recycling across the country. "Art through recycling aims to arouse people's consciousness to think about what trash is or is not," Soares said. "This new consciousness will help us to promote waste reduction. "When people see a recycled art piece, for instance, on a woman's neck they may begin to understand that it is not (just) trash," he added. See also: Send us your favorite pictures of Brazil . This is something that Ferreira strongly agrees with. He points to what he has learned since he began the ASMARE program two years ago as an example of how attitudes to trash can change. "This experience has made me look at recycling in a different way," he said. "There are materials that I used to throw away that now I keep, because I can already envision making some nice piece with it later. I don't see the material only as trash anymore."

Catadores are waste collectors who pick through trash to source recyclable materials . There are an estimated one million catadores across the country . The ASMARE organization is transforming recyclable materials into works of art .

(CNN)Africa is a continent. It's not a country. This, unfortunately, is a notion that needs to be constantly reinforced. Though it is enormous and as diverse as any place can be, we tend, in the West, to look at it like a monolith. In fact, even neighboring countries like Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo can feel, up close, as different as Mars and Texas. Liberia and Namibia bear almost no resemblance to each other. Ghana and Morocco? Maybe it's the sheer size and complexity of African issues -- the at times crushing weight of history, the ugliness of much of that history, Europe and the West's unambiguous complicity in so much of it -- that keeps us from even trying to look beyond the surface. Over the years, my crew and I have shot in Liberia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, the Congo and much of North Africa. But what we've never done, was step back to our first impressions, to the Africa of Hollywood films and nature documentaries that many of us grew up with: vast herds of wild animals charging across the Serengeti, lions and giraffes and zebras and hippos, safari gear, Land Rovers and the equally magnificent "natives" in their brightly colored robes. Does this Africa even exist? And if so, how? And for whom? That Africa, the Cinemascope Africa does exist. You can find it in and around the unspeakably beautiful Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania where lions and their traditional adversaries, Masai warriors, still live much as they did a hundred years ago. The lions survive because they are protected. Visiting Tanzania to gaze at and photograph these beautiful but deadly creatures (and other animals) is a major industry, bringing many millions to the country each year. It makes financial sense to protect both animals and the environment they live in. The Masai, on the other hand, believe themselves to be the keepers and protectors of all the world's cattle. Their status, their wealth is based almost entirely on number of cattle and goats. Their diet, traditionally, has been almost exclusively meat (mostly goat and the occasional bit of cow's blood) and dairy. They generally use their cattle to provide dairy and tap them for blood (without harming them) to mix with curdled milk. In return, adult Masai enjoy cardio and physical strength and endurance that would qualify as Olympian any day of the week. They are herders -- and warriors. Their status within their tribe, their image of themselves based largely on their traditional roles as defenders of their herds -- as warriors, lion killers. Lions eat cattle and goats when they can get them. The Masai protect and rely on cattle and goats to live. Lions roam over large areas of terrain, competing for food with any number of other predators. Masai herd their cattle over large areas of terrain. Thus it has been for centuries. Lions are beautiful living creatures worth many millions of dollars from the thousands and thousands of people from all over the world who want to come to Tanzania and gape at them. The Masai are beautiful living people who somewhat fewer people from all over the world want to come and gape at. You see the problem. Many hard working, well-intentioned people are trying to help resolve this conflict of interest. But it raises, once again, the question we run into frequently in our travels: who does the natural world exist for? For the people who live there, have always lived there? Even when they become ... inconvenient? Or the animals who also have always lived there, but like their adversaries, are under threat, and can no longer survive without the intervention of (usually) pale-skinned experts in comfortable shoes? It's an uncomfortable question. One would have to be truly monstrous to suggest that one be sacrificed for the other. But the slow grind of history is already making that decision for us, and the outcome is often not pretty. If we are the guardians of the environment, obligated to do our very best to protect the natural world -- if that natural world, increasingly, exists only at our pleasure and as the result of much hard work and vigilance -- are we not also our brothers' keepers? Where is that line? That balance between the needs of man and that of the incredible, graceful, terrible, gorgeous creatures who still manage to survive in what passes for the wild? I sure as hell don't know. So, on one hand, this episode is the "nature show" we always hoped to do -- the "safari show". And believe me, we did it right. I retired, after a long day's filming on the plains or in the bush, to a hot, freshly drawn bubble bath surrounded by rose petals. I drank sherry from a cut glass tumbler on my balcony, looking down into the Ngorongoro Crater. Woke every morning to my choice of omelets and silver service. But the persistent image of this episode, the one that hangs in my memory, and I hope will hang in yours, is of the running man. The young Masai. Where is he going?

Bourdain steps back to his first impressions of Africa, a land of Hollywood films and nature documentaries . The show looks at the tension between lions and Masai warriors . Where is the line between protecting animals and protecting a way of life?

(CNN) -- "Morgan Spurlock Inside Man" - guns . - Here's more information on the Brady Act, and how it established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in 1993: "(NICS) was established for Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to contact by telephone, or other electronic means, for information to be supplied immediately on whether the transfer of a firearm would be in violation of Section 922 (g) or (n) of Title 18, United States Code, or state law... "The NICS is a national system that checks available records on persons who may be disqualified from receiving firearms. The FBI developed the system through a cooperative effort with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local and state law enforcement agencies. The NICS is a computerized background check system designed to respond within 30 seconds on most background check inquiries so the FFLs receive an almost immediate response." - Here's the Firearms Owners' Protection Act (FOPA) legislation from 1986. Attached to that bill was an amendment that would ban civilian ownership of fully automatic weapons. Writes NPR: "Just as the bill was about to come to a final vote in that tumultuous House session, New Jersey Democrat William Hughes introduced an amendment. It would forbid the sale to civilians of all machine guns made after the law took effect. There were enough Democrats to pass the amendment, so nobody objected when the presiding officer, New York Democrat Charles Rangel, called for a voice vote rather than a roll call vote on the machine gun ban." - In the short term after the shooting in Newtown, and in the long term, America has seen a rise in gun sales. Here's how "The Atlantic" described it basing the data on background checks: "Since the school shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, America has gone on an unprecedented gun-buying binge, the numbers of which are staggering." Here are some of the ways gun laws have changed post-Newtown - some states have tightened gun laws, while others have loosened them. - Here's the CNN.com story after the Senate voted to reject the expanded gun background checks bill. Watch more of Obama's speech after the failed gun measure in the Senate by clicking here. "Morgan Spurlock Inside Man" - medical marijuana . - One of the main co-stars of this episode is Steve DeAngelo, who runs the Harborside Health Center. Here's some information about Steve, from his website: "Steve DeAngelo has almost four decades of activism and advocacy in the cannabis reform movement. ... Most of Steve's career has been spent at the intersection of advocacy and entrepreneurship, with a focus on creating profitable ventures that simultaneously advance his social goals. In addition to Harborside, these ventures include Ecolution, SteepHill Laboratory and The ArcView Group." A couple notes from Harborside's mission statement: "Protect medical cannabis patients by providing a safe and affordable alternative to the dangerous circumstances of the illegal drug market. "Honor the trust provided by our fellow citizens by faithfully and rigorously observing and enforcing the laws of the progressive, visionary city of Oakland, and the great state of California." Find out more about the Harborside Health Center here (and here's their Twitter account). - Here are some details about the Matt Davies case, from a website made to support his cause: "Matt's small business was permitted and complied with state laws and regulations. Through Matt's work providing qualified patients safe access to medical marijuana, the cities of Stockton and Sacramento, the State of California, and the federal government received more than $300,000 in taxes, and more than 60 Californians got good jobs." But as of May 2013, Davies took a plea deal, and will serve a minimum of five years. As for the Ogden Memo of 2009: "The Justice Department has provided federal prosecutors 'clarification and guidance' urging them to go after drug traffickers, but not patients and caregivers, in the 14 states that have medical marijuana laws." - From Melinda Haag's bio: "She was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate in August 2010... "Ms. Haag is an experienced trial lawyer with 23 years of prosecutorial and private sector experience. She has personally handled cases in the areas of securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, antitrust, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, environmental, civil rights, defense contractor fraud, health care fraud, and money laundering. Ms. Haag's trial experience includes more than 19 jury and bench trials, including a number of complex white collar and civil rights cases." - The Harborside ruling in December 2012 meant "their landlord cannot evict the business on the grounds that it violates federal law." However a setback came a couple of months later, when "a federal judge rejected a lawsuit the city had filed on behalf of the popular dispensary." It has stayed open while it continues to challenge the ruling.

Here are details about people Morgan Spurlock encountered while shooting "Inside Man" In this episode, he works at a gun store in Virginia . He learns about background check legislation .

Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) -- Detective Steve Watts is locking up another accused pain pill addict. But he's seen this suspect before. She's back in handcuffs for the second time in less than a week. The charge this time, like it was just four days ago, is fraudulently obtaining prescription medication. For Watts and the other detectives of the Louisville Police Department Prescription Drug Diversion Squad, it will be one of 500 to 600 arrests they make each year. Even with arrests nearly every day, "We're just scratching the surface," according to Watts. The number of investigations the unit initiates is up 148 percent compared with a year ago. It can be surprisingly easy to get prescription narcotics that are highly addictive, and they're highly profitable on the street. But detectives in Louisville say most of the people they arrest aren't in it for the money. Instead, they get pills to support their own habit, and police say they have a variety of methods for feeding their addiction. A former nurse will use her medical training to impersonate a doctor to call in fake prescriptions to a pharmacy and simply go in and pick up her drug of choice. Others use prescription pads stolen from physicians or "doctor shop" by getting legitimate prescriptions from multiple doctors who are unaware of what other drugs their patients are already taking. Watts sees his job as giving those he arrests a wake-up call. "If I can make this the worst day of her life so that tomorrow she will seek treatment, then I've won," he said. Kentucky is among the top states in the country for prescription pill abuse, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. "People think that, well, it's authorized by my doctor, we can pick it up at any of the local retailers on the corner, and that prescription abuse is not really a problem," Watts said. The vast majority of those Watts and his fellow detectives arrest start their addiction with legitimate needs for pain medication from something such as a car accident. But then they can't stop. That's what worries physicians such as Dr. David Greene. "We know that narcotics are potentially addictive -- we don't know who might become addicted and who might not," he said. Greene practices in eastern Kentucky, where he says prescription pill abuse is rampant. "It's come to the point where there are few people who don't have someone in their family or know someone who's had problems with addiction, overdose or abuse," Greene said. When patients come looking for a prescription for powerful pain medication, doctors like him are forced to determine whether the need is real or whether the patient might be an addict. "There's no test for pain," Greene said. "The only thing we have to go on is what they tell us, and I generally believe my patients. But most people who are going to lie to you are much better liars than you are at detecting." One of those patients who Greene says fooled him was a 79-year-old grandmother who was selling her pills out of her nursing home. If the patient is an addict, doctors refuse them at their own peril. In December, a man came into Dr. Dennis Sandlin's rural clinic in Perry County, Kentucky, looking for a prescription. Sandlin demanded that he take a urinalysis test to check for drugs in his system. Later that morning, the patient returned and shot and killed Sandlin. "My dad was writing in a chart at the nurse's station. Someone heard my dad say, 'You don't want to do this. I take care of a lot of elderly people.' And he said, 'well you didn't help me' and that's when he shot him," Sandlin's daughter Danielle said. Danielle is now working to raise awareness of the dilemma doctors face in prescribing pain medication. Her father, she said, was rigorous about prescribing pain medication. "He would drug test the pope if he came in asking for something." Greene has encountered intimidating patients in his clinic as well. "Physical violence is a real fear. We have people who come in who are threatening and abusive," he said. After having one patient impersonate him, Greene no longer calls in controlled substances prescriptions into local pharmacies. Some doctors, fearing either physical violence or contributing to addiction, have stopped prescribing pain medication altogether. That puts doctors such as Greene, who do prescribe, in a difficult position. "No matter what you do, you're going to have an unintended consequence," Greene said. "If you refuse to prescribe, you'll end up with people suffering. And if you do prescribe, you'll find patients diverting them, selling them, using them for recreation." The solutions, police and doctors say, range from electronic prescriptions that would be difficult to forge to a national prescription database that would allow doctors to see what other drugs a pill-seeking patient is already taking. Danielle Sandlin is pushing for some kind of reform in the wake of her father's death. "He lost his life for something as silly as a pill."

Louisville Police's drug squad arrests 500-600 people annually . Detective: Most people get prescription narcotics to support their own habits . Many patients "doctor shop" and try to intimidate physicians into writing out prescriptions .

Washington (CNN) -- The aging veterans gingerly walk from the plane in the nation's capital. Some get pushed in wheelchairs. A brass band strikes up World War II era tunes. Strangers rise to their feet and clap their hands. "Why are they doing this?" says Frank Bales, 86, a co-pilot on a B-24 during World War II. "I feel as humbled as a mouse." Walter Victor was overwhelmed as he made his way through the crowd. "The chills came over me. Very seldom do you see something like that," says the 92-year-old army veteran. These World War II veterans have traveled here to visit the National World War II Memorial, which honors the 16 million U.S. armed forces who served and the more than 400,000 who died in battle. The vets made the trip thanks to a former employee at the Department of Veterans Affairs. A physician's assistant at the VA in Springfield, Ohio, Earl Morse was struck by the WWII vets he treated and how few made the journey to see the memorial that honors them. "They dedicated the WWII memorial in May of 2004, 60 years after the war had ended. That was a cause of celebration in my clinic. All of the veterans wanted to see it but they were in poor health or didn't have the means to visit it." "Reality set in," Morse says, "they were never going to see their memorial." Morse was determined to change that, because he so admired the quiet grit and heroism of the unassuming men he treated every day. He took his cause to a local air club. "I stood before 150 pilots and told them I was going to start flying WWII veterans to Washington. I said if you want to help me, the WWII veteran doesn't pay a penny. You'll have to rent an airplane and cover all the travel costs." "Honor Flight" took to the skies in May of 2005. Six planes flew 12 veterans. The next month, eight planes flew 16 veterans. Today, it operates like a volunteer airline, with 86 hubs in 33 states. Instead of renting small planes, they charter Boeing jets, thanks to donations that keep the planes in the sky. So far, more than 30,000 veterans have experienced a visit to the memorial, courtesy of Honor Flight. "Witnessing their emotions is what fuels our cause. When you see WWII veterans break down in tears because they had no idea how much this nation reveres, cherishes and loves them for what they've done, it really overwhelms them," Morse says. In the days and weeks before each Honor Flight, an army of ground volunteers coordinates every detail of each trip -- from the buses that pick them up to the meals they eat. Shortly after Bales and his group arrived in Washington this day, they were taken by bus to the memorial. Many said they were stunned by its size and scope. Inscriptions carved in granite recognize specific battles that were fought in Europe and across the Pacific. A wall of stars marks the high price of freedom. They paused to remember the 448,000 who died in the war -- and their fellow survivors who didn't live to see this moment. "Each of those stars represents 100 men and women who died in WWII, and I realized that my division has almost 39 stars on that wall," said Tom Rone, 85, who stormed the bullet-ridden beaches on Guadalcanal as a platoon sergeant with the Marines. Morse says the trip often provides closure for the vets who visit. Many veterans open up at the memorial and speak in detail for the first time about what they went through. "I've had exchanges with veterans that are jaw dropping," Morse says. "You can't fathom what it's like to have experienced what they went through fighting for their lives." The same "Honor Flight" that transported the veterans to Washington returns them back home, landing just 12 hours after it took off. The elderly warriors seem renewed rather than exhausted by their whirlwind trip. "I will never forget this," say 86-year-old Marcus Lee Long, who served in the Pacific on the USS Ellet. "Everybody is so happy and treating us so nice." Allen Pittard, 88, added, "I feel so fortunate to be here. So many didn't make it." For Morse, the founder of Honor Flight, the end of each flight is a bittersweet experience. His mission continues with an air of urgency, because less than 10 percent of the Americans who served in World War II are still alive. An estimated 1,200 WWII veterans die every day. "In another five to seven years, our efforts will be a moot point because they will be gone or too infirm to participate in a mission like this," he says.

Program called Honor Flight takes WWII vets to see memorial in Washington . Honor Flight has taken 30,000 vets to D.C. since it began in 2005 . "I've had exchanges with veterans that are jaw dropping," founder says . WW II vet on the trip: "I feel as humbled as a mouse"

(CNN) -- Ordinarily, being ranked as the worst modern president of the United States would be considered unfortunate. For you Mr. President, that's the good news. As painful as it is to note, your presidency has not yet hit bottom. You've got a long way to go in your descent. Everywhere you walk, Mr. President, the world unravels. Americans are whispering that each political missile you fire seems to hit not its target but our own house. You have undone the core idea you've advanced, that a larger public sector can save us. You are becoming the one-man Keystone Cops of an experiment in weakness and incompetent government. Your Veterans Administration is a dysfunctional mess. Some veterans who have lived through war have not survived contact with your VA. Your immigration agents are changing diapers and crying for fresh underwear for detained immigrants awaiting deportation. Your IRS has been accused of targeting political opponents, and your best defense is their ineptitude: They lose their e-mails and files. Your own signature initiative, the Affordable Care Act, has turned on you. You've repeatedly delayed and altered the law, gluing and taping together, on the fly, the health care of an anxious nation. Begala: What's behind Boehner's nutty lawsuit threat . Your Supreme Court is telling you to read the manual that came with your office: You are not allowed to run a Nixonian presidency. In three years, you've suffered numerous humiliating and unanimous reversals of your executive authority. You are protected by the thinly manned barricades of an attorney general who refuses to investigate misconduct in your executive offices. Four out of five Americans believe the government you would like to expand is corrupt, a view that is a 7-point increase from the last year of the Bush administration. You are fortunate you cannot be impeached because of the cost to our exhausted, divided country. If you were a car manufactured by GM, not the president who bailed it out, you would be recalled for your defects. In foreign affairs, you have undone one of the great accomplishments of the 20th century: You have resuscitated the Soviet Union. A two-bit KGB thug named Putin has been kicking sand in the face of your country. In the absence of American leadership, the Middle East has devolved into chaos, and you are reduced to unpalatable choices: Either you negotiate with our Iranian enemies or abandon our allies, if we still have any, to jihadist wildfires that threaten Israel's borders and set desert sands aflame. Boehner: Why we must sue the President . Young people who voted for you to earn a better life than their parents are now living with their parents. Our nation has the lost the hope you promised us. We fear our freedom is in decline: A 48% plurality feel our best days are in the past. Even the one thing you have been good at, Mr. President -- politics -- has abandoned you. You have now been reduced to pathetically small political "listening tours." Even on such an inconsequential stage, you are tone-deaf, incapable of striking the right chords: You tell your audiences you are there to tell them that you are listening. You have always been more popular than your policies. Despite your stumbling, we have loved your bright smile and intellectual aura. But now, we are beginning to notice; you laugh too hard at your own jokes. Behind the smile, we see an ego inflated beyond merit. Your intellectual detachment, we now find, was merely cluelessness. The distance between what you've promised and done has grown too large for us to blame anyone else. Kohn: Boehner, do your job instead . Is this as bad as it can get? Actually, no, Mr. President. The road ahead is worse for you. Even your supporters will soon say publicly what we are all thinking privately. In days to come, it will become increasingly cool to snicker and then laugh at your presidency. Disagreement is not the cruelest cut in politics; it is ridicule. Politicians who have survived everything else are done in ultimately by laughter. The gristliest moment for an incumbent is not when voters express their anger. There is respect, even in those dark days. What an incumbent never wants to hear from a voter is pity. Your worst day will be when a voter says, "Poor President Obama. He's done the best he can." When that day comes, Mr. President, your favorable rating will crash another 10 points into the basement. Democratic candidates will not only ignore you, as they now do, they will turn on you. Hillary Clinton will betray you. That will start a war within your party as candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Jerry Brown rush to defend you. If they depose the Clintons, mere anarchy will be loosed upon the Democratic world. At this moment, our emperor is naked, but no one has yet said it publicly. That will change soon. When it is too sad to cry about our presidents, America laughs. That's what will really hurt. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.

Alex Castellanos looks at Obama's recent approval ratings; his prognosis: not good . Castellanos: Everywhere you walk, Mr. President, the world unravels . He says that if Obama were a car manufactured by GM, he'd be recalled for defects .

(CNN) -- There was no one else like him, certainly not in our time, likely not ever. Is this an overstatement? Put it this way: How would you ever typecast Philip Seymour Hoffman? Gangster? Priest? Cop? Super villain? Spy? Schoolteacher? Sybarite? Vagrant? A president of the United States? Let's put it another way: Who could you imagine doing all these things in ways that no one else had done before? Just so. No one. Hoffman, who was found dead at 46 of an apparent drug overdose Sunday, had at one time or another played some of those above-mentioned roles and did with an open-hearted incisiveness that unsettled presumptions and awakened possibilities. When Hoffman was onscreen, you knew you were going to see a kind of person who, while you may not have personally encountered in real life, you acknowledged as a plausible human being, no matter how quirky or disorienting his personality. Whether he was playing the manipulative, abusive, but emotionally needy cult leader in 2012's "The Master" (to these eyes, his finest big-screen performance), a crusty, disheveled but faintly idealistic CIA operator in 2007's "Charlie Wilson's War" or a pampered, egocentric but observant rich boy in 1999's "The Talented Mr. Ripley," Hoffman layered his technical skills with compassion, insight and sense of risk. Those skills were not inconsiderable. He packed a resonant voice that could vault several octaves above its normal deep-dyed wooly tone. (Look no further than his Oscar-winning performance in the title role of 2005's "Capote.") 5 reasons we loved Philip Seymour Hoffman . He exercised a meticulous sense of detail, lightly tailored for each role, no matter how ludicrous ("Mission: Impossible III's" grimy, wealthy and sadistic bad-guy-in-charge) or familiar ("Moneyball's" blustery, seen-it-all team manager). His was the kind of versatility commonly associated with the character actor more than with the movie star. Yet it was Hoffman's broad range and penetrating compassion that made him, if not a star, a reliable brand name for movies that aimed higher than commercial cinema usually bothered. You looked forward to seeing Hoffman's name in the credits, if only to see what kind of weirdness was in store. It wasn't apparent at first how far and how fast Hoffman's oddly configured star would rise. Depending on how long you'd been going to the movies, you might have first noticed him as the petulant, trigger-happy small-town policeman in 1994's "Nobody's Fool" or as the swaggering, borderline-deranged craps player in 1996's "Hard Eight." Neither of these performances prepared you for his sweet, out-of-left-field portrayal of Scotty J, a gay, grubby-puppy production assistant for a porn-movie outfit in 1997's "Boogie Nights." After a while, the only thing you expected from Hoffman was the unexpected. He gave a persuasive, tender rendering in 2000's "Almost Famous" of the ill-fated rock critic Lester Bangs (whose premature drug-related death, not depicted in the film, deepens the poignancy of Hoffman's own). A succession of misfits, screw-ups, neurotics, thwarted dreamers and self-deluded narcissists followed offset by such complicated, intriguing characters as the tormented visionary theater director Caden Cotard in 2008's "Synecdoche, New York." Cotard is one of the few characters in Hoffman's curriculum vitae whose massive urges for sex, adulation and control are sated, but whose more cosmic yearnings remain unfulfilled. Even when not playing someone clinging to life's margins, Hoffman played his own worst enemy. Perhaps that's what endeared him to us the most, this unlikely icon of craftsmanship whose physical presence called to mind how Dorothy Parker once described James Thurber's cartoon characters: Having the "outer semblance of unbaked cookies." From this loose, somewhat baggy set of physical attributes, Hoffman sculpted vivid depictions of the human heart at its most besieged and overwhelmed. The effort he put into these renderings showed he cared about the unlucky, the awkward and (despite it all) the most dauntless among us. Is all this overstatement? Only if you can think of anyone else who will carry on in his absence. And I'm stumped ... and sad. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour.

Gene Seymour: There was no other actor like Philip Seymour Hoffman . He didn't play a certain kind of role but had astonishing range, he says . Seymour says the actor made you wonder what he would have in store . He says Hoffman's acting vividly sketched the lives of people who are besieged and unlucky .

(CNN) -- Pakistan's election campaign was heavily infused with the rhetoric of change. Voter turnout was the highest since the 1970s. A large number of new youth voters also entered the fray. Yet the evolution of democratic culture in Pakistan produced a rather conventional outcome -- victory for a two-time former prime minister known for corruption and the military coup that ousted him in 1999. Nawaz Sharif and his party, the Pakistan Muslim League -- Nawaz (PML-N) will still be on the hook to produce change for over 180 million Pakistanis -- and there is a lot to change. The good thing is that there is not a lot of confusion over what Pakistan's problems are. Sharif's wide margin of victory also affords him a broad mandate to make bold policy decisions without the same political instability that plagued the outgoing Pakistan People's Party government. Will he take advantage of this opportunity? Yes and no. Sharif has rightly prioritized the economic situation, but he will still have to pick and choose his battles on reform. The economic challenges demand both short-term fixes and long-term reforms. Most governments in Pakistan have opted for short-term fixes because the path to reform simply takes too long or lacks political support. Sharif might have support in the National Assembly for some of the more difficult reforms, such as taxation and cutting energy subsidies, but the backing of special interest groups, trade unions and provincial governments among others will not always be guaranteed. Real reform will require the buy-in of these stakeholders too. Sharif could be the man to do it. He is a free-market oriented businessman who in his previous tenures as prime minister focused on privatization, infrastructure development and deregulation. But his views alone won't carry the country towards the free market. Sharif will also need to strengthen his party's links to economic and political stakeholders outside of Punjab, where the PML-N has a smaller presence than the other regional parties. A prime example of where Sharif's outreach will be needed is in Karachi. The megacity contributes to over 20% of the country's GDP and is also home to a multi-billion dollar informal economy. These economic gains have been threatened by unprecedented violence between the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and the Awami National Party (ANP) -- all of whom are looking to benefit from the financial spoils. Karachi's economic environment has no doubt learned to adjust to the fluctuating security situation, but the national government cannot afford to let it get worse. Fixing Karachi will require Sharif to garner the support of MQM, PPP, and ANP -- none of whom at this point look poised to join his government. Security is the other area where Sharif faces high expectations, but will be forced to be flexible and accommodating to competing interests. More than ever before, the Pakistani public, politicians and the military agree on the existential threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban. The military's on again-off again campaign against these militants in the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas has failed to end violent attacks on ordinary citizens and government targets. The spike in attacks during the election campaign is evidence enough of that. Sharif will have to find his public voice on militancy, an issue he has been resoundingly silent on. This isn't surprising considering his own Punjab province is a hotbed of militant activity in the south. Part of the problem is that the PML-N-led government in Punjab has not taken aggressive legal or police action against militant groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Sipah-e-Sahaba, some of whom in recent months have been implicated for their involvement in major attacks outside of Punjab. The lack of action against these groups seems to have protected the PML-N against attacks during the campaign. There have also been fewer attacks within Punjab. Sharif cannot pursue this informal arrangement at a national level. He will also have to get behind the military's campaign against the Pakistani Taliban but has to be cautious in how forward he leans. Sharif could continue to protect Punjab at the expense of the country, or he could be bold and help the military wipe out the Pakistani Taliban -- either way, he still loses a little. Pakistanis deserve enormous credit for showing up in large numbers to vote in the face of such violence. Sharif and the PML-N should be congratulated on winning big, especially with so much hype in Punjab over Imran Khan, the famed politician and cricket star. But the high voter turnout and election victory just put Sharif back on the map. Based on the options he faces, there are plenty of reasons to be less sanguine on the prospects for quick and easy policy-making. It is now up to Sharif to figure out how to navigate the long road ahead. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Shamila N. Chaudhary.

Pakistan elects two-time former prime minister known for corruption and military coup . Big expectations for Nawaz Sharif and his party, Pakistan Muslim League -- Nawaz . Sharif must tackle economic challenges as well as security issues from Taliban .

Bangkok (CNN) -- Though on the surface it seems like another typical day in central Bangkok -- hot, muggy and busy, with traffic snarls around town -- tension is rising as protesters continue to exert pressure on the Thai prime minister to step down. Thousands of demonstrators were expected to march on key ministerial buildings on Wednesday to demand an end to the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, ahead of a no-confidence vote in parliament on Thursday. The escalating political tension has prompted travel updates from 23 foreign governments, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry. Among the countries warning their citizens to be vigilant are the UK, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Singapore. Locals and tourists appear unconcerned . For those not plugged into official information sources, there are few signs of what's being broadcast around the world -- images of government ministries under siege, rallies filled with thousands of cheering anti-government protesters and video of Yingluck explaining to the nation why she's implementing the Internal Security Act (ISA). The ISA gives law enforcement officials and the military additional powers, including the right to impose curfews, put up checkpoints, restrict the movement of demonstrators and search for weapons. Away from the affected sites it's pretty much life as normal in most parts of wider Bangkok. But while it's easy to avoid protests, as of Wednesday morning the situation had become extremely fluid and increasingly worrisome to some observers. While the number of demonstrators, led by the Democrat Party, has declined from the 100,000 reported on Sunday, protesters claim tens of thousands of people are still on the streets. Authorities say the figure is closer to 10,000. On Wednesday, they'll split into two or more groups, according to Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the protesters. He told CNN they plan to march to a number of government buildings, including the ministries for Public Health, Social Development, Labor, and Science and Technology. Another group is heading to a complex outside the city which houses a number of government offices. A primary target in this location is the Department of Special Investigation. A city accustomed to protests . The capital's residents have become accustomed to political uprisings, hence the business-as-usual attitude among locals. Thailand was wracked with turbulence for four years after a 2006 coup, culminating in a 2010 army crackdown on supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the older brother of the current prime minister. More than 90 people were killed in the violence. Foreign government have warned their citizens to be vigilant, despite assurances from the Thai government that authorities will "absolutely not use violence" to disperse the demonstrators. On its website, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office said, "A number of political demonstrations have taken place in various locations in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand since the start of November 2013." "Further large scale protests are taking place with little warning, at various locations in Bangkok. The main ongoing protest area situated along Rachadamnoen Avenue including Democracy Monument in Bangkok has now expanded to include protests at a number of government buildings in central Bangkok." In its security message to citizens, the United States Embassy in Bangkok said. "Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence." Russian foreign ministry tells citizens to avoid Bangkok . Though most government warnings advised citizens to avoid protest areas, Russian media reports say their Foreign Ministry advises tourists to avoid the capital completely. "The possibility of further escalation of the unrest should not be ruled out," the ministry said in a statement quoted by news agency RIA. "In this respect, we recommend that Russians avoid visiting Bangkok. Those already there should take due care, comply with law enforcement officers' demands and avoid crowded areas." Protests, what protests? Security concerns notwithstanding, some tourists who spoke with CNN didn't even realize protests were taking place in Bangkok. Others said they were aware of the situation, but weren't concerned. British traveler Charles Rowson, 43, who is on a 10-day vacation with his family, said he was keeping an eye on developments. "I have been reading the local papers to keep up on the political situation and our hotel briefs us daily on the areas to avoid," he said, while waiting for his hotel's courtesy ferry to pick him up from the Saphan Taksin pier. Tourism is a concern for the nation's travel industry right now, as Thailand enters its high season. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the tourism and travel sector contributed $27.99 billion, or 7.3%, to Thailand's GDP in 2012. A report on state-run website MCOT cites a senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration official as saying tourism revenue may fall 10% lower than projected if the political demonstrations continue. CNN's Jethro Mullen and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.

Despite anti-government protests, Bangkok residents remain calm, unconcerned . More than 20 nations issue warnings for citizens to avoid political gatherings . Some tourists didn't even realize there were protests taking place in Bangkok .

Mount Fuji, Japan (CNN) -- At the start of a three-month reporting stint in Tokyo, I'd thought vaguely to myself how I wouldn't mind climbing Mount Fuji when my assignment was done -- in the way that I've always vaguely wondered about running a marathon, but never got round to it. Fuji, after all, is a mountain close to the hearts of all Japanese, an icon of this beautiful country ... and front cover of the Lonely Planet, which I had furnished myself with prior to departing Berlin, my regular reporting base. Then when my producer, Yoko, told me that she'd found coming down Fuji worse than running a marathon, I thought to myself, "It'll never happen." One day on an early morning flight to Nagasaki, Yoko and I flew over Fuji -- the most breathtaking view of the mountain I've had, and the photo that's got the most likes I've ever had on Facebook. Then a month ago I was sent to Seoul and told I wouldn't be returning to Japan -- my dream of climbing Fuji was relegated to wistful "it was never meant to be" status. But no. This Saturday I have to be back home in the UK. It was always a hard "out date" from Asia. And now the chance has arisen. We'll be accompanying a team from Google as they chart a route to the summit of the 3,776-meter (12,388-feet). My colleague, Anna Coren, was meant to do this last week but the weather was too bad so the trip was postponed. Cultural gem . The Google Street View Trekker team plans to map out a path up to the peak for the first time. Mount Fuji was recently granted UNESCO World Heritage status -- though the U.N. panel classified it as a "cultural" rather than "natural" heritage site because it had "inspired artists and poets and been the object of pilgrimage for centuries." The plan was to leave the mountain at 6 p.m. local time on Friday and depart on my flight to Europe the following morning. I banked on my frantic last-minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) sessions -- courtesy of my Seoul producer KJ -- to help me deal with my fitness so I could better cope with issues such as altitude sickness. But if 300,000 other people manage to climb Fuji each year, then so could we. Follow Diana on Twitter too . Rather than a dose of nature, I readied myself for human traffic jams up towards the peak. It's a heat-wave in Tokyo, the perfect time to escape. Fuji-San, we're ready for you! Perfect conditions . The weather was perfect when the party set off. We were treated to some fantastic views as we traversed to 3,000 meters. At this point we had around 700 to go by the afternoon, so everyone prepared to climb into the evening. The only slightly troubling thing was that our companions from Google -- our reason for being here -- seemed to be having a few "technical problems." The last thing we heard was that they'd had to "reboot" the camera -- which is technically 15 cameras set on top of a green contraption on the back of some poor fellow who has to carry all 18kg up the mountain. Poor Google -- they had to turn back last week because of bad weather. But this would not stop us from finishing the climb. Remarkably our cell phones still worked and I was not feeling the effects of the altitude. We were overtaken by a few Fuji marathon runners who can take the mountain in around 3 hours flat; that's at the end of July. It was also nice to have CNN's long-time friend Hiro Sasso with us. He helped out with our coverage during the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck eastern Japan in 2011. Sasso is a member of the Japan alpine club and the person to speak to about all things Fuji. He's climbed it ten times -- he even showed me the route he skied down in May. Not recommended though. If you fall on that ice, he says you'll need an ice-axe to stop, otherwise you'll slide to your death. So only for extreme skiers -- his words. I also discovered that Pot Noodles are a Japanese invention. Can this be true? At any rate if I could remember how they tasted the last (and possibly only) time I ate them, I'd say they'd never tasted so good. But as it is, up here at altitude, that salty and shrimpy mixture was nothing short of perfection. Plus in Japan you're allowed to slurp them, making the experience all the more fun. As we neared the summit, everyone seemed 100% fit. However, CNN producer Junko started to feel nervous about what was still ahead. She was part of last week's aborted venture and said her muscle ache only went away yesterday. FOLLOW DIANA'S CLIMB IN PICTURES ABOVE.

