{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Who 'll win and who will lose ? The following are the nominations for the 80th annual Academy Awards . Winners will be announced February 24 . For more details on the nominees in some of the major categories , check out our gallery of nominees . See the nominee gallery '' Best Picture `` Atonement '' `` Juno '' `` Michael Clayton '' `` No Country for Old Men '' `` There Will Be Blood '' Actor George Clooney , `` Michael Clayton '' Daniel Day-Lewis , `` There Will Be Blood '' Johnny Depp , `` Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street '' Tommy Lee Jones , `` In the Valley of Elah '' Viggo Mortensen , `` Eastern Promises '' Actress Cate Blanchett , `` Elizabeth : The Golden Age '' Julie Christie , `` Away From Her '' Marion Cotillard , `` La Vie en Rose '' Laura Linney , `` The Savages '' Ellen Page , `` Juno '' Supporting Actor Casey Affleck , `` The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford '' Javier Bardem , `` No Country for Old Men '' Hal Holbrook , `` Into the Wild '' Philip Seymour Hoffman , `` Charlie Wilson 's War '' Tom Wilkinson , `` Michael Clayton '' Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett , `` I 'm Not There '' Ruby Dee , `` American Gangster '' Saoirse Ronan , `` Atonement '' Amy Ryan , `` Gone Baby Gone '' Tilda Swinton , `` Michael Clayton '' Director Julian Schnabel , `` The Diving Bell and the Butterfly '' Jason Reitman , `` Juno '' Tony Gilroy , `` Michael Clayton '' Joel Coen and Ethan Coen , `` No Country for Old Men '' Paul Thomas Anderson , `` There Will Be Blood '' Foreign Film `` Beaufort , '' Israel `` The Counterfeiters , '' Austria `` Katyn , '' Poland `` Mongol , '' Kazakhstan `` 12 , '' Russia Adapted Screenplay Christopher Hampton , `` Atonement '' Sarah Polley , `` Away from Her '' Ronald Harwood , `` The Diving Bell and the Butterfly '' Joel Coen & Ethan Coen , `` No Country for Old Men '' Paul Thomas Anderson , `` There Will Be Blood '' Original Screenplay Diablo Cody , `` Juno '' Nancy Oliver , `` Lars and the Real Girl '' Tony Gilroy , `` Michael Clayton '' Brad Bird , Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco , `` Ratatouille '' Tamara Jenkins , `` The Savages . '' Animated Feature Film `` Persepolis '' `` Ratatouille '' `` Surf 's Up '' Art Direction `` American Gangster '' `` Atonement '' `` The Golden Compass '' `` Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street '' `` There Will Be Blood '' Cinematography `` The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford '' `` Atonement '' `` The Diving Bell and the Butterfly '' `` No Country for Old Men '' `` There Will Be Blood '' Sound Mixing `` The Bourne Ultimatum '' `` No Country for Old Men '' `` Ratatouille '' `` 3:10 to Yuma '' `` Transformers '' Sound Editing `` The Bourne Ultimatum '' `` No Country for Old Men '' `` Ratatouille '' `` There Will Be Blood '' `` Transformers '' Original Score `` Atonement , '' Dario Marianelli `` The Kite Runner , '' Alberto Iglesias `` Michael Clayton , '' James Newton Howard `` Ratatouille , '' Michael Giacchino `` 3:10 to Yuma , '' Marco Beltrami Original Song `` Falling Slowly '' from `` Once , '' Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova `` Happy Working Song '' from `` Enchanted , '' Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz `` Raise It Up '' from `` August Rush , '' Nominees to be determined `` So Close '' from `` Enchanted , '' Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz `` That 's How You Know '' from `` Enchanted , '' Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz Costume `` Across the Universe '' `` Atonement '' `` Elizabeth : The Golden Age '' `` La Vie en Rose '' `` Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street '' Documentary Feature `` No End in Sight '' `` Operation Homecoming : Writing the Wartime Experience '' `` Sicko '' `` Taxi to the Dark Side '' `` War\/Dance '' Documentary -LRB- short subject -RRB- `` Freeheld '' `` La Corona -LRB- The Crown -RRB- '' `` Salim Baba '' `` Sari 's Mother '' Film Editing `` The Bourne Ultimatum '' `` The Diving Bell and the Butterfly '' `` Into the Wild '' `` No Country for Old Men '' `` There Will Be Blood '' Makeup `` La Vie en Rose '' `` Norbit '' `` Pirates of the Caribbean : At World 's End '' Animated Short Film `` I Met the Walrus '' `` Madame Tutli-Putli '' `` Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis -LRB- Even Pigeons Go to Heaven -RRB- '' `` My Love -LRB- Moya Lyubov -RRB- '' `` Peter & the Wolf '' Live Action Short Film `` At Night '' `` Il Supplente -LRB- The Substitute -RRB- '' `` Le Mozart des Pickpockets -LRB- The Mozart of Pickpockets -RRB- '' `` Tanghi Argentini '' `` The Tonto Woman '' Visual Effects `` The Golden Compass '' `` Pirates of the Caribbean : At World 's End '' `` Transformers '' E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 1 Serena Williams ' preparations for her Australian Open title defense suffered a late blip when she was beaten in the final of the Sydney International by Elena Dementieva on Friday . The American , who had struggled past unseeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai in three sets in the semifinals when she appeared to injure her left leg , lost 6-3 6-2 to suffer her fifth defeat in her last eight clashes with the Russian . `` I was struggling a little bit , but she definitely deserves all the credit , '' Williams told reporters . `` It 's definitely not ligament problems . It 's just a little pain but the strapping usually helps the pain go away . '' Dementieva , who beat world No. 2 Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals , successfully defended her title in the final event before the first Grand Slam tournament of this decade starts on Monday . `` It 's great to play against the best players in the world , especially going into a Grand Slam . It was a great experience and it 'll help me next week at the Australian Open , '' she told the WTA Tour 's official Web site Dementieva went into the match against Williams having been handed a potential second-round clash with former world No. 1 Justine Henin , who pulled out of the Sydney event as a precaution after suffering a leg injury in her comeback tournament in Brisbane . Seven-time Grand Slam winner Henin , handed a wildcard after a 20-month retirement , will start against unseeded fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens on Monday while fifth seed Dementieva plays fellow Russian Vera Dushevina . Both have avoided the Williams sisters , who are in the top half of the draw with Serena opening against Poland 's Urszula Radwanska on Tuesday and sixth seed Venus taking on Czech Lucie Safarova . Four-time winner Serena could face seventh seed Victoria Azarenka in the last eight , with a possible semifinal against her older sibling looming . Last year 's losing finalist Safina opens against world No. 44 Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia , and could face fellow Russian Maria Sharapova in the fourth round . Sharapova , the 2008 champion but seeded 14th after struggling with shoulder problems last year , begins with a glamour clash against compatriot and fellow pin-up girl Maria Kirilenko . U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters could face fellow comeback queen Henin in the quarterfinals , having been seeded 15th and facing a qualifier first up . But to set up a rematch of the recent final in Brisbane , which she won , Clijsters is likely to have to overcome third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round . The Russian , who has never got past the last eight in Melbourne , takes on unseeded compatriot Anastasia Rodionova in her first match . Australian Open women 's singles draw -LRB- seeds in bold -RRB- : 1-Serena Williams -LRB- USA -RRB- v Urszula Radwanska -LRB- Pol -RRB- Petra Kvitova -LRB- Cze -RRB- v Jill Craybas -LRB- USA -RRB- Qualifier v Andrea Petkovic -LRB- Ger -RRB- Ayumi Morita -LRB- Jpn -RRB- v 32-Carla Suarez-Navarro -LRB- Spa -RRB- 21-Sabine Lisicki -LRB- Ger -RRB- v Petra Martic -LRB- Cro -RRB- Varvara Lepchenko -LRB- USA -RRB- v Alberta Brianti -LRB- Ita -RRB- Kristina Barrois -LRB- Ger -RRB- v Akgul Amanmuradova -LRB- Uzb -RRB- Qualifier v Samantha Stosur -LRB- Aus -RRB- -LRB- 13 -RRB- 9-Vera Zvonareva -LRB- Rus -RRB- v Kristina Kucova -LRB- Svk -RRB- Kai Chen Chang -LRB- Tpe -RRB- v Iveta Benesova -LRB- Cze -RRB- Qualifier v Gisela Dulko -LRB- Arg -RRB- Qualifier v 20-Ana Ivanovic -LRB- Ser -RRB- 28-Elena Vesnina -LRB- Rus -RRB- v Tathiana Garbin -LRB- Ita -RRB- Kimiko Date Krumm -LRB- Jpn -RRB- v Yaroslava Shvedova -LRB- Kaz -RRB- Stefanie Voegele -LRB- Swi -RRB- v Melinda Czink -LRB- Hun -RRB- Stephanie Cohen Aloro -LRB- Fra -RRB- v 7-Victoria Azarenka -LRB- Blr -RRB- 4-Caroline Wozniacki -LRB- Den -RRB- v Aleksandra Wozniak -LRB- Can -RRB- Tamira Paszek -LRB- Aut -RRB- v Julia Goerges -LRB- Ger -RRB- Galina Voskoboeva -LRB- Kaz -RRB- v Tsvetana Pironkova -LRB- Bul -RRB- Lucie Hradecka -LRB- Cze -RRB- v 29-Shahar Peer -LRB- Isr -RRB- 22-Daniela Hantuchova -LRB- Svk -RRB- v Viktoriya Kutuzova -LRB- Ukr -RRB- Jarmila Groth -LRB- Svk -RRB- v Qualifier Stephanie Dubois -LRB- Can -RRB- v Agnes Szavay -LRB- Hun -RRB- Marina Erakovic -LRB- Nzl -RRB- v 16-Na Li -LRB- Chn -RRB- 10-Agnieszka Radwanska -LRB- Pol -RRB- v Tatjana Malek -LRB- Ger -RRB- Melanie Oudin -LRB- USA -RRB- v Alla Kudryavtseva -LRB- Rus -RRB- Julie Coin -LRB- Fra -RRB- v Alicia Molik -LRB- Aus -RRB- Alize Cornet -LRB- Fra -RRB- v 17-Francesca Schiavone -LRB- Ita -RRB- 25-Anabel Medina Garrigues -LRB- Spa -RRB- v Karolina Sprem -LRB- Cro -RRB- Anastasiya Yakimova -LRB- Blr -RRB- v Casey Dellacqua -LRB- Aus -RRB- Arantxa Parra Santonja -LRB- Spa -RRB- v Sybille Bammer -LRB- Aut -RRB- Lucie Safarova -LRB- Cze -RRB- v 6-Venus Williams -LRB- USA -RRB- 5-Elena Dementieva -LRB- Rus -RRB- v Vera Dushevina -LRB- Rus -RRB- Kirsten Flipkens -LRB- Bel -RRB- v Justine Henin -LRB- Bel -RRB- Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea -LRB- Rom -RRB- v Olivia Rogowska -LRB- Aus -RRB- Jelena Dokic -LRB- Aus -RRB- v 27-Alisa Kleybanova -LRB- Rus -RRB- 18-Virginie Razzano -LRB- Fra -RRB- v Ekaterina Makarova -LRB- Rus -RRB- Klara Zakopalova -LRB- Cze -RRB- v Sara Errani -LRB- Ita -RRB- Qualifier v Alexandra Dulgheru -LRB- Rom -RRB- Anna Chakvetadze -LRB- Rus -RRB- v 12-Flavia Pennetta -LRB- Ita -RRB- 15-Kim Clijsters -LRB- Bel -RRB- v Qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva -LRB- Kaz -RRB- v Tamarine Tanasugarn -LRB- Tha -RRB- Yung-Jan Chan -LRB- Tpe -RRB- v Kaia Kanepi -LRB- Est -RRB- Edina Gallovits -LRB- Rom -RRB- v 19-Nadia Petrova -LRB- Rus -RRB- 26-Aravane Rezai -LRB- Fra -RRB- v Sania Mirza -LRB- Ind -RRB- Olga Govortsova -LRB- Blr -RRB- v Qualifier Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova -LRB- Rus -RRB- v Anastasija Sevastova -LRB- Lat -RRB- Anastasia Rodionova -LRB- Rus -RRB- v 3-Svetlana Kuznetsova -LRB- Rus -RRB- 8-Jelena Jankovic -LRB- Ser -RRB- v Monica Niculescu -LRB- Rom -RRB- Patricia Mayr -LRB- Aut -RRB- v Katie O'Brien -LRB- GB -RRB- Qualifier v Polona Hercog -LRB- Slo -RRB- Qualifier v 31-Alona Bondarenko -LRB- Ukr -RRB- 24-Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez -LRB- Spa -RRB- v Evgeniya Rodina -LRB- Rus -RRB- Jie Zheng -LRB- Chn -RRB- v Shuai Peng -LRB- Chn -RRB- Coco Vandeweghe -LRB- USA -RRB- v Sandra Zahlavova -LRB- Cze -RRB- Rossana De los Rios -LRB- Par -RRB- v 11-Marion Bartoli -LRB- Fra -RRB- 14-Maria Sharapova -LRB- Rus -RRB- v Maria Kirilenko -LRB- Rus -RRB- Qualifier v Timea Bacsinszky -LRB- Swi -RRB- Anna-Lena Groenefeld -LRB- Ger -RRB- v Roberta Vinci -LRB- Ita -RRB- Vania King -LRB- USA -RRB- v 23-Dominika Cibulkova -LRB- Svk -RRB- 30-Kateryna Bondarenko -LRB- Ukr -RRB- v Ioana Raluca Olaru -LRB- Rom -RRB- Pauline Parmentier -LRB- Fra -RRB- v Elena Baltacha -LRB- GB -RRB- Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova -LRB- Cze -RRB- v Qualifier Magdalena Rybarikova -LRB- Svk -RRB- v Dinara Safina -LRB- Rus -RRB- -LRB- 2 -RRB-","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friends and colleagues of Apple founder Steve Jobs sent their condolences Wednesday after his death at the age of 56 . On its homepage , Google carried a small notation , `` Steve Jobs , 1955-2011 . '' Clicking on Jobs ' name took users to the Apple website and its tribute to Jobs . U.S. House Leader Eric Cantor , R-Virginia : `` There is not a day that goes by , and often not an hour , that a Steve Jobs invention does not better my family 's life . Thank you Steve . '' U.S. Rep. John Boehner , R-Ohio : `` Steve Jobs changed the world for the better -LRB- with -RRB- his innovations & genius . R.I.P. '' San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee : `` Steve Jobs was a giant in the world of technology and established the Bay Area as a global center for innovation . He has inspired and changed the Bay Area and the world forever . Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco and his values were reflected in his generous support for results-driven education reform , 21st century philanthropy and bridging the digital divide for our diverse communities . Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene , his family and friends . '' New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg : `` Tonight , America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein , and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come . Again and again over the last four decades , Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon . And Steve 's passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads : it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization . In New York City 's government , everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple 's products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively . Tonight our city -- a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius -- joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers . '' California Attorney General Kamala Harris : `` California has lost a great leader with the passing of Steve Jobs . His character , intelligence , and creativity changed how the world works and how the world imagines itself . We are forever grateful and inspired by the gift he has given us . I send my thoughts and sympathies to Laurene and the entire Jobs family . '' Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney : `` Steve Jobs is an inspiration to American entrepreneurs . He will be missed . '' John Lasseter , chief creative officer , and Ed Catmull , president , Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios `` Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary , our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family . He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us , and beyond what anyone ever imagined . Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films ; the one thing he always said was to simply ` make it great . ' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength , integrity and love of life has made us all better people . He will forever be a part of Pixar 's DNA . Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time . '' Meg Whitman , president and chief executive of Hewlett-Packard : `` Steve Jobs was an iconic entrepreneur and businessman whose impact on technology was felt beyond Silicon Valley . He will be remembered for the innovation he brought to market and the inspiration he brought to the world . '' Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt : `` Today is very sad for all of us . Steve defined a generation of style and technology that 's unlikely to be matched again . Steve was so charismatically brilliant that he inspired people to do the impossible , and he will be remembered as the greatest computer innovator in history . '' Google co-founder Sergey Brin : `` From the earliest days of Google , whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership , we needed to look no farther than Cupertino . Steve , your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product -LRB- including the MacBook I am writing this on right now -RRB- . And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met . On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology , you will be missed very much . My condolences to family , friends , and colleagues at Apple . '' U.S. President Barack Obama : `` Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs . Steve was among the greatest of American innovators -- brave enough to think differently , bold enough to believe he could change the world , and talented enough to do it . By building one of the planet 's most successful companies from his garage , he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity . By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets , he made the information revolution not only accessible , but intuitive and fun . And by turning his talents to storytelling , he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike . Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last . Because he did , he transformed our lives , redefined entire industries , and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history : he changed the way each of us sees the world . The world has lost a visionary . And there may be no greater tribute to Steve 's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented . Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve 's wife Laurene , his family , and all those who loved him . '' YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen : `` It was an honor to have worked with Steve Jobs . He will forever remain an inspiration . He will be sorely missed , and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family . '' G.S. Choi , chief executive of Samsung Electronics : `` Samsung Electronics is saddened to hear of Chairman Steve Jobs ' passing and would like to extend our deepest condolences . Chairman Steve Jobs introduced numerous revolutionary changes to the information technology industry and was a great entrepreneur . His innovative spirit and remarkable accomplishments will forever be remembered by people around the world . We would like to again express our sincerest condolences to Mr. Jobs ' family and his colleagues . '' Google co-founder Larry Page : `` I am very , very sad to hear the news about Steve . He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance . He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it . His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me . He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well . My thoughts and Google 's are with his family and the whole Apple family . '' Mark Zuckerberg , founder and chief executive , Facebook : `` Steve , thank you for being a mentor and a friend . Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world . I will miss you . '' U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi , D-California : `` Steve Jobs was a visionary who changed the way we live , an innovator whose products brought joy to millions , a risk-taker who was n't afraid to challenge the status quo , and an entrepreneur who led one of the most creative companies of our time . His sage advice was respected by policymakers on both sides of the aisle . His courageous fight against cancer brought strength to many . I hope it is a comfort to those who loved him , especially his family , that so many grieve his loss and are praying for them at this sad time . '' Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates : `` I 'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs ' death . Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends , and to everyone Steve has touched through his work . Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago , and have been colleagues , competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives . The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had , the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come . For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him , it 's been an insanely great honor . I will miss Steve immensely . '' Robert Iger , president and chief executive , The Walt Disney Company : `` Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor . His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built . It will be the millions of people he inspired , the lives he changed , and the culture he defined . Steve was such an ` original , ' with a thoroughly creative , imaginative mind that defined an era . Despite all he accomplished , it feels like he was just getting started . With his passing the world has lost a rare original , Disney has lost a member of our family , and I have lost a great friend . Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time . '' California Governor Jerry Brown : `` Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish . Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives . Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve 's wife , Laurene , and their entire family . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"Editor 's note : CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com , which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com . If you 've rewritten that r\u00e9sum\u00e9 several times and sent out dozens of applications but your job search still shows no promise , you might not be the problem . One frequently overlooked but critical factor in finding a new job is your state 's unemployment rate . You can have the experience and skills of an employer 's dream , but they wo n't do you any good if there just are n't enough jobs available . The unemployment rate is the percentage of job seekers in the work force who are still looking for work . The higher the percentage , the more difficult it is to find a job . The national unemployment rate is 5 percent , based on the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics -LRB- BLS -RRB- . If you 're looking for a job , you should see how your state compares to the rest of the country . Here are the 10 worst states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates . 1 . Michigan Unemployment rate : 7.6 percent Population : 10,071,822 Mean annual wage : $ 41,230 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 18.4 percent -RRB- *** 2 . Mississippi Unemployment rate : 6.8 percent Population : 2,918,785 Mean annual wage : $ 30,460 Top industry : Government -LRB- 21.2 percent -RRB- 3 . South Carolina Unemployment rate : 6.6 percent Population : 4,407,709 Mean annual wage : $ 33,400 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 19.4 percent -RRB- 4 . Alaska Unemployment rate : 6.5 percent Population : 683,478 Mean annual wage : $ 43,920 Top industry : Government -LRB- 25.9 percent -RRB- 5 . California Unemployment rate : 6.1 percent Population : 36,553,215 Mean annual wage : $ 44,180 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 18.9 percent -RRB- 6 . District of Columbia Unemployment rate : 6.1 percent Population : 588,292 Mean annual wage : $ 61,500 Top industry : Government -LRB- 33.3 percent -RRB- 7 . Ohio Unemployment rate : 6 percent Population : 11,466,917 Mean annual wage : $ 37,360 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 19.3 percent -RRB- 8 . Arkansas Unemployment rate : 5.9 percent Population : 2,834,797 Mean annual wage : $ 30,870 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 20.6 percent -RRB- 9 . Nevada Unemployment rate : 5.8 percent Population : 2,565,382 Mean annual wage : $ 36,000 Top industry : Leisure and hospitality -LRB- 26.5 percent -RRB- 10 . Kentucky Unemployment rate : 5.7 percent Population : 4,241,474 Mean annual wage : $ 33,490 Top industry : Trade , transportation and utilities -LRB- 20.4 percent -RRB- * Unemployment rates , mean annual wages and industry percentages obtained from BLS in January 2008 . Percentages based on nonfarm payrolls , seasonally adjusted . ** Population figures based on U.S. Census Bureau data . *** Top industries are those that employ the largest percentage of a state 's labor force . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- On November 11 , Americans pay tribute to everyone who has served in the U.S. military . But why was this particular date chosen , and how does this holiday differ from Memorial Day ? Origins of Veterans Day World War I , also known as `` The Great War , '' was fought from 1914 to 1918 . During this conflict , Great Britain , France , Russia , Belgium , Italy , Japan , the United States and other countries , which formed the `` Allies , '' defeated the so-called `` Central Powers , '' which included Germany , Austria-Hungary , Turkey -LRB- then the Ottoman Empire -RRB- and Bulgaria . On the `` eleventh hour , of the eleventh day , of the eleventh month '' of 1918 , German leaders signed an armistice , or a halt to hostilities , with the Allied powers . On that date , November 11 , celebrations were held in New York City , Paris , London and in other cities around the globe . The following year , President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as `` Armistice Day , '' a day to observe the end of World War I. On June 4 , 1926 , the U.S. Congress passed a resolution asking President Calvin Coolidge to call upon officials to `` display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches , or other suitable places , with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples . '' Twelve years later , on May 13 , 1938 , Congress passed an Act making the 11th of November Armistice Day , a federal holiday . Initially , Armistice Day was supposed to honor veterans of World War I . But after the call to arms and human sacrifices during World War II and the Korean conflict , veterans ' groups urged Congress to consider a day to celebrate U.S. veterans of all wars . On June 1 , 1954 , President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day . Difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day Veterans Day in the United States is a day to honor all Americans who have served in the U.S. military , both during wartime and in peace . Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring Americans who have died serving the nation , especially those who died in battle or from wounds received during armed conflicts . On Veterans Day , Americans thank the living veterans for their service to the country and recognize all who have served the country . Veterans Day Proclamation The following is the text of President George W. Bush 's 2008 Veterans Day Proclamation : On Veterans Day , we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the men and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniform of the United States . From the fields and forests of war-torn Europe to the jungles of Southeast Asia , from the deserts of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan , brave patriots have protected our Nation 's ideals , rescued millions from tyranny , and helped spread freedom around the globe . America 's veterans answered the call when asked to protect our Nation from some of the most brutal and ruthless tyrants , terrorists , and militaries the world has ever known . They stood tall in the face of grave danger and enabled our Nation to become the greatest force for freedom in human history . Members of the Army , Navy , Air Force , Marines , and Coast Guard have answered a high calling to serve and have helped secure America at every turn . Our country is forever indebted to our veterans for their quiet courage and exemplary service . We also remember and honor those who laid down their lives in freedom 's defense . These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice for our benefit . On Veterans Day , we remember these heroes for their valor , their loyalty , and their dedication . Their selfless sacrifices continue to inspire us today as we work to advance peace and extend freedom around the world . With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world , the Congress has provided -LRB- 5 U.S.C. 6103 -LRB- a -RRB- -RRB- that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor America 's veterans . NOW , THEREFORE , I , GEORGE W. BUSH , President of the United States of America , do hereby proclaim November 11 , 2008 , as Veterans Day and urge all Americans to observe November 9 through November 15 , 2008 , as National Veterans Awareness Week . I encourage all Americans to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers . I call upon Federal , State , and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to support and participate in patriotic activities in their communities . I invite civic and fraternal organizations , places of worship , schools , businesses , unions , and the media to support this national observance with commemorative expressions and programs . IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October , in the year of our Lord two thousand eight , and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third . GEORGE W. BUSH Sources : U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs , Veterans Day , 2008 : A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America","question":""}
