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(CNN) -- Add Martina McBride and 38 Special to the list of musical acts canceling SeaWorld shows because of issues raised in the documentary "Blackfish." "I've decided that given all the issues that have been aired recently, the time isn't right for me to play at Seaworld," the singer posted on her Facebook page over the weekend. "I have canceled my scheduled performance at the Bands, Blues & BBQ event in March 2014." The announcement makes her at least the seventh to drop out. The southern rock band 38 Special quickly followed with this Facebook posting: "Due to concerns raised by the CNN documentary 'Blackfish,' 38 Special will be canceling its scheduled March 9th concert at Seaworld. We appreciate the outpouring of support and especially apologize to our Orlando fans. We will try and schedule another performance in your area in the near future." REO Speedwagon announced its cancellation on Friday. A promoter could put together a whale of a concert series with the acts that have canceled SeaWorld shows in the past several weeks, including Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Heart and Barenaked Ladies. The acts bailed on the Orlando theme park's concert series amid pressure from fans who started online petitions and took to social media. Only Justin Moore and Scotty McCreery remain from the original list of acts on the event calendar. Their representatives have not responded to CNN's repeated requests for comment. The fans became upset after watching the documentary "Blackfish," which first aired on CNN in October. The film tells the story of the killing in 2010 of a SeaWorld trainer by an orca. It raises questions about the safety and humaneness of keeping killer whales in captivity. SeaWorld confirmed the REO Speedwagon withdrawal Friday and referred CNN to its previous statements about the cancellations. "We expect that other artists will be targeted in this campaign," SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck told CNN in consecutive statements Wednesday and Thursday, starting with Cheap Trick's cancellation. Joan Jett to SeaWorld: Stop rockin' the whales . The park's six-week concert schedule has disappeared from SeaWorld's website. It now simply promises "incredible concerts with top artists in classic rock and country music." SeaWorld is working to book replacement acts, Gollattscheck said. "We'll announce the full lineup of bands when all artists have been confirmed. We'll repost the schedule on our site then." 'Blackfish' sparks debate over taking kids to animal parks . The Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies was the first to cancel, reacting to a petition posted on Change.org. "This is a complicated issue, and we don't claim to understand all of it, but we don't feel comfortable proceeding with the gig at this time," the band said on its Facebook page. "I don't agree with the way they treat their animals," Willie Nelson said on December 6 when he canceled. "It wasn't that hard a deal for me." Sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart did not elaborate last week when they announced their decision to cancel at SeaWorld, although they acknowledged it was "due to the controversial documentary film." "We're disappointed a small group of misinformed individuals was able to deny fans what would have been great concerts at SeaWorld," Gollattscheck said. SeaWorld said it would like the musical artists to learn for themselves about SeaWorld. "The bands and artists have a standing invitation to visit any of our parks to see firsthand or to speak to any of our animal experts to learn for themselves how we care for animals and how little truth there is to the allegations made by animal extremist groups opposed to the zoological display of marine mammals," Gollattscheck said. SeaWorld says the documentary ignores the park's conservation efforts and research. Filmmaker: Why I made 'Blackfish'

NEW: 38 Special is the 8th act to announce a SeaWorld cancellation . Martina McBride cites "all the issues that have been aired recently" in her announcement . Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, others already canceled . Online campaign asks acts to ditch SeaWorld after airing of "Blackfish" film .

(CNN) -- It's hard to describe billions of years of cosmic history. But scientists have used a code to create a model of how the universe as we know it today might have evolved. A new study in the journal Nature describes a simulation of the universe that is unique because of "how realistically it recreates the galaxies and the universe that we see, which is kind of a first for a simulation like this," said Dylan Nelson, study co-author at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Nelson and collaborators released several videos this week showcasing highlights of what their numerical simulation, called Illustris, can do. Running this model "took approximately 16 million CPU (central processing unit) hours," Michael Boylan-Kolchin, astronomer at the University of Maryland, College Park, wrote in an accompanying article in Nature. "The end result, however, is a simulated Universe that looks an awful lot like the real one." This simulation begins 12 million years after the Big Bang, which is still pretty early considering that the universe is about 13.8 billion years old. "What it allows -- a statistically robust comparison against observations across all of cosmic time -- is a critical aspect in the development of better and more realistic models, which directly translates into more physical insight which we can extract from such simulations," Nelson said. A range of galaxy types emerges in this simulation, such as blue spiral and red elliptical galaxies. The content of hydrogen and elements heavier than hydrogen and helium seems consistent with observational data, study authors wrote. "These observations capture a large variety of galaxy luminosities, sizes, colours, morphologies and evolutionary stages, providing remarkable benchmarks for galaxy formation theories," study authors wrote. A total of 41,416 galaxies are represented in the simulation. It includes a population of elliptical galaxies that don't form stars, disk galaxies that do form stars, and irregular galaxies. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a disk galaxy, and simulating how such a galaxy would be formed has been problematic in the past. But the scientists' calculations have overcome this, the study said. The simulation takes into account that there are phenomena in our universe that we have never detected but that have had huge influence on cosmic evolution. Dark matter accounts for about 24% of the universe, while normal matter -- everything that we can see -- is only 4.6%. Dark matter "dominates the gravitational pull of everything, especially on large scales," Nelson said. "It's the backbone of the cosmic web." Over the course of the universe's history, galaxies have formed where dark matter was most concentrated. But most of the universe is made of dark energy, responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe. The universe is expanding, but how quickly? Obviously, you can't model the entire universe at once, but this simulation does represent a substantial chunk of it: 350 million light years in each dimension, Nelson said. It allows scientists to zoom in to see the structure of individual galaxies, such as spiral arms. Still, there are shortcomings to the simulation: For instance, the mass of stars in low-mass galaxies gets built up earlier than what has been observed, meaning that populations of stars are shown as two to three times older than in reality. Joel Primack, professor of physics and director of the High-Performance Astro Computing Center in Santa Cruz, California, takes issue with the idea that this new simulation is better than its predecessors. "Other groups are doing a much better job of understanding what's going on inside galaxies, including my own group," said Primack, whose team also works on modeling the cosmos. But the simulation does have strengths on a larger scale -- for instance, in showing how galaxies affect their surrounding environments, and how environments impact galaxies, he said. The code used in the simulation, Arepo, is not publicly available -- another of Primack's criticisms. But Nelson said that a complete description of its methods has been published, and that anyone with expertise who is motivated could use it to develop a similar code.

Scientists have released a new model of how the universe might have evolved . The simulation begins 12 million years after the Big Bang . It represents more than 41,000 galaxies . Dark matter is the 'backbone of the cosmic web'

(CNN) -- Chuck Colson was a man in full. The former White House special counsel and Watergate accomplice turned born-again Christian and prison evangelist, reminded us all, through his muscular Christianity and ever-present Marine training, that every life is worth saving, that no man should be left behind. He fought tirelessly on behalf of the forgotten and condemned. He defended the defenseless. In his passing on April 21 at the age of 80, we remember one of America's premier cultural ambassadors. Through his Prison Fellowship ministry, Angel Tree program, weekly radio broadcasts, books, and sermons, Colson touched countless lives, from the most innocent to those on death row. He pleaded guilty in 1974 to obstruction of justice in the Nixon White House Watergate scandal and served seven months in prison. But before he went to prison, he underwent a dramatic conversion and became a born-again Christian. Colson emerged from prison a man forever transformed. Last year, on one of his final public speaking tours, Colson summarized his ongoing mission for the past 40 years -- addressing the root causes of the cultural problems threatening our society. "I discovered early on that the reasons the prisons were being filled wasn't all the sociological theories about crime that we hear generally, it was the... lack of moral training during the morally formative years," Colson explained. "We are raising a generation that lacks male role models. The family has broken down. These kids aren't learning character." Colson understood that the family is the knot that holds the fabric of civilization together. If the family unravels, then so does society -- economically, socially, and morally. And now, it appears we may be headed that way. Today, more than half of births to American women under 30 happen outside marriage. The out-of-wedlock birth rate in the United States has passed 40% and more than 70% of all births to black women are outside marriage. Children today are the product of fewer successful marriages than perhaps ever before. With high unemployment rates, children are increasingly less likely to see a father or mother getting up and going to work in the morning. Less than half of the American population attends church on a weekly basis. The founding virtues that made this country so successful -- hard work, fidelity and faith -- are in diminishing supply. These virtues can't be taught in ethics classes or pop culture movies, but rather, they must be learned through example, particularly that of mentors and role models. Our children, boys in particular, are drawn to the strongest and loudest forces around them. If positive influences, like parents, teachers, and coaches, are missing, children will gravitate to something inferior, like drugs or gangs. Colson would often illustrate this with stories of convicts leaving prison only to be handed $100 by the guards and told, "See you again in a couple weeks." For the overwhelming majority, it was true. They returned home to the same gang they left, the same crimes they committed before, and they ended up back in prison again several weeks later. Colson understood the solution to these problems wasn't political or economical, but cultural. On March 30, Colson gave a speech at the Wilberforce Weekend Conference in northern Virginia. It was the last public speech he would ever give. In it he remarked, "Politics is nothing but an expression of culture ... so if things are bad, don't think it's going to be solved by an election. It's going to be solved by us." All great change starts from the bottom up -- from the dinner table to the football field to the prisons. If you want less poverty, less crime and less social breakdown, you need stronger families, stronger churches, and stronger communities. Chuck Colson dedicated himself to this cause with unparalleled fervor and compassion. He will be sorely missed. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William J. Bennett.

Watergate figure Chuck Colson became a born-again Christian, founded prison ministry . William Bennett says Colson fought tirelessly for the forgotten and condemned . Colson's mission was to address the root causes of social problems, Bennett writes . Colson lamented the breakdown of family, lack of mentors for young people, he says .

(CNN) -- New Mexico homeowners who were evacuated more than a week ago will be allowed to return home Tuesday, fire officials said. "Homeowners will be driven to their homes in government vehicles to stay," said Reynaldo Rivera, public information officer for the Los Conchas fire. Thousands of families in Cochiti Mesa were forced from their homes shortly after the massive fire began June 26. On Monday, more than 2,100 firefighters were battling the wildfire that was still threatening hundreds of buildings and ancient sites on Indian lands in northern New Mexico. The Las Conchas fire has scorched more than 123,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 buildings, including 63 homes, according to InciWeb, an online interagency database that keeps track of natural disasters such as fires and floods. The fire was 27 percent contained, the website stated. "We are not out of the woods yet," said Brad Pitassi, an incident management team spokesman. "This will take a long time to contain." The fire was threatening a number of ancient American Indian sites. It had burned thousands of acres on the Santa Clara Indian Reservation and had spread onto the Bandelier National Monument, home to ancient Pueblo homes, rock paintings and petroglyphs, fire officials said. Federal agencies also warned that heavy smoke and ash was making air quality unhealthy as far away as Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos, and they warned the elderly, children and those with heart or lung problems to stay indoors, according to a news release from federal agencies associated with the firefight. Since starting last week, the Las Conchas fire quickly expanded into the Santa Fe National Forest and Jemez Ranger District. It spread rapidly because of strong winds, high temperatures and dry conditions that have similarly fueled dozens of other fires around the region. Despite continued challenges, firefighters made some significant progress over the weekend. Most notably, Los Alamos County Police Chief Wayne Torpy announced that a majority of roadblocks across the county were being lifted, allowing roughly 10,000 residents to return home. Investigators determined that the fire was sparked after an aspen tree knocked down by strong winds struck a power line and caught fire, said New Mexico State Forester Tony Delfin. The tree then hit the ground and sparked nearby vegetation, he said. The fire has engulfed much of the Santa Fe National Forest, the Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Park. It also prompted the closure of Los Alamos National Laboratory. On Saturday, the state of emergency for the lab was lifted, and the lab announced that it will reopen to employees Wednesday. At no time were nuclear or hazardous materials on site threatened, the laboratory said in a statement, adding that it was moving into an "operational recovery mode." About 20 archaeologists are also part of the firefighting effort, charged with identifying and helping minimize damage from spreading fires or suppression efforts. At least one is assigned to each bulldozer and road grader, one of a host of measures taken to protect archaeological sites, according to the Incident Management Team. The fire already burned over many such sites in the area, which is known for its Native American history. The Las Conchas fire is just one of dozens still burning in the United States, especially in the Southwest. Several of those are also in New Mexico, including the 100,831-acre Donaldson fire, about 10 miles south of Hondo, and the 10,250-acre Pacheco fire, about nine miles north of Santa Fe. Pitassi said that a combination of "extremely dry fuels," rugged terrain, strong winds and high temperatures have led to a "record-breaking year" for wildfires in the United States -- and one that still has no clear end in sight. "We've had almost a perfect-storm scenario," he said. CNN's Antoinette Campbell contributed to this report .

Thousands of residents can return home Tuesday . The Las Conchas fire is still threatening a number of ancient American Indian sites . Los Alamos National Laboratory will reopen to employees Wednesday . More than 123,000 acres have been burned since the fire started .

New York (CNN) -- The rash of stories about priestly sexual abuse in Europe, especially in Ireland and Germany, has put many Catholics on the defensive. They should not be. While sexual molestation of any kind is always indefensible, the politics surrounding this story is also indefensible. Employers from every walk of life, in both the U.S. and Europe, have long handled cases of alleged sex abuse by employees as an internal matter. Rarely have employers called the cops, and none was required to do so. Though this is starting to change, any discussion of employee sexual abuse that took place 30 and 40 years ago must acknowledge this reality. Thus it hardly comes as a surprise that Cardinal Sean Brady in Ireland did not summon the authorities about a case involving a priest in the 1970s. What is surprising is why some are now indicting him, acting as if his response was the exception to the rule. Selective indignation at the Catholic Church is not confined to Brady. Why, for example, are the psychologists and psychiatrists who pledged to "fix" abusers treated so lightly? After all, employers from the corporate world to the Catholic Church were told over and over again that therapy works and to give the offender a second chance. Indeed, the zeitgeist of the day was that rehabilitation not only works, it is virtuous. That such advice was wildly oversold can now be agreed upon by almost everyone, and that is precisely why it smacks of politics to deny how strongly held the rehabilitative ideal was. Had the Catholic Church simply tossed the offenders out, it would have been branded as heartless. There is also much noise about Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger -- now the pope -- approving the transfer of a priest out of his archdiocese in Germany for therapy. That happened 30 years ago. Again, he did exactly what virtually every other leader, clerical or secular, did. Anyone who maintains that in North America or Europe it was common practice for employers outside the Catholic Church to file a police report about suspected wrongdoing by their employees needs to put up or shut up: Where is the evidence? Beyond that issue, the focus on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is far out of proportion to the attention given by the media to the sexual molestation of minors when committed by non-Catholic clergymen. According to a report by the New York Times in October, the Brooklyn district attorney's office had filed charges in 26 cases of sexual abuse involving members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Just this month, Rabbi Baruch Lebovits was found guilty on eight counts of sexually abusing a Brooklyn boy. Yet the Times, which has run several stories on the decades-old cases in Ireland and Germany, never reported it. And none of it merits the kind of attention given to priests. Catholics aren't fooled. Public school teachers accused of sex abuse are either transferred to another school district -- it's so common that it is called "passing the trash"-- or they are assigned to what, in New York, they call a "rubber room" (these are places where teachers draw full salary and benefits doing makeshift administrative work). Both the teachers unions and state law allow this outrage to continue. Maybe if the media concentrated on this problem, solutions would follow. But the politics of the day being what they are, don't bet on it. It's a lot sexier to nail the Catholic Church. The hyper-concentration on the Catholic Church is not by accident. The Church preaches an ethic of sexual restraint -- a profoundly countercultural idea -- so when a priest fails, it's tempting to highlight it. Human nature being what it is, that's understandable. But it's also immoral. Quite frankly, if sexual abuse is wrong, it should not matter what the identity of the abuser is. Selective justice is the highest form of injustice. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bill Donohue.

Bill Donohue says church treated sex abuse as internal matter, as did other leaders . He says critics are unfairly implying Church acted differently in failing to disclose such cases . He says other faiths, professions have had similar problems but less publicity .

Washington (CNN) -- Police arrested Indianapolis Colts safety Joe Lefeged early Saturday after allegedly finding his semiautomatic pistol poking out from under the passenger seat of the white Camaro he'd been in, police said. The Chevrolet sports car got police's attention shortly after midnight because it was being driven erratically, Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Araz Alali told CNN. According to charging papers filed in D.C. Superior Court, police spotted one of its passengers standing up in the backseat of the convertible. On the street, plainclothes officers repeatedly asked the Camaro's driver to put the car in the park. Instead, according to the charging papers, he put his foot on the gas and sped away. Four officers eventually found the Camaro, its still unidentified driver having fled on foot. They also saw one man, later identified as Lefeged, running in one direction and the man who'd been standing up in the Camaro, later identified as 23-year-old Aaron Timothy Wilson, going another way. Both men were arrested, about four miles east of the Capitol, without incident, according to Alali. Lefeged's public defender, Martina King, gave a different take, saying her client was sitting in the Camaro's passenger seat, not on foot, when he was arrested. Police at the scene searching the vehicle found a clear bottle in the center console that smelled of alcohol and a black H&K .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol "in plain view sticking out from underneath the front passenger seat." Investigators determined that Lefeged paid $900 for the gun, which he took possession of in late May, according to the charging papers. King, the public defender, contended the gun in question is registered to Lefeged and, since it was under his seat, was out of his reach. But Judge Anne O'Regan Keary disagreed, saying that the firearm was in Lefeged's reach if it was under his seat. Keary ruled that there was probable cause to continue detaining him at least until his next hearing Tuesday morning. According to Alali, Lefeged and Wilson were both arrested on suspicion of carrying a firearm without a license, having an unregistered firearm, having unregistered ammunition, presence of a firearm in a motor vehicle and possession of an open container of alcohol. For the time being, at least, Lefeged is facing only two charges: presence of a firearm in a motor vehicle and possession of an unregistered firearm. The 25-year-old Colts defensive back did not enter a plea during his initial court appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Saturday. Washington has some of the strictest gun-control measures in the country. According to the district's law, "no person shall carry within the District of Columbia either openly or concealed on or about their person, a pistol, or any deadly or dangerous weapon capable of being so concealed." That said, a firearm is permitted in the district if it is held in the registrant's home or workplace, is being used for "lawful recreational purposes" or "is being transported for a lawful purpose." Firearms registered elsewhere still must be registered in the District of Columbia. The Colts issued a statement Saturday after Lefeged's arrest, saying little more than they were "aware of the reports" and will not comment further until they get additional information. Lefeged has played in every game of his two-year professional football career, including four starts last season for the Colts. His arrest comes a few days after another NFL standout, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, was charged with murder and several gun-related offenses in the death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd. CNN's Larry Lazo and Vito Maggiolo contributed to this report.

NEW: Police saw a man standing up in the convertible, charging papers say . Joe Lefeged's gun was found in a car he'd been in, which police say is against D.C. law . He fled but was arrested without incident, police say; his lawyer says he was in the car . Judge finds probable cause to hold the NFL player at least until Tuesday .

Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) -- At least 11 climbers were killed in an avalanche Sunday morning on Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest peak, a pilot who took part in the rescue effort said. Steve Bruce Bokan of Fishtail Air said that those coordinating the rescue report as many as 38 people missing. A French mountaineering official put the number lower at 15, but said it had been difficult to get exact figures from authorities in Nepal. Four French citizens are among the dead, with another three missing, said Christian Trommsdorff, vice president of the National Syndicate of High Mountain Guides in Chamonix, France. He said that rescuers in helicopters focused on evacuating the injured. They also found the bodies of the four Frenchmen. One of the survivors -- according to the editor-in-chief for EpicTV.com, a film company that make features on skiing, climbing and other adventure sports -- is Glen Plake, who with two other ski mountaineers had planned to descend from the summit on skis without the aid of oxygen. Trey Cook said he spoke to Plake by satellite phone and the skier said: "It was a major, major accident. There are up to 14 people missing. There were 25 tents at Camp 3 and all of them were destroyed; 12 tents at Camp 2 were banged up and moved around." Plake lost a few front teeth and had an eye injury after being swept 300 meters (985 feet) down the mountain, Cook told CNN. Plake was still in his sleeping bag, in his tent and still had on his headlamp he was using to read his Bible verses, Cook said. After the avalanche, Plake went looking for the rest of the people in camp, all of whom were supposed to be wearing avalanche transceivers -- electronic devices that can signal other similar receivers -- as he was. Two of his colleagues were missing, including the man with whom he shared a tent, Plake told Cook. The avalanche, which took place Sunday at about 5 a.m. local time, was likely caused by a huge piece of ice that fell from a glacier above the camp, Trommsdorff said. Cook said he thought it was a piece of ice the size of six or seven football fields. Most of the mountaineers had set up tents at 6,600 meters (21,650 feet), said Yograj Kadel of Simrik Air, which was also involved in the rescue. The other mountaineers were apparently 500 meters (1,640 feet) below the camp that was destroyed, according to the EpicTV.com report. The mountain is 8,163 meters (26,780 feet) high. Kenton Cool, a mountain climber from England who reached the summit of Manaslu in 2010, told CNN the weather during the post-monsoon season can be quite unsettled. His friends on the mountain told him that in the past 10 days or so there had been "quite high levels of snow on the mountain," he said. Teams normally wait for new snow to settle before leaving camp. Officials said bad weather led them to postpone further search efforts until Monday. Cool, who said Manaslu had a "fearsome reputation," predicted that searchers will have a hard time locating some of the people still on the mountain. The area where the avalanche happened is the site of some large crevasses. "It will be hard to know exactly where everyone was," he said. "It will be hard to find the bodies, let alone retrieve them." According to Nepal tourism officials, 231 foreign mountaineers from 25 teams were attempting to climb the mountain in the current autumn season that ends in November. They said that a Spaniard, a German and a Nepalese sherpa had been killed.

Survivor tells filmmaker he slid nearly a quarter-mile in his tent . But Glen Plake says the man he shared tent with is among missing . French official says four of his countrymen died, three are missing . The search for the missing will resume Monday, authorities said .

(CNN) -- The Philippine House of Representatives and Senate were meeting Monday to debate the imposition of martial law in the country's south by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the aftermath of last month's massacre of 57 civilians. As required by law, the president issued a report Sunday explaining her reasons for making the proclamation for the province of Maguindanao. "Lawless elements have taken up arms and committed public uprising against the duly constituted government and against the people of Maguindanao," Arroyo said in a 20-page letter to the leaders of the House and Senate. Martial law went into effect Friday night, allowing arrests without a warrant. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said it was necessary to impose peace following what has been called a politically motivated massacre. He added that Congress would have to approve any extension beyond 60 days. The House and Senate might jointly convene on Tuesday to discuss the president's report, House Speaker Prospero Nograles said Sunday, according to the Philippine News Agency. The debate began as elite forces of the Philippine National Police clashed in the town of Datu Unsay with suspected followers of the politically powerful Ampatuan family, which has been implicated in the massacre, the Philippine News Agency reported Monday. Reports said the armed men offered stiff resistance on Sunday against government security forces in a 10-minute firefight, withdrawing after government reinforcements arrived. No casualties were reported on either side. Charges of rebellion will be leveled against many of those arrested since martial law was implemented, Philippine Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said Saturday, CNN affiliate ABS-CBN reported. At least six members of the Ampatuan family have been arrested, including Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., according to ABS-CBN. Ampatuan, whose father is governor of Maguindanao, has been accused of directing the killings and has been charged with 25 counts of murder. One of the massacre victims implicated members of the Ampatuan family before she died, the affiliate reported. Over the weekend, authorities raided at least one warehouse and ranch belonging to the family. They confiscated firearms, ammunition and vehicles, Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, deputy of operations for the eastern Mindinao command, told CNN. The military was looking at arresting at least 100 people tied to the massacre, ABS-CBN reported. The Philippine military is investigating its own forces in connection with the case as well, Brawner said. Asked why martial law was imposed 12 days after the killings, Cabangbang said authorities "were trying to build a case, a tight case" against suspects. "But it is taking long to build a case, so I think the government gave us a free hand in arresting those who are suspects, and allowed us to search, even without warrant. So we really need this declaration of state of martial law." Violence in the run-up to elections is not uncommon in the country. The Maguindanao massacre, however, is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippine history, according to state media. The victims included the wife and sister of political candidate Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, who had sent the women to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao. He said he had received threats from allies of Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., the father of the accused mayor, saying he would be kidnapped if he filed the papers himself. Maguindanao is part of an autonomous region in predominantly Muslim Mindanao, which was set up in the 1990s to quell armed uprisings by people seeking an independent Muslim homeland in the predominantly Christian Asian nation.

Arroyo outlines reasons for martial law declaration in 20-page letter . Report: House, Senate might jointly convene Tuesday, House Speaker says . At least six members of Ampatuan family arrested, ABS-CBN reports . Authorities raid at least one warehouse and ranch belonging to family .

(CNN) -- The same blue food dye found in M&Ms and Gatorade could be used to reduce damage caused by spine injuries, offering a better chance of recovery, according to new research. Rats injected with BBG not only regained their mobility but temporarily turned blue. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that when they injected the compound Brilliant Blue G (BBG) into rats suffering spinal cord injuries, the rodents were able to walk again, albeit with a limp. The only side effect was that the treated mice temporarily turned blue. The results of the study, published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences," build on research conducted by the same center five years ago. In August 2004, scientists revealed how Adenosine triphosphate, which is known as ATP and described as the "energy currency of life," surges to the spinal cord soon after injury occurs. Researchers found that the sudden influx of ATP killed off healthy cells, making the initial injury far worse. But when they injected oxidized ATP into the injury, it was found to block the effect of ATP, allowing the injured rats to recover and walk again. "While we achieved great results when oxidized ATP was injected directly into the spinal cord, this method would not be practical for use with spinal cord-injured patients," said lead researcher Maiken Nedergaard, professor of Neurosurgery and director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "First, no one wants to put a needle into a spinal cord that has just been severely injured, so we knew we needed to find another way to quickly deliver an agent that would stop ATP from killing healthy motor neurons. Second, the compound we initially used, oxidized ATP, cannot be injected into the bloodstream because of its dangerous side effects." Back in 2004, Nedergaard's team discovered that the spinal cord was rich in a molecule called P2X7, which is also known as "the death receptor" for its ability to allow ATP to latch onto motor neurons and send the signals which eventually kill them. Nedergaard knew that BBG could thwart the function of P2X7, and its similarity to a blue food dye approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1982 gave her the confidence to test it intravenously. It worked. The rats given BBG immediately after their injury could walk again with a limp. Those that didn't receive a dose never regained their mobility. Nedergaard told CNN that there is currently no standard treatment for patients with spinal injury when they reach the hospital emergency room. "Right now we only treat 15 percent of the patients we receive with steroids and many hospitals question if that even works for that 15 percent; it's a very moderate benefit to only a subset of patients. So right now 85 percent of patients are untreated," she said. Nedergaard said the research team isn't claiming that BBG can cure spinal injuries, instead that it offers a potential improvement in patients' condition. "Even a moderate improvement in functional performance of the patient is a big, big event for these patients," she said. "They can control their bladder. If they can just take small steps instead of sitting in a wheelchair all the time, it's a tremendous benefit for these patients," she added. The dose must be administered immediately after the injury, before additional tissue dies as a result of the initial injury. Researchers are currently pulling together an application to be lodged with the FDA to stage the first clinical trials of BBG on human patients. "Our hope is that this work will lead to a practical, safe agent that can be given to patients shortly after injury, for the purpose of decreasing the secondary damage that we have to otherwise expect," said Steven Goldman, Chair of the University of Rochester Department of Neurology.

Researchers find way to reduce secondary damage caused by spinal injuries . Compound BBG is similar to blue food dye used in sweets, sports drinks . Only side effect of intravenous injection was that it turned test rats blue . Researchers are planning to apply to the FDA for permission for human tests .

Rome (CNN) -- At least one girl has died and half a dozen are injured following a bomb blast outside a school in the southern Italian city of Brindisi, Italian officials said Saturday. Officials have given conflicting accounts of the number killed and injured. Daniela Buccoliero, an official at the Prefecture of Brindisi, a local office of the Interior Ministry, told CNN one 16-year-old girl had died and another six students are injured, two of them seriously. Brindisi Mayor Mimmo Consales and Fabiano Amati, regional minister for Italy's Civil Protection agency, said there had been two deaths as a result of the blast. Amati said the scene shortly after the explosion was "dramatic." "There were school back packs and notebooks everywhere. Many windows of the nearby buildings were broken," he told CNN. Amati said the police had found three gas cylinders at the site that were detonated with a remote control. The device was concealed behind a trash can by a wall 50 meters from the entrance of the school, he said. "It's an attack on all Italians because schools are considered a secure area," Amati said. "It's the first time in our country that a school is under attack." Consales told CNN one of the girls had died in surgery from the wounds she sustained in the blast. Another of the injured is in very serious condition, he said. Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti said the government was determined to combat crime and unite the country. He expressed the government's "deep sorrow, dismay and outrage" at what he called a "most grave and heinous crime" in a statement from the United States, where he is attending the G8 summit. Monti was informed of the blast during the night, and has been in close contact with Italy's president, interior minister and other local authorities since. He has ordered the country's flag to be displayed at half-staff Saturday and for the next three days, and sent a message of condolence to those directly affected by the blast. Italians gathered in front of the Pantheon in Rome and at Plebiscito square in Naples late Saturday to protest the violence and to show support for its victims. Three days of mourning were declared in Brindisi, where schools will be closed through Tuesday. The explosion occurred early Saturday as students were arriving at the school, which offers vocational training, Italy's ANSA news agency reported. It is not yet clear why the school was targeted or who carried out the attack. Police chief Francesco Cirillo told CNN that the motive is under investigation and that no one has claimed responsibility. Nichi Vendola, governor of the Puglia region where Brindisi is situated, said: "It could be either a mafia or a political terrorism attack. It's too early to say. It's an unprecedented event." The Francesca Morvillo Falcone school is named after the wife of a prominent anti-mafia judge, which has fueled speculation that the organized crime group might be behind it. It has been 20 years since Falcone was assassinated in Palermo, Sicily, in May 1992. The school is located near both the tribunal and the city's tax collection agency. Italy's tax collection agencies, called Equitalia, have been targeted by mail bombs, Molotov cocktails and suicides in front of their offices in recent months, with the incidents occurring in the cities of Rome, Livorno and Bologna, respectively. Italy's interior ministry said this week that it would start to deploy soldiers outside some government buildings because of the current tensions. The local anti-racket commission of Mesagne, a town in Brindisi province, issued a warning last week of heightened threats by both organized crime groups and anarchists against government agencies. An anti-mafia march that scheduled for Sunday will go ahead as scheduled. Journalists Livia Borghese and Barbie Nadeau and CNN's Joseph Netto contributed to this report.

NEW: Italians gather in Rome, Naples to protest the violence . Prime Minister Mario Monti says the government is determined to fight crime . Six students are injured, two of them seriously, a government official says . It is not yet clear who is responsible or why the school was targeted .

Washington (CNN) -- Undercover government investigators were able to get into major U.S. seaports -- at one point driving a vehicle containing a simulated explosive -- by flashing counterfeit or fraudulently obtained port "credentials" to security officials -- raising serious questions about a program that has issued the cards to more than 1.6 million people, Congress disclosed Tuesday. At issue are Transportation Worker Identification Credentials, or TWIC cards, now needed by truckers, stevedores, longshoreman and others for unescorted access to the nation's ports. The Department of Homeland Security has long touted the cards as one of the most important layers in its multilayered system to protect ports from terrorists. But, in a highly critical report, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday the program does not provide reasonable assurance that only qualified people get the credentials. In tests, GAO investigators got into ports using counterfeit TWICs or authentic TWICs acquired through fraudulent means, and by stating false reasons for needing access. "This investigation raises a disturbing question: Are America's ports actually safer now than they were a decade ago?" said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey. "Not only were they able to access the port facilities, but they were able to drive a vehicle with a simulated explosive into a secure area," he said. An unclassified version of the report did not state how many tests were conducted, nor how many efforts were successful. But it said the tests were conducted at some of the nation's busiest seaports. The findings are significant because a TWIC card suggests that its holder is not a security threat and potentially eases access to thousands of facilities, including airports and military installations, the GAO said. Transportation Security Administrator John Pistole defended the TWIC system, saying 35,000 of the 1.8 million applicants failed criminal background checks. Under the program, those who fail background checks can request a waiver and be granted a TWIC. Ultimately, 1,158 applicants were denied cards because of their criminal histories or immigration status, the TSA said. In addition, several were disqualified because they were on terror watch lists. But the GAO said there are ways for unqualified individuals to acquire authentic TWICs, and said the TSA had not established internal controls to protect against abuse. Further, the TWIC program does not require that applicants claiming to be U.S.-born citizens or nationals to provide identity documents that prove citizenship, the GAO said. And controls are not in place to determine whether an applicant needs a TWIC, the GAO said. "It seems to me that a decade of work has resulted in a system that would put Rube Goldberg to shame," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi. Said Lautenberg: "Given the critical importance of our ports, it is unacceptable that we are spending hundreds of millions of tax dollars on a program that might actually be making ports less safe." Rep. John Mica, R-Florida, said he is upset DHS has not approved a technology to read the credentials, meaning guards must visually examine the credentials. "TWIC is turning into a dangerous and expensive experiment in security," he said in a statement. "Nearly half a billion dollars has been spent since TSA was directed to issue biometric security cards to transportation workers," Mica said. "Yet today, 10 years later and with no approved biometric reader, TWICs are at best no more useful than library cards." Sen. John Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, said he plans to address legislation in the coming months for some of the shortcomings exposed by the GAO. "The program needs stronger fraud controls," he said. "We also need to take a clear, hard look at whether we are getting enough return on our investment. Is the money we're spending on TWIC being used wisely? Are there other security programs that would cost less but work as well as TWIC? These are questions we need answers to."

Transportation security at risk, report says . Worker IDs easily faked, GAO finds . Plus unqualified people can get real credentials, report says .

(CNN) -- Apple CEO Tim Cook had to apologize for the buggy new Maps app in the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 on Friday, saying that his company "fell short" of making a "world-class product." It was a gracious and humble admission of a major mistake -- a sign that Apple takes its customers seriously and conducts itself with integrity. "We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused," Cook said in a letter posted on the company's website. "We are doing everything we can to make Maps better." That relentless focus on treating customers right is why Apple has been the undisputed leader of the technology business for the past decade. But while the apology is commendable, the maps mistake was entirely Apple's fault. Previous versions of the iPhone and iOS used Google Maps, which are the industry standard. No one was complaining about Google Maps. Sure, they're not perfect, but we're all used to their errors and gaps. But Apple broke its contract to use Google Maps a year earlier than expected because of corporate politics. Google is a competitor, and Apple wanted to break ties and control its own maps. That's an extra year in which Apple could have improved its own maps — an extra year which was apparently sorely needed. Opinion: Maps app is not the only Apple misstep . The timing of the move surprised even Google, which is scrambling to build its own maps app for the iPhone and iPad. It reportedly won't be ready until the end of the year. Until then, Apple is stuck telling unhappy customers that they can visit Google Maps in the iPhone's Web browser or download other map apps like MapQuest or Bing. Needless to say, it's more than a little strange for Apple to suggest customers to try a Microsoft product. To be fair, Apple's new maps add important features Google wasn't willing to share. The iPhone 5 has built-in, turn-by-turn directions, and the maps are faster and prettier. But for most people, the drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. What good is voice navigation if it gets you lost? Who cares if the 3-D map is prettier when it thinks the Brooklyn Bridge has been demolished and the Statue of Liberty destroyed? These aren't questions anyone is used to asking about Apple products, because Apple doesn't usually ship broken products. Apple's failures are magnified by the company's track record of perfectionism — perfectionism that comes from putting customers first. Apple CEO: "We are extremely sorry" for Maps frustration . It's understandable why Apple felt it needed to switch away from Google. Being dependent on a competitor isn't great for any company. Apple likes to control its own destiny. Cook has said the company needs to "own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make." Maps are without question a critical feature for smartphones and tablets, and it makes sense for Apple to build its own. But it doesn't make sense to switch away from Google before Apple's own product is ready, and it's doubtful iPhone 5 sales would have been even slightly affected because the Google Maps app on Android is slightly better. Now it's fair to wonder if potential upgraders and switchers aren't holding back because they don't want to be forced into using inferior maps. Google: No plans 'yet' for iOS 6 mapping app . Apple deserves praise for being forthright and direct in its apology, but no company wants to be praised for its apologies. It's more important for Apple to understand its mistake and try to prevent it from happening again. Apple is the most valuable company in the world because it has always fought battles for the consumer, not for the company. But in its race to win a corporate victory over Google, Apple seems to have gotten a little bit lost. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nilay Patel.

Apple CEO Tim Cook had to apologize for new Maps app on iPhone 5 and iOS 6 . Nilay Patel: In its competition with Google, Apple seems to have gotten a bit lost . He says it's more than a little strange for Apple to tell customers to try other products . Patel: No company wants to be praised for its apologies; Apple needs to get it right .