Diana Magnay will join team from Google as they chart a route to Fuji's summit . The expedition marks the end of Magnay's assignment in Asia . July 1 was the start of the climbing season on Japan's highest and most iconic mountain .

Lakeside, California (CNN) -- A handwritten note, handcuff box, camping equipment and a DNA swab kit were among the items found by San Diego deputies in the burned home and garage of James DiMaggio. DiMaggio was shot and killed by FBI agents in Idaho after allegedly kidnapping Hannah Anderson,16, this month. The list of items is included in a search warrant and affidavits CNN affiliate KFMB obtained. It detailed what authorities found in the aftermath of the August 4 fire at DiMaggio's home, about 45 miles east of San Diego in the community of Boulevard, and how investigators believe the fire was started. Other items found on the nine-page list of things seized from the home and the adjacent garage include incendiary devices, a gas can, rolls of duct tape, used condoms, ammunition, an arson wire and letters from Hannah. Contents of the letters and the handwritten note were not revealed in the affidavit. When specifically asked about the note by KFMB, the sheriff's department deferred. "Many portions of this investigation cannot be discussed," said spokesperson Jan Caldwell. "Sorry this is one if them." Also recovered was a map of Yosemite -- a possible clue as to where DiMaggio intended to take Hannah. The list also contained seemingly benign items such as balloons, a fly swatter and a Popsicle box. The court documents did not specifically tie any of the items to DiMaggio's alleged crimes. DiMaggio flees with Hannah . Hannah went missing after cheerleading practice in San Diego County on August 3. The next day, the bodies of her mother, Christina Anderson, 42, and brother, Ethan, 8, were found at the DiMaggio property. Affidavits: Teen's mother, brother 'tortured and killed' That horror spurred a manhunt, which zeroed in on central Idaho after two critical clues: the discovery of DiMaggio's blue Nissan Versa outside the city of Cascade, and a sighting of the pair by horseback riders. One of the horsemen recalled noticing multiple "red flags" during their brief interaction with the pair, including their brand-new camping equipment and the pajama-like bottoms Hannah was wearing. Father Brett Anderson said Thursday that he'd been able to offer "our thanks and our love" to the horseback riders in a phone conversation. "It was a chance encounter, but it did save my daughter's life," he said Thursday. The ordeal ended August 10 after authorities spotted DiMaggio and his teenage captive's campsite near Morehead Lake. Hostage rescue teams had to hike more than two hours to get to the scene, local sheriffs' departments said. Eventually, they got close enough, and an FBI tactical agent fatally shot DiMaggio, before whisking Hannah away. California teen rescued, her alleged abductor killed . Family fundraiser . Days after being rescued in the Idaho wilderness Hannah attended a fundraiser on Thursday for her and her family near their Southern California home. The teenager could be seen entering the Boll Weevil restaurant in Lakeside, a community of about 20,000 people located 20 miles northeast of San Diego. Hannah didn't speak publicly before entering the building, though her father later did talk to reporters. The media were invited to the fundraiser at the family-friendly restaurant, but were not allowed inside. "This is a small community that we are a part of, and the community came together putting on this great fundraiser for Hannah and hopefully for her future and healing," Brett Anderson said, before he thanked local residents, family and friends, the media and law enforcement. "This is how Lakeside rolls." Speaking Thursday about her condition, Brett Anderson said "she's just happy to be here." "Hannah sends her love," her father said. "She's doing good day by day, and we'll keep moving forward from here." One of her friends, Alyssa Haugum, said from outside Thursday's fundraiser that she was looking forward to seeing Hannah and giving her a hug. They had communicated via Facebook, she said. Haugum described Hannah, whom she knows from school and dance, as strong, funny and "usually really bubbly." "It takes a lot to make her upset," she said of her friend. The entire ordeal was surreal and scary, as it hit so close to home, Haugum said. "It just felt like it was untrue: One day somebody could be with you, and the next day they are missing and you don't know where they're at," Haugum said. Then, alluding to her friend Hannah, she added, "But I knew she was strong. I knew she would come back." Hannah Anderson discusses kidnapping on social media . CNN's Casey Wian reported from Lakeside, and CNN's Ed Payne and Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta. CNN's Amanda Watts contributed to this report.

James DiMaggio abducted Hannah Anderson after allegedly killing her brother, mother . Items found at his home after fire include a DNA swab kit . Anderson, 16, attended a fundraiser in her Southern California community . An FBI tactical agent fatally shot DiMaggio .

New York (CNN) -- When William Bratton was introduced Thursday as New York City police commissioner, the 66-year-old law enforcement veteran held up a children's book with the title, "Your Police." "We must always remember that whenever you see a policeman, he is your friend," said Bratton, reading a passage from a book he first checked out of the library 56 years ago. But Bratton, who served as police commissioner in the 1990s, will take the helm of the nation's largest department not only at a time of low crime rates, but also heightened tension with the public over his predecessor's controversial stop-and-frisk policy that critics say targeted minorities. Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio said the appointment reflected his goal of protecting New Yorkers while simultaneously respecting their civil liberties -- echoing one theme of a mayoral campaign that was heavily critical of stop-and-frisk. "He is going to bring police and community back together," de Blasio said Thursday. De Blasio praised his new commissioner as "the leading voice" on community policing and said he had "absolute confidence, 100% confidence" that Bratton would complete the double goals of keeping down crime and improving strained relations with the community. "In the last few years in this city we have seen an approach that has too often alienated communities, has too often led to a divide between police and community in some of our neighborhoods," said de Blasio. The stop-and-frisk policy -- in which police stop, question and frisk people they deem suspicious, even if they've committed no crime -- has been one of the most controversial policing techniques in recent time. Opponents have challenged the practice as racist and illegal. Law enforcement and other proponents say the practice helps reduce crime. In August, a federal judge in New York ordered that stop-and-frisk be altered, finding it unconstitutional in part because it unlawfully targets blacks and Latinos. The judge ordered the appointment of a monitor to develop changes in the policy as well as other reforms. A federal appeals court later blocked the ruling that deemed stop-and-frisk unconstitutional and removed the judge from the case as other appeals are heard. But de Blasio has said that his administration will drop the appeal. The Rev. Al Sharpton, one of the most vocal critics of stop-and-frisk, said he hoped the new mayor and police commissioner work with a broader cross section of the city. "When Bill Bratton served in New York City under Rudy Giuliani, we had a very distant and adversarial relationship, but when he served in Los Angeles, he and I ... worked closely on gang violence and police misconduct matters," Sharpton said. "Mr. Bratton knows of my concerns and the concerns of others about racial profiling in stop-and-frisk policing but at the same time is aware of our desire to continue the decrease of violence and crime in our community." Thomas Reppetto, an expert who has written numerous books about the nation's police departments, said Bratton practiced an aggressive form of policing -- including stop-and-frisk -- as commissioner under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. "The wild card here is we don't know what's going to happen with this federal suit," said Reppetto, referring to the August ruling. "Are there going to be monitors? Is the police commissioner ultimately going to be responsible to a federal judge? Traditionally, the police department works best when it has a strong commissioner running it. But if there are people over him who can veto his orders, it won't work so well." Ray Kelly reflects . Bratton is credited with pioneering the NYPD's CompStat, a command and accountability system that employed real-time intelligence, rapid deployment of resources and accountability systems in police work. He also was in charge of the NYPD during the largest crime reduction in New York City's history, said a statement from de Blasio. de Blasio's counterterrorism plans . Under Bratton's leadership in the mid-1990s, felony crime in New York City fell by 39%, de Blasio said. In Los Angeles, Bratton helped bring about a 26% decline in violent crime in his first three years in the top job. By 2009, the crime rate was 54% lower than it had been during his predecessor's final year. He also was praised for improving the LAPD's relationships with the city's many diverse communities. Bratton also was chief of the New York City Transit Police and Boston police commissioner. "Bill Bratton has succeeded everywhere he's been," Reppetto said. "You never want to bet against Bill Bratton." On Thursday, Bratton talked about bringing the police and the public "together in a collaboration of mutual respect and mutual trust." "I will get it right again in New York City," Bratton said. Said Reppetto, "On the community relations front, I wouldn't underestimate that task." The biggest campaign moments of 2013 .

William Bratton returns as New York's top cop . Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio says he and Bratton have a "shared vision" on keeping the city safe . De Blasio credits Bratton with the largest crime reduction in city history .

(CNN) -- Honesty is often a rare virtue at the highest level of sport, especially when it comes to admitting mistakes, so McLaren fans may give Martin Whitmarsh some begrudging respect after the team principal accepted responsibility for a catalog of errors this season. The United Kingdom-based constructor may have won twelve drivers' championships since its creation in 1963 but none will be added in the year of McLaren's 50th anniversary. Neither Jenson Button nor Sergio Perez have managed to stand on the podium all season, with the Briton's fifth place in the third race in China the best finish so far. Mexican Perez, 23, has won 18 points in his first season with McLaren while Button, who won the 2009 title with Brawn, can only muster 47, trailing leader Sebastian Vettel by 150 points -- or the equivalent of six race victories with just eight rounds left. The problem is that McLaren are currently on course for their first season without a grand prix win in seven years. A number of hasty changes to the car have made racing this year both "painful and difficult" for Whitmarsh as he revealed in an open interview with Formula One's official website. "This year we have made some big mistakes -- that is very obvious, and difficult to rectify," the Briton said. "I don't like it, but there is no point in hiding from it." The 55-year-old traces the roots of the problems back to the middle of last season, when McLaren dropped off the pace after a bright start. At this point, the car was redesigned, with significant changes to the height of the nose, the configuration of both the front and rear suspensions, as well as the bodywork and exhaust layout. "In a word, we did too many things which were deviating from a car which was the fastest car about nine or ten months ago," the McLaren official said. "The start of the 2012 was good, but then in mid-season we were falling behind and it is about that time that you make these decisions -- and then last year's car became quicker and quicker. "It was bad timing, it was misjudgment, and it was ambition. It is very clear in hindsight that we've got it wrong. But let's also be fair: this car is now quicker than last year's car." Nonetheless, it is still struggling to make any impact in the constructors' standings, with 11 races of the 19-round season having already gone. McLaren's tally of 65 points is almost tripled by the team immediately above them in the standings, fourth-placed Lotus, while the Woking outfit's total is dwarfed by the 312 boasted by Red Bull, who lead the way. When asked who should carry the can for the failed redesign of the car, Whitmarsh resisted any temptation to seek out scapegoats. "Ultimately I take the blame for it," he said. "I am happy to name names when we are successful and give them the opportunity to stand on the podium, but it is my job when things haven't gone so well to take the responsibility." Critics of Whitmarsh, who has been with McLaren for a quarter of a century, will point to the team's inability to win a championship since he replaced the retiring Ron Dennis in 2009, a year after the team's last championship title. The closest McLaren came to a championship under his control was in 2010 when Lewis Hamilton had a chance of winning the title on the final day of the season, only for Vettel to take the glory. There has been some good news for Whitmarsh this week though. At Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, Button felt the car performed the best it had all season with the Briton, 33, also publicly stating in recent days how he hopes to sign a new three-year contract with the team. Whitmarsh had considered trying to lure Kimi Raikkonen, who has been in great form this year, back to McLaren for next season, revealing that talks last year to the same effect failed "for various reasons". However, he also feels he owes the current stable a car that will enable them to challenge far higher up the table. "We haven't given our drivers the car we should have done this year. But they've been fantastic ambassadors and I think they deserve another go with us next year. "If we give them a car that is good enough, they both can win. We know that." And having had a front row seat for more than 100 of McLaren's 182 grand prix wins, Whitmarsh is confident that the team can turn itself around ahead of the 2014 season. "Looking over the last 20 years, we are pretty consistent," he rallied. "Yes, this is a bad year but usually we come back strong -- and that is what we will do next year."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admits 'big mistakes' in 2013 season . McLaren without a podium finish in year of 50th anniversary . Whitmarsh says Jenson Button and Sergio Perez "deserve" to be at McLaren next season .

Washington (CNN)Vice President Joe Biden, in a closed-door meeting with black clergy in South Carolina on Tuesday, referred to himself as "the only white boy on the east side of Wilmington" as he recalled his days as a Delaware public defender and pressed faith leaders to elect Democrats this year. He offered a candid critique of Republicans, calling the tea party "crazy," according to a detailed readout of Biden's remarks provided to CNN by a person in the room. "This is not your father's Republican Party," he said, according to the source. "This is a different breed of cat, man. I am not making a moral judgment, but I will tell you that they have no judgment." Biden was in South Carolina for the day to support local Democrats in competitive races. But South Carolina's role as an early presidential primary state added another layer of political intrigue to his trip, one of several to the state this year. His office declined to comment on his remarks at the private meeting. Biden predicted dire consequences for Democrats if Republicans win full control of Congress in November. "If they win again, we are going to get no consensus on anything for the next two, four, six years," Biden told the gathering of more than 100 ministers. "But if we beat some of these folks, it's going to give some spine to the Republicans who know better." He added, "If we win, will turn things around. There will begin to be consensus." Biden delivers 'Elizabeth Warren-type speech' The day's public event was a rally at Allen University, a historically black university in Columbia. Before a crowd of roughly 1,000 people, Biden took sharp aim at Republicans in Congress and in the South Carolina state house, including Gov. Nikki Haley, accusing them of putting ideology over compromise. "Your governor is denying 200,000 South Carolinians additional Medicaid because she opposes expansion," Biden said. But he was more blunt in the gathering with ministers. He said Americans side with Democrats on issues from minimum wage, "tax fairness," combating climate change and making climate change affordable. Pointing to the enactment of strict voter ID laws in GOP-dominated states, Biden said Republicans have been successful in discouraging Democrats, especially African-Americans, from voting. 'I'm Joe Biden and I don't like Twitter' "What the other team has done so skillfully over the last 15 years is convince our folks that it's not worth voting," he said. "Rich guys never get fooled that it's not worth voting. They always show up and vote. But they tell our folks it doesn't matter, that government doesn't work anyway." At one point referring to himself as "Joe Biden, progressive Democrat," Biden pointed to gains in manufacturing jobs under President Barack Obama, but said the middle class still "has not come back yet." "You can see it in the eyes of your parishioners," he said. "It's not just in black America, it's white America as well. People are wondering, when is it going to be OK?" "Corporate profits have soared," Biden said, criticizing "these guys running hedge funds in New York." He noted that the top 1% of earners in the United States make almost a quarter of all the money earned in the country. "How can that possibly be fair?" he asked. "The biggest problem is income inequality," he said, echoing populist-themed remarks he made at a South Carolina fundraiser earlier this year. "Because when income inequality spreads, economies shrink because folks don't have money to spend." Six times Joe Biden aimed for the truth and caused a headache . Sitting next to South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, Biden talked up his political background and told the assembled audience that he "got 98% of the African-American vote every time I ran" in Delaware. Black voters routinely make up a majority of the Democratic primary electorate in South Carolina. Biden pointed out that his career began as a young public defender in Delaware, representing low-income clients. That's when he called himself "the only white boy on the east side of Wilmington." Later in the day, Biden echoed his remarks at a fundraiser for the South Carolina Democratic Party at the home of Dick Harpootlian, a prominent local attorney and former state party chairman. About 40 people attended, including Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress last year. "He gave a great speech," Harpootlian said. "He said Republicans are being stymied by the extremists John Boehner that doesn't want to go against. He said that hopefully some moderates can prevail this November." Harpootlian, who has been publicly critical of Hillary Clinton, said Biden will have a head start in South Carolina if he decides to run for president because of his previous campaigns and his longtime friendship with former Sen. Fritz Hollings. "If he runs, there is no candidate who will have been to South Carolina as many times as he has," Harpootlian said. "He has a built-in infrastructure."

Joe Biden met with black clergy in South Carolina on Tuesday . Biden to ministers: "This is not your father's Republican Party" South Carolina is an early presidential primary state .

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (CNN) -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama took their campaigns to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico on Saturday in an effort to woo voters before the June 1 primary. There are 55 Democratic delegates up for grabs, though voters cannot take part in the general election in November. Obama campaigned early Saturday at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamon, where he praised the nation's veterans before Memorial Day. "It's fitting to be here today, not just because Memorial Day is around the corner but because Puerto Ricans are such an important part of the United States military. On this island and in Puerto Rican neighborhoods across America, you can go into almost any home and find a veteran living there or a photograph of a loved one in uniform hanging on the wall," he said. Obama also took aim at Republican Sen. John McCain over his opposition to an update of the GI Bill. The legislation passed the Senate on Thursday afternoon by a 75-22 vote and passed the House this month by a similar margin. It proposes to essentially provide a full scholarship to in-state public universities for members of the military who have served for at least three years. "I don't understand why John McCain would side with George Bush and oppose our plan to make college more affordable for our veterans. ... Putting a college degree within reach for our veterans isn't being too generous; it's the least we can do for our heroes," Obama said. Shortly after Obama's remarks, the McCain campaign hit back. "Barack Obama talks about helping veterans, but when the choice came between delivering for our military men and women and playing partisan politics, he decided politics was more important," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Saturday. Later Saturday, Obama marched along a street in San Juan, shaking hands with supporters as he walked in front of a banner that said "Puerto Rico Con Obama." This event was referred to as a "caminata," a traditional parade for a candidate. Obama remarked to the crowd, "I will never forget the support and the friendship that I've seen here in Puerto Rico. ... I am absolutely confident that if that we keep on working hard, there's no reason why we can't win here in Puerto Rico, and if we win Puerto Rico, we will win the nomination." Clinton hosted a "Solutions for Puerto Rico's Families" town hall meeting in Aguadilla on Saturday. The former first lady may not have understood the language during her first campaign stop in Puerto Rico, but she certainly understood the politics. Before a crowd of a few hundred Puerto Ricans in a muggy high school gym, Clinton pledged to make it a "personal priority" to resolve the statehood issue before the end of her first term. She also vowed to clean up the former Navy testing ranges on Vieques, fund the famous Arecibo radio telescope, use federal dollars to put more cops on the streets and extend tax breaks to Puerto Rican companies. Clinton made each of those promises in English, abandoning a translator early on, despite the growing din among distracted audience members who couldn't understand the full content of her stump speech. Still, enthusiastic supporters hoisted signs like "Puertorriquenos con Hillary" and "Hillary Presidenta" while chants of "Hillary! Hillary!" filled the room. Despite in the language barrier, Clinton seemed to be on familiar ground. She recalled a visit she made to the island in 1998 on behalf of her husband to inspect damage from Hurricane Georges. She also reminded the audience that she represents more than one million Puerto Ricans in New York; this week in Florida, she jokingly referred to herself as "the senator from Puerto Rico." Clinton has done well among Hispanic voters in this year's primaries, and she is expected to have similar success in Puerto Rico. On Thursday, Clinton sent daughter Chelsea to campaign in Puerto Rico, a sign that she is refusing to give up the race despite the delegate math in favor of her rival. According to CNN's latest estimate, Obama leads Clinton in total delegates, 1,969 to 1,779. However, Obama does not have enough delegates to secure the nomination outright. He has 1,962 delegates, including superdelegates, short of the 2,026 needed to secure the nomination, according to CNN estimates. Obama was in Florida on Friday courting the Cuban vote, a bloc that has tended to vote Republican in past elections. With a 70 percent turnout rate, Cuban-Americans have been a powerful force in Florida and thus, because of Florida's role as a swing state, national politics. He told Florida's Cuban-American community Friday that his Cuba policy would be based on liberty and freedom for the island nation's people. Watch more of Obama's comments » . "My policy toward Cuba will be guided by one word: 'libertad,' " he said, using the Spanish word for liberty at an event celebrating Cuban Independence Day in Miami, Florida. CNN's Ed Hornick, Chris Welch, Peter Hamby and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.

NEW: Clinton vows to resolve statehood issue at town hall meeting in Aguadilla . Puerto Rico holds Democratic primary June 1; 55 delegates at stake . Obama praises military veterans at the University of Puerto Rico . Obama holds march in Bayamon .

(CNN) -- The terrorists who attacked the In Amenas gas complex in eastern Algeria appear to have been of several nationalities, and may have trained in jihadist camps across the border in southern Libya, according to sources familiar with the situation there. Read more: Power struggle: The North African gas industry targeted by militants . Algerian security sources told Reuters late Thursday that the militants whose bodies had been recovered from the complex so far included three Egyptians, two Tunisians, two Libyans, a Malian and a French citizen. Read more: Algerian hostage crisis enters 3rd day with 'ongoing activity' Other sources said the leader of the hostage-taking commando group dispatched to carry out the attack was Abou al-Barra, a jihadist who had previously belonged to the group that later became al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. A U.S. official told CNN Wednesday that the hostage-takers appeared to have crossed the Libyan border -- some 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the gas complex -- to carry out the attack. Read more: 'Mr. Marlboro': The veteran jihadist behind the attack in Algeria . Libyan authorities have been aware for some time of the existence of three militant camps south of the desert town of Sabha, not far from the Algerian border, a regional security source told CNN. The source said the leader of one of those camps was a Libyan veteran of the 1980s Afghan war. Western intelligence officials had established that the man had met Moktar Belmoktar -- the overall leader of the group that assigned al Barra to carry out the attack -- during a trip Belmoktar made to Libya late in 2011. The source said the three camps include jihadists from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Mali as well as ethnic Tuaregs, and that it was highly possible that these camps were connected to the attack. Read more: Islamists take foreign hostages in attack on Algerian oil field . A former head of intelligence for the Transitional National Council in Libya also confirmed to CNN that he was aware of three camps in the area. Rami El Obeidi said the camps had been operational for about a year and confirmed that foreign fighters had been among the militants training there. El Obeidi also said that extremist militia in Libya were financing militant groups in Mali and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb as well as providing them with logistical support. Read more: Six reasons events in Mali matter . The former intelligence chief said the Libyan army had little capability in this vast area of desert and there was a fear of confronting the extremists. With the French intervention in Mali, he said "a Pandora's Box has been opened" -- and he believed oil fields in Libya were also at high risk of being attacked. Foreign oil companies have gradually returned to Libya since the 2011 revolution that ousted Moammar Gadhafi, but much of Libya remains highly insecure and under the sway of independent militia. Read more: France continues Mali airstrikes; residents frantic . A Salafist group in eastern Libya has called for protests after Friday prayers in Benghazi in response to the French intervention in Mali -- posting on its Facebook page that "Mali is bleeding" because of the French involvement. El Obeidi said that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb treated the whole region as one theater and was oblivious to the desert borders that divided the countries of the Sahel. North African media have described Abou al-Barra as the one of the most effective commanders of the Al-Mulathameen Brigade that is led by Belmoktar. Read more: U.S. Air Force evacuating foreigners from Algeria gas plant, source says . He was born in Algeria in the 1970s and served in the Algerian army before joining the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, which was heavily involved in the Algerian insurgency in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group was held responsible for the kidnap of more than 30 European tourists in Algeria. A Mauritanian news agency -- Alakhbar -- named another of the attackers killed as Zarghawi Al-Mouritani,18. His real name was Abdallahi Ould Hmeida, the agency said. CNN is unable to verify the report of his death. The Algerian Communications Minister, Mohamed Saïd, told state media late Thursday that the terrorist attack was the work of a multinational group of terrorists whose aim was to implicate Algeria in the conflict in Mali, destabilize the Algerian state and destroy the Algerian economy, which is heavily reliant on oil and gas revenues. Other Algerian officials have repeated that there would be no negotiations with such groups. Follow along on the live blog .

Algerian gas complex attackers may have trained in Libyan jihadist camps, sources say . Jihadists from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and elsewhere train there, sources say . Libyan oil fields could now be at high risk of attack, former Libyan intelligence chief says . A Salafist group in eastern Libya has called for protests over French involvement .

(CNN) -- Smog is a common sight in Hong Kong, with the amount of polluted days increasing by 28 percent to 303 so far this year. Hong Kongers would be quick to point the finger at Chinese factories across the border. Yet, research is increasingly indicating that the problem is much more localized, coming from emissions produced by shipping. "What we know in Hong Kong is that up to 50% of pollution [locally produced] sources come from marine vessels," said Gina McCarthy, administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smog levels within the city of over 7 million reached hazardous levels earlier this week, with particles in one urban area, Sham Shui Po hitting a PM2.5, hitting 91.7 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Anything above 71 is classified as "very dangerous" according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Maritime pollution in Hong Kong is blamed for the most sulfur dioxide-related deaths within the region. According to a recent report jointly compiled by the Civic Exchange and The University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong saw 385 deaths caused by the hazardous chemical, for which shipping is to blame. The city lacks regulations in tackling maritime pollution, as there is no legislation or requirements for shipping companies to switch to cleaner fuel when entering Hong Kong waters. Wong Chit-ming, associate professor at the University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health noted the Asian hub would continue to see a growth in the amount of pollution from container ships under current lack of regulations. He linked this to an ever-increasing flow of marine traffic coming through the city. However, the government is slowly starting to become more aware of the situation, said Simon Ng Ka-wing, head of transport and sustainability research at Civic Exchange, a Hong Kong thinktank that advises the government on policy. "In the past we pointed fingers to Guangdong [the province neighboring Hong Kong] saying it is the only reason we suffer from air pollution without knowing that there is locally produced pollution. But now we are getting a clear picture that we can clean up quicker locally." The city is lagging behind many other hubs in the world such as those within Europe and North America, which have regulations requiring vessels to switch to cleaner emitting fuel, an initiative known as the Emission Control Area (ECA). Marine vessels in Hong Kong can burn cheaper and more hazardous 3.5% sulfur oil, while in various ECA zones, vessels cannot exceed 0.5 percent. New regulations by the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that is responsible for the safety of maritime vessels and works to prevent pollution from ships, is looking into forcing vessels to burn no more than 0.5 percent of sulfur by 2020. This applies to bigger container and cruise ships, whilst smaller local craft are dealt with under other regulation. Arthur Bowring, managing director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association said that the shipping industry has been extremely proactive in switching to cleaner fuels. "In 2010, after discussion and debate, 16 carriers and cruise lines came together in the world's only truly voluntary commitment to change to a cleaner fuel when at berth or at anchor in Hong Kong," he said. That agreement, called the Fair Winds Charter cuts port charges by as much as 50% for those sea vessels that switch to cleaner emitting fuels. "The Fair Winds Charter was put in place for two years, 2011 and 2012, to show government that the industry could switch fuel and that incentive followed by regulation would be possible," Bowring said. It was extended until the end of 2013, but has an unclear future. A decision on whether to expand it into 2014 is expected later this month. The government is also due to pass legislation next year that will force all marine traffic to comply with more environmentally friendly fuels and introduce an emissions control zone in the territory's waters. Without urgent regulations, Hong Kong citizens are expected to suffer both short-term and longer-term health effects, such as numerous cancers, putting a burden on the local health system. "Excess hospitalization, extra treatment, we can translate to money value," said Wong Chit-ming, associate professor at The University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health. "It justifies the government to implement measures to improve the air." The government is attempting to make the public aware of the adverse health affects that the pollution causes by replacing the 18-year-old air pollution index with an air quality health index from December 30. In a recent report, published by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, introducing an emissions control zone can cut sulfur dioxide emissions in the Pearl River Delta region by as much as 95%. "What Hong Kong can probably benefit from is a renewed sense of urgency in addressing this issue," said Peter Levesque, American Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong Vice Chairman. "I think in general, Hong Kong understands that it can take the lead by doing what it can to fix the problems here and work with South China to have a regional solution."

Localized pollution from ships becoming a major contributor towards the city's smoggy skyline . Government is set to introduce legislation on shipping emissions from 2014 . Hong Kong has the most fatalities from sulfur emissions in the Pearl River Delta Region, according to a recent study .

(CNN) -- Oscar-winning actress Celeste Holm died at her home in New York on Sunday at the age of 95, her niece, Amy Phillips, confirmed. Holm, a star of the Broadway stage and movies, was admitted to New York's Roosevelt Hospital a week ago, but her husband took her home to her Manhattan home on Friday, Phillips said. "She passed peacefully in her home in her own bed with her husband and friends and family nearby," she said. Holm won the best supporting actress Academy Award for "Gentleman's Agreement" in 1947. She was nominated for the same honor in 1949 for "Come to the Stable" and 1950 for "All about Eve," according to the Academy database. Holm's stage career began in 1936 in a Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, stock company, which led to an understudy role in a touring production of "Hamlet" with Leslie Howard, according to her official biography. Her Broadway debut in "The Time of Your Life" in 1939 was a small part, but it brought her to the attention of New York critics. Four years later, she was cast as Ado Annie in the smash "Oklahoma!" because of her ability to "sing bad," the biography said. She signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox that began her film career in 1945, after she toured Europe entertaining troops with the USO. Her first Fox movie was "Three Little Girls in Blue" in 1946, a supporting role that earned her star billing for the musical "Carnival in Costa Rica" in 1947. Holm's stardom took off in her third film, "Gentleman's Agreement," in which she won the best supporting actress Academy Award for playing fashion editor Anne Dettry. Her official biography said she was challenged in "finding parts appropriate for this intelligent blonde who didn't fit their Betty Grable 'pin-up girl' mold." In 1949, however, she was cast as a "tennis-playing French nun in "Come to the Stable," which earned her another best supporting actress Oscar nomination, it said. Fox briefly suspended her in 1950 "for refusing other roles she felt were beneath her." But she was brought back that same year to play the role of Karen Richards in "All About Eve." She was again nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar. She shocked Hollywood by buying out her Fox contract after "All About Eve" to return to Broadway, despite her rising big screen stardom. Once back in New York, Holm also began a long career acting in television. Her TV resume includes dozens of series, starting as a guest actress with "All Star Revue" in 1950 and concluding with an episode of "Whoopi" in 2004. In between, she had her own short-lived series "Honestly, Celeste!" in 1954. She is also remembered as the Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella," a 1965 television show. She played Hattie Greene in both the "Touched by an Angel" and "Promised Land" TV series in the 1990s. The last decade of her life was overshadowed by a bitter legal dispute between one of her two sons and Holm's fifth husband, Frank Basile. She married Basile, who was 46 years younger than her, in 2004. Neither of her two sons was there in her Central Park West apartment when she died, Phillips said. She first married director Ralph Nelson in 1938, but the couple divorced the next year after the birth of a son, Ted, according to her official biography. Her second marriage, to English auditor Francis Davies, in 1940 also ended quickly, the biography said. Holm married airline public relations executive A. Schuyler Dunning in 1946. Her second son, Daniel, was born that year, but that marriage did not last, it said. In 1961, Holm married her fourth husband, actor Wesley Addy, whom she met while co-starring in the 1960 Broadway production of "Invitation to the March." They often acted onstage together during their marriage, which lasted until Addy's death in 1996. Holm was appointed to the National Arts Council by President Ronald Reagan, knighted by King Olav of Norway, and inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame, her family said. Her many charitable works include the chairmanship of Arts Horizons, an organization that brings the arts to school children through the Metropolitan area; The Actors Home of Englewood, New Jersey; and UNICEF. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available. The family asked that donations in her memory be made to Arts Horizons, The Actors Home and UNICEF. People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived .

Celeste Holm starred on Broadway, film and television . She "passed peacefully" with husband, friends, family nearby, her niece says . Holm won the best supporting actress Oscar for "Gentleman's Agreement" in 1947 . Funeral arrangements were not immediately available .

(CNN) -- When I was a kid I used to write fan letters to the Chicago Cubs. I was young and didn't know any better. But I watched these lovable losers every day on WGN, and was captivated by their famous play-by-play announcer who seemed to get delightfully sauced by the seventh inning. He was old and silly, and I idolized the man. "Mom, I want to be just like Harry Caray." "Oh, dear God." So, I would sit at the kitchen table and write letters to the players and announcers and, yes, even upper management. I was a weird kid. Someday they'll name a social disorder after me. Anyway, these letters were old-school pen and paper. They were simple, and completely low tech. To be honest, half the fun was waiting weeks on end for a response. This was long before the Internet, back when I actually had an attention span and the ability to form complete sentences. Those days are long gone. Thus, when news spread this week about a little boy in Houston who wrote -- yes WROTE -- an amazing letter to a Major League Baseball player, it sort of blew everyone's mind and went viral. Here's what happened. Back in July, young Lyle Raymond was at Minute Maid Park watching his beloved Astros take on the Seattle Mariners. Both teams had been playing terrible baseball all season, and, really, the only thing mildly interesting about this matchup was the fact that fans were actually sitting right there in the stadium as opposed to doing literally anything else with their time. Like setting themselves on fire. That said, many baseball stat nerds were also enjoying the fact that Kyle Seager of the Mariners was carrying a 15-game hitting streak. So, there was that. Eventually, in the fifth inning, the hot-handed Seager once again stepped up to the plate. Only, instead of extending the streak, he proceeded to launch his bat violently into the stands. Which was easily the most exciting thing to happen for either of these teams in quite some time. "Diane, wake up. There's flying wood." Yes, it was all loads of fun. Except that the bat landed on Lyle. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt. And, as an added bonus, he now held the enemy's sword. Remember, this was the very bat that was fueling Seager's 15-game hitting streak. Nevertheless, Lyle politely handed it back over. Of course, Seager promptly finished the game 0-4 because, clearly, just touching something or someone in Houston had plagued his bat with horrible luck. That's what Houston does. It ruins things. Still, it was a nice gesture from the kid. But Lyle didn't stop there. Later, the little boy took a moment from his day and wrote Seager a letter. And then he put it in an envelope. And put a stamp on it. And mailed it off to Seager's address. The United States Postal Service -- it's a real thing. Look it up on Wikipedia after you finish Snapchatting your gonads. Eventually, his note arrived. And that's when Seager's wife Tweeted: . Kyle just got the sweetest letter in the mail from the little boy who got hit by his bat in Houston. Julie Seager included a Twitter photo of the adorable hand-written letter which was made even more adorable by the fact that it was barely legible. Somehow, when a little kid writes like that, it's cute. When I do it I get a restraining order from Katy Perry's lawyer. Odd. Anyway, the letter read (with corrected spelling): . My name is Lyle Raymond. Your bat landed on me. I am OK. Thanks for giving me the thumbs up when you were on first base. I like the Astros but will cheer you on too. I gave back your bat because you had a big hitting streak with that bat. I hope you have more hits with that bat. Your fan, Lyle . Behold! The greatest human being on the planet. Really, there are two things that I love about this story. The first is that this little boy actually wrote a letter. It's so analog! But I'm also inspired that Lyle displayed more class and character than what we can reasonably expect from a child. So, let this be a lesson: Take the time to express kindness with written words. And to take it an important step further, also consider writing letters (or e-mails) not just when you've received crappy service, but ESPECIALLY when somebody has positively impacted your life or the life of others. Don't just fire off a furious e-mail to corporate headquarters when Southwest loses your luggage. Send them a message when the gate agent goes above and beyond to make sure you get on that early flight home to catch your daughter's flute recital. It's going to suck. But you should probably still be there. These things matter. And expressing gratitude and genuine kindness oddly requires far more effort than mindlessly tweeting off some nastygram from the computer in your mom's basement. Be like Lyle. It's so analog! Follow Jarrett Bellini on Twitter.