{"answer":"CABO SAN LUCAS , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After making landfall on Mexico 's Baja California peninsula , Category 1 Hurricane Jimena was weakening Wednesday night , forecasters said . After making landfall on Baja California , Hurricane Jimena started weakening Wednesday night . The storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon between Puerto San Andresito and San Juanico , Mexico , the National Hurricane Center said . As of 8 p.m. ET , the center of Jimena was located near San Buenaventura , Mexico , and about 40 miles -LRB- 64 kilometers -RRB- south of Santa Rosalia , Mexico . It was moving north at near 12 mph -LRB- 19 kph -RRB- , and was expected to turn northwest and slow Wednesday night before turning west on Thursday . `` On the forecast track , the center of Jimena will move over the central Baja California peninsula tonight and Thursday , then move into the Pacific west of Baja California late Thursday or Thursday night , '' the Hurricane Center said . See the storm 's projected path '' The storm 's maximum sustained winds had decreased slightly , to 80 mph -LRB- 129 kph -RRB- with higher gusts , the hurricane center said . Jimena is expected to weaken into a tropical storm Wednesday night , forecasters said . At its peak Tuesday , Jimena was a Category 4 storm , with winds of 145 mph -LRB- 233 kph -RRB- . A hurricane warning remained in effect for parts of the Baja peninsula , from Bahia Magdalena north to Punta Abreojos on the west coast , and from San Evaristo north to Mulege on the east coast , the Hurricane Center said . A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions , including winds of at least 74 mph -LRB- 119 kph -RRB- , are expected within 24 hours . A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch were in effect for the Baja California peninsula north of Punta Abreojos to Punta Eugenia on the west coast , and north of Mulege to Bahia San Juan Bautista on the east coast . A tropical storm warning was in effect for the peninsula north of Punta Eugenia to San Jose de las Palomas on the west coast , and north of Bahia San Juan Bautista to Bahia de los Angeles on the east coast . A tropical storm warning also was issued for northwestern mainland Mexico , from Huatabampito to Bahia Kino , the Hurricane Center said . A tropical storm warning means conditions including winds of at least 39 mph -LRB- 63 kph -RRB- are expected within 24 hours . Jimena is expected to produce between 5 and 10 inches of rain over the southern half of the peninsula , with 15 inches possible on some areas . `` These rains could produce life-threatening floods and mudslides , '' the Hurricane Center said . In addition , `` a dangerous storm surge along with large and dangerous battering waves will produce significant coastal flooding along the Baja California peninsula , '' forecasters said . CNN 's Betty Nguyen , Matt Cherry and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Spanish giants Real Madrid have retained their position as the richest football club in the world -- according to an annual survey issued by accountancy firm Deloitte . Spanish champions Real Madrid remain the richest football club in the world . English and European champions Manchester United and Spanish league leaders Barcelona remain in second and third places respectively in the latest `` Football Money League '' report on the world 's 20 biggest clubs ranked by revenue . Despite their lofty position in the list , United , along with the rest of the English Premier League clubs have been affected by sterling 's recent fall in the money markets . `` If the exchange rate value of the pound had not depreciated , there would have been nine , rather than seven English clubs in the top 20 and Manchester United would have topped the Money League ahead of Real Madrid , '' Dan Jones , partner in the Sports business group at Deloitte , told Reuters.com . The impact of the current economic downturn on club revenues was not measured in the report from the 2007-2008 football season . Fenerbahce became the first Turkish club to feature in the list , while German champions Bayern Munich climbed three places to fourth , reaching the top five for the first time in five years . Scottish champions Celtic , Spanish side Valencia and German club Werder Bremen all dropped out of the list which is comprised solely of clubs from Europe . World 's wealthiest football clubs by revenue : 1 . Real Madrid -LRB- Spain -RRB- 365.8 m euros 2 . Manchester United -LRB- England -RRB- 324.8 m 3 . Barcelona -LRB- Spain -RRB- 308.8 m 4 . Bayern Munich -LRB- Germany -RRB- 295.3 m 5 . Chelsea -LRB- England -RRB- 268.9 m 6 . Arsenal -LRB- England -RRB- 264.4 m 7 . Liverpool -LRB- England -RRB- 210.9 m 8 . AC Milan -LRB- Italy -RRB- 209.5 m 9 . Roma -LRB- Italy -RRB- 175.4 m 10 . Inter Milan -LRB- Italy -RRB- 172.9 m 11 . Juventus -LRB- Italy -RRB- 167.5 m 12 . Lyon -LRB- France -RRB- 155.7 m 13 . Schalke -LRB- Germany -RRB- 148.4 m 14 . Tottenham -LRB- England -RRB- 145m 15 . Hamburg -LRB- Germany -RRB- 127.9 m 16 . Marseille -LRB- France -RRB- 126.8 m 17 . Newcastle -LRB- England -RRB- 125.6 m 18 . Stuttgart -LRB- Germany -RRB- 111.5 m 19 . Fenerbahce -LRB- Turkey -RRB- 111.3 m 20 . Manchester City -LRB- England -RRB- 104m","question":""}
{"answer":"MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning Thursday for the Atlantic island of Bermuda as Category 3 Hurricane Bill neared . Hurricane Bill 's projected path shows it moving north toward New England and then Canada . The warning from the National Hurricane Center means tropical storm conditions , including winds of at least 39 mph -LRB- 63 kph -RRB- , are expected on the island within 24 hours . A hurricane watch was also in effect , meaning hurricane conditions , including winds of at least 74 mph -LRB- 119 kph -RRB- , are possible within 36 hours . As of 11 p.m. ET Thursday , Bill 's center was about 510 miles -LRB- 825 kilometers -RRB- south of Bermuda , and about 975 miles -LRB- 1,570 kilometers -RRB- southeast of Cape Hatteras , North Carolina , the hurricane center said . The storm was moving northwest at near 18 mph -LRB- 30 kph -RRB- , and is expected to continue that motion overnight , with a gradual turn to the north-northwest on Friday followed by a turn toward the north on Saturday . `` The core of the hurricane is expected to pass between Bermuda and the east coast of the United States on Saturday , '' forecasters said . See Bill 's projected path '' However , Bill is considered a large hurricane , with hurricane-force winds extending out 115 miles -LRB- 185 kilometers -RRB- from the center and tropical storm-force winds extending out 260 miles -LRB- 418 kilometers -RRB- , so Bermuda is likely to feel its effects as it brushes by . Bill 's maximum sustained winds had increased slightly to 125 mph -LRB- 205 kph -RRB- , with higher gusts , the hurricane center said . It was downgraded to a Category 3 storm from Category 4 status early Thursday , after its top sustained winds slipped below 131 mph -LRB- 211 kph -RRB- . Fluctuations in intensity are likely over the next 12 to 24 hours , however , and Bill could regain Category 4 strength Friday , forecasters said . Large swells generated by Bill were affecting the northern Leeward Islands on Thursday , along with Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola , shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic . The East Coast of the United States should start seeing large swells during the next few days , along with the Bahamas , Bermuda and the eastern coast of Canada , the hurricane center said . `` These swells will cause extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents . '' Bill is forecast to diminish into a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday evening , when it could make landfall near Nova Scotia or Newfoundland , Canada .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Small cars continue to be hot sellers among buyers looking for fuel economy , style and all-around fun . See which cars are the winners in this list of best-selling small cars . The Honda Civic is popular for its fuel efficiency and affordability . 1 . Honda Civic * August 2008 Sales : 30,052 Change vs. Previous Year : 5.3 % MSRP : $ 15,205 - $ 20,755 Invoice : $ 14,021 - $ 19,111 Fuel Economy : 34 mpg Hwy\/26 mpg City The Honda Civic is one of the most reliable and popular economy compact sedans\/coupes in its class . For years it has set the quality and performance standard for the affordable , compact car market . * Includes Hybrid Model AOL Autos : Honda Civic 2 . Toyota Corolla * August 2008 Sales : 29,443 Change vs. Previous Year : -3.4 % MSRP : $ 15,350 - $ 18,860 Invoice : $ 14,198 - $ 17,067 Fuel Economy : 35 mpg Hwy\/26 mpg City The new Toyota Corolla is among the best of the compact sedans : reliable and economical yet refined and comfortable . * Includes Toyota Matrix AOL Autos : Toyota Corolla 3 . Ford Focus August 2008 Sales : 16,387 Change vs. Previous Year : 23.4 % MSRP : $ 14,995 - $ 17,970 Invoice : $ 14,091 - $ 16,648 Fuel Economy : 35 mpg Hwy\/24 mpg City Small , economical , and fun , the 2009 Ford Focus is a smart choice for those looking for a compact car . AOL Autos : Ford Focus 4 . Chevrolet Cobalt August 2008 Sales : 15,281 Change vs. Previous Year : -26.6 % MSRP : $ 15,010 - $ 22,775 Invoice : $ 14,184 - $ 21,522 Fuel Economy : 37 mpg Hwy\/25 mpg City The Chevy Cobalt is available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan , each available in three trims : the LS , the LT and the SS Turbocharged . AOL Autos : Chevy Cobalt 5 . Mazda3 * August 2008 Sales : 10,970 Change vs. Previous Year : 4.4 % MSRP : $ 14,490 - $ 20,595 Invoice : $ 13,590 - $ 19,283 Fuel Economy : 32 mpg Hwy\/24 mpg City The Mazda3 is a premium compact car , exciting to drive and look at , and equipped with unexpected luxury features , all at a reasonable price . * Includes MazdaSpeed3 AOL Autos : Mazda3 6 . Hyundai Elantra August 2008 Sales : 10,031 Change vs. Previous Year : 13.8 % MSRP : $ 13,970 - $ 16,670 Invoice : $ 13,592 - $ 16,004 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy\/24 mpg City The Elantra is an economic compact car with handsome styling and nice lines . It 's renowned in two areas , interior space and standard safety equipment . 7 . Toyota Yaris August 2008 Sales : 9,474 Change vs. Previous Year : 20.5 % MSRP : $ 12,205 - $ 15,125 Invoice : $ 11,473 - $ 14,217 Fuel Economy : 36 mpg Hwy\/29 mpg City The Yaris manages to combine a well-tailored , roomy interior with agile performance and a fuel efficient engine in an entry-level car . 8 . Nissan Sentra August 2008 Sales : 9,207 Change vs. Previous Year : 1.4 % MSRP : $ 16,140 - $ 20,570 Invoice : $ 15,275 - $ 19,181 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy\/25 mpg City The Sentra front-wheel drive 4-door sedan is a practical , roomy and economical car with several trims available to suit a person 's needs . 9 . Nissan Versa August 2008 Sales : 8,015 Change vs. Previous Year : -5.2 % MSRP : $ 12,990 - $ 16,210 Invoice : $ 12,539 - $ 15,634 Fuel Economy : 31 mpg Hwy\/26 mpg City The Versa is Nissan 's entry-level car with the intention of attracting economy-minded buyers with its mileage , price and larger size than most other vehicles in its class . 10 . Hyundai Accent August 2008 Sales : 6,455 Change vs. Previous Year : 73 % MSRP : $ 11,070 - $ 15,070 Invoice : $ 10,822 - $ 14,642 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy\/27 mpg City The Hyundai Accent sedan and hatchback are exceptional economy cars that offer attractive looks and outstanding value in a price-sensitive market segment . Best-selling small cars is based on August national sales data","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CareerBuilder.com -RRB- -- Baby boomers , those born between 1946 and 1964 , are nearing retirement age . The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 78.2 million boomers , and that every hour , 330 of them turn 60 . That means an entire generation of workers might leave the work force in the coming years . But they might not . Many baby boomers are choosing to postpone retirement and stay at their current jobs or find new ones . Some ca n't afford to retire , but many want to explore new avenues . After decades of working in jobs that paid the bills but did n't fulfill them , they 're moving to different industries . For their book `` 225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers , '' authors Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin decided to comb through data to discover what the best jobs are for baby boomers . They looked at salaries , projected job growth and the number of openings to calculate which jobs have the most promise . Farr and Shatkin break down their findings in more than 70 lists , ranging from the best-paying jobs to the best jobs for boomers age 45-54 . Whatever your criteria are , Farr and Shatkin have the job for you . Below you 'll find the list for the 25 overall best jobs for all baby boomers : 1 . Management analysts What they make * : $ 67,005 Projected annual openings ** : 78,000 2 . Teachers , post-secondary What they make : $ 68,456 Projected annual openings : 216,000 3 . Logisticians What they make : $ 44,563 Projected annual openings : 162,000 4 . General and operations managers What they make : $ 93,594 Projected annual openings : 260,000 5 . Registered nurses What they make : $ 66,427 Projected annual openings : 215,000 6 . Anesthesiologists What they make : $ 310,132 Projected annual openings : 38,000 7 . General internists What they make : $ 351,307 Projected annual openings : 38,000 8 . Obstetricians and gynecologists What they make : $ 285,254 Projected annual openings : 38,000 9 . Family and general practitioners What they make : $ 198,221 Projected annual openings : 38,000 10 . Psychiatrists What they make : $ 191,080 Project annual openings : 38,000 11 . Surgeons What they make : $ 322,281 Projected annual openings : 38,000 12 . General pediatricians What they make : $ 181,764 Projected annual openings : 38,000 13 . Medical and health services managers What they make : $ 94,269 Projected annual openings : 33,000 14 . Financial managers , branch or department What they make : $ 101,963 Projected annual openings : 71,000 15 . Treasurers , controllers and chief financial officers What they make : $ 172,946 - $ 240,588 Projected annual openings : 71,000 16 . Chief executives What they make : $ 382,705 Projected annual openings : 63,000 17 . Government service executives What they make : $ 167,766 Projected annual openings : 63,000 18 . Private sector executives What they make : $ 169,570 Projected annual openings : 63,000 19 . Pharmacists What they make : $ 108,499 Projected annual openings : 23,000 20 . Lawyers What they make : $ 116,810 Projected annual openings : 53,000 21 . Education administrators , elementary and secondary school What they make : $ 150,467 Projected annual openings : 31,000 22 . Administrative services managers What they make : $ 86,666 Projected annual openings : 40,000 23 . Sales representatives , agricultural What they make : $ 53,034 Projected annual openings : 44,000 24 . Sales representatives , chemical and pharmaceutical What they make : $ 88,049 Projected annual openings : 44,000 25 . Sales representatives , electrical\/electronics What they make : $ 51,105 Projected annual openings : 44,000 * Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com , powered by SalaryExpert.com ** Projected annual openings figures based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics . & copy CareerBuilder.com 2009 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Apple co-founder Steve Jobs , who died Wednesday at 56 , made the world `` immeasurably better , '' the company 's board of directors said in a statement . The company also released an e-mail sent to Apple employees in which CEO Tim Cook announced Jobs ' death , saying , `` Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius , and the world has lost an amazing human being . Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor . Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built , and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple . '' Cook 's comments were repeated on the Apple website . Visitors were invited to share their `` thoughts , memories and condolences '' at rememberingsteve@apple.com . There was no immediate word on any funeral services . Cook said the company is planning a `` celebration of Steve 's extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon . '' Jobs ' family also released a statement through Apple , saying that Jobs `` died peacefully today surrounded by his family . '' `` In his public life , Steve was known as a visionary ; in his private life , he cherished his family . We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve 's illness . '' Jobs : Visionary in a black turtleneck The family said a website will be provided for those wishing to offer tributes and memories . `` We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve , '' the family statement said . `` We know many of you will mourn with us and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief . '' Printed copies of a picture of Jobs -- posted on Apple 's website announcing his passing -- appeared Wednesday night on a marble wall outside the Apple store on New York 's Fifth Avenue , with notes written on them . `` We love you , '' one said . `` RIP . '' Outside the original Apple store in Cupertino , California , a makeshift memorial was created Wednesday , with people leaving flowers and other items . A bagpiper played as onlookers visited the site , some wiping their eyes . Apple 's board of directors said Jobs ' `` brilliance , passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives . The world is immeasurably better because of Steve . '' World reacts to Jobs ' death Jobs ' greatest love was for his wife , Laurene , and his family , the statement said . `` Our hearts go out to them and all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts . '' `` No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve 's death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him , '' Cook told Apple employees . `` We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much . '' CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States are aiming to win the Solheim Cup for a fourth successive occasion when they face Europe in the 12th edition of the women 's team golf tournament , which begins at the Killeen Castle Golf Resort in Ireland on Friday . The competition , an exact replica of the men 's Ryder Cup , begins on Friday morning with four foursomes , where the players alternate playing the same ball , before the afternoon 's four fourballs -- which sees each player playing their own ball . Saturday 's two sessions then follow exactly the same format , before Sunday 's 12 individual singles , which will determine the winners . With a total of 28 points up for grabs , the winning team is the first to reach 14 1\/2 points , with the Americans securing 16-12 triumphs in Illinois in 2009 and Sweden in 2007 . Alison Nicholas , who is captaining Europe for a second time following their 2009 defeat , has paired Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist in the opening foursomes match -- with the Swedish duo lining up against Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr . The English duo of Karen Stupples and Melissa Reid face Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome in the second of the foursomes , while the third sees veteran Scot Catriona Matthew and Spanish rookie Azahara Munoz against Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford . And Friday 's morning session is completed by Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Sweden 's Sophie Gustafson facing Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster -- who becomes the oldest-ever Solheim Cup player at the age of 51 . The United States lead Europe 8-3 overall and both Nicholas and her American counterpart Rosie Jones are aware of the need to get a good start in the competition . Nicholas told the official Solheim Cup website : `` I think I have a good blend in my team and I am very happy with the way the draw has worked out . `` Catriona , for instance , is a great leader and gets on so well with everyone . She has lots of experience and I think she will make a great pairing with Azahara . They are both steady players . '' The United States come into the match as favorites to retain their title , with four of the world 's top 10 amongst their ranks . `` I 've put Michelle and Cristie out first because they are both good leaders , '' Jones told the official website . `` They have played a lot together and had success . I want them to get out there and put up a point . '' She continued : `` I 've got heavy hitters in every match . I have a master plan and I 'm going to stick to it as much as possible . But you have to wait and see how the matches go and maybe adjust . '' European team : -LRB- number of previous Solheim Cup appearances in brackets -RRB- Melissa Reid -LRB- Eng -RRB- -LRB- - -RRB- Laura Davies -LRB- Eng -RRB- -LRB- 11 -RRB- Karen Stupples -LRB- Eng -RRB- -LRB- 1 -RRB- Suzann Pettersen -LRB- Nor -RRB- -LRB- 5 -RRB- Sophie Gustafson -LRB- Swe -RRB- -LRB- 7 -RRB- Maria Hjorth -LRB- Swe -RRB- -LRB- 4 -RRB- Anna Nordqvist -LRB- Swe -RRB- -LRB- 1 -RRB- Caroline Hedwall -LRB- Swe -RRB- -LRB- - -RRB- Catriona Matthew -LRB- Sco -RRB- -LRB- 4 -RRB- Azahara Munoz -LRB- Sp -RRB- -LRB- - -RRB- Sandra Gal -LRB- Ger -RRB- -LRB- - -RRB- Christel Boeljon -LRB- Net -RRB- -LRB- - -RRB- United States team : Michelle Wie -LRB- 1 -RRB- Julie Inkster -LRB- 8 -RRB- Cristie Kerr -LRB- 5 -RRB- Paula Creamer -LRB- 3 -RRB- Angela Stanford -LRB- 3 -RRB- Brittany Lang -LRB- 1 -RRB- Brittany Lincicome -LRB- 2 -RRB- Morgan Pressel -LRB- 2 -RRB- Christina Kim -LRB- 2 -RRB- Vicky Hurst -LRB- - -RRB- Ryann O'Toole -LRB- - -RRB- Stacy Lewis -LRB- - -RRB-","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Porto striker Hulk has been called up to the Brazilian squad for friendly internationals next month against England and Oman . Hulk , whose full name is Givanildo Vieira de Souza , has starred for the Portuguese giants since joining them last year following three seasons in J-League football in Japan . He scored twice to give Porto a 2-1 Champions League win over APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus last week . Hulk will be battling for a starting place with established stars such as Kaka of Real Madrid and Sevilla 's in-form Luis Fabiano . Brazil coach Dunga is using the friendlies to try out fringe players ahead of next year 's World Cup finals in South Africa . He is also giving a chance to Liverpool 's Favio Aurelio , Lyon 's Michel Bastos and Carlos Eduardo of Bundesliga side Hoffenheim . Manchester City 's Robinho also returns to the 24-man squad after recovering from an ankle injury which caused him to miss the final round of South American Group qualifiers . But there is not place for AC Milan pair Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato while Dunga has not picked players from the domestic Brazilian league such as forner World Cup hero Ronaldo and ex-Inter Milan star Adriano . Brazil play their eagerly-awaited friendly against Fabio Capello 's England on November 14 in Doha and take on the more modest challenge of Oman in Muscat three days later . Brazil , who headed the South American qualifying group , will be going for their sixth World Cup triumph in South Africa . Brazilian squad : Goalkeepers : Julio Cesar -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Doni -LRB- AS Roma -RRB- . Defenders : Maicon -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Daniel Alves -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , Michel Bastos -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , Fabio Aurelio -LRB- Liverpool -RRB- , Lucio -LRB- Inter Milan -RRB- , Juan -LRB- AS Roma -RRB- , Luisao -LRB- Benfica -RRB- , Naldo -LRB- Werder Bremen -RRB- . Midfielders : Elano -LRB- Galatasaray -RRB- , Kaka -LRB- Real Madrid -RRB- , Gilberto Silva -LRB- Panathinaikos -RRB- , Josue -LRB- Wolfsburg -RRB- , Lucas Leiva -LRB- Liverpool -RRB- , Ramires -LRB- Benfica -RRB- , Felipe Melo -LRB- Juventus -RRB- , Alex -LRB- Spartak Moscow -RRB- , Carlos Eduardo -LRB- Hoffenheim -RRB- , Julio Baptista -LRB- AS Roma -RRB- . Forwards : Luis Fabiano -LRB- Sevilla -RRB- , Hulk -LRB- FC Porto -RRB- , Nilmar -LRB- Villarreal -RRB- , Robinho -LRB- Manchester City -RRB- .