(CNN) -- When I was a child I had an illustrated chart of all the kings and queens of England on my bedroom wall. I loved that poster: There was moody King Alfred sighing over burnt cakes, fat, arrogant Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I with her inscrutable half-smile, Charles II hiding in the tree. They were live and vivid stories of heroism, frailty, failure, fealty, attached to real ruins that real families (including ours) seemed to trudge off to engage with at weekends -- thanks to the National Trust. To me they were a kind of half-fantasy. Factually real, but entirely constructed in my imagination. No wonder then, that historical novels have such an enduring appeal -- the latest blockbuster on the life of Katherine Parr is about to hit our shelves. For the writer imagining what it must have been "really like" back then is a huge part of the appeal. The late author Christopher Hitchens called the royal family our "national fetish." Shrunk now from the awesome Tudor kingdoms, the current royal family now has a largely "soft" social and tabloid power, and any negative mention of the royals, especially by someone who has been as handsomely rewarded as Mantel by the establishment, is met with screams of utter hysterical disapproval. Read more: Author's description of Catherine as 'machine-made' doll sparks angry reactions . If you read the original article it's an erudite, writerly essay that speculates about the national drama that is the royal family, and acknowledges -- much like the spectacle that is playing out at the Vatican -- that the royal family is pure theater with real living human beings playing out these arcane rituals stuck in the middle. Mantel is not actually calling Kate a "jointed doll," she is suggesting that the duchess's public image -- the role she plays in the collective psyche -- has overtaken the real person, much like it did with Diana, Princess of Wales. But the fact that the Daily Mail and other conservative commentators have broken out in such a bad case of shrill hysteria in the face of this examination of the author's mixed feelings about the royal family is quite amusing, actually, because it sounds so utterly insincere. Aside from the fact that Kate is pregnant and the Mail needs to keep her in the headlines, such is their fawning need to be seen as the courtiers-in-chief, there is also a question of why Mantel's essay has caused such a fuss. It's almost like someone has just told all the children that Santa is not real. Mantel is merely pointing out that Catherine is not really a duchess, just a woman who agreed through marriage to play this role, which few would wish to have for all the kingdoms in the world -- all that suffocating attention. Read more: Duchess of Cambridge -- from college sweetheart to queen in waiting . Mantel, like all good novelists, understands the power of the imagination to create reality: all she is doing is pointing out the drama that the royal family play out on a national stage. We agree as a nation, to believe in the royal family -- why? Because we always have? This is the really interesting question and the one that Mantel was asking. That she should be met with such opprobrium for asking it suggests something interesting about the national psyche. In the absence of any real national culture the royal family is increasingly the obsession of the English -- the Scots and the Welsh would take independence if they could have it. They are expensive, anachronistic, a sentimental link in a chain to a collective history -- a bit like a living breathing monument. But the issue about whose nation they represent, and what they are really for remains louder than ever. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Juila Bell.

Award-winning novelist Hilary Mantel described the Duchess of Cambridge as "machine-made" Mantel's comments have sparked criticism, including from UK Prime Minister David Cameron . Julia Bell argues that Mantel has been misinterpreted by a press wanting headlines . She says the novelist was asking why Britain needs to "believe in" the royal family .

(CNN) -- The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it is conducting a safety review of the asthma drug Xolair after data from an ongoing study suggested an increased number of heart attacks and strokes among patients who use it. The drug, made by Genentech and co-marketed by Novartis, was approved in 2003. The study, which started in 2004 and is slated to end in 2012, was mandated by the agency as part of its post-approval process. The data "suggest a disproportionate increase in ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias ... cardiac failure" and other conditions "in patients treated with Xolair compared to the control group of patients not given the drug," the agency said. Xolair is approved for use by adults and adolescents (12 and older) with moderate to severe persistent asthma who react to a perennial airborne allergen and whose symptoms are not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids. The study that raised the questions is called "Evaluating the Clinical Effectiveness and Long-Term Safety in Patients with Moderate to Severe Asthma" -- EXCELS for short. It counted outcomes among some 5,000 Xolair-treated patients and compared them with a control group of about 2,500 patients who were not taking Xolair. The FDA did not recommend changes to the prescribing information and is not advising patients to stop taking Xolair. The agency said it is working with Genentech to get more information. It noted that the observational study is not a randomized trial, the kind that researchers consider to be the gold standard in determining cause and effect. In an observational trial, there can be differences in underlying risk factors for heart attack and stroke between the two study groups. The agency underscored the uncertainty it faces in deciding how to act: "Posting this information does not mean that FDA has concluded there is a causal relationship between the drug products and the emerging safety issue," it said. "Nor does it mean that FDA is advising health care professionals to discontinue prescribing these products. FDA is considering, but has not reached a conclusion about, whether this information warrants any regulatory action." In an e-mail, Novartis noted that the study was being "conducted in a real-world setting" so the two groups "differed in their baseline characteristics." The patients being treated with Xolair, it said, "had more severe asthma" and related conditions. That, along with the focus of the study's data collection, made it hard to determine whether the relationship to strokes and heart attacks was causal, it said. But patients and their doctors must cope with even more uncertainty than the FDA has faced, given that neither the drug company nor the agency is making public the data that sparked the alert. "We're not getting into numbers at this point because we're still in that evaluation stage," said Genentech spokeswoman Tara Cooper. "It's premature to really get into the details at this point." The drug is used by 30,000 to 35,000 patients, representing less than one half of 1 percent of the eligible patient population, Cooper said. It is administered by injection every other week in a doctor's office. The estimated annual cost of the drug to the doctor -- before it gets marked up for the patient -- is about $19,000, Cooper said. Dr. Tom Casale, the executive vice president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, said he will recommend that his patients who are on the drug remain on it. "These are the patients that are more likely to have (emergency room) visits, hospitalizations and more problems with their asthma," he said. Still, he said, he would like to see the data that the FDA regulators have seen.

Study suggests increased number of heart attacks, strokes among Xolair users . FDA says results are from observational study, not a randomized trial . FDA is not advising asthma patients who use Xolair to stop . Drug is used by up to 35,000 patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma .

(CNN) -- Brazil playmaker Kaka confirmed his transfer from Italian side AC Milan to Spanish club Real Madrid, in a move worth a reported $100 million. Kaka announces to the world that he will play for Real Madrid next season. "Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, Kaka, now plays for Real Madrid following the deal reached with AC Milan," Real Madrid announced on its Web site. "The Brazilian footballer satisfactorily passed a full medical checkup. Kaka has signed a contract linking him to Real Madrid for the next six seasons." Spanish media reported the deal was worth in the region of $100 million (65 million euro). Due to fluctuations in exchange rates this figure eclipses the previous transfer record paid in dollars by Real for French star Zinedine Zidane in 2001, but not in euros.All the latest transfer gossip . "It will be very difficult to fill the void that Kaka will leave, as he is a shining example of commitment and professionalism," the Italian side said in a prepared statement. "AC Milan, on behalf of the Rossoneri managers, players and supporters, send him the most cordial and affectionate wishes for the continuation of his sporting career." See the 20 most wanted footballers . The 2007 World Player of the Year completed the deal following a medical examination on Monday, at the request of the Spanish Primera Liga giants, his national federation said. The 27-year-old midfielder is currently on international duty ahead of Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Wednesday but was released for the medical tests in the north-eastern city of Recife. International duty means the official unveiling of the player in the Spanish capital will more then likely not occur until the end of the month, after Kaka returns from helping Brazil defend the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Kaka is set to become the first of the new wave of "galacticos" brought together under the leadership of returning club president Florentino Perez. Milan president Silvio Berlusconi had told Kaka that he had to decide on his future on Monday. The Serie A club's owner revealed on Italian television station Rai, he would meet with the Brazil playmaker at the start of next week to thrash out Kaka's future. Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani said last week that the club had agreed to sell the 27-year-old Kaka for "solely economic" reasons. "Milan can not go on losing $100 million a year," he told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday . "Kaka has behaved very professionally with us, he has never asked for his deal to be revised or his contract extended. He has been here six years and won everything there is to win. But we can't afford to miss out on $100 million." Galliani had said there was no chance of English club Chelsea -- who appointed former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti as manager on Monday -- swooping in to beat Real for Kaka's signature. An agreement with Chelsea could not exist," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Kaka goes to Real or he remains at Milan. That is his will and we are doing everything in complete agreement." Kaka scored the final goal from the penalty spot as Brazil moved to the top of South American qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals after thrashing Uruguay 4-0 in Montevideo, their first victory in the country for 33 years. With Milan, Kaka won an array of awards including the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Seria A title. He was a crucial part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning squad he was also voted the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007. Last January, Kaka rejected a move to Premier League Manchester City who were prepared to pay him a reported $750,000 per week.

NEW: Kaka signs deal with Real Madrid, Spanish club announces . Transfer from A.C. Milan worth a reported $100 million, according to media reports . Chief executive Galliani says that Milan must sell Kaka for economic reasons . Kaka currently in Brazil with the national team for World Cup qualifying double .

(CNN) -- A judge in Tampa, Florida, on Monday sentenced Stephanie Ragusa, a former middle school math teacher, to 10 years in prison for having sex with two underage students in 2008. "As parents, we place our trust in teachers to provide a safe environment in which our children can learn," Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe said in handing down the sentence. "You violated that trust in the worst imaginable way." Tharpe also sentenced Ragusa to 15 years of sex offender probation following her prison time. Ragusa, 31, pleaded guilty in April to three counts of lewd and lascivious battery in a March 2008 case involving a 14-year-old boy, and two counts of having unlawful sex with a minor in an April 2008 case involving a 16-year-old student. Ragusa has been in jail since she was arrested in 2008 leaving one of the victims' homes. Monday's sentencing included testimony from the victims' families, who depicted Ragusa as a sexual predator who caused severe emotional distress for their sons. "Miss Ragusa maliciously and intently preyed on my son and the other boys," said the mother of the 14-year-old victim. "She had access to their charts as far as their emotional behaviors. ... I feel that she was very conniving ... in picking these boys out and preying on them and using that to manipulate them and seduce them." Prosecutor Rita Peters also played a phone conversation between Ragusa and the younger victim that police recorded with the 14-year-old's consent. In the tape, Ragusa can be heard urging the teen to keep their encounters secret. "It's ... one of those things you have to take to the grave," Ragusa says on the tape, explaining that sex crimes involving minors have no statute of limitations. In arguing for the maximum sentence, Peters portrayed Ragusa as a "master manipulator." "She is the one that goes in and looks at their weaknesses," Peters said. "She knows exactly what she has to do to get into their lives." In a statement before her sentencing, an emotional Ragusa -- wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackled at her hands and ankles -- expressed remorse for her actions. "I'm sincerely sorry for the pain and aggravation I have caused to the victims and their families," she said. Her attorney, Robert Herce, asked the judge to sentence her to probation with time served, saying she has spent more time behind bars than other people who have faced similar charges. A psychiatrist for the defense also testified that Ragusa has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. But Tharpe issued the maximum sentence and did not hold back in his final statement to Ragusa, calling her a "danger to the children in our community." "You not only have disgraced yourself, your family, but also the teaching profession," Tharpe said. "And one thing that I have gleaned out of this sentencing hearing this afternoon is you're a very selfish person." He added that he remained unconvinced that Ragusa had accepted responsibility in the case. "You stopped only because you got caught and put in jail," Tharpe said. As part of her probation, Ragusa must abide by a mandatory nightly curfew, enroll in an outpatient sex offender treatment program and will not be allowed contact with the victims. She also will not be allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a school, day care, playground, park or any other area where children congregate, nor will she be allowed unsupervised contact with children under age 18. The defense said after the hearing that it was disappointed with the sentence. "I was not expecting that harsh of a sentence and I think this case did not warrant that," Herce said.

Stephanie Ragusa pleaded guilty in April in the case . Judge also sentences Ragusa to 15 years sex offender probation . Prosecutor paints former math teacher as a "master manipulator" Ragusa apologizes to victims and their families .

(CNN)A brutal attack Wednesday on the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo -- famous for its blistering cartoons -- left 12 people dead. In the aftermath of such cowardice, we in free Western societies have to ask ourselves: What kind of world are we going to live in? And will we allow these intolerant radical Islamic bullies to decide for us what we can read and what we can't? As an editorial cartoonist working in a small Southern town in America, it might have been easy for me to feel insulated from attacks thousands of miles away. But we live in a global society, and this attack hit me on a very personal level. I was fortunate enough this past fall to travel to Paris, and also to a little town called St.-Just-le-Martel in the countryside, where locals throw an annual bash celebrating France's long love affair with the art of cartooning, illustration and caricature. It's a wonderful event, and it's clear that the French love their cartoonists and their art. They crowd in by the hundreds to meet the artists and to maybe get their caricatures drawn. It was there that I met one of the victims in Wednesday's attack, cartoonist Georges Wolinski. From what I gathered, he was something of a rock star in France. Like all the artists there, he was funny, pleasant and gracious with his time, and his death, along with 11 others, is beyond appalling. The reality is that this is not just an attack on Charlie Hebdo, but an attack on all of us who hold dear freedom of expression, no matter where we live. Charlie Hebdo is irreverent, anti-religious and occasionally vulgar. The writers and cartoonists routinely anger many of its readers. Back in 2007, for example, it reprinted the Prophet Mohammed cartoons that were first published in a Danish newspaper, illustrations that had outraged the Muslim community. And in 2011, Charlie Hebdo "invited" Mohammed to be guest editor and showcased a caricature of him on the cover. Since then, it has been reported that several of the editors and cartoonists have lived under the constant threat of death. Yet for every cartoonist I have ever met, the occupation is more than a job: It is a lifelong obsession. And while I have never considered this obsession that I share to be a life-threatening career, it is hard to escape the fact that this is now the world we live in, one where hooded gunmen kill journalists and cartoonists in cold blood because they are angered by printed words and drawings. So, how do we respond? It would be much easier -- and safer -- to simply shut up, put the pen down and walk away. The editors and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo certainly could have done that at the first sign of trouble. Stephane Charbonnier, the editorial director and one of the cartoonists, for example, was under special high-profile protection, according to The Daily Telegraph, which quoted the publication's attorney as saying, "The threats were constant. It was frightening." Yet Charbonnier persisted, refusing to give in to fear. And in the end it cost him his life. Opinion: Cartoonists, killed for their art, and humanity . How that can be so is bewildering. We should be focusing on issues like beating hunger and poverty. Yet despite the remarkable technological advances of Western civilization, we find ourselves engaged in a clash with extremists stuck in the seventh century, bent on oppressing women and imposing suffocating religious views on the rest of the globe. Our freedoms are at risk, plain and simple, and we must all decide how we will respond. For my part, I will go back to my drawing board and try to make sense of this ridiculous, senseless and vicious assault on my friends and colleagues an ocean away. Under constant threat of death, Charbonnier was quoted in the French newspaper Le Monde as saying, "I would rather die standing than live on my knees." That seems like a good place to start.

Rick McKee: As a cartoonist, the Paris attack hurt on a personal level . Our freedoms are at risk, plain and simple, he says .

Hong Kong (CNN) -- As potentially hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens prepare to take to the streets in a now-annual display of public disapproval of Beijing's interference in the city's affairs, voices in China's state-run press are warning that the protests are a bad idea. Every year, on the anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule, pro-democracy protestors take part in huge, peaceful protests against what they see as the heavy-handed influence of the central government. Hong Kong is governed according to China's "one country, two systems" model, enjoying a high degree of autonomy in its government, judiciary, and legal systems under a leadership approved by Beijing. Organizers are hoping that this year's march may see a particularly large turnout, following an unofficial referendum -- held by activist group Occupy Central -- that ended on June 29 with a total of nearly 800,000 ballots cast in support of free elections for the city's next leader. The figure represents about 22% of registered voters in Hong Kong, out of a total of 3.5 million registered voters. As well as the march, which begins in the city's Victoria Park and ends in the Central business district, this year will see an overnight sit-in, which has been planned for after the march. The Federation of Students and Scholarism will camp overnight on Chater Road, the city's business heart, as well as outside the government offices in the Admiralty district of downtown Hong Kong, until Wednesday morning. State response . The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council emphasized on Monday that the referendum is "illegal and invalid." The following day the Chinese edition of the Global Times, a state-run publication known for its uncompromising op-eds, published an editorial warning that recent pro-democracy activities -- including the referendum, as well as the upcoming rally and sit-in, are polarising Hong Kong society. The article urges Hong Kong people not to be "kidnapped" by the radical opposition. Another state mouthpiece, the English-language China Daily, points out in an article that political forces calling for full autonomy in Hong Kong are ignoring economic realities. "Without the mainland, (Hong Kong) would be left with only half of its trade, one-fourth of its foreign investment and visitors, not to mention only one-tenth of its water and food supply," the piece says. The Global Times also reports that it polled 1,434 people in major cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai, and found that 77% of respondents think Hong Kong's future should be jointly decided by the entire population of China, and 82% polled said that they would support the government to take strong moves to maintain stability should riots in Hong Kong occur. Microbloggers react . Weibo, China's microblogging platform, showed a more diverse range of opinions on Hong Kong's recent pro-democracy activities, with users in the the mainland, with positions ranging from support to scathing criticism of Hong Kong's political aspirations. "Hong Kong people know where their interest lies in and they don't need your (Global Times) phony kindness," said user @lddldd0000. "Hong Kong stand up!" The view was echoed by @Pianyezhiqiu, who posted: "Residents in Hong Kong have political ideals. They're not like the puppets who only chase after benefits." However, not all netizens were as tolerant of Hong Kong's political experiments. "The 'referendum,' 'occupy central,' such and such are against the Basic Law, and therefore, the acts are invalid and illegal," said @ htkg2011. User @Mingweizhe was a little more phlegmatic. "Let's ignore them. Let Hong Kong people handle their own business."

Hong Kong prepares for a potentially huge protest against Chinese political interference . Annual demonstration buoyed by recent political activities in the city . Chinese government and state-run media warn against Hong Kong residents embracing the pro-democracy movement . China's microblogging site Weibo shows mixed reaction to events in Hong Kong .

(CNN) -- I have 711 photos stored on my iPhone, but none of them is a "selfie." That could disqualify me from commenting on the choice of that neologism, coined in 2002, as the Oxford English Dictionaries "Word of the Year." On the other hand, I do own an old two-volume microprint edition of the OED and read it on occasion for pleasure with the use of a magnifying glass. So give me a shot. The editors at Oxford Dictionaries describe "selfie" as an informal noun and define it as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website." They note that frequency of the word has increased in a year by 17,000 percent. Ammon Shea, who spent a famous year reading the monumental OED from beginning to end, alerts me that words selected for such an honor "arouse a certain skepticism and derision" among many wordinistas. He notes that this honor is the work of the OxfordDictionaries.com. As for the more famous OED, a press release notes that "Selfie is not yet in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), but is currently being considered for future inclusion." Though I've never taken a selfie, I have made cameo appearances in the cell phone photos of others. I enjoy this experience, especially at book fairs, where an eager reader may seek a souvenir photo with the author. The result can be quite endearing and funny, especially when it exaggerates the gauge of my nostrils, making my schnozz look like a double-barreled shotgun. Before the cell phone, the best way to get this effect was to drop a quarter into a photo booth at the mall or the arcade. I wonder if there is an American anywhere who has not been pictured on one of those four-photo strips, usually accompanied by a girlfriend or several drunken classmates. Even in the age of the selfie, these booths have made a comeback, especially at weddings and reunions. At my daughter's wedding, you could slip into the booth with one or more companions, mug for the camera, see yourself on a computer monitor, take a strip home as a memento, and donate a strip to the bride and groom, creating an instant album of happy faces. In that context, a selfie is a good thing, with that diminutive ending, suggesting the creation of a "little self." Think of the selfie, then, as a virtual "mini-me," what in ancient biology might have been called a "homunculus" -- a tiny pre-formed person that would grow into the big self. Or maybe there's a dark side to this moon. Maybe the connotation of selfie should be selfish: self-absorbed, narcissistic, the center of our own universe, a hall of mirrors in which each reflection is our own. It would fit the times, of course, an era in which selfies decorate the narratives of our social networks. Here I am at my reunion! Look at me with Mickey Mouse!! Check out my new boob job!!! It's me, my selfie, and I. In the past, it took some kind of human connection, or tricky photography, to capture your self-image. "Excuse me, sir, can you please take our picture?" It happened to me last week outside the National Theater in Washington. Three young women wanted to pose in front of a poster of musical theater star Idina Menzel. So the Word-of-the-Year brainiacs probably got it right. I can't think of any other word that so captures our confusing and contradictory culture, so technologically forward looking and so personally self-obsessed. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roy Peter Clark.

Roy Peter Clark: The Oxford English Dictionary has named "selfie" "Word of the Year" He says word of year picks can sometimes be derided by word nerds . He says selfies are fun, like photo booth picture strips; they are like "mini-me" pictures . Clark: Word captures our culture: technologically forward looking, self-obsessed .

(CNN) -- A possible constitutional crisis loomed in Malawi following the reported death of President Bingu wa Mutharika, once hailed as a positive steward for the southern African country. Mutharika, 78, died of a heart attack on Thursday and his body was flown to South Africa, according to government sources. However, there was no formal government statement announcing his death, and the chaotic politics of the impoverished nation raised questions about what happens next. Under the constitution, Vice President Joyce Banda would succeed Mutharika. However, Banda was expelled from the ruling Democratic People's Party in 2010 in a dispute with Mutharika over the president's efforts to position his brother rather than the vice president as his eventual successor. Banda formed her own party, but remained vice president. A government spokeswoman declined to discuss reports of the president's death but declared that the vice president cannot take over the presidency. "The conduct of the honorable Joyce Banda in forming her own opposition party precludes her from being eligible to succeed the presidency," said Patricia Kaliati, who serves as information and civic education minister. In a news conference earlier Friday, Banda told reporters she was kept "in the dark" regarding the president's condition. However, the Malawi defence forces, which provides security for the sitting president, shifted security members to Banda's residence amid news of the death. While declining to comment on the president's condition, Kaliati appealed to Malawi residents to remain calm and only listen to information coming from official government sources. The United States and Britain have urged Malawi to observe the succession process in the constitution. "We are concerned about the delay in the transfer of power. We trust that the vice president who is next in line will be sworn in shortly," said Johnnie Carson, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs. During her news conference, Banda, along with former President Bakili Muluzi, called on Malawians to adhere to the constitution regarding the issue of succession. Mutharika, a former World Bank economist who studied in the United States and other countries, was elected president in 2004 after campaigning as an "economic engineer." He won re-election five years later for a term scheduled to end in 2014. His initial years in office were considered a success as he focused on battling corruption and working to improve the economy. He implemented a subsidy program for agricultural products that was credited with boosting the economy of the largely agrarian nation. Malawians welcomed his focus on reducing reliance on food aid and attaining self-sufficiency. However, his popularity plunged in recent years as the economy faltered and the nation faced chronic fuel shortages and frequent power blackouts. Anti-government groups accused Mutharika of dragging Malawi back into a dictatorship, citing the passage of bills they say infringe on citizen rights. Protesters took to the streets last year demanding immediate government action to address the economic plight. Security forces cracked down, leading to more than a dozen deaths and sparking international condemnation. Critics also accused Mutharika of jeopardizing international relations and risking foreign aid that benefits the nation's poor. Last year, Mutharika expelled a British envoy who was quoted criticizing him in a leaked diplomatic cable, straining relations with one of Malawi's largest foreign donors. In return, Britain asked Malawi's top envoy to leave the country and rescinded her invitation to the royal wedding. At the time, London said it was halting "all general budget support" to the nation. Last month, the United States announced it was suspending $350 million allocated to Malawi because of concerns about its democratic governance. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse and journalist Gregory Gondwe contributed to this report.

NEW: Government official declares vice president ineligible for presidency . Bingu wa Mutharika, 78, took office in 2004 and was re-elected five years later . Citizens welcomed his programs to help farmers in the largely agricultural nation . His popularity took a hit in recent years amid a faltering economy and diplomatic spats .

(CNN) -- The NFL markets the Super Bowl as the ultimate game, the ultimate contest. Helmets clash like gladiators in ancient Rome. Stadiums resemble coliseums -- especially those without a roof. The contest is macho all the way. Players talk about "manning up" (not a reference to the quarterback family) and other testosterone-leaning terms. Other than a few party-oriented commercials, football is marketed toward men. It's a guy thing, and we ladies are allowed in if we know either when to cheer or how to bring the cheer. Or so the stereotype goes. So it used to be. But no more. According to Nielsen demographic data, 46% of the Super Bowl viewing audience is female, and more women watch the game than the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys combined. That perhaps surprising statistic raises two questions: Why? And, so what? History of the Super Bowl: By the numbers . Why do women watch the game? Now, we know that women attended the gladiator fights and chariot races in ancient Rome. But today, it may be more than just the blood sport. Many women are into sports for the same reasons men are: They enjoy the competition. It's entertaining. The tailgating before. The excitement during. The celebrating (or commiserating) after. Lots of action. But a lot of women are football fans because it's a family thing. My father was a lifelong Saints fan, and I'm proud to carry on the family tradition. Lionel Brazile has got to be beaming, knowing I'm going to my second Super Bowl. He would have loved to hear my stories. Maybe I'll tell him one or two while I'm praying. There are lots of studies about the different ways men and women bond, so I find it interesting how the bonding intersects around Super Bowl time. For women, the score is important if our team is playing. But whether we're watching at home or at the stadium, it's about being there and being with -- family and friends. For the men, it's also about sharing -- but I suspect it's about sharing the competition, vicariously. But as long as it's a good game, and brings people together for a positive experience, it doesn't matter why. There is a "so what," though -- a practical economic side to women's interest in The Big Game. She-conomy.com reports that "women influence the majority of consumer spending across all categories." On the line of scrimmage: Football and politics . For advertisers and businesses, Super Bowl Sunday should be a prime time to focus on women. Sadly, according to a recent article in adweek.com, advertisers have fumbled the ball. "In 2013 we saw waitresses turned strippers, scantily clad women tackling each other in the dirt, and a supermodel sloppily kissing a computer programmer," said writer Kat Gordon. This turns off men as well as women. So if businesses want their Super Bowl commercials to be part of the event, instead of an excuse to check the fridge, they'd better pay attention to the numbers -- and I don't mean the Roman numerals. And while they are at it, they should seriously consider taking it one step further and using the Super Bowl -- the most watched sports event of the year -- to promote awareness around issues facing women today. Use this testosterone-saturated event, for instance, to make clear that while testosterone-driven violence might be entertaining on the field, it doesn't belong in the bedroom. Use the Super Bowl to do more than determine the best football team of the year. Use it to help end one of the most prevalent crimes of the century -- violence again women. Use it as a warm-up for the One Billion Rising event on February 14, in which more than a billion people worldwide will rise to support justice for women. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Donna Brazile.

According to Nielsen data, 46% of the Super Bowl viewing audience is female . Is it the spectacle of the battle or a chance to spend time with the family? Advertisers now know the audience, and cater to the female viewer .

(CNN) -- My first visit to Augusta National was in 2005 when I was reporting for Ireland's national television channel RTE. As you can imagine, it was the realization of a lifelong dream. For the traveling circus of working media, there is an opportunity to place your name in a lottery, with the prize for the precious few who are chosen being a round at the course on the day after the Masters concludes. To get to play the course was always going to be a long shot, but I had decided to bring my clubs just in case. The draw is made on the Saturday of the tournament. If you're lucky to play, you are not allowed to enter the draw for another five years, so as to allow the fairest possible chance for those interested in teeing off on one of the world's truly iconic courses. For a first-timer, it was something akin to an out-of-body experience when I was presented with an official invitation to play. I could NOT believe it! The invitation is framed in our home alongside a 2005 Masters flag and a signed and marked scorecard. More of that anon. I was to tee off at 0730, starting at the 10th tee. Unbelievable. Literally 15 hours after the leaders Chris DiMarco and a certain Tiger Woods had graced the back nine in the tournament, so would I. Up early, grooves cleaned and excited beyond belief, I pitched up at the gates of Magnolia Lane and made my way up to the clubhouse to check in, meet my caddy Travis in his traditional white overalls and head to the practice range. My heart was pumping. I remember hitting a rocket off the tee with a hard draw and I still had a four iron to the green. The adrenaline, combined with a borderline hook, meant I bounced it over the back of the green into a bush. After a few rushed shots that confirmed my amateur status, a double bogey was recorded. We were off and running. All told, I enjoyed five double bogeys. And they were good doubles! The greens were unbelievable. The bumps and hollows, the scary reads -- we had them all and very early on I told myself to enjoy the experience, because this was not about the score, it was something to be savored. There were four of us: working press from all over the globe suddenly possessing the wide-eyed stare of excited children, with a glorious invitation to the pristine fairways of Augusta National -- living out our fantasies of actually playing the course. I remember playing the 16th and three-putting for a bogey. What they tell you about placing the ball in the correct position below the holes is absolutely true. On this and so many of the greens, there are impossible putts if you don't play the correct approach shot. What was utterly fascinating was the opportunity to have a go at playing Tiger Woods' chip shot at 16 from the previous day, which is arguably the greatest shot in modern times at Augusta. Let me confirm, not that it is necessary, that the shot was impossible for mere mortals like myself. The vision to play that shot -- which helped Woods win his fourth Green Jacket -- and the ability to execute it with such perfection was God-like. In the end, I carded eight pars, five bogeys and those five doubles. A round of 87 of which I'm proud. We played from the members tees, as instructed, but I confess to playing on the Masters tees on all of the par-threes. There were so many wonderful experiences that day, as I savored the experience and stood in spots where so many iconic shots have been been struck down through the years. You'll always remember your first time, and for me, it was a day that I will never, ever forget.

Augusta National opened in 1933 and first hosted the Masters the following year . The Georgia venue stages the season's opening major tournament in April . Tiger Woods' chip-in at the par-three 16th in 2005 is one of the most famous in golf . That year was the fourth and last time the world No. 1 donned the Green Jacket .

(CNN) -- Authorities investigating the case of a boy who disappeared in Kansas almost a decade ago plan to search an undisclosed residence Wednesday, the Butler County sheriff said. An age-progression photo shows what Adam Herrman would like today, as a 21-year-old man. Sheriff Craig Murphy would not disclose details about the residence or why authorities want to search it. He said his department will also search on an area of the Whitewater River, in southern Kansas, on Saturday near where Adam Herrman was last seen. Adam was 11 when he went missing in 1999. He was living in a mobile home park in Towanda, a town about 25 miles northeast of Wichita, with his adoptive parents, Doug and Valerie Herrman, authorities said. Wichita attorney Warner Eisenbise, who is representing Adam's adoptive parents, said the couple believed Adam had run away and didn't report him missing. They "really rue the fact that they didn't" report him missing, he said Monday. A few weeks ago, an undisclosed person contacted the Wichita-Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Child Unit, expressing concern about Adam, the sheriff said. The Herrmans told Eisenbise that Adam ran away frequently, the attorney said, and they believed he was either with his biological parents or homeless. Although the Herrmans did not report him missing, "they were very worried about him," Eisenbise said. In an interview published Tuesday in The Wichita Eagle, Valerie Herrman said Adam ran away in May 1999 after she spanked him with a belt. She said she was upset but doesn't remember why, The Eagle reported. The couple never reported Adam missing, Valerie Herrman told the paper, because they feared authorities would take Adam and his siblings away because of the spanking. The couple adopted his two younger siblings as well, according to The Eagle. "We love him, and we made a terrible mistake" by not reporting him missing, Doug Herrman told The Eagle. The couple said they searched the mobile home park and other areas for two days after Adam left. "Then we came to the conclusion that the police probably have him, and they're coming to us, probably to get us in trouble," Doug Herrman told the newspaper, but the "police never came." Authorities have searched an empty lot in the Pine Ridge Mobile Home Park where the family lived. There, police found an "answer" to one of their questions, Murphy said Monday without elaborating. Eisenbise said that on December 15, authorities also searched the Herrmans' homes in Derby, outside of Wichita, and took the couple's computer, he said. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has released an age-progression picture that depicts Adam as he might appear now: a young man with blue eyes and light-colored hair. Adam had been placed in the Herrmans' care when he was about 2, Murphy said Monday. He had been named Irvin Groeninger III when he was born June 8, 1987, Murphy said, and it was not clear when his name was changed. His biological parents relinquished their rights as parents about two decades ago, and Adam and his siblings were put in foster homes, CNN affiliate KWCH reported. "I thought what I was doing for them was in the best interest of the children, and evidently it wasn't," Irvin Groeninger, Adam's biological father, told KWCH. "If he was still in my custody, this would have never happened." Adam's sister, Tiffany Broadfoot, 22, said she had last seen her brother about 14 years ago at a birthday party. "He had the cutest little round face, little-bitty freckles right up here on the tip of his cheek," she told the station. CNN's Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report.

Sheriff says his officers will search area near Whitewater River on Saturday . Attorney says parents "rue the fact" they didn't report him missing . Adam Herrman reportedly ran away when he was 11, after being spanked . Parents tell paper they thought spanking would lead police to take other kids away .

(CNN) -- The president of Florida A&M University said the college is canceling its summer band camp program and suspending all clubs as the school continues to deal with the fallout from the suspected hazing death of a marching band student. "Our top priority is the health, safety and well being of students," said FAMU President James Ammons on Tuesday. "We are convening a panel of experts and outstanding thinkers to provide advice and recommendations on the operation of student organizations. Before we enter into a new student intake process, we should have the benefit of the work coming from the committees and the investigations." The move comes weeks after four members of the university's fabled Marching 100 band were arrested on hazing-related charges. Those charges are unrelated to the suspected hazing-related death of drum major Robert Champion in November. FAMU police arrested three of the students January 16; the fourth turned himself in the next morning, said Sharon Saunders, the FAMU spokeswoman. The students -- Hakeem Birch, Brandon Benson, Anthony Mingo and Denise Bailey -- are accused of hazing five Marching 100 band members who wanted to join a group in the clarinet section known as the "Clones." The five told police they were made to line up according to height at the start of each meeting. Then they were punched, slapped and paddled, according to the arrest warrant. One of the students, who quit the pledging process after the first meeting, took a digital photo of the bruising on her body. First established in 1990, the band camp has offered scholarships for aspiring musicians at high schools across the region. Following news of its cancellation, Twitter was abuzz with comments. "The Marching 100 will weather this storm; it is up to the current members and the alumni to make it through," wrote Kimberly D. Evans, listed as Superior92Diva. "Proud Alumni Famu Marching '100' member will always love my band family," added Errol V Mizell Sr. Champion's death prompted FAMU's board of trustees to approve a three-part plan to tackle the issue of hazing on campus. The plan includes an independent panel of experts to investigate. Champion, 26, collapsed in Orlando on a bus carrying members of the band after a November football game that included a halftime performance by the group. Christopher Chestnut, a lawyer for Champion's family, has charged that Champion died after receiving "some dramatic blows, perhaps (having an) elevated heart rate" tied to "a hazing ritual" that took place on the bus. Some band members have said Champion died after taking part in a rite of passage called "crossing Bus C." One member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that students "walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus backward while the bus is full of other band members, and you get beaten until you get to the back." No one has been charged in Champion's death; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Orange County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also launched a separate investigation into band employees, who were allegedly engaged in financial fraud. The medical examiner's office has said Champion "collapsed and died within an hour of a hazing incident during which he suffered multiple blunt trauma blows to his body." Ammons said in the Tuesday statement that he suspended the summer band camp because of the ongoing investigation into Champion's death and other band-related hazing incidents. "I totally support this effort," said Breyon Love, president of FAMU Student Government Association. "This issue of hazing has had a far-reaching impact on the university and I believe that we need to pause for a moment to make sure that all of our students are ready to seriously move in a direction which will result in a complete culture change." CNN's Vivian Kuo contributed to this report.

'Our top priority is ... health, safety," university president says . The action comes after the November hazing death of Robert Champion . Also four students were arrested in an unrelated band hazing incident . The college is looking into how best to address hazing problems .

(CNN) -- Dear Mr. Lucas, . Happy Star Wars Day to you! I hope you are enjoying May the 4th, the day fans of your movies have turned into an unofficial holiday celebrating the world you have created, and which we love. As you -- or whomever you pay to do it -- look through the social networks and see your fans declaring "May the 4th be with you," please stop and think about how you have turned it into a bad marketing ploy for the Blu-Ray release of the "Star Wars" movies. I am sure by now that all is revealed on the official Star Wars May the 4th Day page, and now enough people have spread the word of how you are revealing images and information from the upcoming release of the movies on Blu-Ray. In order to see more and more extras, they had to press a "share this site" button, spamming their friends in order to get a glimpse of the forthcoming DVDs. I am sure the extras revealed through the site will give fans plenty to talk and debate about. I, for one, am excited to see the special features and hear the commentary tracks that have been revealed and every other part of the Blu-Ray DVDs when we get them in September. But that's months from now. Today is a special day, just for fans. Why, then, would you take advantage of your fans to promote something that we won't even get to buy until September 16? Why do this now? Is there a chance that you did not know why May the 4th was special to "Star Wars" fans? That it is a day we all get to say, "May the 4th be with you," a play on your great line, "May the Force be with you," with unabashed geekiness? This is a day when fans get to show the world how much we love the "Star Wars" world you created; a day to show just how large the fan base is; that "Star Wars" is one of the greatest movies ever made. Didn't you know? Did you think we wouldn't buy the DVDs in record numbers? Are the preorders on Amazon not hitting big enough totals for your liking? Of course most, if not all, of your fans will buy the "new" versions of these movies. And just like I said in my last letter to you -- you did get my last letter, right? I only ask because I never heard back from you, so I was just wondering -- I am sad to say, we'll buy them all over again when you release "newer" versions of them in the future. But I ask again, sir, why today? It's a little funny that you are using the fans and their social networks to reveal tantalizing tidbits of the upcoming Blu-Ray DVDs when you recently announced the official Starwars.com forums will be closing on June 3. It is also interesting that by yesterday the forums were already locked down to read-only. Does that mean that it's OK to use your fans' voices to promote a product but it's not OK for them to voice dissent on your own website? Today was supposed to be a day of celebration. But now all I want to do is vent. How can my fellow fans of the Star Wars universe let their voices be heard? Should we just use the Facebook page? If we feel taken advantage of by the Star Wars May the 4th page, should we e-mail Lucasfilm? Of course, I thank you for the incredible, imaginative world you created with "Star Wars," and for the happiness it's brought me and all your fans. And I'm sure I will get hours of enjoyment from the new DVDs when I get them in September. But I did not and do not want them marketed to me on this day. May the 4th is a day that we created, and you, sir, are trying to steal from us. May the Force be with you! Topher Kohan .