The bat of Kyle Seager flew into the stands at a game in Houston . Lyle Raymond was hit by the bat, but returned it to Seager . Raymond later wrote Seager the cutest fan letter ever .

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed and 31 others wounded in two rocket attacks Sunday afternoon in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Mehdi Army militiamen celebrate after attacking an Iraqi Army vehicle in Baghdad's Sadr City on Sunday. Earlier Sunday, fighting between U.S. troops and the Mehdi Army militia loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr left at least 20 dead and 52 wounded in Baghdad's Sadr City, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official. The U.S. military said it had no information about the Sadr City fighting. Sunday's violence came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded al-Sadr disband his Mehdi Army and threatened to bar al-Sadr's followers from the political process if the cleric refused. Watch a report from the front line in Sadr City » . "A decision was taken yesterday that they no longer have a right to participate in the political process or take part in the upcoming elections unless they end the Mehdi Army," al-Maliki said. Sunday's American fatalities bring the death toll of U.S. troops in the Iraq war to 4,022; that toll includes eight civilian contractors working for the Pentagon. Nearly 30,000 others have been wounded in action. An attack involving a "couple of rounds" of fire on the International Zone, also known as the Green Zone, killed two soldiers and wounded 17 others about 3:30 p.m., a military official said, declining to give the specific location of the attack for security reasons. A separate attack about 30 minutes earlier killed one soldier and wounded 14 at a U.S. military outpost in Rustamiya in southeastern Baghdad, the military said. Responding to al-Maliki's comments, a spokesman for al-Sadr, Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi, said that any effort to bar Sadrists from participation in politics would be unconstitutional -- and that any decision to disband the Mehdi Army is not the government's to make. "It is up to the side that established it," he said. Al-Maliki spoke in an exclusive interview with CNN after a weeklong military offensive against what Iraqi officials called gangs and militia members in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Hundreds were killed or wounded in the fighting across Iraq, which reportedly ended when Iranian and Iraqi Shiite officials held talks in Iran with al-Sadr. Asked about Iran's role in ending the Basra conflict, al-Maliki attributed the cease-fire to the work of his security forces. Haidar al-Abadi, an Iraqi lawmaker who belongs to al-Maliki's Dawa Party, said last week that Iranian officials participated in the discussions, and another source close to the talks said the Iranians pressured al-Sadr to craft an agreement. "I am not aware of such an attempt," al-Maliki said Sunday. "What happened on the ground and the breakdown in the structure of this militia is what made Muqtada al-Sadr issue his statement to withdraw his militants from the streets. What happened was something to save Muqtada, not to help us." Watch al-Maliki talk about issues that concern Iraq » . In northern Iraq, security forces detained a suspect Sunday and were searching for others in connection with the kidnapping of 42 college students, authorities said. Gunmen seized the male students in northern Iraq before releasing them several hours later, according to a military spokesman and police in Nineveh province. None was harmed, according to the U.S. military. Gunmen stopped two buses loaded with students who were on their way to college, but one bus managed to escape, police said. Four students on the bus that escaped were wounded by gunfire, police said. Students on the other bus were released Sunday afternoon after coalition military forces spotted the bus during an air patrol on the western outskirts of Mosul, according to a U.S. military news release. The kidnappers fled the vehicle after it was stopped, according to a military press release. Other developments . • A Christian priest was shot and killed in eastern Baghdad's Wihda neighborhood around noon Saturday, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official. The priest was identified as Father Yousif Adel. He belonged to St. Peter and Paul's Assyrian Orthodox Church. • At least two people were killed Saturday and 16 others wounded when a bomb exploded in a minibus in eastern Baghdad's Beirut Square, the official said. • President Bush is planning to address the nation Thursday morning about the Iraq war, sources said. Bush is expected to address the administration's decision to reduce combat tours of duty from 15 months to 12 months, Republican and Democratic sources said. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Nic Robertson, Jomana Karadsheh and Ingrid Formanek contributed to this report.

Rocket attacks kill 3 U.S. troops, wound 31 . Prime minister to ban Sadrists from politics if Mehdi Army not disbanded . One arrested in kidnapping of a busload of college students, police say . Interior Ministry official says militia fighting U.S. troops in Sadr City .

(CNN) -- She lives in Monaco, and she honed her skills in Marbella and Arizona -- but world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka was most definitely made in Minsk. Hurting from a slow start to her 2011 season, Azarenka wondered if professional tennis was really the career for her. A trip back home to Belarus and a chat with her beloved grandmother soon put her back on track. "She never really talked to me about tennis or anything specific, she just was explaining to me about when she was growing up," Azarenka told CNN's Open Court. "You just look at different perspective of things and I just realize, you know what, I'm so lucky to have an opportunity to do something that I really love and I'm here sitting and complaining about how hard my life is because I lost a tennis match when some people are really suffering with big troubles and they have a smile on their face." Since that conversation, Azarenka has won her first grand slam title at the Australian Open, thrashing the far more experienced Maria Sharapova in January's final to become the first player from Belarus to win a major singles crown. The 22-year-old has also claimed the No. 1 ranking, sparked by a 26-match winning start to this season that only ended in Miami last month. While she wants to avoid coming across, as she puts it, as a "Cinderella story," Belarus was hardly a hotbed of tennis talent when Azarenka was growing up, and her future was never mapped out. When she started working in a local tennis center, Azarenka's mother Alla needed a distraction for the young "Vika" so she could get on with her job. In desperation, Alla gave her daughter a racket and ball. "It was just fun for me to hit against the wall and one of the coaches saw me and asked me if I wanted to join the group and I was like, 'I don't know, I'm scared,' but I picked it up right away," Azarenka said. "We didn't even step on the court for the first year and a half. We played in a hall ... and there was 40 kids and we were so happy when we would hit one ball and wait five minutes for another one." When she wasn't part of the coaching group, Azarenka was hitting against a wall at the center. When she wasn't at the center, she would play against her grandfather at home with a soft ball and badminton rackets, using the sofa and bookshelves to make the tennis court. Azarenka eventually outgrew her surroundings. She trained in Spain briefly before eventually completing her tennis education in Scottsdale, Arizona. Moving away from home at the age of 15 was difficult, but Azarenka said: "I saw my goal in the tunnel and I just wanted to do absolutely everything to reach it." And she isn't done yet. With the top ranking and a major title in the bag, Azarenka has already moved on to new targets. With the French Open and Wimbledon approaching, she has recruited two-time grand slam champion and former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo to her coaching team. "I felt that she could help me in the way that my team probably never experienced before," Azarenka said of Mauresmo, who retired at the end of 2009. "She's been through everything all ready, so those extra details or something could help, that's what we always look for, something to be better." The Olympics also loom large. At the last Games in Beijing, Azarenka was "so hyper and so excited just to be there that I wasn't worried about playing, I was just worried about being there and collecting pins." She tried and failed to hunt down the autographs of record-breaking swimmer Michael Phelps and basketball's golden boy Kobe Bryant, but come August and the London Games, Azarenka will be one of the star attractions. Her trips home to Belarus, where she is an idol for thousands of children, have prepared her for the attention. "I do some kids clinics, and the last one I actually did in Minsk, kids came from outside the cities, it was like almost 300 kids on one tennis court and they all start pushing each other because they all wanted to play and I was supposed to play for only one hour," Azarenka said. "And I saw these kids, they were just like pushing each other and fighting and I said, 'Guys please stop fighting because I'll play with each one of you until everyone is done, I won't go home before that.' I was exhausted after that, but you have so much positive energy that it is just priceless." So while Azarenka might live in glamorous Monaco with neighbors like Caroline Wozniacki and Novak Djokovic, there is only one home. "My real home will always be Belarus where I'm from, and it can honestly never change."

Victoria Azarenka is the first player from Belarus to win a grand slam singles title . The 22-year-old has lost one match this season, and won 26, including four titles . The world No. 1 was introduced to tennis by her mother, who worked in a tennis center . Azarenka moved to the United States when she was 15, and now lives in Monaco .

(CNN) -- Riding through the streets of Moscow or flipping through channels of Russian TV, it's difficult to escape messages from the country's natural gas monopoly, Gazprom. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits the central control room at the Gazprom HQ, Moscow, January. "I'm driving under a huge Gazprom sign right now," Yuri Pogorely, vice-president of Interfax, the Russian business news wire, said in a phone interview. Television ad campaigns have promoted the company as a "national treasure" and, more recently, the business that makes "dreams come true." "It can make someone think, why does a Russian monopoly need this kind of branding? After all, there are other state-owned companies that don't present themselves as a symbol of Russia," Pogorely said. "But Gazprom is not just any company." If the Soviet Union promoted its interests through satellite states and military prowess, Russia today flexes its might on the global stage through its vast oil and natural gas fields. And no company exemplifies this more than Gazprom. "By reputation, it is the largest and most powerful Russian company," said Lev Snykov, an analyst with VTB Capital in Moscow. Watch Gazprom chief Alexander Medvedev explain future strategy » . But its strong-arm tactics in contract negotiations with the Ukraine -- shutting off gas supplies three times in the past four years at the height of winter -- have European Union customers looking for alternatives to their reliance on Russian natural gas. The company has the world's largest distribution system of gas, maintaining 97,560 miles (157,000 kilometers) of pipelines that stretch, like Russia, from the Far East to Europe. The perennial conflict with the Ukraine -- through which much of the natural gas supply of Eastern Europe flows -- is of deep concern to nations such as Germany and Greece, which depend on Russia for up to 50 percent and 90 percent of their natural gas, respectively. Gazprom saw its market share in the European Union drop in the second half of 2008. Gas exports from Russia to Europe dropped 33 percent in October alone, according VTB Capital. "The Ukraine conflict may have served as a catalyst for European customers to become more averse to Russian gas imports," says a VTB report on the Ukraine crisis. The Russian economy, reliant on commodities, is suffering because of the fluctuating oil market, down from its record of nearly $150 a barrel to about $60 today. As a result, Gazprom saw profits fall 84 percent in the last quarter of 2008, prompting the company to slash its dividend by 86 percent, to 11 cents a share. Russia has 20 percent of the world's gas reserves, and is the single-largest producer of natural gas. Gazprom posted profits of $30.8 billion last year -- down from $40 billion the year before -- and its business alone accounts for 10 percent of Russia's gross domestic product. So it's no surprise that Gazprom is a pet project of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. His replacement as president, Dmitry Medvedev, is a former chairman of the company. Putin's "interest in Gazprom is very deep. As a journalist who writes about energy issues, I've seen him give very detailed information and knowledge about what's happening with the company and company logistics," said Pogorely of Interfax. "When you hear him speak, it's like you're not talking to the prime minister of Russia, but one of the top company managers." Alexander Medvedev, deputy chief executive officer of Gazprom Exports, deflects questions about the perception that Gazprom is a tool of Russian government and energy policy. Watch Medvedev explain Gazprom's plans » . "Nobody is challenging the view that Gazprom is a very special company, that we have a mixed capital structure, the majority of our shares are in the hands of the Russian government," he said. "But the rest are in the hands of private shareholders, including private citizens all around the world." The company's goal is to become an energy leader with a diversified portfolio around the world, he said. "Like Alexander Ovechkin... not everyone enjoys him, but he's a leader, and we would like to perform as good as Ovechkin in hockey," he said, referring to the controversial Russian ice hockey star who was named Player of the Year this week by National Hockey League players. That sentiment echoes how Russians feel about Gazprom. A recent poll by the Public Opinion Foundation found one in five Russians under 26 would like to work for Gazprom. "In rural areas, Gazprom is dramatically important for people because of our harsh winters," Pogorely said. "Russians love someone big who sticks up for you. OK, sometimes they may not be very nice to you. But if he cares for you and makes your life better, that's OK," Pogorely said. "But if you're doing business in Russia, Gazprom is the power you wouldn't mess with."

Russia, single-largest natural gas producer, has 20 percent of global gas reserves . Gazprom business accounts for 10 percent of Russia's gross domestic product . Gazprom disputes with Ukraine has seen European nations wary of the company . Russian president and prime minister show strong interest in the company .

Boston (CNN) -- Over eight days of testimony, jurors in the trial of reputed mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger have seen tears from witnesses whose loved ones died in bloody gangland shootings, heard horror stories from victims who barely survived drive-by shootouts, and peered into the world of the mob through testimony from an old friend turned star government witness. And things are just warming up -- the trial, which is expected to take up to three months, enters just its third week on Monday. Bulger is charged in the deaths of 19 people during some two decades when prosecutors say he ran Boston's Irish mob. He also faces charges of extortion, racketeering and money laundering. After escaping a 1995 indictment, allegedly on a tip from a rogue FBI agent, Bulger went into hiding for 16 years, landing himself on the FBI's most wanted list before getting arrested with his girlfriend in Santa Monica California in 2011. Among highlights from the first two weeks of testimony: . -- In three days on the witness stand, former Bulger associate and hitman John Martorano casually detailed killing after killing, confirming to prosecutors that together he and Bulger were involved in 11 slayings, two of which put Bulger on the firing end of a gun in a killing. Bulger had admitted to another two murders he'd committed on his own, Martorano testified. -- A callous Martorano showed brief signs of emotion, telling the jury that when he found out Bulger was an FBI informant, "It broke my heart. It broke all loyalties." Martorano testified that he thought Bulger's FBI confidant, John Connolly, was just doing a favor to Bulger's well-respected politician brother by looking out for "Whitey" and the gang. He knew the crew was going to benefit from tips from inside the FBI, but he never though Bulger would become a "Judas" or "a person like an informant, a rat, a no good guy," which in "Southie" -- south Boston -- was the ultimate sin. -- Defense attorneys and prosecutors were at each others' legal throats all week, taking jab after jab while court was in session. In one spat, defense attorney Hank Brennan accused Martorano of being a liar in front of the jury, turning the room into a vacuum of tension. Prosecuting attorney Fred Wyshak fired off an objection before U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper put the kibosh on the ugly squabble with, "That's for the jury to decide." -- Two jurors were reduced to tears as one witness, 63-year-old Diane Sussman de Tennen, alternated between bouts of crying and attempts to smile as she recounted the night she was in a car that suddenly was riddled by bullets, leaving her then-boyfriend a quadriplegic for the remaining three decades of his life. She was riding in a car that Martorano and Bulger rained fire on in March on 1973, mistaking the driver with another gang-rival target, according to Martorano's earlier testimony. Jurors heard gripping testimony from three people who barely survived drive-by shootings, and seven family members of victims who died in alleged mob killings. -- Famed "Godfather" actor Robert Duvall was an unlikely spectator in the federal courtroom Friday morning. Duvall is expected to play a federal judge in an upcoming movie called "The Judge." A smiling Duvall became immediately stern when court was called into session, paying aggressive attention to Judge Casper. He sat with his hands propped on his knees, and listened intently to the testimony, methodically turning his head back and forth. Bulger sat through all eight days of it, mostly expressionless except for one notable moment. Whitey Bulger fast facts . His former bookmaker, Richard O'Brien, was on the witness stand describing a meeting between Bulger and a man who owed him money. When the man balked at paying, O'Brien said, Bulger told him, "We have a business besides bookmaking." "What's that?" the man asked. "Killing (expletive) like you," O'Brien quoted Bulger as saying. The 83-year old defendant threw his head back and let out a laugh. On Monday, the prosecution intends to introduce Bulger's full informant file, a 700-page document detailing his relationship with the FBI over 15 years. Jurors also will hear from former FBI Supervisor John Morris, who gained immunity after agreeing to testify about cash he accepted from Bulger in exchange for protecting the mobster from the law. Tensions in the courtroom are likely to be high in anticipation of a Morris-Bulger face-off. The jury will continue to hear from family members of alleged murder victims, law enforcement operatives from Bulger's past, and at least one more of his former associates in a trial that could last well into August.

Reputed mob leader 'Whitey' Bulger is charged in 19 deaths . His trial -- expected to take up to three months -- will enter week three Monday . So far, jurors have heard witnesses describe killings, and surviving bloody shootouts . Among those in the gallery -- famed "Godfather" actor Robert Duvall .

(CNN) -- When strangers hear Peter Jefferson's voice, they can't quite place it at first, and then it hits them: "I know you. You've been sending me to sleep for years." For anyone else it would be the greatest insult. For 68-year-old Jefferson, it's a testament to the very special connection people have with his mellifluous tone, even rhythm, and measured volume. It's a voice pharmaceutical companies could only dream of bottling. Why the sleepy fanfare? For over 40 years Jefferson was the man behind one of Britain's most cherished -- and baffling -- radio bulletins: the shipping forecast. Those living outside the United Kingdom may never have heard of this broadcasting curio, but sit tight. Snuggle under the covers, grab a mug of something warm, and prepare to be gently rocked by an ocean far far away. And if you still don't get it, don't worry too much. Neither do half the people who listen to it -- that's its magic. "And now, the shipping forecast..." When London rolled back the curtains for its Olympic opening ceremony last year, it took the world on a meandering journey through industrial folk songs, Beatles anthems, Mr Bean's piano-playing, and of course -- the shipping forecast. "Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, southerly or south easterly, six or seven. Fair, good..." What is it? A sat-nav gone bonkers? No, it's the weather conditions of 31 ocean regions around the United Kingdom, broadcast four times a day on BBC radio. First aired in 1924, the forecast has become both a life-saving bulletin for mariners, and a hypnotic litany of nonsensical seafaring phrases for the rest of us. "People listen to it late at night, tucked up in bed, perhaps at the end of a long day," said Jefferson, who read the forecast from 1969 to 2010. "It's been likened to poetry, to a prayer, it contains a lot of familiar phrases, words and names and places -- it's very comforting." Mysterious muse . Long before the 2012 Games, generations of artists have immortalized this mysterious muse of the air waves. Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, who passed away in August, dedicated a sonnet to the baffling bulletin: "Conjured by that strong gale-warning voice, Collapse into a sibilant penumbra." While English TV personality Stephen Fry had his own tongue-in-cheek rendition: "Blowy, quite misty, sea sickness. Not many fish around, come home, veering suggestively." Listen to Stephen Fry's rendition here . For such a treasured part of British culture, perhaps the greatest joy comes from not understanding the shipping forecast at all -- three minutes to let the mind wander among monotonous tones, far flung places, and random numbers. Avid listener Peter Collyer was so intrigued by these faceless places, he traveled to all 31 regions and painted what he saw -- often on the deck of a lurching ferry. "Everybody knows the names of these places but no one knows what it looks like," said 60-year-old Collyer, whose hazy watercolors appear in the book "Rain Later, Good: Painting the Shipping Forecast." "It's just a mesmerizing list of places and names. So I wanted to be the person to go out there and de-mystify it for them." Radio reigns . In an era when weather forecasts are only a Google-search away, why do people still tune into this old-fashioned bulletin, arguably the modern equivalent of the Sirens? Indeed, the forecast has changed little in the last eight decades, following a strict format of 350 words -- sometimes giving it a jumbled sound to the untrained ear. "It's the rhythm of it," said Jefferson, author of the book "And now the shipping forecast." "It's the magic of hearing about places you'll probably never go to." "A lot of people say it feels as though the shipping forecast is speaking to them, and them alone." The last and slightly longer announcement at 12.48am has become renowned for putting night owls to bed, with Jefferson receiving letters from listeners thanking him for his soothing words on restless nights. Life saver . That's not to say the shipping forecast doesn't have an important seafaring function. "It all came about because a while back there was such a horrendous loss of life at sea," said Jefferson. "People had no idea what the weather was going to be like when they went out on the water. "The shipping forecast was brought in, and has saved a lot of people's lives." For others, it's a different life-saver, transporting them each night to a watery world on the edge of imagination.

Can't sleep? Never fear, the shipping forecast is here . For almost 90 years, BBC radio's weather forecast has entranced listeners . Aired four times a day, the bulletin has been immortalized by artists . Life-saver for mariners, helped reduce deaths at sea .

(CNN) -- The Saudi lawyer who represented a gang rape victim had his disciplinary hearing for "insulting the Supreme Judicial Council and disobeying the rules and regulations" of the judiciary postponed to an unspecified date, according to The Associated Press. Abdul Rahman al-Lahem: "I believe I didn't do anything wrong." His client is a teenage rape victim who was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison for violating the kingdom's strict Islamic law by being alone with an unrelated man before the rape. The attacks took place in Qatif in March 2006 when the woman was 18 and engaged to be married. Her seven rapists were sentenced to between two to nine years in prison. Before the reported postponement Wednesday, Abdul Rahman al-Lahem said the rape case had elicited a fierce response, including calls for his beheading. "These opinions don't scare me, but they make me feel a disappointment that there are people who think this way. "I wish that those who oppose me could engage in a direct dialogue instead of calling for violence. Unfortunately, they are still stuck in a culture of closed-mindedness." Ahead of the postponement Al-Lahem, who has two daughters, predicted he would have his revoked license to practice law reinstated and said he would represent the Saudi woman again. The hearing has the power to disbar him. "I believe in the system and the law, and I believe I didn't do anything wrong," Abdul Rahman al-Lahem told CNN in a telephone interview from Riyadh on Tuesday. The Saudi judge who revoked al-Lahem's license last month did so to punish him for speaking to the media about his client, al-Lahem said. Under Saudi law, women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery. In challenging his possible suspension and disbarment, the 36-year-old attorney said he has received threats on his life from the religious right. But the foreign minister's call for a review of the case -- joined by "many voices" of al-Lahem's generation, as he put it -- have been encouraging, he added. "Young people in all fields are asking for reform, in the judicial system, media and elsewhere," he said. "I belong to a new generation of lawyers who know the law and know how to challenge judges about the law." He said his opponents' influence is on the wane. "They believe that any criticism of the judiciary system is a direct criticism of the Islamic Sharia law, and they consider that any criticism is a criticism of religion itself," he said. Al-Lahem singled out the chief judge in the Qatif Court's panel of three judges who revoked his license as being among those who fail to grasp that the world is changing. "He's used to lawyers who accept everything he says without questioning. I told him 'You misunderstood the law, your honor' and he couldn't take that." Al-Lahem said that, from the early 1990s until a few years ago, he was a religious fanatic. But he said he rejected extremism during law school and joined with the reformists, accepting human rights cases on a pro bono basis in addition to the commercial work that pays his bills. The rape victim's husband, who has been outspoken in her defense, moved al-Lahem to accept her case, he said. "I would be disgraced if I sit back and don't support these people who need me," he said. Al-Lahem described the woman's case as unusual only in the attention it has garnered, attention he welcomes. "One such case is better than thousands of speeches, lectures and theoretical articles," he said. Such cases "speak on behalf of the street and reached out to the ordinary people. This is my main reason for defending them." Though traditionalist judges and conservative lawyers accuse him of harming the kingdom's image by talking to the media, young people and reformists have offered their support, especially over the Internet, "where people are free to express their views," al-Lahem said. "The world is now a small village," he said. "What is happening in a small room can be known within seconds to the whole world." This is not the lawyer's first challenge to Saudi ways. He also represented a professor accused of holding views that offended Islam. "I defended him, and the king personally intervened" on his behalf, al-Lahem said. In another case, he sued the religious police, also known as the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, after they kidnapped a woman and beat her, "and then we proved that she was innocent." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Octavia Nasr contributed to this story. Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

Saudi rape victim's lawyer says case has elicited calls for his beheading . NEW: Abdul Rahman al-Lahem has had his disciplinary hearing postponed . Al-Lahem: "I belong to a new generation of lawyers" Lawyer singles out chief judge, says he fails to grasp world is changing .

(CNN) -- Saudi Arabia is often touted as among the most conservative places in the world, with women forbidden even to drive. But in terms of attitude toward women's freedom of choice in clothing, it's significantly more freethinking than some of its neighbors, a survey of seven Muslim-majority countries suggests. Nearly two out of three people in Saudi Arabia believe women should keep everything but their eyes covered when they are in a public place -- but at the same time, nearly half say it is up to a woman to dress however she wants. That puts it on a level with socially liberal Lebanon, and ranks it as far less conservative than Iraq, Pakistan or Egypt. "Saudi Arabia is not as conservative as it appears. Definitely on some level there is a considerable liberal leaning," said Mansoor Moaddel, the lead author of the study. That could be partly a reaction to the conservative leadership, he said. "Saudi has had a religious government for a long time. People tend to develop an oppositional attitude," he argued. The findings come from a report published by the Middle Eastern Values Study of the University of Michigan's Population Studies Center. It suggests Egypt is, in terms of gender relations, the most conservative country in the study by some distance. Only 14% of Egyptians believe women should be allowed to choose how they dress, the lowest level in the survey. Egyptians are also the most likely to say that a woman should be required to obey her husband -- only one Egyptian in 20 disagreed. Moaddel does not link Egyptian conservatism to religion. "Egyptians have become more sexist in the past decade. They have become less religious, less supportive of Sharia (Islamic law), but on the issue of gender, more conservative," he said. "The problem with Egypt is not just religion, it is an intellectual trend. It is hard to say what caused the Egyptians to become less supportive of gender equality," he said, but suggested it could be due to general social turmoil. "When there is a high level of social insecurity, people tend to fall back on traditional values," he said. His study is primarily an investigation of social attitudes in Tunisia, which the report labels the birthplace of the Arab Spring, toward a wide variety of subjects including political engagement, national identity, secularism and violence against Americans. But it delves into comparisons between Tunisia and six other countries: Saudia Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Pakistan. In one of the survey's most striking questions, researchers showed people pictures of women with six different types of head covering, ranging from the full-body burqa to no covering at all. They asked people to say which was the most appropriate way for women to dress in public. Across the seven countries, the most popular answer was a tight-fitting white scarf that completely covered the hair and ears but showed the entire face -- a type of hijab. Just over half of Egyptians chose that option, as did well over half -- 57% -- in Tunisia, and just under half in Iraq and Turkey. But there were significant differences from country to country. Lebanon was the most liberal, with nearly half (49%) of respondents saying women should not wear any head covering at all, and another 12% opting for a loosely-fitting headscarf that showed some hair. At the same time, only 49% said it should be up to a woman to choose how she dresses. Turkey, which for decades banned women from wearing headscarves in public and is now in the middle of a controversy over the subject, was arguably the next most liberal country after Lebanon. One in three (32%) said a woman should not wear any head covering, while another 17% chose the loose headscarf. Just over half (52%) of Turks said a woman should be allowed to choose how she dresses. Saudi Arabia was the most conservative in terms of personal opinion, with about two out of three people (63%) saying a woman should wear a niqab, covering the entire head and face, showing only the eyes. Another 11% picked the full burqa, showing nothing at all of a woman's head and including a mesh over the face. And yet Saudi Arabia fell in the middle of the pack in terms of whether women should be allowed to choose what they wear, with 47% supporting it. Only Saudi Arabia had more than token support for the burqa, with just 4% supporting it in Iraq, 3% backing it in Pakistan, and numbers even lower in the other countries. Surveys were carried out between January 2011 and June 2013 for the study, "The Birthplace of the Arab Spring: Values and Perceptions of the Tunisian Public in a Comparative Perspective." The study was based on interviews with 2,005 people in Saudi Arabia and at least 3,000 in each of the other countries. The report, published in December, did not say what the margins of error were. The seven countries include several but not all of the most populous countries in the broader Middle East, from North Africa to South Asia. .

A tight-fitting scarf is the most appropriate thing for a woman to wear, Middle Easterners say . Nearly half of Saudis say a woman should be allowed to choose what she wears . Egypt is the most conservative country in the region by some measures . The findings come from a survey of seven countries across the Middle East .

(CNN) -- Bill Maher, the man famous for hating religion, is now becoming infamous for hating one religion in particular: Islam. On last week's episode of his HBO show, "Real Time," Maher got into a heated exchange with Ben Affleck over Maher's use of sweeping generalizations to define Islam. In fact, Affleck went as far as to dub Maher's views of Muslims as "gross" and "racist." (Maher had no Muslims on the panel in discussing Islam -- but that is typical for his show.) Maher's anti-Muslim comments are nothing new. I first noticed Maher's Muslim problem in 2010 when he said on his show, "The most popular name in the United Kingdom, Great Britain -- this was in the news this week -- was Mohammed. Am I a racist to feel that I'm alarmed by that? Because I am. ... I don't have to apologize, do I, for not wanting the Western world to be taken over by Islam in 300 years?" This was not about so called "radical Islam." Rather, Maher seemed alarmed that Muslims were growing in population. Flash forward to 2012, when Maher discussed how women are unfairly treated in certain Muslim countries, which is truly an issue deserving of discussion. But Maher chose not to rely on facts; instead, he offered anecdotal evidence to support his argument, saying things like, "Talk to women who've ever dated an Arab man. The results are not good." Well, my Sicilian mother not only dated an Arab man, she married him. And by all accounts, "the results" were great. Maher kept on advancing stereotypes about an entire people based on little evidence. He ratcheted up his anti-Muslim commentary while a guest on "Charlie Rose" last month. He said that it is "naive" to think that Islam isn't more violent than other religions and mocked President Obama for commenting that the terror group ISIS was not Islamic. Maher's remarks dismayed American Muslims across the country but won applause from all the hosts on Fox News' "The Five." When you're a progressive and a gaggle of Fox News hosts praises your views, you know something is seriously wrong. In recent weeks on his show, Maher gave us a long rant rallying liberals to stand up to Islam. For support, he cited the high instance of female genital mutilation in the Muslim-majority countries of Somalia and Egypt. Look, I agree with Maher that FGM is horrific. But as religious scholar Reza Aslan pointed out on CNN, FGM is based on African culture -- not Islam. African Christian-majority nations also have very high rates of FGM. In fact, there are far fewer reported cases of FGM in Muslim nations outside of Africa. Maher continued his personal jihad by claiming that Islam is like the Mafia, in that you will be killed if you attempt to leave the faith. Maher then cited a Pew Research poll that he claimed found that 90% of Egyptians supported the death penalty for those who left Islam. I'm not sure where Maher got his numbers, but a 2013 Pew poll actually found only 64% of Egyptians supported this -- still alarmingly high, but not 90%. More importantly, Egypt does not define the Muslim world. Rather, Egypt is simply one of 47 Muslim-majority nations. That same poll found that in Turkey, a nation that has almost as many Muslims as Egypt, less than 5% supported the death penalty for leaving Islam. Maher also has left out that only 13 Muslim nations have penalties for apostasy, while 34 do not. So who truly defines Islam? To Maher, clearly it's the worst of our faith. That's something you would expect to hear from a far-right bigot, not a liberal. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who was also a guest on last week's show, attempted to make that very point. Kristof, who was interrupted before finishing his thought, remarked about Maher's comments on Islam: "This does have a tinge a little bit of how white racists talk about African-Americans." Kristof was right. How can Maher not see that he's mimicking that same type of hateful mindset? I'm all for a discussion of the need to reform the laws in certain Muslim countries, especially on issues of rights for women, minority faiths and gays. But painting all Muslims by the most extreme of our faith is wrong. This is the kind of bigotry that Maher would've rallied against in the past. My fellow liberals should no longer give Maher a pass. His continuous drumbeat of reckless comments about Muslims is contributing to a climate where American Muslims are increasingly seen as "the other" -- or worse, as the enemy. Just because Maher is progressive on certain issues does not excuse his bigotry on this issue.

Dean Obeidallah: Bill Maher is becoming infamous for bashing Islamic religion . Obeidallah: Maher has made a series of anti-Muslim comments that some call racist . Painting all Muslims by the most extreme of our faith is wrong and reckless, he writes . Obeidallah: Just because Maher is progressive does not excuse his bigotry on this issue .

(CNN) -- What kind of people spend thousands of dollars transforming their front yard into a landscape of tombstones and singing skeletons, complete with a haunted maze and "Bone Yard Band," in the name of Halloween? A retired kindergarten teacher and his cooperative wife, of course. At this time of year, however, Gary and Mary Server are known to neighbors as "Scary Gary" and "Bloody Mary." Now in its eighth year, Haunted Hollow is a local attraction in Clarence Center, New York, making it one of many homegrown spooky houses to pop up across the country this Halloween season. With professional haunts costing more than $20 per person in some places, proprietors of homemade affairs say they are hosting more and more visitors each year. "Scary Gary" and "Bloody Mary" don't ask for money to enter Haunted Hollow, but they accept donations, which they give in full to the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo. Two years ago, they raised more than $5,000, Gary Server said. "My wife and I love Halloween. Also, since I enjoy children so much and they have been such a large part of my life as a teacher, it makes Halloween even more enjoyable to do something for them," he said. "We call it 'family frightful.' We don't do gore or blood. It's a chance for families to spend old-fashioned, quality time together. What's better than that?" It's not unusual for families to spend hours exploring Haunted Hollow, because there's so much to see, he said. There's an hourly light show and a graveyard of 100 tombstones, ghouls and monsters named for their grandson, Josh. A homemade hearse contains a "Bone Yard Band" of animatronic singing skulls. A crowd favorite, Victor the Talking Skeleton, communicates to visitors from his cage with the help of a remote microphone and an infrared camera monitored by one of Server's buddies from his living room. Do-it-yourself Halloween decorating 101 . A maze in the four-car garage leads you to a caged "insane asylum" of fright flick favorites including Michael Myers, Freddie Kruger and Jason. CNN iReporter Deanna Rodrigues visited Haunted Hollow last Saturday with her 4-year-old son and spent nearly two hours exploring. Her son's favorite attraction was the garage maze, which has an electric chair that rattles and groans and lets off smoke when you sit on it, she said. "He had a good time. He didn't want to leave," she said. "Real live ghouls roam around the stand behind bushes and 'boo' you." It's a large undertaking to set the scene for thousands of visitors each year. Dozens of friends pitch in and they get a little help from students who volunteer for high school credit, which is why they do it every other year, Server said. "It's really a lot of fun but we do it every two years because it's much work. It takes us three months to get ready," he said. Kimberly Stegman and Andrew Adkins of Springdale, Ohio, also take several months to prepare their House of Hell, a graveyard of zombies and monsters that has grow in size over the past eight years. Each year brings more visitors, Adkins said. About 300 visitors came by last weekend, not including the retirement home bus and hayride that passed by. The house on Glen Sharon Road has also become a local legend. iReporter Greg Reese made a point of visiting Saturday after missing it last year. As he pulled his car up to the house, he was greeted by a chainsaw-wielding Jason from the movie "Halloween." "Others down the street are starting to dress up their house because of the response," Reese said. "He obviously takes a lot of time on the creatures." The couple don't charge visitors a fee to view the collection of 17 zombies and monsters, each of which Adkins makes by hand. This year's new addition: the infamous scene from "The Exorcist" of the possessed young girl strapped to a bed. It was simple, really, he said. A nurse friend gave him a gown and scrubs for clothes, and he made the body out of packing foam and the bed from wood left over at work. "The thing that cost the most was the mask of her face, which I found online. But I didn't like how it looked so I painted over it to make it look better," he said. It's a true labor of love that goes back to childhood, when he'd construct his own tombstone decorations of cardboard for his mother's home. "I love Halloween, it's just like Christmas," he said. "As much as I like Halloween and horror movies, I'll keep doing it until I can't anymore. I have more space in the backyard so I'll probably end up there next year."