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea , whose leader Kim Jong Il died over the weekend , is the least democratic nation on Earth , according to a newly released report by a British analysis and intelligence firm . The Democracy Index 2011 , compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit , listed Norway as the most democratic nation in the world . The top 10 spots in this year 's index were occupied mostly by European countries . Following Norway were : Iceland , Denmark , Sweden , New Zealand , Australia , Switzerland , Canada , Finland and the Netherlands . Read the full report The United States ranked 19th , down two spots from the 2010 listing . The United States ' 2011 ranking is below Canada -LRB- 8th -RRB- and the United Kingdom -LRB- 18th -RRB- . The United States also ranked below the Czech Republic -LRB- 16th -RRB- , a former Soviet communist satellite that did not become a democracy until 1989 , and the South American nation of Uruguay -LRB- 17th -RRB- , a former right-wing dictatorship that did not return to democracy until 1984 . The Economist Intelligence Unit analysis , released this month , concluded that democracy deteriorated in 48 countries , improved in 41 and stayed the same in 78 . In most regions , the report said , the level of democracy was lower in 2011 than the previous year . `` 2011 was an exceptionally turbulent year , characterized by sovereign debt crises and weak political leadership in the developed world , dramatic political change and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa and rising social unrest , '' said Laza Kekic , the report 's lead author . The Democracy Index is based on five categories : electoral process and pluralism , civil liberties , how government functions , political participation by the public , and political culture . The analysts measured the level of democracy in 165 nations and two territories , `` which account for almost the entire population of the world , '' the Economist Intelligence Unit said in a release . Using a scale of 0 to 10 , countries were placed in one of four categories : full democracies -LRB- 8-10 -RRB- , flawed democracies -LRB- 6 to 7.9 -RRB- , hybrid regimes -LRB- 4 to 5.9 -RRB- and authoritarian regimes -LRB- 0 to 3.9 -RRB- . Norway , the top-ranked nation , had a score of 9.8 . The Scandinavian nation also ranked No. 1 in 2010 with an identical score . North Korea , ranked No. 167 , had a score of 1.08 . The Asian nation also ranked last in 2010 , with the same score . The United States had a score of 8.11 , slightly lower than last year 's 8.18 . `` U.S. democracy has been adversely affected by a deepening of the polarization of the political scene and political brinkmanship and paralysis , '' the Economist Intelligence Unit concluded . The analysts noted that the United States and the United Kingdom lag behind many other full democracies for some of the same reasons . `` There has been a rise in protest movements , '' the report states . `` Problems in the functioning of government have become more prominent . '' Among other findings in the report : -- Slightly more than half the world 's population lives in some type of democracy , although only 11 % enjoy a `` full democracy . '' -- More than one-third of the globe 's population lives under authoritarian rule . -- Nearly half the nations on the planet are considered democracies : 25 `` full '' and 53 `` flawed . '' -- There were 37 `` hybrid regimes '' and 52 `` authoritarian regimes . '' -- Violence , drug trafficking and other crime in Latin America continue to hinder democracy . -- Eastern Europe continued to suffer a decline in democracy , with 12 nations worse than the previous year . -- Western Europe also had a decline in democracy , with seven nations deteriorating and none improving . Some of that deterioration was due to financial problems plaguing the eurozone . Five of the countries that lost points in the rankings belong to the eurozone : Greece , Italy , Portugal , Spain and Ireland . -- Eight countries had a listing change from one type of government to another in 2011 . Four were upgraded and four were downgraded . -- Countries that deteriorated were : Portugal -LRB- fell from full to flawed democracy -RRB- , Ukraine and Guatemala -LRB- flawed democracy to hybrid regime -RRB- and Russia -LRB- hybrid to authoritarian regime -RRB- . -- Zambia improved from a hybrid to a flawed democracy . Tunisia , Mauritania and Niger moved up from authoritarian to hybrid . In the Western Hemisphere , Costa Rica is ranked 20th , up five spots from last year . That nation 's score was 8.10 , nearly the same as the United States . Costa Rica is listed as a full democracy . Western Hemisphere flawed democracies are : Chile -LRB- 35th , 7.54 -RRB- ; Trinidad and Tobago -LRB- 43rd , 7.16 -RRB- ; Brazil -LRB- 45th ; 7.12 -RRB- ; Panama -LRB- 47th , 7.08 -RRB- ; Mexico -LRB- 50th , 6.93 -RRB- ; Argentina -LRB- 51st , 6.84 -RRB- ; Colombia -LRB- 55th , 6.63 -RRB- ; Peru -LRB- 56th , 6.59 -RRB- ; El Salvador -LRB- 61st , 6.47 -RRB- ; Paraguay -LRB- 62nd , 6.40 -RRB- ; Dominican Republic -LRB- 70th , 6.20 -RRB- and Guyana -LRB- 77th , 6.05 -RRB- . Western Hemisphere nations listed as hybrid regimes are : Guatemala -LRB- 82nd , 5.88 -RRB- ; Bolivia -LRB- 84th , 5.84 -RRB- ; Honduras -LRB- 84th , 5.84 -RRB- ; Ecuador -LRB- 89th , 5.72 -RRB- ; Nicaragua -LRB- 91st , 5.56 -RRB- ; Venezuela -LRB- 97th , 5.08 -RRB- and Haiti -LRB- 114th , 4.00 -RRB- . Cuba -LRB- 126th , 3.52 -RRB- is the only Western Hemisphere nation categorized as authoritarian . Full democracies worldwide include : Luxembourg , Ireland , Austria , Germany , Malta , Japan , South Korea , Belgium , Mauritius and Spain . Some nations categorized as flawed democracies include : South Africa , France , Italy , India , Indonesia and Philippines . Hybrid regimes include : Hong Kong , Singapore , Bangladesh , Turkey , Palestine , Cambodia , Pakistan and Iraq . Authoritarian nations include : Jordan , Kuwait , Libya , China , Vietnam , United Arab Emirates , Afghanistan and Laos . In addition to North Korea , the other nine least-democratic nations are : Chad , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , Myanmar , Equatorial Guinea , Saudi Arabia , Central African Republic , Iran and Syria . The Economist Intelligence Unit , which performed the analysis , is based in London and reports having offices in more than 40 cities worldwide . The company says it has about 650 country experts and analysts worldwide . The Democracy Index 2011 was released December 15 . The latest Democracy Index closely mirrors a Corruption Perceptions Index released by the German watchdog organization Transparency International in late November . In that analysis , New Zealand was perceived as the least corrupt nation on earth , and Somalia and North Korea were seen as the most corrupt . The United States ranked 24th least corrupt on a `` corruption perceptions index , '' the fourth-best in the Western Hemisphere . Canada ranked 10th , the Bahamas was 21st and Chile was 22nd . Overall , the top spots were occupied mostly by European countries , with the exception of New Zealand , Singapore at No. 5 and Australia , which was tied for eighth with Switzerland . Other nations with top rankings were Denmark , Finland , Sweden , Norway and the Netherlands . In addition to Somalia and North Korea , which were tied for last at No. 182 , the bottom of the list included Myanmar , Afghanistan , Uzbekistan , Turkmenistan , Sudan , Iraq , Haiti and Venezuela . The report was prepared by the independent , nonpartisan Transparency International organization , which said it drew its conclusions based `` on different assessments and business opinion surveys carried out by independent and reputable institutions . '' The information used to compile the index included `` questions relating to the bribery of public officials , kickbacks in public procurement , embezzlement of public funds and questions that probe the strength and effectiveness of public-sector and anti-corruption efforts , '' Transparency International said . Perceptions are used , the organization said , because corruption is a hidden activity that is difficult to measure . `` Over time , '' the organization said in its report , `` perceptions have proved to be a reliable estimate of corruption . '' The rankings for other Western Hemisphere countries were : Uruguay -LRB- 25 -RRB- , Puerto Rico -LRB- 39 -RRB- , Costa Rica -LRB- 50 -RRB- , Cuba -LRB- 61 -RRB- , Brazil -LRB- 73 -RRB- , Colombia , El Salvador and Peru -LRB- tied for 80 -RRB- , Panama -LRB- 86 -RRB- , Argentina and Mexico -LRB- tied for 100 -RRB- , Bolivia -LRB- 118 -RRB- , Ecuador and Guatemala -LRB- tied for 120 -RRB- , the Dominican Republic and Honduras -LRB- tied for 129 -RRB- , Nicaragua -LRB- 134 -RRB- , Paraguay -LRB- 154 -RRB- , Venezuela -LRB- 172 -RRB- and Haiti -LRB- 175 -RRB- . The index used a scale of 0-10 to measure perceived corruption , with zero representing highly corrupt and 10 being very clean . New Zealand , the highest-ranked nation , has a 9.5 score . Somalia and North Korea , the lowest-ranked , had 1.0 . The United States scored 7.1 , while Canada was 8.7 and Chile was 7.2 . Haiti , the lowest-ranked nation in the Western Hemisphere , scored 1.8 . Next-worst was Venezuela with 1.9 . Transparency International , headquartered in Berlin , reports having 90 chapters worldwide . The organization says it works with partners in government , business and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to combat corruption .","question":""}
{"answer":"BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Officials on Monday announced the death of a second child who consumed contaminated milk powder . More than 1,200 others have been sickened , according to China 's Health Ministry . Of that number , 340 infants are hospitalized and 53 are considered to be in serious condition . Government inspectors are testing baby formula around China and plan to release their results on Tuesday , said Li Changjiang , head of the State Administration of Quality Supervision , Inspection and Quarantine , according to the Xinhua news agency . The manufacturer , Sanlu Group , has recalled more than 8,200 tons of the tainted formula following reports of babies developing kidney stones , Xinhua said . Watch what Sanlu has done '' Sanlu , one of China 's leading dairy producers , has also sealed off more than 2,100 tons of contaminated product , and another 700 tons still need to be recalled , the news agency said . It is not the first time Sanlu has been connected to a scandal involving tainted milk powder , according to China Daily . In 2004 , at least 13 infants in the eastern Anhui province died of malnutrition after drinking milk powder that had little to no nutrition . The illegally manufactured milk was falsely labeled with the Sanlu brand , according to the paper . More than 170 other babies were hospitalized as a result of drinking the cheap milk powder . Chinese police have questioned 78 people -- including dairy farmers and milk dealers -- about the most recent contamination , a Chinese official told Xinhua Saturday . Sanlu would not say whether its employees are being investigated , Xinhua said . Testing by Sanlu found tripolycyanamide , also known as melamine , in 700 tons of its product , said Zhao Xinchao , the vice mayor of Shijiazhuang , the news agency reported . Zhao told the news agency that the suspects added water to the milk they sold to Sanlu to make more money , then added the chemical so the diluted milk could still meet standards . Inspectors found the chemical in Sanlu infant formula produced by one of the company 's partner producers in northwest Gansu Province , an official said Sunday . Two of 12 samples randomly selected from the Sanlu milk powder produced by the Haoniu Dairy Company in Jiuquan City tested positive for melamine , said Xian Hui , the vice-governor of Gansu . Health experts say ingesting melamine can lead to kidney stones , urinary tract ulcers , and eye and skin irritation . The chemical is commonly used in coatings and laminates , wood adhesives , fabric coatings , ceiling tiles and flame retardants . Hundreds of Wal-Mart and Carrefour stores in China are pulling the Sanlu milk powder from their shelves , Xinhua said . This episode marks the latest in a string of tainted products produced in China . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalled more than 150 brands of cat and dog food last year after finding that some pets became ill or died after eating food tainted with melamine , the same chemical found in the powdered milk . Two Chinese businesses , a U.S. company and top executives of each were indicted by a federal grand jury in February in connection with tainted pet food , which resulted in deaths and serious illnesses in up to thousands of U.S. pets , federal prosecutors said . In October 2007 , regulators and retailers in the United States recalled at least 69,000 Chinese-made toys over concerns of excessive amounts of lead paint , which can cause hazardous lead poisoning . In November , shipments of the popular toy Aqua Dots were found to have been contaminated with a toxic chemical that turned into a powerful `` date rape '' drug if swallowed , causing some children who ate the craft toys to vomit and lose consciousness . And in February , a Maryland candy distributor pulled Pokemon-brand Valentine lollipops from store shelves after bits of metal were found in the sealed treats , authorities said . Officials on Monday announced the death of a second child who consumed contaminated milk powder . Of the more than 1,200 others who have been sickened , 340 infants were hospitalized , and 53 considered to be in serious condition , according to China 's Health Ministry . Government inspectors were testing baby formula around China and plan to release their results on Tuesday , said Li Changjiang , head of the State Administration of Quality Supervision , Inspection and Quarantine , according to the Xinhua news agency . The manufacturer , Sanlu Group , has recalled more than 8,200 tons of the tainted formula following reports of babies developing kidney stones , Xinhua said . Sanlu , one of China 's leading dairy producers , also has sealed off more than 2,100 tons of contaminated product , and another 700 tons still need to be recalled , the news agency said . Chinese police have questioned 78 people , including dairy farmers and milk dealers , about the contamination , a Chinese official told Xinhua Saturday . Sanlu would not say whether its employees were being investigated , Xinhua said . Testing by Sanlu found tripolycyanamide , also known as melamine , in 700 tons of its product , said Zhao Xinchao , the vice mayor of Shijiazhuang , the news agency reported . Zhao told the news agency that the suspects added water to the milk they sold to Sanlu to make more money , then added the chemical so that the diluted milk could still meet standards . Inspectors found the chemical in Sanlu infant formula produced by one of the company 's partner producers in northwest Gansu Province , an official said Sunday . Two of 12 samples randomly selected from the Sanlu milk powder produced by the Haoniu Dairy Company in Jiuquan City tested positive for melamine , said Xian Hui , the vice-governor of Gansu . Ingesting melamine can lead to kidney stones , urinary tract ulcers , and eye and skin irritation , health experts said . The chemical is commonly used in coatings and laminates , wood adhesives , fabric coatings , ceiling tiles and flame retardants . The chemical was also involved in the massive pet food recall last year . Hundreds of Wal-Mart and Carrefour stores in were pulling the Sanlu milk powder from their shelves , Xinhua said .","question":""}
{"answer":"Editor 's note : CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com , which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com . With money a bit tight these days , many people searching for jobs would like a salary of $ 80,000 a year . -LRB- CareerBuilder.com -RRB- -- Let 's be honest : Sometimes you do n't care about the job -- you just care about the salary . But it 's awfully hard to look for a job that fits both your salary requirements and your skill set . Not to mention that we always tell you that your work and career should be something you love . Ideally , money is just an added benefit . That being said , we 're also realists . We know that times are tough and at this point , some people just need to get paid . We went to the Bureau of Labor Statistics to look at the latest -LRB- May 2008 -RRB- salary information for the United States and found 30 occupations pay in the $ 80,000 range based on national averages . 1 . Administrative law judges , adjudicators and hearing officers Do this : Conduct hearings to rule on government-related claims ; determine penalties and liability ; and help to craft settlements . Get paid : $ 80,870 2 . Biomedical engineers Do this : Design and develop devices and procedures to help solve health-related problems . Projects might include information systems , artificial organs or artificial limbs . Get paid : $ 81,120 3 . Chiropractors Do this : Diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions of the spinal column to prevent disease and alleviate imbalance , pain and pressure believed to be caused by interference with nervous system . Get paid : $ 81,340 4 . Atmospheric , earth , marine and space sciences teachers , post-secondary Do this : Teach courses and research topics in the physical sciences , except chemistry and physics . Get paid : $ 81,470 5 . Agents and business managers of artists , performers and athletes Do this : Represent and promote their client 's business while handling business matters and contract negotiations . Get paid : $ 81,550 6 . Materials scientists Do this : Study the chemical composition of various materials and figure out ways to develop new materials and improve existing ones ; also determine ways to use materials in products . Get paid : $ 81,600 7 . Physician assistants Do this : Perform health-care services and provide treatment plans under a physician 's supervision . Get paid : $ 81,610 8 . Medical scientists , except epidemiologists Do this : Research and investigate human diseases and how to improve human health . Get paid : $ 81,870 9 . Physics teachers , post-secondary Do this : Teach courses and research topics pertaining to the laws of matter and energy . Get paid : $ 81,880 10 . Atmospheric and space scientists Do this : Study the effects the atmosphere has on the environment , most commonly through weather forecasting . Get paid : $ 82,080 11 . Management analysts Do this : Figure out best practices of management by conducting studies and procedures to help companies figure out how to operate more effectively . Get paid : $ 82,920 12 . Producers and directors Do this : Produce or direct , and make all creative decisions for stage , television , radio , video or motion picture productions . Get paid : $ 83,030 13 . Biological science teachers , post-secondary Do this : Teach courses and research topics in biological sciences . Get paid : $ 83,270 14 . Materials engineers Do this : Develop new uses for recognized materials , and develop new machinery and processes to make materials for use in specialized products . Get paid : $ 84,200 15 . Transportation , storage and distribution managers Do this : Oversee transportation , storage or distribution activities in accordance with governmental policies and regulations . Get paid : $ 84,520 16 . Financial analysts Do this : Assess the financial situations of an individual or organization . Get paid : $ 84,780 17 . Electrical engineers Do this : Design , develop and test the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment . Get paid : $ 85,350 18 . Education administrators , elementary and secondary school Do this : Oversee all activities of public or private elementary or secondary schools . Get paid : $ 86,060 19 . Industrial-organizational psychologists Do this : Work with companies to solve problems within the company . You may help with policy planning ; employee screening , training and development ; and organizational development and analysis . Get paid : $ 86,460 20 . Computer software engineers , applications Do this : Build computer applications software and code ; ensure that all software projects adhere to a company 's technology and business standards . Get paid : $ 87,900 21 . Economics teachers , post-secondary Do this : Teach courses and research topics in economics . Get paid : $ 88,330 22 . Biochemists and biophysicists Do this : Study the chemical composition and physical principles of living cells and organisms , their electrical and mechanical energy , and related phenomena . Get paid : $ 88,450 23 . Art directors Do this : Create design concepts and presentation in artwork , layout design and copywriting for visual communications media . Get paid : $ 88,510 24 . Electronics engineers , except computer Do this : Design , develop and test a wide range of electronic equipment , from CD players to global positioning systems . Get paid : $ 88,670 25 . Medical and health services managers Do this : Supervise medical and health services in hospitals , clinics and similar organizations . Get paid : $ 88,750 26 . Chemical engineers Do this : Design chemical plant equipment and create processes for manufacturing chemicals and products . Get paid : $ 88,760 27 . Geoscientists , except hydrologists and geographers Do this : Study the composition , structure and other physical aspects of the Earth . Get paid : $ 89,300 28 . Veterinarians Do this : Provide health care for family pets , livestock and zoo animals . Provide check-ups , treat diseases and advise caretakers on how to best raise their animals . Get paid : $ 89,450 29 . Construction managers Do this : Oversee all activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures , facilities and systems . Get paid : $ 89,770 30 . Sales engineers Do this : Sell business goods or services , the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a bachelor 's degree in engineering . Get paid : $ 89,770 Jobs by Salary , a new salary tool from CBSalary.com , allows you to search for jobs by salary based on where you live or work in the United States","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Food and Drug Administration approved a second vaccine intended to protect against cervical cancer . GlaxoSmithKline has manufactured a vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer . Cervarix , manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline , was approved Friday for prevention of cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions caused by human papillomavirus -LRB- HPV -RRB- types 16 and 18 . The vaccine is approved for use in girls and women ages 10 to 25 years and is to be administered in three doses . After the initial shot , the second and third doses are to be given within six months . `` The licensure of Cervarix adds another option in the prevention of cervical cancer , '' said Dr. Karen Midthun , acting director of the FDA 's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research . `` It has the potential to save lives from cervical cancer as well as reduce the need for biopsies and invasive procedures associated with the necessary follow-up from abnormal Pap tests . '' According to GlaxoSmithKline , the vaccine is 70 percent effective against pre-cancerous lesions , regardless of HPV type . `` The vaccine contains two HPV types -LRB- 16 & 18 -RRB- responsible for the majority of cervical cancers in North America , '' said Sarah Alspach , a GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman . `` But approximately 25 percent of cervical cancers are caused by other cancer-causing HPV types . Cervarix has been shown to reduce the incidence of pre-cancers resulting from cancer-causing virus types beyond 16 and 18 . '' The vaccine will be available this year , according to GSK , which did not divulge the price . Cervarix will be competing with Merck & Company 's Gardasil , the first cervical cancer vaccine , which won FDA approval in June 2006 . Gardasil , for girls and women ages 9 to 26 , prevents against cervical , vulvar and vaginal cancers and protects against HPV types 11 , 16 and 18 . Gardasil 's approval has been broadened by the FDA to include an indication for boys and young men ages 9 through 26 for prevention of genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11 . `` This vaccine is the first preventive therapy against genital warts in boys and men ages 9 through 26 , and , as a result , fewer men will need to undergo treatment for genital warts . '' Midthun said . According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention , HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the nation . More than 40 types of HPV can infect genital areas , according to the disease agency . But because many of them are not visible to the naked eye , most people who become infected do n't know it .