Holiday created by Star Wars fans plays on the phrase, "May the Force be with you" StarWars.com offered fans an interactive glimpse at the upcoming Blu-Ray collection . The official Star Wars online forums will shut down on June 3 . Fan Topher Kohan wonders: Why do this when release is months away?

(CNN) -- Once upon a time, the Latino presence in the United States was largely a regional phenomenon, and outside the Southwest, a big-city one. Mexicans and Mexican-Americans were concentrated in the border and Western states, with an outpost in the Great Lakes states; Cubans in South Florida and the Northeast; Puerto Ricans in New York and its suburbs. Certainly not exclusively, but the pattern was largely in place by World War II and remained that way for decades. Then, a couple of things happened. As any student of history can tell you, events don't pass in some orderly procession, but happen in bunches and ricochet around the country. The immigration laws were rewritten, swinging the axis of new arrivals away from Europe -- after more than a century of enormous human flows from that continent -- to Latin America, Asia and Africa. New suburbs sprang up on America's urban peripheries, the national economy grew rapidly, and Latin America suffered both economic stagnation and Cold War-accelerated political turmoil. Whew! Dominicans poured into the Northeast, mostly to New York, escaping instability and poverty back home. Puerto Ricans saw their fortunes sink with those of their mainland capital of New York, and headed to Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania looking for a better life, while new arrivals from the island increasingly headed for booming Florida. Miami shifted from being a Cuban home away from home to becoming a financial and cultural capital of Latin America. And Mexicans, the largest of Latin America's constituent groups, spread everywhere, establishing new beachheads in cities large and small, in fading industrial towns and agricultural centers. They grew in places that had long been home, like Los Angeles and San Antonio, while tiny settlements became bustling communities in places as disparate as Washington state's Yakima Valley; Dalton, Georgia; and the Caribbean stronghold of New York City. Big things are happening both in the raw numbers of Latinos inside the United States, zooming past 50 million in the 2010 Census, and inside those numbers in distinct communities. Cubans are no longer a majority among the Latinos of Florida, as large numbers of Puerto Ricans concentrate in midstate counties around Orlando, and Caribbeans and South and Central Americans continue to flock to Miami-Dade. As Puerto Ricans continue to disperse through the Northeast, Dominicans may soon come to outnumber them in a place where Boricuas once lived in numbers that rivaled San Juan. This story is perhaps most stunning in the Southeast, in the states of the Confederacy. Through most of American history, the states from Texas to Virginia were among the most uniformly native-born places in the U.S. There was no southern Ellis Island era, no great wave of arrivals crowding ethnic ghettoes in Richmond, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Now the increases in the Latino population are being measured in hundreds of percentage points. The governor of Georgia appoints a commission on Latino affairs. School districts that never did so in their history now must hire teachers of English as a second language. Latinos are unique among American immigrants. Unlike the Italians, Irish, and Poles, and the Jews of Eastern Europe, they were already long-settled inhabitants of what would become the United States when the Declaration of Independence was written. America came to them in the form of purchase, invasion, and annexation. Then, later, when the modern borders of the continent-spanning superpower were established, Latinos came from their own countries too. It gave Latinos a unique cultural deposit in this country as it was forming, and a role to play in defining the culture in 2013 and for generations to come. Understanding the last 500 years will help you understand your country and your country's history better, and it is indispensable for making sense of what's to come. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ray Suarez.

Latinos were already living in what would become the U.S. before the nation existed . U.S. Latino population is growing fast, and traditional demographic patterns are shifting . Once, Latino presence was mainly in a few regions, but that has changed dramatically . The Southeast, once uniformly native-born, now has large Latino communities .

(CNN) -- The space shuttle program should have come to an end a long time ago, NASA administrator Charles Bolden told CNN in an exclusive interview Wednesday. The 30-year program has been kept on life support because the United States has not readied another vehicle to take its place. "What is not acceptable is the fact that the most powerful nation in the world, the United States of America, finds itself in a situation that we didn't do the proper planning to have a vehicle in place to replace shuttle when it lands its last landing," Bolden said. NASA originally planned to retire the aging shuttle fleet last September, but mission delays have pushed that date. But once Endeavour, Atlantis and Discovery are permanently grounded, Russia's aging Soyuz capsules will ferry astronauts and cosmonauts to the space station and bring what supplies can fit in the smaller craft. And that will have to do, perhaps throughout this decade, until commercial cargo spacecraft are available. The last shuttle landing, according to the administrator, will not be in April when Endeavour is scheduled to fly. NASA says it wants one more mission to resupply the space station. That flight would be STS-135 this summer, using the Atlantis orbiter and designated with the acronym that stands for "Space Transportation System." But whether NASA will have the money for the flight -- about a half a billion dollars -- is in question. "We are budgeted for 135 and unless something disastrous happens, it's our intent to fly it," said Bolden, "It's in the authorization bill signed by the president back in November, so for me it's the law and I'm excited about it because I need it, so we plan to fly 135." That would leave three flights before the program ends. STS-133 using Discovery sits on the launch pad ready to make its last trip into space Thursday. In April, STS-134 with Endeavour is schedule to fly. Commanding that mission is astronaut Mark Kelly. Kelly's wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was among 19 people shot in Arizona during a political event. Giffords is going through rehabilitation in Houston as she recovers from a gunshot wound to the head. During a news conference, Kelly said his wife would attend his launch. "I pray that he is absolutely correct," Bolden said, "because for all in the NASA family, who have been praying with him ever since that Saturday, and all of us who love her and him, It would be just tremendous, it would be tremendous for the nation. It would give everybody a big boost." But with those launches, the nation is seeing an end to its only means of putting humans in space. It is also seeing an end to a program that caught the public's attention nearly 30 years ago, with the launch on April 12, 1981, of the shuttle Columbia on the program's first mission. Bolden hopes that at least two commercial space companies will emerge to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. This will allow NASA to concentrate on building a new heavy-lift rocket capable of leaving lower Earth orbit. There had been concern whether the space agency would have enough money to develop this vehicle. Bolden said the money is there to build a vehicle that will evolve over time. "When I say we are not going to do things the way we used to, we're not building the world's heaviest, biggest rocket right out of the chute. It's going to take us ... a decade or so to get to the point that we have the final vehicle that is going to take the first humans to Mars," said Bolden. The White House has said it wants humans on Mars by the mid-2030s. Right now, Bolden says his priority is flying these last three shuttle missions and bringing the astronauts home safely.

NASA's space shuttle program has three missions left . NASA administrator Bolden looks to commercial companies for future space transport . NASA will focus on a new heavy-lift rocket . That rocket could "take the first humans to Mars," says Bolden .

LONDON, England (CNN) -- The floodlights, corporate boxes and big screens at sports stadiums are all massive power sappers - but there's an increasingly popular technology which is chewing more energy than ever before. Power-sapping technology: lighting rigs, like these ones installed at Telstra Dome are used to help grass growth. The culprits are giant lighting rigs. The rigs are being adopted by football stadiums across Europe and the United Kingdom to encourage grass growth, but they're creating a significant footprint in doing so. So, who's using the most power? English Premier League football superpower Arsenal could have one of the worst carbon footprints in the region as its home ground is believed to use the biggest set of lighting rigs in the United Kingdom. The club has been accused by environmental groups of using enough energy to power a small village in order to grow the grass on their home pitch. The team's state of the art Emirates Stadium, which opened in 2006, boasts a set of 12 lighting rigs with huge sunlamps that run most of the year providing sufficient light to keep the turf growing and in a healthy condition. The rigs, which have more than 600 light bulbs, have come under heavy criticism from environmental groups, who say they are "irresponsible." What do you think of grass lighting rigs? Do you think they are useful or a waste of energy? Share your thoughts in the Sound Off box below -- we'll publish the best. Purchased for more than $1,400,000 from Netherlands-based business Stadium Grow Lighting Concepts, the rigs can cover almost half of Arsenal's home ground at a time. The lamps contain sensors on the pitch to determine how many hours of light the grass needs in order to stay green. Similar lights are used at seventeen other venues around the United Kingdom. Liverpool's Anfield ground has 10 lighting rigs, and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium uses nine. In comparison, Wembley uses four, while Manchester United use just three rigs, at Old Trafford -- but there are plans to expand this. It's not just in the United Kingdom these lighting rigs are proving popular. The Telstra Dome in Sydney, Australia, earlier this year purchased 15 lighting rigs to improve grass growth at the venue. Other projects have been implemented across football grounds in Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Ireland and Qatar. Another major power sapping technology at Emirates Stadium is the air ventilation system below the turf, which is powered by a huge fan that helps keep the grass in ideal condition. The system's pipe-work is in the gravel bed below the turf, and above a heating system. The ventilation can work in two directions. In one direction, it provides aeration through the gravel bed and through the root zone to promote growth. Reversing the air system can provide drainage from the root zone down to pull moisture away from the surface. But, there is hope these stadiums can reduce their energy consumption. While football stadiums in Europe and the United Kingdom are making environmental blacklists -- one stadium in the U.S. has entered the "green list." The Washington Nationals' new baseball park that opened earlier this year became the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified stadium in the United States. In order to earn the certification, the park was fitted with energy-saving light fixtures, water-conserving plumbing, drought-resistant plants, and a green roof over the concessions area. It also has systems in place to keep storm water runoff from polluting a nearby river, and it was built on a restored brown field that once had contaminated soil. The Green Building Council's Brendan Owens told Reuters, "One of the things that really strikes me about stadium facilities is that they directly touch millions of people over the course of their existence," Owens felt the eco-friendly design would encourage visitors to help the environment in other ways.

Football stadiums across Europe and the UK are using lighting rigs to grow grass . Arsenal's Emirates Stadium is believed to have twelve lighting rigs . The rigs have been used in Germany, Spain, Greece, Qatar, Ireland and Australia .

(CNN) -- Half way to a popular waterfall at Yosemite National Park, the 15 members of a Southern California family decided to take a break from the trail at a footbridge that crosses the boulder-strewn Merced River. Somehow, two boys -- whether dipping their feet in the water or wading -- were swept away Wednesday afternoon by the deceptive current, park officials said. The 10-year-old drowned and a 6-year-old was missing, prompting a search and rescue effort. The boys are either half-brothers or stepbrothers, officials said. The tragedy occurred during the park's busiest month, when 750,000 visitors enjoy the verdant national treasure that is the size of Rhode Island. It was not clear whether the family, hiking on Mist Trail from the Happy Isles Trailhead, intended to go all the way to spectacular Vernal Fall, less than a mile from the footbridge. The unidentified 10-year-old became the park's third drowning victim of 2012, said ranger and park spokesman Scott Gediman. Efforts to resuscitate the youth were unsuccessful. A 57-year-old man drowned this year in the Merced River in the western portion of Yosemite and another man died on the south fork of the river in the Wawona area. Watch: Safety tips for camping . Although there was no sign at the footbridge, visitors pass a water warning sign at the trailhead, Gediman said Thursday. "Yosemite is a wild place by definition," the ranger told CNN, adding parents should assess each situation. "We try to provide the best and most accurate information we can to people." Although river levels are lower this year because of a low snow pack, the Merced flows rapidly through a V-shaped canyon and chute channels, Gediman said. While the river is only several inches deep at the bank, the middle of the river can be four to five feet deep in places and thick with boulders. "Whether it is a high water level or low, the Merced River flows year round and the current can pull anybody in," said Gediman. Nine people have died at Yosemite thus far this year, officials said. One visitor was killed when a tree fell and another died in a rock-climbing accident. Of the 20 deaths in 2011, seven were water-related, according to Gediman. In July 2011, a young man lost his footing, slipping close to the edge of the Vernal Fall waterfall. A female companion frantically grabbed for him but stumbled. Another hiker followed and the three died after they were swept over the powerful 317-foot falls. One body was found in August and two others were recovered in November and December 2011. From the archives: Rangers recover body of man swept over waterfall in Yosemite . Yosemite offers visitors spectacular views of mountains, falls and rivers, but park officials warn visitors to be careful. Rangers say some visitors partake in dangerous practices such as hiking treacherous trails in flip-flops, climbing over safety rails to take better pictures or swimming perilously close to waterfalls. Water is a major attraction at Yosemite, and most visitors swim and otherwise safely enjoy its lakes and rivers, Gediman said. Witnesses told park authorities that the three hikers who were swept over the waterfall in July 2011 had climbed over a safety rail. "We don't station a ranger in every possible dangerous place that's out there," park ranger Kari Cobb said last year. "People have to come here and realize that Yosemite is nature, and it is a very wild place." From the archives: Yosemite tragedy underscores dangers of deceptive rivers . CNN's Michael Martinez and Casey Wian contributed to this report.

River current is deceiving, park official says . The two boys and other family members waded into a river after hiking a park trail . A 10-year-old boy pulled from the river was pronounced dead . A search is under way for a 6-year-old boy .

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Boston trolley operator killed in a crash last year likely had a sleep disorder and fell into a "micro-sleep" shortly before the collision, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled Tuesday. Since last year's trolley crash in Boston, Massachusetts, there has been another incident on the same line. The safety board, completing a 14-month investigation, faulted operator Ter'rese Edmonds for ignoring a red signal along the tracks but directed harsh criticism at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority which operates the train system. The transit authority failed to screen operators for sleep disorders while enforcing a work schedule that could prevent train operators from getting enough sleep, the NTSB said. The NTSB's conclusion that Edmonds fell asleep is partly conjecture, the board acknowledged. Edmonds, a part-time trolley operator, had an opportunity for adequate sleep the day of the wreck, although investigators were not able to determine her sleep history. In addition, Edmonds had been given a break earlier in the day, had not complained to co-workers about fatigue and was found to be free of drugs and alcohol. "We cannot say for certain that she did have it (sleep apnea)," board member Dr. Mitch Garber said. But the NTSB concluded there was a "high likelihood" that Edmonds had an undiagnosed sleep disorder, largely because she was obese and because tests showed she had taken doxylamine, an ingredient commonly found in sleep aids, suggesting she had trouble sleeping during at least one of the nights leading up to the accident. In addition, there is a lack of other evidence to explain why Edmonds failed to slow or stop the train, the board concluded. Tests showed that the stopped train could be seen at a distance of 764 feet, and that "there were multiple opportunities to slow and stop this (advancing) train," NTSB investigator Wayne Workman said. "There was not any evidence that brakes were applied." Edmonds' westbound train was traveling at 38 mph when it struck the other train, which was traveling at 3 mph in the same direction. An estimated 185 to 200 passengers were on the two trains during the collision in the Boston, Massachusetts, suburb of Newton. Damage was estimated at $8.6 million. The board also noted that the MBTA had not installed systems on its Green Line to prevent two trains from occupying the same stretch of track, the NTSB said. The systems, known as "positive train control" systems, would have prevented the accident, the safety board said. One year after the fatal accident, more than 50 people were injured in another accident on the same line. The Boston accident highlights two issues that have risen to the top of the NTSB's concerns in recent years, positive train control and operator fatigue. The safety board says positive train control issues were involved in two other light rail incidents this year, a May 8 wreck on the same MBTA Green Line and a June 22 wreck which killed nine on Washington, D.C.'s Metro system. "If technology exists... on the other (MBTA) lines, why would the Green Line not have everything possible... to prevent accidents from happening," NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker asked. "I don't understand that as an operator; I just don't." The Metro system had a form of positive train separation, but investigators are exploring whether that crash resulted from a circuit malfunction. The safety board said fatigue issues affect all forms of transportation. It noted that two pilots fell asleep during a flight over Hawaii and that sleep issues played a role in a Cosco Busan ship incident in San Francisco, California, and a fatal bus crash in Mexican Hat, Utah. Rosenker said details that surfaced in the Boston trolley crash will guide the NTSB in the future. "Now it is up to us, because we now are the advocates for these changes," Rosenker said. Recommendations resulting from the Boston crash "raise the bar of safety not only in this system, but across the United States."

Obesity, evidence that operator was taking sleep aid leads to conjecture . Transportation board criticized for failing to screen for sleep disorders . Board also notes lack of systems to prevent trains from using same stretch of track .

Moscow (CNN) -- In her previous life, Kseniya Sobchak bared her soul -- and a lot more -- as Russia's version of Paris Hilton, a socialite with her own reality show. One installment of her 2008 production "A Blonde in Chocolate" featured her sprawled on the floor sporting white, stiletto-heeled boots, a slip and a fur wrap, looking as if she'd had a tough night on the town. But even then, Sobchak tells CNN, she was a closet political junkie. "During my Paris Hilton years," she says with a smile, "I was always saying that I'm better off in show business and better doing some stuff that people would call cheesy. But I wouldn't do something to betray my political tastes." And political tastes she had. The daughter of political icon Anatoly Sobchak -- the former mayor of St. Petersburg who helped to launch Vladimir Putin's career in government back in the early 1990s -- is trying to transform herself into a political animal, a talking head, and an opponent of Putin. "I was always feeling something, torn between my respect for the help of Mr. Putin for my father in early years and for their work together," she says. "But I always was torn between (my father's) work, because he was a democrat and I think would never have dreamt of living in a situation like this in Russia." Sobchak's favorite look these days is a chic dark blouse, blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a pair of oversized, black-framed glasses. It is a cool but serious image, befitting her new incarnation, which began at a key moment last year. It was September 24, 2011, when Vladimir Putin stunned his fellow Russians with the announcement that he, and not the current president, Dmitry Medvedev, would be running for election -- again. Putin had become prime minister after serving the maximum two consecutive terms as president. "They decided to change Medvedev for Putin and Putin for Medevedev and then they give out the results," Sobchak says indignantly. "That's not how it should work and people feel offended." Sobchak exploits her fame and uses her well-honed media skills to get her message across. In one political video called "I am voting for ..." Sobchak, her hair disheveled, T-shirt falling off her shoulder, looking straight at the camera with a kind of dull, programmed expression, says she's voting for "the candidate" (no name mentioned) who is "benevolent" and has helped Russians to live better. "Especially now," she says, "at this time of threat from an 'Orange Revolution of the Syrian and Libyan variety' you can't rock the boat. You have to unite behind one candidate." One second after she announces that she is voting for that "candidate" a man tapes her mouth shut, she's strapped to a chair and armed men carry her off screaming with tongue-in-cheek horror. Who is Sobchak really voting for? Billionaire candidate Mikhail Prokhorov. "I don't think that Prokhorov would become the president," she laughs, "but he's handsome! And I would vote for him. Why not?" Some question Sobchak's new image and her political conversion. At one opposition rally where she spoke the crowd loudly booed her. Putin, she thinks, will be elected president again, but Russia is no longer the same. "My forecast? He will try to strengthen and tighten the system," she says. "But now, with the protests on the streets, it's not possible any longer. So it will take, I think, a couple of years of a real protest movement to change the situation."

Kseniya Sobchak says she was true to her political tastes even during her "Paris Hilton years" Though she has reason to back Putin, she opposes his run for re-election . Putin's political manipulation is "not how it should work and people feel offended," she says .

(CNN)Chelsea relinquished sole leadership of the English Premier League after suffering a surprise 5-3 defeat at the hands of a Harry Kane inspired Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane Thursday. It was a result few had foreseen, particularly when Diego Costa put Jose Mourinho's men ahead midway through the first half. But Kane, pushing for an England call up, leveled with an exquisite individual goal and Danny Rose put Spurs 2-1 ahead after he reacted quickly when Nacer Chadli's shot hit the post and rebounded back into play. Kane was then fouled by Gary Cahill with Andros Townsend scoring from the penalty spot to give the home side a 3-1 lead at the break. It was 4-1 shortly into the second half when Kane's neat footwork set him up for a fourth, but still the points were not sealed. A mistake by Federico Fazio allowed Eden Hazard to play a one-two with Cesc Fabregas to reduce the deficit to two goals. Tottenham nerves were finally eased when Kane played a neat pass to Chadli for the Belgian international to score the fifth only for John Terry to grab his third in four games for Chelsea to complete an eight-goal thriller. Earlier, Manchester City joined Chelsea on 46 points with the same goal difference after a headed goal from former Chelsea star Frank Lampard gave the reigning title holder a 3-2 win over Sunderland. Lampard, whose extended loan to City from New York City was confirmed on the eve of the match, grabbed a late winner after City had thrown away a two-goal lead at the Etihad. The 36-year-old former England midfielder connected with Gael Clichy's cross to secure a vital three points with a seventh home league win of the season. City looked to be cruising to victory after a superb strike from Yaya Toure and a second from Stevan Jovetic. But Sunderland hit back with goals from former City players Jack Rodwell and Adam Johnson, who scored from the spot. In the early kickoff on New Year's Day, Manchester United was held to its second straight draw of the festive period in a 1-1 draw at Stoke. The home side went ahead after just two minutes through defender Ryan Shawcross but Radamel Falcao leveled for United in the 26th. United, held goalless at Tottenham last weekend, remain third in the standings and are unbeaten in 10 games, but manager Louis Van Gaal was unhappy with the display. "We didn't deserve any more than a draw," he moaned. "They were closer to a winning goal than us. We should have played better today." Struggling West Bromwich Albion has also confirmed the appointment of former Stoke and Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis as its head coach. Pulis, widely praised for lifting Palace into mid-table last season before leaving before the start of this campaign, watched from the stand as his new team secured a fighting 1-1 draw at West Ham. Southampton kept up its challenge for a Champions League spot by inflicting a damaging 2-0 defeat on Arsenal to stay fourth. Two goalkeeping errors from Wojciech Szczesny allowed Sadio Mane and Dusan Tadic to score in either half for the Saints, who withstood late pressure from Arsenal to secure a vital three points. In the relegation battle, bottom side Leicester secured an unlikely point after hitting back from two down at Liverpool to grab a 2-2 draw, while Burnley hit back three times to level 3-3 at Newcastle. It denied Newcastle caretaker boss John Carver three points after taking over from Alan Pardew, who is set to link up with Crystal Palace and was at Villa Park to watch them battle to a goalless draw.

Tottenham beats Chelsea 5-3 at White Hart Lane . Man City level at top after 3-2 victory over Sunderland with Frank Lampard scoring winner . Man Utd held to 1-1 draw at Stoke in early kick off . WBA confirms Tony Pulis as new head coach .

(CNN) -- A decade-long civil war wrecked Sierra Leone's economy, but now a juice business could provide a blueprint of how to add value to the country's exports. Although the civil war in Sierra Leone ended nine years ago, it is only now that the country's first significant value-added export has emerged. Africa Felix Juice produces juice concentrate from mango and pineapple farmed throughout Sierra Leone and exports it internationally. The company is working from a special economic zone, in the form of a 54-acre low-tax industrial park, built just outside of the capital Freetown. It is designed to attract foreign interest and although similar zones exist in other parts of Africa, this project is a first for Sierra Leone. The zone was set up by First Step -- a commercial subsidiary of the American NGO World Hope International. First Step discovered that many farmers in Sierra Leone struggle to turn their fresh produce into money and that a lot of fruit ends up unsold or left rotting on the ground. Sierra Leone's Deputy Minister of Information Sheka Tarawalie admits: "We have fruits like mangos, pineapples all over the country, but they are being wasted, and there is not much value added to these resources." First Step's industrial park is intended to house factories that can process Sierra Leone's natural resources, rather than simply exporting them. Richard Schroeder, First Step's CEO, sees the industrial park as a logical solution to help develop new business in the country. He says: "We're just making it possible for businesses to easily establish and employ people to start processing resources locally instead of what always happens in Africa, which is, it's seen as a source of natural resources. "Natural resources are dug up, brought some place else, cut down or taken out of the water, and processed and sent back to Africa or other places in the world, when the real value addition is, where jobs are created, where income is created -- where an economy can really find its engine." There are stringent selection criteria for potential tenants to obtain a plot in the industrial park. "There has to be a commitment to not only the financial bottom line," says Schroeder. "We're looking for tenants that also are passionate and care about their impact in terms of social impact and environmental impact." Africa Felix Juice is now the first tenant and enjoys a three-year tax holiday, along with security, electricity and water supplies. Majority-owned by First Step, Africa Felix was founded by Claudio Scotto. Its mission is, "to become a pioneer and leader in the Fairtrade tropical fruit juice concentrate market in the EU." It pays farmers about $250 to $300 for each tree harvest--- a substantial jump from the $15 they would get at the local market. Africa Felix Juice eventually plans to directly employ close to 100 Sierra Leoneans and provide a market for nearly 1,000 small farmers throughout the country. "We're targeting the fair-trade niche of the business, obviously, because Sierra Leone has a difficult past," says Claudio. "A fruit juice coming from Sierra Leone, we think, will have a very good impact into European consumers that can now choose something tangible coming from a place that they were thinking is only war, famine and death," he added. Although special economic zones have been successful in Asia, some analysts have voiced concern that they won't work in countries without a well-developed labor force or infrastructure. But with Africa Felix Juice up and running, and farmers receiving increased profits, the success of the project has not gone unnoticed. "First Step is doing something that is historic, is unheard of in contemporary history in our country," says Tarawalie. "And they're changing the lives of people in the sense that they can see development taking place in our own lifetime." He says he hopes Africa Felix Juice and the special economic zone will act as a catalyst for potential investors, demonstrating that, "we have created an enabling environment for companies to come in and do their business without hindrance."

Special economic zone is a first for Sierra Leone . It is intended to house factories that can process Sierra Leone's natural resources . Africa Felix Juice is the first tenant and enjoys a three-year tax holiday .

(CNN) -- The 12-year-old Arkansas girl who was infected with a rare brain-eating parasite is showing remarkable improvement, her doctors said Tuesday. Kali Hardig is still listed in critical condition at Arkansas Children's Hospital, but over the past 48 hours, she's grown alert to the point where she can gesture in response to questions, according to Dr. Mark Heulitt, an intensive care specialist. Heulitt has scheduled a test for Tuesday afternoon to see whether Hardig can breathe without the breathing tube that she's had for more than two weeks. Hardig's doctors are in virtually uncharted territory. Of 128 known cases in the past half-century, just two patients have survived, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The infection is caused by a microscopic amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, found in hot springs and warm, fresh water, most often in the southeastern United States. The amoeba enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain. You cannot be infected with the organism by drinking contaminated water, the CDC says. "This infection is one of the most severe infections that we know of," Dr. Dirk Haselow of the Arkansas Department of Health told CNN affiliate WMC. "Ninety-nine percent of people who get it die." Why 'nightmare bacteria' on the rise . Dr. Sanjiv Pasala, one of Hardig's attending physicians, says they immediately started treating Hardig with an antifungal medicine, antibiotics and a new experimental anti-amoeba drug doctors got directly from the CDC. They also reduced the girl's body temperature to 93 degrees. Doctors have used that technique in some brain injury cases as a way to preserve undamaged brain tissue. Last week, doctors checked the girl's cerebral spinal fluid and could not find any presence of the amoeba. Pasala said that while other cases have not met with such favorable results, what may have made a real difference is that the girl's mother got her to the hospital so quickly. Willow Springs Water Park in Little Rock is the most likely source of Hardig's infection, according to a news release from the Arkansas Department of Health. Another case of the same parasite, also called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, was reported in 2010 and was possibly linked to Willow Springs. "Based on the occurrence of two cases of this rare infection in association with the same body of water and the unique features of the park, the ADH has asked the owner of Willow Springs to voluntarily close the water park to ensure the health and safety of the public," the news release said. What's in your pool water? The first symptoms of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis appear one to seven days after infection, including headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck, according to the CDC. "Later symptoms include confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, seizures and hallucinations," the government agency's website states. "After the start of symptoms, the disease progresses rapidly and usually causes death within one to 12 days." Getting this amoeba is extremely rare. Between 2001 and 2010, there were 32 reported cases in the United States, the CDC says. Most of the cases occurred in the Southeast. Here are some tips from the CDC to help lower your risk of infection: . • Avoid swimming in fresh water when the water temperature is high and the water level is low. • Hold your nose shut or use nose clips. • Avoid stirring up the sediment while wading in shallow, warm freshwater areas. • If you are irrigating, flushing or rinsing your sinuses (for example, by using a neti pot), use water that has been distilled or sterilized. CNN's John Bonifield and Caleb Hellerman contributed to this story.

Kali Hardig, 12, is in critical condition at Arkansas Children's Hospital . Amoeba causes fatal brain infection, according to the CDC . Parasite generally found in people who swim in warm, fresh water .

(CNN) -- A Wyoming attorney representing a convicted murderer recently pardoned by Mississippi's outgoing governor says his client will not attend a Mississippi Supreme Court hearing this week on the constitutionality of his and some 200 other pardons. "He's not going to go," Cheyenne, Wyoming, attorney Robert Moxley said of his client, Joseph Ozment. "He's not a fugitive and there's no valid order that says he needs to appear," Moxley told CNN. On Thursday, the Mississippi Supreme Court will hear arguments brought by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood challenging the legality of scores of pardons issued by outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour. Ozment was one of four men convicted of murder who were pardoned by Barbour in January and released from state custody. The four had been working as "trusties" at the governor's mansion. The releases were quickly challenged by Hood, who contends that the pardons are unconstitutional because most of the inmates involved did not fulfill all of the requirements to get a pardon. Specifically, they did not file legal notices in newspapers local to where their crimes were committed for a 30-day period as required by law. Ozment's whereabouts were unknown after his release until he was located last week in Laramie, Wyoming, and served with papers telling him to appear in court in Mississippi. Hood's office said last week that if Ozment does not comply, a judge has the authority to hold him in contempt. But CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin had a different opinion on the case as a civil -- not criminal -- matter at this point. "He (Ozment) probably safely could ignore that piece of paper," Toobin said last week on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." But if the attorney general succeeds in having the pardons declared invalid, "his (Ozment's) pardon is no longer valid. Then, the attorney general can get an arrest warrant and -- if (the attorney general) can find him at that point -- bring him back." Added Ozment's Wyoming attorney, "He hasn't even been required to file an answer in the civil case. There's no use in him being a spectator. It's just legal arguments." "The question is if there is any jurisdiction for a court to review a pardon in the first place," Moxley told CNN. A spokesman for the attorney general told CNN that Hood would not have any comment on the case until after the Thursday hearing. Ozment was sentenced to life in prison in 1994 after he admitted he was part of a gang that robbed a convenience store in DeSoto County, Mississippi. The store clerk was killed in the robbery. Ozment entered a plea to avoid the death penalty, admitting that he entered the convenience store and after one of his accomplices shot the clerk, Ricky Montgomery, three times, Ozment walked up to Montgomery, who was crawling from behind the store counter, and shot him twice in the head. Ozment said that he did that so that the clerk could not later identify him. The Mississippi Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on whether the pardons can even be challenged. If the court rules against the pardoned criminals, a lower court would be asked to hold hearings on each individual case. "If the thing goes back to the trial court and resumes again, we're going to litigate these issues on whether there is extradition -- if it comes to that -- but it's a long way away," said Moxley. Last week, at a news conference, Attorney General Hood said that if the court finds in his favor, he will have Ozment arrested "as soon as we can lay hands on him." But Hood said he hopes Ozment will turn himself in. "We'll see what kind of man he is," Hood said.

Joseph Ozment was one of some 200 Mississippi inmates pardoned . The pardons were issued last month by outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour . The state attorney general is challenging the pardons . Ozment, now in Wyoming, will not attend a hearing in Mississippi, his lawyer says .

(CNN) -- Ozzie Guillen's remarks on Fidel Castro may be constitutionally protected, but he has learned there is nothing shielding him from the ire of Miami's large Cuban community. His comment to Time magazine that he loves Fidel Castro and later comment that he "respects" him rankled the Cuban-American community in Miami, home to the baseball team Guillen manages, the Marlins. The team's stadium is located in the area of the city known as Little Havana. The reaction by the team was swift -- a five-game suspension. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig supported the move. "Mr. Guillen's remarks, which were offensive to an important part of the Miami community and others throughout the world, have no place in our game," he said Tuesday. And the reaction by some in the Cuban-American community has been even stronger. According to local media, one anti-Castro organization, Vigilia Mambisa, called for a boycott of the Marlins and began picketing the baseball stadium Tuesday. The fallout may cost Guillen the trust of Miami fans. "There is absolutely nothing not protected by the First Amendment that he said," Florida International University Professor Howard M. Wasserman said. It was an example of political speech, pure and simple. But free speech can have is consequences, as Guillen is learning. "The problem is, he's in Miami," Wasserman said. Miami's Cuban community is made up of a large number of exiles who fled the Castro regime and who strongly lobby in support of the U.S. embargo against Cuba and other anti-Castro measures. Cuba's current president is Fidel's brother, Raul Castro. In another city, Guillen's comments may not have been as controversial, but in Miami, there is a unique sensitivity to Castro, Wasserman said. "I think it's kind of silly, but it's where he happens to be," he said. If the government had suspended an public employee for political speech, it would be illegal, he said. But the Marlins, as a private entity, can mete out punishment as they see fit, especially when it offends a segment of their fan base. The Marlins have a need and interest to protect their market, and, in fact, are using their own free speech interest in handing down the suspension, the law professor said. Marlins fans on social media came out on both sides of the debate. Guillen apologized Tuesday in Spanish at a news conference, saying his words were misconstrued and that he finds Castro's human rights record odious. But for Cuban and Cuban-American fans, the damage was done. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald eloquently summed up the emotions that Guillen's comments stirred. "There are people in South Florida who are angry with Guillen because he struck an emotional and painful nerve. I am unapologetically one of those people because the communist dictator Guillen apparently loves broke my family," he wrote in a column. Salguero said he would prefer to see an indefinite suspension for the manager. Other Marlins fans, even if they disagreed with Guillen's remarks, didn't like the way the suspension was handled. Frank Ramirez, a longtime fan, said that Miami "is the last place you want to say something like that." Still, he drew a distinction between the ball club suspending Guillen for what he said, rather than acting in response to fan outcries. To suspend Guillen for the content of what he said -- no matter how wrongheaded -- comes across as a violation of his right to free speech, Ramirez said. But if the club instead reacted to business interests such as fear of a boycott or financial loss, then a punitive action is justified. And the action that fans clamor for, Ramirez said, might be more stringent that the five-game suspension. "I don't think Marlins fans will forgive him for this," he said.

Ozzie Guillen's comments are protected by the First Amendment . But there is a fallout from his remarks about Castro . In Miami, Fidel Castro is a very sensitive topic .

(CNN) -- Sonia, a single mother with HIV in Brazil, travels four hours to reach a government-run health facility that provides her with free drug treatment. Brazil's response to the HIV/AIDS fight has been widely praised and adopted as a model around the world. The journey is long, she told CNN, but it's a small price to pay for the government-provided drugs that have helped keep her out of the hospital for the past 11 years. Sonia is just one of the many Brazilians who have benefited from the country's novel approach to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Brazil jolted the global health community in 1996 when it began guaranteeing free anti-retroviral treatment to HIV/AIDS patients. For Sonia, government-funded treatment comes in the form of 20 pills. Taken daily, the anti-retroviral medicine has helped keep her HIV at bay. Coupled with government-supported prevention efforts and aggressive public awareness campaigns, the so-called Brazilian response has been hailed as a model for developing countries. Watch a report on Brazil's pioneering response to HIV/AIDS » . Prevention campaigns, which often take the forms of candid public awareness ads with slogans like "Be good in bed, use a condom," have resulted in widespread knowledge of HIV. According to a recent study conducted by the country's Ministry of Health, Brazil boasts one of the highest rates of knowledge globally when it comes to HIV avoidance and transmittal. Brazil was "the first country to realize there is no separation between prevention and treatment," Mauro Schechter, professor of infectious diseases at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told CNN. Schechter, who has studied the HIV/AIDS epidemic since 1989, said it took the rest of the global health community some 15 years to realize that the two go hand-in-hand. Other countries that have adopted the Brazilian model » . The comprehensive response has extended the lives of tens of thousands of Brazilians and saved the government billions, researchers estimate. A recent study published by researchers from Brown University and the Harvard School of Public Health said that Brazil has saved $1 billion alone by producing its own generic versions of HIV/AIDS medicines and negotiating discounts for imported drugs. Those drug savings come on top of the estimated $2 billion the program has saved Brazil in hospital costs between 1996 and 2004. Brazil's efforts to reverse the tide of the AIDS epidemic have become the object of admiration in the global health community, but the trailblazer is encountering new challenges. When Brazil decided to guarantee free anti-retrovirals, there were 10,000 people being treated and it was organized as a program to treat a small amount of people for a limited amount of time, according to Schechter. Patients are living longer and oftentimes able to get their disease under control, thanks to combination therapies, better known as drug cocktails. But that means they also require drug treatment for a longer period of time. Furthermore, as HIV has evolved from an acute illness into a chronic disease, patients have also become vulnerable to other health risks and medical conditions. Valdileia Veloso is the director of the Institute of Clinical Research at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a public health research institution in Rio de Janeiro. She told CNN patients are presenting with complications of chronic HIV and AIDS, which requires new treatment. "It's a new challenge for us," she said. Heart disease is one of the big problems that doctors are encountering. While there's a system in place to prevent people from dying from HIV, preventable causes like heart conditions are causing deaths. "These people are dying from preventable causes," Schechter told CNN. While Brazil has shown that providing universal access to treatment can be achieved, it needs to modify its approach to treat the evolving disease, he said. "If the epidemic changes face, you need to adapt."