Homeowners take joy in transforming property into Halloween attractions . Haunted Hollow in upstate New York hosts thousands of visitors each year for free . Andrew Adkins made each of the 17 creatures on his lawn in Ohio by hand . "I love Halloween. It's just like Christmas," he says .

London (CNN) -- A portrait artist promises to capture more than a photograph is ever able to: more than just a glimpse of a person's external appearance, a portrait can display a person as they truly are. But how does the artists do it? Jonathan Yeo is one of Britain's greatest portrait artists. Some of the world's most famous people -- Tony Blair, Nicole Kidman, Damien Hirst, Kevin Spacey, Prince Phillip, and Malala Yousafzai among them -- have sat to have their image -- and something of their essence -- captured by him. Here, he meets prima ballerina Tamara Rojo, artistic director and star dancer at the English National Ballet, and explains how to create a stunning portrait -- from choosing a subject to immortalizing them in paint - broken down into a series of six-second Vines. You want to choose people you're going to find interesting company. It doesn't even matter if you end up not liking them, if you find them interesting, then that makes for an interesting painting. It's only if you find someone boring, then that tends to make the whole process harder. At the start you're trying to get the overall shape of the picture and the composition. It's tricky when someone has got a very interesting and beautiful face. I'm torn between wanting to make it close up [to the face] -- and make it about the expression and intensity -- but at the same time the whole composition is really interesting. Sometimes you get lucky and it happens very quickly and the first idea works well, and you get stuck straight in. Sometimes it takes several goes. You might start one and not like it. Or you might like some bits of it, and start it again using some parts and not others. A portrait is basically a document of a relationship between the artist and the sitter, and that kind of changes as you get to know each other. What I'm doing is, although I'm using paint, I'm kind of drawing. The advantage of drawing straight onto the canvas is, the bits I like, I'll keep -- and then it could be that it'll stay as a study. Or it might be that I'll do another layer and another layer and then It'll become more three dimensional. At this stage you don't necessarily know what's going to happen. The idea is that I start by laying down an under-layer of the picture, probably in quite muted colors, like I'm doing here. And then once you're happy with the idea of it, that it's on the right lines, then I don't have to be quite so fixed or concentrating so hard. Actually, you start talking more and it's partly then you see the animation in people's faces. And then that's what makes the thing come alive. You've got very good, very strong eyes. It's important to get that right -- more than anything else. Sometimes it can take quite a long time but if you do get it right, that's sort of the way into the picture, it's the thing that captures someone's attention when they glance at it. If you get that right, it's hard for people to look away. It's a very powerful thing. You can't fake it. If someone doesn't have very interesting eyes, then you can't pretend. We are interested in faces more than other things. It's natural, we get so much more information about what's going on from other people's faces, expressions and reactions. So much of how we communicate isn't conscious, it's about how our faces react or don't react or betray how we're thinking or emphasize or exaggerate what we're saying, or contradict it. If people really want to look at it while I'm doing it, I'll let them, but on the basis that they don't say anything to me about it. Maybe right at the end I'll ask what they think, but in the middle you don't want anything that will influence or distort what you're planning on doing to it. It's not often easy to judge at the time when you've just done something whether it's good or not. You might like something on the day because it's what you were trying to do, but sometimes the best ones happen by accident. Because if it wasn't what you were trying to do that day, you don't see it as a success. And it's only by putting it away, forgetting about it, working on something else, coming back and finding it after, that you see it fresh and then you can be more objective about it. It's nice having someone sit, but at the same time, the most interesting people are busy and haven't got all day. Some things you can do without the person -- the dress and the pose you can do from the photos -- but then you try to get people back to sit for you for the face and the expression, . For that bit, the photo doesn't tell the whole story: you want to see, not just how someone looks, but how a person moves and how they react to things, and if you can get those things in, that's what makes it come alive, really, and makes it more interesting than a photo.

Master portrait artist Jonathan Yeo explains how he paints a portrait in six second Vines . Discover: Who to choose to be your subject . Learn: How to build from basics . Remember: What to do when things go wrong .

(CNN) -- In the star-studded world of supergroups, where musical acumen and bloated egos often co-exist, it's not unheard of band members to not talk to each other. But in the case of AfroCubism, the all-star band consisted of renowned Malian and Cuban musicians, the reason for the group's lack of verbal communication is much more straightforward: the band's members simply don't understand each other's language. "We cannot even speak together on stage," says kora maestro Toumani Diabate, one of Mali's premier musicians and a member of AfroCubism. "Music has created its own language -- it's the music message, and I think the message is true to the audiences [and] to the world also at the same time." United by the universal language of music, the members of AfroCubism, which also include legendary Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa and Malian griot singer Kasse Mady Diabate blend the desert-inspired sounds of West Africa with Cuba's soul-stirring grooves. For Diabate, one of Africa's most revered musicians, this is not the first time he fuses different sounds to break down musical barriers. The masterful musician is well-known internationally for his daring and innovative musical partnerships -- his long list of collaborators include Damon Albarn, Bjork and the London Symphony Orchestra. Read more: Guitar hero of the desert . "The fusion is to give and to learn," says Diabate. "This meeting is like fighting but in a positive way. The old musicians from Mali, the old stars, it's like, 'OK, I'm here, I'm playing,' and the Cubans also say the same. So, we take care of our culture, they are taking care of their culture...so we put the both music together to become a new music." Yet, this cultural crossover took years to become a reality -- back in 1996, a group of Malian musicians were invited to Havana to record with Cuban singers and musicians. The musicians from West Africa, however, never made it to Cuba -- visa problems, lost passports or better-paid concerts elsewhere have all been cited as reasons over the years. Read more: Street musicians unite world through songs . With a studio already booked, the album's producers decided to carry on with the project, using the talents of some of Cuba's greatest musicians, many of whom were retired or had been long forgotten. The resulting album, the now-famous "Buena Vista Social Club," went on to become a global hit, winning several music awards and selling millions of albums. But some 14 years later, the Malian and Cuban musicians finally got a chance to play and record together in Madrid, Spain. Their 2010 long-awaited studio offering received a Grammy nomination last year for "Best World Music Album." The band is currently on their second North American tour, spreading their vibrant sounds to new audiences. On stage, Diabate's masterful playing shines though as he brings the unique sound of the kora, a 21-string harp-like instrument from West Africa, to the forefront. "I tried to open a new door for the kora in the world," he says. "Today, I'm very happy the kora can fit on electronic music, fit in folk music, blue grass, it's fantastic." Read more: Somali rapper makes songs in the key of love . An ambassador for West African music, Diabate has won two Grammy awards, while his first album, "Kaira" -- which he recorded in 1986 aged 21 -- is regarded as the first ever solo kora album and remains a best-seller to this day. His mission today is to keep the thrilling sound of the kora alive, expanding its reach beyond the continent. "Cuba and Mali, we are two number one culture countries in the world," says Diabate. "In the 1960s a lot of countries in Africa got their independence and we had a very good relation with Cuba -- musicians from Mali were taken from Mali, going to Cuba to study how to write and to read the music -- not to play the music because we already knew how to play the music -- and we still have this kind of relation still running about culture and style." Watch: Malian kora master Diabate at work . Diabate says AfroCubism songs prove once again that music has the power to bring people together. "We are singing about love, we are singing about peace, we are singing about understanding and respect and spirituality," he says. "They [Cuban musicians] are happy 200% in what they are playing when we play together and we, from Mali, are happy 200% too -- we are enjoying, we are playing and then audience sees more and you can see in the face of the audience -- [they are] happy, very happy, dancing, enjoying themselves."

Kora master Toumani Diabate is one of Africa's most famous musicians . His newest band, AfroCubism, blends together the sounds of West Africa and Cuba . The long-awaited band received a Grammy nomination last year for "Best World Music Album" Diabate's mission is to keep the sound of the kora alive .

Washington (CNN) -- Union leaders, the White House and congressional Democrats have agreed to limit the reach of a tax on high-end health insurance plans that would help pay for a proposed overhaul of the U.S. health care system, union leaders involved in the talks said Thursday. The proposed thresholds for taxing health plans will be raised from $23,000 to $24,000 for families and from $8,500 to $8,900 for individuals, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters. Dental and vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he said. Health plans covered by union contracts would not be subject to the 40 percent tax until 2018 -- a transition period union leaders said is comparable to those offered to other private insurers. The threshold for taxing other plans will be adjusted by 1 percent above the annual rate of inflation, and plans involving large numbers of women or the elderly will get breaks as well, Trumka said. The changes will reduce the $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years by about $60 billion, he said. And union plans would be able to enter the health care exchanges set up under the bill in 2017, he said. The tax on what have been dubbed "Cadillac" health care plans is a key feature of the Senate health care bill, but it has drawn opposition from Democrats in the House of Representatives and from unions. President Obama, who has made health care his top priority in Congress, supports the excise tax as a way to contain the rise of health-care costs. Trumka and other top union officials have held a series of talks at the White House for the past three days as congressional negotiators tried to merge the two bills together. He warned earlier this week that congressional Democratic candidates could risk losing labor's support if the final bill included a tax on high-cost health plans. But he said that despite all-but-total Republican opposition in both houses of Congress, supporters of health care reform stood "on the threshold of a milestone." "We don't look at this as the end of our fight for real reform, but another step along the way in the quest for real reform," Trumka said. Labor leaders said the changes they negotiated would help not only union members, who make up about 12 percent of the U.S. work force, but all working families. But Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, dismissed the plan as "a sweetheart deal." "Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to this bill," he said. "Another sweetheart deal isn't going to turn that around." A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday found much stronger support for the financing plan in the House bill, which would impose a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on incomes higher than $500,000 for individuals or $1 million for couples. The survey found 61 percent of the public favors the House provision, while the Senate bill drew 29 percent support. Trumka told reporters that leading Democrats were behind the compromise. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said she had not seen anything in writing Thursday evening. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, a leading opponent of the excise tax, said the proposal was more fair than the current Senate bill. "However, the devil is in the details, and I will reserve judgment on any compromise until I have had the time to review the proposal," he said in a written statement. Obama did not directly address the plan as he addressed reporters ahead of a House Democratic Caucus meeting Thursday night. But he dared Republicans to run in the November midterm elections on a platform of rolling back "something that Washington has been talking about since Teddy Roosevelt was president." "If Republicans want to campaign against what we've done by standing up for the status quo and for insurance companies over American families and businesses, that is a fight I want to have. If their best idea is to return to the bad policies and the bad ideas of yesterday, they are going to lose that argument." Democratic negotiators planned to return to the White House late Thursday. A senior leadership aide said Democratic leaders and White House officials want to send the bulk of the health care package to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate soon -- even as soon as the end of this week. The aide said the controversial issues of abortion and immigration are not likely to be resolved by then, but because they would have no impact on the cost of the bill, negotiators could work out those details separately. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said negotiators are working to get agreement on the overall health care package by the end of this week. "That's been the goal. But it's a goal, it's not a deadline," Hoyer said. CNN's Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett, Lisa Desjardins and Matt Smith contributed to this report.

AFL-CIO chief says threshold for taxing high-end health insurance plans will rise . Dental, vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he says . He says $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years to be cut by $60 billion . Obama challenges Republicans to run in 2010 against changes to health system .

(CNN) -- Marikana lies on South Africa's platinum belt, where the world's richest deposits of the metal are located. Together with Russia, South Africa produces 90% of the world's platinum demand. The people of Marikana know the land is mineral rich, and last year they demanded a taste of that wealth. In August 2012 thousands of workers at a Marikana mine owned by Lonmin, a London-based firm, went on a wildcat strike, demanding better wages and improved living conditions. 34-year-old Mgcineni Noki was among them. "All we want is more money," he told CNN at the time. "As you can see, we are not fighting, we are just sitting here, waiting for the employer to address our demands so we can go back to work." But Noki never made it back to work. He and 33 others were gunned down by police in the bloodiest labor dispute in South Africa since the end of apartheid. Police say they acted in self-defense against a mob of protesting miners armed with clubs and machetes. A commission of inquiry was set up to probe the incident, but a year later the inquiry is incomplete and marred by delays. Amnesty International has criticized the South African government for failing to hold those responsible for the massacre responsible. Noel Kututwa, the group's deputy program director for Africa, said: "The long-term consequences for the respect and protection of human rights in South Africa will be severe should the South African authorities fail in taking all necessary steps to achieve accountability". CNN tracked down Noki's family on South Africa's Eastern Cape, where most of the dead miners hailed from. The family says they have no choice but to wait and hope that justice will be served -- but in the meantime, they're preoccupied just trying to survive. Noki's sister, Nolufefe, said Noki's five children, wife, siblings, nephew and niece all depended on his pay. He sent $200 home every month to ensure they didn't go to bed hungry. "He was responsible for everything in this household. First our parents died, then our eldest brother," Nolufefe said. "He was our last hope". Now they survive on an $80 grant she gets from the government for taking care of her deceased brother's daughter. Labor unions say the average South African mine worker supports at least eight dependents. Last year many were given hefty pay hikes after the series of strikes in the platinum belt, but as production costs rose, mass retrenchments have followed and poverty is on the rise. Back in Marikana the community is finding it hard to cope with the loss of jobs and loss of life. "We have seen a series of suicides," said Chris Molebatsi, a field researcher with the Bench Marks Foundation, a non-profit group that monitors corporate social responsibility in South Africa's mining sector. At least 10 people who witnessed last year's massacre have taken their own lives since then, according to the group. Two of them were policemen who were on duty that day. Molebatsi said the appalling living conditions of mining communities in South Africa have been a source of despair for years -- and he believes nothing has changed as a result of the tragedy in Marikana. Lonmin has announced several initiatives aimed at improving its relationship not only with workers but with the communities where they mine. New CEO Ben Magara said the firm has made land available for housing and will build infrastructure and a recreation center with a library. The people of Marikana say they have heard promises like these before. But their anger is not just aimed at the mining company; the resentment of the government is palpable here. Million of dollars in royalty fees paid by the industry into a government administered banking account have allegedly vanished, and three independent probes have been launched to trace the cash that was meant to improve the lives of mining communities. Meanwhile, violence continues to plague South Africa's platinum belt. Another 20 people were killed following last year's massacre, according to labor unions, and experts say the conditions that led to the tragedy still haven't been addressed. "South Africa changed politically in 1994, but not economically," Moeletsi Mbeki, an economic analyst, told CNN. "The relationships of exploitation that are 350 years old have not changed." "We are more likely to have Marikana's more often," he continued. "If you look at the negotiations in the gold mining sector now, they're demanding 100% (pay rises) and so on. If they don't get what they want they will go on strike. The state depends on mining revenue, so it will try to force them back to work, and that is where you will see more violence." This is a sad and disturbing scenario for a country whose economy was built on and still revolves around the mining sector.

In August 2012, workers at a Marikana mine demanded better wages and living conditions . Thirty four of them were shot by police in South Africa's bloodiest labor dispute since apartheid . A year later, a commission of inquiry set up to probe the incident is incomplete . CNN tracked down the family of Mgcineni Noki, 34, who was killed in the attack .

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The mysterious disappearance of Flight AF 447 over the Atlantic Ocean has fueled speculation among aviation experts about what caused the state-of-the-art airliner to come down. An airliner is struck by lightning strike at Washington's Dulles airport last year. According to Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence about 02:15 a.m. local time Monday (10:15 p.m. ET Sunday), three hours after the jet carrying 228 people left Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for Paris, France. At that point, the plane's automatic system initiated a four-minute exchange of messages to the company's maintenance computers, indicating "several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down." The jet, which was flying at 35,000 feet and at 521 mph, also sent a warning that it had lost pressure, the Brazilian air force said. Its last known contact occurred at 02:33 a.m., the Brazilian air force spokesman added. The assumption is that these electrical problems led to a catastrophic failure of the aircraft's controls. What brought Flight AF 447 down? » . Some experts have said that a lightning strike was a possibility, particularly since the plane disappeared in a storm-prone area along the equator known as the Intertropical Convergence zone (ITCZ). This is where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge. The intense sun and warm water of the equator heats the air in the ITCZ, raising its humidity and making it buoyant. Aided by the convergence of the trade winds, the buoyant air rises, releasing the accumulated moisture in an almost constant series of thunderstorms. The airliner's route » . According to CNN's Mari Ramos, these storms can reach altitudes of 52,000 ft -- way beyond the capacity of commercial airliners to fly over. Watch more about the weather systems » . Retired airline pilot John Cox told CNN that modern aircraft receive a constant stream of real time weather data which allows them to plot a course around storms. "Because safety is the paramount concern, airliners don't fly into storms. They fly around them," he said. "The ITCZ is no different. Planes fly through it every day. "At 8 miles per minute, modern jets can easily fly around storms. Even if they encounter turbulence, they're designed to absorb it." When lightning strikes a plane, the bolt typically hits a sharp part of it, such as a wing tip. Huge amounts of energy surge through the aircraft before exiting out of another sharp point, such as the tail. But sometimes high voltages can cause electrical damage if components are not well-grounded. Unlike other aircraft where the pilot's controls are manually attached to the flaps and rudders, Airbus 330 airliners are equipped with a "fly by wire" system that sends electronic signals from an onboard computer to move key control surfaces. Experts say that it is possible for this system and its back-up computers to be disabled by lightning. "If you have a massive electrical problem it's possible that you could cut off all the commands out to the control surfaces," said aeronautics expert John Hansman. However, Kieran Daly, from the online aviation news service Air Transport Intelligence, told CNN that this scenario, while not impossible, is inconceivable. "It's more likely that lightning would cause a fire or punch a hole through the aircraft structure," he said. "It could be significant that the jet reported a loss of pressure." He added that the aircraft would be able to continue without the fly-by-wire system. The "trim tab," which enables the pilot to manually manipulate controls such as the rudder, would allow the crew to fly the aircraft safely. "Pilots are routinely trained for these kinds of events in a simulator," he said. Former Airbus pilot John Wiley said on average every airliner is hit by a strike once a year. "They don't go down," he said. According to Air France, the captain of Flight AF 447 had a record of 11,000 flight hours and had already flown 1,700 hours on Airbus A330/A340 aircraft. Of the two first officers, one had flown 3,000 flight hours (800 of which on the Airbus A330/A340) and the other 6,600 (2,600 on the Airbus A330/A340). The aircraft had totaled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005. Its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009.

Air France Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence . CEO: "Several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down" Some experts have said that a lightning strike was a possible cause . Flight 447, traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, was carrying 228 people .

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government announced Friday that more than 4,000 former Gurkha soldiers are entitled to settle in Britain, but Gurkha supporters quickly denounced the measure as meaningless. Former Gurkha solider Tulbahadur Pun was awarded Britain's highest honor for bravery, the Victoria Cross. Supporters have fought for years for more rights for the Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers who have been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years. Gurkhas have fought alongside the British Armed Forces in every conflict in that period, including both world wars, and are known for their ferocity and pride. Despite their centuries of service, Gurkhas were not given the right to settle in the United Kingdom until 2004. And even then the order applied only to those discharged after the British handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, when the Gurkhas Brigade moved from Hong Kong to Britain. The government's announcement Friday applies to all Gurkhas, including those who left the army before 1997, if they meet one of five criteria. It also says around 6,000 of the Gurkhas' dependents may be able to apply for settlement in Britain as well. "The guidance honors the service, commitment, and gallantry of those who served with the Gurkhas Brigade," Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said in a written statement. The Gurkha Justice Campaign, however, said the government's criteria for the Gurkhas' resettlement are unrealistic and too difficult for many of the soldiers to meet. "Only a tiny fraction of the Gurkhas who retired before 1997 will win settlement rights under the new policy," the campaign said. "The campaign for full Gurkha justice will now be taken back into Parliament and the courts. The government needs to know they will have a huge campaign against them who will commit to righting this wrong." The High Court ruled last September that the 1997 cut-off date was fair, but added that caseworkers needed revised guidance on deciding the cases of Gurkhas discharged before that date. Under the guidance, Gurkhas discharged before 1997 must meet one of five criteria to be considered for resettlement in Britain: . • Have three years' continuous residence in Britain, before or after service; • Have close family settled in the United Kingdom; • Have an award for gallantry, leadership, or bravery while in the brigade; • Have a chronic medical condition attributable to or made worse by army service; • Have served for 20 or more years. Actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served in the Gurkhas while she was a girl, has been an outspoken campaigner for their rights. She said the new criteria are harsher than she expected. "They've given five bullet points which virtually cannot be met by the ordinary Gurkha soldier," Lumley told reporters Friday. "This one page of criteria has taken the government four months to come up with. It has made me ashamed of our administration." She said most Gurkhas are allowed to stay in the United Kingdom for only two years, so three years of continuous residence is not possible. Most Gurkhas, she said, also have not been allowed to settle in Britain with their families. The requirement for having won an award discriminates against the ordinary soldier who has no award, she said. "This sends out not only to the Gurkha soldiers, but to our own men fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the most appalling message: that unless you have been awarded a medal for gallantry, you're not a real soldier," Lumley said. Only officers are allowed to serve 20 or more years, she said, so most riflemen will not qualify for the service requirement. And proving that an injury is related to army service will be nearly impossible for most, she said. "How on earth are men who were injured in the 1940s, '50s, '60s going to be able to prove that their long-term chronic illness is attributable to injures received during their service?" she said. A Home Office spokesman said the government believes hundreds of Gurkhas will still be eligible to settle in Britain. "We would not accept that," the spokesman said of Lumley's criticisms. "We would say that the criteria as we see it is fair and balanced." The Gurkha brigade originated in the 19th century with Nepalese soldiers who impressed British imperial troops with their ferocity and military ability. The first Gurkha units were formed in 1815. They saw action in both world wars and were fundamental to the British military maintaining control of India in the 1800s. Today there are 3,400 troops in the Gurkha brigade, operating from bases in Great Britain. Most recently, Gurkha troops were used in the Persian Gulf War and the Balkan conflicts.

British government unveils moves to let more former Gurkha troops live in the UK . Gurkhas are part of British armed forces made up of Nepalese fighters . Campaigners say qualifying criteria mean most will not be able to settle in UK . First Gurkha units formed in 1815 and they fought in every campaign since .

(CNN) -- Children of the '80s and '90s fondly remember a time when MTV actually played music videos. It was an era filled with art and glory and rebellion, and our parents were convinced this devil channel would surely encourage us to snort drugs and murder puppies and alter our report cards so that a D in math looked like a B. Truth be told, I almost got away with that last one. It was definitely worth a shot. But I hardly fault Guns N' Roses for my dishonesty. I blame long division. Of course, these days, MTV is known for its reality programming, and the network has basically become a giant bouncy castle for America's drunk, tanned, and pregnant. As a viewer, it's kind of like virtually enrolling at Arizona State. However, on Thursday, to celebrate the Fourth of July, MTV and VH1 decided to go with 12 straight hours of music video programming. And news of this decision played out nicely all over the Web as excitement built for a short taste of that bygone era. Though, to be fair, the online anticipation rather reeked of moth balls. The younger generation probably didn't care. Damn kids. Get off my lawn. After reading a few of the many trending articles about the upcoming "Music Independence Day," I actually spent some time Wednesday afternoon nostalgically searching YouTube for old videos from what many argue were MTV's glory years -- when Nirvana competed for airtime with Eric Clapton and Van Halen and Metallica and R.E.M. and Sir Mix-a-Lot. Yes, those were the days. Or maybe THESE are the days. The very thing I was doing -- instantly calling up videos on YouTube -- is part of the reason why MTV doesn't air them in the first place. We've got everything we want just one mouse click and Twitter link away. So, don't hate on MTV. It's a business. And if there was money in music videos, that's what they would show. But there's not. The real money is in watching rich kids try to boink each other on Laguna Beach. However, not during America's Independence Day! Thus, as a civic duty to my generation, I decided to dedicate one full hour of my afternoon to channel surfing between MTV and VH1 just to see what the music video experience feels like in 2013. Yes, it was tough investigative journalism. But at least it didn't require pants. My mission started just around 1 p.m. when, after several minutes of cable box confusion, I finally clicked over to the low-numbered SD channel for MTV. Apparently, I don't get it in high def. And I have to say that being out of the 800s felt dirty and weird. "People actually watch this crap?" Nevertheless, I bravely entered a proletariat cave of low technology, and the first video already playing was 'N Sync's "Tearin' Up My Heart" from the late '90s. Of course, it was that absolutely terrible boy band music, but at least it was fun to see a young Justin Timberlake in the early stages of his world domination. The next video was Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger," at which point I promptly moved like Jagger over to VH1. Mind you, the song is totally fine, but there's just a whole lot going on in the video -- too much movement -- and I was fairly certain I was about to have a seizure. MTV's sister network, on the other hand, seemed to be dedicating the bulk of its airtime to emerging indie bands, and I was immediately introduced to a duo called Johnnyswim and their video for "Heart Beats." It was decent, actually. And slower. Thus, I was no longer foaming from the mouth. So, things were looking up. Throughout the rest of the hour, I surfed back and forth, catching videos from artists I'd never heard of like Nabiha and Flume. And I also saw some hits from more mainstream talent like Eminem, Outkast, and Gwen Stefani. The highlight was actually LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem." And I can't believe I just wrote that. But it's a video that simply doesn't disappoint. It's colorful and happy and absurd, and somehow it just fixes any situation. "I'm afraid the test results show you have syphilis." "It's all good, doc. Everyday I'm shufflin'!" "Right. But seriously. You're gonna need some penicillin." In the end, my hour of modern music videos definitely wasn't what I remembered from my youth, but it was still interesting and fun while it lasted. That said, I admit I was more than happy to turn off the TV and move on to other things. I'm a busy man, and it's not like I can outsource my regularly scheduled 2 p.m. nap. Not that it matters, what with all the noise coming from outside. Damn kids. Get off my lawn.

For Independence Day, MTV and VH1 dedicated 12 hours to music videos . YouTube and other new media have changed the music landscape . "Party Rock Anthem" is as good as penicillin .

(CNN) -- "The LHC is back," the European Organization for Nuclear Research announced triumphantly Friday, as the world's largest particle accelerator resumed operation more than a year after an electrical failure shut it down. Restarting the Large Hadron Collider -- the $10 billion research tool's full name -- has been "a herculean effort," CERN's director for accelerators, Steve Myers, said in a statement announcing the success. Experiments at the LHC may help answer fundamental questions such as why Albert Einstein's theory of relativity -- which describes the world on a large scale -- doesn't jibe with quantum mechanics, which deals with matter far too small to see. Physicists established a circulating proton beam in the LHC's 17-mile tunnel at 10 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) Friday, CERN said, a critical step towards getting results from the accelerator. "It's great to see beam circulating in the LHC again," said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer. "We've still got some way to go before physics can begin, but with this milestone we're well on the way." Located underground on the border of Switzerland and France, the LHC has been inching towards operation since the summer. It reached its operating temperature -- 271 degrees below zero Celsius -- on October 8 and particles were injected on October 23. Now that a beam is circulating, the next step is low-energy collisions, which should begin in about a week, CERN said. High-energy collisions will follow next year. The collider has been dogged by problems. It made headlines early this month when a bird apparently dropped a "bit of baguette" into the accelerator, making the machine shut down. The incident was similar in effect to a standard power cut, said spokeswoman Katie Yurkewicz. Had the machine been going, there would have been no damage, but beams would have been stopped until the machine could be cooled back down to operating temperatures, she said. The collider achieved its first full-circle beam last year on September 10 amid much celebration. But just nine days later, the operation was set back when one of the 25,000 joints that connect magnets in the LHC came loose and the resulting current melted or burned some important components of the machine, Myers said. The faulty joint has a cross-section of a mere two-thirds of an inch by two-thirds of an inch. "There was certainly frustration and almost sorrow when we had the accident," he said. Now, "people are feeling a lot better because we know we've done so much work in the last year." Mark Wise, professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology, said he's just as excited about the results that will come out of the LHC as he was last year and views the September 2008 accident as a delay rather than a devastating event. Wise noted that Tevatron, the collider at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, has also had its share of failures but is generally considered to work just fine. "It's a horribly complicated piece of equipment, it's not like there's not going to be problems along the way," he said. "They will surmount those problems." The LHC will probably be in operation more than 20 years, Myers said. But it won't be that long before scientists could potentially discover new properties of nature. The as-yet theoretical Higgs boson, also called "the God particle" in popular parlance, could emerge within two or three years, Myers said. Evidence of supersymmetry -- the idea that every particle has a "super partner" with similar properties in a quantum dimension (according to some physics theories, there are hidden dimensions in the universe) -- could crop up as early as 2010. For some theoretical physicists such as Wise, finding the Higgs boson and verifying every prediction of the Standard Model of physics would be the worst outcome. He wants the LHC to deliver surprises, even if that means no Higgs. "When push comes to shove, the name of the game is 'what is nature,' and we're not going to know until our experimental colleagues tell us," Wise said. ATLAS and CMS are the general-purpose experiments designed to find the Higgs boson and other rare particles that have never been detected before. ALICE, another experiment, will explore the matter that existed some 10 microseconds after the Big Bang, said John Harris, professor of physics at Yale University and national coordinator of ALICE-USA. At that time, there was a "hot soup" of particles called quarks and gluons at a temperature of around 2 trillion degrees above absolute zero, he said. Although they have never been directly seen, these particles are theoretically the building blocks of the bigger particles -- protons, neutrons and electrons -- that form the universe as we know it. CNN's Elizabeth Landau contributed to this report.

LHC restarted more than a year after being shut down by electrical fault . The full scientific program for the LHC wil probably last more than 20 years . The LHC will look for the Higgs boson, quarks, gluons and other small particles . Restarting $10B research tool described as "herculean effort"

(CNN) -- Sophisticated fun commands the style scene in Boston and just a stroll down Newbury Street can inspire anyone to dress their best. The fashionable streets were encouragement enough for Martini Severin to begin her style blog, BeyondBostonChic.com, and Severin remains pleasantly surprised by the looks she captures daily. "The camera in a lot of ways is a passport to getting to know people," Severin said. "I chat with them, learn more about what motivates them sartorially and how they put what they're wearing together. There is no better way to get to know a city than through its residents. The blog has been successful because it's easy to talk to people and hear what it is about this town that makes them sing." After admiring the stylish residents of Boston for three years, Severin was appalled to learn that GQ's latest poll called it the "worst dressed city in America." Severin believes the classy looks with trendy intimations build a sophisticated look for the city and its neighborhoods. "It's casual sophistication," Severin said. "It's not as high fashion as what you would see in other cities. So it's practical -- but practical with whimsy." Below, Severin details the diverse elements of Boston street style. CNN: Describe what you see on Boston's streets? Severin: Style here is really chic, sophisticated and very diverse. People have flair, but in a very different way than any other major city. It's about the little, little details that really amount to a tableau that is just seamless. It's wonderful to see how the city changes with each season. I was walking the other day and it was like, "Wow, everyone looks so good -- what do I shoot?" The exuberance for style is here in the city and it's alive. Double the style in the Twin Cities . CNN: How do residents remain sartorial in the winter? Severin: It's beautiful in the spring, summer, fall, but in the winter, it's not unlikely that we'll have 17 feet of snow lying on the city. I find that it becomes really difficult to keep your zeal and dress well when you have to put on layers upon layers of clothes. If you need to keep warm, you have to have a fabulous coat. People will have coats that are flower print, plaid, the most beautiful white mohair, and even wear capes. They're really resourceful in finding a coat that will speak to their personality and sense of style. You spend so much of your time in your winter coat, you always want to find something that says a little bit of something about yourself. Dressing up in Dallas . CNN: What trends are you seeing in Boston right now? Severin: You'll see people wearing scarves with polka dots or plaid. We are wholeheartedly loving stripes here in Boston, so everyone is wearing nautical stripes. We're also sun lovers like any other city, so the sandals you see on the street are fabulous -- the strappier the better. CNN: Is there a local designer scene in Boston? Where are people shopping? Severin: There's a movement to shop local in Boston. We have a lot of little boutiques. Newbury Street is our equivalent of Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive. I personally love the smaller stores. I go and they know who I am. It's the kind of city where it's big but it's also small where you can form relationships. Several boutiques are quite popular. Mint Julep -- they sell the prettiest dresses. Then there's a boutique downtown called Flock. It's a mother and daughter team and they personally chose each of the pieces that are in the store. They work with very small, unknown designers and bring their merchandise to Boston to introduce it to a greater audience. There is also a shop, largely for men, called Uniform, that is very nice. There is also quite a vintage culture here in Boston. One store, Bobby From Boston, was started by this man that collects vintage clothing and film wardrobe designers frequent his store and warehouse. It's a privilege to be invited to his warehouse and shop from there. Colorful layers of style on Chicago's streets . CNN: What's coming up for the Boston scene? Severin: Starting September 19, I have an exhibit that's really a great way to say "Ha!" to GQ. It's showcasing about 60 of the photos that I've taken through the three years that I've been running the blog and basically, it's the best of Boston and the surrounding areas: Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Somerville. I feel like it's going to be a really good show in terms of what we have to offer. That coincides with Boston Fashion Week as well, which starts September 23. I feel like the winds are changing in Boston. There are a lot more people who are focused on style here than there used to be. Everyone is doing their part to let the world know, "We dress well... and we know it." Get smart: Portland street style .