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Veteran goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt has received his first international call-up since 2003 as Germany coach Joachim Low named seven players from Bayern Munich in a preliminary 27-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa . The 35-year-old Butt will be competing for a starting place with Schalke 's Manuel Neuer and Werder Bremen 's Tim Wiese as Bayer Leverkusen 's Rene Adler has been ruled out with a rib injury . Captain Michael Ballack , who plays for English club Chelsea , is the only man selected who does not feature in the German Bundesliga . Stuttgart 's Brazil-born forward Cacau is included , but his former clubmate Thomas Hitzlsperger misses out despite the absence of injured Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes as he has not been playing regularly for his Italian club Lazio . `` This was a very difficult decision for me , '' Low told reporters on Thursday . `` Thomas has never disappointed us and made a key contribution in helping us qualify . `` He is a reliable player , but he barely played in the last few months before he left Stuttgart and has also played very little at Lazio . '' Low will reduce the squad to 23 by the June 1 deadline for submission ahead of the tournament 's kick-off 10 days later . Butt , who has won three caps , will not be able to feature in next Thursday 's friendly against Malta as he will be needed by Bayern in the German Cup final against Bremen in Berlin on May 15 . His clubmates Holger Badstuber , Mario Gomez , Miroslav Klose , Philipp Lahm , Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger will also sit out the Malta game in Aachen along with Bremen 's Wiese , Per Mertesacker , Marko Marin and Mesut Ozil . The 21-year-old Badstuber has yet to win a cap for Germany and made his senior debut for Bayern in the first game of this season , covering at left-back despite being a central defender . Attacking midfielder Muller , 20 , will seek to add to his sole cap after also impressing this season , scoring the first hat-trick of his career in the 3-1 win over Bochum last weekend which effectively gave Bayern the league title . Ballack will also be away playing for Chelsea in the FA Cup final on May 15 , before joining the squad in Sicily with the Werder quartet , while the Bayern players will not be in camp until after the Champions League final on May 22 . Bayern , who had eight players in the squad that finished third on home soil four years ago , can complete the first leg of a potential treble by clinching the Bundesliga title this weekend , when Louis Van Gaal 's side face bottom club Hertha Berlin . Germany will face Hungary in Budapest on May 29 and then Bosnia-Herzegovina in Frankfurt on June 3 before heading to South Africa . Germany squad : Goalkeepers : Manuel Neuer -LRB- Schalke 04 -RRB- , Tim Wiese -LRB- Werder Bremen -RRB- , Hans-Jorg Butt -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- . Defenders : Dennis Aogo -LRB- Hamburg -RRB- Jerome Boateng -LRB- Hamburg -RRB- , Arne Friedrich -LRB- Hertha Berlin -RRB- , Philipp Lahm -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- , Per Mertesacker -LRB- Werder Bremen -RRB- , Marcell Jansen -LRB- Hamburg -RRB- , Serdar Tasci -LRB- VfB Stuttgart -RRB- , Holger Badstuber -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- , Heiko Westermann -LRB- Schalke 04 -RRB- , Andreas Beck -LRB- Hoffenheim -RRB- . Midfielders : Michael Ballack -LRB- Chelsea -RRB- , Marko Marin , Mesut Ozil -LRB- both Werder Bremen -RRB- , Piotr Trochowski -LRB- Hamburg -RRB- , Sami Khedira , Christian Traesch -LRB- both VfB Stuttgart -RRB- , Toni Kroos -LRB- Bayer Leverkusen -RRB- , Bastian Schweinsteiger -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- . Forwards : Cacau -LRB- VfB Stuttgart -RRB- , Mario Gomez , Miroslav Klose , Thomas Mueller -LRB- all Bayern Munich -RRB- , Stefan Kiessling -LRB- Bayer Leverkusen -RRB- , Lukas Podolski -LRB- Cologne -RRB- .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Students will investigate the contributions of Hispanic Americans to U.S. culture , and what it means to be an Hispanic in America today . Procedure Point out to students that Hispanic Heritage Month -LRB- September 15 - October 15 -RRB- celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain , Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America , South America and the Caribbean . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , `` September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries : Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras and Nicaragua . In addition , Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18 , respectively . '' In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month , send student groups on a multimedia scavenger hunt to investigate how Hispanic Americans have contributed to U.S. culture , and the opportunities and challenges that exist for Hispanics in America today . Pose the following questions to guide students ' research : 1 . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , what is the estimated Hispanic population of the United States ? What percent of the total U.S. population does this number represent ? 2 . What aspects of Hispanic culture can be found in the U.S ? 3 . Who are some Hispanic Americans who have had an impact in U.S. politics and government ? 4 . Who are some famous Hispanic-American musicians , artists , writers and actors ? How have they impacted U.S. culture ? 5 . What Hispanic businesses exist in your community and other parts of the U.S. ? How have these businesses contributed to the U.S. economy ? 6 . What issues have you seen or heard about in recent news that are of interest to the Hispanic community ? Have groups share and discuss their findings with the class . Extension Instruct each student to interview several Hispanic-American teens and adults to get their responses to the following question : What would you like other Americans to know about what it means to be Hispanic in America today ? Have students summarize the interviewees ' responses and share them with the class . Correlated Standards Social Studies I. Culture Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity . V. Individuals , Groups and Institutions Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals , groups , and institutions . The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/www.socialstudies.org\/standards\/ are published by the National Council for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/www.socialstudies.org -RRB- .","question":""}
{"answer":"Los Angeles -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's the end of the R.E.M. as we know them and they feel fine , according to a statement from the group posted online Wednesday . `` To our Fans and Friends : As R.E.M. , and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators , we have decided to call it a day as a band , '' the message said . `` We walk away with a great sense of gratitude , of finality , and of astonishment at all we have accomplished . To anyone who ever felt touched by our music , our deepest thanks for listening . '' Michael Stipe , Peter Buck , Mike Mills and Bill Berry started playing alternative rock together in Athens , Georgia , in 1980 , but their first hit single came with `` The One I Love '' in 1987 . `` It 's the End of the World as We Know It -LRB- And I Feel Fine -RRB- '' followed from the same `` Document '' album , securing their mainstream radio appeal . Front man Michael Stipe declined to be interviewed by CNN Wednesday about the decision to disband , which comes six months after the release of `` Collapse into Now , '' their final album . Stipe , in a CNN interview in June , said the members `` surprised ourselves with this record . We 're all really thrilled with it . '' He and his fellow band members did offer comments on their website . `` During our last tour , and while making ` Collapse Into Now ' and putting together this greatest hits retrospective , we started asking ourselves , ` what next ' ? '' Stipe said . `` Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey . We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together . '' Michael Mills said it was not an easy decision . `` A wise man once said ` The skill in attending a party is knowing when it 's time to leave , ' Mills said . `` We built something extraordinary together . We did this thing . And now we 're going to walk away from it . '' Peter Buck said the band members `` walk away as great friends '' `` I know I will be seeing them in the future , just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years , '' Buck said . `` Even if it 's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store , or standing at the back of the club : watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -- France coach Raymond Domenech has again omitted striker David Trezeguet from his squad for this month 's friendly against Morocco and the Euro 2008 qualifier against the Ukraine . Happier times : David Trezeguet celebrates after scoring for Juventus against Torino . Trezeguet has scored scored 10 goals in 11 Serie A matches for Juventus this season -- including two hat-tricks -- but has failed to win his way back into the 24-man party . The 29-year-old , who last played for France in the 1-0 home defeat by Scotland in September , was furious after being dropped for the games against Lithuania and the Faroe Islands . He played no part as Domenech 's team overtook the Scots at the top of Group B with comfortable victories last month . The coach said : `` David is having a great start to the season with Juventus , but he 's in competition for a place . If we qualify , the Euro 2008 will be in eight months . A lot of things can happen in between . `` I hope David will help Juventus win the Italian league title and that he will be at the Euro 2008 with us , and that he will find his form again for France . '' Domenech has again included young Lyon forward Hatem Ben Arfa , who made his debut as a substitute against the Faroes and scored the final goal in a 6-0 victory . Ben Arfa is joined in the squad by club-mate Karim Benzema , while Bolton 's Nicholas Anelka is also among the forwards named despite still recovering from an injury . Captain Patrick Vieira is ruled out due to injury , but the Inter Milan midfielder will join up with the squad anyway . `` A player of Patrick 's dimension is going to be missed , but we just have to accept it and get on with it . Pat should be coming to see us because he 's a leader , and he 's the captain , '' Domenech added . France face the Moroccans on November 16 and then travel to the Ukraine on November 21 . Domenech 's team will qualify for the finals if Italy beat Scotland at Hampden on November 17 . If the Glasgow game ends in a draw , France will need at least a point in Kiev to book their ticket . France squad : Goalkeepers : M Landreau -LRB- Paris St Germain -RRB- , S Frey -LRB- Fiorentina -RRB- , U Rame -LRB- Bordeaux -RRB- . Defenders : E Abidal -LRB- Barcelona , P Evra -LRB- Manchester United -RRB- , W Gallas -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , B Sagna -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , L Thuram -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , S Squillaci -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , F Clerc -LRB- Lyon -RRB- . Midfielders : A Diarra -LRB- Bordeaux -RRB- , L Diarra -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , M Flamini -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , C Makelele -LRB- Chelsea -RRB- , J Rothen -LRB- PSG -RRB- , J Toulalan -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , S Nasri -LRB- Marseille -RRB- . Strikers : N Anelka -LRB- Bolton -RRB- , H Ben Arfa -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , K Benzema -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , S Govou -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , T Henry -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , F Malouda -LRB- Chelsea -RRB- , F Ribery -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Arthur , the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic season , formed Saturday near the coast of Belize , the U.S. National Hurricane Center said . Tropical Storm Arthur could make its way across the Yucatan and re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico . The storm made its way over land and was expected to weaken , but the center said the storm could re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity Sunday . At 11 p.m. , the center of Arthur was over the southern Yucatan Peninsula , about 80 miles -LRB- 125 km -RRB- west of Chetumal , Mexico , and about 120 miles -LRB- 195 km -RRB- south-southeast of Campeche , Mexico . It was moving west at about 7 miles -LRB- 11 km -RRB- per hour . The storm 's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph -LRB- 65 km\/hr -RRB- , with higher gusts , mainly over water east of its center . Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 260 miles -LRB- 415 km -RRB- from the center of the storm , forecasters said . The government of Belize issued a tropical storm warning for the nation 's coast , and the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Cabo Catoche south to the border with Belize . A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area -- in this case , within the next six to 12 hours . The storm was forecast to dump up to 10 inches of rain over Belize , up to 15 inches in isolated areas , the hurricane center said . The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday . On Thursday , Tropical Storm Alma , the first one of the year in the eastern Pacific , formed near the west coast of Central America , according to the National Weather Service . The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression and dissipated over the high terrain of Central America . The federal government 's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted this month that the Atlantic season would be more active than normal , with up to 16 named storms and up to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or above . The noted Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team predicted this year that there would be 15 named storms , eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes . The team calculated a 69 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the U.S. coast . A survey released this week found that 50 percent of 1,100 adults surveyed in Atlantic and U.S. Gulf Coast states did not have disaster plans or survival kits . `` Nearly one in three said they would not prepare their home until a storm is within 24 hours of landfall , '' Bill Read , director of the National Hurricane Center , said Thursday . `` Now is the time to buy all that stuff , '' he said upon the release of the survey by polling firm Mason-Dixon .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama reached out to Iran on Friday -- the start of the Iranian New Year -- in a video message offering `` the promise of a new beginning '' that is `` grounded in mutual respect . '' Obama 's message to Iran echoes his inaugural speech , where he said `` we seek a new way forward . '' The message is a dramatic shift in tone from that of the Bush administration , which included Iran , along with North Korea and Iraq , in an `` axis of evil . '' It also echoes Obama 's inaugural speech , in which he said to the Muslim world , `` we seek a new way forward , based on mutual interest and mutual respect . '' In Friday 's video , Obama said : `` The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations . You have that right , but it comes with real responsibilities . And that place can not be reached through terror or arms , but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilization . '' There was no immediate response from Tehran to Obama 's message , but Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last month that his country would welcome talks with the United States `` in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect . '' The United States , several European nations and Israel suspect that Tehran has been trying to acquire the capacity to build nuclear weapons , but Iran says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes . Last month , the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report saying that Iran has reached `` nuclear weapons breakout capability '' -- it has enough uranium to make a nuclear bomb . The report was based on an analysis of data from the International Atomic Energy Agency . However , an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data , saying Iran 's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium to be weapons-grade material . That has n't been done , the official said . The United States has had tortuous relations with Tehran since the Islamic revolution in 1979 , but the Obama message speaks of `` new beginnings '' with the promise of a new year . `` We have serious differences that have grown over time . My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us , and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States , Iran and the international community , '' the president said . `` This process will not be advanced by threats . We seek , instead , engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- America 's first female four-star general has been nominated , the Pentagon announced Monday . Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody was nominated to be America 's first four-star female general . President Bush nominated Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody to serve as head of the Army 's supply arm . By law women are excluded from combat jobs , the typical path to four-star rank in the military . `` This is an historic occasion for the Department of Defense and I am proud to nominate Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody for a fourth star , '' said Defense Secretary Robert Gates . `` Her 33 years of service , highlighted by extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty , make her exceptionally qualified for this senior position . '' The Senate must approve the nomination . Dunwoody , a native of New York , was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1975 after her graduation from the State University of New York in Cortland . She also holds graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management . She became the Army 's top-ranking woman in 2005 when she received her third star and became deputy chief of staff for Army logistics . `` I am very honored but also very humbled today with this announcement , '' said Dunwoody . `` I grew up in a family that did n't know what glass ceilings were . This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career ... that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform . '' The Army Materiel Command handles all material readiness for the Army . During her career , Dunwoody has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division , 10th Mountain Division and the Defense Logistics Agency . She served with the 82nd Airborne in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Persian Gulf War . She has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal , Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit , the Meritorious Service Medal , the Army Commendation Medal , the Army Achievement Medal , Master Parachutist Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge . The first woman to become a general officer in the U.S. armed services was Brig. Gen. Anna Mae Hays , chief of the Army Nurse Corps , who achieved the rank in 1970 and retired the following year . Elizabeth Hoisington , the director of the Women 's Army Corps , was promoted to brigadier general immediately after Hays . She also retired the following year . Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm , the first director of Women in the Air Force , was the first woman to wear two stars , attaining the rank in 1973 and retiring two years later . In 1996 , Marine Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter became the first woman to wear three stars . Mutter retired in 1999 . Currently , there are 57 active-duty women serving as generals or admirals , five of whom are lieutenant generals or vice admirals , the Navy 's three-star rank , according to the Pentagon .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Good things come to those who wait . And that 's exactly what viewers will be doing when TV 's best midseason offering , `` Good Christian Belles , '' aka `` GCB , '' debuts March 4 on ABC . Reminiscent of `` Desperate Housewives '' in its less desperate heyday , `` GCB '' follows Amanda Vaughn -LRB- Leslie Bibb -RRB- , a woman who ruled in high school but has since been humbled by life when her marriage ends in scandal and she has to return home to Dallas . Unfortunately for Amanda , a mother of two , her former `` frenemies '' - turned-socialites and their husbands have n't quite evolved , and they do everything they can to make her life miserable . Emmy - and Tony-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth stars as one of Amanda 's rivals , and Annie Potts steals scenes as Amanda 's meddlesome mother . The show is based on a best-selling book from Kim Gatlin . While `` Good Christian Belles '' is the best , it 's not the only show to look forward to this winter . NBC 's `` 30 Rock '' is returning at 8 p.m. ET Thursday for a sixth season , TNT 's gritty cop drama `` Southland '' will be back at 10 p.m. ET January 17 for a fourth season , and the 11th season of `` American Idol '' resumes at 8 p.m. ET January 18 and 19 on Fox . There are also a slew of new offerings to sort through . For your channel-surfing pleasure , we 've selected the good , the bad and the forgettable : The good \u2022 `` The Firm '' -LRB- debuts 9 p.m. ET Sunday , NBC -RRB- : Based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham , this intense and sometimes cluttered courtroom drama , follows attorney Mitchell McDeere -LRB- this time played by Josh Lucas of `` The Lincoln Lawyer '' instead of Tom Cruise -RRB- a decade after he brought down a prestigious Memphis law firm . Every week , Mitch will fight for his clients but with a twist because the mob wants him dead as does a shadowy organization behind one of his controversial cases . Do n't worry . It sounds more complicated than it is , and Lucas is a treat to watch . \u2022 `` House of Lies '' -LRB- debuts 10 p.m. ET Sunday , Showtime -RRB- : Don Cheadle -LRB- `` Crash '' -RRB- and Kristen Bell -LRB- `` Veronica Mars '' -RRB- have undeniable chemistry in this testosterone heavy , raunchy comedy about a cutthroat business consultant -LRB- Cheadle -RRB- . \u2022 `` Alcatraz '' -LRB- debuts 8 p.m. ET January 16 , Fox -RRB- : America 's most infamous prison becomes a time-travel portal in this trippy but fun new sci-fi drama from none other than J.J. Abrams -LRB- `` Lost '' and `` Fringe '' -RRB- . `` Alcatraz '' stars Sam Neill -LRB- `` Jurassic Park '' -RRB- and Jorge Garcia of `` Lost '' fame . \u2022 `` Luck '' -LRB- debuts 9 p.m. ET January 29 , HBO -RRB- : The latest creation from David Milch -LRB- `` Deadwood '' -RRB- , `` Luck '' stars Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman -LRB- `` Rain Man , '' `` Kramer vs. Kramer '' -RRB- as a gangster of sorts . Hoffman leads a stellar cast that includes Nick Nolte and Dennis Farina in this methodical and fascinating drama about horse racing and the troubled people who inhabit that world . \u2022 `` Smash '' -LRB- debuts 10 p.m. ET February 6 , NBC -RRB- : Executive producer Steven Spielberg and NBC hope to steal the spotlight from `` Glee '' with this exciting new music-driven drama . `` Smash '' follows a Broadway musical from its planning stages to the big stage and stars Debra Messing and Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston -LRB- `` Prizzi 's Honor '' -RRB- . The bad \u2022 `` Work It '' -LRB- airs 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesdays , ABC -RRB- : Two unemployed men -LRB- Ben Koldyke and Amaury Nolasco -RRB- dress as women to get jobs in a sluggish economy . But `` Bosom Buddies '' was better when it debuted in 1980 . \u2022 `` Are You There , Chelsea ? '' -LRB- debuts 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday , NBC -RRB- : Based on comedic actress Chelsea Handler 's best-selling and mostly autobiographical books , this mildly funny new comedy follows a 20-something -LRB- Laura Prepon of `` That '70s Show '' -RRB- who parties as hard as she drinks . What 's even less appealing is that Handler stars in the sitcom too but does n't play herself . Good luck with that . \u2022 `` Rob '' -LRB- debuts 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday , CBS -RRB- : This new sitcom is n't offensive because of its liberal use of stereotypes . It 's offensive because it is unfunny and unoriginal . `` Rob '' follows a man -LRB- Rob Schneider -RRB- who marries a Latina and fails to fit in with her family . \u2022 `` The River '' -LRB- debuts 9 p.m. ET February 7 , ABC -RRB- : Bruce Greenwood -LRB- `` Star Trek '' the movie -RRB- stars as an explorer and wildlife TV host who goes missing in the Amazon jungle . Leslie Hope -LRB- `` 24 '' -RRB- plays his wife , a woman determined to find him who heads to the Amazon with a reality TV crew and her son -LRB- Joe Anderson of `` The Crazies '' -RRB- . Instead , she finds lots of ghosts and questions . The forgettable \u2022 `` The Finder '' -LRB- debuts 9 p.m. ET Thursday , Fox -RRB- : Geoff Stults -LRB- `` Happy Town '' -RRB- and Michael Clarke Duncan -LRB- `` The Green Mile '' -RRB- star in this dull but well-intentioned spinoff of `` Bones . '' \u2022 `` Fashion Star '' -LRB- debuts 10 p.m. ET March 13 , NBC -RRB- : In a lopsided attempt to imitate `` Project Runway , '' former supermodel Elle Macpherson has created this reality competition series that features celebrity mentors Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie . Yawn .