Brazil has been hailed as a leader in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic . Government started offering free anti-retroviral treatment to its citizens in 1996 . As more people live longer with HIV/AIDS, Brazil faces new challenges . Patients of the chronic illness susceptible to new health risks, doctors say .

(CNN) -- Formula One is supposed to be about drivers racing fast cars, but this season it seems to be all about the tires. There have been complaints from teams and drivers, with an official investigation also underway over a development test, while the latest twist involves Pirelli putting its plan on hold to introduce new race tires at next month's Canadian Grand Prix. Instead, each of the 22 drivers will be given two sets of development medium compound tires to try out during the first practice session at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal on 7 June. A statement by the Italian manufacturer explained: "The Formula One teams will have an opportunity to test the new range of Pirelli tires during free practice at the Canadian Grand Prix, while the tires used for the actual race will remain in their original 2013 specification. "Following feedback from the teams and drivers, the new specification of tire is then set to be introduced from the British Grand Prix at the end of June, and will remain in place until the end of the year." Often dismissed by the sport's protagonists as the "black things in the corners," those spheres of rubber have very much moved to F1's center stage. After the last race in Monaco, it emerged that Mercedes, who won the race thanks to Nico Rosberg, faced an official investigation over whether it carried out an illegal tire test. The German team, who are based in Oxfordshire, England, helped Pirelli carry out a three-day tire test in Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix but controversially the team used race drivers Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton and their 2013 car. In May, Pirelli had asked the sport's ruling body -- the FIA -- if it could carry out testing with an F1 team. The sport's rules state that 1,000 kilometers of testing with any marque is allowed during the season -- as long as every team is offered that opportunity. But rival teams Red Bull and Ferrari protested to the FIA, arguing the Barcelona test contravened the rule banning in-season testing. The FIA is now investigating the matter but neither the governing body or Pirelli expect a resolution before the Canadian GP. Even prior to Monaco, tires had already been drawing plenty of heat. Red Bull and their triple world champion Sebastian Vettel complained the 2013 rubber meant they could not push the car to the limits of its top-speed because the tires had to be so carefully managed. There were further criticisms after the Spanish Grand Prix was won by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso on a four-stop strategy. Like Spain, the race on Canada's temporary race circuit, which combines high-speed straights and slow corners, could well see teams make multiple pit-stops. There were also more serious safety concerns following a spate of delaminations -- where the tire layers separate -- which affected Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Paul di Resta's cars. Pirelli wants to introduce new tires that are not prone to dangerous delaminations as quickly as possible. The Italian company is also aware it must protect its image both for its road car clientele and also as it hopes to sign a new deal to continue as F1's official tire supplier. "The aim of introducing the new tire is to prevent any instances of the tread detaching itself from the structure," the Pirelli statement continued. "However, the performance and wear characteristics of the new tire will not be significantly different, with the aim of keeping up the spectacle and retaining a strategic element to all the races." In theory, the FIA does not interfere with decisions on tires. "We only step in on safety concerns.," an FIA spokesman told CNN: "For us safety is paramount. "When they decide to bring a new tire, it is normally given to everybody. The tire has to be the same for everybody... it is evaluated afterwards." But with Mercedes facing an official investigation over its involvement in testing, the subject of tires has become an issue where everyone in F1 must now tread carefully.

Pirelli put plans to introduce new race tires at next month's Canadian Grand Prix on hold . Each of the 11 teams will instead try out development tires in the first practice session . Pirelli wants to change tires to stop delaminations . Mercedes face an FIA investigation over involvement in tire test .

Lexington, Missouri (CNN) -- Police arrested a sixth member of a Missouri family under investigation for allegations of child sexual abuse, police said. Darrel Mohler has been charged with two counts of rape, Lafayette County Sheriff Kerrick Alumbaugh said at a news conference. Missouri police did not have Mohler in custody earlier. On the request of Missouri officials, Marion County authorities went to Mohler's home in Silver Springs, Florida, and caught him just before he pulled into the driveway, according to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He was subsequently arrested. Mohler told police he "was aware of what was going on in Missouri," and that he had not been there since the 1980s, according to the sheriff's office. Five members of the Mohler family of Lafayette County, Missouri, were arrested earlier this week after six alleged victims, who are relatives of the five suspects, made accusations of sexual abuse. A sixth person, described as an "associate" of the family, was arrested Thursday but released Friday, police said. The six alleged victims -- all now adults -- came to law enforcement authorities with stories of sexual performances, mock weddings, rape with various objects and a forced abortion during their childhoods, according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate KSHB in Kansas City. CNN does not identify alleged sexual assault victims. Police did not have enough to charge Darrel Mohler earlier, but after examining the victims' statements, obtained enough information to charge him, Alumbaugh said. He added that he does not think Darrel is on the run. Darrel Mohler, 72, is the younger brother of Burrell Edward Mohler Sr., 77, according to KSHB. On Tuesday, authorities arrested Mohler Sr. and his sons Burrell Edward Mohler Jr., 53; David A. Mohler, 52; Jared Leroy Mohler, 48; and Roland Neil Mohler, 47. More charges against the family members are expected next week, the sheriff said. Current charges for some of the arrested include rape, deviate sexual assault and use [of] child in sexual performance, according to Missouri State Courts online case management system. Alumbaugh said that Larry Kidd, 55, of Kansas City, Missouri -- an "associate" of the Mohler family -- was picked up by police following a tip, cooperated with police and has been released. The alleged abuse took place from the mid-1980s until 1995 and possibly beyond, the sheriff said earlier. The documents provide graphic details of the alleged abuse provided by one of the alleged victims. All of the charges stem from those documents, Alumbaugh said. Mohler Sr., David Mohler and Jared Mohler are all lay ministers in the Community of Christ, the Independence, Missouri-based organization said in a statement. Lay ministers are volunteers who do not receive compensation, said the organization, and none of the three served in leadership roles or worked with children. Mohler Sr. went through the group's registered youth worker program, but "his youth worker registration has been terminated and we understand he had no contact with children or youth in church programs," the statement said. Some lay ministers might help take care of the church, while others might speak at services, said the organization's spokeswoman, Linda Booth. The Community of Christ is an offshoot of the modern-day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It split off from the Mormon church in the 1800s, and in 2000 changed its name to Community of Christ from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Investigators earlier this week searched several properties for evidence, but there were no plans to continue the searches, Alumbaugh said Friday. He declined to comment on any evidence found. CNN's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.

NEW: Darrel Mohler, another relative, charged with two counts of rape Friday . Five relatives were arrested Tuesday after six people accused them of abuse . More alleged victims have come forward since initial arrests, police say . Allegations date from the mid-1980s through at least the mid-'90s, the sheriff said .

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Former South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun committed suicide Saturday by leaping to his death from a hill behind his house, the government announced. Former South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun served from 2003-2008. He was 62. Roh, who was president from 2003 to 2008, had gone hiking near his home with an aide about 6:30 a.m. Saturday (5:30 p.m. ET on Friday), the state-run Yonhap news agency said. He was found later with head injuries, and died at 9:30 a.m. after being taken to a hospital in Busan, police said. A hospital spokesman declined to comment. Roh left a suicide note for his family that family lawyer Moon Jae-in handed out to South Korean media. News reports said Roh wrote it on his computer about half an hour before he left the house. "I am in debt to too many people," the note reads. "Too many people have suffered because of me. And I cannot imagine the suffering they will go through in the future." Roh's death came amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had tarnished his reputation. Prosecutors were investigating the former president for allegedly receiving $6 million in bribes from a South Korean businessman while in office. Roh's wife was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors Saturday, and Roh was planning to answer a second round of questions next week. With Roh's death, prosecutors said, the case against him has been suspended. Roh had said he was ashamed about the scandal. In the first round of questioning, he said he was losing face and that he was disappointing his supporters. Watch more about his death » . The former president said he learned about the payments only after he left office and that some of them were legitimate investments, Yonhap reported. Roh wrote about his thoughts on a blog that he maintained, which also attracted supporters and tourists to his hometown, Yonhap said. Watch Roh's political rise and fall remembered » . Roh's suicide note said his health was poor and that "nothing is left in my life but to be a burden to others." "Don't be too sad. Aren't life and death both a piece of nature? Don't be sorry. Don't blame anyone. It is fate," he wrote. The note asks that his body be cremated and for a small headstone to be left near his house. "It's what I have thought about for a long time," he writes at the end. Although Roh had not made a formal guilty plea, many were disappointed that a man who came to power vowing an end to corruption would face such allegations. U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement he was "saddened" by news of Roh's death. "During his tenure, President Roh contributed to the strong and vital relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea," Obama said in the statement issued by the White House. "On behalf of the government of the United States, I offer my condolences to his family and to the Korean people." Roh hoped to leave a legacy of improved relations with North Korea. Just before he left the presidency, Roh became the first South Korean leader to cross the demilitarized zone and meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Roh believed in the "sunshine policy" of his predecessor, Kim Dae-Jung, that sought to engage the north, and Roh also promised aid. Roh spoke to CNN correspondent Sohn Jie-ae just after that trip and said he thought his legacy would be to ensure that many others crossed the demilitarized zone after him. The current South Korean president, Lee Myung-Bak, however, takes a harder line on the north and has so far not continued Roh's efforts. CNN's Sohn Jie-ae contributed to this report from Seoul.

Attorney: Roh committed suicide by leaping to his death from a hill . Roh's death came amid bribery investigation that has tarnished his reputation . Was first South Korean leader to cross the DMZ and meet with Kim Jong Il . President Obama offered condolences from U.S. to his family and Korean people .

(CNN) -- The construction of what would be Seoul's tallest building has hit a snag following the appearance of a number of mysterious sinkholes in and around the neighborhood where it is being built. Residents of South Korea's capital are alarmed by the increasing incidence of sinkholes -- depressions, measuring up to several feet in depth and diameter, which have suddenly appeared around Seoul. The first one was discovered in June, and since then several others have appeared, local media have reported. Now, in a climate marked by increased safety concerns, the construction of a huge skyscraper in the city has come under scrutiny. Last month, two holes within a couple of meters of each other were discovered near the National Assembly in the Yeouido district of the capital. Several examples of this unexplained phenomenon have occurred near the site of the Lotte World Tower, a half-constructed commercial and office development by Korean conglomerate Lotte which, when completed, will be the sixth tallest tower in the world. Holes have appeared in at least two streets in the Songpa district, where the new tower is being built, including a 50 centimeter (20 inch) wide hole only half a kilometer (a third of a mile) from the Lotte World Tower construction site. So far, authorities are baffled. "We do not know the cause yet," a police officer told the Korea Times. "In cooperation with Seoul Metro and Seoul Metropolitan Government, we investigated the problem and only found that the holes have nothing to do with sewerage." A lake near the site, which appears to be shrinking, is also cause for concern. Water levels have fallen about 70 centimeters (27 inches), although Seulki Lee, a spokesperson for Lotte Group, told CNN that it would be "nearly impossible" for the water to drain into the tower's foundations due to a slurry wall between the lake and the construction. The spokesperson also said that the company was looking into the mysterious sinkholes. "We are working on an investigation of sinkholes but it will take some time to figure out what's going on," she said. She said that academics and engineers from Lotte have told the construction company that the sinkholes are not related to the site but it is "necessary to figure out what is going on" to provide assurance for the public. Plans for the 555-meter (1,821-foot), 123-story tower were first put forward almost two decades ago, but planning permission was slow in coming, due to security concerns from a nearby military base. Construction of the tower, designed by American firm KPF, is underway and more than half of the tower's floors have been completed. The architecture firm was, at the time of press, unavailable for comment. Professor Hong Gun Park of Seoul National University's Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering was a consultant on the project, completing an "outsider's evaluation." He told CNN that the foundations of the building were solid, and that Seoul had no history of subsidence. "People found sinkholes near the building site, (and) since there is a small lake, they are worried about the robustness of the foundation of the building. "However, recently many sinkholes were found here and there in Seoul. Furthermore the foundation of the building is deep and is sitting on the deep hard rock. Thus in my opinion there is no problem (with) the structural safety of the building." He said that it was unlikely that the Seoul municipal government would halt construction without reasonable cause. The safety concerns over the building come months after the country was shocked by the sinking in April of the Sewol ferry, which led to widespread criticism throughout South Korea that safety was not a priority. Almost 300 people, mostly teenagers on a school trip, died when the ferry capsized. orv . Corvette museum reopens after sinkhole swallowed pricey cars . Sinkholes: Common, costly and sometimes deadly .

Appearance of mystery sinkholes around Seoul have authorities baffled . Holes near construction of the Lotte World Tower, the world's 6th tallest building, have led to a review . Following April's Sewol ferry tragedy, safety has become a focus in South Korea .

Mugello (CNN) -- Their relationship may have become fraught during the 2013 Formula One season, so just how does Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo rate the efforts of his star driver Fernando Alonso? "A good eight out of 10," Di Montezemolo told CNN as he reflected on a season where Ferrari has played second fiddle to the all-conquering Red Bull team. The Ferrari chairman resorted to "tweaking" his Spanish driver's ear earlier this season after the double world champion appeared to criticize the team's F138 car at July's Hungarian Grand Prix. But any tension between the two seems to have eased, with Di Montezemolo awarding Alonso the eight mark for his performance this year and comparing him to some of Ferrari's greatest ever drivers. "I think he's really a very, very good driver," Di Montezemolo told CNN ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. "I've been with drivers like Niki Lauda, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher -- fantastic -- but Alonso in the races is really fantastic. "Alonso has been also very good in the races to understand when was necessary to push and when it was necessary to calm down to save the tires." Managing the tires proved difficult for most of the drivers on the grid in 2013, with the exception being newly-crowned quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel. With the Red Bull maestro taking the checkered flag at each of the last eight grands prix -- a record-breaking run -- Alonso has been left 145 points adrift of the German driver and in second place with one race left in the season. Alonso's cause has not been helped by a series of events which led to the sport's official tire supplier Pirelli ditching their 2013 rubber and reverting to the set it produced for the 2012 season. However, Di Montezemolo refused to blame the tires for a run which has seen Ferrari fail to win a race since May's Spanish Grand Prix -- "I never like to use the word 'excuse'" -- preferring to focus on the success the team enjoyed in the opening rounds of the championship. "The first half of the season we won two races, so Ferrari was far more competitive," explained the 66-year-old. "This is a fact ... when the tires were changed we paid a big price. "I don't like the formula in which a driver has to be careful not to destroy the tires." While happy with the performance of Alonso, who will be partnered by Kimi Raikkonen in 2014 when the Finn returns to the team with which he won the drivers' title in 2007, Di Montezemolo was unable to contain his disappointment with the progress the team has made off the track. "Why I am not happy this year is that we haven't been able to develop the car after a very good start of the season," he said. "So that was our problem." The 2014 season will see a raft of rule changes, most significantly the mandatory use of a 1.6 liter turbocharged V6 engine which incorporates energy recovery systems. KERS, which stores up energy created while braking to provide cars with extra power, is an energy recovery system which is already used in the sport. "I am very happy to change rules, because I don't like formulas which aerodynamic means 90% of the performance," said Di Montezemolo, who hopes Ferrari can capitalize on its wealth of automotive design expertise. "We are not building aeroplanes or satellites, we're building cars. "Engine, gearbox, suspensions: these are also crucial, particularly for us, because - as we said - our experience in F1 means to transfer technology to our cars."

Luca di Montezemolo gives Fernando Alonso "eight out of 10" for 2013 season . The Ferrari chairman at Alonso appeared to clash earlier in the year . Di Montezemolo refuses to blame the tires for Ferrari's struggles in 2013 . Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the final race of the 2013 season .

(CNN) -- High temperatures in America's Plains States are expected to rival those in Death Valley again Monday, according to the National Weather Service, which predicts a heat wave to roast the county's midsection for yet another day as it spreads to the east. The hottest spots located in Oklahoma through South Dakota should see highs over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and top temps are forecast in the 90's for most of the rest of the county -- with the exception of some mountain and coastal regions. Much of middle America baked in a heat wave Sunday, and the National Weather Service declared excessive heat warnings in at least 14 states, most of those in the upper Midwest. Several daily temperature records were broken -- from Alpena, Michigan, south to Miami, Florida. "Heat index values" -- how hot it feels outside -- have been running over 125 degrees Fahrenheit in the worst-hit areas, the National Weather Service said. The scale designed to describe how intense heat feels also includes factors such as humidity. "This is the hottest it's been for the longest period of time," said Emily McNamara from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where the temperatures were expected to hover in the mid-90s through the middle of the week. Extreme heat is forecast to bear down on the eastern United States by the end of this week. Jacob Beitlich, a Des Moines, Iowa-based meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said that two factors contribute to make this current heat wave especially dangerous: the lack of a significant drop in temperatures overnight to allow people's bodies to cool down and relatively high humidity, which makes it feel appreciably hotter than the thermostat may indicate. In Iowa, for instance, he noted that the impact of mid-90s temperatures have been compounded by relatively high dew points in the upper 70s and low 80s. These combine to make the heat index -- a meteorological measure for how it feels outside -- spike so that it feels as hot as 126 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the weather service. "That takes a toll on your body," Beitlich explained. "When it's more humid, it's more difficult to cool down from sweating." Prevent heat-related illnesses . The National Weather Service notes that typically extreme heat is the biggest weather-related killer in the United States, taking about 115 lives each year. That's why it and other government agencies urge people to minimize their time outdoors in periods of extreme heat, drink plenty of fluids, and keep especially close tabs on the elderly and young people. In Missouri scores of cooling centers have been established in libraries, senior centers, schools and other sites around the state to help deal with continuously high temperatures. At Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota Twins supporters stood in long lines to get water from coolers, used spray fans, wrapped wet towels on their head during a Sunday game -- anything to keep cool. "It is blistering out," said one fan, Jeff Ferris. "Brutal. I've probably lost 10 pounds today -- it's crazy." While the recent stretch has been particularly difficult, it's all part of what's been a continuously long, hot and in many cases dry summer in numerous locales. The weather service indicates that Oklahoma, for instance, already has had 27 days this year in which the temperature surpassed 100 degrees. Not everyone in the region sweat it out though this weekend. McNamara notes that the Wild West Waterpark, where she is aquatic manager, has had "record-breaking days in terms of attendance" in recent days, with several thousand flooding in to get wet and beat the heat. "It's awesome," she said. "You see people coming out having fun. It makes for a fast day." CNN's Ted Rowlands and Jacqui Jeras contributed to this report.

NEW: No break from the heat Monday, says the National Weather Service . The National Weather Service declared excessive heat warnings Sunday for 14 states . High humidity has driven up heat indices, making it feel as hot as 126 degrees . The extreme heat is forecast to move east by week's end, affecting the East Coast .

(CNN) -- Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's home after a 911 call. Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT. An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner's office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital. Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m. Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson's death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends. CNN Analyst Roland S. Martin spoke on Thursday with Marlon Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson. "I talked to Frank Dileo, Michael's manager. Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn't feeling well. "Michael's doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, 'Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don't know what happened.' When they got to him this morning, he wasn't breathing. They rushed him to the hospital and couldn't bring him around." "Janet Jackson is grief-stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of her brother," Kenneth Crear, her manager said. "She is ... flying immediately to California to be with her family." Michael Jackson, the music icon from Gary, Indiana, was known as the "King of Pop." Jackson had many No. 1 hits, and his "Thriller" is the best-selling album of all time. Watch why Jackson is "as big as it gets" » . Jackson was the seventh of nine children from a well-known musical family. He is survived by three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II. Watch Jesse Jackson share memories » . Jackson's former wife, Lisa Marie Presley, said she was "shocked and saddened" by Jackson's death. "My heart goes out to his children and his family," she said. At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying. iReport.com: Your Michael Jackson tributes . Video footage shows a large crowd gathering outside the hospital. Some of Jackson's music was being played outside. The sounds of "Thriller" and "Beat It" bounced off the walls. Kingston: Jackson "a legend" » . Outside Jackson's Bel Air home, police arrived on motorcycles. The road in front of the home was closed in an attempt to hold traffic back, but several people were gathered outside the home. Sharpton: Jackson "was a trailblazer" » . Along with his success Jackson had some legal troubles later in his career. He was acquitted of child molestation charges after a well-publicized trial in Santa Maria, California, in March 2006. Prosecutors charged the singer with four counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14; one count of attempted lewd conduct; four counts of administering alcohol to facilitate child molestation; and one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment or extortion. CNN's Alan Duke contributed to this report.

NEW: Marlon Jackson: Manager said doctor was at Michael's home Wednesday night . NEW: Jackson said he wasn't feeling well Wednesday, brother says . Former wife Lisa Marie Presley "shocked and saddened" by death . Jackson pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT, says brother Jermaine Jackson .

(CNN) -- FIFA has employed a pair of high-profile crimefighters to help tackle corruption in the game, after a wake of scandals that have engulfed soccer's world governing body. President Sepp Blatter announced that former United States attorney Michael J Garcia and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert had joined the organization to probe allegations of wrongdoing. Their first task will be to investigate a Swiss court document after an investigation into alleged illegal payments made by FIFA marketing partner International Sports and Leisure (ISL) to former FIFA president Joao Havelange and former executive committee member Ricardo Teixeira. The report found that Havelange had received at least 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.53 million) and Teixeira was paid at least CHF 12.4 million ($12.64 million) from marketing partner ISL. Blatter: I knew about 'illegal' payments . Last week Blatter admitted that he did know about the alleged bribes handed to former FIFA executives, but insisted he didn't think they were illegal at the time. As well as the new appointments, Blatter also announced a new FIFA Code of Ethics which includes provision to remove time limitations for the prosecution of bribery and corruption cases. He said the new two-chamber court would help to prosecute cases more quickly and could look retrospectively at old cases, including the process surrounding the decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. "I don't see any limitation if anything has happened," he told a press conference at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, when asked about the ISL case. "We have a new set of rules and regulations, we have new regulations for the Ethics Committee, we have no statute of limitations there. "What you are mentioning right now, this is a case that has been taken to the Supreme Court in Switzerland, where a decision was taken, so FIFA will now look into only moral and ethical issues." Garcia was appointed head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the Department of Homeland Security by former president George W. Bush. He has prosecuted a number of high-profile cases including the 1993 terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in New York. Eckert is a specialist when it comes to big bribery charges, and presided over an investigation into German telecommunications giant Siemens that uncovered billion-dollar payments. Blatter spoke of his delight at the dual appointment on his official Twitter page, writing: "Major milestone for our governance process: Ethics Code approved, independent chairmen for investigatory & adjudicatory chambers. "I remain 100% committed to reforms and FIFA fully backs Michael Garcia and Hans-Joachim Eckert, the two new independent chairmen. "On my request, ISL file will be given to the new Ethics Committee. ISL is settled legally -- now it will be settled also morally." Meanwhile, Mohamed bin Hammam, a former challenger to Blatter for the FIFA presidency, has been suspended for 30 days over new corruption allegations. The Qatari was banned from soccer for life after a FIFA probe found him guilty of offering bribes in return for votes during his challenge to Blatter, which he withdrew hours before his ban. He was temporarily replaced as head of the Asian Football Confederation, after serving for nine years as president. Bin Hammam has repeatedly protested his innocence and has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with a verdict due this week. But the AFC announced on their website that he had been suspended after an inspection of the organization's accounts. The audit concerned "the negotiation and execution of certain contracts and with the financial transactions made in and out of AFC bank accounts and his personal account during the tenure of Mr Bin Hammam's presidency," it said.

FIFA unveil two new appointments to their Ethics Committee at press call in Zurich . US attorney Michael J Garcia and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert join organization . Pair will help investigate allegations of wrongdoing in world football . First task is to probe documents relating to case involving marketing firm ISL .

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Democrats continue to splinter over President Obama's proposed health care reform plan, Republicans are taking the opportunity to home in on a key argument: A good bill deserves more time and deliberation. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, says his party may have enough votes to stall Democratic health care reform. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Georgia, said Friday that Obama's rush to put a bill together is "totally irresponsible." "Most of us believe that the decision as to major reform of how Americans get their health care in this country deserves at least as much time and deliberation as it would take to select a puppy to live in the White House," he said. "It took the president six months to decide how long and which puppy he was going to have. ... To expect Congress to do something on major health care reform in six days is totally irresponsible." Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, speaking on conservative Hugh Hewitt's radio show recently, was asked about whether his party had enough votes to block health care from going forward. His answer: "I think so. I really do." "If he is unsuccessful, which I anticipate and will predict he is, on getting a vote prior to the August recess, then I would say there's no way in the world they're going to get this done this year," he added. Obama's fight to get health care reform through Congress hit a major snag this week -- facing opposition from Republicans and fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats worried over the costs -- estimated to be around $1 trillion. On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced that the Senate would not take up a vote before August recess -- a deadline that Obama had originally wanted. Watch a GOP senator lash out at Obama's plan » . Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas responded to Democratic criticism that the GOP has failed to present a viable plan. "When the Democrats say we don't have a plan ... where's their plan? If they can't get a bill out of committee, where's their plan?" he said. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said it's hard to combat the Democrats' proposed legislation when it changes "by 100 pages every time you walk into the room." The GOP's fight is also getting political, namely looking ahead to the upcoming midterm election. "I just hope the president keeps talking about it, keeps trying to rush it through. We can stall it. And that's going to be a huge gain for those of us who want to turn this thing over in the 2010 election," Inhofe said. Last week, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, was quoted as telling the group Conservatives for Patients' Rights, which opposes Obama's health care plan, that "if we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Obama debunked DeMint's claim during a live prime time news conference Wednesday night at the White House. "I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to 'go for the kill.' Another Republican senator said that defeating health reform is about 'breaking' me," he said. "Let me be clear: This isn't about me," Obama said, noting that he and every member of Congress -- including those trying to scuttle health care reform legislation -- "have great health insurance." Obama's chief-of-staff, Rahm Emanuel, took a swipe at the GOP's political maneuvering. "At least they're honest about their motivation," Emanuel told National Public Radio Friday. "Their view about health care is about defeating President Obama. Politically, I actually appreciate what they said."

GOP Rep. Deal: Obama spent more time picking a dog than health care plan . Obama's health care fight hit a major snag this week . Sen. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, says it's unlikely the president will get a bill this year . Inhofe says stalling health care reform could be good for GOP in 2010 .

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Nobel laureate biologist James Watson was suspended Friday from his longtime post at a research laboratory and canceled his planned British book tour after controversial comments that black people are not as intelligent as white people. James Watson won the 1962 Nobel prize for discovering the structure of DNA. Watson has apologized for the controversial remarks. He failed to appear to a book signing at a London bookshop Friday afternoon, and organizers of his planned Sunday evening talk at Newcastle's Center for Life said they had been informed Watson would not appear because he was already on a flight home to the States. The board of trustees at New York's Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which Watson has led for nearly four decades, said they had suspended his administrative responsibilities pending a review of his comments. Watson, 79, an American who won the 1962 Nobel prize for his role in discovering the double-helix structure of DNA, apologized Thursday for his remarks -- but not before London's Science Museum canceled his talk there, planned for Friday evening. The museum said Watson's words had "gone beyond the point of acceptable debate." The controvery began with an October 14 interview Watson gave to the Sunday Times, which quoted him saying he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really." Watson also asserted there was no reason to believe different races separated by geography should have evolved identically, and he said that while he hoped everyone was equal, "people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true." The biologist apologized "unreservedly" Thursday for his comments and said he was "mortified" by the words attributed to him. "I cannot understand how I could have said what I am quoted as having said," Watson said during an appearance at the Royal Society in London. "I can certainly understand why people, reading those words, have reacted in the ways that they have." "To all those who have drawn the inference from my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can only apologize unreservedly. That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of view, there is no scientific basis for such a belief." Watson was expected to sign copies of his new book, Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science, at Blackwell bookshop in central London Friday afternoon but failed to appear. Soon afterward, a spokeswoman for the Center for Life in Newcastle, where Watson was expected to speak Sunday night, said they had been told Watson was canceling all speaking engagements and was already flying home. Center spokeswoman Julia Hankin said they were disappointed. "We welcomed the opportunity to discuss his controversial comments," Hankin said. "We had hoped for a rigorous and lively debate." Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, the institute on New York's Long Island which Watson has headed since 1968, confirmed it had suspended his responsibilities as chancellor "pending further deliberation by the board." It said the board publicly disagreed with the comments attributed to Watson in the Sunday Times. Late Thursday, The 1990 Trust, a British civil rights group, called for a boycott of Watson's books and pressure to be put on venues to cancel his planned appearances. Watson's remarks to the Sunday Times were but the latest controversial comments from the eminent biologist. In 1997, Britain's Sunday Telegraph quoted Watson as saying that if a gene for homosexuality were isolated, women who find that their unborn child has the gene should be allowed to have an abortion. During a lecture tour in 2000, he suggested there might be links between skin color and sexual prowess and between a person's weight and their level of ambition. And in a British TV documentary that aired in 2003, Watson suggested that stupidity was a genetic disease that should be treated. E-mail to a friend . CNN correspondent Alphonso Van Marsh contributed to this report.

Nobel laureate biologist James Watson suspended from job after comments . Watson said in interview that black people less intelligent than whites . He has apologized for the controversial remarks, denounced as racist .

Salt Lake City, Utah (CNN) -- The estranged wife of the man accused of kidnapping then-14-year-old Elizabeth Smart from her family's Salt Lake City home in 2002 testified Friday that the defendant manipulated her into doing things by saying his orders were divine law. "I was told that no matter how difficult I found the load to bear, I needed to follow the law or suffer eternal consequences," said Wanda Barzee about her husband, Brian Mitchell. Mitchell played to his wife's strong religious beliefs, telling her that divine revelations required she carry out acts that included participating in the kidnapping, she said in her second and final day of testimony in her husband's trial. "I was told that we were commanded to take 14-year-old young women and we were to snatch them out of the world and train them up in the ministries of God," said Barzee. She is serving a sentence of up to 15 years after striking a plea deal last year with state and federal prosecutors for her role in the abduction and agreeing to testify for the prosecution. But the prosecution did not call her, the defense did. Mitchell used the revelations to explain his heavy drinking, his engaging in oral sex with Smart and his demand that she "demonstrate sexual activity" in front of Smart, said Mitchell. "He never expressed any remorse about kidnapping Ms. Smart, did he?" Prosecutor Francis Viti asked. "No," Barzee responded. Barzee said she helped Mitchell in his meticulous preparation for Smart's abduction, from setting up the bucket that the girl was to use as her bathroom to setting up the tent in which the girl was to be raped. "I was told that I needed to listen to the plan of my husband," she said. Asked if that meant she "needed to be submissive and obey?" Barzee responded, "Yes." Mitchell told her prior to the Smart abduction "that I needed to take seven wives into my heart and home," Barzee said, adding that the news upset her greatly. One such attempt involved a fellow church member named Kelly who was eight months pregnant with another man's child, said Barzee, who added that she agreed to Kelly becoming another wife to Mitchell. Mitchell ultimately ended the marriage with Kelly for reasons that Barzee said were unclear. An attempt to recruit a shoe store worker named Julie to become one of Mitchell's wives failed, she said. During the winter of 2001, Mitchell revealed a new divine order, Barzee said. "We were given the commandment to take young girls, between the ages of 10 to 14 years old." Mitchell would go downtown to "minister," which she said meant to beg, "and stalk young girls out -- try to find out where they lived." On June 4, 2002, the night of the abduction, she and Mitchell fought, Barzee said. "I just knew how drastically my life was going to change," she said, adding that she was "devastated" by the prospect of taking the girl by force. Barzee, who had taken medication for mental illness prior to marrying Mitchell, said she stopped taking it when they were together at his insistence. She said her biggest fear was losing Mitchell and that she was terrified of being alone. Barzee wept when recounting having been forced by Mitchell to cook her 10-year-old daughter's pet rabbit and serve it to her. "Brian had me tell her that it was chicken," said the mother of six from a previous marriage. Barzee's testimony came after her husband was escorted from the courtroom after he began singing hymns, as he has been doing throughout the trial. Mitchell faces life in prison if he is convicted of kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes. Barzee is being held at a federal medical center in Fort Worth, Texas, where she has been receiving mental health treatment, including medication.

Wanda Barzee says she regrets having succumbed to her husband's demands . Brian Mitchell played to her strong religious beliefs, estranged wife says . Witness says she was ordered to cook her daughter's pet rabbit, then serve it to her .

ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) -- The honors were late but still well-received Wednesday for members of the first all-African-American, all-female unit to serve overseas in World War II. Mary Crawford Ragland said when they came home from service, there were no parades for them. During the war, nearly 1,000 women from the "Six-Triple Eight" Central Postal Battalion moved mountains of mail for millions of American service members and civilians that clogged warehouses in England and France. Their service to their country had been overlooked for years, starting with when they returned to the United States from assignments overseas. "There was no parade," said Mary Crawford Ragland. "We just came home." The 82-year old was among those gathered Wednesday at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, where a U.S. Army support group called the Freedom Team Salute presented them with certificates of appreciation, timed with Black History Month. Watch women receive their honors » . The group also gives a letter of appreciation signed by the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army, an Army lapel pin and an Army decal. For Alyce Dixon, 101, it was worth the wait. "They asked me because I'm one of the oldest survivors, and I can still talk," she said with a smile. Nearly 800 women that were part of the 6888th were first stationed in Birmingham, England, for three months, moved to Rouen, France, and finally settled in Paris, according to the Army's Web site. They were responsible for redirecting mail to more than seven million people -- all U.S. armed forces in the European Theater of Operations, including Army, Navy, Marine Corps, civilians and Red Cross workers. As Army units quickly moved throughout Western Europe and into Germany, a massive mail snag occurred because of a manpower shortage. Soldiers continued to move, fighting battles across the continent, but weren't getting their mail. Morale began to drop. That's when the Army turned to the "Six-Triple-Eight" When Dixon and the other women arrived at a warehouse in early 1945, they found the building had no heat. Inside the warehouse, the windows were painted black to keep the light from coming out at night against bombing raids. Because there was no heat, the women donned long johns and anything else they could layer on. But the temperature was nothing compared with the daunting challenge of sorting the mail. When they walked inside the warehouse, it was stacked to the ceiling with undelivered packages and letters. "They had 90 billion pieces of mail," Dixon told CNN, some of it from hometown friends and family addressed only to "Junior, U.S. Army or Buster, U.S. Army," she said. "We had to figure it out," she said. Even when there were complete names, it wasn't easy. There were 7,500 soldiers named Robert Smith in the European Theater of Operations, according to the Museum of Black WWII History Web site, and the women had to keep them straight. Because all undeliverable mail passed through them, they were charged with keeping information cards on everyone in the European Theater of Operations, according to the Army site. Because frontline soldiers were often moved frequently, the women often had to update information several times a month. While it was an arduous task, the women knew the importance of their job. For soldiers in the field, letters from loved ones brought important personal connections that kept their morale going. So they kept on sorting. Eight hours at a time, three shifts per day, seven days a week, they kept on sorting. And because of them, 65,000 letters went out each shift to soldiers across Europe. On Wednesday, the favor was finally returned.

Women were enlisted to help with backlog of mail that was decreasing morale . They worked in freezing conditions but sorted 65,000 letters a shift . Women had to find who letters addressed to "Buster" or "Junior" were for . Women responsible for mail for more than 7 million service members and civilians .

(CNN) -- California may be known for its earthquakes, but so far this year it has been surpassed by an unlikely state: Oklahoma. Experts say wastewater wells are likely linked to the big increase in the number of quakes recorded in Oklahoma. Between 1978 and 2008, Oklahoma experienced an average of just two quakes of 3.0 magnitude of greater. In 2014, as of Thursday, there have been about 207 such quakes recorded in the state, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The upward trend started in 2009, with 20 quakes of 3.0 magnitude or greater, then 43 the following year, and jumping every year with the exception of 2012. Oklahoma has now surpassed California in quakes, and seismologists see no end in sight, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. California has recorded about 140 3.0-magnitude quakes or greater, compared to 207 in Oklahoma. The oil and gas industry's injection of wastewater deep into the Earth apparently is linked to the shift in seismic activity in Oklahoma, Myers said. The fracturing fluid seems to be lubricating existing faults that have not moved in recent years, he said. The fracturing process is not creating new faults, but are exposing faults that already exist, he said. On Wednesday, at least seven earthquakes were recorded in Oklahoma, according to the USGS. There were no reports of significant damage, but that doesn't mean that these quakes are not of concern to scientists. "The fact that the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma is even comparable to California is unusual," USGS geophysicist Rob Williams said. "We've seen swarms of earthquakes over the interior of the U.S., but this is on a completely different scale, for the area where all the earthquakes are occurring is bigger than any previous swarm," he added. "It's not really a swarm, it's really a collection of swarms." It cannot be ruled out that the spike in earthquakes is a once-every-10,000-years thing, but scientists don't know and a surprised by the numbers. "Given the rate of earthquakes over the last six months, it's concerning enough to be worried about a larger, damaging earthquake happening, let alone what might happen in the future," Williams said. Many of these quakes are being linked to wastewater injection, he said. Some earthquakes have been linked to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, but for the most part, the Oklahoma earthquakes are linked to wastewater wells, Williams said. Geophysicists have not been able to gather data to pin down the certain set of wastewater wells that are causing the earthquake problem, but they're hopeful to learn more about the problematic wells in the future. Research into the links between the wastewater wells and quakes started about four years ago, Williams said. To better gauge the increased quakes, USGS and Oklahoma officials have added monitoring stations, which now stand at 15 permanent facilities and 17 temporary stations. The Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association last month urged a wait-and-see approach in judging the USGS's assertions on links between wastewater disposal and earthquakes. "Because crude oil and natural gas is produced in 70 of Oklahoma's 77 counties, any seismic activity within the state is likely to occur near oil and natural gas activity. The OIPA and the oil and gas industry as a whole support the continued study of Oklahoma's increased seismic activity, but a rush to judgment provides no clear understanding of the causes," the industry group said. Measuring the magnitude of earthquakes . What to know about earthquakes . The place where two earthquakes hit every hour . Feds: Energy mining's disposal wells may have role in Oklahoma's earthquakes . CNN's Shawn Nottingham and Michael Martinez contributed to this report.