Boston street style combines fun looks with a classic, timeless sophistication . Martini Severin showcases these fashions on her style blog, BeyondBostonChic.com . Seasons and trends change in Boston, but their practical yet whimsical look remains true .

(CNN) -- A recent warning from the FBI about hackers targeting guests' data when they log into hotel Wi-Fi overseas was a salient reminder to travelers of the risks to data security on the road. The alert, from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, was addressed to U.S. executives, government workers and academics but did not specify a particular country of threat. It warned of a spate of incidents of travelers encountering bogus software update pop-ups when they used hotel internet connections overseas. When they clicked on the "update," malicious software was installed on their computer. Hotel Wi-Fi connections are particularly risky, said Sian John, UK security strategist at Symantec, because they are often set up without proper security settings. But they are merely one data-security threat among many facing business travelers. From a data-security standpoint, travel is inherently risky, and the likelihood of private personal or corporate data being compromised is greatly increased the moment you hit the road, she said. "One of the major ways data loss happens is when people are traveling," she said. "You're not in a secure area ... That is where the risks tend to arise." See also: Why are we still paying for hotel Wi-Fi? John said a major risk was that in getting online while on the road, travelers often turn to free Wi-Fi internet connections -- in hotels, but also at airports, conference centers and business facilities. While security settings vary from network to network, many are left open and unmonitored, and travelers are frequently unaware that they could be unwittingly exposing themselves to data loss by logging on. "Anyone can connect to them, which means anyone can look at the traffic going across them," she said. "It's very easy to sit on one of these things and pick up the traffic going through them. There are devices out there that let you hijack them." Gary Davis, McAfee's director of global consumer marketing, said there was a growing trend of hackers setting up mock Wi-Fi hotspots in public places, which appear at the top of the list of available Wi-Fi connections. "People will see 'free Wi-Fi' and click on it, and when they do that they open themselves up to great exposure," he said. The best approach is to be wary and steer clear of Wi-Fi hotspots that do not seem legitimate -- "something (that) looks like it's not quite right, not the proper name they might expect," he added. Once compromised, hackers can take total control of a device, including removing all the data contained on it. Android devices are currently the devices most targeted by hackers, Davis said. "We saw a 1,200% increase in malware targeting Android devices just in the first quarter of this year," he said. John said the best approach for business travelers when using public Wi-Fi is to remotely log into their employer's virtual private network, or VPN, which ensures all data received and sent from a device is encrypted. Travelers can also better protect themselves by using encrypted protocols -- simply typing "https:" instead of "http:" at the beginning of URLs -- although "https:" is not supported by all websites. And they should avoid transmitting sensitive information, such as work documents or credit card details, over public Wi-Fi spots. "I would be cautious of doing anything sensitive on them," John said. But the risk of data loss begins even before logging on, she said. "People forget about the over-your-shoulder problem when traveling," she said. Travelers engrossed in their work in cafes, departure lounges or on transport are often unaware of prying eyes around them. "Most people don't have a privacy screen on their laptop still, so anyone sitting next to you can look over your shoulder and see what you're doing." See also: World's best airport restaurants . Another common cause of data loss is travelers losing their device outright, particularly when passing through security checkpoints. "People put it in a tray and forget to put it back in the bag," she said, adding that hundreds of laptops are left in busy airports each week. For that reason, some companies -- particularly in sensitive fields such as finance, pharmaceuticals and defense -- often issue top executives working with blank travel laptops especially for the trip. "When they come back, the company can then analyze what, if anything, happened on the devices, wipe them and reuse them," she said. While the techniques used by hackers could be hard for non-IT professionals to detect, the best defenses against data loss are surprisingly common sense. Make sure security updates are completed before traveling. Keep a close eye on your possessions. And, like any traveler, give a wide berth to anything that seems slightly off. While there have been major cases of data loss as a result of deliberate corporate espionage, John said, "there are also many, many instances of carelessness." "Wherever you're traveling, take care of everything you've got," she said. "People take care of their passport -- you need to take the same care of your information technology."

FBI has warned travelers that hackers are targeting their data via hotel Wi-Fi . I.T. experts say the risk of data loss is much higher when traveling . Public Wi-Fi in airports, conference centers and other public places is also risky . Data loss also commonly occurs through lost laptops and 'shoulder surfing'

(CNN)Last weekend, a 17-year-old apparently committed suicide in Ohio. And because she was transgender, many assigned a political or social or religious narrative to her story before even fully recognizing her death. A disturbing trend when you consider the string of recent dramatic and, it must be said, senseless deaths that have crowded the nation's headlines. Looking through the agenda-driven prisms that helped define 2014, they all appear disconnected. But when we pause, we can see they are anything but. Consider what happened earlier this month, when Kathleen McCartney, president of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, sent a campuswide email in support of students protesting grand jury decisions not to charge the police officers who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in Staten Island. In it she said: "We are united in our insistence that all lives matter." Later, McCartney was forced to apologize. You see, because she didn't specifically say "black lives matter," she was accused of minimizing the pain and experience that was specific to the black community. I would argue "all lives matter" is every bit as revolutionary of a rallying cry and should hardly be said in shame. I thought about her apology after a man who was reportedly mentally ill drove from Baltimore to Brooklyn and shot two police officers in the head while they were at work. And I'm thinking about her apology now as my heart aches over the suicide of Leelah Alcorn, the teenager who took apparently took her life on Sunday. "The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren't treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights," she wrote on Tumblr hours before stepping in front of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 71. She also wrote: "my death needs to mean something," obviously feeling her life did not. If you fail to see the connection between Alcorn, the fallen police officers, Brown and Garner, then you are missing something important about what binds a society. Laws and culture form sturdy beams, but the foundation of civilization is empathy. It is a slender but invaluable thread that allows us to communicate with those who speak a different language, explains why men double over at the sight of a male being struck in the groin, why our own eyes fill with tears at others' sorrow and loss and why laughter is contagious. Our innate ability to identify with the needs and experiences of others -- to have compassion, empathy -- is the very thing that makes us human. Thus, the less empathy we have for others -- the less "all lives matter" to us -- the less civilized we become. The less civilized we become, the less human we are. Of course, the notion that "all lives matter" does not speak directly to the implicit biases that have led to the criminal justice system's mistreatment of people of color. It does not highlight the sacrifices law enforcers make or the dangers they face each day. "All lives matter" does not note the discrimination and ostracization of transgender people that apparently led to the torment felt by Leelah Alcorn -- discrimination and ostracization that even occurs within the larger lesbian, gay and bisexual community. But it does remind us that before we are black, white, Christian, liberal or gay, we are human. Because in the end, the lapses in humanity that led to each of the high-profile deaths that have rocked our culture may be different in their particulars, but they are the same in the pain experienced by loved ones left behind. Over my 20-plus years as a journalist, I have covered numerous deaths. I can tell you about the agony in the eyes of the mother of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old gay man who was pistol-whipped, tied to a fence and eventually died back in 1998; it is similar to the pain in the eyes of Trayvon Martin's mother. The cries I heard at the memorial service for Michael Brown this past summer were as hard to hear as the cries I heard at a service for Wes Leonard, a 16-year-old who collapsed and died on his high school's basketball court three years ago. Again, the circumstances surrounding each death are vastly different from one another. But when a parent buries a child, the hurt is hard to differentiate. There is a time to dissect mitigating circumstances, but it should not come before experiencing humanity and learning something from how we feel. It is a constant struggle to hold on to what connects us. Especially when so many forces -- politics, media, religion -- flood in to demonize our differences, alienate one group of people from another, drown our compassion and leave our very humanity gasping for air. A 17-year-old transgender girl took her own life during the holiday season. Before we point fingers assigning blame, can we at least pause long enough to think about the meaning of a girl's lost life? To mourn? To feel? To be human?

LZ: Transgender teen killed self. Many make it social, political story; we should see humanity . He says in reaction to deaths of cops, Garner, Brown, empathy falls away, agendas take over . LZ: In these and teen's death, we too often show lapse in crucial empathy that binds us .

(CNN) -- After Tip O'Neill's "All politics is local," Bill Clinton's quip "It's the economy, stupid," is perhaps the most oft-quoted truism of modern American politics. But as times change, we should update our aphorisms accordingly. Just four years ago during America's presidential election, outsourcing to India and China's currency manipulation were the bogeymen, the former blamed for the loss of jobs and the latter for the weakness of exports. But increasingly the culprit is the robot. Automation now removes as many manufacturing jobs from the economy as outsourcing. Witness the U.S. Postal Service, which will have to cut 35,000 jobs by 2015, and how digitization has forced bookstore chains such as Borders into bankruptcy. China, once the beneficiary of offshored manufacturing, also now faces cheaper competitors in Asia and technology upgrades: Foxconn -- a subsidiary of Taiwan-based electronics supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry Co -- plans to implement more than one million robots on its assembly lines in China by 2015. We may compete against each other economically, but we are all competing with, and against, technology. An updated vocabulary for these circumstances might include the shift from homo economicus to homo technologicus. Even economists ought to agree. Marx and Engels wrote in the Communist Manifesto that it was constant changes in the "instruments of production" that caused "all fixed, fast-frozen relations" to be "swept away." For Schumpeter, technological change was a key driver of "creative destruction." Technology increases drive problems that we view as political or economic in nature such as income inequality. America's wealthiest people earn from their innovation and control of technologies, ranging from social media to high-frequency trading. If technology drives economics -- rather than the reverse -- then we should elevate the notion of geo-technology above that of geopolitics and geo-economics as well. It was around the time of then-candidate Bill Clinton's 1992 quip about the economy that scholars of international relations began to use the now vogue term "geo-economics." Edward Luttwak wrote that the logic of conflict would unfold in the "grammar of commerce." Samuel Huntington chided his fellow political scientists for not recognizing that "economics is the most important source of power and well-being." Today that same statement is true of technology. Think about it: China is not a superpower today because it has about twice as many nuclear warheads as it did two decades ago. Not many people know or care how many nukes China has; it has had them since the 1960s, yet we didn't consider China a superpower then. China's superpower rise is directly attributable to its technological strategy of dominating low-cost manufacturing, accumulating massive surpluses and reserves, and reinvesting that cash into more advanced technologies as well as military hardware. The causal flow begins with technology. By this logic, China's recent twelfth Five-Year Plan should be viewed as a more cogent national security strategy than anything offered by the Pentagon in two decades: it pledges $1.5 trillion in government support for seven "strategic emerging industries" including alternative energy, biotechnology, next-gen IT, high-end manufacturing equipment and advanced materials. China invented none of these fields, but is putting incomparable effort into deploying them at scale. China already controls over half the world's market in solar cells. Does the balance of power matter more, or the balance of innovation? Even though technology has become a scapegoat in American politics, it is also widely recognized as part of the solution. The internet creates 2.6 jobs domestically for each one that is lost to automation. The new great hope for a grassroots economic revival is the advent of 3D printing, which some call the "next industrial revolution," for its potential to revive a nationwide DIY manufacturing movement. Small-scale prototypes can be produced in much smaller quantities, and bought and traded on increasingly popular websites like Etsy.com, which has over 15 million users and growing. Technology also enables the increasingly wide and liquid market for task bartering and skill exchanges: Amazon's Mechanical Turk is already the world's largest part-time workforce. The next wave of job creation could come from green construction, meaning retrofitting for low-emissions buildings and installing smart grid equipment such as solar cells and constructing wind farms. Our political discourse today obsesses over economic headlines at the expense of technological foresight. In America it passes as penetrating wisdom that Obama will be re-elected if unemployment drops below 8%. But America's structural unemployment won't be unwound by statistical sleights of hand. What every citizen and worker in the world today needs is not higher IQ or EQ but higher TQ: technology quotient. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ayesha and Parag Khanna.

Khannas: Technology now the most important source of power and well-being . China's superpower rise is directly attributable to its technological strategies, experts say . Next wave of job creation could come from green construction, say Ayesha and Parag Khanna . Every citizen needs a higher TQ: technology quotient .

(CNN) -- Here's what we know about Saturday's crash landing of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 and some of the key questions raised by those facts: . 1. A preliminary readout from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders shows the aircraft was approaching well below the target landing speed of 137 knots (157 mph). Records from the flight data recorder show that at 500 feet of altitude and 34 seconds before impact, the aircraft had already slowed to 134 knots (154 mph). At seven seconds before impact, the pilots attempted to spool up the engines. At four seconds, the stall warning sounded. At 1.5 seconds, the pilots tried to abort the landing and go around to attempt another landing. At impact, the flight data recorder shows the aircraft had a forward speed of a mere 106 knots (121 mph). What we don't know: Why was the aircraft approaching so slowly? Did the pilot not realize he was short? Girls killed in crash were headed for camp . 2. Asiana said the pilot at the controls was making his first landing of a Boeing 777 at San Francisco International Airport. While a pilot with more than 10,000 hours of experience, including many hours flying Boeing 747s, he had only 43 hours of flying time in a 777. What we don't know: Did pilot inexperience with the aircraft play a role? Why did the captain not speak up or take control? 3. The NTSB investigators have found nothing to corroborate online flight tracking records showing that Asiana Flight 214 descended from cruising altitude much more steeply and rapidly than previous Asiana flights on the same route. The NTSB says it found no "abnormally steep descent data." 4. Part of the instrument landing system approach on Runway 28L was not working on the day of the crash. It had been down for some time. Flights were landing using visual flight rules. The weather was clear. The flight data shows the autopilot was disengaged at 1,600 feet and the pilot then took manual control of the plane. What we don't know: Did the lack of ILS force the pilot to make a VFR landing in an aircraft with which he was not fully familiar? 5. The runway's precision approach path indicator lights, showing correct flight approach altitudes, were working. What we don't know: Why didn't the pilot recognize he was too low for the approach and initiate a go-around earlier? 6. Based on the debris field and the video obtained by CNN, the aircraft appears to have struck the rock sea wall well before the start of the runway. There are some marks on the sea wall, consistent with an impact of some part of the plane. 7. The debris field runs from the water, slightly right of the paved threshold and runway center, all the way to the stopped aircraft fuselage. The NTSB says pieces of the rear of the aircraft are in the water near the seawall, visible at low tide. 8. The Boeing 777 lost its tail section, including vertical and horizontal stabilizers, near the end of the paved threshold, just before the start of the runway. What we don't know: Is this an indication the tail of the aircraft detached after first impact? 9. The right engine is detached from the wing and wedged against the right side of the fuselage. The left engine is a considerable distance forward of the fuselage in a grassy area to the right of Runway 28L. The NTSB says both engines had high rotational damage, showing that they were powering at impact. 10. Most of the fire damage to the aircraft occurred after the Boeing 777 came to a stop on its belly. 11. Passengers described the cabin interior as heavily damaged, with overhead bins dropping and at least one life raft/escape slide inflating inside the aircraft, trapping a flight attendant, whom passengers helped free. The NTSB says it will investigate the structural safety of the seats. 12. The coroner says one of the two passengers killed appears to have been run over by an emergency vehicle, though the coroner had not yet determined the cause of death. Asiana has identified the fatalities as Ye Mengyuan and Wang Linjia of China, both of whom were 16. 13. Audio recordings of air traffic control conversations show no sign that the pilot declared an emergency before the crash landing. Emergency vehicles were dispatched afterward. 14. The aircraft was built in 2006 and was purchased new by Asiana. 15. The NTSB was planning to interview the four pilots Monday afternoon. Key information from those interviews will be made public at Tuesday's briefing. First responders describe eerie, chaotic moments . Why so many people survived . CNN's Dan Simon and Richard Quest contributed to this report.

Airline: Pilot was making first landing in control of a Boeing 777 at San Francisco airport . Pilot had 10,000 hours of experience but only 43 hours flying time in a 777 . An emergency vehicle ran over one of the passengers . Passengers describe the engines spooling up and the nose tilting up before impact .

Sydney, Australia (CNN) -- Could the leader of a democracy reverse his nation's slide toward the ever more permissive use of firearms and mandate stringent new gun control laws in less than a fortnight? Well, yes. One of America's loyal allies did just that -- and with massive voter support. In a popular tourist spot at Port Arthur, Tasmania, in April 1996, a lone gunman killed 20 innocents with his first 29 bullets, all in the space of 90 seconds. This "pathetic social misfit," to quote the judge in the case, was empowered to achieve his final toll of 35 people dead and 18 seriously wounded by firing semi-automatic rifles originally advertised by the gun trade as "assault weapons." Now we discover that a similar military-style rifle enabled the Connecticut killer to add his name to the global list of gun horrors. In his initial press briefing on the Connecticut mass shooting, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said "today is not the day" to talk about gun control. In 1996, Australians reacted with the opposite mass-majority voice, insisting: "Now IS the time." Polls: Your thoughts on gun control . Australia's newly-elected prime minister at the time was John Howard. The country's most conservative leader in decades, openly proud of his pal status with George W. Bush, Prime Minister Howard led the then U.S. president to refer to his nation as America's "sheriff" in South East Asia. Just like President Obama, Howard was seen to weep and to offer the nation's prayers in the wake of another gun massacre. But only 12 days after the shootings, in Howard's first major act of leadership and by far the most popular in his first year as prime minister, his government announced nationwide gun law reform. Read more: Obama on assault weapons ban . Attitudes to firearms and the regulations governing them had changed almost overnight. After a decade of gun massacres which saw 100 people shot dead and 38 wounded, Australians had overwhelmingly had enough of anyone with a grudge gaining easy, mostly legal access to weapons designed expressly to kill a lot of people in a very short time. New legislation agreed to by all states and territories specifically addressed mass shootings: Rapid-fire rifles and shotguns were banned, gun owner licensing was tightened and remaining firearms were registered to uniform national standards. In two nationwide, federally funded gun buybacks, plus large-scale voluntary surrenders and state gun amnesties both before and after Port Arthur, Australia collected and destroyed more than a million firearms, perhaps one-third of the national stock. No other nation had attempted anything on this scale. It wasn't without cost to John Howard. Self-interest groups among his conservative base raised hell, and at one rural meeting in a country town, he became the first Australian prime minister to be photographed wearing a bullet-proof jacket. But with statements like: "We do not want the American disease imported into Australia... Guns have become a blight on American society," Howard knew he was speaking for most Australians. Polling at the time measured public approval of his government's new gun laws at 90 to 95 per cent. In the years after the Port Arthur massacre, the risk of dying by gunshot in Australia fell by more than 50% -- and stayed there. In the 16 years since the announcement of legislation specifically designed to reduce gun massacres, Australia has seen no mass shootings. Gun deaths which attract smaller headlines are 80 times more common, yet the national rate of gun homicide remains 30 times lower than that of the United States. Analysis: Why gun controls are off the agenda in America . To claim cause and effect would be to stretch all this too far. Mass shootings are such rare events as to defy prediction, gun death rates were already falling, and John Howard's gun laws no more prevent every shooting than our traffic laws eliminate the road toll. The best we can say is that the results are encouraging, and suggest a way forward. Beliefs and fears aside, death and injury by gunshot could be as amenable to public health intervention as road toll, drunken driving, tobacco-related disease and the spread of HIV/AIDS. The obstructions to gun control are nothing new to public health. An industry and its self-interest groups focused on denial, the propagation of fear, and quasi-religious objections -- we've seen it all before. Barack Obama, at the center of a maelstrom of clashing convictions few foreigners can comprehend, deserves our sympathy. But the future is there to see. With gun violence, as with HIV/AIDS, waste-of-time notions like evil, sin, blame and retribution could in time be sluiced away to allow proven public health procedures. Given the opportunity and the effort, gun injury prevention might save lives as effectively as restricting access to explosives, and mandating child-safe lids on poison bottles. Opinion: Put reason back in America's gun debate . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Philip Alpers.

In Australia, one massacre turned the tide in favor of gun control . Just 12 days after the shootings nationwide gun law reform announced . Alpers: Risk of dying by gunshot in Australia fell by more than 50% -- and stayed there .

(CNN) -- A bill moving through Congress is intended, on its surface at least, to do something relatively simple: Crack down on the illegal pirating of movies, music and other copyrighted material. But a major online backlash has evolved, with everyone from lawmakers to Web-freedom advocates to some of technology's biggest players calling it a greedy and dangerous overreach that could have a chilling effect on free speech and innovation. Google, Yahoo and Facebook are among the Web heavyweights who have joined the chorus against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which backers hope to have ready for a vote by the end of the year. Its intent is to help put a stop to foreign websites that illegally post, and sometimes sell, intellectual property from the United States. Federal law-enforcement agencies would be empowered to shut down those sites, and cut off advertising and online payments to them. "The Stop Online Piracy Act helps stop the flow of revenue to rogue websites and ensures that the profits from American innovations go to American innovators," Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, chairman of the powerful House Judiciary committee and the sponsor of the plan, said when the bill was introduced last month. "The bill prevents online thieves from selling counterfeit goods in the U.S., expands international protections for intellectual property, and protects American consumers from dangerous counterfeit products. " Its supporters include some powerful lobbying groups, including the Motion Picture Association of America, the pharmaceutical industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. On the other side are Web-freedom advocates, who were quick to say the effort goes too far. And this week, in the wake of a Wednesday hearing on the plan, that discontent grew louder and more widespread. "Our government is tampering with its basic structure so people will maybe buy more Hollywood movies," says an animated video by Kirby Ferguson, the New York filmmaker behind the Web video series "Everything Is a Remix," that is making the rounds online. "But Hollywood movies don't get grassroots candidates elected. They don't overthrow corrupt regimes, and the entire entertainment industry doesn't even contribute that much to our economy. The Internet does all these and more." Perhaps tellingly, that video was made in response to an earlier bill proposed in the Senate, which has since been put on hold by its sponsor. Ferguson has since added a message at the end of the video saying the issue has "gotten much worse." Some critics fear that enforcement of the act is ill-defined and could allow federal authorities to go after sites that don't set out to illegally broadcast or sell content. For example, advocates say, YouTube has housed important content, like video of political unrest in places like Egypt and Iran where government crackdowns had otherwise blocked media access. But YouTube also is home, albeit against its will, to music videos, movie clips and other content posted without the intent of its creators. Under SOPA, they say, a fledgling YouTube could have been shut down because of those posts. This week, a letter opposing the House and Senate bills was sent to Congress, signed off on by AOL, eBay, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Twitter, Yahoo and Zynga. "We support the bills' stated goals -- providing additional enforcement tools to combat foreign 'rogue' websites that are dedicated to copyright infringement or counterfeiting," the letter reads. "Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites. "We are concerned that these measures pose a serious risk to our industry's continued track record of innovation and job-creation, as well as to our nation's cybersecurity." To coincide with Wednesday's committee hearing, many websites devoted themselves to drawing attention to the debate. Blog platform Tumblr blacked out images in users' posts with a message urging users to "Stop The Law That Will Censor The Internet!" A post on Tumblr's staff blog claimed users flooded House lawmakers Wednesday with 87,834 phone calls protesting the bill. The backlash seems to be spreading to the halls of Congress. On Thursday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, announced her opposition to the plan on Twitter. "Need to find a better solution than #SOPA #DontBreakTheInternet," she wrote, using hashtags that opponents have used to show their disapproval on the site. Even Pelosi's opponents from the other side of the ideological aisle agreed with her. Influential California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa joined other conservative lawmakers, including presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul, in opposing the proposed law. "I don't believe this bill has any chance on the House floor," Issa told The Hill on Wednesday. "I think it's way too extreme, it infringes on too many areas that our leadership will know is simply too dangerous to do in its current form."

Bill to fight online piracy being hit by huge Web-freedom backlash . The Stop Internet Piracy Act is intended to protect U.S. intellectual property . Web-freedom advocates say it's too broad and could be used to shut down legit sites . Google, Facebook are among Web fixtures opposed to the plan .

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- When I was a little boy, my dad and I would sit on the floor next to his old reel-to-reel tape deck, taking turns talking into it and playing our voices back -- the same reel-to-reel he unwittingly used to gain his 15 minutes of fame. It was October 3, 1951, when Larry Goldberg, a 26-year-old travel agent living with his parents in Brooklyn, set up the deck next to a radio before setting off to work in Manhattan. He asked his mom to record the 9th inning of the third game of the Brooklyn Dodgers-New York Giants playoffs. What he and my grandmother captured turned out to be the only known recording at the time of Russ Hodges' famous call of Bobby Thomson's game-winning home run, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" SI.com: Thomson tops list of 10 most memorable home runs . My dad's reward was a tape cartridge, $100 and access to box seats at the Polo Grounds the next season -- a pittance for which my mom often needled him. Those memories came flooding back this week when I heard the news that Thomson had died at his Savannah, Georgia, home at age 86. Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round The World" was heard often at our home, each time I asked my dad to tell me once more how he saved the call. He kept the original tape safely boxed up, instead playing one of the Chesterfield records of the call that Hodges' sponsor pressed as gifts to its dealers. For a long time, no one but a handful of friends and family knew the real story of my dad's role in helping immortalize a bit of baseball history. Then, on the 50th anniversary of the game, the New York Times ran an interview with Dad. His local paper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, did a similar story. Accounts of his recording later appeared in books such as "The Golden Voices of Baseball" and Joshua Prager's "The Echoing Green." Don DeLillo even captured the event in his 1997 novel, "Underworld," referring to Dad only as "a man on 12th Street in Brooklyn." Here's how Dad and The New York Times told the story: . " 'I knew I wouldn't be able to listen to the broadcast, and I knew something was going to happen,' said Goldberg. ... 'It was the third game of the playoffs. That kind of game had to be climactic, even if it was a blowout.' "Was Goldberg's mother, Sylvia, a baseball fan? No. Was she paying strict attention to the game? No, he said, 'she was paying attention to her only son.' ... From the SI vault: The Day Bobby Hit The Home Run . "The night after the game, Goldberg wrote Hodges to ask if anyone at WMCA had recorded the game; if not, he would lend him his. Hodges replied quickly, and used the tape to make records as Christmas gifts. ... "In later years, when Hodges related the tale of the tape, he would refer to Goldberg as a Dodger fan who made the tape so he could hear the voice of the Giants weep when Brooklyn won. A good yarn, but untrue. '' 'I was a Giant fan from 1933 on, when I was 8,' Goldberg said." I'd been thinking about Bobby Thomson, Russ Hodges and Dad just the other day when my son and I went to our first Braves game of the season -- our first game since Dad died a year ago in April. It was a little before 7 p.m. at Atlanta's Turner Field, and the Braves were about to face the Giants -- now long since relocated to San Francisco. My son and I were sitting down to eat on the stadium's terrace when the matrix board began playing a video introducing the visitors. Images of past pennants were flashing on the screen when it suddenly hit me -- these are the same Giants that once called New York's Polo Grounds home. And before I knew it, they were playing the call I've come to know so well -- Bobby Thomson hitting his "long fly ... into the lower deck of the left-field stands." Once more, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! ... The Giants win the pennant! And they're going crazy. They're going crazy!'' I wanted to phone Dad and tell him about it, at the same time realizing I couldn't -- that I'd even told the story about the call at his funeral. And then I knew he was with us there in the stadium, smiling down on a perfect summer evening of baseball.

Bobby Thomson, who hit one of baseball's most memorable home runs, died this week at 86 . Russ Hodges' call, "The Giants win the pennant!" is part of baseball legend . Larry Goldberg of Brooklyn captured the only known recording at the time of the call . His son, a CNN.com producer, remembers his late father's story of how the recording was made .

Washington (CNN)The race for the next U.S. president was evident on Tuesday night as plenty of potential Republican contenders criticizing President Barack Obama's tax proposals, while Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, defended the President's State of the Union address. Mitt Romney took to Facebook to argue that Obama was dismissing the message that voters sent to Washington when they voted for a Republican majority in November. Obama tax plan: Middle-class credits, increases for rich . "He ignores the fact that the country has elected a Congress that favors smaller government and lower taxes," the 2012 Republican presidential nominee wrote. "His tax proposal is a maze of new taxes and complexities." In his speech, Obama called for closing loopholes in the tax code that he says leads "to inequality by allowing the top 1% to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth." The President is proposing a total of $235 billion in tax credits that are aimed to help the middle class. To pay for it, Obama wants tax investment income -- capital gains and dividends -- at a higher rate, which could help bring in $320 billion. As expected, Republicans widely panned the idea. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush acknowledged that some have benefited in the economic recovery but "far too many people have been left behind." "It's unfortunate President Obama wants to use the tax code to divide us -- instead of proposing reforms to create economic opportunity for every American," he said on Facebook. "We can do better." Sen. Rand Paul, in his own taped response, said "the President is redistributing the pie, but not growing it." Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker blasted what he called Obama's "top-down, government-knows-best philosophy." "Our American revival is not going to be led by a lame-duck president who would rather pick fights with Congress," he said in a statement. "It will be led ​by reformers who know how to get things done." Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement that Obama's speech "doubles down on outdated proposals to tax and spend more." He also ripped into the President over his recent Cuba policy, saying it rewards "repressive, anti-American regimes." Joining "Hambycast" by phone, Rubio later tweaked Obama's pitch to make community college free. "The single greatest impediment to community colleges today are not costs...it's the fact that at the end of that community college tunnel is that graduates don't see jobs," he told CNN's Peter Hamby. Separately, Rubio told CNN's Deirdre Walsh that he felt Republicans could work with Obama on some things, like increasing the child tax credit. "I do think we have to focus on child care costs in America," he said. "They are very high for working families." Sen. Ted Cruz, in a statement criticizing Obama's speech, said, "America saw a powerful demonstration that it is time to move on beyond President Barack Obama." The Texas Republican posted a taped response earlier in the night on his YouTube page, but it was taken down. Reporters noted that Cruz appeared to mess up in the video and asked to start over. My friend, Joni . Many of the Republicans were quick to sing the praises of Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican response, showing that it's never a bad move to praise the new senator from the state that holds the nation's first nominating contest. Bush said his "friend Joni offered a great contrast," while Paul tweeted that his "friend" did a "great job tonight." Former Sen. Rick Santorum, who's spending five days in Iowa next week, also tweeted a shout-out: "Good job @joniernst! Well delivered which drew a clear contrast." Democrats jump to Obama's defense . Clinton, for her part, backed the President on Twitter, saying Obama pointed a way "to an economy that works for all. Now we need to step up and deliver for the middle class." The former secretary of state is considered the Democratic frontrunner if she runs for president. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said in a statement that Obama got it "right" and "laid out ways we can create more opportunities for working families." Outgoing Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley praised Obama's policies, saying in a statement, "The worst thing we could do is let recent economic progress be undercut by Republican efforts to undo critically important financial reforms." Some of the potential Republican contenders also criticized Obama's speech in real time. Paul, for example, jabbed Obama's push for free community college with multiple tweets. Paul's Facebook account also set up a fact-check game where players could guess whether statements in Obama's previous addresses were "true" or "not so fast..." Santorum said a line that he agreed with was the idea that "we want people to not only share in America's success but contribute to its success." On the Democratic side, former Sen. Jim Webb, who's announced a presidential exploratory committee, live-tweeted his thoughts during the speech. CNN's Steve Brusk, Terence Burlij, Dan Merica, Betsy Klein, and Alexandre Jaffe contributed to this report.

Potential Republican presidential candidates were quick to lampoon President Barack Obama's tax policies . Hillary Clinton backed Obama, saying he pointed a way "to an economy that works for all"

Melbourne, Australia (CNN) -- Even a new, high-profile coach couldn't help Roger Federer figure out Rafael Nadal. Federer hadn't beaten Nadal in seven years in a grand slam -- and on a chilly night in Melbourne the world No. 1 kept the streak alive, improving his record over the Swiss to 23-10 overall as he advanced to the Australian Open final. The Spaniard pulled out a tight first set and then cruised to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-3 victory Friday to set up an encounter with Federer's compatriot, Stanislas Wawrinka. "I played a lot of times against Roger, and a lot of times I played great against him," Nadal told reporters. "So probably that's why I had this success against him." If Nadal wins Sunday he would rise to 14 majors and tie American Pete Sampras -- in attendance at Rod Laver Arena during a rare foray to a grand slam in retirement -- for second on the men's all-time list behind Federer. The odds are heavily stacked in his favor given he is even more dominant against debutant grand slam finalist Wawrinka, not losing a set in their 12 encounters. Wawrinka progressed Thursday by downing Czech Tomas Berdych. Federer sought the services of Stefan Edberg in an effort to regain his old form and the 32-year-old, troubled by his back in 2013, duly produced big wins over former Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray this fortnight. But Nadal's transition from defense to offense thwarted Federer, as he continued to enjoy success employing his heavily spun forehand to the Federer backhand and he served impeccably. Nadal, who won the French and U.S. Opens last year in a successful return from knee problems, was broken only once -- in the middle of the third set. Blog: Honor in defeat for Federer . "Playing Murray or Rafa is day and night," Federer told reporters. "It's just every point is played in a completely different fashion and I have to totally change my game." Edberg was a serve-and-volleyer who triumphed at Wimbledon twice, and Federer wasn't afraid to approach the net. However, he has used the tactic in the past against Nadal and on Friday won only 55% of net points. Indeed Nadal didn't think Federer tried much new -- saying he perused YouTube and watched some of their 2012 Melbourne semifinal, which he also won before losing the title match to Novak Djokovic. "I think he tried to play very aggressive, taking the ball very early," said Nadal. "But if you go to YouTube and you see the video of the 2012 match, you will see that he was playing very, very aggressive, too, especially the beginning of the match. "So nothing is completely new." Nadal's passing shots left the crowd gasping, especially a forehand down the line in the final game. "Coming into the match I thought we would have a chance today but the way the match came about, Rafa played very, very well and Roger didn't have that many chances," Edberg told a small group of reporters. "Playing against Rafa at this level is very hard," he added. "It wasn't enough today, but I think he's made a lot of progress over the last three months. "It's looking good for the rest of the year. He still has a way to go before he is back to the level where he can be." Edberg said the match might have turned out differently had Federer broken early in the first set. He likely was referring to the fourth game, when Nadal escaped a 0-30 hole. Nadal raced to a 5-1 lead in the tiebreak, closed out the set and broke on his eighth chance of the match to take a 4-2 stranglehold in the second. By that time Nadal took a medical timeout for a lingering blister on his left palm and Federer complained to the chair umpire -- not for the first time in his career -- about the left-hander's grunting. Despite the loss, Edberg remained upbeat about Federer's chances of achieving an 18th major. "Roger had a tough year last year," said Edberg. "At least now he feels healthy, which is No. 1. No. 2 he needs to put in a lot of work, which he is doing. "He just needs to gain a bit more momentum, a bit more confidence. That will come with time. I think in a few months you should see him even better than what we've seen this week." Nadal, who won the tournament in 2009 but was absent last year, is doing fine at the moment.

Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer in straight sets to reach Australian Open final . World No. 1 will play Federer's fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in Sunday's decider . Top seed Nadal has won each of his past five matches against Federer . Nadal improves his record against 17-time grand slam champion to 23-10 .

(CNN) -- This morning, around 10 a.m., I was 10 years old again. At that hour, the space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA jetliner, soared over Washington and the Capitol Mall on the way to its permanent home at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport. I had walked over from my apartment complex toward Southwest Waterfront Park along the Potomac River to see this double-decker aircraft flying over my head, and stared agog at it like the goofy space-age nerd boy of 50 years ago, face pressed against a black-and-white television screen, listening, back then, to the voice of NASA media spokesman John "Shorty" Powers count backward to zero before a ballistic missile boosted a Project Mercury astronaut into low Earth orbit. Read more about the shuttle's destination . Back then, it was hard not to imagine that by 2012 we would have a permanent multinational lunar base from which ships with people would be traveling every other month to Mars -- and from there, maybe, to one of Jupiter's potentially habitable moons. We can see those things better than we once did, thanks to things like the Hubble Space Telescope, which wouldn't be working now unless people went up in shuttles for repairs and maintenance. But we're nowhere near being ready or, worse, willing to go there ourselves. Spot the shuttle, share a photo with CNN iReport . I have many friends who think that's just fine. They're a lot like the friends I had back in the '60s who believed I was a ninny for gaping at space walks and rendezvousing spaceships, while billions of those dollars were more urgently needed on the ground for such things as education. Maybe they're right, I sometimes thought. I don't think that anymore, having read in "Space Chronicles" (Norton), a recently published collection of articles by astrophysicist and Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, that only 4% of the U.S. budget during the 1960s went toward meeting President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing men on the moon before 1970. He also writes that even with the shuttle program in place, along with all those satellite repair missions, the $100 million operating budget for NASA represents six years of the agency's total funding and that said funding amounts to "one half of one percent of [a U.S. citizen's] tax bill." Which still sounds like too much to some. But think of what, ultimately, we're buying with that money. I'm not just talking about all that ancillary technology generated by space travel that eventually improves people's lives. I'm talking about something more intangible and, yet, more vital to our basic needs. Bear with me. I believe it wasn't just coincidence that both the space race and the civil rights movement reached their respective apogees at roughly the same time: the late 1950s and early 1960s. Think about the integration of Little Rock High School starting barely a month before the Russian launch of Sputnik, which galvanized the United States, pushing it toward not just sending its own satellites, but also getting busy with improving and funding math and science education. I also think about the morning of May 5, 1961, the day that Alan Shepard was scheduled to become the first American to fly into space, an act that would help commit his country to a full-fledged moon race. That same morning, newspapers all over the country showed a picture of a bus set ablaze by white racists wishing to quell a movement by black and white civil rights activists to ensure racially integrated travel on interstate bus lines in the South. At the time, the tendency was to think of such events as being at best mutually exclusive. I think they are now both logical and synchronous outgrowths of the human impulse to break down barriers and move ahead. The less afraid we are to think outside the box scientifically, the less afraid we are of other barriers, other things that constrict our natures. This week, Major League Baseball celebrated the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier on April 15, 1947. Seven months later, almost to the day, Chuck Yeager poked a hole in the sky with a rocket plane and broke the sound barrier. I do not say one event led directly to the other (not necessarily, anyway). But I do think both were driven by the same insistent energy to fly higher, push harder, maybe even make ourselves better people in the very long run. I will try very hard not to consider Discovery's last touchdown as the end of something, though I still fear it may signify the beginning of the end -- not just of a dream, but of our very capacity to dream. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour.

Gene Seymour: He'll watch as space shuttle is flown above Capitol . He says as a boy he was entranced with promise of space travel . He says U.S. early space progress tracked with civil rights movement . Seymour: Discovery's exit may signal end of America's capacity to dream .

(CNN) -- Lance Armstrong is ready to cooperate with an international "truth and reconciliation commission" digging into doping in professional cycling, but not -- for now and perhaps longer -- with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which expedited his downfall, his lawyer said Friday. USADA, designated by Congress as the country's official anti-doping organization for Olympic sports, had reached out to Armstrong's representatives, asking the former champion cyclist to talk to them at length by February 6 about his past. In a letter dated Friday, Armstrong's lawyer Timothy Herman acknowledged the USADA request but said that "logistically, it is simply not possible" to do in the next two weeks "due to preexisting obligations." Furthermore, Herman wrote that Armstrong is more inclined to cooperate with international sports authorities -- specifically the Union Cycliste Internationale, which recently announced its intention to set up a "truth and reconciliation commission" in conjunction with the World Anti-Doping Agency. The lawyer reasoned USADA has limited jurisdiction over the sport, since it has focused on the U.S. Postal Service team once led by Armstrong, but not the vast majority of professional cycling teams that have raced in recent decades. 7 lessons from Armstrong's confession . "USADA has no authority to investigate, prosecute or otherwise involve itself with the other 95% of cycling competitors," Herman said. "Thus, in order to achieve the goal of 'cleaning up cycling,' it must be WADA and the UCI who have overall authority to do so." U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart, in a statement to CNN, challenged Armstrong's claim he did not have sufficient time to arrange his schedule so he could talk to his organization. Tygart said the two sides met last month, at which time his agency asked Armstrong to work with them and "be part of the solution." "Mr. Armstrong has already been provided well over a month since our meeting in December to consider whether he is going to be part of our ongoing efforts to clean up the sport of cycling," Tygart said. "Either way, USADA is moving forward with our investigation on behalf of clean athletes." Last October, the USADA detailed its investigation that found Armstrong played a central role in what it called "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." That in-depth report hastened the once iconic Armstrong's demise, including his being stripped of his 2000 Olympic bronze medal and seven Tour de France titles. As he had for years, Armstrong continued to vehemently deny cheating during his stellar run -- until this month, when he confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he'd used performance-enhancing drugs and had illicit blood transfusions. In the interview, Armstrong admitted being a "bully" at times, but insisted he didn't feel like he cheated because others in his sport were doing the same. 10 alternative steps to redemption for Armstrong . "I viewed it as a level playing field," the athlete said. Armstrong told Winfrey he was open to talking with anti-doping agencies, including USADA, to address what he called a pervasive "culture" of breaking the rules to get ahead. That said, there's a long history of bad blood between the two sides -- including pointed back-and-forth barbs between Armstrong and Tygart. In his recent interview, Armstrong had admitted some of USADA's findings had merit, but rebutted others, such as its claims he cheated when he returned to professional cycling for the 2009 and 2010 Tour de France competitions. Tygart said in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" set to air in full Sunday that, even if others also took performance-enhancing drugs, Armstrong "was on an entirely different playing field" given how much "inside information" and "special access" he had. The anti-doping chief blasted Armstrong's claim in his Winfrey interview that he didn't think he was cheating -- saying even a kindergartener could recognize that "it's breaking the rules of the game." "No real athlete has to look up the definition of cheating," Tygart said, according to excerpts of the interview posted online. "It's offensive to clean athletes who are out there, working hard, to play by the rules that apply to their sport." Herman expressed "disappointment" about this interview, which he expected would contain "more criticism of and attacks on Lance, despite no shortage of that following his recent revelations." "Lance's commitment to the truth and reconciliation process is firm, despite the attempt at piling on through more appearances by Mr. Tygart on '60 Minutes,'" the lawyer wrote. Why we cheat . CNN's Kevin Bohn and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

USADA says it gave Lance Armstrong until February 6 to discuss doping . His lawyer says it isn't "possible" for Armstrong to meet USADA within 2 weeks . He says international agencies should lead probes into doping in cycling, not USADA . USADA chief blasts Armstrong in an upcoming "60 Minutes" interview .

(CNN) -- Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama paid tribute Saturday to first responders who aided neighbors staggered by the April 27 tornado that cut a swath through the city and killed 47 people. The Crimson Tide's first football game since the storm included a video, a musical program and a moment of silence for the victims, among them six university students. A houndstooth ribbon painted on the field symbolized legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and a community still in grief. "It was just wonderful. It really was," the Rev. Kelvin Croom said of the observances. "It was a time to come together." It was also a victorious day for No. 2 Alabama, which defeated Kent State University 48-7. No one could have predicted how much of what happened off the sidelines this year would mean to Saturday's contest. For the 101,000-plus fans who jammed the stands, the contest against the Golden Flashes was an opportunity to pause from rebuilding to enjoy the rites of autumn. Kent State sent four players in late July to help in the rebuilding and conduct a clinic for underprivileged kids. Since then, Alabama fans have expressed their appreciation. "The ovation when we came on the field was pretty amazing," said Alan Ashby, assistant athletic director for communications at Kent State. "The crowd was very supportive." "I am an Alabama fan. Now I'm (also) a Kent State fan. I saw the character and class of Kent State athletics," said Bob Johnson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa. Habitat and Alabama head coach Nick Saban's "Nick's Kids Fund" were instrumental in the building of a new home for a family displaced by the tornado. Saban, who played and coached at Kent State, wants to build 13 homes, to match the number of national championships the Crimson Tide has won. Last fall, Dana Dowling, her husband, Bob, and two teen children routinely yelled "Roll Tide!" from their home near Brookwood, a community east of Tuscaloosa. On April, 27, the front wall of the Dowlings' mobile home blew in. The bedroom was sucked out. The roof was left unattached. Now, only days away from moving into their new home, the Dowlings attended the game as guests of the opposing team and visited with new Kent State head coach Darrell Hazell. More than 100 University of Alabama students, including gymnasts, cheerleaders and football and basketball players, pitched in on the Dowling residence, too. "When one brother is down, we are all down," said Croom, pastor of College Hill Baptist Church, largely destroyed by the tornado. "I absolutely adored all of the guys," Dowling said of the Kent State and Alabama volunteers. Athletes just wanted to help, rather than be recognized, she said. "Not many people get what we got," Dowling said of the new residence and outpouring of love and support. The family couldn't qualify for a conventional mortgage because Bob Dowling, who works as a disaster recovery technician, doesn't receive checks 52 weeks a year, she said. By going with Habitat, the Dowlings will go from a $600 monthly mortgage to less than $400. Kent State running back Jacquise Terry said he's become closer to the three teammates who went with him from Ohio to Tuscaloosa. "There is more to life than football." "My heart is still going out to families," the Phenix City, Alabama, native told CNN Friday as he traveled on the team bus. The tragedy has touched almost everyone in the city. Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker lost his apartment in the storm. He helped out with the Dowling home. Deep snapper Carson Tinker's girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, was killed. "Everyone expects him to be in a negative place, sad and down," said Alabama associate athletics director Jeff Purinton. "He thinks it's his responsibility to be positive." A scholarship has been established in Harrison's memory. Visitors to Tuscaloosa still see scenes of devastation, though most of the debris has been removed. "You make a turn and all of a sudden everything is gone," said Kent State's Ashby. "No limbs. No trees. Houses off their foundations." The Kent State athletes were heartened by the response they got during their visit, Ashby said. "People came up and thanked us. One guy said, 'Roll Tide and go Flashes!' " While the fact that Saban is a Kent State alum made a connection for the trip, "We knew it was the right thing to do," Ashby said. Students on the Alabama campus agreed the game was an ideal time for the community to come together. "I think that it means a return to normal," said Lance Ledbetter, a junior from Grant, Alabama. "This whole community has been so upset about this tornado. Let's take our mind off rebuilding for a second and get back to rooting on Alabama football." CNN's Reynolds Wolf contributed to this report.

Program includes video, moment of silence . Alabama Crimson Tide plays its first game since April tornado . Ceremony honors first responders . Players from opponent Kent State helped build Habitat home for storm victims .

Hong Kong (CNN) -- Attempting to forecast future events is a dangerous pastime. Who could have predicted the spectacular fall of Chinese politician Bo Xilai, once a rising political star, or the stunning escape of blind activist Chen Guangcheng from house arrest? But forecasting is useful for journalists who should be primed to anticipate the dominant trends ahead. So, adding to what's already out there, here goes. These are the five key China stories I'll be looking out for in 2013: . US-China tensions . The U.S. is wary of China's military growth and economic might, while China is wary of America's pivot to Asia and President Barack Obama's increasingly tough line on trade. But in 2013, there will be more immediate points of friction between the two giants. Xie Tao, a professor of Political Science at Beijing Foreign Studies University, underlines three specific trends to watch: "Number one, whether Barack Obama will sell weapons to Taiwan in January; second, whether China will continue to block U.S. efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria; and number three, Iran." Tao adds: "I'm not quite optimistic about peaceful cooperation between the two countries, but in the longer term, I'm more optimistic than many other scholars of the U.S.-China relationship." China's Own Pivot to Asia . As the U.S. makes its strategic pivot to Asia, China has been considering its own relationships in its backyard. Beijing is out to ink trade deals with Japan and South Korea while actively expanding trade ties with Southeast Asian countries like Laos and Myanmar. The New York Times' Beijing-based Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Jane Perlez tells me: "China is a cash power in Southeast Asia. They're spending billions of dollars on roads and rail through the countries of Southeast Asia, that will enable goods to come up through China, then back down through China, and will knit the whole region together." But given the ongoing tension with South Korea, Philippines and Japan over disputed islands in the South China Sea, as well as tension within Myanmar over China's mineral mining operations, will Beijing lose the diplomatic war for hearts and minds in the region? The Party's Priority: Cleaning up corruption . The Chinese Communist Party is facing a number of challenges that are undercutting its legitimacy: A widening rich-poor divide, a desperate need for social reforms, political corruption, and a spate of sex scandals involving Party officials. As such, the Communist Party must make cleaning up its own domestic affairs a top priority. Political commentator and columnist Frank Ching believes the new leadership's top agenda is cleaning up the Party itself, adding this observation from the recent 18th Party Congress in Beijing: "When Xi Jinping came out to introduce members of the Standing Committee, he did not mention foreign policy at all. He didn't say anything about international relations. I think that's because he realizes China's most serious problems are domestic ones, and he's going to have to focus on those first." China's Smartphone Boom . China, the world's biggest Internet market, is forecast to overtake the U.S. in smartphone shipments and become the world's leading smartphone market this year, according to research group IDC. With some retailing for as low as $160, China's cheap smartphones will make a huge social impact through China. According to Josh Ong, China Editor of The Next Web: "It's becoming more and more possible for Chinese consumers to skip bulky desktops or even laptops and netbooks and rely solely on their phones as their primary computing devices. Students, migrant workers, and even rural citizens stand to benefit greatly from the rise of affordable smartphones." As more Chinese venture online (and on microblogs) via their smartphones, there will be greater public outcry and protest, as well as greater pressure on the government to manage the added censorship load. "We have seen the beginnings of a digital accountability system. If nearly everyone has the means to record and instantaneously broadcast their surroundings, it will keep most people from acting out," says Ong. China to the Moon . In the second half of 2013, China's Chang-e III is expected to land on the moon. Once the lunar rover touches down on the lunar surface, expect a massive wave of propaganda touting its scientific might. China is still on a high after setting a deep-sea diving record in the Mariana Trench and successfully docking the Shenzhou-9 with the Tiangong 1 space lab in the same week earlier this year. But China on the moon will do far more than stir national pride. It will cement China's own age of discovery for the world to admire and, in certain corners of the globe, fear. Chinese explorer Wong How Man says the message of China's space program is clear and highly symbolic. "We're in space... not just making cellphones."

U.S. wary of China's military, economic growth, while China is wary of America's pivot to Asia . China will also be considering its own often fractious relationships in its backyard . Corruption will also be a key issue for the new Chinese leadership in 2013 . Space exploration will continue as a symbolic marker for China's development .

(CNN) -- Cameroon became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup in South Africa after Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Denmark, which made the Netherlands the first team to reach the second round following an earlier 1-0 victory over Japan. African teams had held high hopes ahead of the first tournament to be held on the continent, but Cameroon are going home early after a second successive defeat and the hosts are also on the verge of exiting following Wednesday's 3-0 loss to Uruguay. Cameroon took the lead through star striker Samuel Eto'o, but Denmark rallied thanks to an inspirational performance from winger Dennis Rommedahl, who made one goal and scored the winner. The Dutch are top of Group E after two victories thanks to Wesley Sneijder's second-half winner in Durban, while Denmark and Japan will determine the second team to reach the knockout stages when they clash on Thursday, both having three points. Japan have a slightly better goal difference and can qualify with a draw. Denmark 2-1 Cameroon . Cameroon star Eto'o has been one of the poster faces of the tournament, and he became the fourth player from his country to score at more than one World Cup after being restored to his more customary central striking role by coach Paul Le Guen. The Inter Milan forward punished the Danish defense after Christian Poulsen inexplicably gave the ball away to Pierre Webo in the 10th minute in Pretoria. The lead lasted just 23 minutes as Rommedahl broke free down the right and delivered a superb low cross into the path of striker Nicklas Bendtner, who slid the ball into the net. That triggered a frantic end to the half as Jon Dahl Tomasson had a goalbound shot blocked by Cameroon midfielder Alex Song, who had given the ball away in the first place, then Eto'o hit the post after a similar chain of events at the other end and Achille Emana ineffectually flicked the ball at Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen when he should have scored. In the second half, Webo missed a chance to go ahead and Cameroon immediately went behind as Bendtner set up Rommedahl on the counter-attack. The veteran winger cut inside a retreating Jean Makoun and curled in a left-foot effort, with Cameroon full-back Benoit Assou-Akotto caught out of position in the other half. Denmark should have added to that 61st-minute goal but captain Tomasson shot straight at goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou after clever play by Rommedahl on 70. Cameroon kept pouring forward in a brave attempt to stay in the tournament, and Poulsen inadvertently made a crucial block with his face from a goalbound shot by 18-year-old substitute Vincent Aboubakar while Sorensen did well to deny Emana again. "We missed the required coolness in front of goal," Le Guen told reporters. "We didn't finish very well, but I feel like we gave everything we could." Denmark coach Morten Olsen was not impressed by his team's performance. "We made far too many elementary mistakes and I can't allow that from my players. We must correct that," he said. "I wasn't happy, but they fought heroically. Some didn't play well, but they fought." Netherlands 1-0 Japan . Midfielder Sneijder scored the only goal at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the 53rd minute with a vicious, swerving shot that deceived Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, who could only palm the much-criticized Jabulani ball into his own net. The Dutch, two-times losing finalists in soccer's showpiece event, should have made it 2-0 late on in the game when substitute Ibrahim Afellay -- who replaced Inter Milan star Sneijder -- was denied by Kawashima after latching onto a through ball from Eljero Elia. Japan, who created a number of half-chances throughout the match, had a good opportunity to equalize in the dying seconds of the game, but substitute Shinji Okazaki shot narrowly over the bar. The Netherlands, again missing injured star forward Arjen Robben, struggled to break down a tenacious Japan side much as they did in the first half against Denmark before going on to win that match 2-0 thanks to a fortunate own-goal. Dirk Kuyt was closest to scoring when his spectacular overhead effort was blocked, while Japan's best chance -- despite several impressive attacking moves -- was a 38th-minute volley from Daisuke Matsui that was comfortably saved by Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Japan's play assumed more urgency following Sneijder's thunderbolt, but they could not turn industrious forward play into any clear-cut chances to worry the Dutch defense.

Netherlands become the first team to reach second round of the World Cup in South Africa . Denmark beat Cameroon 2-1 to eliminate the Africans and put the Dutch into knockout stage . Netherlands earlier claimed second win in Group E, beating Japan 1-0 in in Durban . Denmark and Japan will battle for second place in group in Thursday's final match .

KEY WEST, Florida (CNN) -- The USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, a retired U.S. Navy warship, embarked on a sedentary new career Wednesday on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. The USNS Vandenberg was intentionally sunk Wednesday to create an artificial reef for marine life. The decommissioned warship was scuttled in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary between 10:20 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET to become the world's second-largest artificial coral reef. The 17,250-ton ship sank in less than two minutes, said Andy Newman, spokesman for the Florida Keys Tourism Council. It is resting about 140 feet below the surface, but much of its bulk is only 40 to 70 feet below the surface. "It went down like a rock," he told CNN. "Everything looked very, very smooth." About 300 boats positioned themselves as close as possible to the site, and cheers went up when the Vandenberg slipped beneath the water seven miles south of Key West, the spokesman said. Watch the Vandenberg sink » . Newman, who was circling in a helicopter above the 522-foot-long ship, said the Vandenberg appeared to rest in a level position on the Gulf floor. Divers were to assess its position Wednesday. Authorities said once final assessments of the ship are made, divers can begin exploring. The goal of the $8.6 million project is to divert fishing and diving pressure away from natural reefs, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The commission "estimates that the vessel's life span of at least 100 years will contribute stable, long-term habitat for scores of marine fish species, and provide exceptional diving and fishing opportunities for Florida residents and visitors," its Web site says. To sink the Vandenberg, holes were made above the waterline in the side of the ship and throughout various decks, Newman said. Explosive charges were embedded in the bilge area below the water. The explosives detonated inside the hull, blowing outward. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects that the Vandenberg artificial reef will result in an annual increase of about $7.5 million in expenditures in the economy of Monroe County, which includes Key West. Sinkthevandenberg.com -- a joint effort by Artificial Reefs of the Keys and Valeo Films -- had offered a live, online stream of the event, but the system apparently was overloaded, making the site inaccessible. The Vandenberg was built at the Kaiser shipyard in Richmond, California, in 1943. It was commissioned as a World War II troop transport ship. After Japan surrendered, the Vandenberg was the first Navy ship to return to New York Harbor. During the 1950s the ship was used to transport refugees from Europe and Australia to America. In the 1960s the Air Force used the Vandenberg to track missiles. It also was used to track rockets and early space shuttle launches. The ship was decommissioned in 1986 and was anchored with more than 25 other mothballed ships in Norfolk, Virginia. The Vandenberg was towed to Key West last month. The Vandenberg was chosen from among 400 decommissioned military vessels mainly based on appearance: "her topside structure, her smooth, interesting hull lines, big girth and her starring role in a motion picture," Newman said. The ship was featured in the 1999 movie "Virus," starring Donald Sutherland and Jamie Lee Curtis. Four men who had served on the Vandenberg traveled to Key West to see the ship go to its final resting place. Patrick Utecht worked for more than 20 years as a civilian contractor on the Vandenberg when it was used for missile and radar tracking and data collection. When he heard about its future as part of an artificial reef, Utecht said, "My feeling was one of elation." "I can say that many of us [crew members] were thrilled that where she was going, she would keep her name and place in history." "I think it's a far better use of her than being cut up," he added. The largest ship ever scuttled to create an artificial reef was the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, which sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast in 2006, according to the U.S. Navy. The former warship slipped under the water about 24 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, the Navy says on its Web site. The Oriskany was 888 feet long, and weighed 32,000 tons. It sank in water about 212 feet deep.

A decommissioned U.S. Navy warship was intentionally sunk off the Florida Keys . The USNS Vandenberg will become the world's second-largest artificial reef . The sunken ship will create a long-term habitat for scores of marine fish species . The ship was built in 1943 and commissioned as a WWII troop transport ship .

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A local court has set free a teenage boy after finding him guilty of stealing a policeman's sandals in a case that caused furor among Indonesians frustrated with perceived injustices against the poor and defenseless. The 15-year-old could have spent five years in jail for the alleged offense. He is accused of stealing the sandals from a boarding house where the cop was staying in November 2010 but was brought to trial only last month. Indonesia's Child Protection Commission decried the verdict on Wednesday, noting that the sandals presented as evidence in the court did not belong to the policeman, a fact he affirmed in court. The Commission's secretary, Muhammad Ihsan, said in a statement to CNN, "This verdict is controversial and it hurts people's hearts. The court could not prove it, but they still gave him a guilty verdict. To be on the safe side, the boy was returned to his parents. But the verdict will be a life-long scar on the boy because he will always be considered a sandal thief. "The judge took a safe stand between pressure between two sides, pressure from the police and prosecutor, and pressure from the public and the media. This is a country with a thousand faces," the commission said. To protest the charges against the boy, a campaign to gather a thousand flip-flops began on December 28. Students, teachers, construction workers, public transport drivers and lawyers among others dropped off pairs of sandals at centers set up around the country. "Two high school students came here, took off the sandals they were wearing and walked home barefoot," said Budhi Kurniawan, of the non-governmental organization SOS Children's Villages and who helped start the campaign after hearing about the case. "We came up with the idea of a thousand sandals which we see as being the symbol of resistance also as compensation for the sandals that was allegedly stolen," Kurniawan said. The sandals were intended for the policeman who lost his pair "so he doesn't have to buy another pair for the rest of his life," Kurniawan added. The response was overwhelming. About 1,300 pairs of used and brand new sandals were collected, as calls to donate spread through BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook and Twitter. Organizers had earlier said the campaign would end only when the boy was acquitted. To express disappointment over the verdict, the sandals would be given to different government institutions instead, Kurniawan said on Thursday -- namely the national police, the attorney general's office, the Supreme Court, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and juvenile detention centers. The boy's parents are also considering an appeal, he added. Before Wednesday's verdict, national police spokesman Col. Boy Rafli Amar told CNN it had been the boy's parents who wanted to bring the case to trial. "In this situation, the advice from the police was for the parents to give their son more attention and guidance, but this wasn't accepted by the parents, and they wanted the legal action to be taken." The Child Protection Commission, however, said the parents had filed a complaint with the Palu police after the alleged victim, 1st Brig. Ahmad Rusdi Harahap, and another colleague interrogated the boy. The parents allege the policemen beat up the boy and forced him to admit to the theft. The parents, according to the commission, wanted a case filed against those policemen. Both were given disciplinary action, said Rafli, the national police spokesman. According to Ihsan of the Commission, the police should have prioritized intervention and rehabilitation since the alleged offender is a minor. There have been numerous cases of minors brought to court over petty crimes. Last year a 12 year-old-boy was tried and later acquitted for allegedly stealing loudspeakers from a mosque in West Java. Another 14-year-old was detained and charged for allegedly stealing a cell phone top up card worth $1.50. According to the Commission, in 2011 alone, 6,273 minors were reported to be serving time in jail, some of them in adult prisons. The goal is to get all juveniles out of prison and change the laws governing minor offenders, Ihsan said. A bill on the protection of children's rights is under deliberation and expected to pass this year in parliament. "The commission is pushing to abolish juvenile punishment in Indonesia. We hope it will be included in the bill. It means that first the child needs to be returned to their parents for guidance, then given training and education, and the harshest would be rehabilitation with the right intervention. We're not asking that more juvenile facilities be built. We don't want minors in jail," Ihsan explained. This also is not the first time Indonesians have rallied around a victim of perceived injustice. Public pressure from a similar campaign in 2009, "Coins for Prita," helped a housewife escape criminal liability for complaining in a private e-mail about a hospital's service.

Indonesia's Child Protection Commission decries verdict Wednesday . Commission notes that sandals presented in court were not policeman's . Campaign kicked off last month to donate sandals in protest . They were meant for policeman who accused boy of theft .

(CNN) -- Car giant BMW is shifting up a gear in its efforts to tap Africa's emerging middle class. Bodo Donauer, managing director of BMW South Africa, said the auto manufacturer sells one out of three premium cars in the country. He now wants the company to replicate the successful South African model in other parts of the continent. "We clearly see that there is a growing middle class coming through in Africa and that there is a lot of interest in development and we assume that the middle class as we have seen it in South Africa is growing and there is purchasing power and there is a demand for our cars as well," he told CNN's Robyn Curnow. Last week, BMW unveiled plans to increase the production capacity at its Pretoria-based Rosslyn plant, the company's first production facility outside Germany, built in 1973. The move is expected to enable BMW to double its exports from the country -- Donauer says that 80% of the cars produced at the plant are exported to countries across the world. An edited version of the interview follows. CNN: What is it about South Africa that you find good and what are the challenges of working in this country? Bodo Donauer: We are proud to have a plant here in South Africa which is a member of the BMW Group production network and we are proud that we are able to deliver the same quality. Certainly there are always challenges, there are challenges all around the whole world and if you talk in South Africa about challenges, it's a skills issue, it's the supplier base, it's education of the people, it's logistics and everything but so far we were able to deal with this and to overcome this and we have a successful future ahead as we are planning to double the production volume in this plant. CNN: Logistics -- getting the cars out -- how difficult is it, particularly with a port like Durban for example? See also: Long delays at Africa's busiest port . BD: It's a challenge, especially if you're talking about the Durban port, if you have the lowest efficiency and the highest prices for your port operation it's not a good position to be in. So, South Africa needs to change this and there have been measures taken at least to talk about and to bring it forward. We need efficient ports but we just do not need Durban alone -- I would say we need in sub-Saharan Africa sufficient ports, we need to have one in Mozambique, maybe in Angola and we need to have an infrastructure which links these ports to each other -- it's all about proper infrastructure in order to get production volumes which are increasing out of the country to our customers. Read also: IMF chief calls for job creation in Africa . CNN: Do you think that's a huge failure of South Africa in particular? BD: It is at least a weakness which we definitely have but in favor of South Africa's weakness [is that it] has been mentioned... (that) certain improvements will be done and I trust that this will come through. CNN: From your point of view, has this been one of the things that has kept you awake at night, how to get the cars of this country? BD: Yes, we have fantastic cars, we produce them with the right quality and we should have a very smooth process in a combination between transit and the port operation to get them out as quickly as possible and this is what we're working for. CNN: How has the euro crisis impacted the BMW Group globally? BD: We have not been affected directly, it's more a financial crisis than an industrial crisis. It's very important that we have a successful euro and from a German point of view -- talking for a German-based company with a lot of international operations -- it's very important, as we are a big exporter, to have a common currency. Read also: Underwater cables bring faster internet to West Africa . CNN: The cars built in BMW's South African plant are exported across the world. BD: The majority of the cars, 80 per cent to be exact, is exported around the world -- main markets are the NAFTA states, Japan, Australia, Korea, Hong Kong, all these kind of countries. CNN: And Africa? BD: We sell through the whole African continent, I think 33,000 or 35,000 cars, the majority of this certainly in South Africa at the moment. In South Africa we are clearly the leader in the premium car segment, one out of three premium cars is a BMW. Yes, it's different if we go north in Africa because we are not selling so many cars over there -- we have a huge market in Egypt and we have importers who sell our cars through Africa, but what we do now (is) we try to use the model which we have used in South Africa to increase our footprint. CNN: Why are you taking this decision now? BD: It's that we clearly see that there is a growing middle class coming through in Africa and that there is a lot of interest in development and we assume that the middle class as we have seen it in South Africa is growing and there is purchasing power and there is a demand for our cars as well. Teo Kermeliotis contributed to this report .

Bodo Donauer is the managing director of BMW South Africa . He speaks about the challenges of operating a major export business out of South Africa . Donauer gives his assessment over the impact of the eurozone crisis on the sector.

(CNN) -- Tracy Orr sat in the back of the room and prepared to watch her foreclosed home go up for auction this past Saturday. That's when a pesky stranger sat down beside her and struck up a conversation. Tracy Orr faced losing her home to foreclosure when Marilyn Mock, a stranger, stepped in to buy it. "Are you here to buy a house?" Marilyn Mock said. Orr couldn't hold it in. The tears flowed. She pointed to the auction brochure at a home that didn't have a picture. "That's my house," she said. Within moments, the four-bedroom, two-bath home in Pottsboro, Texas, went up for sale. People up front began casting their bids. The home that Orr purchased in September 2004 was slipping away. She stood and moved toward the crowd. Behind her, Mock got into the action. "She didn't know I was doing it," Mock says. "I just kept asking her if [her home] was worth it, and she just kept crying. She probably thought I was crazy, 'Why does this woman keep asking me that?' " Mock says she bought the home for about $30,000. That's when Mock did what most bidders at a foreclosure auction never do. Watch why a woman would buy back a stranger's home » . "She said, 'I did this for you. I'm doing this for you,' " Orr says. "When it was all done, I was just in shock." "I thought maybe her and her husband do these types of things to buy them and turn them. She said, 'No, you just look like you needed a friend.' " "All this happened within like 5 minutes. She never even asked me my name. She didn't ask me my financial situation. She had no idea what [the house] looked like. She just did it out of the graciousness of her heart, just a 'Good Samaritan,' " Orr says. "It's amazing." Orr says she had taken out a mortgage of $80,000 in 2004 when she first bought the home. At the time, she says she worked for the U.S. Postal Service. But she lost her job a month after taking out the loan when she says the Post Office fired her over a DWI while off-duty. She says a wrongful termination lawsuit is pending. Without a job, she fell behind on her home payments. She sold some property in 2006 for $12,000 and paid it to the mortgage company, thinking she had done enough to save herself from foreclosure -- but to no avail, she says. "It's just been a bad deal," says Orr, who now works at All Saints Camp and Conference Center, a Christian group with ties to the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, Texas. With the foreclosure auction approaching, she planned to make the nearly 80-mile drive to Dallas this past Saturday with an investor friend. But she says he ditched her at the last-minute. She went to the auction with her family, and suddenly found herself in the back with Mock. "I always talk to everyone around me," Mock says. "I mean you can always find out all kinds of interesting things when you talk to people around you. So I just asked her, 'Are you here to buy a house?' " Mock, who is known as the "Rock Lady" for her small business selling flagstone and other rocks in Rockwall, Texas, says she went to the auction with her 27-year-old son to help him buy his first home. He bought his home, and soon afterward Mock came across Orr. Mock says she's using one of her business dump trucks as collateral for the $30,000 sale price. "I can't afford to just give [the house] to her," she says. As for Orr's payments, Mock says, "We'll just figure out however much she can pay on it. That way, she can have her house back." Why be so generous? "She was just so sad. You put yourself in their situation and you realize you just got to do something," says Mock, who says she has trouble walking by homeless people on the street and not helping them out. "If it was you, you'd want somebody to stop and help you." When she told her husband of 30 years that she'd just bought a home for a stranger, she says his reaction was: "Whatever." "He's used to it," she says with a booming laugh. Mock says she's excited for another reason too. Orr's house is located near a Texas fishing hot-spot. "She says I can come up there and fish, and I love to fish!" Orr, who nearly lost her home, says her newfound friend has "given me back faith and hope to keep going and hold my head up." "Things happen for a reason," Orr says.