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a lifetime of playing characters past-their-prime , Clint Eastwood appears to still be enjoying his own . Clint Eastwood stars as inspector Harry Callahan in `` Dirty Harry '' -LRB- 1971 -RRB- . Just last week the 78-year-old actor , best-known for his portrayal of `` tough guys '' like `` Dirty Harry , '' was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival . The American film-maker accepted the Palme d'Or -LRB- only the second they 've ever given for lifetime achievement -RRB- , while he was in town promoting his new film `` Gran Torino . '' What is your favorite Clint Eastwood movie ? Tell us below in the SoundOff box . Eastwood both directs and co-stars in `` Gran Torino , '' as a prejudiced Korean war veteran who comes to the rescue of troubled Asian teens who live next door . For Eastwood the honor caps a 40 year career acting , directing , producing and composing . During this time , he has won five Academy Awards , five Golden Globes and received many more nominations . The Hollywood veteran earned perhaps most acclaim for two films : `` Unforgiven '' -LRB- 1992 -RRB- and `` Million Dollar Baby '' -LRB- 2004 -RRB- . For each of these films he was awarded both Best Director and Best Picture Oscars , as well as being nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role . Eastwood got his break in 1959 , landing the role of Rowdy Yates in the television series `` Rawhide . '' A successful seven-year run helped turn Eastwood into a household name and landed him several other roles in so-called Spaghetti Western films , including the hit `` A Fist Full of Dollars '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- , directed by Sergio Leone . Leone then re-hired Eastwood for two more successful films : `` For a Few More Dollars '' -LRB- 1965 -RRB- and `` The Good , the Bad and the Ugly '' -LRB- 1966 -RRB- . The trilogy earned Eastwood greater fame and a reputation for playing tough-guy , gun-slinging cowboys . Eastwood found another friend in director Don Siegel who gave him perhaps his most iconic role , starring in `` Dirty Harry '' -LRB- 1971 -RRB- as no-nonsense , `` loose-cannon '' cop Harry Callahan . The film was such a hit that it four spin off sequels were made : `` Magnum Force '' -LRB- 1973 -RRB- , `` The Enforcer '' -LRB- 1976 -RRB- , `` Sudden Impact '' -LRB- 1983 -RRB- -LRB- the highest grossing film of the series -RRB- , and `` The Dead Pool '' -LRB- 1988 -RRB- . In the 1990s Eastwood returned to westerns -- this time as director as well as star -- earning critical acclaim and a monumental nine Oscar nominations for `` Unforgiven '' -LRB- 1992 -RRB- . Throughout the decade he also had considerable success helming blockbuster projects , like `` In the Line of Fire '' -LRB- 1993 -RRB- , `` Bridges of Madison County '' -LRB- 1995 -RRB- and `` True Crime '' -LRB- 1999 -RRB- . In 2000 Eastwood co-starred in the box-office hit `` Space Cowboys . '' In 2004 , he put employed his entire array of movie skills directing , producing , scoring and co-starring alongside Hillary Swank in boxing drama `` Million Dollar Baby . '' Until his most recent return to the screen in `` Gran Torino , '' Eastwood had been concentrating on directing , releasing two films about World War II in 2006 , `` Flags of our Fathers '' and `` Letters from Iwo Jima '' and directing Angelina Jolie to BAFTA , Golden Globe and Oscar nominations this year in `` Changeling . '' Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is the only other film-maker to have received the Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement from the Cannes Film Festival .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Mad Men '' and `` Damages '' found themselves on top when the nominations for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmys came out Thursday morning -- but , again , there was no love for HBO 's `` The Wire . '' Emmy nominee Jon Hamm stars as ad exec Don Draper in `` Mad Men , '' which earned 16 nominations . AMC 's `` Mad Men '' and FX 's `` Damages '' made Emmy history Thursday as the first basic-cable series to be nominated for best drama . The pair , which had made the 10-series Emmy shortlist , have been widely hailed by critics and have received good ratings for basic-cable series -- though `` Damages '' star Glenn Close said she hopes the Emmys help boost the show 's audience . `` We need all the help we can get , '' she told The Associated Press . On the other hand , HBO 's `` The Wire '' -- which concluded its fifth and final season this year -- once again came up empty in the best drama nominations . It did receive one nod , for writing . The series , though much praised and dissected by a hard-core group of fans , has received little recognition from the Emmys , with just one previous nomination -- also for writing -- in 2005 . Check out some of the top Emmy nods this year '' Indeed , HBO has struggled to find a drama to take the place of the much-lauded `` The Sopranos , '' which won best drama last year after a storied run . `` Mad Men , '' which has made AMC into a player , was allegedly turned down by the cable giant , and shows such as the quickly canceled `` John From Cincinnati '' and `` Rome '' have n't had the same impact . On the other hand , `` In Treatment '' received a nomination for Gabriel Byrne 's performance as a therapist , and the network 's comedies , particularly `` Entourage , '' have performed strongly . Moreover , the network 's short-form programming , such as the miniseries `` John Adams '' and the TV movie `` Recount , '' dominated their Emmy categories : `` John Adams '' led all nominees with 23 nominations , and `` Recount , '' about the 2000 presidential election battle , received 11 . `` The network has made up for -LSB- its lack of drama series success -RSB- in other forms , '' Variety TV editor Michael Schneider told CNN . `` It 's still the most nominated network and has the most nominated program . '' HBO led all networks with 85 nominations . Among broadcast networks , ABC led with 76 nominations . Among regularly scheduled TV series , `` 30 Rock '' earned 17 nominations and `` Mad Men '' received 16 . The 17 nominations for `` 30 Rock '' were a record number in a single year for a comedy series . Newcomer `` Pushing Daisies , '' the whimsical series on ABC , received 12 nominations . Given that the show only aired nine episodes -- and has n't been on the air in months due to the writers strike -- its recognition was a surprise , Schneider said . `` It was nice that voters still remembered it , '' he said . Along with `` Damages '' and `` Mad Men , '' nominees for best drama include `` Boston Legal , '' `` Dexter , '' `` House '' and `` Lost . '' Comedy series nominees are `` Curb Your Enthusiasm , '' `` Entourage , '' `` The Office , '' `` 30 Rock '' and `` Two and a Half Men . '' Cable series dominated the dramatic acting nominations , with four of the six actors and three of the five actresses appearing on basic or pay cable . Best actor in a drama nominees are Byrne -LRB- `` In Treatment '' -RRB- , Bryan Cranston -LRB- `` Breaking Bad '' -RRB- , Michael C. Hall -LRB- `` Dexter '' -RRB- , Jon Hamm -LRB- `` Mad Men '' -RRB- , Hugh Laurie -LRB- `` House '' -RRB- and James Spader -LRB- `` Boston Legal '' -RRB- . `` Dexter , '' which originated on Showtime , earned a short run on CBS following the writers strike . The nominees for best actress in a drama are Close -LRB- `` Damages '' -RRB- , Sally Field -LRB- `` Brothers and Sisters '' -RRB- , Mariska Hargitay -LRB- `` Law & Order : Special Victims Unit '' -RRB- , Holly Hunter -LRB- `` Saving Grace '' -RRB- and Kyra Sedgwick -LRB- `` The Closer '' -RRB- . A number of familiar names were included among nominees for comedies . The nominees for best actor in a comedy are Alec Baldwin -LRB- `` 30 Rock '' -RRB- , Steve Carell -LRB- `` The Office '' -RRB- , Lee Pace -LRB- `` Pushing Daisies '' -RRB- , Tony Shalhoub -LRB- `` Monk '' -RRB- and Charlie Sheen -LRB- `` Two and a Half Men '' -RRB- . Only Pace is a newcomer . The nominees for best actress in a comedy are Christina Applegate -LRB- `` Samantha Who ? '' -RRB- , America Ferrera -LRB- `` Ugly Betty '' -RRB- , Tina Fey -LRB- `` 30 Rock '' -RRB- , Julia Louis-Dreyfus -LRB- `` The New Adventures of Old Christine '' -RRB- and Mary-Louise Parker -LRB- `` Weeds '' -RRB- . Sarah Silverman earned three nominations , all for different programs : one for a guest shot on `` Monk , '' another for contributing to `` Jimmy Kimmel Live '' and a third for producing her own `` The Sarah Silverman Program . '' Kristin Chenoweth , Neil Patrick Harris and TV academy Chairman John Shaffner announced the nominations Thursday . Chenoweth was particularly bubbly , throwing in a non sequitur about once dating `` Survivor '' host Jeff Probst and declining to sing `` Happy Birthday '' because `` the Emmys ca n't afford me to sing that song '' due to licensing arrangements . Both Chenoweth -LRB- `` Pushing Daisies '' -RRB- and Harris -LRB- `` How I Met Your Mother '' -RRB- were nominated in supporting actor categories . Two highly rated shows , `` Grey 's Anatomy '' and `` Desperate Housewives , '' were snubbed . `` Grey 's , '' a regular nominee for best drama , was left off that list , though star Sandra Oh was nominated for best supporting actress . `` Housewives , '' which won six Emmys its debut season , was ignored in both best comedy series and best actress in a comedy series categories . Two guest stars did receive nominations . Stephen Colbert , nominated for individual performance in a variety or musical program , put everything in perspective . `` What an honor , unless I do n't win , '' he told the AP . The Emmy Awards ceremony will be held September 21 and broadcast on ABC .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of choking and restraining MTV reality show star Tila Tequila , police said . Shawne Merriman is accused of restraining reality TV star Tila Tequlia as she tried to leave his home , police say . However , Merriman 's attorney denied the allegations , saying more than a dozen other people were at Merriman 's house in suburban San Diego , California , at the time of the incident and `` witness after witness after witness will back up his story 100 percent . '' Authorities responded to a disturbance call about 3:45 a.m. Sunday from a woman who said she had been choked and restrained by a male , the sheriff 's department of San Diego County , California , said in a statement . When police arrived , `` the reporting party identified herself as Tila Nguyen , aka Tila Tequila , and her alleged assailant as Shawne Merriman , '' the statement said . `` Nguyen told deputies she had been choked and physically restrained by Merriman when she attempted to leave his residence , '' the statement said . Watch Merriman 's side of the story '' Nguyen signed a citizen 's arrest at the scene , and Merriman was taken into custody on suspicion of battery and false imprisonment , according to the statement . Deputies did n't see any physical injuries on Nguyen , but she asked to be transported to a local hospital , sheriff 's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell said . Nguyen 's condition was not immediately known . Merriman 's attorney , Todd Macaluso , told reporters that Nguyen was `` extremely intoxicated and inebriated '' and that the player tried to make arrangements for her to leave the house . `` At no time did Mr. Merriman assault her . At no time did Mr. Merriman keep her against her will , '' Macaluso said . `` His intentions were nothing but good . ... We 're very confident that this matter will be resolved without any charges being filed whatsoever . '' Caldwell said alcohol `` was involved '' on Nguyen 's part . Caldwell did n't elaborate . Merriman was released from jail late Sunday morning . Caldwell said she did n't know whether Merriman was released on bail or on his own recognizance . The district attorney 's office will determine whether criminal charges will be pursued , Caldwell said . As Tila Tequila , Nguyen starred on the MTV reality shows `` A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila '' in 2007 and `` A Shot at Love 2 With Tila Tequila '' in 2008 . On her Twitter account , Nguyen did not mention the incident but tweeted about going to meet Merriman on Saturday . In a statement posted on the Chargers ' Web site Sunday , team General Manager A.J. Smith said it is `` disappointing to hear about the issue involving Shawne Merriman . '' `` We 'll continue to monitor the situation and let the legal process run its course , '' Smith said . Merriman , a three-time Pro Bowl selection , is entering his fifth year with the Chargers and the NFL . He recorded at least 10 sacks in each of his first three seasons , but he was limited to one game last season because of a knee injury that required surgery . The Chargers begin their 2009 NFL regular-season campaign on September 14 in Oakland , California , for a game against the Raiders .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods announced that he is taking `` an indefinite break '' from professional golf , according to a statement posted on his Web site Friday . `` I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people , most of all my wife and children , '' the statement says . `` I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness . It may not be possible to repair the damage I 've done , but I want to do my best to try . '' The 33-year-old golfer , who tops the sport 's world rankings , has been mired in controversy since he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion late last month . The crash prompted authorities to cite him for careless driving and fine him $ 164 . Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck , and declined to talk with investigators on several occasions . In the week following the crash , Woods apologized for `` transgressions '' that let his family down , on the same day that gossip magazine US Weekly published a report alleging that Woods , who is married to Elin Nordegren , had an affair with a 24-year-old cocktail waitress named Jaimee Grubbs . US Weekly 's report followed a National Enquirer article before the crash that the athlete was having an affair with a New York nightclub hostess -- an assertion the hostess vigorously denied , according to The New York Post . See the statement on Woods ' Web site It was not immediately clear how Woods ' hiatus would affect his sponsorships , though Nike , his main sponsor , issued a statement saying Woods `` and his family have Nike 's full support . '' `` He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era , '' Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in the statement . `` We look forward to his return to golf . '' The statement did not elaborate on whether Woods ' announcement would impact his business relationship with the sports equipment and clothing company , which has worked with him for more than a decade . Woods ' other sponsors include Gillette , Gatorade and Electronic Arts . The Professional Golfers ' Association Tour said it supports Woods and looks forward to his return to the game . `` We fully support Tiger 's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family . His priorities are where they need to be , and we will continue to respect and honor his family 's request for privacy , '' the PGA Tour said in a statement Friday . `` We look forward to Tiger 's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hydroxycut products , popular dietary supplements used for weight loss , have been linked to liver damage and are being recalled , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday . The FDA has received 23 reports of serious liver injuries , including a death , linked to Hydroxycut products . The FDA said it has received 23 reports of serious liver injuries linked to Hydroxycut products , which are also used as energy enhancers and as fat burners . The reports include the 2007 death of a 19-year-old man living in the Southwest , which was reported to the FDA in March . Other serious liver problems reported included liver damage that resulted in a transplant in 2002 , liver failure , jaundice , seizures and cardiovascular problems . The FDA is warning consumers to immediately stop using 14 Hydroxycut products manufactured by Iovate Health Sciences Inc. of Oakville , Ontario , and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell , New York . The company is voluntarily recalling the following products : Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets , Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets , Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets , Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets , Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets , Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets , Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets -LRB- Ignition Stix -RRB- , Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets , Hydroxycut Liquid Shots , Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs -LRB- Ready-to-Drink -RRB- , Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed , Hydroxycut 24 , Hydroxycut Carb Control and Hydroxycut Natural . Watch more on the FDA 's concern '' According to the FDA , last year , Iovate sold more than 9 million units of Hydroxycut products , which were distributed widely to grocery stores , health food stores and pharmacies . `` The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risks . Adverse events are rare , but exist . Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they experience symptoms possibly associated with these products , '' said Dr. Linda Katz , interim chief medical officer of the FDA 's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition . Liver damage is rare , but patients who experienced problems were taking doses recommended on the product label , the FDA said . Symptoms include brown urine , nausea , vomiting , fatigue , stomach pain , itching and light-colored stools . The FDA has not determined what specific ingredients are responsible for the problems , because the products contain a variety of overlapping ingredients and herbal extracts . Dietary supplements sold before October 1994 are not required to undergo any FDA review before going to market . The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 required manufacturers to ensure a supplement to be safe before marketing . But manufacturers still do n't need to register a product with the FDA or get approval before selling a supplement . The agency can take action against an unsafe supplement once it 's on the market . Since December 2007 , any serious adverse event reported to the manufacturer must now be reported to the FDA within 15 days . The Council for Responsible Nutrition , the leading trade association representing the dietary supplement industry , said that both the FDA and Iovate `` took appropriate action today . '' `` We commend FDA for warning consumers of a potential safety problem associated with these products , and were encouraged to see that the company -- Iovate Health Sciences -- agreed to recall the products from the market until further determinations can be made , '' said Steve Mister , the council 's president and CEO .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Latino voters strongly support President Barack Obama and his Democratic Party , despite dissatisfaction with the administration 's deportation policies , according to a survey released Wednesday by the Pew Hispanic Center . The results are good news for Obama and Democrats for next year 's election , as Hispanics are the fastest-growing population group in the country and comprise a major voting bloc . According to the survey , Latino registered voters favor Obama over Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney or Texas Gov. Rick Perry by margin of more than 2-to-1 . The results are similar to the presidential election in 2008 , when Obama got 67 % of the Latino vote compared with 31 % for Republican candidate Sen. John McCain . Hispanic voters have traditionally identified with the Democratic Party , and the Pew survey 's results showed that connection continues . It said two-thirds of Hispanic registered voters identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party , while 20 % felt that way about the Republican Party . `` It is interesting that among Latino voters , the voters who are registered , there is a lot of support for the Democrats , but also for Barack Obama , '' Mark Hugo Lopez , executive director of the Pew Hispanic Center , said in an interview with CNN . The survey of 1,200 Hispanic adults was conducted in English and Spanish from November 9 through December 7 , and has a margin of error of 3.6 % . While showing strong Latino support for Obama and Democrats , the survey also showed Hispanics dislike immigration policies of the Obama administration , which increased deportations to 395,000 in 2009 and 387,000 in 2010 . According to the Pew survey , 59 % of Latino respondents disapproved of the administration 's handling of deportations , while 27 % approved . At the same time , the survey found that less than half of the Hispanic respondents -- 41 % -- knew that more deportations were occurring under the Obama administration than the Bush administration that preceded it . A strong majority -- 77 % -- of Latino respondents who were aware of the increased deportations under Obama disapproved of his administration 's policy , while just over half of those unaware of the increase also expressed disapproval . Hispanics accounted for 97 % of deportees in 2010 , according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security . More than 90 % of Latino respondents in the survey support the DREAM Act , a Democratic measure pushed by Obama that provides a pathway to legal residency for children of illegal immigrants who attend college or serve in the military . Republicans have blocked passage of the measure in Congress . In the interview with CNN , the Pew Hispanic Center 's Lopez said that the most important issues for Hispanic registered voters were jobs , education and health care -- the same as in past years . CNN 's Catherine Shoichet contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Claudette was gaining strength Sunday as it churned in the Gulf of Mexico toward the Florida Panhandle , the National Hurricane Center said . A satellite image from 2 p.m. ET Sunday shows a tropical storm nearing the Florida Panhandle . At 2 p.m. ET , Claudette 's winds had picked up to near 50 mph , based on observations by an Air Force reconnaissance plane . The center of the storm was about 40 miles south of Apalachicola , Florida , and about 160 miles from Pensacola , the center said . It was moving at about 14 mph , putting it on course to hit land by Sunday evening . A tropical storm warning was in effect from the Alabama-Florida border east to the Suwannee River . A tropical storm warning means that weather conditions will likely deteriorate in the next 24 hours . The storm could bring 3 to 5 inches of rain , with isolated amounts up to 10 inches , and storm surges across portions of North Florida . Meanwhile , two other tropical storms were in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday . Tropical Storm Ana was moving west but losing strength , forecasters said , while Tropical Storm Bill was gaining strength as it followed behind Ana . Ana was about 240 miles -LRB- 385 kilometers -RRB- east of Dominica at 2 p.m. ET Sunday . It was expected to arrive at the Leeward Islands by late Sunday or early Monday , the center said . It was moving about 25 mph , and its maximum sustained winds were close to 40 mph , the center said . Tropical storm watches were in effect for Dominica , Puerto Rico , the U.S. Virgin Islands , the British Virgin Islands , Montserrat , Antigua , Barbuda , St. Kitts , Nevis , Anguilla , St. Maarten , Saba , St. Eustatius , Guadeloupe , St. Martin , and St. Barthelemey . Tropical Storm Bill -- which could become a hurricane on Monday -- should be watched closely as it heads west-northwest in the Atlantic , possibly toward Florida , CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf said . The storm was 1,555 miles east of the Lesser Antilles at 11 a.m. ET Sunday . Bill may reach Category 3 status as it bears down on the Leeward Islands Wednesday or Thursday , he said .