So far this year, there have been more quakes in Oklahoma than California . Experts: Wastewater wells appear linked to many quakes . Scientists worried about a major earthquakes .

(CNN) -- Claudio Ranieri has resigned as AS Roma coach following the Italian Serie A side blew a three-goal lead to lose 4-3 at Genoa on Sunday. The result marked a fourth consecutive defeat for the Rome-based club, who also lost to Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League earlier this week. After much speculation about Ranieri's future, AFP reported that the 59-year-old had told Italian news agency Ansa that he had quit. "I've always thought about the good of Roma and after a game such as today's I believe it's right to give a signal. After the final whistle I went into the changing rooms to thank the team and I decided to hand in my resignation," the Italian reportedly said. The day had started brightly for Ranieri as he saw his team go 3-0 up within 51 minutes thanks to goals from Philippe Mexes, Nicolas Burdisso and skipper Francesco Totti. But things soon took a turn for the worst as Genoa staged a remarkable comeback scoring four goals in in 35 minutes to seal Ranieri's fate. The former Chelsea boss, who had been in charge at Roma since 2009, leaves the side in eighth place in Serie A, trailing league leaders AC Milan by 13 points and city rivals Lazio by four. Roma's president Rosella Sensi says that the club will make a decision on the coaching situation on Monday, according to AFP. "We will act on what he's said," she said. Meanwhile, a late goal from substitute Alexandre Pato ensured AC Milan maintained their lead at the top of the Italian league with a 2-1 win at 10-man Chievo Verona. Brazil striker Robinho gave Massimiliano Allegri's side the lead after 25 minutes, before Switzerland's Gelson Fernandes equalized for mid-table Chievo when play resumed in the second half. Brazil's Pato then came off the bench to score the winner, just before Chievo's Slovenian defender Bostjan Cesar was given a red card for a second-bookable offence with six minutes left to play. Defending champions Inter had moved within two points of the league leaders on Saturday following victory over Cagliari, but Milan's triumph means they now have five-point cushion over their third-placed city rivals. Napoli reclaimed second place with a 1-0 win at home to Catania, the club's fourth league victory in five matches. Colombia international Juan Camilo Zuniga scored the only goal in the 25th minute to put Napoli three points off the lead, while Catania are the same distance from the relegation zone. Fourth-placed Lazio beat bottom-of-the-table Bari 1-0 at home at Rome's Stadio Olimpico thanks to an early goal from Brazilian midfielder Hernanes. Lecce kept their hopes of survival alive with a 2-0 win at home over Champions League qualification contenders Juventus, who had goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was sent off for a deliberate handball after just 12 minutes. Djamel Mesbah scored for Lecce in the first half before Andrea Bertolacci doubled the lead early in the second. Parma came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to second-from-bottom Cesena thanks to a penalty from Hernan Crespo and a late strike from substitute Rafaelle Palladino. Fifth-placed Udinese's Champions League ambitions suffered a setback as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home with lowly Brescia, while the game between Fiorentina and Sampdoria also finished in stalemate.

Claudio Ranieri quits AS Roma coach after Sunday's Serie A defeat at Genoa . After leading 3-0, the capital club lose 4-3 to record fourth consecutive loss . AC Milan stay top of league table, three points clear, with 2-1 win at Chievo Verona . Napoli reclaim second place from Inter Milan, fourth-placed Lazio also win .

DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- Syria hopes a series of indirect talks with Israel will soon lead to direct negotiations, President Bashar al-Assad told CNN's Cal Perry Thursday in an exclusive interview. French President Nicolas Sarkozy (right) and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad meet in Damascus. Al-Assad said that possibility was discussed during a summit attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the leaders of Turkey and Qatar. Word of the Syrian proposal came during a landmark visit to Damascus by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. He and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took part in a summit Thursday that also included the leaders of Turkey and Qatar. "The dialogue today was about the peace," al-Assad told CNN's Cal Perry in an exclusive interview. "I could not say we achieved something but starting the dialogue is a positive issue." Al-Assad told CNN: "We are talking about the future, the role of Europe and especially France in particular during the next phase which is the direct negotiations," he said. Syria and Israel have been involved in indirect talks in Turkey for the past few months. There have been four rounds of talks so far, and Syria hopes to begin a fifth round early next week, according to a senior official close to the negotiations. The Syrian government has put forward a six-point proposal outlining goals for furthering indirect talks with Israel, a senior Syrian government official. The Syrian government handed the proposal to Turkey to pass along to Israel, the senior official said. Israeli officials did not immediately confirm whether they had received a copy of Syria's proposals, but they did say they were trying to set up another round of talks with Turkish mediation. "We are still interested in the continuation of the talks with a genuine intention to reach an agreement," an Israeli official said. U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the United States wants to see Syria "play a more productive role in the region." "I think it remains to be seen just how serious Syria is about engaging in peace discussions with Israel," Wood said. "If Syria is serious about it, about making peace with Israel, I think what is important is to see actions not words." Al-Assad has consistently said the United States must be involved in the process before any direct talks can begin. He has also said there is no point in involving the U.S. before the presidential election in November. The Bush administration hasn't "done anything, to be honest," he said. "Now it's too late. We have to wait for the next administration, after the American election, to see what we can do." Al-Assad added that he would be happy to host whichever presidential candidate won the election but would not say if he thought Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama would be better for U.S.-Syrian relations. Sarkozy is the highest-level French official to visit Syria since their good relations froze after the 2005 assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, anti-Syrian Rafik Hariri. A U.N.-appointed commission investigating Hariri's assassination has implicated top Syrian officials. Syria has denied any involvement in Hariri's murder. Watch more about Sarkozy's visit to Syria » . Sarkozy said Wednesday the two countries were about to open a new page in their friendship, the official Syrian news agency, SANA, reported. The French president said indirect talks between Syria and Israel were "excellent" for the two countries and for the region, and he expressed hope that they would lead to direct talks as soon as possible, SANA said. The main issue in the Syria-Israel negotiations is the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 war. The senior official close to the negotiations said one prospect being discussed is a land-buyback plan to allow Syria to purchase the Golan Heights over a period of 99 years. CNN's Cal Perry and Jordana Miller contributed to this report.

Syrian president raises possibility of direct talks with Israel . Syria says U.S. must be involved before direct talks can begin . Syria and Israel involved in indirect talks in Turkey for past few months . French President Nicolas Sarkozy currently visiting Syria .

(CNN) -- The death rate from cancer in the United States has dropped dramatically in the last two decades, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. American cancer death rates have risen consistently since the 1900s; they peaked in 1991 at 215.1 deaths per 100,000 in the population. The 2009 death rate, which just became available, is 173.1 per 100,000. That's a 20% decline in cancer death rates from 1991. The report also includes grim news. The ACS estimates 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 580,000 will die of cancer in 2013. As has been the case for decades, only cardiovascular disease will kill more Americans. The report, released Thursday, compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality and survival. It is based on data gathered by the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. The decline in deaths from 1991 to 2009 is clear evidence of progress in the fight against cancer. It is far more powerful than other statistics such as increasing survival rates or declining incidence rates. The 20% decrease translates into the prevention of 1.18 million cancer deaths. In 2009 alone, nearly 153,000 cancer deaths were prevented. Cancer now No. 1 killer of U.S. Hispanics . There were declines in the death rates for a number of major cancers. Lung, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer make up nearly half of all cancers diagnosed in the United States. All four had greater than 30% decreases in mortality rates. The single biggest reason for this good news is reduction in smoking rates. Improvements in early detection and cancer treatment also contributed to the decline. Analysis of the data tells us that we can do better. Substantially more lives could be saved if existing methods of cancer prevention and treatment were practiced more widely. This is incredibly important as the U.S. population increases in size and the proportion of older Americans grows. The leading cause of cancer in the United States is smoking. More than one in five Americans still smoke. In some states, such as Kentucky and Missouri, nearly 30% of residents smoke. These states have the highest cancer death rates. In other states, such as California and Utah, smoking rates are as low as 10%. These states have the lowest cancer death rates. The obesity epidemic is also affecting cancer rates in a very negative way. Indeed, obesity is the second leading cause of cancer. More than a dozen cancers -- from breast and prostate cancer to pancreatic and colon cancer -- have been linked to America's epidemic of high caloric intake and lack of physical activity. While 15% of adults were obese in 1970, more than 35% were obese in 2010. Even more concerning, 4% of children aged 6 to 11 were obese in 1970; 20% of that group were obese in 2010. While overall there is a significant decline in cancer mortality, the obesity epidemic is continuing to push the cancer mortality rate upward. A substantial proportion of Americans do not receive the high-quality preventive and treatment services that experts agree people should get. More than a third of women over 50 are not getting routine breast cancer screening. Nearly half of Americans over 50 are not getting colon cancer screening. These are interventions about which there is no controversy. Value of mass prostate cancer screenings questioned . Even more unsettling, a substantial number of Americans diagnosed with cancer are unable to get adequate treatment. If we simply get adequate medical care to those who need it, more lives could be saved. More from Brawley: How doctors do harm .

American Cancer Society releases annual report on mortality, survival . Death rates declined for lung, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer . Smoking and obesity still play a major role in causing cancer, Brawley says .

Istanbul (CNN) -- In what appears to be a broader government purge of Turkey's police force, 350 police officers were removed from their positions in the capital of Ankara on Tuesday. Police commanders were also removed from their posts in at least nine other cities around the country, the semiofficial Anadolu news agency reported. According to Turkish state media reports, most of the police officers affected were working in departments that battle terrorism, smuggling and organized crime. "The majority of the chiefs and police in question were appointed to the traffic unit," state broadcaster TRT reported on its website. The mass reassignment of police officers came amid reports of a fresh wave of police raids targeting suspects in a corruption case in the port city of Izmir. The Turkish government first began firing and reassigning scores of police officers last month, after police detained dozens of suspects closely linked to the government in an anti-corruption investigation. Amid corruption inquiry, Turkish prosecutor slams police . Police reportedly found large amounts of cash and a money counting machine in the home of the son of the interior minister, as well as shoe boxes full of cash in the residence of the director of the state-owned HalkBank. On December 25, at least four Cabinet ministers implicated in the corruption scandal were forced to resign as part of a larger Cabinet reshuffle. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the investigation. He has repeatedly said it is part of an "international conspiracy" aimed at toppling his government. Erdogan also criticized police who carried out the raids, accusing them of operating outside the chain of command. The government removed several prosecutors overseeing the investigation and briefly banned journalists from entering police stations. In a highly unusual news conference last month, one of those prosecutors accused the government of obstructing the investigation and allowing suspects to flee and tamper with evidence. Turkish police fire plastic bullets as anti-government protests rage . Other observers are sounding the alarm about the independence of the judiciary in Turkey, which is both a member of the NATO military alliance and a nation that's negotiating to join the European Union. "The future of law enforcement, the separation of powers, the constitution is in danger," said Suat Kiniklioglu, a former member of parliament from Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party. Kiniklioglu said the purge of the police force was part of the broader power struggle under way in Turkey between Erdogan and one of his former allies, a Turkish Muslim cleric who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. "The government is trying to remove police officers it thinks are close to the Fethullah Gulen group from positions where they could launch investigations into other corruption cases," Kiniklioglu told CNN. Gulen is the spiritual leader of an international empire of universities, businesses and media organizations. Until recently, he and his movement provided influential support to Erdogan during the prime minister's decade in power. Throughout this political alliance, some supporters of the reclusive cleric are believed to have assumed key positions in the Turkish police and judiciary. Last month's arrests turned simmering tensions between Erdogan and Gulen into an open verbal war between the two most charismatic leaders of moderate political Islam in Turkey. Erdogan and his deputies have openly denounced what they call a parallel state operating within the Turkish government bureaucracy. Gulen has responded in a fiery video sermon announcing, "Those who don't see the thief but go after those trying to catch the thief, who don't see the murder but try to defame others by accusing innocent people, then may God bring fire to their houses, ruin their homes, break their unity." The scandal has rattled Turkish markets. This week, the Turkish lira plunged to a record low against the dollar.

NEW: News agency says officers removed in Ankara and at least nine other Turkish cities . Most of the purged police "were appointed to the traffic unit," state broadcaster reports . The mass reassignments come amid reports of new police raids in a corruption case . Firings, reassignments began after police detained dozens in anti-corruption case last month .

(CNN) -- "The Good Wife's" season 6 premiere ratings weren't revelatory, but the episode sure was. Sunday brought the return of Julianna Margulies' Alicia Florrick in an episode called "The Line," which saw an arresting unexpected twist. After the loss of Josh Charles' Will Gardner last season, it would've been reasonable for "The Good Wife" to come back mild; give its viewers' heart rates a little rest. No such luck. Viewers were instead treated to the arrest of Matt Czuchry's Cary for allegedly assisting Chicago drug dealer Lemond Bishop in transporting narcotics. Those watching at home were stunned, and, according to Czuchry, the arrest came as a surprise to him, too. "It was certainly an unexpected storyline," the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. "When I went into wardrobe and saw it was a prison uniform that I needed to try on, I told my costume designers, 'That's not a suit ...'" We hope Czuchry's prison uniform is comfortable, because the actor added this plot won't neatly tie up anytime soon. "It's not a storyline that's going to go away. We're going to see how it affects Cary personally and professionally and how it affects everyone at the firm and on the show," the actor said to The Hollywood Reporter. "What the state's attorney's office is doing in terms of the case is going to be a huge part of season 6. Whether that means Cary is going to be in jail or out of jail I can't say, but I can say that that particular storyline is going to continue. You will learn more about Cary and Bishop's relationship. We will touch on a lot of different issues that come from that storyline. It is less about Cary being in jail and more about him having been arrested." Unfortunately, the ratings didn't quite repay "The Good Wife" for its storytelling chutzpah, as the season 6 opener was slightly down with a 1.3 rating in the advertiser-valued 18-49 adult demographic; last year's premiere received a 1.5 rating. In total viewers, the episode drew nearly 10 million. By comparison, CBS' new series, the Tea Leoni-starring "Madam Secretary," had a 2.0 in the adult demo, with 14.7 million tuning in. That's a promising start for the freshman program, which has earned some mixed reviews from critics. Leoni stars as Elizabeth McCord, a professor and former CIA agent who's abruptly appointed to the position of Secretary of State after the current one dies. McCord's also married and a mom, so part of the background for "Madam Secretary's" stories are the reality of balancing work and home life. So far, not so bad: The Washington Post thought the pilot was "taut and well-structured," aided by a "calm, cool and wry performance" from Leoni. The Los Angeles Times called the series a "front-runner" this fall TV season, thanks to its sharp writing "and formidable cast." The A.V. Club too saw potential, acknowledging that "Madam Secretary is not perfect, but it could be." But others have taken a less optimistic view. For Slate, the problem with "Madam Secretary" is that it's "just really, really dull, as if someone tried to make a counterweight to 'Scandal' with only the boring parts." Variety, which calls "Madam Secretary" a "slightly more simple-minded return to 'The West Wing,'" is curious to see how the series will use its stronger selling points. The show, the trade paper says, "has enough interesting pieces ... to have significant potential." It's just that Sunday's premiere "doesn't bode particularly well for being able to maximize those assets ... as they say in diplomatic circles, the devil is in the details."

"The Good Wife" and "Madam Secretary" premiered Sunday on CBS . "The Good Wife" was slightly down in ratings, but had a strong episode . "Madam Secretary" had better ratings, but more flaws .

(CNN) -- A South Dakota ranch worker who found a record-setting hailstone says the chunks of ice falling from the sky sounded like "big bricks" being thrown at his house. Leslie "Les" Scott found the record-breaker, which is almost the size of a soccer ball, last week. It's been been officially declared the largest ever recorded in the United States, in terms of both diameter and weight. The hailstone measured 8.0 inches in diameter, had a circumference of 18.62 inches, and weighed one pound, 15 ounces, according to the NOAA National Climate Extremes Committee. Scott says larger hailstones fell around the tiny town of Vivian, South Dakota last week. As severe thunderstorms swept through the area on July 23, Scott says he and a few friends gathered on a hilltop to watch the weather system. He abandoned his position when he saw twisters taking shape in the clouds, but continued watching the storm from his home. He told CNN that he saw hailstones that were as large or larger than the one he actually kept. In fact, Scott said the smallest hailstone he found was about the size of a tennis ball. Damage around the town is also evidence of the unusual large size of the hailstones that fell, according to Scott. He said there are patches on every home in Vivian. Hailstones punched through many roofs and ended up in attics and even bedrooms. As for the record-breaking hailstone itself, Scott said it's unusual shape was what caught his attention initially. He told CNN that, as he watched the storm pass, he saw this particular stone falling from the sky and thought it looked "spidery." On closer inspection, he found it covered in "fingers" of ice that were four or five inches long . Scott immediately took steps to preserve his unique specimen. But the after-effects of the storm interfered. He put it in the freezer but a power outage lasting 5 or 6 hours caused some melting. Scott said many of the ice "fingers" that first attracted his attention disappeared and the entire hailstone shrank a bit. He believes it was up to eleven inches in diameter when he picked it up the first time. With the focus in Vivian firmly on cleaning up and repairing homes, Scott seems bemused by the new-found notoriety that has come along with breaking a U.S. record. He wasn't even the one who notified weather officials about the hailstone. News about its unusual size actually spread by word-of-mouth. Scott says he was surprised when he started getting calls from the media. It was the weather office in Aberdeen, South Dakota that notified regional weather authorities about the discovery. They asked the National Climate Extremes Committee to evaluate the stone. Official measurements were submitted to the committee of three, who then certified that the hailstone was a record-breaker. Scott says the weather in his area has been "way out of whack" all summer. It's been much wetter than normal, and says he can keep track because he has to cut the grass about twice as often as he normally does. Even Scott's mother has been talking about how strange the weather has been during the summer of 2010. She's celebrating her 86th birthday Friday, and Scott says she's never seen anything like this before in her life. Scott's hailstone actually broke two previous records. The previous record in the weight category came from a hailstone that fell in Coffeyville, Kansas. It weighed 1.67 pounds. The previous record-holding hailstone in the diameter category fell in Aurora, Nebraska. It measured 7 inches across. This stone -- at 18.75 inches -- still holds the hailstone record for circumference.

NEW: Hail sounded like "big bricks" being thrown at the house . The stone is slightly smaller than a soccer ball . NEW: The smallest hailstone seen during storm was the size of a tennis ball . The hailstone beat record despite power-outage affecting freezer where it was stored .

(CNN) -- Chelsea have completed the English Premier League and FA Cup double for the first time in their history after a hard-fought 1-0 cup final win over Portsmouth at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. In a topsy-turvy match, which saw two penalties missed in a frantic second-half, Didier Drogba's superb long-range free-kick eventually proved the difference, as both sides wasted a host of chances to find the net. In a strange twist of fate, the final was played between the last two winners of the competition -- Portsmouth (2008) and Chelsea (2009) -- but the similarity between the two sides ended there. Chelsea had sealed the Premier League title with an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan last weekend, while Portsmouth had suffered a dreadful season in which they became the first Premier League club to enter administration after accumulating huge debts -- subsequently finishing bottom of the table and suffering relegation to the second tier Championship. And that gulf in class between the sides showed in the opening 45 minutes, with Chelsea remarkably hitting the woodwork five times as they peppered the Portsmouth goal. The most glaring miss came from Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou, who somehow contrived to hit the crossbar with an open goal gaping, after being superbly set-up by left-back Ashley Cole. Frank Lampard's dipping long-range strike and John Terry's looping header also struck the woodwork, while Drogba gave notice of what was to come in the second half with a stunning free-kick, which England goalkeeper David James somehow managed to get a fingertip to, with the ball bouncing onto the goalline and away. Portsmouth themselves had a great opportunity in the first half, when Frederic Piquionne diverted a cross goalbound, only for goalkeeper Petr Cech to instinctively scramble the ball clear. Underdogs Portsmouth began the second half with more purpose and should have taken a surprise lead. Aruna Dindane out-paced substitute Julian Belletti, who had come on for the injured Michael Ballack, and was fouled by the Brazilian in the penalty area. However, Kevin-Prince Boateng's weak spot-kick was hit straight down the middle, allowing Cech to save with his legs. And Portsmouth were made to play for that miss just two minutes later when Drogba found a gap in the Portsmouth wall to fire his free-kick into the far corner of James' net. Chelsea squandered further chances to double their lead, most notably when Frank Lampard missed the game's second penalty four minutes from the end after Lampard himself had been fouled by Michael Brown. However, Portsmouth failed to trouble Cech's goal after that, although substitute Nadir Belhadj produced a couple of dangerous crosses from the left that caused panic in the Chelsea defence. After the game, Chelsea captain John Terry paid tribute to his side, who join Tottenham (1961), Liverpool (1986), Arsenal (1971, 1998, 2002) and Manchester United (1994, 1996 and 1999) as modern-day "Double" winners. "This is an unbelievable feeling and to win the Double with this group of players is just fantastic," Terry told ITV Sport. "I thought our luck was running out with all those misses but it was a great strike from Didier and I thought we were worthy winners. "The pitch was awful, the worse pitch we have played on this season, but we played our football and managed to get the victory." The result was also a personal triumph for manager Carlo Ancelotti, who managed to achieve what no other Chelsea manager -- including Jose Mourinho -- had achieved by winning the "Double" in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea complete a league and FA Cup double after beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley . Didier Drogba's long-range free-kick proves the difference between the two sides . The match sees both sides miss penalties and Chelsea hit the woodwork five times .

Tokyo (CNN) -- Since last year's Tohoku earthquake, the scenes of devastation and Daiichi nuclear disaster immediately come to mind when people hear "Fukushima." Few see the beauty of Fukushima's landscape, both before the quake and how it now remains.Two photographers, Frances Tong and Katsumi Omori, respectively from Hong Kong and from Japan, are determined to offer artistic alternative. "In spring, the mist filled up each and every space in the air. In autumn, the falling leaves colored the forest and the sweet scent of maple leaves merged with every breath that I drew in ... and that's the image of Fukushima that I can recall," said Tong, an amateur Hong Kong photographer who went to Fukushima prefecture several times before the earthquake. "Fukushima after the quake is no longer the Fukushima that I once visited," said Tong. "Despite the sad side of Fukushima, I want to show its peaceful and hopeful side as well. The scenes of Fukushima that I've seen on television are so dark and devastated." Tong founded a charity organization called "Friends of Fukushima," which set up three photo exhibitions in Hong Kong showing 30 photographs of Fukushima's mountains and lakes for charity. Earlier this year, $12,000 was raised and donated to Citizens Nuclear Information Centre, an anti-nuclear organization in Japan, to help the Fukushima nuclear plant workers. Tong, a 36-year-old business development manager, discovered Fukushima prefecture's scenery during a business trip in 2007. Since then, Tong went to Fukushima every year to capture the scenery on film. Tong says she feels a bond with the prefecture's environment, including one unforgettable sunrise. "I woke up at 3:30 in the morning. I waited there for hours with my tripod. I witnessed the rising sun gradually lightening up the sky, from dark to dawn to morning. I felt so light and relaxed, as if I was merged with nature," said Tong. Rather than looking back in the past, Katsumi Omori chose to show the existing beauty of Fukushima. Right after the quake, Omori, who lives in the Tokyo suburb of Urayasu, felt the need to go to the affected areas last April. "The world has changed. It wasn't what it was before," the 48-year-old said. "I had to see it for myself." Without any precise idea of what would be seen in the area, he decided to head to Fukushima to take pictures of "sakura". These Japanese cherry blossoms are the main theme of his ongoing artistic project since 2001, consisting largely of photos taken in Tokyo and his neighborhood. "Sakura is planted by people. I wanted to see how those people are living and their conditions," he said. His sakura photo series was presented to the British public in "Everything Happens for the First Time", his solo exhibition held in London, August 2011. "People who were expecting to see the massive devastation caused by the tsunami and the earthquake might have been disappointed," he said. "Those who saw my work as an artistic expression of my feelings told me that they really like my exhibition." Omori wanted to show the "unseen" which has not been exposed by the media. He believed that, as a photographer, his job is to capture things out of the ordinary rather than what is easily seen. Some people told him they felt natsukashi, or "nostalgia" in Japanese, when looking at his pictures. Being a photographer for 20 years, he observed that artists' attitude has somewhat changed after this disaster. "People seem to realize that things do break and things that humans made get washed away," he said. "The way artists pay tribute has changed. Their works are sometimes offered to charity organizations and remember what happened." Haruka Nuga contributed to this story .

To most people, scenes of Fukushima evoke death and destruction . Two photographers are determined to offer artistic alternative .

London (CNN) -- The landscape of German politics is changing. Angela Merkel has just been re-elected chancellor and is considered the country's most powerful female politician ever. And now, for the first time in its history, two black politicians are entering parliament. Charles Huber of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Karamba Diaby from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), were elected in this month's general election to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag. Huber, 56, is a television actor in Germany well-known for starring in the detective TV series "Der Alte" ("The Old Man") for years. He was born in Munich to a Senegalese father and a German mother. Diaby, 51, was born in Senegal and gained German citizenship in 2001. After his election he told CNN: "We are a country of diversity, people of all religions, ethnicities and skin colours live here, but it's time that this is being reflected in politics and public service. There is urgent need for action." Angela Merkel's recipe for success . Diaby studied at university in Dakar: in 1986 he was awarded a scholarship and moved to Halle in former communist East Germany to undertake a doctorate in chemistry. "German society is changing and there have been several positive developments," said Diaby. Measures he cited included the introduction of legislation to recognize degrees obtained abroad and the implementation of the Immigration Act in 2005, which opened up Germany to immigration. "The language has also changed," Diaby said. "We don't use the word 'foreigners' anymore, but now we say 'people with a migration background'." Video: Immigration and integration in Germany . Diaby's first priority now that he is a lawmaker in the Bundestag is to tackle the issue of education to ensure that everyone in Germany, no matter what their ethnicity, skin colour or financial background, has access to good schooling. "Educational success is very much dependent on how big the parents' wallet is," he said. He also wants to debate the introduction of dual citizenship as at the moment German citizens born to non-German nationals have to choose a citizenship before they turn 23. "I hope that my candidacy will make a change and put an end to some prejudices," he said. In addition to the election of Germany's first two black lawmakers to the Bundestag, Merkel's party now also has its first Muslim lawmaker in the parliament, with Cemile Giousouf -- who was born in Germany to Turkish immigrant parents -- representing the city of Hagen in North-Rhine Westphalia. Muslim politicians have been elected to Germany's parliament in the past -- the first in 1994 -- but they have mainly represented the Social Democrats or the left-wing Die Linke. Multiculturalism is no failure . Out of the 630 seats in parliament, 34 -- or just over 5% -- are now taken by lawmakers with immigrant backgrounds, up from 21 in the previous term, Migration Media Service, a group that researches immigration in Germany, said in a statement. "It's a positive development when the parliament is starting to reflect society," said Tanja Kiziak of the think-tank Berlin Institut, which researches demography and development. But it's still a way off from reflecting Germany's 81.9 million population as a whole: around 20% of people have immigrant roots, with a large majority of those from Turkey. "The issue of integration is being discussed more and more, of course it's a controversial topic in society," said Kiziak, "but at least now it's on the table."

Charles Huber (CDU) and Karamba Diaby (SPD) are the first two black politicians in the Bundestag. Just 5% of all MPs have immigrant backgrounds - while 20% of Germany's population have roots abroad. Issues Diaby wants to debate in parliament include dual citizenship, education and immigration laws. Cemile Giousouf is the CDU's first Muslim Bundestag member.

(CNN) -- A new powerful earthquake struck Saturday in southwestern Pakistan, shaking an area already trying to recover from a quake that killed more than 300 people. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Balochistan province Saturday about 96 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Awaran, the United States Geological Survey said. Rasheed Baloch, the Deputy Commissioner Awaran told CNN seven people died when a house collapsed in Mashkay Tehsil as result of new earthquake on Saturday. Just Tuesday, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the same area of Pakistan. The death toll in that quake has risen to 366 people and another 765 are injured. Authorities estimate that 21,000 houses were destroyed in Tuesday's earthquake. But Rasheed Baloch, deputy commissioner for Awaran district, told CNN more than 60 mud-walled buildings had collapsed in the Nok Jo area of the district. Four bodies have been found in the rubble, he said, but they appear to be casualties of Tuesday's quake. Baloch said a rescue operation was under way in Awaran district to retrieve the dead bodies and shift the injured to hospitals. The remoteness of the affected area and damaged communications networks are hindering the rescue operation, officials said. Rescue teams are also reluctant to visit some troubled areas owing to attacks by Baloch separatists, the deputy commissioner said. The separatists are blamed for firing two rockets at a military helicopter ferrying the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Saeed Aleem, and another general to the earthquake zone on Thursday. Both survived the attack, said Jan Buledi, spokesman for the government of Balochistan. The defunct Baloch Liberation Front reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. Militants fighting for a separate state in Balochistan operate out of part of Awaran district, which has been the site of bombings. Tremors were also felt Saturday in Kech district, Khuzdar, Kalat and other towns of Balochistan province. Injured flee hospital ward . Some of those injured in Tuesday's quake fled their hospital wards in Arawan as the new tremors rocked the area. "More than 100 injured are now outside Awaran hospital," local journalist Muhammad Tariq told CNN. Local TV footage also showed ministers and members of the Balochistan Assembly walking out of an Assembly session due to the tremors. The session was subsequently suspended. "We cannot sit in the house after such strong tremors," Assembly member Mufti Gulab told CNN. The quake also caused people to come out of their homes far to the north in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. "I was sitting in my office when the earthquake struck," Nazeer Ahmed, a Balochistan government official, told CNN. Saturday's 6.8 magnitude tremor "could be an independent earthquake and not an aftershock," of the 7.7-magnitude quake from earlier this week, Zahid Rafi, director of the National Seismic Center, told CNN's Pakistan affiliate Geo News. The second quake will only add to the difficulties for Balochistan's residents. Officials had already warned that thousands of survivors in need of assistance after Tuesday's quake are having to cope with high temperatures, a lack of drinking water and little in the way of shelter. October is the hottest month in Balochistan and the region is in a perpetual state of drought, said Muhammad Hanif, the director of the National Weather Forecasting Center. Temperatures in Awaran and Kech have reached 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit). CNN's Saima Mohsin in Islamabad contributed to this report.

NEW: At least 60 mud-walled buildings collapse in Nok Jo area of Arawan district . New quake comes right after an earthquake that caused more than 300 deaths . Saturday's 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Balochistan in southwestern Pakistan . There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the latest quake .

(CNN) -- Two sheriff's deputies responding to a domestic dispute between a pair of brothers Monday night were shot and badly injured in the same Washington county where four officers were killed last month, authorities said. The Pierce County deputies were wounded while responding to a domestic violence incident at home near the town of Eatonville, south of Seattle, said Hunter George, a county spokesman. They killed the gunman, identified as David E. Crable, in an exchange of fire, authorities said. Sgt. Nick Hausner, 43, a 20-year veteran of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center where he was in serious condition, the department said. He is married and has children who are 14 and 12 years old. Deputy Kent Mundell, 44, a nine-year veteran, was airlifted to the trauma center at Harborview Medical Center where he was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's department said. He also is married and has two children, a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old. Pierce County prosecutor Mark Lindquist said Crable had a history of protection orders sought by family members. Earlier this year, Crable pleaded guilty to malicious mischief and brandishing a knife in an incident involving his brother, Lindquist said, and protection orders were imposed afterward, telling him to stay away from his brother and a female minor. Both counts were misdemeanors. Lindquist said Crable had no felony convictions. The protective orders were not in effect during the Monday night shooting, Lindquist said. The prosecutor said other protection orders that emerged were not the result of charges filed. "They are a result of people saying this guy is a danger to me," Lindquist said. "I think you can reasonably infer from his history, he had an alcohol problem." Crable went to his brother's house Monday night and there was a domestic dispute, said Sheriff's detective Ed Troyer. One of the men invited the officers inside the house, while the other man went upstairs. He returned with a weapon and shot at the deputies, striking them several times, Troyer said. Local coverage from CNN affiliate KIRO . The deputies returned fire, killing the alleged shooter, he said. "There were a lot of rounds fired," Troyer said. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire issued a statement saying, "My thoughts and prayers are with the two wounded Pierce County deputies, their families, friends, and the entire law enforcement community." This incident comes in the aftermath of two other recent cop shootings in the Seattle area. Since October 31, eight police officers or deputies have been shot. Five have died in the attacks. On Halloween night, Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton was fatally shot while sitting in his patrol car. Brenton, 39, was reviewing paperwork from a traffic stop when someone fired into his patrol car. An officer Brenton was training was wounded in the shooting. A suspect in that case was arrested and pleaded not guilty. On November 29, four officers from Lakewood, Washington, were killed in an ambush-style shooting at a coffee shop. Police shot and killed the suspect in that attack after a two-day manhunt. Troyer said it was "surreal" to be responding to another shooting that involved officers. His department has led the investigation into the shooting of the four Lakewood officers. "I am deeply troubled by the recent series of attacks on our law enforcement officers," Gregoire said in the statement. "I ask that all Washington citizens join me in sending a clear message that these assaults on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. "The people of Washington and across America know that those who wear a badge show us the true meaning of service. They sacrifice their safety for ours. We owe them and their families our gratitude, respect and support." CNN's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report .

Two Pierce County sheriff's deputies shot while responding to domestic violence incident . One is in critical condition, other is stable, officials say . Suspected shooter shot and killed, officials say . Four officers were killed last month in the same county .

(CNN) -- Mitt Romney hates apologies. That's why he leaped to the conclusion that, in the wake of the killing of Libya Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other State Department employees, the Obama administration had issued an apology for America's actions. "It's a terrible course for America to stand in apology for our values," Romney declared. "It's disgraceful that the Obama administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks." What Romney called a disgraceful response by the Obama administration to the Libyan killings was in fact a statement issued before the killings by America's Cairo Embassy condemning an anti-Islam film that portrays the Prophet Mohammed as a child molester. The title of Romney's 2010 campaign autobiography, "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness," makes it clear that his hatred of apologies runs deep. Unfortunately, such hatred ignores history. What Romney, who after disparaging 47% of Americans for being dependents has insisted there was nothing wrong in what he said, fails to understand is that presidential apologies are nothing new. What's more is that they apologize without drawing critical backlash from their fellow conservatives. Bill Clinton's 1998 apology for the failure of America and the international community to respond quickly to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda may be the most memorable public apology by any contemporary president. But two of the most conservative Republicans in recent history, it is worth pointing out, have issued telling public apologies of their own. The most moving of these conservative apologies was the one that Ronald Reagan made in 1988 on signing the legislation that provided $1.25 billion in reparations, along with a formal apology from the government, for the forcible relocation of 120,000 West Coast Japanese-Americans after the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In signing the bill, Reagan, who as an actor was living in California at the time of the relocation, made clear that the money offered to the victimized families was less important than the public apology. "No payment can make up for those lost years," Reagan said. "So what is important in this bill has less to do with property than with honor, for here, we admit a wrong." Today those words have taken on enduring form. In Washington they are engraved on the National Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II, which is within blocks of the Capitol. In addition to Reagan's words, the memorial features a towering sculpture of two bronze cranes, each with one wing pointing to the sky and the other pinned down by barbed wire. Two decades later, George W. Bush, the Republican closest in ideology to Ronald Reagan, made a similar statement of regret. In a 2008 video conference with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq, Bush apologized for the actions of an American sniper in Iraq who used a Quran for target practice. "He apologized for that in the sense that he said that we take it very seriously," White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters after the video conference. "We wanted them to know that the president knew that this was wrong." The impacts that Reagan, Clinton and Bush hoped their individual apologies would have turned out to be as different as their politics. That is to be expected. For their apologies were never just based on calculation. At their core was the shared belief that a presidential apology is not a sign of weakness so much as a chance for a new beginning, a way to shed the indefensible and start fresh. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nicolaus Mills.

Nicolaus Mills: Romney's hatred of apologies shows in his book's title: "No Apology" Mills: Romney slammed Obama "apology" that was never made; but he forgets history . Mills: Clinton apologized for Rwanda, Reagan apologized for WWII Japanese internments . Mills: Even George W. Bush said he was sorry for sniper using Quran for target practice .