Stranger buys foreclosed home for woman on hard times . "If it was you, you'd want somebody to stop and help you," says Marilyn Mock . Mock bought home for $30,000; says she'll work out payment deal with Tracy Orr . Orr says Mock's generosity has "given me back faith and hope to keep going"

(CNN) -- A Louisiana teenager whose 2006 arrest in the racially charged "Jena 6" assault case drew thousands of protesters tried to commit suicide days after a separate arrest last week, a police report says. Mychal Bell was released in September 2007 and later agreed to a plea deal in the beating of a classmate. Mychal Bell, who was arrested last week after allegedly stealing clothes worth $370 from a department store, told investigators he shot himself Monday evening "because he was tired of all the media attention," the report says. The high school senior's mother and his grandmother also told an investigator that he'd indicated "he did not feel like he could live anymore" because of media coverage of the shoplifting allegations, according to the report. Earlier, Bell's attorney, Carol Powell-Lexing, told CNN that Bell's family told her he'd accidentally shot himself while cleaning a gun. According to the police report, however, an officer responded to a 911 call from his grandmother's Monroe, Louisiana, home, where Bell lives. The grandmother, Rosie Simmons, told the officer that she had hidden the gun after the shooting "for Mychal's safety so he did not try to shot [sic] himself again," according to the report. Bell, 18, suffered a wound to the upper right chest, the report says. Powell-Lexing told CNN that Bell had surgery Monday night, and Monroe police Sgt. Cassandra Wooten said the wound was not life-threatening. Bell was being treated Tuesday at a hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. In December 2006, Bell was one of a half-dozen black teenagers who faced felony charges in the beating of a white classmate in the town of Jena, Louisiana, an incident that followed months of racial tensions in the community of about 3,000 people. The case of the "Jena 6" drew national attention from civil rights groups that said the charges were excessive, and an estimated 15,000-plus people turned out for a September 2007 rally in Jena on the youths' behalf. Bell eventually pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and later moved to Monroe, about 70 miles north of Jena. On Christmas Eve, Bell was arrested at the Pecanland Mall in Monroe and charged with shoplifting, simple battery and resisting arrest, Monroe Police Lt. Jeff Davis said Tuesday. Bell was released on $1,300 bond, and the case was assigned to city court. Watch CNN's Sean Callebs report on the case » . On Monday, Simmons and Bell's mother, Melissa Bell, told investigators they heard a gunshot from the teenager's room and found him on the bed, according to the police report. "Rosie and M. Bell stated Mychal had made comments over the past two days that because of the current media attention he had because of a shoplifting arrest he did not feel like he could live anymore," the police report says. Monroe police Lt. Jeff Harris said investigators do not know whose gun Bell used. Bell's Christmas Eve arrest came after security guards at the shopping center were told Bell and a male friend were seen stuffing clothing into a bag in a menswear section of Dillard's, according to the investigative report. Once spotted, the men split up, police said. Bell, chased by security guards, ran from the store to a parking lot, where he tried to hide under a car, Davis said. As a store security officer tried to pull Bell out, "Bell swung his arms wildly" and hit the guard with his elbow, the report says. Davis said the guard was hit in the face. Bell admitted to the thefts, which police said included four shirts and a pair of jeans, Davis said. The merchandise was photographed by store security and returned to stock, he added. Bell was taken to jail and booked. Davis said the second man escaped. Powell-Lexing told CNN her client went to the mall with someone to return a shirt, for which he had a receipt. The person with Bell did the shoplifting, and Bell was caught in the middle, the attorney said. Powell-Lexing said Bell has been trying to stay out of trouble since the Jena arrest, and that he has been on the verge of getting a college football scholarship. Bell attends a Monroe high school, but has not been allowed to play high school football since his arrest in Jena, where he was a running back. In April, after his move to Monroe, Bell told CNN that he wanted to keep his life on the straight and narrow in part because of the support he received during the Jena case. "I feel like [after] all the people came down and supported me [and] gave money to the defense fund, I feel like ... if I would do something now, I would let the whole country down," he said. CNN's Sean Callebs and CNN Radio's Amanda Moyer contributed to this report.

Police report: Mychal Bell shot himself because he's tired of media attention . Bell was arrested last week on suspicion of shoplifting . He is accused of stealing clothes worth $370 from a department store . Bell was a defendant in the racially charged case in Louisiana .

(CNN) -- An Oklahoma teenager and four of his friends have been formally charged in connection with the slayings of the teen's father and younger brother, authorities said Friday. Police said Thorsten Gunter Rushing, 18, allegedly shot his father, Uwe Rushing, 49, and his 13-year-old brother, Stefan, on January 20 before calling police to report a home invasion in an elaborate ruse involving four of his friends. After allegedly shooting his dad and brother as they watched television, Rushing smothered his brother to death because he was not "bleeding out fast enough," according to an affidavit filed in an Oklahoma state court. From the beginning, police said, the details of the shootings in Lawton did not add up. Initially, Rushing told police that two black men -- one of them armed -- forced their way into the home before Rushing chased them away with a shotgun, police said. Later, the intruders were described as white and Hispanic. Though the gunman was described as running through the house while firing his weapon, police said, not a single item in the home appeared to be knocked over. On Thursday, Rushing and Ethan Alexander Thompson, 19, were formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, according to court papers. Timothy Alan Delahoy Jr., 18, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of accessory after the fact of murder. Cody Xavier Davis, 19, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of accessory after the fact of murder. On Friday, Wesley Bankston, 17, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, police said. He was charged as an adult, but his lawyer told the court that she would seek to have him tried as a juvenile. All five have pleaded not guilty. The teens were being held on bond of between $2 million and $5 million, court officials said. Lawyers for Rushing and Bankston declined to comment; attorneys for the others could not immediately be reached for comment. A court affidavit obtained by CNN said that on January 20 Thorsten Rushing allegedly met with Thompson and Bankston and they agreed that Thompson would help remove the evidence after the shootings and that Bankston would drive. At the Rushing home, the affidavit said, Thompson hid in a closet for several hours before Thorsten Rushing allegedly killed his father and brother. He used a 9mm Glock to shoot them, authorities contend. Police said Thorsten Rushing and Thompson then allegedly pumped two shots into a wall to make it seem as if the intruders shot at Thorsten. The affidavit said the teens collected the evidence in a bag and called Bankston so that he could drive them to dispose of it. Later, Thorsten Rushing allegedly fired a shotgun blast into a wall before calling 911. After the slayings, the five teens met at the home of Thorsten Rushing's grandparents to discuss what happened, the affidavit said. They allegedly talked about burning the evidence bag but keeping the Glock in a car belonging to Bankston's father. Delahoy, Davis and Bankston later took outdoor target practice with the "murder weapon," the affidavit said. Last Saturday, nearly a week after the slayings, Rushing and his four friends -- described as polite young men and good students -- were arrested after investigators discovered holes in their stories, police said. The slayings were supposed to happen earlier. Two days before the January 20 shooting, police said, Uwe Rushing bumped into a masked man as he was leaving the house. The masked man ran off. A couple of days later, police responded to a 2:05 a.m. call of a shooting at the Rushing home. The bodies of the father and son were found in the living room. Thorsten Rushing told investigators that two men entered the home through a rear door, and one of them shot his father and brother before Rushing got a shotgun and fired at the men, who fled. Florida community reels after mom kills son, daughter, self . "The story and the evidence and the crime scene just didn't add up to where it was making any sense," said Capt. Craig Akard, Lawton police spokesman. Further investigation, including consultations with the medical examiner, began to unravel the version of events recounted by Rushing and his friends, police said. The motive has not been confirmed, Akard said, but he added that there was "a little bit of turmoil" in the household. "Most of the people we talked to said the family was, I guess you could say, the Three Musketeers," Akard said. "They got along. They did stuff together. But now that this happened, we're starting to hear, 'OK, maybe it wasn't quite as good as people said it was.' Apparently, it wasn't all as nice as what we heard." New Mexico teen accused of gunning down his family .

Police: Thorsten Gunter Rushing, 18, shot father and brother as they watched TV . Thorsten told police an armed home intruder committed the crimes . Police later arrest the son and four friends in connection with the slayings . They plead not guilty .

Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)Rand Paul kicked off his first event in Iowa this year with a rally that let him blaze through his favorite libertarian-leaning talking points and draw a contrast between himself and his potential Republican rivals. "You're going to get a choice on who the nominee is for the Republican Party. You're going to have 9, 10, 15, 20 who are eager to go and want troops on the ground," he said, talking about the war against Islamic extremism. "They want 100,000 troops on the ground. Right now. In all the countries." The Kentucky Republican had a rough week but found a friendly audience Friday night headlining an "Audit the Fed" rally at Jasper Winery in Des Moines, an event packed with many of his father's supporters and hosted by a group called Liberty Iowa. It was a curious strategy for a man who's trying to build a broad coalition of voters behind him, but he assured supporters that he hasn't strayed far from his roots. "Some of you may remember I sued the President," he said, pointing to a lawsuit he launched last year against the National Security Agency over its bulk metadata collection effort. He didn't, however, mention that the lawsuit has been put on hold, or that he voted against a reform package in Congress last year because he felt it didn't go far enough in tweaking the agency. Paul, who faced criticism this week over comments expressing doubt about the effectiveness of vaccinations and took heat over drama involving one of his advisers, is in Iowa on a quick two-day swing that puts him in front of familiar audiences. Following the "Audit the Fed" rally Friday night, he attends the Iowa State University men's basketball game Saturday, as well as a watch party with young voters and a meet-and-greet with freshman Rep. Rod Blum. Paul is one of many Republicans who will barnstorm the state in the coming months, seeking support ahead of Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential nominating contest a year from now. While it's his first time in the state this year, Paul visited Iowa five times last cycle, and has indicated he plans to make the state a big part of his 2016 strategy. His father, ex-Texas Rep. Ron Paul, built a solid foundation of supporters in Iowa during his 2008 and 2012 campaigns, a base that Paul is trying to court while also making inroads with the mainstream and socially conservative Republicans in the state. A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg poll earlier this week showed Paul in second place at 14% support among likely Republican caucus goers, behind Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 15%. Along with repeating familiar refrains that hammer Obamacare and the President's executive action on immigration, Paul brandished his anti-war credentials. He sought to remind the audience that he caused headaches in the Senate in December by forcing a vote that would declare war against ISIS, but stressed that he voted no. "I said we have to debate this. And they -- can I say bitched and moaned? They bitched and moaned and were so unhappy with me that I brought that up. But we made a vote," he said. "Every time we've toppled a secular dictator, we've gotten chaos and we've gotten a rise in radical Islam, and we've been less safe," he added. Paul, attempting to balance his anti-government persona with his efforts to appear bipartisan, pointed out that he's still been "willing to work with the President" on criminal justice reform, noting that the same day he sued the administration, Paul sat down for lunch with Attorney General Eric Holder. "He looks at me and says, 'I see you're suing me and the President today.' I said, 'Well, you know, we can still be friends right?' " Paul offered some rare praise for Holder, saying at the end he "did some good things on criminal justice," but warned that he may be replaced by current nominee Loretta Lynch, saying she's not strong enough on reforming civil forfeiture. The main thrust of the event was rallying support behind his new legislation to audit the Federal Reserve. It is already audited by a third-party accounting firm arranged through the inspector general and partially by the Government Accountability Office, but Paul's bill would give full auditing power to the GAO and would require regular reports to Congress. "Is there a revolving door between Wall Street, the fed, and back to Wall Street again?" Paul asked, twirling his arm in the air. The bill last year passed the GOP-controlled House with bipartisan support but was blocked by the Democratic-led Senate. Critics, including Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, have vowed to aggressively fight such efforts. Emboldened by the new Republican Congress, however, Paul feels that the legislation has a better shot at breaking through and making it to the President's desk. "I think there needs to be some sunshine. I'm going to fight 'em and we're going to get a vote on Audit the Fed," he said to applause.

Rand Paul makes first 2015 trip to Iowa, home of first presidential caucuses . He's trying to build a broad coalition of voters, but says he hasn't strayed far from his roots .

(CNN) -- Once again, the eyes of the nation are upon Texas. When it comes to political news and the occasional shenanigan, our second most populous state always seems to come in first. The latest dust-up in the Lone Star State is about women's reproductive rights. The Democratic minority last week stopped a bill being pushed by the Republican majority that would have shut down most of the state's abortion clinics and banned abortion in the state after 20 weeks. But the ruckus is also about saying the wrong thing in the wrong way, and coming off like a jerk in the process. It's about etiquette and character, and how intensely unlikable a politician can become when he is running low on both. Likability counts for a lot in politics. Voters often make choices about which candidate to support based on whether we can relate to them or feel comfortable around them. Meanwhile, a lot of Americans feel uncomfortable about late-term abortion. It's a barbaric procedure that opponents consider infanticide. It's also where many people like me, who are pro-choice, draw the line. The Democrats' victory in the legislature is credited to Sen. Wendy Davis, who staged an 11-hour filibuster to push the debate past the stroke of midnight and the end of a special session. The victory was short-lived. Gov. Rick Perry called a second special session to allow Republican legislators more time to get the legislation passed and onto his desk, where he is eager to sign it. This high-stakes game of Texas Hold 'em could well be a preview of the 2014 matchup for the state's top job. At one end of the table sits Davis. A rising star in the Democratic Party who represents Fort Worth, she has long been thought to be interested in running for governor. Now, thanks to Republican attempts to shut her down, she has an issue. The campaign ad writes itself: "Davis bravely stood up to the Republican majority, and backed them down." At the other end, you'll find Perry. I wrote for the Dallas Morning News for five years. And I know this much: The governor has always been a paradox. One on one, he's very effective. He's charming and personable, and easy to relate to. But when he steps into his public persona, as in debates or at press conferences, he becomes less likable. Out goes the class president, and in comes the schoolyard bully. It was the latter that showed up when Perry addressed the National Right to Life conference in Grapevine, Texas, near Dallas, a few days after Davis' filibuster. Obviously still smarting from the setback, Perry fired off these condescending remarks: . "Who are we to say that children born in the worst of circumstances can't grow to live successful lives? In fact, even the woman who filibustered the Senate the other day was born into difficult circumstances. She was the daughter of a single woman. She was a teenage mother herself. She managed to eventually graduate from Harvard Law School and serve in the Texas Senate. It is just unfortunate that she hasn't learned from her own example that every life must be given a chance to realize its full potential and that every life matters." Katy, bar the door. Perry's comments were rude, presumptuous and highly inappropriate. There are plenty of ways to disagree with a political opponent and make a point without getting personal and dredging up details of her personal life -- and in this case, her mother's personal life. Perry as much as suggested that Davis should be more sympathetic to unborn babies because, given her life's circumstance, her mother might have had an abortion and Davis wouldn't be here. During an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Davis was asked to respond. Here's what she said: . "Well, what went through my mind was that that was a terribly personal thing to say. And, of course, I've been in the political arena for some time. It takes a lot to offend me. But what I was offended about was the statement that it makes on behalf of women throughout the state of Texas. I think it showed disregard for the fact that we all, we each, own our own personal history. We make choices and -- and have the opportunity to take chances that present themselves to us. What this is about is making sure that women across the state of Texas have the same opportunity to make those choices and have the same chances that I had." Davis got it right. In the abortion debate, women have long insisted that they have the right to control their bodies. Now do they have to take the next step and assert control over their life stories? It looks like, in Texas, the answer is yes. Women do need to reassert control over their life stories. Otherwise, others -- including elected officials -- will try to take over those narratives to serve their own purposes. That's what Perry did to Davis, and it reflected badly on him. He won't apologize. But he should. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette.

Ruben Navarrette: The latest dust-up in Texas is about women's reproductive rights . Navarrette: You can disagree with a political opponent without getting personal . He says Rick Perry's comments about Wendy Davis were condescending and rude . Navarrette: Now women have to assert control over their own life stories .

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A 49-year-old woman collapsed and died on the floor of a waiting room at a Brooklyn psychiatric hospital and lay there for more than an hour as employees ignored her, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union, which on Tuesday released surveillance camera video of the incident. Surveillance video shows a woman lying on the hospital floor for almost an hour before anyone helped her. Esmin Green was involuntarily admitted to the psychiatric emergency department of Kings County Hospital Center on June 18 for what the hospital describes as "agitation and psychosis." Upon her admission, Green waited nearly 24 hours for treatment, said the civil liberties union, which was among the groups filing suit against the facility last year seeking improved conditions for patients. The surveillance camera video shows the woman rolling off a waiting room chair, landing face-down on the floor and convulsing. Her collapse came at 5:32 a.m. June 19, the NYCLU said, and she stopped moving at 6:07 a.m. During that time, the organization said, workers at the hospital ignored her. At 6:35 a.m., the tape shows a hospital employee approaching and nudging Green with her foot, the group said. Help was summoned three minutes later. Watch the surveillance video » . In addition, the organization said, hospital staff falsified Green's records to cover up the time she had lain there without assistance. "Contrary to what was recorded from four different angles by the hospital's video cameras, the patient's medical records say that at 6 a.m., she got up and went to the bathroom, and at 6:20 a.m. she was 'sitting quietly in waiting room' -- more than 10 minutes since she last moved and 48 minutes after she fell to the floor." The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, which oversees the hospital, released a statement Tuesday saying it was "shocked and distressed by this situation. It is clear that some of our employees failed to act based on our compassionate standards of care." After a preliminary investigation, the corporation said it suspended or terminated six employees, "including staff involved with the direct care of the patient as well as managers of security and clinical services," the statement said. A Health and Hospitals Corporation spokeswoman said it was aware of the discrepancies in Green's record when it began the preliminary investigation on June 20. That information is now in the hands of various investigatory agencies, she said. The corporation pledged to put "additional and significant" reforms in place in the wake of the incident. The civil liberties group and the Mental Hygiene Legal Service filed suit against Kings County in May 2007 in federal court, alleging that conditions at the facility are filthy. Patients are often forced to sleep in plastic chairs or floors covered in urine, feces and blood while waiting for beds, the groups allege, and often go without basic hygiene such as showers, clean linens and clean clothes. The lawsuit claims that patients who complain face physical abuse and are injected with drugs to keep them docile. The hospital, the suit alleges, lacks "the minimal requirements of basic cleanliness, space, privacy, and personal hygiene that are constitutionally guaranteed even to convicted felons." The video sent the organizations back into court Tuesday, demanding immediate reform. "What's happening in Kings County Hospital is an affront to human dignity," New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a written statement. "In 2008 in New York City, nobody should be subjected to this kind of treatment. It should not take the death of a patient to get the city to make changes that everyone knows are long overdue." The Department of Justice recently initiated an investigation into conditions at the hospital, the organization said, prompting the facility to improve some of its problems. "But the culture of abuse and neglect remains and, as evidenced by the June death, the situation is too dire to wait for the Justice Department to act," the group said. Among the reforms agreed to in court Tuesday by the hospital are additional staffing; checking of patients every 15 minutes; and limiting to 25 the number of patients in the psychiatric emergency ward, officials said. In addition, the hospital said it is expanding crisis-prevention training for staff; expanding space to prevent overcrowding; and reducing patients' wait time for release, treatment or placement in an inpatient bed. On Monday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was appalled by the surveillance video. "Look, I saw the film like everybody else did and I was -- horrified is much too nice a word. Disgusted I think is a better word. I can't explain what happened there." Green, a native of the island of Jamaica, lived alone in Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood. She had no close family in the United States, and her neighbor Beatrice Wallace described her as a quiet woman who had few visitors and spent most of her free time at church. The medical examiner is withholding autopsy results pending further study and investigation into the precise cause of death.

Esmin Green was involuntarily admitted June 18 for "agitation and psychosis" Kings County Hospital Center was target of lawsuit over conditions . Tape shows Green collapse, convulse and lay still; workers ignore her . Group says hospital staff falsified records to cover up incident .

(CNN) -- About 11 trillion gallons of rain, or nearly 17 million Olympic swimming pools full. That's how much water California needs to recover from its extreme drought despite downpours that caused flooding and mudslides this month, NASA said. This week, the space agency released a satellite data analysis of how much water the state's reserves lack. It's a lot -- more than 14,000 times the amount of water it would take to fill the Dallas Cowboys stadium, according to CNN calculations. It's the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls in about 170 days' time. "It takes years to get into a drought of this severity, and it will likely take many more big storms, and years, to crawl out of it," said NASA scientist Jay Famiglietti, who led the study. NASA climate satellites measured fluctuations in Earth's gravitational field and the changing shape of the planet's surface to determine the drop in water reserves. It's the first calculation of its kind to determine the amount of water needed to break a drought, the space agency said. Virtually all of California is drought stricken, according to the University of Nebraska Lincoln drought monitor, most of it under the worst level -- "exceptional drought." Deluges boosted state reservoirs . December's deluges doused parts of California in just a few days with double the rain or more that they usually get in a year. An atmospheric river -- a moisture-laden stream of air from the tropics dozens of miles wide -- hosed the coast, and behind it, storm fronts battered the state. Nearly a foot of rain fell in some places in a single day. Creeks and rivers previously flowing at a trickle swelled over their banks and flooded nearby streets. The abundant rainfall gave the state's reservoirs an upward bounce, according to measurements by the Department of Water Resources. One of the largest, Lake Shasta, went from a water level before the rains of 41% of its historic average to 53% on Tuesday. Another very large one, Lake Oroville, stepped up from a level of 44% of its average volume to 54%. Some of the state's other 10 -- mostly much smaller -- main reservoirs felt a boost, too. Others, not so much. More rain is in the forecast this week, but it will be gentle, not torrential. Despite the new rain, California's mighty reservoirs still resemble ponds surrounded by parched, elongated banks. Depleting groundwater . The drought has dug so deep in the past three years that it has tapped into groundwater. It has done this throughout the Southwest, where groundwater levels are at their absolute lowest levels in the last 65 years, said NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. The state's two largest river basins, the Sacramento and San Joaquin, have lost 4 trillion gallons of water per year since 2011, according to the analysis by NASA JPL. "That's more water than California's 38 million residents use each year for domestic and municipal purposes. About two-thirds of the loss is due to depletion of groundwater beneath California's Central Valley," NASA said. In September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed "historic legislation" that created "a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management for the first time in California history," the governor's office said at the time. Before the new legislation, California was the only Western state that didn't manage its groundwater, officials said. Brown declared a drought emergency, saying this was "perhaps the worst drought that California has ever seen since records (began) about 100 years ago." He held up a chart of fluctuating rainfall levels over many years, with the graph plummeting off the bottom of the chart in recent years. Diminished snow caps . The atmospheric river and cold fronts loaded up the Sierra Nevada mountains with a couple of feet of snow at the highest altitudes, adding to the snowpack. It acts as a major water reservoir, storing up moisture in the winter months and then releasing it during melts. The storm's extra padding doubled the level to 48% of the historic average, a nice improvement. But there's bad news here, too, based on studies done from airplanes this year, NASA said. "The 2014 snowpack was one of the three lowest on record and the worst since 1977, when California's population was half what it is now," said NASA JPL scientist Tom Painter. That not only means less water from snow but also less reflection of sunlight, which means the Earth absorbs it and gets that much warmer, Painter said. The ground then also gets more parched, so when water does flow onto it, it soaks it up, leaving less of it to flow into reservoirs. ---- . CNN's Kevin Conlon contributed to this report.

Deluges during the atmospheric river give reservoirs a pleasant boost . But much more is needed after years of drought, NASA says in a new analysis . Satellites measure gravitational field and planet's shape to find changes in water reserves . Water reserves have fallen so far, California is depleting its groundwater .

AUGUSTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Walking into the Colur Tyme Tattoo Parlor is a lot like walking into a head shop. One wall is lined with gang monikers and symbols, the other with bongs for smoking marijuana and other drugs -- one even shaped like a skull. The Colur Tyme Tattoo Parlor was set up by authorities to get at the heart of gang members. Only this head shop was a setup. It was a police front in a sting operation to bust gangs in this Georgia river city that most people associate with the Masters Tournament -- not violent thugs with high-powered weapons. Authorities said some guns sold to the shop were used in crimes just hours earlier. The tattoo parlor was the brainchild of Richmond County Sheriff Ron Strength, who wanted to snuff out gangs carrying out violent crimes in his east Georgia community. The idea was to create a place where the gang members would feel right at home, said sheriff's Lt. Scott Peebles. And that they did. "We put the idea in their heads that there's no way these guys are in law enforcement," he said. On Wednesday, more than 100 sheriff's officers, state investigators and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives carried out a major bust after an 18-month joint investigation into the gang activity. Watch cops set up tattoo parlor » . Sixty-eight suspects were arrested on charges ranging from trafficking of illegal weapons to serious drug offenses. Authorities seized more than 300 weapons, including high-powered assault rifles. Rich Marianos, a special agent with the ATF, said such gang activity is spreading across the nation, with small-town gangs increasing their ties with gangs in major cities. For instance, New York gangs have begun moving as far south as the Carolinas, where they set up operations to buy and sell guns and drugs, he said. Chicago gang activity extends more than 60 miles into the Illinois city's suburbs for narcotics and weapons trading. In fact, Marianos said the ATF has begun seeing some Chicago gangs establishing a "pipeline" for illegal arms more than 500 miles away in Mississippi. "It's not just an urban problem," Marianos said. "We're seeing it all over the country." The ATF, he said, has seen one of the most dramatic increases in gang activity in the last three years and is cracking down. "We want to look at a way to go after these offenders and prevent it before it happens," he said. "[We're] making the community safer by disarming the bad guys -- not taking guns away from the American citizen, but going after the people who shouldn't have them in the first place." That's why setting up a tattoo parlor in Augusta was key. Strength, the Richmond County sheriff, said he remembers when the worst crimes in these parts were lawn mower thefts and vandals pushing over birdbaths. But those days are long gone, with gangs such as the Georgia Deadly Boys and Fairington Gangster Thugs causing mayhem on a regular basis. "In the past 2 1/2 years, we've noticed some major changes," he said, "with the type of criminal offenses they were involved in." So he devised the undercover business. The Colur Tyme Tattoo Parlor on Tobacco Road was set up on the outskirts of Augusta. It's a location not heavily patrolled by police, but staffed 100 percent by undercover agents. Business was slow at first, but then things took off. Gang members soon began dropping in to sell guns, drugs and even stolen cars, authorities said. Every transaction was recorded by surveillance cameras around the store. Soon the shop had so much business the Richmond County Sheriff's Office had to call in reinforcements from the ATF. Four federal agents helped the sheriff's deputies man the counters; others worked behind the scenes. Vanessa McLemore, ATF special agent in charge, said the teams had to coordinate their behaviors so it seemed like they fit in the store. "They spent a lot of time together learning each other's mannerisms, learning each other's body language. It had to be a brotherhood," she said. On the store counter was a jar of colored markers to invite clients to write their favorite gang affiliation on the wall. Peebles said agents used the wall for intelligence. "At the very least we got names," he said. The shop even put up its' own MySpace page. "You think it, we ink it" was the MySpace slogan. It featured the back of a tattooed man, and below in large red letters agents told visitors to the site, "We buy what others won't." Authorities said the guns came rolling in, and then came this week's bust. "Today marks the end of one era and the beginning of another," McLemore said. "The era that is ending is one that has brought destruction and decay to the streets of Augusta." E-mail to a friend .

Tattoo parlor run by cops leads to major bust of Georgia gangs . Authorities even set up a MySpace page as part of the ring . ATF says big-time gangs are gaining ground outside major cities . ATF agent: "We're seeing it all over the country"

(CNN) -- When 60,000 tinkerers arrive at the New York Hall of Science this weekend for World Maker Faire New York, kids will see original action figures designed on a 3-D printer, homemade race cars, robots and a sewing machine turned into a music box. Teachers will see a chance to reimagine U.S. science education. Parents should see a chance to replace the usual after-school and summer routines with activities that captivate kids in positive ways. I see a way to get kids to choose tinkering over TV. Based on 16 years of hearing pitches about the next great thing in education, what jumps out is that demand from young people -- not the education industry's desire to supply something -- is driving the maker movement. High-profile Maker Faire events are the leading edge. A layer or two beneath, in church basements, children's museums and public libraries dubbed "makerspaces" -- part high-tech shop class and part Google hangout -- kids are showing up. It is this demand from kids like Raven Hoston-Turner, who was "super bored" before her uncle told her about the Mt. Elliott Makerspace in Detroit, that is fueling the maker movement. The New York Hall of Science is part of network of disruptive leaders figuring out how to take this burst of maker interest and use it to improve science education. In a new book, "Design Make Play: Growing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators," editors Margaret Honey and David Kanter of the Hall of Science describe how traditional classroom approaches have suffocated science. Schools caught up in the standardized testing sweepstakes tend to reduce classroom time for science. When schools do teach science, too often they are "telling students about science" -- and drilling for memorization -- instead of engaging them. Elementary students receive science education for less than three hours a week. These same kids are watching TV nearly 30 hours per week. One way to activate student learning, as professor Sugata Mitra has shown through his famous Hole-in-the-Wall experiments, is to give kids the right resources and some motivating content and then get out of the way. As with Mitra's notion of "minimally invasive education," young people are taking it upon themselves to decide what to make. Preteens such as Quin Etnyre and Sylvia Todd are delivering classes and producing online shows for peers and adults who want to produce things with their own hands. Thanks to innovative Pittsburgh foundations that launched the Kids + Creativity Network in 2007, the region is aligning science instruction in schools with the kinds of activities kids are doing on their own time. The aim was to set learning on fire, says Greg Behr, executive director of Pittsburgh's Grable Foundation. Instead of picking off one or two strong projects to support, Grable invested in building a network. Now, more than 100 groups are pulling in the same direction. Jane Werner, executive director of the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, built out a 3,000-square-foot makerspace, what it calls MakeSHOP, and is creating an additional 5,000-square-foot MakeSHOP for kids age 10 and up. "Museums can be labs for education reform," Werner says. "No one can fail at a museum. Why not experiment with education reform at a museum?" The Elizabeth Forward School District, south of Pittsburgh, is integrating the maker movement into the core of its education mission. The district is "remaking education," transforming traditional classrooms and the library into interactive digital learning labs. "It helped me learn more, actually," says Alyssa, a junior. This is what Dale Dougherty, one of the maker movement's founding fathers, wanted all along. "What I'm really interested in is an alternative way of engaging kids and getting them into science and technology," Dougherty said. Dougherty is CEO of Maker Media, founder of MAKE magazine, Maker Faire and the Maker Education Initiative. This summer, the Maker Education Initiative launched Maker Corps, embedding 106 college students and young professionals from science and technology fields in 34 summer youth programs across the country, including the Pittsburgh children's museum. The initiative expects to have 1,000 corps members working with kids by 2015. In 2007, at the same time the Kids + Creativity Network emerged, a Carnegie Foundation commission set in motion an education reform movement that included 26 states working together on Next Generation Science Standards. State by state, education officials are now deciding whether to adopt the standards. The question hanging out there is whether the maker movement can help U.S. students move up the international rankings of science and math performance. "Everyone is crossing their fingers and hoping there is this connection to be made," says Kanter. "Even though it's hard to prove, we need to prove it." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Bare.

John Bare says New York's Maker Faire highlights opportunity for education . He says teaching science to kids can be reimagined by teaching how to make things . He argues that it's a way to get kids to choose tinkering over watching television . Bare: The maker movement is pioneering innovation in education in small and big ways .

New York (CNN) -- The "Dating Game Killer" was extradited Wednesday to New York to face murder charges in connection with the deaths of two women during the 1970s, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said. Rodney Alcala, 68, was escorted by U.S. Marshals to New York from California, where he had been on death row since 2010 for killing four women and a 12-year-old girl there. The California murders took place between November 1977 and June 1979 and covered a wide swath of suburban Los Angeles, from Burbank to El Segundo. He will be arraigned Thursday. Last year, prosecutors in New York charged Alcala with murder in the deaths of Cornelia Crilley and Ellen Hover. Crilley, a 23-year-old TWA flight attendant, was found raped and strangled inside her Upper East Side apartment in June 1971, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said in a news release at the time of the indictment in January 2011. Hover, also 23 and living in Manhattan, was found dead in Westchester County in 1977, it said. "Cold cases are not forgotten cases -- our prosecutors, investigators and partners in the NYPD do not give up," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr said in the 2011 release. In 1978, Alcala was a winning bachelor on the television show "The Dating Game." At the time, he had already been convicted in the 1968 rape of an 8-year-old girl and served a 34-month sentence, authorities said. Police found dozens of photographs of women and children in a storage locker Alcala kept in Seattle. The locker also contained earrings belonging to Robin Samsoe, his 12-year-old victim, according to the Orange County, California, district attorney's office. Authorities asked for the public's help in determining whether any of the people in the photographs were victims of Alcala. A year before his appearance on the game show, Alcala raped, sodomized and killed 18-year-old Jill Barcomb and 27-year-old nurse Georgia Wixted in California, prosecutors said. He smashed in Barcomb's face with a rock and strangled her by tying a belt and pants leg around her neck, prosecutors said. Her body was discovered in a mountainous area in the foothills near Hollywood. Wixted was beaten with the claw end of a hammer and strangled with a nylon stocking, authorities said. Her body was left in her Malibu apartment. During his appearance on "The Dating Game," Alcala was introduced as a "successful photographer" who might also be found skydiving or motorcycling. In June 1979, Alcala beat, raped and strangled Charlotte Lamb, a 33-year-old legal secretary, in the laundry room of her El Segundo apartment complex, authorities said. That same month, he raped and murdered Jill Parenteau, 21, strangling her with a cord or a stocking in her Burbank apartment. Alcala's blood was collected from the scene after he cut himself crawling out a window, the prosecutor said, adding, "Based on a semi-rare blood match, Alcala was linked to the murder." He was charged with murdering Parenteau, but the case was dismissed after he was convicted of killing Samsoe in 1979. Alcala approached her at the beach in Huntington Beach and asked her to pose for pictures, authorities said. She did, they said, and Alcala then kidnapped and murdered her, dumping her body in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Alcala was convicted of Samsoe's death in 1980 and sentenced to death, but the California Supreme Court overturned his conviction. A second trial, in 1986, also resulted in a death sentence, but it was overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. As he awaited a third trial, Alcala's DNA was linked to the crime scenes in the Barcomb, Wixted and Lamb cases, and he was charged with killing them and Parenteau. Jed Mills, who played "Bachelor No. 2" on "The Dating Game" alongside Alcala's "Bachelor No. 1," recalled he had an almost immediate aversion to him. "Something about him, I could not be near him," Mills said last year. Alcala succeeded in charming bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw from the other side of the game show's wall. But she declined the date that the show offered them -- tennis lessons, tennis clothes and a trip to an amusement park. CNN's Jesse Solomon, Jason Kessler, Chris Kokenes and Ann O'Neill contributed to this report .

Rodney Alcala's alleged victims include two 23-year-old New York women . He is to be arraigned Thursday . The slayings occurred in the 1970s . "Cold cases are not forgotten cases," district attorney says .