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Claudette is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle by early Monday , and the storm 's outer bands already were pounding the area with heavy rain Sunday evening . Tropical Storm Claudette is seen off the coast of Destin , Florida , on Sunday afternoon . Claudette appeared on track to hit somewhere between Destin , Florida , and Panama City Beach , Florida , late Sunday or early Monday before moving through the panhandle and into southern Alabama , CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras said . Heavy rain from Claudette was hitting some of the Florida Panhandle counties Sunday , and some coastal areas there had the potential for localized flooding , said John Cherry , spokesman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management . `` What we 're just mainly asking is residents to stay off the roads tonight , and if you do approach a flooded area on a roadway , turn around , '' Cherry said . Shortly before 11 p.m. ET , the center of Claudette , with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph , was in the Gulf of Mexico about 25 miles west of Panama City , Florida , and about 70 miles east-southeast of Pensacola , the National Hurricane Center said . It was moving northwest at about 12 mph . A tropical storm warning was in effect from the Alabama-Florida border east to the Aucilla River . A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area in the next 24 hours . The storm could bring 3 to 6 inches of rain , with isolated amounts up to 10 inches , across portions of the Florida Panhandle , central and southern Alabama and extreme southwestern Georgia . Storm surges and isolated tornadoes also were possible across portions of North Florida . Authorities urged voluntary evacuations in the low-lying Alligator Point area of Florida 's Franklin County because of concerns about possible flooding , said Mike Stone , spokesman for the Florida Emergency Operations Center . He said he knew of no other evacuations in the state . Mariners in the Panhandle and Big Bend areas of Florida should stay at harbor , the Florida Division of Emergency Management said in a statement . Meanwhile , two other severe storms were in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday . Tropical Depression Ana , which was downgraded from a tropical storm Sunday afternoon , was moving across the Leeward Islands late Sunday , while Tropical Storm Bill was gaining strength as it followed behind Ana . iReport.com : Are you in Claudette 's path ? Ana was about 25 miles -LRB- 40 kilometers -RRB- southeast of Guadeloupe shortly before 11 p.m. ET Sunday . It was expected to enter the northeastern Caribbean Sea and weaken as it approaches the Dominican Republic on Monday , the center said . It was moving east near 26 mph , and its maximum sustained winds were close to 35 mph , the center said . Tropical storm watches were in effect for Puerto Rico , the U.S. Virgin Islands , the British Virgin Islands , Montserrat , Antigua , Barbuda , St. Kitts , Nevis , Anguilla , St. Maarten , Saba , St. Eustatius , Guadeloupe , St. Martin , St. Barthelemey , and part of the Dominican Republic . Ana was expected to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain over the Leeward Islands , with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches possible over mountainous terrain , the hurricane center said . Tropical Storm Bill -- which is forecast to become a hurricane on Monday -- was in the Atlantic heading west-northwest with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph . The storm 's center was about 1,320 miles -LRB- 2,120 kilometers -RRB- east of the Lesser Antilles shortly before 11 p.m. ET Sunday .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dom DeLuise , who spiced up such movies as `` Blazing Saddles , '' `` Silent Movie '' and `` The Cannonball Run '' with his manic delivery and roly-poly persona , has died , his son 's publicist said . Dom DeLuise was best known for his roles in Mel Brooks films as well as films with his friend Burt Reynolds . Publicist Jay Schwartz did not disclose the cause of death , but DeLuise , 75 , had been battling cancer for more than a year . DeLuise was surrounded by family when he died in a Santa Monica , California , hospital Monday night , son Michael DeLuise told CNN affiliate KTLA . DeLuise was most famous for his supporting roles in a number of Mel Brooks films , including 1974 's `` Saddles '' -- in which he played a flamboyant musical director who led dancers in a number called `` The French Mistake '' -- and 1976 's `` Silent Movie , '' in which he played the assistant to Brooks ' director Mel Funn . He was also in the Brooks-directed `` The Twelve Chairs '' -LRB- 1970 -RRB- , `` Spaceballs '' -LRB- 1987 -RRB- and `` Robin Hood : Men in Tights '' -LRB- 1993 -RRB- . But he could also assay more serious roles , most notably in the 1980 dark comedy `` Fatso , '' in which he played an overweight man trying to wean himself from comfort food . The film was directed by Brooks ' wife , Anne Bancroft . Watch an impromptu performance by Dom DeLuise '' DeLuise , who struggled with his own weight , was also an author of cookbooks . In 1991 , he told CNN 's Larry King that after meeting Luciano Pavarotti while working on an opera , he realized he needed to try to shed some of his weight . `` I finally became powerless over food , '' he told King . `` You know , anybody who 's an alcoholic or cocaine or something , that 's what food was to me . '' Besides authoring cookbooks , DeLuise penned seven children 's books . DeLuise was also part of the supporting cast in the Burt Reynolds crash - 'em - up vehicles `` Smokey and the Bandit II '' -LRB- 1980 -RRB- , `` Cannonball Run '' -LRB- 1981 -RRB- and `` Cannonball Run II '' -LRB- 1984 -RRB- . Other DeLuise films include `` The End '' -LRB- 1978 -RRB- , `` The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas '' -LRB- 1982 -RRB- and `` Johnny Dangerously '' -LRB- 1984 -RRB- . His voice was featured in such films as `` An American Tail '' -LRB- 1986 -RRB- and its sequels , `` All Dogs Go to Heaven '' -LRB- 1989 -RRB- and its 1996 sequel , and `` Oliver & Company '' -LRB- 1988 -RRB- . Dominic DeLuise was born in Brooklyn , New York , on August 1 , 1933 . In the 1960s he had bit parts in a handful of movies , including `` Fail Safe '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- , but became well known as a regular on `` The Entertainers '' and a Dean Martin variety show . He had his own summer replacement show in 1968 and was a regular on Glen Campbell 's `` Goodtime Hour '' in 1971-72 . Watch DeLuise talk about working on `` The Mike Douglas Show '' '' DeLuise had three sons -- Peter , Michael and David -- who all became actors . He told Larry King that it was the `` joy of my life '' to work with his oldest son , Peter , when he directed the film `` Second Nature . '' His wife of 40 years , actress Carol Arthur , appeared in several movies with him , including `` Blazing Saddles '' and `` Silent Movie , '' according to DeLuise 's Web site . DeLuise worked closely on several films with pal Gene Wilder , who in 2002 told Larry King that of all of his co-stars , DeLuise `` makes me laugh the most . '' A frequent collaborator with DeLuise , Burt Reynolds released a statement to `` Entertainment Tonight '' on his friend 's death . `` I was thinking the other day about this . As you get older you think about this more and more , I was dreading this moment . Dom always made everyone feel better when he was around . I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone . I will miss him very much , '' Reynolds says .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What do Copernicus and a Britney Spears look-a-like have in common ? Despite centuries separating the two , both have inspired greatness in Poland . Maxim named Joanna Crupa , a Polish\/American model and actress , 61st in its 2006 Hot 100 list . Here we look at some of Poland 's most famous nationals -- from years gone by to the present day . Many have influenced a world far beyond their country 's boundary . Nicolaus Copernicus -LRB- 1473-1543 -RRB- Copernicus was a mathematician , astronomer , physician , classical scholar , translator , Catholic cleric , jurist , governor , military leader , diplomat and economist . He is primarily known , however , for his theory that earth is not the center of the universe . His book , `` De revolutionibus orbium coelestium '' -LRB- On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres -RRB- , is often regarded as the starting point of modern astronomy and the defining moment that began the Scientific Revolution . Copernicus was born in 1473 in Thorn . Thorn was a city in Prussia , an autonomous region in the old Kingdom of Poland . Frederick Chopin -LRB- Fryderyk Chopin -RRB- -LRB- 1810-1849 -RRB- Born in the village of Zelazowa Wola in Warsaw , to a Polish mother and French father , he was regarded early on as a child-prodigy piano virtuoso . He is generally considered to be Poland 's greatest composer , and ranks as one of music 's greatest tone poets . Always in fragile health , he died in Paris in 1849 from chronic pulmonary tuberculosis . He was only 39 . Mari-Sklodowska -LRB- Marie Curie -RRB- -LRB- 1867-1934 -RRB- Marie Curie , a Polish physicist and chemist , is arguably the most famous female scientist . She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity , the only person honored with Nobel Prizes in two different sciences , and the first female professor at the University of Paris . Her French husband Pierre Curie and both her daughter Ir\u00c3 \u00a8 ne Joliot-Curie and son-in-law Frederic Joliot-Curie were awarded a Nobel prizes . Marie Curie was born in Warsaw . In 1891 she moved to Paris to further her studies and work on scientific projects . She found the theory of radioactivity and also found two new elements , radium and polonium -LRB- the latter being named after her native Poland . -RRB- Karol Wojtyla -LRB- Pope John Paul II -RRB- -LRB- 1920-2005 -RRB- Karol J\u00c3 \u00b3 zef Wojtyla was born on 18 May , 1920 in the Polish town of Wadowice . At only 58 years of age , he was the youngest pope elected since Pope Pius IX in 1846 . He reigned as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005 . His reign of over 26 years was the second-longest after Pius IX 's 32-year reign . He has been the only Polish pope , and was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Adrian VI in the 1520s . The pope traveled extensively , visiting over 100 countries , more than any other pope and was fluent in numerous languages : Polish , Italian , French , German , English , Spanish , Croatian , Portuguese , Russian and Latin . He was the victim of several assassination attempts , but later said he forgave the perpetrators . He was chosen twice as person of the year by Time magazine . Andrzej Wajda -LRB- 1926 - -RRB- Wajda , born in Suwalki , Poland is an award-winning Polish film Director . He received an honorary Oscar in 2000 . After the fall of communism in 1989 , he was elected as a government senator while he continued his role as artistic director of Warsaw 's Teatr Powszechny . His films often raise social awareness and have dealt with a number of subjects including war , communism and murder -LRB- based on the murder of his own father by the Soviets in 1940 -RRB- . Wajda married four times . He has one daughter and is currently married to actress Krystyna Zachwatowicz . Roman Raymond Polanski -LRB- 1933 - -RRB- Polanski is an Academy Award-winning and four-time nominated Polish film director , writer , actor and producer . After beginning his career in Poland , Polanski became a celebrated filmmaker and director of such films as Rosemary 's Baby -LRB- 1968 -RRB- and Chinatown -LRB- 1974 -RRB- . Recently Polanski has made acclaimed films such as the Academy Award-winning and Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winning The Pianist -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , and Oliver Twist -LRB- 2005 -RRB- . Polanski has a tragic personal history . He lived in Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War and was persecuted for being Jewish . He escaped death by hiding in a farmer 's cow shed , while his mother was murdered in the infamous Nazi death camp at Auschwitz . After surviving the Holocaust and moving to the United States , Polanski married American actress Sharon Tate . In 1969 , Tate , who was pregnant at the time , was murdered by serial killer Charles Manson 's sect . In 1978 , Polanski pleaded guilty in the United States to `` unlawful sexual intercourse '' with a 13-year-old girl . The director fled to France before sentencing . He now lives there and has French citizenship . He can not return to the United States because he is likely to be imprisoned . Lech Walesa -LRB- 1943 - -RRB- A former President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate , Walesa is often credited with changing the Polish political system . He founded the organization `` Solidarity , '' the country 's first independent trade union , which was pivotal in bringing about the fall of the communist regime . He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his human rights activism . In 1989 , after the fall of the Soviet Union , he persuaded leaders from formerly communist parties to form the first non-communist coalition government . He was president of Poland from 1990 to 1995 . In 2000 , Walesa once again stood for the presidential election , but received very little support and subsequently announced his retirement . Joanna Krupa -LRB- 1979 - -RRB- Krupa is a Polish-American model and actress . Born in Warsaw , the daughter of hotelier Steven Krupa , she eventually moved with her family to the United States at the age of five . Krupa has appeared on various magazine covers including FHM , Personal , Inside Sport , Stuff , Steppin ' Out , Teeze and Maxim , in which she was named the Sexiest Swimsuit Model in the World . Maxim named her 61st in its 2006 Hot 100 list . She was also voted German Maxim 's Model of the Year 2004-2005 . She posed nude in the July 2005 issue of Playboy and also did a nude photoshoot for animal rights group PETA . The advertisements all have `` I would rather go naked than wear fur '' as a motto . Krupa has been quoted as saying , `` There is nothing sexy about wearing something that is so obviously tied to senseless pain and killing . '' Robert Kubica -LRB- 1984 - -RRB- Born in Krakow , Kubica is the first Polish racing driver to compete in Formula One . Since 2006 he has driven for the BMW Sauber F1 team , promoted from test driver to race driver during the 2006 season . In June 2008 , he achieved his maiden F1 victory at the Canadian Grand Prix , becoming the 99th F1 racer to win a Grand Prix . Dorota Rabczewska or `` Doda '' -LRB- 1984 - -RRB- Dorota Rabczewska , or Dorota Rabczewska-Majdan , is often nicknamed Doda or Doda Elektroda or `` the Polish Britney Spears . '' She was born in Ciechanow , and is one of the most famous and successful pop singers in Poland . Doda started her career at the age of 14 and became popular after her participation in a reality TV show `` Bar . '' In 2000 , at the age of 16 , Rabczewska became the vocalist of the Polish rock band Virgin . In December 2005 and October 2007 , she posed nude for the Polish edition of Playboy Magazine . She also posed for CKM Magazine several times . Doda received a Superjedynka award on National Festival of Polish Song in Opole in 2006 . In 2007 , she left her record company , Virgin , to begin a solo career . Her first solo album was released in 2007 and was certified as gold on the day before its official release . In 2008 , her album `` Diamond Bitch '' went double platinum after 60,000 copies of the album had been sold .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Americans and an Israeli were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for painstakingly mapping out the thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome -- work that paves the way for new antibiotics . U.S. researcher Thomas Steitz is one of three scientists sharing the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry . Inside all animals , plants and bacteria are DNA molecules that contain the blueprint for life . Ribosomes are an organism 's protein factories . They use the information in the DNA to make the tens of thousands of proteins that enable the organism to function properly . These proteins include hormones , enzymes and hemoglobin , which transports oxygen . From a medicinal standpoint , the ribosome is important because it is what antibiotics target . In a bacterial strain , antibiotics bind to the ribosomes , preventing them from making the proteins the bacteria need to survive . Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath shared the $ 1.4 million prize for mapping the position of the thousands and thousands of atoms that make up ribosomes . Their three-dimensional models showed how different antibiotics bind to the ribosome . `` These models are now used by scientists in order to develop new antibiotics , directly assisting the saving of lives and decreasing humanity 's suffering , '' said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , which awards the prize . Ramakrishnan , a U.S. citizen who was born in India , is a senior scientist and group leader at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge , England , according to the Nobel Prize Web site . Steitz is a professor at Yale University and an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Yale , the site said . Yonath is a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot , Israel , and director of the Helen & Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure & Assembly at the Weizmann Institute , the Nobel site said . The Nobel Prizes are being awarded this week and next . The medicine award was handed out on Monday and the one for physics on Tuesday . The prize for literature will be awarded Thursday ; the Nobel Peace Prize winner will be named on Friday , and the award in economics will be issued on Monday .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This year 's Nobel Peace Prize is divided between three women , Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen , the Nobel committee announced Friday . Since it was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century , the Peace Prize has become the preeminent award honoring individuals and organizations that work for peace , justice and financial and political stability , according to the Nobel Committee . Here are some facts , figures and history behind the award : The process ** Nominations come from lawmakers around the world , university professors , previous Nobel laureates and members of the Nobel committee . ** That committee -- made up of five distinguished Norwegians chosen by the country 's parliament -- picks the winner . ** This year , a record 241 candidates were nominated . The winner is announced Friday , but the names of the other nominees wo n't be revealed for another 50 years . The award ** The award consists of a medal , a personal diploma and a cash prize -LRB- 10 million Swedish kronor , or about U.S. $ 1.4 million -RRB- . ** The Peace medal has the inscription `` Pro pace et fraternitate gentium , '' which means `` For the peace and brotherhood of men . '' ** A person must be alive to be nominated . If they die during the consideration period , their name will be removed . Only if a person is announced as a winner and dies before the ceremony will a posthumous award be given . The history ** The Nobel Peace Prize was created by Alfred Nobel , a Swedish scientist , industrialist and inventor of dynamite . ** Ninety-one Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded since 1901 . It was not awarded 19 times , most notably during World War I and World War II . ** Sixty-two Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded to a single laureate ; 28 prizes have been shared by two laureates . One time , the prize was shared between three people : Yasser Arafat , Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin . Recent winners ** Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won last year but could not attend . The political activist and longtime critic of communist rule in China is serving an 11-year prison term for what the Chinese government calls `` inciting subversion of state power . '' ** In 2009 , U.S. President Barack Obama won for what the committee called `` his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples . '' ** Martti Ahtisaari of Finland was the 2008 winner . It was his `` important efforts , on several continents and over more than three decades to resolve international conflicts '' that got him the prize , according to the committee . ** The year before , Al Gore and the U.N. 's International Panel on Climate Change shared the prize for their `` efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change , '' according to the committee .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From Woodstock and a man on the moon to the Manson murders and the Stonewall riots , the summer of 1969 was a tumultuous and eventful time . Listed below are a few of the historic and memorable moments from that summer . April 23 | Sirhan Sirhan sentenced Sirhan Sirhan , convicted of murdering New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign , is sentenced to death a week after being found guilty . Three years later , his sentence is commuted to life in prison after California abolishes the death penalty . May 18 | Apollo 10 The Apollo 10 mission is a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing module . This mission tested `` all aspects of the lunar landing mission exactly as it would be performed , except for the actual landing , '' according to NASA . It also transmitted the first color pictures of Earth from space . May 23 | The Who releases `` Tommy '' The Who , a key band of the 1960s British Invasion , releases the rock opera `` Tommy . '' The double album features songs like `` Pinball Wizard '' and `` Tommy , Can You Hear Me ? '' May 24 | Beatles ' `` Get Back '' is No. 1 `` Get Back '' by the Beatles becomes the top song on Billboard 's list and stays there for five weeks . Released as a single , the song later appeared on the `` Let it be '' album . `` Aquarius\/Let the Sunshine in '' by the Fifth Dimension was the second song on the list for that week . May 25 | `` Midnight Cowboy '' released John Schlesinger 's `` Midnight Cowboy , '' starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman , is released with an X rating , the first ever in wide release . The film received seven Academy Award nominations and won three , including best picture . Other notable movies released during that year include `` Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , '' `` Easy Rider '' and `` True Grit . '' June 3 | Last episode of ` Star Trek ' airs The last episode of the original `` Star Trek '' airs on NBC . During the episode , titled `` Turnabout Intruder , '' one of Captain Kirk 's former lovers steals his body . June 6 | Joe Namath briefly retires Joe Namath , the star New York Jets quarterback who famously guaranteed a Super Bowl victory , briefly retires from the National Football League over a conflict with league Commissioner Pete Rozelle . June 8 | Nixon and Vietnam President Nixon , after being elected on a campaign pledge to pull troops out of Southeast Asia , announces the withdrawal of 25,000 U.S. troops from Vietnam . June 9 \/ June 23 | Burger becomes chief justice Appointed by President Nixon , Warren Burger is confirmed as the chief justice of the Supreme Court on June 9 , succeeding Earl Warren . Two weeks later , he is sworn in . In 1973 , Burger votes with the majority in the landmark Roe v. Wade case , establishing a woman 's right to an abortion . June 28 | Stonewall riots A confrontation between gay rights activists and police outside the Stonewall Inn -- a gay bar in Greenwich Village , New York City -- escalates into a riot . Over the next four decades , the riots act as a symbolic force for the burgeoning gay rights movement . July 25 | Sen. Kennedy and Chappaquiddick Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy receives a two-month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of a fatal accident . Mary Jo Kopechne , once a campaign worker for Sen. Robert Kennedy , drowned in the July 18 accident in Chappaquiddick , Massachusetts . July 20 | Moon landing Apollo 11 , carrying three U.S. astronauts , lands on the moon . Mission commander Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon ; crewmate Buzz Aldrin also walked on the moon . The third man on the mission was Michael Collins . Six lunar landings followed . July 24 | Muhammad Ali convicted Boxing champion Muhammad Ali is convicted of evading the draft after he refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army . Two years earlier , Ali applied for an exemption as a conscientious objector but was denied . He was stripped of his fighting license and title . He returned to the ring in 1970 , and his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 . August 9-10 | The Manson murders During a two-night rampage , pregnant actress Sharon Tate and seven others are killed by Charles Manson and his `` Family . '' Manson and four others -- Susan Atkins , Patricia Krenwinkel , Charles `` Tex '' Watson and Leslie Van Houten -- were later convicted of murder and other charges . Their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment in 1972 . August 14 | British troops sent to Northern Ireland More than 300 British troops are ordered into a Londonderry neighborhood in Northern Ireland after three nights of clashes between police and Catholic residents . The troops were supposed to stay for days , but the conflict lasted decades . The number of British troops stationed in Northern Ireland peaked at 30,000 in the early 1970s . August 14 | The Miracle Mets The New York Mets fall nine games behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League race but , led by future Hall of Fame pitchers Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver , stage a comeback in the months that followed to capture the pennant . They went on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles for the Word Series title . August 15-18 | Woodstock Nearly 400,000 people show up at a farm in Bethel , New York , for a music festival that features legendary acts Jimi Hendrix , the Who , the Grateful Dead , Janis Joplin and Sly and the Family Stone . The event would help define an era . August 17 | Hurricane Camille More than 250 people are killed in Mississippi and Louisiana when Hurricane Camille strikes the United States mainland . At its peak , Camille was a Category 5 storm , packing winds stronger than 200 mph and leaving tides measuring higher than 20 feet in its wake . September 1 | Gadhafi assumes power Moammar Gadhafi , a military captain at the time , deposes King Idris and assumes control of Libya . He remains in power to this day . September 24 | The `` Chicago 8 '' trial begins A trial gets under way for eight people -- known as the `` Chicago 8 '' -- who were indicted on charges connected with protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago . After a long , raucous trial , two were acquitted , and the others were convicted on various charges . Eight police officers were also indicted in connection with the disorder in Chicago .","question":""}