(CNN) -- Mexico's frontal assault against drug cartels has been "largely ineffective" and in some instances counterproductive to reducing violence, a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee report concludes. The report, released Thursday, was produced by the committee's majority staff ahead of a political transition in Mexico's presidency and the U.S. election, both events that could alter binational cooperation. Going forward, a focal point of anti-drug cooperation should be training and institution-building in Mexico's police forces and judiciary, the report says. By training police and equipping them to investigate drug-related killings, the military component of Mexico's current strategy can be scaled back, the report says. Mexico's Nieto calls for 'new debate' on the drug war . Mexican President Felipe Calderon's term, which comes to an end in December, will be remembered for a surge in the number of troops deployed across Mexico to help combat drug cartels. A number of high-ranking cartel figures have been arrested, but critics question if the government has achieved anything other than a reshaping of the factions fighting for control of lucrative smuggling routes. As the market for which a majority of the illegal drugs are destined, the United States has contributed to Mexico's efforts through the Merida Initiative. Congress has appropriated more than $1.9 billion for the initiative, which has provided helicopters and equipment, as well as training for police and judges. The report calls for continuation of Merida funds, but says they should be aimed at helping the police and judiciary. "Mexico's presidential transition provides a new window to discuss and debate the best security strategies to deal with the serious violence plaguing Mexico," Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry said in a written statement. "As the political landscape continues to change in both countries, this report underscores the importance of continuity in two critical areas -- judicial and police reform. Mexicans have committed to these fundamental reforms and as tough as they will be to implement they are fundamental for any sustained reduction in violence in Mexico. These are worthy efforts that must succeed." Alleged Mexican cartel operative 'La Bonita' arrested . According to the report, which was based on interviews in Mexico with authorities from both countries, as well as experts, Mexico has so far been slow to accept training for officers. Merida Funds for the current fiscal year will be largely directed toward capacity-building, and the report recommends that the United States continue to stress the importance of reforms. The report recommends continuing Merida funds at $250 million a year for four more years. Even if Mexico resorts to using the military as a stop-gap measure to combat the violence, "increased civilian police capabilities will obviate the need to deploy military personnel for domestic security purposes," the report says. Mexico's federal police force has made strides in both size and capacity over the past several years, but reforms in state and local police departments have lagged, the report states. The Mexican government can succeed only if it enlists the help of state and local police, the report says. It is a tall order -- corruption is most prevalent at the local and state levels, where officers are routinely on the payrolls of the various drug trafficking organizations. Enrique Pena Nieto, Mexico's presumptive president-elect, told CNN's Fareed Zakaria this week that he is open to a new debate on how to wage the war on drug trafficking, which will include a review with U.S. participation. "What we seek now in our new strategy is to adjust what's been done up until now. It's not a radical change. It's to broaden the coverage and, above all, the emphasis I aspire to of reducing the violence in our country," Pena Nieto said. The Senate report puts the number of drug-related deaths during Calderon's term at more than 55,000. On the border: Guns, drugs -- and a betrayal of trust .

The majority staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee releases a report on Mexico . It concludes that the focus should be on training police and judiciary . The report says the largely military effort has been ineffective or counterproductive .

Kano, Nigeria (CNN)Boko Haram militants opened fire on northern Nigerian villages, leaving bodies scattered everywhere and as many as 2,000 people feared dead. "The attack on Baga and surrounding towns looks as if it could be Boko Haram's deadliest act," Amnesty International said in a statement. Islamist militants sprayed bullets as they stormed in last weekend in trucks and armored vehicles, local authorities said Friday. When they arrived, they unloaded motorcycles and pursued residents who fled into the bush, firing indiscriminately, said Baba Abba Hassan, a local district head. Local officials reported death tolls ranging from hundreds to as many as 2,000 people. "Dead bodies litter the bushes in the area and it is still no‎t safe to go and pick them (up) for burial," said Musa Bukar, the chairman of the local government where Baga is located. "Some people who hid in their homes were burned alive." Raid lasted for days . During the raid that started January 3, hundreds of gunmen seized the town of Baga and neighboring villages, as well as a multinational military base. Attacks started at dawn and continued throughout last weekend, according to residents. Though local officials gave conflicting death tolls, they agreed on the massive number of fatalities. More than 2,000 people were killed in attacks on 16 villages, Bukar said. He could not explain how he arrived at that toll. But the local district head said hundreds of people had been killed, not thousands. The actual toll will be known after a headcount of households is complete, Hassan said. An offensive is underway to reclaim the areas from the militants, according to Mike Omeri, a government spokesman. Tens of thousands displaced . At least 30,000 people were displaced, authorities said. About 20,000 of the displaced camped in Maiduguri city, the capital of Borno state. Authorities are making arrangements to transport the 10,000 others from Monguno town, 60 kilometers (36 miles) from Baga. Some residents fled into neighboring Cameroon and Chad. "If reports that the town was largely razed to the ground and that hundreds or even as many as 2,000 civilians were killed are true, this marks a disturbing and bloody escalation of Boko Haram's ongoing onslaught against the civilian population," Amnesty International's Daniel Eyre said. Boko Haram has terrorized northern Nigeria regularly since 2009, attacking police, schools, churches and civilians, and bombing government buildings. It has also kidnapped students, including more than 200 schoolgirls who were abducted in April and remain missing. The Islamist group has said its aim is to impose a stricter form of Sharia law across Nigeria, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south. The United States condemned the attacks, saying the group "shows no regard" for human life. "All those responsible for these recurring terrorist attacks must be held accountable," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Threats against Cameroon . In neighboring Cameroon, President Paul Biya urged the international community to help battle the terror group. His call came after the leader of the terrorist group threatened him in a YouTube video. "Oh Paul Biya, if you don't stop this, your evil plot, you will taste what has befallen Nigeria. Your troops cannot do anything to us," Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said in the video released this week. The threat against the President came after Cameroonian soldiers killed dozens of Boko Haram fighters this month. Biya told the international community that a global response is required to combat the terror group. CNN's Faith Karimi wrote and reported from Atlanta, and Aminu Abubakar reported from Kano. CNN's Steve Almasy and Ngala Killian Chimtom contributed to this report.

Deaths number in the hundreds, one official says; another says it is 2,000 . After the attack, Boko Haram also razed homes .

(CNN) -- The family of Victor Jara, the famous Chilean folk singer who was among the first victims of the country's military coup in 1973, has filed a lawsuit in Florida against the former army officer it alleges killed him. The killing happened 40 years ago, and it wasn't until last year that a Chilean judge charged eight former army officers with the singer-songwriter's death. One of those indicted, Pedro Barrientos, has lived in Florida since the early 1990s. That is where Jara's family filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Jacksonville. The lawsuit alleges that Barrientos executed Jara during a game of Russian roulette and ordered other soldiers to fire dozens of rounds into his corpse, in violation of U.S. and international law. The civil suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the killing. Barrientos has not been arrested since being charged in Chile, and the status of his legal proceedings there is unclear. CNN was not immediately able to reach Barrientos for comment, although he has denied the accusations previously. Jara, a member of the Communist Party and cultural ambassador for socialist President Salvador Allende, was detained immediately after the September 11, 1973, military coup. His body, with signs of torture and 44 bullet wounds, was found days later in an abandoned field. His is considered one of the most emblematic deaths of the political repression that followed the coup. Government investigations conducted after the end of the dictatorship say nearly 2,300 people disappeared between 1973 and 1990, and nearly 40,000 were tortured. Seeking justice decades after the oppression and in this case, when the defendant lives in another country, is a legal challenge. In the case of Jara's family, lawyers from the Center for Justice and Accountability and law firm Chadbourne & Parke cited the Torture Victim Protection Act and Alien Tort Statute. These U.S. laws allow for such lawsuits to be brought for wrongful deaths and cases of torture that occurred in other countries. "Victor's pursuit of democracy and human rights remains an inspiration to people around the world and his memory is ever present as we mark the 40th anniversary of the military coup and of Victor's murder," his widow, Joan Jara, said in a statement. "We want to shine a light on the severe human rights abuses from this era and bring those responsible to justice, so that victims who continue to silently suffer their losses may find some sense of peace." According to the lawsuit, Barrientos was a lieutenant and section commander for the Tejas Verdes regiment, which oversaw detainees at Chile Stadium, where prisoners were taken. Hundreds of perceived enemies of the new military regime were detained and transported to the stadium. During the few days he was captive before being killed, Jara wrote a poem that survived, lamenting "How hard it is to sing when I must sing of horror," according to the lawsuit. "Horror which I am living, horror which I am dying." While detained, Jara was blindfolded, chained and beaten by soldiers under Barrientos' command, the lawsuit alleges. Finally, Barrientos put a pistol to the back of Jara's head and "loaded one bullet in the chamber of the pistol, spun the chamber and pulled the trigger, knowing that each shot could be lethal," the lawsuit states. Playing this game of Russian roulette, Barrientos shot the singer in the back of the head and ordered five other soldiers to shoot his corpse, the plaintiffs allege. "Actually, that is not true," Barrientos, 64, told Chilevision TV last year. "I was never in Chile Stadium, I don't know the singer Jara or know who he was back then." In addition to Joan Jara, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of her daughters Amanda Jara Turner and Manuela Bunster.

Famous Chilean singer Victor Jara was killed in 1973 . He was among the first victims of a military dictatorship . A former Chilean officer living in the U.S. is accused of the killing . He has denied accusations .

(CNN) -- A former Marine and suspected serial rapist pleaded not guilty this week to raping and murdering 19-year-old college student Brianna Denison. The family of Brianna Denison launched a Web site dedicated to her memory after her death in 2008. James Biela, 27, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the disappearance of Denison, who was last seen alive on her friend's sofa in Reno, Nevada, January 20, 2008. The construction worker entered his plea in Washoe County District Court on Wednesday. Judge Robert Perry set a tentative trial date for February 22, 2010, according to online court records. Denison, a sophomore at Santa Barbara City College in California, was visiting friends in her hometown of Reno when she disappeared. Three weeks later, her body was found in a field near her friend's home, partially covered with snow. An autopsy determined she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. A pair of panties that were not hers also were found near the body, in what police said was a "calling card" that helped them connect Biela not only to Denison, but also to another sexual assault. In a press conference after Biela's arrest in December, police said they were able to connect the former Marine's DNA with a sample on the panties. Police also found DNA matching Biela's on the rear door of the off-campus house where Denison was staying with friends. The sample also matched DNA found at the scene of a December 16 sexual assault, police said. The victim, a student at the University of Nevada , was able to escape her attacker and describe him in detail, police say. Both crimes bear a striking resemblance to several other sexual assaults in the area, leading police to believe that Biela is a serial rapist. They are asking other possible victims to come forward. The case went unsolved for almost 10 months until an anonymous tip from a friend of Biela's former girlfriend broke this cold case wide open, police said. Investigators had established that the killer was from the Reno area and had an unusual fetish of collecting one victim's underwear and leaving it at the next victim's crime scene. The tipster caught investigators' attention by telling them that Biela's former girlfriend had found two pairs of thong panties in his truck. Detectives immediately followed up on the tip and, with permission from the former girlfriend, took DNA samples from Biela's 4-year-old son. Lab tests showed that the boy's father -- Biela -- was almost certainly a match for the DNA found on the doorknob and at the crime scene, police said. The finding was confirmed when Biela was arrested and ordered to submit DNA samples. An overnight session at the crime lab confirmed the match, and charges were filed, police said. Investigators said they since have learned that Biela was familiar with the grounds of the university, having worked there on a construction job last year. Police say his work on campus put him in a position to easily target women. When first questioned about the Denison case in early November, Biela refused to submit DNA samples and provided an alibi to police, saying he'd been with his girlfriend. The girlfriend denies that he was with her the night Denison disappeared, investigators said. Calls to Biela's public defenders Friday were not answered. Meanwhile, investigators are certain there are other victims who haven't come forward. Police are urging anyone with more information to call the Reno Police Hot Line at 775-322-4900. CNN's Emanuella Grinberg and Rupa Mikkilineni contributed to this report.

James Michael Biela, 27, is charged with murder of Brianna Denison, 19 . Tentative trial date set for February 22, 2010 . Denison last seen on friend's couch during visit to hometown of Reno, Nevada . Police say Biela left previous victim's panties as "calling card" near Denison's body .

(CNN) -- The tragedy of Ebola is not just its staggering toll. It's also the implicit racism that the deadly virus has spawned. The anecdotes are sickening, particularly a Reuters report this week that children of African immigrants in Dallas -- little ones with no connection to Thomas Duncan, the Liberian Ebola patient who died Wednesday in a local hospital -- have been branded "Ebola kids" simply because of their heritage or skin color. In both the United States and Europe, Ebola is increasing racial profiling and reviving imagery of the "Dark Continent." The disease is persistently portrayed as West African, or African, or from countries in a part of the world that is racially black, even though nothing medically differentiates the vulnerability of any race to Ebola. A Newsweek cover last month showed a picture of a chimpanzee with the headline: "A Back Door for Ebola: Smuggled Bushmeat Could Spark a U.S. Epidemic." Whatever the intent, the picture was wrong. Turns out the story was probably wrong, too, as a Washington Post investigation revealed. The new Ebola outbreak "likely had nothing to do with bushmeat consumption," the Post reported, and there is no conclusive evidence that Ebola has been passed from animals to humans. A theory on animal-to-human transmission with some limited traction centers on dead fruit bats, not chimps. "There is virtually no chance that 'bushmeat' smuggling could bring Ebola to America," the Post concluded. But the damage has been done. And as panic deepens, the danger is that racism -- on planes and public transportation, in lines, on streets, in glances -- deepens further, too. Ebola is a human tragedy, just like enterovirus D68, which causes sudden muscle weakness and severe respiratory problems, particularly among children. It has shown up in almost all the 50 states, with about 500 Americans infected so far, far more than ever. And it has begun to kill, beginning with a 4-year-old boy in New Jersey. Five new cases were reported in New Jersey alone on Tuesday. And there are no antiviral vaccines or cures. Yet enterovirus D68 is known by a scientific name and number. (Unfortunately for Africans, the Ebola virus was named after the Congolese river where the first outbreak was detected). The saga of Thomas Duncan reflects racial perceptions. His girlfriend, Louise, whom he had reportedly been visiting in Dallas, had publicly begged for him to be given the same experimental ZMapp medication given to two (white) American missionaries who were infected in Africa and recently flown back to the United States. "I'm just asking God and asking the American government for the same medicine they're giving people that come from Liberia," she said during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. "Please, please, please, please, help me save his life. ...Talk to doctors. They'll find means to get a medicine to cure him. He's so young." Louise refused to allow her last name to be used for fear of repercussions. Unfortunately, doctors and the pharmaceutical developer said there was no longer any ZMapp left for Duncan or any other victim. But the imagery that accompanied his plight lingers: Whites can be flown to the United States or Europe at any expense, while Africans are left to die unattended on the streets of Liberia or Sierra Leone. Or now, without ZMapp, in Dallas. "It's easy for the world -- the powerful world, who are largely non-African, non-people of color -- to ignore the suffering of poor, black people," Harvard Medical School professor Joia Mukherjee said on PRI's "The World" last month. It's easy, she said, to "other-ize" the Ebola crisis. Fear too often contorts morality and humanity. Complete coverage on Ebola .

Ebola is increasing racial profiling, says Robin Wright . The saga of Ebola victim Thomas Duncan reflects racial perceptions, Wright says . Danger is that as panic deepens, so will racism, she says .

(CNN) -- A theater company from South Sudan is translating Shakespeare into the local dialect for the first time, before performing the play at London's Globe Theatre. Six months after the birth of South Sudan as an independent nation, it is a country still trying to define its culture and national identity. The South Sudan Theatre Company (SSTC) is helping to develop that culture by performing Shakespeare's tragedy "Cymbeline" in Juba Arabic -- a language spoken widely in South Sudan. "Shakespeare is a genius writer who wrote about humanity, about greed, jealousy, wars, power, love -- he really speaks to the whole world," said Derik Uya Alfred Ngbangu, the SSTC's director and producer. "We want to do Cymbeline in a way that speaks to the South Sudanese -- in terms of the plot, the kind of conflict that exists here -- and make it our own thing," he added. Juba Arabic is a pidgin form of Arabic that takes its name from the South Sudanese capital of Juba. Although English has been named South Sudan's official language since the country's independence, Juba Arabic is still a lingua franca in much of South Sudan, says Ngbangu. The SSTC's production is part of the "Globe to Globe" Festival taking place at London's Shakespeare Globe Theatre from April. The SSTC will be one of 37 theater groups from around the world performing interpretations of Shakespeare plays in their local language. The SSTC has already begun adapting Cymbeline and translating it. "We're looking to cut out unnecessary bits so that 10 actors can do it, instead of perhaps 18," said Ngbangu. "We're looking to have a simplified, shortened text that can be performed in one and a half hours instead of three." Actors will be drawn from two of South Sudan's established theater groups, the Kwoto Cultural Centre and the Skylark Dramatist Association, and will include graduates of the University of Juba's College of Arts, Music and Drama. Ngbangu says they plan to perform Cymbeline in Juba before taking it to London in May. They are are also looking to make changes to the original to make it more relevant to local audiences, such as using local names and costumes. The original Cymbeline is set against a backdrop of impending war between ancient Britain and ancient Rome, over the king of Britain's refusal to pay tribute to Rome; the SSTC is considering changing that to an impending conflict between south and north Sudan, fighting over oil. Sudan's real civil war between north and south raged for decades, claiming more than two million lives. But Ngbangu says theater survived those dark years of conflict. "Theater has existed throughout the time of the civil war and difficulties," he said. "War never stopped people coming together through arts -- whether music or drama or dance," he added. And he believes theater can help build South Sudan, celebrating the fledgling nation's cultural diversity. "It is a very cheap art form compared to cinema and TV -- you can do it anywhere -- move it to the villages and contribute to their understanding of their environment, their struggles, you can do it in schools and teach young people how to do the right thing. "Through theater we can send a lot of messages about unity, about respecting people, about coming together, about tolerance and civilization. He added: "There is an old saying -- 'give me a theater and I will give you a nation.'" As casting and rehearsals begin, Ngbangu is excited at the prospect of performing in London. "I have been to London several times. It is a land of theater, a land that produced a giant like Shakespeare," he said. "To be in London with a Shakespearean play, when we're a country that will be nine months old at the time, it's a great thing."

South Sudan Theatre Company producing Shakespeare play "Cymbeline" in Juba Arabic . Juba Arabic is widely spoken in South Sudan . They will perform the play at London's Globe Theatre in May . Theater survived Sudan's civil war, says the company's director .

(CNN) -- The Justice Department has decided it won't referee charges -- and countercharges -- of spying between the CIA and the Senate Intelligence Committee. The CIA's general counsel and inspector general each made criminal referrals to the Justice Department seeking an investigation of whether Senate staffers obtained unauthorized access to classified documents related to the agency's now-defunct post-9/11 interrogation program. Soon after, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein went to the Senate floor to accuse the agency of spying on computers used by committee staffers at a CIA facility to investigate the Bush-era interrogation program. Now, the Justice Department has notified the CIA and the Senate committee that it can't find enough evidence to warrant a full-blown probe. "The department carefully reviewed the matters referred to us and did not find sufficient evidence to warrant a criminal investigation," Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said. The CIA declined comment. Feinstein's office didn't immediately comment. Critical report on CIA . The unusual dispute has raised tensions between the agency and lawmakers charged with overseeing its activities. The committee has produced a 6,300-page report on the program, which critics say violated prohibitions on torture and exceeded legal guidance from the Justice Department. The White House and the CIA are reviewing an executive summary of the report to remove classified information before it can be released. The documents that prompted the dispute relate to an internal review by former CIA Director Leon Panetta and, according to the agency, were intended to help summarize material it was providing to the committee for its investigation of the program. The documents were plainly labeled as for internal use and were not supposed to be reviewed by the committee, according to the CIA. Feinstein said Senate staffers found the documents in the course of their work that were put in the computer system either on purpose by a whistleblower or perhaps in error, and that they corroborated some of the committee's findings that the agency now says it disagrees with. She said committee staff routinely sees such documents and didn't violate any classified restrictions. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he believes the Senate has handled the matter appropriately. "I think what the CIA did to my senators is wrong. I'm going to drop it at that," Reid said. Democratic Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado said, "I still believe the CIA's entry into our computers was unacceptable perhaps even unconstitutional and we shouldn't let this drop until we have some sort of fundamental resolution of what happened. This wasn't the first time this occurred and the division of powers in our nation's constitution is at some risk here." Udall said it's time for the White House and the CIA to release the portions of the Senate's report under review. Feinstein is usually one of the intelligence community's staunchest allies in Congress. CIA says it acted properly . CIA Director John Brennan has disputed Feinstein's accusations of agency wrongdoing in uncovering Senate staff access to the internal report. Speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations in March, he said, "when the facts come out on this, I think a lot of people who are claiming that there has been this tremendous sort of spying and monitoring and hacking will be proved wrong." Dean Boyd, a CIA spokesman, said in an op-ed published in USA Today in March that the agency acted properly after it discovered Senate staffers may have accessed and retained sensitive documents stored in a CIA computer network. "These documents were privileged, deliberative, pre-decisional executive branch material that implicated separation of powers concerns," Boyd wrote. "Because we were concerned that there may have been a breach or vulnerability in the CIA local area network on which CIA stored these documents, CIA information technology specialists were asked to conduct a limited review to determine whether these files were located on the side of the CIA network the committee was authorized to use. That review appeared to confirm the committee's unauthorized access to the documents." FBI looks into dispute between CIA, Senate .

Prosecutors say it can't find enough evidence to merit a full investigation . CIA sought probe of whether Senate staffers improperly accessed classified documents . The issue arose during Senate review of documents related to CIA's interrogation program .

(CNN) -- The Denver Broncos announced Wednesday night they had finalized a trade that sends high-profile quarterback Tim Tebow to the New York Jets. Tebow and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft go the Jets in exchange for picks in the fourth and sixth rounds of the draft. The Broncos said Tuesday that superstar quarterback Peyton Manning, a free agent, would join the team, setting in motion efforts to trade Tebow. But the Broncos-Jets deal didn't come without a hitch. A snag was reported within hours of the Jets' saying they agreed in principle to the trade. ESPN, quoting a source with the Broncos, reported the hangup was over language in Tebow's contract. Sources told ESPN that the Jets believed Denver should pay $5 million in salary advances to Tebow. The Broncos have already paid $1.2 million of the advance, ESPN reported. The Jets have agreed to pay half of the $5 million in compensation back to Denver to finish the trade, ESPN reported late Wednesday. Tebow, an outspoken evangelical Christian, became the Broncos' starting quarterback last year amid great fanfare. He led the team from a 1-4 start to an 8-8 finish in the regular season and their first division title since 2005. The trade comes less than two weeks after the Jets and quarterback Mark Sanchez agreed on a multiyear contract extension. Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said Sanchez will retain his starting quarterback job and Tebow will play in a wildcat-style offense, which uses a quarterback more as a runner. "It will be up to us to put him in the position to be successful," said Tannenbaum. "We think he's going to be a player that can help us. He's a great competitor. He's gonna help us win." A lot of the talk about Tebow, 24, has centered around his demonstrations of his faith. He wore Bible verses on his eyeblack when he quarterbacked for the Florida Gators. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007. Throughout last season in Denver, Tebow's jersey was flying off the racks and "Tebowing" -- the act of getting down on one knee and praying while everyone around you does something else -- became an Internet meme and widely recognized symbol. Tebow quickly became the public face of FRS Co. and Jockey; for months, it was hard to click on ESPN without hearing his name. Manning, who missed last season because of an injury, was released this year by the Indianapolis Colts, the only team for which he's played in his 14-year pro career. In the subsequent weeks, the Super Bowl XLI victor -- who has been named the National Football League's Most Valuable Player a record four times -- has been hotly sought after by several teams. Broncos executive John Elway, in a statement issued Wednesday night, said, "Tim Tebow deserves an enormous amount of credit for what he accomplished and how he carried himself during his time with the Broncos. From taking over a 1-4 team and leading it to the playoffs to energizing our fans and this community, Tim left an extraordinary mark on this organization. His time in Denver will always hold a special place in Broncos history." Jim Daly, president of the Colorado Springs-based evangelical group Focus on the Family, teamed up with Tebow for an anti-abortion Super Bowl ad last year. The spot illustrated how comfortable Tebow is trumpeting his Christian beliefs. "I think there is going to be this period of mourning for Tim Tebow's departure," Daly said. "I think that that affection that people have for Tebow goes well beyond Denver and his ability to play football." CNN's Dan Merica and Joseph Miller contributed to this report.

NEW: "He's a great competitor," Jets official says . Tebow will hold special place in Broncos history, Elway says . Deal earlier hit snag over money, ESPN reports . The Broncos signed free agent star quarterback Peyton Manning .

Rome, Italy (CNN) -- A priest accused of child abuse denied the charges Tuesday in a high-profile trial taking place in the shadow of the Vatican. "I am not a monster. I am innocent," the Rev. Ruggero Conti said in court. Conti is accused of molesting seven young boys at the Nativita di Santa Maria Santissima parish in Rome. He faces charges of committing sexual violence and prostitution. Two alleged victims told police that Conti masturbated them and forced them to perform oral sex on him in his home, where he often invited them to dinner and to watch movies, according to court documents. Anti-abuse activists say Conti's superiors knew of allegations against him as early as 2006 but did not do enough to stop him. Prosecutors say they will call Conti's bishop, Monsignor Gino Reali, to testify. Reali was interrogated by police as part of their investigation into Conti, the activists say. Putting a bishop on the stand in Rome, the capital of deeply Catholic Italy, would be potentially explosive, particularly against the background of a European-wide scandal. The Catholic Church has been rocked this year by allegations of child abuse by Catholic clergy in Ireland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, following similar accusations in the United States in the past decade. A damning Irish government-backed report last year said the Dublin Archdiocese had systematically covered up the allegations. Pope Benedict XVI met this month with a group of men in Malta who say they were abused. He prayed and cried with them. He has repeatedly insisted the church will do everything in its power to prevent child abuse. But the trial taking place on his doorstep may undercut such assurances, not least since the alleged abuse of boys took place well after the scandal came to light in the United States. Conti, a former adviser to the mayor of Rome, was arrested in June 2008, more than a year after an anti-pedophilia organization says it brought accusations against him to Catholic Church officials. Roberto Mirabile, the president of the organization, said his group was warned about Conti by another priest in the spring of 2007. The group, La Caramella Buona, met with the alleged victims and their families, Mirabile told reporters on Friday. Mirabile himself went to top Vatican officials, including the man responsible for prosecuting alleged child abusers within the Catholic Church, Monsignor Charles Scicluna, he said. Scicluna told the child-protection activist there was no Vatican record of complaints about Conti and advised him to go to the police with his concerns, Mirabile said. Mirabile accused Scicluna of washing his hands of the matter. Scicluna did not respond to CNN attempts to contact him about the case. Caramella Buona officials did go to the police, who launched an investigation in November 2007. Conti was arrested as he prepared to go to World Youth Day in Australia in June 2008. Police believe he continued abusing children until March 2008, Mirabile said. Conti's superior, Bishop Reali, told police in December 2008 he knew of vague accusations against the priest two years before he was arrested but did not take action, according to court documents. Nino Marazzita, a lawyer for La Caramella Buona, provided CNN with what he said were transcripts of the prosecutor's interrogation of the bishop. "You know that there are so many 'rumors,' " Reali told investigators, according to the lawyer. "And I can't run after each one of them." Conti accused La Caramella Buona of being ideologically opposed to him in his testimony Tuesday. The group denies it. Reali did not respond to CNN attempts to contact him by phone and e-mail.

Rev. Ruggero Conti denies charges of child molestation at trial in Rome, Italy . Potentially explosive trial being held in the shadow of the Vatican . Conti, former adviser to mayor of Rome, was arrested in June 2008 . Church has been rocked by allegations of child abuse by Catholic clergy in Europe .

San Francisco (CNN) -- Steve Jobs has consistently managed to capture the world's attention with his stage events. On Wednesday evening, the world took to the Web to express their condolences about the news of his death. Facebook news feeds filled with links and anecdotes about the impact that technology -- and more specifically, Apple's technology -- had on users' lives. Messages on Twitter and the site's list of trending topics quickly became dominated by phrases such as "RIP Steve Jobs," "#ThankYouSteve" and "iHeaven." The flood of messages slowed Twitter to a crawl at times or produced error messages saying the site was over capacity. On those sites, many people posted and quoted from Jobs' heartfelt commencement address to Stanford University in 2005, in which he first provided details about his health problems. Many pointed out how promotions for Apple's products on the company's website were replaced with a black-and-white photo of Jobs. Clicking that image, which Apple titled "hero," leads to a page with a company statement and an e-mail address for sending condolences. CNN's iReport is also collecting reactions. Dave Pell, a software developer and technology investor, referenced Jobs' signature stage pitch, saying, "And one more thing... Thanks." Celebrities, corporate executive and politicians, including U.S. President Barack Obama, also voiced their opinions on their social networking profiles and on blogs. "Steve's impact is immeasurable," Jay Adelson, a co-founder of Internet infrastructure giant Equinix, wrote on Twitter. "It's not enough to remember him. We need to live his dreams." The many websites devoted to Apple rumors and products placed large banners in memory of the company's co-founder. The alternative-culture blog Boing Boing revamped its design in honor of Jobs to resemble retro Macintosh software. Wired painted its front page black, with a shadowed picture of Steve Jobs in the center. Google's co-founders posted statements about Jobs' importance to them personally and to the industry, and underneath the search box on Google.com, the company added: "Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011." Research in Motion, from its BlackBerry Twitter account, called Jobs "a great visionary and respected competitor." Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg called Jobs "a mentor and a friend." Twitter, as it struggled under the weight of the discussions about Jobs, provided a rare peek behind the walls of Apple's headquarters. Joe Hewitt, a former Apple developer, tweeted that he spent time with Jobs once for one of his famous product demos. Hewitt said he braced for rudeness, as Jobs has been criticized for, but he described Jobs as kind and energetic. "His legacy wasn't any specific product," Apple's Blake Seely wrote on his Twitter page. "It's Apple. That's a lot of pressure. We have to rise to it and make all his work worth it." Apple flew the flags at its Cupertino, California, office at half-staff, and people began to arrive on the campus with flowers, reports said. Several employees posted Twitter messages containing only the Apple logo. "The air has been sucked from my office at 1 Infinite Loop," Erik Lammerding, an Apple manager, wrote on his Twitter page. Twitter's offices in San Francisco were not immune, either. "So much talk on Twitter of Steve Jobs, but Twitter HQ has been eerily quiet the past few hours save the clicking of keyboards he tailored," tweeted Mark Trammel, a Twitter designer. Dick Costolo, the company's CEO who attended Apple's news conference on Tuesday, tweeted that Jobs created a new standard of excellence. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey wrote simply: "Thank you, Steve."

Facebook, Twitter, other sites flooded with tributes . Chatter on social networks provided a rare glimpse behind Apple's walls . Jobs' 2005 commencement speech to Stanford was a popular video . Google added "Steve Jobs, 1955 - 2011" to its search page .

Boston (CNN) -- After deliberating for more than 20 hours over three days, jurors in the James "Whitey" Bulger trial wrapped up for the day Thursday afternoon and will be back at it for a fourth day on Friday. The eight-man, four-woman federal panel asked Thursday to see one of the pieces of evidence in the case -- a gun with an obliterated serial number. The last charge in the 32-count indictment accuses Bulger of possession of firearms with obliterated serial numbers. Bulger, 83, is accused of racketeering, including involvement in 19 killings, and also 13 counts of extortion and money-laundering during a 20-year "reign of terror" that defined South Boston from the early '70s through 1995, when Bulger fled Boston. Outside the courtroom, Bulger's lead attorney, J.W. Carney, said he was "very, very proud of the service these jurors have provided to us no matter what the outcome of the trial." Carney added that it was difficult waiting for a verdict "because we invested at this point two years of work to get this case ready for trial." "The longer the jury stays out the more it shows us they are as conscientious a jury as I have ever seen," Carney said. "I know that the prosecutors also believe that, the judge believes that. We are very pleased at that." The widow of one of Bulger's alleged murder victims said separately that she believed "the jurors are looking at the situation and trying to do right by all of us." Patricia Donahue, who has been at the trial almost every day with her three sons, added, "We been putting our lives on hold since this trial started -- it's tough ... but it's almost over now." Still, Donahue said, "If deliberations go for a long period of time I'm going to start to worry about a mistrial." 'You're a coward!' widow yells at Bulger . On Wednesday, jurors submitted five questions for the judge. One of the questions involved the second count of the federal racketeering charge, with that lengthy count including numerous alleged acts and involvement in killings. Jurors wanted to know whether they needed to vote unanimously on the 33 "predicate acts," including the 19 murders. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper answered in the affirmative, although she advised jurors that if they were unable to reach a decision on a specific act, they can move on and decide the next act. For Bulger to be found guilty under that racketeering count, one of the major charges against him, jurors must agree that prosecutors proved he committed at least two of the acts within a 10-year period. During the seven-week trial, jurors heard dramatic testimony from convicted gangsters, bookies, extortion victims, a disgraced FBI supervisor, ex-drug dealers, retired FBI agents and relatives of people Bulger is accused of killing. Prosecutors called 63 witnesses. The defense called 10. Former hit man John Martorano testified for both sides, for a total of 72 witnesses over 35 days. Bulger never took the stand despite repeated hints from his lawyers throughout trial he would testify. In fact, Bulger seemed to want to testify. Questioned by Judge Casper, Bulger called his decision a "choice made involuntarily." Bulger was a fugitive for more than 16 years, disappearing after a crooked FBI agent told him he was about to be indicted on federal racketeering charges. The FBI tracked him down and arrested him in 2011 in Santa Monica, California, where he had been living with his girlfriend under an alias. Bulger's attorneys release photos designed to show his softer side .

NEW: Jurors will return Friday for a fourth day of deliberations in the Bulger trial . NEW: Widow of alleged Bulger murder victim says "it's almost over now" "Whitey" Bulger was a reputed mob boss in South Boston . Charges against him include racketeering and involvement in 19 killings .

(CNN) -- After an anxious three-month wait, residents of a northwest Alabama town that lost 18 residents and its business core to an EF-5 tornado learned Monday night that their largest employer will rebuild -- and may add jobs. The announcement by VF Corp. elicited joyous responses by Hackleburg, Alabama, residents -- many of whom honked their horns -- and on Facebook pages that had followed the developments. "It feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders," said Hackleburg Police Chief Kenny Hallmark. The April 27 tornado leveled the Wrangler jeans distribution center and killed one employee. It also destroyed or damaged 31 of 32 businesses in town, wiping away most of the town government's revenue sources. Nearly 500 homes were damaged or destroyed. The new facility will be larger, more modern and could bring an additional 50 positions to the community -- for a total of approximately 200 employees, VF said in a statement. It also will have the potential to handle additional shipping capacity. The company, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, will break ground in the second quarter of 2012. Target date for completion is mid-year 2013. "Throughout the evaluation, Hackleburg remained our leading option based on multiple factors, notably a work force who has demonstrated a passion for their work and a commitment to our company," CEO Eric Wiseman said. "We are also grateful to the state of Alabama for the support and assistance it has provided. We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Hackleburg and look forward to a bright future." Federal, state and local officials had conducted a full-court press, offering a range of incentives to VF Corp., including $300,000 from the town and Marion County, with millions more from the state. Town officials said Monday night Gov. Robert Bentley was crucial to the effort. Since the tornado, the majority of the displaced workers have been employed at company-owned locations in Hackleburg and, about 70 miles away, in Holly Pond, Alabama. The Holly Pond location will close once the new Hackleburg distribution center is open. No jobs will be lost because that facility was brought back on line to provide work to the displaced Hackleburg employees. The Hackleburg distribution center shipped pallets of Wrangler clothing to Walmart, Target and other retailers around the country. One of five Wrangler distribution points in the nation, the center was well-run and efficient, the company said in June while it was evaluating the site and other distribution facilities. But some of the town's nearly 1,500 residents had worried that Wrangler would not rebuild. Hackleburg's mayor had said the return of Wrangler was crucial for the town's recovery. "The morale boost it's given this town is unbelievable," Mayor Pro Tem Barry McCarley said after the announcement. Leaders had worried about possible layoffs, including in the police force, but Monday's development, the return of some businesses and donations -- including from a Native American tribe -- will brighten the economic outlook. Residents are hopeful the approximately 150 people who left town after the tornado will return. The Hackleburg tornado was one of 62 twisters and storms that swept through Alabama on April 27, killing 247 people. Hallmark and Keith Morrow, Hackleburg's only doctor, told CNN Monday night the announcement may eventually draw new employers and convince others that hadn't started rebuilding to do so. Nancy McCarley, who co-owns the Panther Mart convenience store, likened the excitement Monday night of residents in their 50s and 60s to kids on prom night. "People are smiling," she said. "It's just great, great, great."

The Wrangler jeans distribution center will rebuild and may add jobs . It was destroyed during the April 27 tornado in Hackleburg, Alabama . Officials had offered incentives to the parent company . Decision called an unbelievable morale boost" for Hackleburg .