(CNN) -- When Sadako Sasaki lay in her hospital bed sick with leukemia, she showed her father origami cranes from local school girls. "When you fold 1,000 paper cranes, you will get well," her dad responded. Sadako was just 12. Hoping to get better, she began folding tiny origami cranes, using paper from get-well gifts and wrappers from medicine. She had survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Yet 10 years later, her fragile body suffered the effects of exposure to radiation. "Please treasure the life that is given to you," Sadako said before her death on October 25, 1955. "It is my belief that my small paper crane will enable you to understand other people's feelings, as if they are your own." Sadako's death inspired a memorial in Japan's Hiroshima Peace Park, complete with a statue of her holding a golden crane. Now, one of her last origami cranes resides in a new memorial thousands of miles away, in the country that dropped the bomb. It was given to the Tribute WTC Visitor Center in New York by her aging brother. "I thought if Sadako's crane is placed at Ground Zero, it will be very meaningful," says Masahiro Sasaki, in an education program produced by the tribute center and the Japan Society. "Commonly, in Japan, the crane is regarded as a symbol of peace. But for us, in the Sasaki family, it is the embodiment of Sadako's life, and it is filled with her wish and hope." "I hope by talking about that small wish for peace, the small ripple will become bigger and bigger." The delicate red crane, smaller than a fingernail, is on display at the center. Hanging near it are origami cranes that were placed on the fence around Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Another 10,000 cranes from families and colleagues of Japanese victims of 9/11 surround Sadako's. "This little girl believed that the world could be made better if we all worked together," says Lee Ielpi, the co-founder of the center, whose grown son, Jonathan, was killed on September 11. "It sends that beautiful message: Even in death, we're going to carry on that little girl's wish. ... I'm so tickled we can carry on her wish." Meriam Lobel, the center's curator, says staffers were speechless when Masahiro Sasaki presented the gift. "He lifted it out with this little, tiny tweezer and there was this beautiful red glistening crane," Lobel says. "It was like a gem, like a little red ruby." For Tsugio Ito, the symbolism of the crane holds special meaning. "When the atomic bomb was dropped, I was exercising in the schoolyard at the elementary school. My brother was a student at the high school," he says in the center's educational program. He survived. His brother was killed in the bombing. Fast forward six decades. Ito's son was working for Fuji Bank in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11. Kazushige Ito, 35, was one of 24 Japanese killed on 9/11. "After September 11, we waited for him to call. One month passed, then two months, then I came to accept that perhaps this means he is gone," he told the center. "Every time I visit the World Trade Center site, I wonder where my son was and where he suffered." What happened that day only reinforces "how important it is to have peace." "We must have peace," Ito says. "I feel that stronger now than ever before." Tom Johnson has been active on the board of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation ever since 9/11 when terrorists killed 2,976 people. His 26-year-old son, Scott, was among the victims. When he visits the center, he cherishes two items in particular: his son's death certificate, which lists "homicide" as his cause of death, and Sadako's origami crane. "You have to derive some kind of message of meaning that will make the world heal," he says. Sadako's brother says the spirit of his sister lives on in the crane, "because she had a heart of kindness." He had five of her original cranes. He hopes to give the others away to museums on other continents. "As a victim of war or a victim of terrorism, we share the same grief, and share the sense of duty to tell the stories to our children and our children's children," he says. "Although the incidents were different, I hope we can help each other work for world peace from now on."

Origami crane, made by girl that inspired a nation, is now on display at 9/11 center . Sadako Sasaki survived the Hiroshima bombing; made origami in hopes of beating leukemia . Her brother recently donated an original crane as message of peace . "Even in death, we're going to carry on that little girl's wish," center's co-founder says .

(CNN) -- The lawyer that helped revolutionize the way football's transfer system works has turned his sights on UEFA's new system of financial regulation. Jean-Louis Dupont, who helped Belgian footballer Jean-Marc Bosman change European law in 1995 to allow players to move for free at the end of their contract, is representing a Belgian licensed agent who has lodged a complaint with the European Commission over UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. This season is the first since the rules were introduced and they will come more fully into force in 2014. They give UEFA sweeping powers, including exclusion from the lucrative Champions League, to punish financially recalcitrant clubs. The regulations are designed to prevent big spending clubs spending beyond their means and posting unsustainable yearly losses. However the complaint argues UEFA's "break-even rule" restricts competition -- a key principle of European Law -- and will reduce the number of transfers. That could potentially lower players' salaries -- and by implication agents' fees -- prompting Belgian agent Daniel Striani to lodge the complaint with the Commission. Unlike "super agent" Jorge Mendes, who represents Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho and forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Striani specialises in looking after the interests of a number of young players entering the professional game. His two most high-profile players are Yohan Benalouane at Parma in Italy and Denis Odoi at Belgian club Anderlecht. "The "break-even" rule also infringes other EU fundamental freedoms: free movement of capital (as far as club owners are concerned), free movement of workers (players) and free movement of services (player agents)," said the statement issued by Striani and Dupont. However UEFA expects the Commission to reject the complaint given the support it has received from a number of European bodies as well as clubs ahead of the new regulations' introduction. "The European Commission, the European Parliament, the European clubs, leagues and players' union have all been fully supportive of FFP and have on many occasions commented positively on this UEFA initiative," said the European governing body in a statement to CNN. "As is well known, the UEFA rules encourage clubs to 'live within their own means', which is a sound economic principle aiming to guarantee the long-term sustainability and viability of European football. "UEFA believes that FFP is fully in line with EU law and is confident that the European Commission will reject this complaint." In December, Malaga were handed a season-long ban from UEFA club competitions after falling foul of FFP. Any ban would come into place over any of the next four seasons should they qualify to play in Europe. Malaga, who were the first high-profile club to be punished under new tougher FFP rules, owed player wages and have debts with other football sides as well as the Spanish tax authorities, claim UEFA. However the Spanish club have lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport against UEFA's decision with a hearing set for May 14 and decision expected sometime in June. "It is important to note this complaint does not at all question the legality of the UEFA rule (also included in the FFP regulations) that states that any club participating in the UEFA competition must prove -- before the start of the competition -- that it has no overdue payables towards clubs, players and social/tax authorities," said the Striani and Dupont statement. "In our view, this rule is justified in principle for the attainment of the integrity of the football competition and proportionate to this objective." Striani contacted compatriot Dupont, who is based in Barcelona, after the Belgian lawyer wrote in the Wall Street Journal about his opposition to FFP in March. "Some of Europe's biggest clubs are, unsurprisingly, the loudest supporters of rules that entrench their dominance," wrote Dupont in March. "The time is right for a strong reminder from the EU's antitrust authorities that football, like any other multi billion-euro industry, must comply with the law." Dupont added that in a letter dated March 12, 2012, competition chief Joaquin Almunia had wrote to UEFA President Michel Platini to say that he welcomed the "break-even rule", stating that "this principle is also consistent with the aims and objectives of EU policy in the field of state aid." The European Commission must now decide whether to uphold or reject the complaint from Striani and Dupont. If the complaint is rejected, the Belgian agent and lawyer could then appeal to the European Court of Justice. The process could take between one and three years. "Any person or party -- as the English Football Association or the English Premier League or individual clubs -- who can prove an interest in the outcome of a case may apply to join into in the proceedings," said lawyer Guy Thomas of English firm Taylor Walton. "It sounds like there will be a lot of potentially "interested" parties for this one," added Thomas. "If they all try to get involved the proceeding could be delayed even longer.

Belgian agent lodges a complaint with the European Commission over UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules . Agent represented by lawyer who helped revolutionize the way transfer system works . Complaint argues UEFA's "break-even rule" restricts competition . In December, Malaga handed a season-long ban from UEFA club competitions after falling foul of FFP .

(CNN) -- Two Florida school administrators face contempt charges and possible prison time for saying a prayer at a school luncheon. Pace High School enacted a decree in January banning officials from promoting religion at school events. Frank Lay, principal of Pace High School, and Athletic Director Robert Freeman are accused of violating a consent decree banning employees of Santa Rosa County schools from endorsing religion. They face a non-jury trial September 17 before U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers. The statute under which they are charged carries a maximum penalty of up to six months in prison, subject to sentencing guidelines. Attorneys defending Lay and Freeman call it outrageous that the two are being prosecuted for "a simple prayer." But the American Civil Liberties Union, whose lawsuit led to the consent decree, maintains that students have a right to be free from administrators foisting their religious beliefs on them. Still, an ACLU representative said the organization never suggested that people should go to jail for violating the decree. Watch why lawyer thinks men did nothing wrong » . The ACLU filed suit last year against the district on behalf of two Pace students who alleged that "school officials regularly promoted religion and led prayers at school events," according to an ACLU statement. Both parties approved the consent decree put in place January 9, under which district and school officials are "permanently prohibited from promoting, advancing, endorsing, participating in or causing prayers during or in conjunction with school events," the ACLU said. Lay was a party in the initial lawsuit, and his attorney was among those approving the consent decree, according to the organization. In addition, the court required that all district employees receive a copy. On January 28, "Lay asked Freeman to offer a prayer of blessing during a school-day luncheon for the dedication of a new fieldhouse at Pace High School," according to court documents. "Freeman complied with the request and offered the prayer at the event. It appears this was a school-sponsored event attended by students, faculty and community members." Attorneys from Liberty Counsel, a conservative legal group helping defend Lay and Freeman, said in a written statement that attendees included booster club members and other adults who helped the field house project, all "consenting adults." In a February 4 letter to district Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick in which Lay acknowledged the incident, he said that although past football booster club members "and other adults associated with the school system" were at the luncheon, culinary class students were in charge of food preparation and serving. Lay wrote that he asked Freeman to bless the food "for the adults. ... I take full responsibility for this action. My actions were overt and not meant to circumvent any court order or constitutional mandate." In response, Wyrosdick noted in a letter to Lay that in a meeting, the principal had admitted that "you are, and were at the date of this incident, aware of the court injunction and aware that this type of action is not permissible under the injunction." Wyrosdick recounted telling Lay that the prayer was not appropriate. "This note is to share with you written instructions to avoid this type of action," the superintendent said. Both letters are in the public court file. "It is a sad day in America when school officials are criminally prosecuted for a prayer over a meal," said Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of the law school at Liberty University, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. "It is outrageous and an offense to the First Amendment to punish a school official for a simple prayer." Liberty Counsel said it is challenging the consent decree, maintaining that it "unconstitutionally infringes on the rights of teachers, administrators and students." The ACLU, according to the Liberty Counsel statement, has begun "to go against individual employees." The organization said that neither man "willfully violated any orders of the court." "We're not going after individuals," said Glenn Katon, director of the Religious Freedom Project for the ACLU of Florida. "We're just trying to make sure that school employees comply with the court order." The ACLU did not request the criminal contempt charges against Lay and Freeman, he said; the judge initiated them after seeing a reference to the incident in a motion. And the ACLU is not involved in the criminal proceedings, he said. "We certainly never suggested that anyone go to jail," Katon said. Lay is not facing jail time for praying, he said, but for violating a court order. "The moral of this story is, for us, this is about the students' right to be free from teachers and school administrators thrusting upon the students their religious beliefs," Katon said. "They keep talking about the religious rights of the administrators, but the administrators and the principals don't have any right to trumpet their religious beliefs in a school setting." Neither Lay nor Freeman has been placed on leave, according to the school district. Pace is about 10 miles north of Pensacola, Florida.

Attorneys: It's troubling that officials are being prosecuted for "simple prayer" School's principal, athletic director could be jailed for six months . ACLU says it supports prayer ban but never suggested officials should be jailed . Principal acknowledges requesting prayer but didn't mean to circumvent court order .

(CNN) -- Ten years ago, "No Child Left Behind" became the law of the land. Enacted under President George W. Bush's administration with the promise to focus on individual student achievement and overall school performance, No Child Left Behind was heralded as groundbreaking. And in some ways, it was. The expanded use of data helped superintendents, principals and teachers pay more attention to the students with the greatest need. Parents now have more access to important information about the quality of teachers and schools, and some student achievement gaps have narrowed. Hindsight is 20/20, and after a decade of No Child Left Behind, we can clearly identify the law's weaknesses. As it turns out, the "Adequate Yearly Progress" measurement, which requires all schools to meet targets for student proficiency or face the same federal interventions, is unrealistic and restricts states' and school districts' ability to effectively gauge student learning and tailor curriculum accordingly. The law's "Highly Qualified Teacher" requirements value tenure and credentials over an educator's ability to motivate students in the classroom. Strict mandates and funding restrictions stunt the development of innovative local education programs. Our children deserve better. Across the country, reform-minded individuals are challenging the status quo in exciting ways, and students are benefiting from their efforts. In Florida, for example, former Gov. Jeb Bush enacted far-reaching school reforms that improved the academic achievement of the state's Hispanic and black students. State legislators in Tennessee and Indiana are overhauling teacher evaluations to ensure student performance is a significant factor in measuring an educator's effectiveness. We must revamp K-12 education law to ensure Washington does not stand in the way of meaningful reforms. After months of hearings and bipartisan discussions, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will soon consider legislation that will enhance accountability, improve flexibility and support more effective teachers in the classroom. Enhanced accountability: No Child Left Behind taught us that parents, teachers and state and local leaders are more suited to address students' needs than a one-size-fits-all accountability system developed by Washington bureaucrats. During one of the first committee hearings of the 112th Congress, Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett said, "As a former teacher, principal and school superintendent, I am a strong believer in local control. Indiana's school leaders are in a better position to know what's best for the students in their communities... They understand the cultural and economic factors unique to their districts, and they are in the best position to drive innovation." He's right. It's time to put control back in the hands of those who interact daily with our children. Our legislation will call on each state to implement its own accountability system that considers the challenges and opportunities facing local schools and more accurately evaluates student achievement. We propose eliminating federally mandated interventions for under-performing schools and allowing states themselves to determine the best way to raise the bar. Improved flexibility: The Department of Education operates about 80 programs tied to K-12 classrooms, each with its own set of burdensome rules and reporting requirements. According to Virginia's Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Edgar Hatrick, navigating this complicated system often results in "resources being diverted from the mission of teaching and learning." Worse, the strict regulations for some federal education funds can prevent eligible schools from applying the money to the initiatives that best serve their students. As Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi told our committee last April, "We would very much welcome the opportunity to decide for ourselves how these dollar bills are spent... It would allow us to focus on the individual child instead of focusing on funding the program or funding the school." By combining most of these programs into one flexible grant, our legislation will cut through red tape and enable states to dedicate federal funds to a range of local education priorities, from acquiring new technology to supporting additional literacy programs. School districts will have the freedom to distribute federal funds based on the needs of their own student populations. Superintendents and principals will be able to use federal funding for groups such as English learners, migrant students and Native Americans to support a better classroom experience for all children. More effective teachers: The best teachers are those who keep students motivated, challenged and flourishing. Instead of placing excessive emphasis on credentials and tenure, our proposal will provide incentives for school districts to develop and implement their own teacher evaluations based on student learning. It will also support approaches such as performance pay and alternative paths to certification, which will help recruit and keep the most effective educators in our schools. Every child deserves to be inspired by a great teacher, just as every student deserves access to a quality education. House Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans are leading the way toward a better education system in which parents, teachers and state and local leaders are empowered to build superior schools and improve student achievement. With thousands of American schools labeled as "failing" under No Child Left Behind, the urgency to reform the law has never been greater. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Kline.

John Kline: No Child Left Behind's "one size fits all" approach doesn't work . New law would leave decisions on teacher accountability to states, he says . Kline: States will decide how to use "one lump" federal grants . Kline: People who work with kids daily should be in control of education .

Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Ernest Hemingway hasn't lived here in over 50 years but Finca Vigia is still his home. In the garden there's his boat "the Pilar" used to hunt marlin and then Nazi subs off Cuba during World War II. Scrawled on a bathroom wall next to a scale are the daily records of what the writer weighed. Lizards and frogs he caught rest in jars filled with formaldehyde. Antelopes and buffalo heads taken as trophies from African safaris decorate the walls. Yellowing Time and The Field magazines are still on the shelves. Now a museum, a visitor to Finca Vigia or "lookout farm," could be mistaken for thinking Hemingway might walk in the door at any second. "Our philosophy was to recover the environment and surroundings," said Ada Rosa Alfonso Rosales, the museum's curator. "This was not just a mere house, this was his home." Hemingway lived in the home on a hilltop on the outskirts of Havana from 1939 to 1960. The years were pivotal ones for the famed American writer and for his adopted home of Cuba. Life.com: Ernest Hemingway's life in photos . In 1953, Hemingway won the Pulitzer Prize for his book the "Old Man and the Sea" about an aging Cuban fisherman's epic duel with a marlin. Six years later revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro took control of the island, leading to the eventual breakdown in relations with the United States. Battling depression, Hemingway killed himself in Ketchum, Idaho in 1961. Even though the Finca Vigia receives over 40,000 visitors a year, the house nearly fell victim to Cuba's unforgiving environment. "This is a very humid climate," Alfonso said. "We're on top of a hill where winds and even hurricanes batter the house." In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation called the house "a preservation emergency," citing roof leaks and shifting foundations that endangered the house. One of the people who came to the house's rescue was Jenny Phillips, the granddaughter of Maxwell Perkins, the editor who first pushed for Hemingway's work to be published and worked with the writer for the rest of his life. "I realized we could help because of my connection to Ernest Hemingway through my grandfather," Phillips said. "That we could bring about a collaboration between the United States and Cuba which after 50 years of embargo little collaboration has happened between the two countries and yet here was this shared cultural legacy, deeply appreciated by the Cuban people and the American people." Phillips started the Finca Vigia Foundation, navigating the bureaucracies of two countries and restrictions of the U.S. embargo to bring restoration experts to the project. One of those experts was home improvement icon Bob Vila, who is also Cuban-American. Vila said helping to save Hemingway's house transcends politics. "It's the best cultural bridge we could have hoped for between the American people and the Cuban people. And I emphasize people, I am not talking governments," Vila told CNN. "The Cuban people and the American people have a warm relationship that goes back many decades. It's a very important project." Life.com: Fidel Castro mingles with celebrities . In $1 million renovation, the Cuban government restored the main house on the property. Curators estimate another $1 million is needed to save a collapsing guest house on the property, repair Hemingway's cracked swimming pool and build a workshop to restore thousands of original documents. Until then, restorers are carefully packing up Hemingway's letters and writings to protect them from further decay. "He gathered ideas and wrote about them in the margins in the books," Phillips said. "And that 'marginalia' has never been seen before by scholars outside of Cuba." Eventually those writings will be digitized and exhibited at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts. Already, Hemingway's Cuba writings have solved one mystery for Jenny Phillips. "What I always noticed was that they called each other 'Dear Mr. Perkins, Dear Mr. Hemingway,' she said. "Then one day they started saying 'Dear Max, Dear Ernest." How did that happen?" A letter from Cuba following Hemingway's father's suicide in 1928 provided the answer. "Hemingway was extremely distraught," Phillips said. "There's a post-script in that letter, 'For God's sake will you unmister me anyway .' " "Perkins was quite a bit older than Hemingway," his granddaughter Phillips said, "and who Hemingway felt safe with and nurtured by, so this was a deepening in their relationship."

Ernest Hemingway lived at Finca Vigia outside Havana for over 20 years . The house, now a museum, receives over 40,000 visitors a year . Despite its popularity, Finca Vigia nearly fell victim to Cuba's humid, hurricane-prone environment . A team is navigating U.S. embargo restrictions to bring restoration experts to the project .

Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) -- There is no evidence of "friendly fire" during this week's deadly shooting at Fort Hood, an Army spokesman said Saturday. Army Criminal Investigation Command spokesman Chris Grey said authorities did not believe that any of those killed or wounded were shot by anyone other than the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. Furthermore, Grey reiterated that all evidence indicates that the suspect "acted alone." Grey said there was "no evidence to contradict that finding." He added that the investigation is continuing. Thursday's mass shooting left 12 soldiers and one civilian dead and 42 people wounded, according to the post's public information office. It was unclear how many of those injured suffered bullet wounds. By Saturday night, 17 people and the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, remained hospitalized, Col. John Rossi told reporters. All had suffered gunshot wounds, he said. Rossi said Hasan is no longer on a ventilator, but is still in intensive care at Brooke Army Medical Center. Earlier Saturday, W. Roy Smythe, chief of surgery at Scott & White Memorial Hospital, said "a lot of progress has been made" in treating patients wounded in the rampage and that "some of them are out of the woods." But Smythe, flanked by Texas Gov. Rick Perry and two state representatives, told reporters there is a possibility some patients will be "physically impaired" for life. And, he said, there's "no doubt many" will be "psychologically impaired the rest of their lives." The incident has sparked national outrage. In his Saturday address, President Obama said it was "an act of violence that would have been heartbreaking had it occurred anyplace in America." But the president said, "it's all the more heartbreaking and all the more despicable because of the place where it occurred and the patriots who were its victims." The White House said President Obama and the first lady will be attending a memorial service on Tuesday and the president ordered flags flying over the White House and other federal buildings to be lowered to half-staff until Veterans Day on Wednesday. In Texas on Saturday, Smythe told reporters that of the 10 patients admitted to that hospital after the Thursday massacre, four have gone home and one may go home later Saturday. He said of the six originally in the surgical intensive care unit, only two remained there Saturday morning, with the others moved to a regular in-patient floor. The people in the intensive care unit "are no longer on the ventilator and quite stable." Despite improvements, he said the injuries to some "are so severe that only time will tell how they'll do in the long run." He said "some of these patients are young and sometimes young patients will surprise you in regards to their rehabilitation." And at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, Jeri Chappelle, a representative of that facility, said eight patients are currently being treated there -- five in the hospital's intensive care unit and three others in a regular unit who are in fair condition. Perry -- speaking outside the Scott & White hospital -- lauded the hospital's quality and professionalism and praised the patriotism of the soldiers. "What I heard time after time in those hospital rooms that it's their honor to be able to serve our country, and that is a very humbling thing to watch a young man or woman whose life has been irreparably harmed in a violent act, yet their concern and their interest is in continuing to be able to serve this country," Perry said. Also, he praised the first responders, and mentioned Fort Hood Police Sgt. Kimberly Munley, the civilian officer who confronted and disabled Hasan in a shootout. Munley has drawn praise from the military and from citizens across the nations for her quick and bold actions. Perry called her a "true professional" and a "selfless public servant." "She's very understated," said Perry, who spoke with Munley on Friday. "A person who understands the gravity of what occurred, but also a classic public servant who is not interested in anything but getting on with her life and hopefully never having an event like this ever occur again." Citing other reports, Perry said, "this is not the first time that she's been called to action" and said "we all should be thankful that we have people like that in America." Perry said he is in contact military and state law enforcement officials and that the Texas Rangers are helping federal officials in their probe. The governor also said the Department of State Health Services to send crisis counseling teams to the area. Share memories of victims . As for the investigation, Obama said he met with FBI Director Robert Mueller and representatives of other relevant agencies to discuss their probe. "I'll continue to be in close contact with them as new information comes in," he said in his Saturday radio address. Obama, a Democrat, and Perry, a Republican, both said that the situation brought out the best in people, citing the efforts of soldiers and civilians to aid others. "Even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display," the president said, "we also saw the best of America."

NEW: Official: Evidence so far indicates alleged shooter acted alone . NEW: Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan off ventilator, spokesman says . Chief of surgery: Some patients will be "physically impaired" for life . President Obama says he met with FBI director and will monitor investigation .

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The numbers were good for "Knowing." In "Knowing," a physics professor (Nicolas Cage) ponders patterns in a list of numbers. The film, about a physics professor who sees clues for disastrous events in a time capsule's list of digits, overcame some pretty long odds at the box office -- going against the Paul Rudd-Jason Segel comedy "I Love You, Man," the Julia Roberts-Clive Owen romantic thriller "Duplicity" and some fairly scathing reviews -- to emerge as the weekend's No. 1 film. Though star Nicolas Cage wouldn't have predicted the outcome, in an interview before the film's release, he did talk about the power of positive thinking. "I'm a huge believer of the human spirit," he told CNN. "I think people are amazing. I think what we have accomplished is incredible. ... If you think positive and you apply the guts and ingenuity that mankind has been doing forever, at least in our existence, I believe we get through anything." Cage's character, John Koestler, is a science professor whom Cage describes as "someone who is reawakening to his faith." He begins the film believing that everything is random, but as the film continues -- and he seeks to alert the world of a coming catastrophe -- "he believes there is cause and effect and perhaps even a divine mind," Cage said. The film begins in 1959, with students burying items in a time capsule at an elementary school. One of the children, however, creates an image of seemingly random numbers. Fifty years later, when the capsule is opened, Koestler's son receives the page of numbers, and his father realizes that they correspond to major disasters of the past half-century. Koestler determines that three events have yet to occur and sets out to meet the clairvoyant child's now grown daughter. The final event threatens life on Earth itself, and the group begins a race against time, with unusual consequences. Critics were not impressed. The film earned a 25 percent rating on the review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com, with some reviewers in full-on mockery mode. Watch Mr. Moviefone review "Knowing" and other films » . "It's increasingly hard to believe that Cage won an Oscar in 1996 (for 'Leaving Las Vegas')," wrote USA Today's Claudia Puig in a 1½-star review. "In the past decade, he has made some awful choices, and his range has seemed to grow more limited." "It's so inept that you may wish you were watching an M. Night Shyamalan version of the very same premise," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman, referring to the director whose last two films, "Lady in the Water" and "The Happening," were two of the most detested films of recent years. But the film's apocalyptic theme obviously strikes a chord, something director Alex Proyas ("Dark City") saw early on. Proyas told CNN in a pre-release interview that "you can read [the film] as biblical if you choose to," but he prefers to see it as "spiritual." "I try to leave it very open-ended," he said. "I try to think of it as more a spiritual place than a biblical one." Cage's character, he said, is on a spiritual quest in the midst of what could be global destruction. Rose Byrne, who plays the clairvoyant child's daughter, Diana, called the film "kind of a theological discussion." "That's always an exciting topic," she said. "It's bridging the gap between science and spirituality. That always makes things thought-provoking, and I like that with any piece of art." Byrne said that "Knowing" taps into some of the end-times anxiety that's been in the air in recent years, which perhaps could help find an audience. (As she was talking before the film's release, she didn't realize how much of an audience.) "I think it's a common thing in life," she said of end-of-the-world fears, referencing one of the latest making the rounds -- the Mayan calendar's Long Count end in 2012 -- in making her point. Proyas observes that given such worries, the film can be a wake-up call for such concerns as global climate change. "There is a symbolic aspect to what is happening and what the story is about, and to get people to pay attention to what could happen," he said. But, he adds, it's also just a movie. "I believe in the entertainment value of movies -- very much so," he said. "I ... want to make it good for the audience. I really want people to be there and experience something powerful and resident, both in terms of ideas and emotions ... and also with this film trying to do something different. It's a challenging film, and it takes some unexpected turns."

"Knowing" was weekend's No. 1 film . Apocalyptic thriller stars Nicolas Cage as professor who sees clues in numbers . Film taps into themes of religion, spirituality, end-times concerns, say makers .

(CNN) -- A proposal to house federal prisoners, including some detainees from Guantanamo Bay, in a largely vacant maximum-security prison would be an economic boost to struggling northern Illinois, state officials said Sunday. "This is something that is very good for our state, it's good for our economy, it's good for public safety," Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters. Officials from the departments of Defense, Justice, Homeland Security and the federal Bureau of Prisons will visit the Thomson Correctional Center on Monday, the officials said. Quinn's office on Saturday said the officials would see whether the "virtually vacant, state-of-the-art facility" in Thomson, about 150 miles west of Chicago, could be of use to the Bureau of Prisons. If it is, the governor and other officials said Sunday, it could provide up to 2,000 jobs and up to $1 billion in federal money to the area. And Dick Durbin, the Senate's second-ranking Democrat, said he believes the proposal provides a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for his state's residents. "There are other states that want to take these jobs," Sen. Durbin said. "We've got to win this competition." Under the proposal, he said, federal officials have said fewer than 100 detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba would be housed in the 1,600-bed facility. They would be in a wing under the control of the Department of Defense, while the Bureau of Prisons would assume responsibility for the rest of the facility. The United States is asking other countries to house some of the Guantanamo detainees when the prison is closed, said Durbin, the Senate majority whip. But those countries are asking why America is not housing some of the inmates itself, he said, and use of the Thomson facility would demonstrate to them that the United States is willing to shoulder some of the responsibility. An Obama administration official said Saturday that as part of the conversion at Thomson, the Bureau of Prisons and Defense Department would enhance security to exceed those of the nation's only supermax prison -- the U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado. No person has ever escaped from the prison. The Thomson proposal, first reported Saturday by the Chicago Tribune, triggered immediate concern from critics. U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, whose district covers suburban Chicago, circulated a letter addressed to President Obama to Illinois leaders Saturday, opposing the possible transfer of detainees and saying that housing them in Thomson would turn metropolitan Chicago into "ground zero for Jihadist terrorist plots, recruitment and radicalization." As home to Chicago's Willis (formerly Sears) Tower -- the nation's tallest building -- "we should not invite al Qaeda to make Illinois its number one target," says Kirk, who is running for the same Senate seat once held by Obama. Durbin on Sunday pointed to the federal maximum-security prison in Marion, Illinois, which he said already houses 35 people convicted of terrorism, along with members of Colombian drug gangs and Mexican drug cartels -- "some of the most dangerous people in America." "They're all in our prisons, and they're all held safely," he said. And "things haven't changed in Marion, Illinois." Those housed in the Marion penitentiary include Ali al-Marri, who is serving a sentence of eight years and four months after pleading guilty in federal court to conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda. The Thomson prison was built in 2001 and sat empty for five years because the state lacked the resources to open it. Despite being built as a maximum-security facility, it houses 144 minimum-security male inmates, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections Web site. "After living in limbo for eight years, we're open to any and all alternatives for Thomson," said Jerry "Duke" Hebeler, Thomson village mayor. He estimated that the move would cut the county's unemployment in half. "I'd never chase jobs if I thought it would jeopardize the security and safety of my neighbors and friends," Hebeler said. Quinn said that during the inspection Monday, "We want to answer any and all questions that the federal authorities have." The Obama administration has vowed to close the Guantanamo facility, but acknowledges it is unlikely to happen by its self-imposed January 22, 2010, deadline. About 215 men are held there. They include alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who officials said Friday will be transferred to New York to go on trial in civilian court. The federal prison system houses approximately 340 inmates linked to international terrorism, including more than 200 tied to international incidents, another Obama official said. CNN's Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.

Proposal calls for using maximum-security prison in struggling northern Illinois . On Monday, federal officials to visit facility in Thomson, about 150 miles west of Chicago . "It's good for our economy, it's good for public safety," Illinois governor says . But Rep. Mark Kirk says plan could make Chicago "ground zero" for terror plots, recruitment .

(CNN) -- Help me out. What's a word for feeling the pressure of a deadline but also pleasure in meeting it? I've got it -- plessure. Nowadays, it seems that a new portmanteau -- a word that is a combination of two words -- pops up every hour or so. You might have just met a frenemy for brunch -- a hybrid word going back decades -- where the two of you shared a cronut before distracting each other with a heated discussion of "Sharknado." Who knows? The discovery that you both experience spasms of affluenza could make for the beginning of a wonderful bromance. Chillax, I'm not about to go on a curmudgeonly rant denouncing hybrid words. On the contrary, perhaps they herald a new phase in American verbal creativity. Invented by French chef Dominique Ansel earlier this year, "cronuts" are a cross between croissants and doughnuts. In New York City, the pastry debuted in Ansel's Soho shop to big crowds. They were such a hit that a black market on Craigslist sprang up where one cronut can fetch as much as $40. "Sharknado" is a SyFy TV movie about -- you guessed it -- a tornado that tosses man-eating sharks out of the sea onto land. The hashtag #Sharknado took Twitter by storm. Apparently, the word inspired the movie. Is there a trend in the air? Familiar words are being reshuffled and transformed into dazzling new things. We throw old words into new configurations in a rush to keep up with our faster pace of life, the same way we throw on the clothes nearest to us, no matter how mismatched, if we have to rush out of the house. Maybe it has something to do with technology. The mind reels as it tries to keep up with all the scintillating gadgets and toys. BlackBerry and PCs seem so yesterday. Even IMs feel old compared to some of the newer chat programs. And now we have an explosion of apps where word play is child's play. Move over, Instagram and Pandora; make way for Snapchat, WhatsApp and NearMe. You have to wonder if there isn't a little bit of nostalgia in the portmanteau craze. It's as if we are saying to all the changes: "Hold on! Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!" (Don't be a ... throwbaby?) Hybrid words come in many flavors. Some have an undertone of irony, and even cynicism, to them: anticipointment, Frankenfood, craptacular. Twenty years ago, genetically modified food was the stuff of science fiction; hence Frankenfood was born. The concepts behind "craptacular" and "anticipointment" -- the disappointment we feel after the anticipation aroused by hype has been deflated by reality -- are the product of jaded intelligences that see through the commercial artifice around them. There is something almost decadent, and a little bit Roman, about our rising tide of portmanteaus. In the 17th century, a concept like "frenemy" might have been coined by some caustic French writer with an epigrammatic wit. You might even say that a hybrid is an epigram manque. But, then, we are in a cultural phase now that seems more conceptual and visual. Words like "cronuts" or "Sharknado" conjure up hard-to-forget images. But will people remember them in 100 years? It depends on whether the words' meanings will still resonate with people. "Sharknado" will probably go the way of the movie it inspired, and cronut seems particularly well suited to NYC in 2013. But who knows? Cronuts could stay with us as long we eat them. Some words like metrosexual or screenager say a lot about the way we live. We've all felt at one time or another as if we've fallen through the looking glass into some strange new world, where what was familiar to us even five years ago has been turned on its head. It was, after all, Lewis Carroll's Humpty Dumpty who first coined the word "portmanteau" and defined it: "two meanings packed up into one word." Unlike Mr. Dumpty, however, we are kept together by our hybrid words, or at least enabled to rearrange the broken pieces of our familiar experience into something we understand. Maybe the best thing about them is that, with their fusion of disparate words and ideas, they break down any notion of cultural purity. In the end, they capture the most humane promise of American life: the only way through is together. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lee Siegel.

Lee Siegel: It seems that a new portmanteau -- a hybrid word -- pops up every hour . Siegel: Words like "cronut" and "Sharknado" delight and dazzle us in their newness . He says familiar words are being reshuffled as our modern life quickens in its pace . Siegel: New hybrid words are emblematic of our culture -- a melting pot where things blend .