{"answer":"ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that infants born as a result of assisted reproductive technology , or ART -- such as in vitro fertilization and the use of donor eggs -- are two to four times more likely to be born with certain types of birth defects than infants conceived naturally . But , the study 's lead author says , the overall risk is still relatively low . With any pregnancy , there is a 3 percent risk of having a baby with a birth defect . `` The most important findings were that for infants conceived using ART , we see an increased risk for certain birth defects , '' said Jennita Reefhuis , Ph.D. , an epidemiologist at the CDC 's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities . She says that children conceived using ART were found to have twice the risk of septal heart defects -LRB- a `` hole '' in the heart -RRB- , more than twice the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate , and four times the risk of two gastrointestinal defects . As part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study , which gathers information on birth defects from 10 states , Reefhuis and her colleagues compared 281 births using ART with more than 14,000 naturally conceived births . The researchers looked at approximately 18 categories of birth defects , but only those four were found to be `` statistically significantly associated with ART . '' The study findings pertain only to single births ; the researchers did not find a link between ART and birth defects among multiple births . ART increases the chances of having a multiple birth , and infants born as part of a multiple birth are more likely to have birth defects regardless of the method of conception . `` It is important for parents to realize that the individual risk for these birth defects remain low , '' Reefhuis said . `` It sounds like a lot to say ' a two - to fourfold increased risk , ' but you have to keep in mind that the starting risk for these individual defects is actually pretty low . '' Still , says Reefhuis , in the interest of full disclosure and because the use of ART is on the rise , it is important to make these higher risks known . `` I think it 's important for people to be aware that there may be an increased risk for birth defects with ART , '' she said . `` But it is also really important for couples to realize that with any pregnancy , there is a 3 percent risk of a birth defect regardless of any exposures during pregnancy . '' Elizabeth Ginsburg , M.D. , president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the medical director of in vitro fertilization at Brigham and Women 's hospital in Boston , Massachusetts , says the study adds to a growing body of evidence . Ginsburg is not connected to the CDC study . `` I think the take-home message is that if you have infertility and you are going to get help to try to conceive , there is some evidence that you might be at increased risk of having a baby with problems , '' Ginsburg said . `` The big question it raises is , is there something biologically different about people with infertility , '' Ginsburg said . `` It would n't be shocking to find out that there may be some biological difference that makes it more difficult for them to conceive as well as putting them at risk of a higher chance of having babies with some sort of adverse outcome . '' ART , which has been used in the United States since 1981 , is defined as any procedure that involves surgically removing eggs from a woman 's ovaries , combining them with sperm in the laboratory , and returning them to the woman 's body or donating them to another woman . It does not include intrauterine -- or artificial -- insemination or egg-stimulating drugs such as Clomid . It is estimated that more than 1 percent of babies born in the United States are conceived using ART , and that number has been steadily rising , with the rate doubling between 1996 and 2004 . In 2005 , 134,000 ART procedures were performed , resulting in approximately 52,000 births . Almost 12 percent of women ages 15 to 44 report having used some kind of infertility treatment , according to a 2002 national survey .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 2 Novak Djokovic stumbled at the opening hurdle at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami , but Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick cruised into the third round . Second seed Djokovic , who had a first-round bye , was surprisingly beaten 6-2 6-7 -LRB- 7-9 -RRB- 6-4 by Belgian Olivier Rochus on Friday . The world No. 59 could have won in straight sets after leveling at 6-6 in the tie-break , but held his nerve to break Djokovic in the final game of the decider to triumph . Serbian Djokovic , the 2007 champion , successfully defended his Dubai title last month but bowed out in the last-16 at Indian Wells two weeks ago . The reward for Rochus is a third-round clash with Brazilian 27th seed Tomaz Bellucci , who defeated American James Blake 3-6 6-1 6-2 . Nadal , the tournament 's last second seed to lose his opening match in 2006 , had no such problems this time as he beat another U.S. player , Taylor Dent , 6-4 6-3 . The Spanish fourth seed -- beaten in the semifinals at Indian Wells by Djokovic 's conqueror and eventual champion Ivan Ljubicic -- will next play Argentine wildcard David Nalbandian , who overcame Serbian 30th seed Viktor Troicki 6-3 4-6 6-4 . Sixth seed Roddick , last weekend 's losing finalist , gave home fans some cheer as he crushed Russia 's Igor Andreev 6-4 6-4 to set up a clash with Ukraine 's Sergiy Stakhovsky . Eight seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also progressed with a 6-4 6-3 win over Spain 's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez , and the Frenchman will next play German 28th seed Philip Kohlschreiber . World No. 1 Roger Federer begins his bid for a record-equaling 17th Masters 1000 tournament victory against Ecuador 's Nicolas Lapentti on Saturday , while third seed and defending champion Andy Murray takes on American Mardy Fish . In the women 's tournament , Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin made it a good day all-round for Belgium as the former world No. 1s progressed into the third round . Clijsters , the 14th seed but champion in Miami in 2005 , crushed 20-year-old Czech Petra Kvitova 6-1 6-1 to earn a third-round clash with Israel 's Shahar Peer . Henin , seeded 33rd after receiving a wildcard , beat Elena Dementieva for the second time in her comeback season , winning 6-3 6-2 against the Russian fifth seed . The Australian Open runner-up will next play Slovakian 26th seed Dominika Cibulkova . Second seed Caroline Wozniacki came from behind to defeat Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6 6-3 6-4 and set up a third-round tie with Russia 's Maria Kirilenko . The Dane had to come back from 3-1 down in the second set and 3-0 adrift in the decider . Fourth seed and defending champion Victoria Azarenka also progressed with Indian Wells winner and No. 7 Jelena Jankovic , No. 9 Samantha Stosur and Russia 's No. 11 Vera Zvonareva .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pop singer Ricky Martin declared publicly this week what he avoided discussing for years : He is gay . `` I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man , '' Martin wrote on his official Web site . `` I am very blessed to be who I am . '' A decade ago , when ABC 's Barbara Walters pressed Martin to address rumors about his sexuality , he declined to confirm or deny them . `` I just do n't feel like it , '' Martin said . Now , Martin wrote , `` these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I did n't even know existed . '' The 39-year-old Puerto Rican native started off with the Latin boy band Menudo before launching his solo career in 1991 . His song `` Livin ' La Vida Loca '' rose to the top of the music charts in 1999 and propelled Martin to stardom . Martin said he decided years ago to not share `` my entire truth '' with the world because people he loved warned him that `` everything you 've built will collapse . '' `` Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage , '' he wrote . `` Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions . '' The decision to come out was initiated a few months ago , when he began writing his memoirs , he said . `` I got very close to my truth , '' he wrote . `` From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time , '' he wrote . `` Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside . '' Martin said that disclosing his secret is important because of his two sons , born via surrogate . `` To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids were born with , '' he wrote . `` Enough is enough . This has to change . This was not supposed to happen five or 10 years ago , it is supposed to happen now . Today is my day , this is my time , and this is my moment . '' Writing the seven paragraphs , he said , `` is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution . '' `` What will happen from now on ? It does n't matter . I can only focus on what 's happening to me in this moment . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty Thursday to a weapons charge stemming from a shooting incident at a nightclub last year , the Manhattan district attorney said . Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress will serve two years in prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges . Burress , 32 , pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon and will serve two years in prison , according to Alicia Maxey Greene , spokeswoman for district attorney Robert M. Morgenthau 's office . Two years of supervised release will follow his jail term , she said . Burress is free on bail and will be sentenced September 22 . A grand jury indicted the former New York Giants football player earlier this month on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and a single count of reckless endangerment in the second degree . He pleaded not guilty to those charges earlier this year . Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg November 29 , 2008 , with a .40 - caliber semi-automatic pistol he was carrying in the waistband of his jeans . The incident occurred in the VIP area of the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan . A teammate who was with Burress , linebacker Antonio Pierce , drove him to a hospital and arranged to have the pistol delivered to Burress ' New Jersey home , according to an August 3 statement from the district attorney 's office . The district attorney also sought charges against Pierce , but the grand jury did not indict him . Burress was not licensed to carry a pistol in either New York or New Jersey . No one , including employees of the New York Presbyterian Hospital and the NFL , called the police to report the gunshot wound , as required by law . One of the hospital workers was suspended after the incident . Burress became a hero to New York Giants fans in the 2008 Super Bowl when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning with 35 seconds remaining in the game . In the following year , however , Burress ' career with the Giants was marred by a series of incidents in addition to the shooting . He was suspended from the team in early October for missing a practice , and later that month the NFL fined him $ 45,000 after he argued with a referee and threw a football into the stands during a game . Burress was suspended from the Giants immediately after the shooting incident . The team released him in April . CNN 's Chloe Melas contributed to this report","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Only one-quarter of Americans think the federal stimulus plan has helped the middle class , while a majority say it has helped bankers and investors , according to a new national poll . A CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday morning indicates that 25 percent of the public thinks the stimulus has benefited the middle class . One-third of the people questioned think the stimulus has helped low-income Americans , with just over four in 10 saying the plan has benefited business executives . A majority , 54 percent , think the stimulus has helped bankers and investors . `` Opinions on the economic stimulus bill are colored by the perception that it has helped fat cats , but not ordinary Americans , '' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland . `` It 's possible that the belief that the stimulus bill helped bankers and CEOs is due to the public confusing the stimulus bill with the various bailout bills that were passed at roughly the same time last year . '' The survey also indicates that one-quarter think the stimulus has helped people in their own community , with three in 10 saying it has hurt people in their community and 45 percent saying the plan has had no effect . According to a CNN poll released Sunday , 56 percent of the public opposes the stimulus , with 42 percent supportive of the plan . Last March , just weeks after President Obama signed the stimulus bill into law , a CNN survey indicated that 54 percent supported the program , with 44 percent opposed . The program , formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 , attempts to stimulate the country 's economy by increasing federal spending and cutting taxes , at a total cost to the government of $ 862 billion . No Republicans in the House of Representatives and only three in the Senate voted for the bill . The stimulus was initially thought to have a price tag of $ 787 billion , but the Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday increased its forecast for how much the stimulus will add to the nation 's deficit , raising its estimate by $ 75 billion . The CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted January 8-10 , with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What recession ? Christie 's , the famed auction house , this week sold a nearly 36-carat diamond for $ 24.3 million , which it said was the highest price for a diamond sold at auction . The 35.56-carat diamond dates back to the 17th century . The previous record was a mere $ 16.5 million for a 100-carat diamond in 1995 , Christie 's said . `` In the midst of these challenging times , we were thrilled to achieve an historic price for an historic diamond , '' said Francois Curiel , chairman of Christie 's Europe and auctioneer for Wednesday 's sale . The 35.56-carat Wittelsbach blue diamond , dating to the 17th century , was purchased by international jeweler Laurence Graff , the auction house said in a release . Graff was bidding against Aleks Paul of Essex Global Trading , a professional of Russian origin based in New York , Christie 's said . `` Known as ` Der Blaue Wittelsbacher ' since 1722 , it is one of very few diamonds which can claim 17th century heritage , incredible rarity and exceptional beauty . '' The diamond , mined in India nearly 400 years ago , has been privately owned since 1964 . Until 1723 , Christie 's said , all diamonds worn by European royalty came from India . The diamond has a royal lineage . Christie 's traces it thus : King Philip IV of Spain -LRB- 1605-1665 -RRB- selected the diamond in 1664 as part of a dowry for his daughter , the Infanta Margarita Teresa -LRB- 1651-1673 -RRB- . She had become engaged to Leopold I of Austria -LRB- 1640-1705 -RRB- , who later became Holy Roman Emperor . When she died in 1673 , her husband retained the diamond , which was passed on to his heirs . In 1722 , the diamond entered the Wittelsbach family when the Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria -LRB- 1701-1756 -RRB- married the Bavarian Crown Prince , Charles Albert -LRB- 1697-1745 -RRB- . It was worn by successive rulers until the abdication of King Ludwig III -LRB- 1845-1921 -RRB- in 1918 . The world 's largest deep blue diamond is the `` Hope Diamond , '' a 45.52-carat stone housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , DC . Diamonds apparently are recession-proof . Christie 's reported jewelry sales of $ 226 million for the first half of 2008 , calling it `` the best jewelry season ever seen at auction . '' Sales for the first six months of this year marked a 32 percent increase over the same period in 2007 , Christie 's said . According to Christie 's , key diamonds the company sold in the first half of 2008 included a 13.39-carat fancy intense blue diamond that fetched $ 8.9 million in Geneva on May 14 and the pear-shaped potentially flawless 38-carat Onassis diamond , which sold for $ 7.1 million on June 11 in London .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- Although it did n't set a franchise record , `` The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 '' had one of the best openings in box-office history by debuting to $ 139.5 million , according to studio estimates . That 's the fifth-best opening weekend ever , behind `` Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 , '' `` The Dark Knight , '' `` Spider-Man 3 , '' and `` The Twilight Saga : New Moon , '' which held on to the franchise record . `` New Moon '' debuted to a slightly better $ 142.8 million on the same November weekend two years ago . What 's interesting is how closely `` Breaking Dawn '' followed `` New Moon 's '' trajectory . `` New Moon '' grossed $ 72.7 million its first day , and then dropped 42 percent on Saturday and 34 percent on Sunday . By comparison , `` Breaking Dawn '' earned $ 72 million on Friday -LRB- the third-best opening day ever -RRB- , and then fell 44 percent on Saturday and a projected 34 percent today . `` New Moon '' ultimately finished its domestic run with $ 296.6 million , and it 's too early to tell whether `` Breaking Dawn '' will wind up a bit short of that final figure . Even if it does , Summit Entertainment wo n't be complaining about grossing nearly $ 300 million from the fourth movie of its franchise . And , of course , the domestic box office is only a part of the equation here . `` Breaking Dawn '' took in $ 144 million from 54 foreign territories this week , pushing its worldwide debut to a staggering $ 283.5 million . Summit reports that `` Breaking Dawn '' attracted a crowd that was , unsurprisingly , 80 percent female . What is surprising is that the PG-13 movie 's audience was n't as young as you 'd think , with 60 percent over the age of 21 . According to CinemaScore , 30 percent of the film 's audience was under 18 , but an even larger 42 percent was between the ages of 18 and 34 . The popular conception is that The `` Twilight Saga '' is merely a teenage phenomenon , but these figures seem to prove otherwise . The $ 110 million movie received a good-but-not-great B + rating from CinemaScore graders . In second place was Warner Bros. ' 3-D animated sequel `` Happy Feet Two , '' which fell far short of expectations by dancing to only $ 22 million . The 2006 original , an Oscar winner for best animated feature , opened to $ 41.5 million -- and that was without the benefit of 3-D surcharges . `` Happy Feet Two '' was saddled with mediocre reviews , which might have discouraged some parents . Furthermore , five years could have been too long of a wait , especially for a sequel that appeared very similar to its predecessor . The original `` Happy Feet '' was released a year after March of the Penguins , when the Antarctic birds were having a moment in the cultural zeitgeist . That moment has clearly passed . The $ 135 million sequel earned a B + rating from CinemaScore moviegoers , and 3-D theaters accounted for 50 percent of its weekend tally . The rest of the top five consisted of holdovers . The 3-D action flick `` Immortals '' dropped a harsh 62 percent for $ 12.3 million -- a second-weekend decline that was larger than both `` 300 '' -LRB- 54 percent -RRB- and `` Clash of the Titans '' -LRB- 57 percent -RRB- . `` Jack and Jill '' witnessed a typical Adam Sandler fall of 52 percent for $ 12 million . And even though `` Happy Feet Two '' underperformed , `` Puss in Boots '' lost much of its family audience . The animated adventure dropped 57 percent for $ 10.7 million in its fourth weekend . In limited release , Alexander Payne 's `` The Descendants , '' starring George Clooney , debuted to $ 1.2 million from 29 theaters -- enough for a tenth-place finish . The Oscar hopeful raked in an impressive $ 42,150 per location . Only `` Midnight in Paris , '' `` The Tree of Life , '' and `` Jane Eyre '' opened to stronger per-theater averages this year , and those movies started out on far fewer screens than `` The Descendants . '' 1 . The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn -- Part 1 -- $ 139.5 mil 2 . Happy Feet Two -- $ 22.0 mil 3 . Immortals -- $ 12.3 mil 4 . Jack and Jill -- $ 12.0 mil 5 . Puss in Boots -- $ 10.7 mil See the full article at EW.com CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly \u00a9 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brett Ratner has resigned as a producer of this year 's Academy Awards show for an anti-gay remark he made over the weekend , the movie director said Tuesday in an open letter to his colleagues . `` Over the last few days , I 've gotten a well-deserved earful from many of the people I admire most in this industry expressing their outrage and disappointment over the hurtful and stupid things I said in a number of recent media appearances , '' Ratner said in the letter , which was given to CNN by his representative , Allan Mayer . `` To them , and to everyone I 've hurt and offended , I 'd like to apologize publicly and unreservedly . '' Ratner met with the representatives of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation prior to announcing his resignation , GLAAD said in a news release Tuesday . When asked during a question-and-answer session about his newly released action comedy , `` Tower Heist , '' whether he rehearses with his actors before shooting a scene , Ratner replied , `` Rehearsing is for f * gs , '' GLAAD said in its release , citing New York Magazine 's Vulture blog . `` When we sat down with Brett today , he seemed very sincere in his desire to use this experience as a way to begin speaking out against anti-gay language in popular culture , '' said Herndon Graddick , senior director of programs and communications at GLAAD . `` We believe his resignation is just the first step and will be announcing a series of concrete actions with Brett in coming days and weeks . '' In his statement Tuesday , Ratner said `` it pains me deeply that I may have hurt '' his colleagues who `` are members of the LGBT community . '' `` Having love in your heart does n't count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted , '' Ratner said . `` With this in mind , and to all those who understandably feel that apologies are not enough , please know that I will be taking real action over the coming weeks and months in an effort to do everything I can both professionally and personally to help stamp out the kind of thoughtless bigotry I 've so foolishly perpetuated . '' Ratner said he had called Tom Sherak , president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , to resign as the producer of the Academy Awards show . `` Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career , '' Ratner said . `` But as painful as this may be for me , it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents . '' `` Tower Heist , '' which stars Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy , made $ 24.2 million on its first weekend .