(CNN) -- In an effort to understand why a truck serving as a parade float crossed in front of a fast-moving locomotive last week, killing four war veterans on the float, federal accident investigators on Tuesday will re-create the accident conditions. The National Transportation Safety Board will stage a locomotive and a truck at the railroad crossing in Midland, Texas, to measure the sight distances between the two. The test will answer the question: "What could be seen, when, (and) where?" board member Mark Rosekind said. The test comes as investigators this week examine a wealth of information about the crash, including several videos that captured the moments leading up to impact. They also are reviewing interviews with the train's engineer and conductor and are making plans to interview the truck driver. The accident happened late Thursday afternoon during the "Hunt for Heroes" parade to honor members of the U.S. military. The last flatbed truck in the parade was crossing the tracks when an eastbound Union Pacific train slammed into it, Midland police said. The safety board said the grade crossing warning system -- consisting of a bell, lights and a gate -- operated as designed, giving a 20-second warning of the train's arrival. But the truck entered the crossing, and the gate lowered, tipping over flag stands on the float, safety board investigators said. Some people were able to jump off the truck in time, witnesses said. But first responders found two dead at the scene, and two others were later pronounced dead at Midland Memorial Hospital. Fifteen others were injured, some seriously. Those killed were identified as Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gary Stouffer, 37, Army Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin, 47, Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34, and Army Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43. The safety board did not speculate or hint at the cause of the crash, but instead cited a number of facts that appeared not to be factors. The train was traveling 62 mph, the safety board said, under the 70 mph speed limit. No anomalies have been found in the grade crossing warning system, Rosekind said. Nor have investigators found any mechanical problem with the train's air brakes, nor defects with the tracks, Rosekind said. Rosekind said the south traffic light at the grade crossing turned green 21 seconds before the train's arrival at the crossing, as designed, to allow traffic time to clear the crossing. At 20 seconds before the collision, the bells and lights on the mast activated, in keeping with the minimum time under federal law. At 13 seconds before the collision, the gate started coming down, and a second later, the front of the truck crossed the north rail of the tracks. The engineer sounded the horn nine seconds before impact. At seven seconds before impact, the lowering gate struck flagpoles on the float. The train's emergency brakes were applied five seconds before impact, but it took the train 75 seconds to come to a complete stop, Rosekind said. Rosekind said investigators would remain on the scene through much of this week and said a conclusion to their work is months away. Investigators are reviewing video from a forward-facing camera on the locomotive, and video from a dashboard camera on a police cruiser that was behind the parade float, Rosekind said. They are also examining information on a data event recorder on the train, which recorded the train's speed, horn, etc. The grade crossing where the accident occurred had been designated a "quiet zone." Typically, trains blast their horns a quarter mile before a crossing. But the city of Midland applied to designate the crossing a quiet zone. Rosekind said alternative safety measures are provided in quiet zones. "Our investigators will now be looking at exactly what those safety measures were and whether they were in place at the time of the accident," he said. The safety board will also be looking at the parade permits to see what conditions were placed on the parade and whether those conditions were met.

Train struck parade float in Midland, Texas, last week, killing four veterans . National Transportation Safety Board to examine what could be seen ahead of collision . Several videos captured moments leading up to collision .

(CNN) -- Luis Suarez is set to join Spanish giants Barcelona after Liverpool and the La Liga club announced they had agreed terms for a sale. And later Friday, Suarez's lawyer said he would be appealing the four-month ban from any football activities Suarez received for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Barcelona confirmed that Suarez will be traveling to the Nou Camp next week to undergo a medical before signing a five-year contract. Despite a reported transfer fee in the region of £75 million ($128.5 million), Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said it was with "great reluctance" that the 27-year-old is being sold. "The club have done all they can over a sustained period of time to try to keep Luis at Liverpool," Rodgers said in a statement posted on Liverpool's official website. "It is with great reluctance and following lengthy discussions we have eventually agreed to his wishes to move to Spain for new experiences and challenges. We wish him and his young family well; we will always consider them to be friends." Suarez joined Liverpool in January 2011 from Dutch club Ajax for £22.8 million ($39 million), scoring 82 goals in 133 appearances. He played a pivotal role in the Reds' title challenge last year, netting 31 times in 37 appearances. Liverpool came up just short in the end finishing second to Manchester City but ensured Champions League football for the first time in four seasons. Suarez's time on Merseyside was also marked by two highly controversial incidents, resulting in lengthy bans. He was found guilty by the English Football Association (FA) of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra at a match in October 2011 and given an eight-game suspension. And at the end of the 2012/13 season Suarez bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic on the arm, resulting in another ban of 10 matches for violent conduct. It was the second time that Suarez bit an opponent. While playing for Ajax in 2010 Suarez was suspended for seven games after biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal on the shoulder. Then came the incident involving Chiellini in Brazil. Despite his disciplinary difficulties, Rodgers praised Suarez for his contribution while at Anfield. "Luis is a very special talent and I thank him for the role he has played in the team in the past two years, during my time at Liverpool," Rodgers said. "I think he would be the first to accept he has improved as a player over that period, along with the team and has benefited from being here, as we have benefited from him." Appeal to CAS . FIFA upheld Suarez's suspension Thursday, with the player's lawyer calling the punishment -- which included a nine-game international ban -- "blatantly draconian, totalitarian and fascist." Swiss-based CAS represents Suarez's last chance of overturning his sanction. "We hope they revoke this sanction that is blatantly draconian, totalitarian and fascist," Alejandro Balbi told Spanish radio station Cope. "The right of a footballer to work is being violated, and football should be worried about that. The nine (international) games may seem excessive, but the fact that he can't watch a game of football, or train or carry out his job, we are talking about unpleasant things. "We knew that FIFA would uphold the ban because they are corporatists. We will not stop, we are going to go to the CAS and we will keep taking the juridical path that is available to us." Read more: Suarez banned for four months .

Controversial Uruguayan striker Barcelona bound after Liverpool agree to sale . Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers let Suarez go with "great reluctance" Barcelona confirmed in a statement that 27-year-old will undergo medical next week . Striker set to sign a five-year deal with the La Liga giants subject to passing medical .

(CNN) -- The George Zimmerman trial has made one thing crystal clear. When racial issues arise, we tend to unquestionably cheer for our own race like it's a sporting match. There's little regard for the arguments or feelings of those from another race. Is the racial empathy gap in America growing? It seems so. At least judging by the chatter of comments surrounding the trial. I heard repeatedly the statement from some Zimmerman supporters -- including a radio show host on Monday morning who is far from being a racist -- that "94% of black murder victims were killed by other blacks." So instead of being empathetic to the Martin family -- whose son Trayvon was killed by Zimmerman -- the words discounted the killing by essentially saying that black people kill each other so much so why should we care about this one black kid? It doesn't end there. There were speculations that there will be riots by the black community should Zimmerman be found not guilty. As CNN's Don Lemon rightly pointed out Friday, these warnings basically label blacks as "barbarians" who "can't contain themselves." On the other side, some people of color despicably threatened to harm or even kill Zimmerman after he was acquitted. No matter what race you belong to, you have to admit this lack of concern for other races need to be addressed. Sure, there were people protesting the Zimmerman verdict other than blacks, but overall they were few and in between. (Keep in mind that 75% of America's population is white.) And when I say we lack racial empathy, I'm not talking about feeling sorry for a race because of their "plight." I mean true empathy -- "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another." Racial empathy means being able to honestly contemplate what it would be like to be a member of a different race. Psychologists have noted that this type of empathy fosters conflict resolution. Opening yourself to understanding why the other side believes what it does can help you find common ground. Of course, this is not easy. It requires you to, at least temporarily, stop self-righteously dismissing competing arguments. You don't have to agree with the opposing views, but you should listen and try to understand them. But when was the last time you heard leaders of community groups -- regardless of race -- say: "Let's look at from the other side?" I haven't. A recent important study on racial empathy offers insights on the tangible consequences of our failure to identify with other races. Researchers found that participants believed that black people felt less physical pain when subjected to the same injury as white people because blacks "have faced more hardship." In other words, the study shows that people are quicker to dismiss the suffering of blacks than of whites because black people have historically suffered more challenges like "higher rates of diseases, disability and premature death." The alarming conclusion is that this leads "to racial bias and potentially disastrous outcomes (e.g., condoning policy brutality against blacks, underestimating and undertreating black patients' pain)." There's no simple fortune cookie piece of advice out there on how we can become more open and honest. But we can start simple. How can we increase our racial sympathy? Let's look at issues from the vantage point of another race: Why are they angry? Why are they afraid? What would you feel like if you lived in a community where the crime you see is committed almost exclusively by one race? Conversely, how would you feel if you were repeatedly profiled by the police and society simply because of your skin color? If we don't get past the knee jerking defensiveness when discussing race, we will likely be burying more Trayvon Martins. Let's try to stop the tragedies before they happen. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah.

Dean Obeidallah: Zimmerman trial shows that people see issues along racial lines . Obeidallah: We need more racial empathy so that we can reduce tragedies and anger . He says psychology studies show that more empathy can foster conflict resolution . Obeidallah: We can start by trying to see what it would be like to belong to a different race .

(CNN) -- The St. Louis Rams announced Saturday that Michael Sam, who made history as the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL, has been waived and did not make the team's final 53-man roster. Sam, an All-American defensive end who played for the University of Missouri, made history when he was picked by the Rams in the seventh and final round. He was the 249th of 256 players selected. The Rams' move does not necessarily mean the end of Sam's professional career. He could still be picked up by another team, possibly on waivers, or return to the Rams as a player on the practice squad, coach Jeff Fisher said. At a press conference, Fisher said releasing Sam was "a football decision. It was a football decision back in May when we drafted Mike." Sam said on Twitter @MichaelSamNFL: . "I want to thank the entire Rams organization and the city of St. Louis for giving me this tremendous opportunity and allowing me to show I can play at this level. I look forward to continuing to build on the progress I made here toward a long and successful career." Another Tweet read: "The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues." Fisher said Sam has the ability play somewhere. "It needs to be the right place and a good fit." Sam, at 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, starred in college football last season. Besides being first team All-American, he was named the top defensive player in the Southeastern Conference, considered the nation's best league. Teammates named him the team's most valuable player. On Saturday, Sam returned to his college in Columbia, Missouri, to be honored at the game against South Dakota State. Obama congratulates Michael Sam . Fisher said Sam worked hard, but the team already had a lot of strong defensive ends. "Mike fit in very, very well" at training camp, Fisher said. "He was fun to be around and he was a good teammate." Bleacher Report said the contracts of players on waivers can be picked up by other teams within 48 hours. If the contracts are not picked up, the players can become unrestricted free agents. Teams, including the Rams, could put Sams on their practice squads. Sam worked with the second and third units during the preseason and made 11 tackles and recorded three sacks, said Bleacher Report. Sam told his college teammates he was gay and made a public announcement shortly before the NFL draft in May. When he was drafted, he made waves kissing his boyfriend in celebration as cameras looked on. Sam sets out to make it in the NFL . Being drafted was historic and Sam received a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama. "I'm determined to be great," Sam told reporters after the draft. "So I'm going to train hard and try to make the team." Fisher said the talked one-one-one with all the players who were released except Sam. He said he will talk to him in person Sunday. Other athletes have come out as gay, but they didn't have Sam's profile. Among them are the NBA's Jason Collins, the WNBA's Brittney Griner, WWE's Darren Young, UFC's Liz Carmouche, MMA's Fallon Fox and Major League Soccer's Robbie Rogers. The road to football stardom was not an easy one for Sam. One of eight children, he grew up in Hitchcock, Texas, where he was raised primarily by his mother. At one point, he has said, he lived out of his mother's car and briefly stayed with another family. Three of Sam's siblings have died, including an older brother he saw die from a gunshot wound. Two of his brothers are serving prison sentences. Champ Bailey released by the New Orleans Saints . Drew Iden of CNN contributed to this report.

Michael Sam tweets: "The journey continues" Rams coach Jeff Fisher: "It was a football decision" Sam was an All-American defensive end at the University of Missouri . Sam could be picked up by another team or return to the Rams as a practice player .

(CNN) -- First, a Texas hospital came under fire for releasing a sick Liberian man without testing him for Ebola. He later became the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States and died from the virus. Then a nurse who treated the man at the same hospital also came down with Ebola. A top health official said a "breach in protocol" led to that infection. So what's the protocol for health care workers if they suspect a patient has the virus that has already killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa? Go through the checklist . Signs of an Ebola infection include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain or bleeding, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But a key clue is whether the person traveled to an Ebola-affected area -- such as Sierra Leone, Liberia or Guinea -- in the past three weeks. That's because the symptoms of Ebola can take anywhere from two to 21 days to show up. Isolate the patient . Once Ebola is suspected, the patient should get his or own room, with a private bathroom, the CDC said. And the door to the hallway should remain closed. Hospitals should maintain a log of everyone who enters the room, the agency said. It's also a good idea to keep someone stationed at the patient's door to make sure everyone going in is wearing the right protective equipment. Get the right gear . At the very least, those who enter the patient's room should wear gloves, a gown, eye protection and a face mask. Sometimes the situation calls for more precautions, such as wearing disposable shoe covers, leg covers and two layers of gloves. Those extra steps are needed if there is vomit, human waste or "copious amounts of blood" in the room, the CDC said. Know the right order . It's not enough to have protective clothing; putting it on in the right order is just as important. "The dressing and undressing of (protective wear) should be supervised by another trained member of the team," the World Health Organization advises. After donning scrubs, health care workers should put on either boots or closed, water-resistant shoes with overshoes. Then a waterproof gown should go over the scrubs. If one isn't available, wear a waterproof apron over a gown. Next come the face mask, goggles and a head cover, if available. Finally, after washing their hands, health care workers should put on gloves over the sleeves' cuffs. When it's time to take the gear off, extreme care must be taken to avoid contaminating regular clothing, eyes or mucous membranes. CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said gear removal is a "major potential area for risk." "When you have gone into and potentially soiled or contaminated gloves or masks or other things, to remove those without any risk of any contaminated material touching you and being then on your clothes or face or skin and leading to an infection is critically important and not easy to do right," Frieden said. Keep visitors out . It may seem obvious, but it's important to keep visitors away from the patient's room. "Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis for those who are essential for the patient's well-being," the CDC said. Keeping visitors away doesn't just protect them; it also protects hospital workers, patients and others in case the visitor may have contracted Ebola, too. Those who do visit should be screened for fever and other symptoms. All these procedures may seem tedious, but every precaution matters, Frieden said. "The care of Ebola can be done safely, but it's hard to do it safely. It requires meticulous and scrupulous attention to infection control, and even a single, innocent, inadvertent slip can result in contamination."

Hospitals should ask whether a patient traveled to an Ebola-affected area . Patients suspected of having Ebola should have their own rooms and private bathrooms . Putting on protective gear in the right order is critical, experts say . CDC director: Even a "single, innocent" slip in protocol can result in contamination .

(CNN) -- Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has selected captain Michael Essien and defender John Mensah in his preliminary 29-man World Cup squad despite the duo still recovering from injuries. Midfielder Essien has not played for his English club Chelsea since December, when he suffered a hamstring injury before breaking down with a knee problem at the Africa Cup of Nations the following month. Mensah, who also plays in England on loan with Sunderland, has been sidelined with a calf injury arising from a physical complication which has plagued him in recent years. Midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who also plays in England, was named by the Serbian coach on Tuesday despite still waiting for his nationality switch to be approved. Blog: "Dynamite" Drogba will explode at World Cup . The Portsmouth player was born in Germany, who he has represented at under-21 level, but has a Ghanaian father and his uncle has played for the Black Stars. Rajevac has recalled Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari, who was dropped for the Africa Cup of Nations in January after deciding not to play in a friendly against Angola. New Ivory Coast manager Sven-Goran Eriksson named a predictably talent-laden 30-man squad, with his side favored to be the continent's best prospect in South Africa. The Elephants, who face Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in Group G, can call upon the English Premier League's top scorer Didier Drogba and his teammate at champions Chelsea, Salomon Kalou. The midfield ranks include Barcelona's Champions League winner Yaya Toure, Hamburg's Guy Demel and Cheick Tiote of Dutch champions FC Twente. Former England and Mexico coach Eriksson, who took over from Vahid Halilhodzic after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign, also has England-based defenders Emmanuel Eboue, Kolo Toure, Abdoulaye Meite and Steve Gohouri. Cameroon coach Paul Le Guen has given Rigobert Song the chance to appear at his fourth World Cup after naming the 33-year-old defender in his 30-man squad. Veteran midfielder Geremi, who also plays in Turkey, may play at his second tournament while Benoit Assou-Akotto is recalled after missing the Africa Cup of Nations through injury and his fellow Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong is included too after being omitted for the Angola event by the Frenchman. Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o will continue as captain, having replaced Song when Le Guen took charge last year. South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira named Benni McCarthy in his 29-man squad after the striker was dropped by predecessor Joel Santana and has struggled with injury since moving to English club West Ham in January. The Brazilian picked 10 Europe-based players, including captain Aaron Mokoena and midfielders Kagisho Dikgacoi and Steven Pienaar, but Nasief Morris of Spanish club Racing Santander missed out. Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback has given Nwankwo Kanu the chance to earn his third World Cup appearance despite the 33-year-old striker's limited opportunities with English club Portsmouth this season. Kanu's clubmate John Utaka has been recalled in the 30-man squad after being dropped by the Swede's sacked predecessor Amodu Shaibu, while midfielder Jon Obi Mikel is included despite missing the end of Chelsea's season due to minor knee surgery. Goalkeeper Bassey Akpan and Peter Suswan were the only Nigeria-based players selected. Algeria coach Rabah Saadane had yet to name his squad.

Ghana captain Michael Essien included in 30-man provisional World Cup squad despite injury . New Ivory Coast boss Sven-Goran Eriksson makes no surprises in his selection . Cameroon defender Rigobert Song the chance to appear at his fourth World Cup . Nigeria striker Nwankwo Kanu in contention to earn his third World Cup appearance .

Washington (CNN) -- When Congress decided to bury the nation's nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the federal government moved at the pace of a glacier. But when the political winds changed and the government decided to shut down the project, it acted with unusual speed, according to a report released Tuesday. The Department of Energy reduced its staff and transferred excess property in the blink of an eye, bureaucratically speaking. "Several DOE officials told us that they had never seen such a large program with so much pressure to close down so quickly," the Government Accountability Office said in the report. The shutdown of the Yucca project, in fact, moved with such haste that it could hinder efforts to resurrect the plan if so desired by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the courts, the GAO said. Yucca Mountain -- 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada -- was to be the solution to the nuclear waste problem: a final destination for the tons of hazardous nuclear waste accumulating at commercial reactors in 33 states. In 1987, Congress directed the DOE to dispose of waste in the mountain beginning in 1998. But political opposition to the plan has been relentless, and the DOE was unable to meet the deadline. In 2008, the DOE submitted a license application to the NRC seeking to construct a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, with a goal of opening it in 2017, a date later delayed until 2020. In March of 2009, following the election of President Obama, the secretary of energy announced plans to terminate the Yucca Mountain project and set up a blue-ribbon commission to study alternatives. The commission is scheduled to issue an interim report in July and a final report by January. The DOE's decision to terminate the Yucca Mountain program "was made for policy reasons, not technical or safety reasons," the GAO report says. DOE officials believe "there are better solutions that can achieve a broader national consensus to the nation's spent fuel and nuclear waste storage needs than Yucca Mountain," the GAO said. The GAO said that while it is unclear whether the NRC or the courts will resurrect the project, the DOE "undertook an ambitious set of steps to dismantle" the program. Starting in February 2010, the DOE redirected funds to be used on closeout activities, setting a September 30, 2010, deadline that was largely met, the GAO said. According to the DOE General Counsel, the September 30 deadline did not allow time for formal planning, although officials stated they believe necessary plan did occur. The DOE undertook "extensive efforts to preserve data related to its licensing efforts, as well as other scientific information relevant to the storage and disposal of high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel," the GAO said. In contrast, efforts to retain project staff were "minimal," the GAO said. The 180 federal staffers began leaving as soon as they found new jobs, placing increasing stress on the remaining staff to have an orderly shutdown. The Department of Energy used expedited procedures to transfer a large volume of office furniture and equipment, declaring it "abandoned" and moving it to other agencies, arguing that it would cost $680 per day to store the equipment more routine procedures were used. "The loss of staff with experience at Yucca Mountain could hinder the license review if the process is resumed," the GAO said. "Reconstituting this expertise and teamwork could be difficult should the licensing process be resumed." In a letter to the GAO, the DOE said it "strongly disagrees" with many of the reports conclusions. Concerning the shutdown, it said the department "was committed to closing down the Yucca Mountain Project in a responsible manner, and it successfully did so." It said the GAO was inaccurate in stating it did not follow federal policy and guidance for planning.

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, was to be the site of nuclear waste storage . The Obama administration terminated the project . A government report says the shutdown moved quickly . So quickly, the report says, it could hinder efforts if the project is ever resurrected .

Washington (CNN) -- For overweight Americans, and those looking for a healthier lifestyle, the claim was almost too good to be true -- wear Skechers Shape-ups footwear and watch the pounds melt away. At a news conference Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission said the shoemaker's claims weren't true and alleged Skechers violated federal law by misleading consumers. According to the FTC, Skechers agreed to pay a hefty $40 million fine to settle charges the California-based company deceived consumers by making "unfounded claims that Shape-ups would help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles." The company enlisted high-profile celebrities Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke to sell the shoes. Besides Shape-ups, Skechers also made deceptive claims about other products including Resistance Runner, Toners and Tone-up shoes, the FTC alleges. "Skechers' unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles. The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health," said David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. As part of the settlement, customers who bought Skechers "toning" shoes will be eligible for refunds either directly from the FTC or through a court-approved class-action lawsuit, officials said. Wednesday's announcement was the culmination of a months-long investigation involving the FTC and attorneys general from 44 states and the District of Columbia. FTC officials highlighted a Skechers television ad featuring the endorsement of chiropractor Dr. Steven Gautreau. In the ad, Gautreau cited an "independent" clinical study he conducted testing the shoes' benefits. The FTC said the study results Gautreau promoted weren't factual, and alleged the company hid the fact that Gautreau is married to a Skechers marketing executive. The FTC also said Gautreau was compensated for his endorsement, which wasn't made clear in the commercial. Skechers introduced Shape-ups in 2009, and sales peaked a year later. The FTC called Skechers an industry leader in the booming business of toning footwear. Estimated sales were close to $1 billion industrywide in 2010, the FTC said. The toning shoes Skechers sold cost between $60 and $100 a pair. As part of an expensive campaign to promote the fitness benefits of Shape-ups, the company unveiled a scantly dressed Kim Kardashian peddling the shoes during the Super Bowl in 2011. Brooke Burke's ads claimed the shoes would help improve her cousin's posture, mother's legs and give her brother a tighter core. Additionally, Burke's ad told consumers "the newest way to burn calories and tone and strengthen muscles was to tie their Shape-up shoe laces," the FTC said. "The FTC's message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation or tone down your claims," Vladeck said. Under the FTC's settlement, the company is barred from any advertising making similar claims unless it's backed up by scientific evidence. What Skechers plans to do with the Shape-ups brand remains to be seen. An ad featuring Burke touting "the next generation of Shape-ups" remained on the company's website Wednesday morning. According to the FTC, the commission files a complaint when it has "reason to believe" that the law has been or is being violated. The FTC says despite Skechers agreement to pay a fine, the complaint is not a court ruling or an admission that the company violated any law.

FTC official: Skechers' claims "went beyond stronger and more toned muscles" They also said shoes would help "weight loss and cardiovascular health," official says . Customers who bought Skechers "toning" shoes will be eligible for refunds . Sales of toning footwear approached $1 billion industrywide in 2010, FTC says .

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 3,000 U.S. troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq won't go after all, as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country, a Pentagon spokesman said Saturday. U.S. troops speak to an Iraqi child in Baghdad on Monday. The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will not replace a North Carolina National Guard unit already in Iraq, Lt. Col. Eric Butterbaugh told CNN. The 3,500-troop combat team, based in Fort Drum, New York, was to leave in January, he said. "[The cancellation] reflects a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq and continued improvement in the ability of the Iraqi security forces to safeguard Iraqi citizens and institutions," Butterbaugh said. The National Guard unit is still on schedule to return home, which will speed up the drawdown of forces, he said. The troop withdrawal in Iraq coincides with a debate in the Obama administration on whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. As of Friday, 250 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of the year, according to a CNN tally based on Pentagon numbers. The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August, leaving 50,000 in advisory roles. Those advisers are to leave by the end of 2011. Concerns that a delay in the upcoming Iraqi elections could put a dent in scheduled withdrawals was rejected Friday by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill. "As for our schedule of troop withdrawal, we've been pretty clear about when the troops would be withdrawn," he told CNN. "So our plan is to draw down the troops as we've said we're going [to] do." The polls are scheduled to open January 16, but both the United States and the United Nations are worried because Iraq still has no election law. If a new law isn't adopted, the government may have to change the election date or rely on the law used in the 2005 elections, some officials say. A vote on the new law is expected Monday. Pentagon officials also must weigh the impact of continuing violence in the country. Hill said the violence is a concern, as are insurgent efforts to undermine attempts at reconciliation in the divided country. "Reconciliation is a tough business. I mean I've been in some of these meetings with people, you know, they don't like each other, you have to get them to work together, get them to understand their futures are together, and then you get a bombing, which makes it even tougher," Hill said. "Again, I think the Iraqi people have really signaled that they are really sick and tired of this stuff." Meanwhile, violence continued in Iraq on Saturday. Four soldiers were killed and 10 people, including civilians and security forces, were wounded when a bomb targeting an Iraqi army checkpoint exploded in Falluja, an Anbar province town, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. Elsewhere in Anbar, a suicide truck bomb hit a police checkpoint on a bridge west of Ramadi, wounding a police officer. The blast badly damaged the bridge, which carries a highway linking Iraq with Jordan and Syria, the official said. Traffic had to be rerouted to an another road. Anbar province, a massive region populated mostly by Sunni Arabs, had been a major front in the Iraqi war. The al Qaeda in Iraq militant group once held great sway in Anbar, but its influence lessened with the advent of U.S.-backed groups called Awakening Councils. CNN's Scott Spoerry and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.

Cancellation reflects improved conditions in Iraq, official said . Iraqi elections won't delay scheduled withdrawals U.S. says, Ambassador Chris Hill . "Our plan is to draw down the troops as we've said we're going [to] do," says Hill . The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August .

(CNN) -- Although many people think of a heart attack as a painful, sometimes fatal event, there are some heart attacks that go entirely unnoticed. Some people may have had heart attacks without knowing it, studies show. Undiagnosed, or "silent," heart attacks affect nearly 200,000 people in the United States annually. As many as 40 to 60 percent of all heart attacks are unrecognized, studies show. By definition, a heart attack usually happens when a clot gets in the way of blood flow from a coronary artery to the heart. This may cause symptoms such as severe chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting and nausea. Anyone who believes that he or she is having a heart attack should seek emergency medical attention. But sometimes a heart attack is not painful, or the person experiencing it does not recognize the symptoms as heart-related, so he or she does not go to a hospital for treatment. Cardiologists have only recently become attuned to the prevalence of these silent heart attacks, and research on treatment is limited. The risk factors for silent heart attacks are the same as for regular heart attacks, experts say, and include smoking, diabetes, stress and family history. Watch CNN Health Files: Heart attacks » . A new study from Duke University Medical Center shows that these silent heart attacks may occur more frequently than physicians thought. Even if a heart attack occurred in the distant past, it may still leave a signature called a Q-wave on an electrocardiogram. But there are silent heart attacks that do not have associated Q-waves. Researchers used a relatively new technique called delayed-enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance and then followed up with patients after about two years. The study was done on 185 patients who had never had a diagnosed heart attack but were suspected of having coronary artery disease. The researchers found that 35 percent of patients had evidence of a heart attack and that silent heart attacks without Q-waves were three times more common than those that had Q-waves. Patients with non-Q-wave silent heart attacks also had 11 times higher risk of death from any cause and a 17-fold risk of death from heart problems compared with patients without any heart damage. But experts do not recommend that people generally be screened for silent heart attacks unless they have other heart-related problems. "Currently, there has not been a study that has demonstrated that early identification and therapy changes how patients with unrecognized heart attacks do in the future," said Dr. Han Kim, a cardiologist at Duke University and lead author of the study. "If you don't know when an actual event occurred, it becomes difficult to prescribe therapy." Although the study was done on a relatively small sample of people at risk of coronary artery disease, meaning the results may not apply to the general population, other cardiologists say the study has merit in adding to the knowledge of silent heart attacks. "Ultimately, we're going to need trials to really establish what treatment works and what doesn't," said Dr. Eric Schelbert, a cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who was not involved in the study. Treatment for someone who has had a silent heart attack is usually the same for someone who came to the hospital immediately after a heart attack, Kim said. This may include beta blockers, statin drugs, aspirin or other medications, Schelbert said. Schelbert said he has seen plenty of patients who have had silent heart attacks; in fact, he has treated some of his own colleagues who have experienced them. "It's an incredibly important thing that the physician scientist community needs to explore further," he said. Researchers noted that patients with non-Q-wave silent heart attacks were also generally older and were more likely to have diabetes. There needs to be more of a focus on prevention among these risk groups, said Dr. David Wiener, a cardiologist at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the study.

Silent heart attacks affect nearly 200,000 people in the United States annually . Researchers studied 185 people at risk of coronary artery disease . Treatment for "silent" heart attacks is similar to that for regular attacks . More research is necessary to determine whether screening is useful .

(CNN) -- Five Guantanamo prisoners accused in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the U.S. staunchly defended their actions, calling the operation "blessed" and "great" and the accusations against them "badges of honor." Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is shown in a courtroom sketch at Guantanamo Bay in January. "You are the last nation that has the right to speak about civilians and killing civilians," the five said in a response this month to the U.S. government's war crimes charges. "You are professional criminals, with all the meaning the words carry," the response said. "Therefore, we will treat you the same. We will attack you, just like you have attacked us, and whomever initiated the attacks is the guilty party." The six-page response from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who plotted the attacks, and four others castigates the actions of the United States and its allies in the Middle East and calls the United States "the terrorist country number one in the world." The military commission set up to hear the men's cases at the Guantanamo Bay inmate facility received the signed document Thursday, and a military judge ordered its release on Monday. The five are members of the al Qaeda terror network. Mohammed, who has taken credit for planning the attack, and the four other prisoners call themselves members of the 9/11 Shura Council. "With regards to these nine accusations that you are putting us on trial for; to us, they are not accusations. To us they are badges of honor, which we carry with pride. Many thanks to God, for his kind gesture, and choosing us to perform the act of Jihad for his cause and to defend Islam and Muslims," the response stated. Reacting to the charges of "attacking civilians," "attacking civilian objects" and "deliberately causing grave bodily harm," the five asked who really pursued such actions. "Is it us, or is it you?" It ties the United States to attacks in "Palestine and Lebanon by providing political, military, and economic support to the terrorist state of Israel, which in turn, is attacking unarmed innocent civilians." It also noted American actions in Iraq and the dropping of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. As for "crimes in violation of the law of war," it cites Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Lebanese land and the displacement of Palestinians, the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and the mistreatment of prisoners at places such as the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Answering another accusation, hijacking and/or endangering a vessel or an aircraft, the five said, "if you do not respect the innocent in our countries, then we will do the same, by exposing you to danger and hijacking in the air, at sea and at land." Quranic verses were cited in the filing, and the men underscored their defense of "oppressed" Muslims. "Our religion is a religion of fear and terror to the enemies of God: the Jews, Christians and pagans. With God's willing, we are terrorists to the bone." It also predicts that the United States "will fall, politically, militarily and economically." "Your end is very near and your fall will be just as the fall of the towers on the blessed 9/11 day," the court filing said. "We ask from God to accept our contributions to the great attack, the great attack on America, and to place our nineteen martyred brethren among the highest peak in paradise," the response said, in reference to the al Qaeda militants who hijacked the airplanes that crashed into the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, and a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.

U.S. war crime accusations are "badges of honor," five al Qaeda prisoners say . Statement asks God to "accept our contributions to the ... great attack on America" "Your fall will be just as the fall of the towers on the blessed 9/11 day," filing says .

(CNN) -- Four members of Florida A&M University's fabled Marching 100 band have been arrested on hazing charges, a spokeswoman for the Tallahassee college said Friday. The charges are unrelated to the November hazing death of drum major Robert Champion. FAMU police arrested three of the students Thursday night; the fourth turned himself in Friday morning, said Sharon Saunders, the FAMU spokeswoman. The students -- Hakeem Birch, Brandon Benson, Anthony Mingo and Denise Bailey -- were charged with hazing five Marching 100 band members who wanted to join a group in the clarinet section known as the "Clones." The five told police they were made to line up according to height at the start of each meeting. Then they were punched, slapped and paddled, according to the arrest warrant. One of the students, who quit the pledging process after the first meeting, took a digital photo of the bruising on her body. The initiation meetings, which began last September, took place at the home of Birch and Benson, the warrant said. Champion's death prompted FAMU's board of trustees to approve a three-part plan to tackle the issue of hazing on campus. The plan includes an independent blue-ribbon panel of experts to investigate. Trustee Belinda Reed Shannon told board members the panel would take a "forward-looking" approach at hazing on campus, and would not conflict with any current investigations into the Marching 100 band. Champion, 26, collapsed in Orlando on a bus carrying members of the band after a November football game that included a halftime performance by the group. Christopher Chestnut, a lawyer for Champion's family, has charged that Champion died after receiving "some dramatic blows, perhaps (having an) elevated heart rate" tied to "a hazing ritual" that took place on the bus. Some band members have said Champion died after taking part in a rite of passage called "crossing Bus C." One member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that students "walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus backward while the bus is full of other band members, and you get beaten until you get to the back." No one has been charged in Champion's death; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Orange County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also launched a separate investigation into band employees, who were allegedly engaged in financial fraud. The medical examiner's office has said Champion "collapsed and died within an hour of a hazing incident during which he suffered multiple blunt trauma blows to his body." An autopsy conducted after his death found "extensive contusions of his chest, arms, shoulder and back," as well as "evidence of crushing of areas of subcutaneous fat," which is the fatty tissue directly under a person's skin. An attorney for the band's director, on paid administrative leave since shortly after Champion's death, said his client issued letters of suspension and withheld scholarships "of all students whose names were provided to him once the incident was reported." Julian White also informed campus police, attorney Chuck Hobbs said in a written statement. "Dr. White applauds the efforts of law enforcement to arrest individuals that he suspended for hazing and hopes that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," according to the statement. "Dr. White has been the leading anti-hazing advocate on the FAMU campus for years and his legal team continues to call upon President James Ammons to fully reinstate him to his position since the original reason for termination -- failure to report hazing -- is clearly unfounded by the record evidence." White originally had been suspended with termination scheduled for December 22, but he was subsequently placed on leave until completion of the investigation into Champion's death. CNN's Vivian Kuo contributed to this report.

NEW: The band director's attorney again calls for reinstatement . The arrests are not related to the November hazing death of Robert Champion . They four students are charged with hazing those who wanted to join a clarinet group . The college is looking into how best to address hazing problems .

(CNN) -- At 35,000 feet, the orange glow of a European sunrise begins to pierce the horizon from beneath a tufted layer of clouds. Unfortunately, it will be only a matter of minutes before that glow transforms into a pupil-penetrating annoyance through the windscreen of our 777. The irritating glare won't, of course, affect the way we navigate our way to London's Heathrow Airport; a complicated and well-engineered computer system using GPS positioning provides information to air traffic controllers. But what if this well-oiled machine breaks down? Do we need to start worrying? That was a question facing pilots in airspace over the United Kingdom on Friday, when Shanwick Oceanic, a part of the UK's NAT system of air traffic control, developed a computer glitch. Shanwick is the airspace that most flights transit to or from not only Britain, but also from France and other European countries, covering airspace from south of Iceland to north of the Azores, and just west of France to almost the middle of the North Atlantic. So when Shanwick develops a computer glitch, air traffic arriving and departing into the United Kingdom is most affected. But while a malfunction affecting the flight of objects hurtling through the sky at 600 mph might sound scary, rest assured that Mom and Dad celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary aren't at any risk of colliding with another airliner en route. It just means they might be a little late arriving for their vacation. Airplanes that are already airborne receive priority by virtue of the fact controllers understand that only a finite amount of fuel remains in the tanks. As airline pilots, it becomes a matter of calculating whether our fuel on board is sufficient to fly a few circles in a holding pattern or divert to our alternate airport. Traditional radar is still available once the flight travels in range of a land-based facility. Departures, however, will be delayed until the situation is rectified or mitigated. So, why isn't there a risk of collision? As it has been since the days of the DC-3, the track system is a nonradar environment. Radar signals don't have the capability of traveling out to the middle of the ocean, so before airplanes enter the North Atlantic track system, from either east or west, a specific speed is assigned along with a specific altitude. In other words, airplanes are separated both vertically and laterally based on their known performance. This is still the case. Before the latest computer technology became prevalent, oceanic controllers would track airplanes manually based on verbal pilot position reports at designated degrees of longitude. With the advent of more precise navigation, more precise onboard automation and more exact ground-based air traffic control systems, the separation limits have decreased, allowing for more flights between North America and Europe. All this means that airplanes can still maintain this separation even if the ground-based oceanic computers take a temporary vacation. How? Because we are required to maintain our assigned altitude and our assigned airspeed. And since the actual tracks change daily according to weather and winds, the performance of all the participating airplanes will be affected exactly the same. When the current technology system breaks down, the solution is either to increase separation limits or just wait until it is fixed. Verbal position reports would be required because our onboard ADS-B system wouldn't be able to communicate with the particular oceanic facility. Unfortunately, stopping departures that will be transiting the airspace is the simplest solution rather than temporarily resorting back to the old methods -- hence the delays on departing flights that were experienced Friday. This of course raises the question of whether the global air traffic control system has become computer dependent. The simple answer is, absolutely. But it is also worth remembering that the technology has also increased efficiency. And, more importantly, it has added another degree of safety to air travel. With all that in mind, we are just going to have to suffer through the compromise of inconvenience when the technology breaks down. Or find another way to get to our intended destinations.

Air traffic control system for London airspace has technical failure Friday . Les Abend: Malfunction was inconvenient, not dangerous . Abend: Global air traffic control system has become computer dependent .

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- More than seven months after the U.N. Security Council authorized NATO forces to protect demonstrators in Libya, the aerial bombing campaign operation that helped depose longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi ended here Monday at midnight. "I think what has happened in Libya sends a very clear signal to autocratic regimes all over the world," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters earlier in the day after arriving in Tripoli from Brussels, Belgium. "We have been mandated by the United Nations Security Council to protect civilians and that mission has been a great success," he told CNN during the flight. "We have prevented a massacre. We have saved countless lives. We have fully implemented the United Nations mandate. That was our mission and we have done what we promised to do." But the Pentagon said Monday that the United States will continue monitoring Libya from the skies even after the end of formal NATO military operations. "There will be some kind of overwatch role for a little while after the actual end," Pentagon spokesman, Capt. John Kirby said. "We are still working with our NATO allies on that." U.S. manned and unmanned aircraft played a key reconnaissance role in the Libya operation even after U.S. forces stopped taking the lead combat role. And National Transitional Council spokesman Ahmed Bani told CNN that he was expecting the mission would be suspended rather than canceled. "To cancel it, in these circumstances, I don't think was the right decision, especially at this time," he said, citing the continued presence of pro-Gadhafi elements. Interim prime minister chosen . NATO's move comes after the United Nations Security Council last week rescinded its March mandate for military intervention to protect civilians targeted during anti-regime protests. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said NATO's mission puts Libya on a path to freedom. But she tempered her remarks with a word of caution. "We're very concerned that, as we move forward, that the authorities make maximum effort to swiftly form an inclusive government that incorporates all aspects of Libyan society, and in which the rights of all Libyan people are fully and thoroughly respected, regardless of their gender, their religion, their region of origin," Rice said after the Security Council vote last Thursday. "But for the United States, and, I think, for the United Nations Security Council, this closes what I think history will judge to be a proud chapter in the Security Council's history." As of Monday, Operation Unified Protector had flown 7,943 total sorties, 1,851 strike sorties and 398 total strikes in which ordnance was dropped. Momentum to end the campaign began building after Gadhafi was killed following his capture near his hometown of Sirte on October 20. Many British military personnel who had been stationed at an Italian airfield for the campaign already are returning home. Meanwhile, Gadhafi's relatives said they plan to file a war crimes complaint. "All of the events that have taken place since February 2011 and the murder of Gadhafi, all of this means we are totally in our right to call upon the International Criminal Court," Marcel Ceccaldi, a lawyer representing the family, said last week. Questions have been raised about how Gadhafi was killed. Amateur videos showed him alive when captured by the opposition. He died from a shot in the head, officials said, but the circumstances surrounding the shot remain unclear. NATO's Libya campaign began in March, after the Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, which imposed a no-fly zone in the country's airspace and authorized member states to take measures to protect civilians. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this story.

NTC military spokesman says mission should be suspended, not canceled . NATO's seven-month campaign helped end Moammar Gadhafi's rule . The U.N. Security Council voted to end a mandate authorizing the NATO operation last week . Gadhafi's family says it will file a complaint against NATO .

(CNN) -- As one of the right-hand men to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef was one of the first Taliban leaders arrested when the United States began military operations in Afghanistan. Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, who was Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan, says U.S. war efforts are "failing." As a detainee, he was held both at Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba -- spending more than three years in Guantanamo before he was released in 2006. Now free, Zaeef -- who claims he is no longer a Taliban member -- alleges the military engaged in abusive treatment both at Bagram and Guantanamo. He says he is still bitter about his time there. Closing Guantanamo Bay, he told CNN, is only part of the justice those detained there deserve. "It was a bad stain on American history," he said. "If they are closing Guantanamo for justice, they have to bring the people who are torturing people, who abuse people, to justice." The military has classified those like Zaeef as "enemy combatants," although the Justice Department in March said it would dispose of that classification. The U.S. military in Afghanistan said it was not authorized to comment on Zaeef's or any other individual case. "I didn't see a worse situation in my life than Bagram," recalled Zaeef. "They were beating me, they put me in the snow, in the cold, until I was unconscious." Watch Zaeef describe "no rules" at Gitmo » . More than 600 prisoners have been held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a controversial facility where prisoners are held for years without criminal charges and, critics allege, without access to legal representatives. The Red Cross has said conditions there are "harsh." Currently, 240 detainees remain at the facility. President Obama has announced plans to close the military detention center, saying it has made the United States less safe and set back the country's "moral authority." His plans, however, have met with opposition as determinations are made on where to send the detainees housed there. In Guantanamo, Zaeef recalled, "there was no rule, no regulation for [treatment of] the detainees." Sayed Sharif Yousofy, who works to get prisoners released from Bagram, said he would like to see both facilities closed. "Some prisoners are released after four years without any conviction of a crime, which is not fair," he said. "These prisoners are not treated according to the convention of human rights, either in Guantanamo or Bagram." Preliminary intelligence assessments show more than 14 percent of detainees released from Guantanamo either returned or are suspected of returning to terrorism, the Pentagon said earlier this week. Zaeef -- who was Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan under the Taliban regime at the time of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States -- said he believes the statistics, as detainees are often angry when released. "Anyone in the world, to be deprived of any kind of human rights, any kind of justice -- he becomes angry, so he will try to get revenge," he said. While detained, he said, detainees sometimes lose everything -- homes, property, money -- and "they have nothing after that." While he claims to no longer be a Taliban member, he said he supports the insurgents and believes the United States will never be victorious in Afghanistan. "There is no choice" for the Taliban except to fight, he said. "There is no other way for them." "Ideologically, they [the U.S.] are failing" in Afghanistan, he said. "I think they are not able to win the war."

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef says detainee treatment "bad stain" on U.S. history . Zaeef agrees with Pentagon estimate that 14 percent of freed detainees return to fray . Under conditions called "harsh" by Red Cross, 240 detainees remain at Gitmo .

Vrindavan, India (CNN) -- In the picturesque temple town of Vrindavan, 10-year-old Maya and her three siblings walk to school every day on an empty stomach. She says her parents can't afford to feed them adequate meals; they eat bread and milk for dinner and nothing for breakfast. As the eldest child, she often has to skip class to help her parents harvest wheat. Maya says her parents believe this is a more efficient use of her time, but she has another good reason for attending school -- more food. "At school we get the most amount of food. At home we don't get this much. At home my mother tells us to only eat a little bit so there's enough for everyone," she says. Following a landmark decision by the Supreme Court in 2001, all government schools in India are mandated to provide free meals to students below the age of 13. In a country where more than 40% of children below the age of five are underweight, according to UNICEF, India's midday meal scheme is making great strides. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is working with the government to feed 1.4 million underprivileged children every day. They began in 2000, feeding a few thousand school children in several schools in the southern city of Bangalore. But in the space of a decade, they say they've served more than a billion meals across the country. Akshaya Patra's Vice Chairman, Chanchalapathi Dasa, says the benefits are manifold. Enrollment in schools has increased by roughly 20%, attendance has improved, children are healthier and their cognitive abilities have also increased. "If a child is hungry in the classroom then he or she will not be able to receive all this education," says Dasa. But preparing food for so many takes more than an ordinary kitchen. You could call it a culinary revolution. In what looks like a factory for food, fresh meals are being mass-produced for millions of children. Custom-made cauldrons can prepare rice for 1,000 kids in 15 minutes. A printing press-like machine can make an impressive 40,000 Indian flatbreads or chapattis in an hour. "India is a place of numbers. If you're doing something to provide meals for 1,000 or even 5,000 children, you are merely scratching the surface," adds Dasa. "From the beginning we at Akhshay Patra realized that in order to see a significant impact we have to do it in scale and that we have to use modern techniques of management and innovation." They call it a three tier gravity flow kitchen. Tons of raw ingredients like rice, lentils and vegetables are taken to the top floor where they're cleaned, peeled, cut and sent down chutes into waiting cauldrons below. There, steam generated by furnaces cooks the food. The cooked meals are then thrown down chutes to another level where the meals are packaged. By 8 a.m. meals are ready to be delivered in special vehicles designed to keep the food warm. But while the food production process is efficient, it is also considered. "We want to treat these children with dignity. We don't say 'you are poor children and whatever we give you, you must eat that,' no. We adapt our cooking methods, our menus, recipes to meet the local children's requirements," says Dasa. "You see, in India every 300 miles you come across a different culture, a different language, a different kind of food habit, so at Akshaya Patra we are sensitive to local cultural requirements and tastes." While there are several school feeding programs that distribute rations of wheat and rice, cooked meal programs are rare. This is one of the most successful assistance programs yet -- nourishing food for millions of children and food for thought in the fight against poverty.

UNICEF: More than 40% of Indian children below the age of five under weight . Government schools instructed to give free meals to children under 13 . Akshaya Patra Foundation working with government to feed 1.4 million kids . Foundation produces millions of fresh meals at its three-tier gravity flow kitchen .

(CNN) -- President Obama is facing great challenges as he takes office and may have made a hasty decision to close Guantanamo Bay without addressing all of the repercussions, Sen. John McCain told CNN's Larry King Thursday night. Sen. John McCain says he thinks President Obama should have considered where Guantamao prisoners will go. "When Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to the presidency, it was economic challenges. We clearly faced the rise of Hitler and fascism, but early on it was mainly domestic issues," McCain said. But President Obama has in front of him two wars, a crisis in the Middle East and a domestic economic crisis. "This president faces domestic challenges and the national security challenges, so he's got a big job," McCain said. Obama got to work from day one by ordering a halt to prosecutions of Guantanamo Bay prisoners, followed by an order to close the detention facility within a year and ban torture. But McCain told King he thinks the new president may have been hasty in the decision and should have taken the time to consider everything associated with closing the camp before forcing himself into a timetable. "I think that it's a wise move," McCain said about closing Guantanamo Bay. "But I also think that we should have addressed this whole issue completely, because it did not address the issue of those who we have in custody and can't -- and no country will take them back. We should have addressed the issue of those who we know would pose a threat to the United States, but we don't have sufficient evidence to move forward." Watch McCain talk about the problem with closing Guantanamo Bay » . McCain said instead of closing Guantanamo Bay outright, he would have first continued the military commissions, which "after years of delay and obfuscation" were finally moving toward trials. "So, the easy part, in all due respect, is to say we're going to close Guantanamo," McCain said. "Then I think I would have said where they were going to be taken. Because you're going to run into a NIMBY [not in my backyard] problem here in the United States of America." Along with the order to close Guantanamo, Obama also set up a task force to advise him on strategies to relocate its prisioners. McCain also expressed concerns over President Obama's proposed stimulus package, saying from where he stands, it "is more of a spending package than a stimulus package." "I hope we can work together to, frankly, be a real stimulus package and not just a spending package that has every cat and dog and pet project that people have," he said. "Because the object of a stimulus package is to stimulate the economy, not to just spend more and run up the debt to our kids and our grandkids." In addition to a real stimulus package, McCain said he believes the government should work to cut or eliminate payroll taxes. "I think we should spend the money that we can immediately, but at the same time if we have a couple of quarters of positive GDP growth, then let's start reducing and eliminating the huge, massive, unprecedented deficits that are going to accrue from these actions," he said. Despite some of their differing viewpoints on how to tackle the biggest problems the president will handle, McCain said he does plan to work with President Obama in any way he can. Watch McCain talk about working with Obama » . "These are difficult times and whatever way I can assist and work with the president of the United States, I want to do it," he said. "And again, the American people are tired of the bitter partisanship." "There will be open and honest disagreements that the president and I had and -- but I hope that there are areas where -- I know there are areas where we can all work together. The American people are demanding it and they deserve it and they haven't been getting it."

McCain: Closing Guantanamo "wise move," but incomplete solution . Senator says decision made without considering where prisoners will go . McCain wants to see more of a stimulus package, less of a spending package . Senator says people demand, deserve bipartisanship and "haven't been getting it"

(CNN) -- A woman's legs protrude over an empty bar. Manicured hands cling desperately to a ledge. Disheveled femmes fatales crawl across a flowerbed. The racetrack is transformed into an ominous retro time warp in these intriguing images from Canadian photographer Kourtney Roy. "I would say that my work is sinister, but it's also imbued with a dark humor," said the 32-year-old, originally from "the wilds of northern Ontario." "At the racetrack there is a certain energy in the air, it is very magical, even if there is a seedy and dark side to it as well." Roy's unnerving images could be scenes from a 1960s murder mystery, rather than a sports arena usually filled with stampeding horses and screaming punters. Just who is this glamorous young woman, pictured on an eerily empty race course? In fact it is Roy herself, who donned thrift store costumes for the surreal photo shoot at stadiums across Paris. The cinematic series -- called "Ils Pensent Déjà Que Je Suis Folle" or "They Already Think I'm Crazy" -- was named the winner of a competition exploring gambling, and exhibited at Le Bal photography center in the French capital. "During the shoot, people saw what appeared to be a mad woman in a wig throwing her legs up in the air and generally enacting acrobatic poses for the camera," she said. "But I found that it added a certain ambiguity and uncanniness to the scene when I was partially hidden or when my face was unseen. It seems more ominous." Romance of the racetrack . Growing up in rural Canada, Roy discovered the joys of the racetrack later in life, describing being "raised by a family of lumberjacks and spending my youth trapping and taming wolves." "There were no racetracks where I came from. We were too busy trying not to freeze to death." Inspired by the writings of hard-living punter and poet Charles Bukowski, Roy later explored the grandstand with gusto. "There is really nothing like spending an afternoon eating fries and drinking beer, while watching the most magnificent creatures in the world run past you at dazzling speeds," said the photographer, who now lives in Paris. Artist impression . She's hardly the first artist drawing inspiration from the track. From Edgar Degat's 19th century paintings depicting jockeys in luminous color, to Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 musical "My Fair Lady" and recent HBO series "Luck" starring Dustin Hoffman, what makes the racetrack such a ripe backdrop for artists? "It's got that mystique of people knowing more than you do," said Nick Attenborough of Great British Racing, a company which promotes British horseracing around the world. "It's a sport of intrigue. It's one man betting his judgment against another. One horse trainer or one jockey trying to win against a load of other guys." Spooky stadium? And it's a different intrigue altogether once the stadium is empty. "I've been to racecourses before which are quite empty and they're sad places in comparison to the joy, pleasure, and buzz you get when there's racing," said Attenborough. "It's slightly spooky. And that's what Roy's photos have done. The woman leaning over the bar -- there's no drinks, no decorations, and it looks soulless. "And I dare say that's true of any stadium -- they need people to help them reverberate." It seems that even without horse racing, the track is still a scene of drama. Learn: Lords and My Fair Ladies swan about in style . Inspire: The enduring allure of horses in art .

Photographer transforms racetrack into eerie retro time warp . Images win competition exploring gambling, exhibited in Paris . Racetrack is ideal scene for drama, inspires artists for centuries . Without horses and people, the track takes on an spooky quality .

(CNN) -- A word to the wise. If you're going to go walking in snow, take big steps. I was knee deep in a Swiss forest pretending to be the adventurer Bear Grylls when I came a cropper and collapsed face first into a snowdrift. Before I could emerge from my embarrassing predicament, a photograph was helpfully plastered across social media. I held out a hand for help, but Beau, a giant of a cameraman, was too busy laughing. Welcome to the World Economic Forum. This place eats up Davos virgins and spits them out faster than you can say CEO. Veterans like Richard Quest, who is attending his 10th WEF, take great pleasure in warning new CNN producers that it'll cost a fortune, it's exhausting, but it's like no other event like it you've ever been to before. They're not wrong. Imagine taking a small Swiss city, laden with shops selling little more than overpriced cuckoo clocks, chocolate and snowboards, surrounding it in barriers of steel and snipers, and inviting the masters of the universe in business, politics and academia to visit. Europe's highest city is a very strange place. It's where $20 won't even get you a portion of pasta, where your pidgin German and French is quietly laughed at, and where any kind of shoes feel like a bad choice. Billy Connolly once said: "there's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong kind of clothing." In Davos, everyone's changing clothes every time they move from ferocious air blowers indoors to the Baltic outdoors. I saw one CEO quickly dump his $400 brogues in favor of some slightly ridiculous moon boots. Hunters are stylish and do rather well. My $7 discount store rubber attachments have -- so far -- survived intact. Beyond the ring of steel, tourists were rapidly banished as journalists from round the world take over ski lodges and budget hotels. Small businesses clear off as corporate hospitality moves in. Over a weekend I watched a pet shop converted into a plush hospitality suite for Barclays. The RBS lounge looked like no other bank I've ever been to. If only my local branch in south London was kitted out with comfy sofas and a bar. It would be somewhere to drown your sorrows when you've smashed through your overdraft. Inside the barrier, once you've passed armed security, the x-ray machine and the ID card scanner, you're finally allowed entry to the Kongress Centre (clearly a typographical error) using the back entrance though a tunnel made from material not unlike a bouncy castle. It's brilliant white, and resembles a bio-hazard emergency tent which featured in E-T 30 years ago. Sweating in heavy winter gear under the power of hot air blowers, I soon discovered how my ID badge dictates your right to access, food and hospitality at WEF. Simply put it's a reinvention of the class system. Journalist purple badge holders are ranked just above pond life, but at least we can get inside the center. White badges are allowed better nibbles. Meanwhile, back in the forest, I struggled to tie a washing line between two trees. I then added some Davos related surveys with clothes pegs. This was a stunt for my show, Marketplace Europe, which showed the plethora of reports which come out to coincide with WEF. The phrase "it seemed like a good idea at the time" sprung to mind more than once in the freezing wind, followed by another whispered piece of advice from Richard which I had cheerfully ignored: "Don't forget the long johns, Pepper." Opinion: Will global elite listen to Pope of poor? Can Davos make a difference to global inequality?

Chris Pepper, a "Davos virgin" shares his experience of attending the WEF for the first time . He is told it'd cost a fortune and would be exhausting, but also that iDavos is nothing like any other event . He discovers how the color of his ID badge dictates his right to access, food and hospitality .

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods is back on the prowl -- and this time he's after a journalist who has had the temerity to poke fun at him. It was clearly defined as a parody interview, but Woods' angry reaction to a piece by Dan Jenkins in Golf Digest has raised questions over whether the golf star was correct to respond -- and whether the journalist was right to write the spoof in the first place. Jenkins, who said he had had a request for an interview with Woods turned down by the player's agent Mark Steinberg because "we don't see what we'd have to gain," goes to town poking fun at his target. He highlights Woods' title drought -- he hasn't won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open -- mentions 'Woods' habit of firing people ("It gives me something to do when I'm not shaping my shots") and, oh, adds that he's a bad tipper. Jenkins' parody also has 'Woods' responding to a question about the New York Post headlines generated by his affairs by saying the moral of his story is "don't get caught." The fake interview also quotes the golfer as saying he thought about renaming his yacht Serenity, "but that pretty much went out the door when the nine-iron hit the window of the Escalade," a reference to an incident in 2009 that sparked a media storm around Woods' private life. The golfer was divorced from Elin Nordegren in 2010. Headlined 'My (Fake) Interview With Tiger*,'the parody's sub-heading is: '*or how it plays out in my mind.' But Woods' angry response, in which he said Jenkins had created "some jerk... to pretend he was talking to me," has elevated its status from that of a story near the back of the magazine's December issue into front page news. The 38-year-old American chose the Players' Tribune website -- created by former New York Yankees baseball star Derek Jeter -- as his forum to lambast the 84-year-old writer for "a grudge-fuelled piece of character assassination." Describing Jenkins' work as "invented fiction" and saying it "fails as parody," Woods angrily asks: "Journalistically and ethically, can you sink any lower?" He writes: "I like to think I have a good sense of humor, and that I'm more than willing to laugh at myself. This concocted article was below the belt. "Good-natured satire is one thing, but no fair-minded writer would put someone in the position of having to publicly deny that he mistreats his friends, takes pleasure in firing people and stiffs on tips -- and a lot of other slurs, too." Steinberg, who is repeatedly referred to in the spoof, has written to the magazine to call for an apology. But Jenkins was in no mood to say sorry, tweeting that he had given Woods an easy ride. James Corrigan, the golf correspondent of British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, defended the spoof and said Woods' reaction was "pathetic -- the self-pitying cries of an arrogant and yes, ignorant billionaire. You couldn't have made it up, even if you tried." Corrigan added: "Warning for any easily offended sporting superstar out there: if you really do not want everyone to read a negative article, then do not tell everyone not to read it. Because, erm, everyone will then go and read it. "Parodies imitate with the intention to lampoon. The target is not supposed to find them amusing. Other people are. And many other people are doing exactly that in huge numbers, thanks to Woods' intervention." Writing in USA Today, Christine Brennan opined: "I think we can be assured it's a complete success as parody, because Tiger is so upset about it."

Golf Digest published spoof interview about Tiger Woods by journalist Dan Jenkins . Angry Woods describes piece as 'invented fiction' Golfer hits back on Players' Tribune website . Other journalists jump to Jenkins' defence .

(CNN) -- Rutgers University held an emotional vigil Sunday evening as the campus grapples with the suicide of a student whose sexual encounter with another man was broadcast online. The body of Tyler Clementi, 18, was recovered from the Hudson River on Thursday, more than a week after he jumped from the George Washington Bridge, which spans the river between New York and New Jersey. Two other Rutgers students -- Clementi's roommate, Dharun Ravi, 18, and Molly Wei, 18 -- have been charged with invasion of privacy. The pair allegedly placed a camera in Clementi's dorm room without his knowledge and then streamed his sexual encounter online, according to the Middlesex County, New Jersey, prosecutor's office. "Our entire campus is very upset about what happened," said Greg Blimling, Rutgers' Vice President of Student Affairs. "The entire campus is in mourning. And we feel very deeply for what happened to the family. This is a terrible tragedy." Students and other members of the university community, some wearing pins that read "Pride," stood silently as they lit and held white candles. Clementi remembered in New York Park . The vigil brought together student organizations, campus offices and LGBT communities "as an opportunity for the members of the community and our allies to stand together united in peace, healing and social justice," a statement from the university said. A student who attended the vigil stressed the need for civility. "We're all linked on some sort of deeper level and we just need to find it," said Caroline Tuero. On Friday, the president of Rutgers pledged to meet with members of the university's gay community as the school deals with scrutiny in the wake of the suicide. In a letter to the Rutgers community, President Richard McCormick praised what he called the school's "strong history of social activism on behalf of diversity." However, he said, the university "is an imperfect institution in an imperfect society." University officials declined to respond to CNN's questions about when Rutgers first learned of the webcam incident, citing privacy laws. But a school spokesman said Friday that officials "did the best they can." "I have spoken to virtually every principal involved in this matter, and they have attempted to handle this matter to the best of their ability," Rutgers spokesman Greg Travor told CNN. McCormick said that the incident has raised questions about the campus climate. "Students, parents and alumni have expressed deep concern that our university, which prides itself on its rich diversity, is not fully welcoming and accepting of all students," the president said in a letter. New Jersey prosecutors were working to determine whether additional charges, including bias, may be brought against Ravi and Wei. On the evening of September 19, Ravi allegedly sent a message via microblogging site Twitter about Clementi. "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay." Ravi tried to use the webcam again two days later, on September 21, according to the Middlesex County prosecutor's office. "Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it's happening again," Ravi is believed to have tweeted. The next day, Clementi was dead. A mobile status update September 22 on a Facebook page purportedly belonging to Clementi said: "jumping off the gw bridge sorry." Clementi's family has remained largely quiet, except to say that their personal tragedy has raised a host of legal issues for the country. "Regardless of legal outcomes, our hope is that our family's personal tragedy will serve as a call for compassion, empathy and human dignity," the statement said. CNN's Ross Levitt contributed to this report.

Tyler Clementi committed suicide after the broadcast of a sexual encounter with a man . Students Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei are charged with invasion of privacy . Ravi and Wei might face additional charges such as bias . Clementi's family says it hopes the tragedy will serve as a call for compassion .

(CNN) -- Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to have many different roles and responsibilities, serving as an international humanitarian ambassador, television host, model, actress and businesswoman. But the role that's most fulfilling -- and the one that is most important to me -- is "Mom." First and foremost, as a parent, I welcomed the announcement that 92 mayors from across the United States have signed a letter supporting the Environmental Protection Agency's safeguards against mercury. This is a brilliant testimony to the mayors' understanding of the fundamental need for clean healthy air and water. Although I do my best to be sure my two sons grow up healthy, strong, independent and responsible, I cannot control what is in the air they breathe. Right now, millions of kids across this country breathe in pollution pumped into the air by coal-fired power plants. This can impair a child's development and cause asthma attacks, the No. 1 reason kids miss school. These plants are also the largest source of mercury, a potent brain poison that is linked to severe learning disabilities, developmental problems, and lower IQs. In 2010, power plants emitted 66,050 pounds of toxin into the air. Mercury from coal-fired power plants rains down into our rivers, streams and oceans, where it can contaminate the fish we eat. Exposure to mercury is especially dangerous for pregnant women and young children. Because fish is a dietary staple for my family, this is a huge personal concern, but every family deserves the right to eat safe, healthy fish without worrying about toxic mercury. The good news is that last year, the Obama administration set historic mercury and air toxics standards to curb mercury pollution from new coal-fired power plants. These safeguards will cut mercury pollution from power plants by more than 90% and dramatically reduce our kids' exposure to mercury, as well as cancer-causing substances such as arsenic and chromium. Unacceptably, however, these landmark protections are under attack in Congress. On Wednesday, the Senate will vote on whether to overturn the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. This shortsighted legislation goes so far that it would prevent the EPA from ever acting on this issue again. It has taken decades to finally get clean-air protections from mercury in place. We can't let Congress overturn them. By cleaning up or retiring coal plants and transitioning to clean, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, we can protect our economy, create jobs and attain cleaner air for our families. Clean energy solutions are ready to go, and we have only just begun tapping their potential. In Germany, 10% of all electricity last month was supplied by solar power, and Germany gets about the same amount of sunshine as Alaska . While here in the U.S., more than 20% of the energy being generated in the states of Iowa and South Dakota is already from wind. With the price of clean energy technologies coming down dramatically, this is the wrong time for our government to backtrack. As a recognizable face and voice, I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to advocate for the health of women and children around the world, from Ukraine to Ghana. The United States is the last place I'd expect to see politicians roll back public-health protections that are already in place. That's why I'm working with the Sierra Club to raise awareness and encourage people to take action by contacting their senators and asking them to support keeping the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards intact. Congress has the opportunity to be a part of the solution. It can protect our children's health and our air and water. There's no more important job than that. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Elle Macpherson.

Elle Macpherson: Coal-fired power plants largest source of mercury pollution, a brain poison . Mercury tied to learning and developmental problems, asthma, lower IQs, she says . Macpherson: After decades, EPA set mercury and toxin emission standards . If Senate votes to kill limits, she says, water, air and kids will continue to be poisoned .

(CNN) -- The Pentagon must hold down its spending and make choices that will anger "powerful people" in an era of economic strain, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a weekend speech in Kansas. Increasing health care costs, a top-heavy uniformed and civilian management force, and big-ticket weapons systems are swelling the military's budget at an "unsustainable" rate, Gates said. In response, Gates said, he has ordered the Defense Department's military and civilian leaders to find savings of 2 to 3 percent -- more than $10 billion of the Pentagon's roughly $550 billion base budget -- and shift spending toward war-fighting costs. "These savings must stem from root-and-branch changes that can be sustained and added to over time," he told an audience Saturday at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. "Simply taking a few percent off the top of everything on a onetime basis will not do." On his way out of office in 1961, President Eisenhower -- the former general who led allied forces in Europe during World War II -- warned of the expanding influence of what he called the "military-industrial complex." Nearly 50 years later, Gates invoked that history to warn that the cuts on the way "will displease powerful people, both inside the Pentagon and out." The U.S. defense budget has more than doubled since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Since taking office in 2006, Gates has managed to cut some of the Pentagon's major weapons systems, but efforts to kill other programs have been defeated under heavy pressure from military contractors and members of Congress. "Given America's difficult economic circumstances and parlous fiscal condition, military spending on things large and small can and should expect closer, harsher scrutiny," he said. "The gusher has been turned off, and will stay off for a good period of time." Retired Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, a former U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, told CNN that Gates is trying to preserve U.S. combat power in the face of increasing costs. "He sees the political winds and recognizes he will not be able to get the budgets that he needs," Kimmitt told CNN. "What he wants to do is protect the muscle. By cutting away at some of the fat, he can keep the money necessary to keep the constantly increasing budget to maintain a strong and ready force." Gates acknowledged that many of his predecessors have tried and failed to do the same thing. But he said the U.S. force structure should be reviewed in "the wider, real-world context" and was probably out of scale to existing threats. "For example, should we really be up in arms over a temporary projected shortfall of about 100 Navy and Marine strike fighters relative to the number of carrier wings, when America's military possesses more than 3,200 tactical combat aircraft of all kinds?" Gates asked. "Does the number of warships we have and are building really put America at risk when the U.S. battle fleet is larger than the next 13 navies combined, 11 of which belong to allies and partners? Is it a dire threat that by 2020 the United States will have only 20 times more advanced stealth fighters than China?" Gates said defense spending was roughly twice the share of the U.S. economy in Eisenhower's day -- "but today, we face a very different set of American economic and fiscal realities." "As a matter of principle and political reality, the Department of Defense cannot go to America's elected representatives and ask for increases each year unless we have done everything possible to make every dollar count," he said.

Gates says he's ordered officials to find savings of 2 to 3 percent in Pentagon budget . Defense secretary wants "root-and-branch" changes, not just onetime cuts . The cuts on the way "will displease powerful people," Gates says at Eisenhower libary . Goal is to shift Pentagon's $550 billion annual spending toward war-fighting costs .

(CNN) -- A growing number of Chinese are keeping their cash in their wallets this Lunar New Year as the traditional exchange of red packets of money is moving from the physical world into the digital space. The tradition of giving cash gifts of "lucky money" ("hong bao" in Mandarin and "lai see" in Cantonese) goes back centuries and can be particularly lucrative for the young and the unmarried. As the country increasingly embraces online transactions and e-commerce models, tradition is taking a back seat to convenience as more and more lucky money recipients prefer to receive their money via electronic means. A recent study conducted by Shanghai-based Avanti Research Partner showed that 58% of respondents preferred their hong bao directly deposited into their accounts. The country is becoming increasingly connected -- over 90% of 18 to 30 year olds in China own an internet-connected smartphone, according to a Global Times survey published last year. Of course, China's internet giants have not been slow to capitalize on this trend, with Shenzhen-based Tencent last week launching their 'New Year Red Envelope' app, an add-on to its phenomenally popular WeChat messaging service. The company's 600 million-plus WeChat users can send each other lucky money through their profiles, provided both the sender and recipient have signed up to the company's in-app payment service. "I am really happy that I can use a new and fashionable way to send my holiday greetings to my family and friends, especially for people who have kids but live far away from us," said Mr. Cheng, a user of the service. The service reportedly banked 18 million RMB ($2.9 million) worth of transfers in its first 24 hours, according to a report in the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper. While Tencent's rival Alibaba also has a similar service, called Hong Bao, which launched last year, WeChat's app allows users to randomly distribute up to 200 yuan ($33) within a group of friends, adding a fun element of unpredictability to the process. Some analysts believe that linking the payments to WeChat's in-app payment service could be a game-changer, as it streamlines the process of paying for microtransactions, potentially making users more likely to make in-app purchases in the future. "The tradition of giving red packets is a symbolic gesture," said Steve Wang, Chief Economist, Reorient Group. "It's a way to get people more comfortable dealing with money online, and to expand their subscriber base. It leverages the old and the new, and is a great example of the kind of creative idea that we're seeing come out of China these days." Other online money operations are looking to boost their business by tapping into the cash-giving tradition. In Hong Kong around $64,000 worth of bitcoin vouchers are being distributed by ANX, one of the city's biggest bitcoin exchanges. It is billed as the biggest bitcoin giveaway to date, although each packet, distributed at certain shopping malls, will contain only a HK$10 ($1.29) voucher, which currently translates into 1.4 mBTC. "The Hong Kong public is increasingly willing to embrace non-traditional ways for lai see," says Ken Lo, CEO of ANX. "We are the first bitcoin lai see that we know about, but can definitely see this as a growing trend especially to give to other people that don't live in the same country. "The responses so far have been very positive with many people being very happy to learn they have just received their first bitcoin." While many of the city's residents remain unfamiliar with the finer points of bitcoins, the city is coming to terms with the online currency, as Hong Kong prepares to receive one of the world's first bitcoin ATMs.

More 'lucky money' recipients prefer electronic transfer over traditional red packets of cash . Smartphone apps allow easier lucky money transfer . WeChat app adds an element of chance in sharing lucky money with friends . Bitcoin giveaway in Hong Kong familiarizes public with the online currency .

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani government is under pressure to block NATO supply routes to Afghanistan this month if the United States continues its campaign of drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan. The demands from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the opposition party led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, come amid anger in Pakistan over the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, in a U.S. drone strike last week. The Pakistani government had been working on proposed peace talks with the extremist group when Mehsud was killed. "Just as we were about to start talks -- the very day the Interior Minister planned to approach the Taliban -- a drone strike targeted the Taliban," Khan said Monday in the National Assembly. "So I ask you, Is the U.S. a friend or foe?" His party is demanding that the national government block the ground supply lines to Afghanistan starting November 20 unless the United States ends the strikes, which have focused on Pakistan's loosely governed tribal areas where many militants are based. Strike 'harmed' peace efforts . PTI, which campaigned heavily against drone attacks in Pakistan, holds the balance of power in the northwestern province Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, through which one of the main NATO supply routes runs. Alongside Khan's demands, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly has passed a motion to block NATO supply lines if the drone strikes don't stop by November 20. There are two supply lines from Pakistan into Afghanistan: the one that passes through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and another that runs through the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan, where NATO tankers are often attacked. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's office said in a statement Monday that the drone strike last week "has harmed the dialogue and peace efforts of the government." "But we believe that we will not ... allow the dialogue and peace efforts to get derailed," it said. "Diplomatic efforts will be continued to stop these attacks," the statement said. "Given Pakistani peoples' resolve and sacrifices in this war against terrorism, it is incumbent upon the international community to support this endeavor of the government for the accomplishment of peace. The government of Pakistan will not allow any internal or external force to sabotage the dialogue process." 'Ongoing dialogue' The U.S. State Department said Monday that it had seen the PTI statements about the supply lines. "We have a strong, ongoing dialogue with Pakistan regarding all aspects of our bilateral relationship," said Marie Harf, a State Department spokeswoman. The supply routes, which are "important to the U.S., NATO, and Pakistan," are fully open at the moment, Harf said. Pakistan closed the routes for several months after a NATO airstrike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at a checkpoint near the Afghan border in November 2011. The Pakistani Taliban, who have long been conducting an insurgency against the Pakistani government, claimed responsibility for the December 2009 suicide bombing at the U.S. Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan. Five CIA officers were among the seven U.S. citizens killed, along with a member of Jordanian intelligence. The group also claimed responsibility for a failed May 2010 attempt to detonate a car bomb in New York's Times Square. The following September, the U.S. State Department designated the Pakistani Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization. Mehsud, who had a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head, was killed in northwestern Pakistan Friday, senior U.S. and Pakistani officials told CNN.

An opposition party calls for the routes to be blocked if drone strikes continue . Politicians in Pakistan say the killing of the Pakistani Taliban leader has hurt peace talks . "Is the U.S. a friend or foe?" asks opposition party leader Imran Khan . Pakistan closed the routes for several months after a deadly NATO airstrike in 2011 .

(CNN) -- Sabine Lisicki survived another emotional roller coaster to claim her place in the women's singles final at Wimbledon with a thrilling three-set victory over fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska Thursday. The 23rd seed from Germany will play Marion Bartoli of France Saturday, the winners progressing to the title match by vastly contrasting routes. 15th seed Bartoli took little over an hour to end the dream run of Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 in the first semifinal. Lisicki, who caused the upset of all upsets when she dispatched defending champion Serena Williams on Monday, was again taken the full distance by Radwanska before winning 4-6 2-6 9-7 in two hours 18 minutes of compelling action on Centre Court. Like in her match against No.1 seed Williams, Lisicki trailed by a break in the decider and looked to be heading for the exit door until summoning up a stirring comeback. "In the third set I was down 3-0 and I thought 'I did it against Serena, I can do it again," she told BBC Sport. "It was unbelievable, I think the last few games were so exciting. It was a battle and I'm just so happy to have won it," she added. Radwanska, beaten by Williams in last year's final, appeared to have taken a stranglehold on the match when she recovered from an early break down in the second set to win eight of the next nine games. But the 23-year-old Lisicki, who has become an instant crowd favorite at SW19, battled back to serve for the match at 5-4, only to be broken again. Radwanska kept on the pressure to force Lisicki to hold her own service twice to stay in the championship but in the 15th game fell behind again. Serving for a place in the final for the second time, Lisicki held her nerve and took it on her second match point before falling to the turf in trademark celebration. Bartoli, who revealed after her victory that she had taken a half hour nap shortly before coming out for one of the most important matches of her career, emerged from her slumbers to dismiss 20th seed Flipkens. Looking to follow in the footsteps of famous compatriots such as Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, Flipkens looked nervous and tentative from the start and could not repeat the form which had seen her knock out 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. "I was asleep from 12 until 1230, you can ask the physio," Bartoli said. "And I was still razor-sharp right from the start." She put out Henin in the 2007 semifinals before going on to lose in straight sets to Venus Williams and will be looking to go one better against Lisicki, who is appearing in her first grand slam final. Lisicki will bid to become the first German to win a major since Steffi Graf in the 1999 French Open. She revealed that Graf had sent her a good luck text ahead of her semifinal against Radwanska. In other Wimbledon action Thursday, top seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan of the United States beat Rohan Bopanna (India) and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France 6-7 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-3 to reach the final of the men's doubles. The Bryans will play the Croatian-Brazil pair of Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo after they beat the Indian and Czech combination of Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek, also in five sets.

Sabine Lisicki to play Marion Bartoli in Wimbledon singles final . Lisicki won three-set thriller against Agnieszka Radwanska . Bartoli beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 in first semifinal on Centre Court . Women's singles has been marked by shock exits of star players .