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singer Rihanna , through her lawyer , asked a judge Thursday not to prohibit her boyfriend , singer Chris Brown , from having contact with her while he faces felony charges of assaulting her . Chris Brown attends his arraignment in Los Angeles on Thursday . Attorney Mark Geragos is at right . The judge granted Rihanna 's request . Brown , 19 , allegedly attacked Rihanna , 21 , during an argument in February that began when she found a text message from another woman on his cell phone , according to a sworn police statement . Brown appeared before a judge Thursday on the two felony counts , but his arraignment was delayed until next month at the request of his lawyer . Authorities charged Brown on Thursday with felony counts of assault and making criminal threats , the Los Angeles County , California , District Attorney 's Office said . If he is convicted , the sentence could range from probation to four years and eight months in prison , the office said . While Los Angeles County Judge Kristi Lousteau warned Brown `` not to annoy , harass , molest , threaten or use force or violence against anyone , '' Lousteau did not issue a `` no contact '' order that would have kept Brown away from the woman he is accused of beating . Watch a discussion of the charges -- and Brown 's future '' Rihanna 's lawyer , Donald Etra , stood near Brown and his lawyer , Mark Geragos , during the brief hearing . Rihanna was not in the courtroom . Referring to the `` no contact '' order that could have been imposed , Etra told reporters after the hearing , `` Rihanna requested that no such order be issued . '' Etra said the less stringent protective order against harassment and threats signed by Lousteau was `` more than sufficient in this case . '' Etra did not respond when reporters asked if the singer was cooperating with prosecutors in the case against Brown . Brown , dressed in a suit and tie , said little during the hearing , except to answer `` yes '' when the judge asked him if he wished to waive his right to a speedy trial in exchange for a delay in arraignment . He then signed a waiver , which also allows Geragos to appear without him in court for hearings on routine issues . Lousteau ordered Brown to return to court on April 6 for formal arraignment . Court documents released Thursday revealed details about the case against Brown , including a police statement that the incident began when Rihanna , whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty , found a text message on Brown 's cell phone from `` a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with . '' Watch panelists discuss whether Rihanna will testify '' A search warrant used by police to obtain cell phone records related to the case included the sworn statement by Los Angeles Police Detective DeShon Andrews in which he detailed what allegedly happened in the early morning hours of February 8 . Read the affidavit -LRB- PDF -RRB- `` Brown was driving a vehicle with Robyn F. as the front passenger on an unknown street in Los Angeles . Robyn F. picked up Brown 's cellular phone and observed a three-page text message from a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with . `` A verbal argument ensued and Brown pulled the vehicle over on an unknown street , reached over Robyn F. with his right hand , opened the car door and attempted to force her out . Brown was unable to force Robyn F. out of the vehicle because she was wearing a seat belt . When he could not force her to exit , he took his right hand and shoved her head against he passenger window of the vehicle , causing an approximate one-inch raised circular contusion . `` Robyn F. turned to face Brown and he punched her in the left eye with his right hand . He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand . The assault caused Robyn F. 's mouth to fill with blood and blood to splatter all over her clothing and the interior of the vehicle . `` Brown looked at Robyn F. and stated , ` I 'm going to beat the s -- t out of you when we get home ! You wait and see ! ' '' The detective said `` Robyn F. '' then used her cell phone to call her personal assistant Jennifer Rosales , who did not answer . `` Robyn F. pretended to talk to her and stated , ` I 'm on my way home . Make sure the police are there when I get there . ' `` After Robyn F. faked the call , Brown looked at her and stated , ` You just did the stupidest thing ever ! Now I 'm really going to kill you ! ' `` Brown resumed punching Robyn F. and she interlocked her fingers behind her head and brought her elbows forward to protect her face . She then bent over at the waist , placing her elbows and face near her lap in -LSB- an -RSB- attempt to protect her face and head from the barrage of punches being levied upon her by Brown . `` Brown continued to punch Robyn F. on her left arm and hand , causing her to suffer a contusion on her left triceps -LRB- sic -RRB- that was approximately two inches in diameter and numerous contusions on her left hand . `` Robyn F. then attempted to send a text message to her other personal assistant , Melissa Ford . Brown snatched the cellular telephone out of her hand and threw it out of the window onto an unknown street . `` Brown continued driving and Robyn F. observed his cellular telephone sitting in his lap . She picked up the cellular telephone with her left hand and before she could make a call he placed her in a head lock with his right hand and continued to drive the vehicle with his left hand . `` Brown pulled Robyn F. close to him and bit her on her left ear . She was able to feel the vehicle swerving from right to left as Brown sped away . He stopped the vehicle in front of 333 North June Street and Robyn F. turned off the car , removed the key from the ignition and sat on it . iReport.com : Chris Brown fans : Share your reaction `` Brown did not know what she did with the key and began punching her in the face and arms . He then placed her in a head lock positioning the front of her throat between his bicep and forearm . Brown began applying pressure to Robyn F. 's left and right carotid arteries , causing her to be unable to breathe and she began to lose consciousness . `` She reached up with her left hand and began attempting to gouge his eyes in an attempt to free herself . Brown bit her left ring and middle fingers and then released her . While Brown continued to punch her , she turned around and placed her back against the passenger door . She brought her knees to her chest , placed her feet against Brown 's body and began pushing him away . Brown continued to punch her on the legs and feet , causing several contusions . `` Robyn F. began screaming for help and Brown exited the vehicle and walked away . A resident in the neighborhood heard Robyn F. 's plea for help and called 911 , causing a police response . An investigation was conducted and Robyn F. was issued a Domestic Violence Emergency Protective Order . '' At the end of his statement , Andrews said Brown sent a text message nine days later apologizing . `` In the text message , Brown apologized for what he had done to Robyn F. and advised -LSB- Rihanna 's assistant -RSB- Ford that he was going to get help . '' Brown issued a public apology for the incident last month . `` Words can not begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired , '' he said in a statement released by his spokesman . `` I am seeking the counseling of my pastor , my mother and other loved ones and I am committed , with God 's help , to emerging a better person . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Motor Sport 's governing body , the FIA , have formally confirmed the entry list for the 2010 Formula One season -- with potential newcomers US F1 omitted from the grid . The financially-troubled team had asked the FIA if they could miss the first four races of the season in order to attract extra sponsorship , but have instead been told that they must re-apply if they are to be on the grid for the following season . The official entry list shows 12 teams and 24 drivers -- two teams more than last season . Three new teams are lining up -- Lotus , Virgin Racing and Hispania Racing -- with Toyota deciding to leave the sport . There are also two team name changes . Last year 's winning constructor 's Brawn GP have been taken over by Mercedes , while BMW Sauber have reverted back to being the Sauber team , although they have to retain the BMW title for this season due to legal obligations . Meanwhile , there is also no place on the grid for the proposed Serbian-backed Stefan GP team , who had been hoping to gain a late entry in place of US F1 . An official FIA statement read : `` The US F1 Team have indicated they will not be in a position to participate in the 2010 FIA Formula One world championship . `` Having considered the various options , the FIA confirms it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the championship at this late stage . `` In the coming days the FIA will announce details of a new selection process to identify candidates to fill any vacancies existing at the start of the 2011 season . '' US F1 have faced a race against time to have their car ready for the grid , after a number of sponsors opted to pull out the project . Production of the car had been stopped with the team struggling to pay wages , resulting in a number of staff choosing to leave . Team principal Ken Anderson is yet to comment on whether he will attempt to make the grid for the 2011 season . The decision leaves Argentinian Jose Maria Lopez , who had already been offered a drive with US F1 , without a team . Tuesday also saw the final driver appointment confirmed , with Karun Chandhok becoming the second Indian to compete in the sport having been named by Hispania Racing . The 26-year-old follows in the footsteps of Narain Karthikeyan , who had one season with Jordan in 2005 . There will be four world champions on the grid ; Jenson Button , Lewis Hamilton , Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso , while 11 of the 24 drivers have experienced winning a grand prix . Official 2010 Formula One grid : 1 . Jenson Button GB McLaren Mercedes 2 . Lewis Hamilton GB McLaren Mercedes 3 . Michael Schumacher Ger Mercedes GP 4 . Nico Rosberg Ger Mercedes GP 5 . Sebastian Vettel Ger Red Bull Racing 6 . Mark Webber Aus Red Bull Racing 7 . Felipe Massa , Brz Ferrari 8 . Fernando Alonso Sp Ferrari 9 . Rubens Barrichello Brz Williams 10 . Nico Hulkenberg Ger Williams 11 . Robert Kubica , Pol Renault 12 . Vitaly Petrov Rus Renault 13 . Adrian Sutil Ger Force India 14 . Vitantonio Liuzzi It Force India 15 . Sebastien Buemi Swi Toro Rosso 16 . Jaime Alguersuari Sp Toro Rosso 17 . Jarno Trulli It Lotus Racing 18 . Heikki Kovalainen Fin Lotus Racing 19 . Karun Chandhok Ind Hispanic Racing 20 . Bruno Senna Brz Hispanic Racing 21 . Pedro de la Rosa Sp BMW Sauber 22 . Kamui Kobayashi Jpn BMW Sauber 23 . Timo Glock Ger Virgin Racing 24 . Luca di Grassi Brz Virgin Racing","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A chronology of bombings and attempted bomb attacks in the mainland UK since the 1970s : Police close off streets around Haymarket , in London 's busy theater district . June 29 , 2007 : Police defuse a bomb consisting of 200 liters of fuel , gas cylinders and nails found in an abandoned car in Haymarket , central London . A second car packed with gas and nails was later found to have been parked just a few hundred yards from the first , before it was towed away by traffic wardens in the early hours of Friday for violating parking restrictions . Police say two vehicles clearly linked . July 21 , 2005 : Two weeks after the deadly 7\/7 bombings , four men are alleged to have attempted to carry out a second wave of attacks against London 's transport network at three London underground stations and aboard a bus . But their alleged rucksack bombs fail to explode . July 7 , 2005 : Four suicide bombers detonate themselves aboard three underground trains and a bus in a morning rush hour attack against London 's transport network , killing 52 people and injuring around 700 more . Al Qaeda claims responsibility in a video statement . August 2004 : Anti-terrorist police disrupt a plot by Islamic militants to blow up targets including the Ministry of Sound nightclub and the Bluewater shopping center in southeast England using explosives packed into limousines and large vehicles . Seven men are convicted in May 2007 and sentenced to up to 26 years in prison . March 2001 : A car bomb explodes outside the BBC 's London headquarters , wounding one man . Police blame the Real IRA , a republican splinter group opposed to the IRA 's cease fire . April 1999 : Three people die when a nail bomb explodes in the Admiral Duncan pub in London 's gay district -- the third in a spate of series of nail bomb attacks also targeting immigrant areas of the city that left dozens injured . A 23-year-old self-declared `` Nazi '' , David Copeland , is sentenced to six life terms . June 1996 : A massive IRA bomb explodes in a shopping center in central Manchester , injuring more than 200 people . February 1996 : Two people die as IRA terrorists detonate a bomb in London 's Docklands area , causing damage estimated at around $ 170m and ending the group 's 17-month cease fire . April 1993 : An IRA truck bomb devastates part of London 's financial district , killing one and wounding 44 . March 1993 : Two boys aged three and 12 are killed and dozens are injured by two bombs left in litter bins in Warrington , northern England . The IRA admits planting the bombs . April 1992 : A huge IRA car bomb in London 's financial district kills three people and wounds 91 . February 1991 : IRA terrorists launch a mortar attack at Prime Minister John Major 's Downing Street offices . No-one is injured . September 1989 : Eleven people die and 22 are wounded when an IRA bomb explodes at a Royal Marine music school in Deal , southern England . December 1988 : A Pan Am airliner explodes over the Scottish town of Lockerbie , killing 259 aboard and 11 people on the ground . Libyan agent Abdel Basset al-Megrahi , convicted of the attack in 2001 , was this week granted the right to mount a fresh appeal . -LRB- Read about Lockerbie bomber -RRB- October 1984 : Five people die in an IRA bomb attack on a hotel in Brighton , southern England , where Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet are staying for the Conservative Party 's annual conference . December 1983 : An IRA bomb at London 's Harrods department store kills six people . July 1982 : Two IRA bomb attacks on soldiers in London 's parks kill 11 people and wound 50 . October-November 1974 : A wave of IRA bombs in British pubs in Birmingham and Guildford kill 28 people and wound more than 200 . February 1974 : A coach carrying soldiers and families in northern England is bombed by the IRA , killing 12 and wounding 14 . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Benjamin Button '' received more life , but Batman ended up in the dark . `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button '' scored a best actor nomination for Brad Pitt , here with Cate Blanchett . The nominations for the 81st annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning , and to nobody 's surprise , `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button '' did well , nabbing 13 nods to lead all films . The movie , about a man who ages in reverse , is a big film -LRB- almost three hours long -RRB- with big themes -LRB- death and love -RRB- and earned nominations for best picture , best director -LRB- David Fincher -RRB- , best actor -LRB- Brad Pitt -RRB- , best supporting actress -LRB- Taraji P. Henson -RRB- and best adapted screenplay along with eight nominations in other categories . `` This is a great honor for the movie , and I 'm especially happy for David Fincher , for without him there would be no Ben Button , '' said Pitt in a statement . The film , based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story , has been a project of Fincher 's for years . Gallery : The major Oscar nominees '' However , despite eight Oscar nominations , `` The Dark Knight '' -- 2008 's box-office king -- only picked up one in a major category , that for Heath Ledger 's performance as the villainous Joker . The late actor , who died exactly one year ago Thursday , is nominated for best supporting actor , the same award he won posthumously at the Golden Globes almost two weeks ago . Commentary : CNN.com film critic Tom Charity rates the Oscar nominations `` The Dark Knight '' had made the short lists for the producers ' , directors ' and writers ' guilds , but those honors were n't enough to qualify it for a best picture Oscar nomination . What do you think of the nominations ? Send us an iReport `` Slumdog Millionaire , '' the sleeper hit about a Mumbai orphan who seeks fame and love through the Indian version of `` Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ? '' , earned 10 nominations , including best picture , best director -LRB- Danny Boyle -RRB- and best adapted screenplay . The film , which struggled to find a U.S. theatrical distributor after its initial studio folded , has dominated the awards season thus far and is considered the front-runner for best picture . Watch star Anil Kapoor talk about the reaction the film has gotten '' `` I 'm ecstatic , '' Boyle said in a statement from Mumbai , where the film premiered Thursday . `` Thank you to the Academy from the cast and crew here in Mumbai where the film was made . ... It feels like you 've given us a billion nominations . '' In a mild surprise , `` The Reader , '' based on the best-selling novel about a postwar German boy who has an affair with an older woman with a Holocaust-related secret , took home nominations for best picture , best actress -LRB- Kate Winslet -RRB- and best director -LRB- Stephen Daldry -RRB- . `` The Reader '' comes from the Weinstein Co. -- the studio headed by producer and master Oscar player Harvey Weinstein . `` I 'm extremely happy to have been nominated . And very fortunate . Playing Hanna Schmitz will always remain one of the biggest challenges I 've ever been blessed with , '' Winslet said in a statement . The other best picture nominees are `` Frost\/Nixon '' and `` Milk . '' Watch a rundown of the major nominations '' The Oscar nominations included a handful of other surprises . `` Revolutionary Road , '' featuring the heavyweight trio of Winslet , Leonardo DiCaprio and director Sam Mendes -LRB- `` American Beauty '' -RRB- , picked up just one major nomination -- a best supporting actor nod for Michael Shannon 's portrayal of a troubled savant . Woody Allen , whose `` Vicky Cristina Barcelona '' was widely praised , did n't receive his usual original screenplay nomination . He can take solace in his previous 21 Oscar nominations , including three wins . One of `` Barcelona 's '' performers , Penelope Cruz , received a nomination for best supporting actress . iReport.com : Deliver your acceptance speech And Oscar favorite Clint Eastwood , who many believed would pick up an acting or directing nomination for his `` Gran Torino , '' received neither . However , Angelina Jolie , who starred in Eastwood 's `` Changeling , '' earned a best actress nomination . The nominations also highlighted some lesser-known talent . Character actor Richard Jenkins , best known for his role as the deceased patriarch on the TV series `` Six Feet Under , '' received a best actor nomination for `` The Visitor . '' Melissa Leo , an actress who has had roles in such TV series as `` Law & Order , '' `` CSI '' and `` The L Word '' -LRB- as well as a regular role on `` Homicide : Life on the Street '' -RRB- , earned a best actress nomination for her performance in `` Frozen River . '' `` Frozen River '' also earned a best original screenplay nomination . Two comeback stories received nominations : Robert Downey Jr. , who battled back from drug abuse and incarceration to star in two 2008 hits , `` Iron Man '' and `` Tropic Thunder , '' earned a best supporting actor nomination for the latter . And Mickey Rourke , who has received raves for his performance as a struggling fighter in `` The Wrestler , '' got a best actor nomination . iReport.com : Who do you think will win ? `` Milk , '' the biopic about pioneering gay politician Harvey Milk , earned nominations for star Sean Penn , director Gus Van Sant and its original screenplay as well as a best picture nod . `` Frost\/Nixon , '' about the 1977 interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon , also received best picture , actor -LRB- Frank Langella -RRB- and director -LRB- Ron Howard -RRB- nominations as well as a nod for its adapted screenplay . Josh Brolin , who was overlooked by Oscar for last year 's `` No Country for Old Men , '' received his first Oscar nomination . Brolin played Dan White , Milk 's assassin , in `` Milk . '' `` To me , to question how a decent guy could resort to such a monstrous act ... It 's just my fascination with that kind of behavior , '' Brolin told CNN.com Live of his reasons for taking the role . As for his competition , `` I could n't be happier to be in this group of people , '' he said . Watch Brolin discuss the complexity of the role '' Meryl Streep , nominated for `` Doubt , '' received her 15th nomination , a record for a performer . The other major performers in `` Doubt '' -- Amy Adams , Philip Seymour Hoffman and Viola Davis -- also were nominated in supporting categories . Israel 's controversial `` Waltz With Bashir , '' an animated film about a soldier 's memories of the 1982 war in Lebanon , received a nomination for best foreign-language film . The category 's other nominees are `` The Baader-Meinhof Complex '' -LRB- Germany -RRB- , `` The Class '' -LRB- France -RRB- , `` Departures '' -LRB- Japan -RRB- and `` Revanche '' -LRB- Austria -RRB- . The nominees for best animated feature are `` WALL-E , '' `` Kung Fu Panda '' and `` Bolt . '' `` WALL-E '' also earned a best song nomination for Peter Gabriel 's `` Down to Earth . '' It will compete against two songs from `` Slumdog Millionaire . '' Bruce Springsteen 's `` The Wrestler '' was left out of the category . The Oscars will be presented February 22 from Hollywood 's Kodak Theatre . The broadcast will air on ABC . Hugh Jackman is scheduled to host .","question":""}
{"answer":"CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama told the nation Tuesday night that `` the dream of our founders is alive '' and that he 's ready to fulfill his campaign mantra of bringing change to America . `` Change has come to America , '' President-elect Barack Obama told the nation on Tuesday night . `` At this defining moment , change has come to America , '' Obama , who will be the nation 's first black president , told a crowd of about 125,000 people in Chicago 's Grant Park . Obama , born in Hawaii to a white mother and black father , said his victory proves that America is a place where all things are possible . Paying tribute to the legions of volunteers and voters who carried him to victory , Obama echoed the words of Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address , saying those legions proved `` a government of the people , by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth . '' `` This is your victory , '' he told his supporters , praising `` working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $ 5 and $ 10 and $ 20 to this cause . '' Watch Obama say all things are possible in U.S. \u00c2 '' Obama pledged to heal partisan wounds left after a bruising election battle , again using the words of Lincoln , the first Republican in White House . `` As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours , ` We are not enemies , but friends ... though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection . ' `` Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long , '' Obama said . Obama used the life of 106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper of Atlanta , Georgia , to illustrate what the nation has overcome in her lifetime , including the Depression , world wars , the nation 's quest for civil rights , a man on the moon , the fall of the Berlin Wall and even a world connected by technology . `` Tonight , let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century ; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper , what change will they see ? What progress will we have made ? '' Obama said . `` This is our chance to answer that call . This is our moment , '' he said . Obama hinted he 's even looking beyond his first term , and through the first eight of those next hundred years . `` The road ahead will be long . Our climb will be steep . We may not get there in one year or even one term , but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there . I promise you -- we as a people will get there , '' he said . Obama congratulated his rival John McCain and praised McCain 's service to the country as a politician and Navy pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam . `` He fought long and hard in this campaign , and he 's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves , '' Obama said . `` I look forward to working with -LRB- him -RRB- to renew this nation 's promise in the months ahead . '' Watch Obama 's praise of John McCain \u00c2 '' He also thanked his wife , Michelle , and daughters , Sasha and Malia , for their patience through the long presidential campaign . `` You have earned the new puppy that 's coming with us to the White House , '' he told his daughters . Obama spent the first part of his historic Election Day voting , visiting campaign staffers and playing a little basketball . Following an Obama campaign tradition , he arrived Tuesday afternoon at a gym on Chicago 's west side , where a campaign spokeswoman said he met with friends for a game of round ball . The game was the latest stop in Obama 's busy day , which began early in the morning at a polling station in his Hyde Park neighborhood . Earlier , a smiling Obama and his wife cast ballots at the Shoesmith Elementary School . `` I hope this works , '' Obama said after placing his ballot into a scanning machine . `` I 'll be really embarrassed if it does n't . '' Watch Obama family at voting station \u00c2 '' Obama 's vice presidential running mate , Sen. Joe Biden , voted in Wilmington , Delaware , on Tuesday , casting ballots with his wife , Jill , and his 90-year-old mother . Watch Biden vote \u00c2 '' People at the polling station also cheered as Biden voted . Election Day came shortly after Obama learned his 86-year-old grandmother , Madelyn Dunham , had died following a bout with cancer . Read more about the death of Obama 's grandmother Obama has described his grandmother , who helped raise him in his native Hawaii , as an integral figure in his youth , saying she struggled to succeed in a business dominated by men . Watch more on Obama 's grandmother \u00c2 '' Obama traveled to Hawaii in late October to visit her . CNN 's Mike Roselli contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With a week to go before Election Day , most recent national polls show Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama with an advantage . But how much are they to be believed ? As Election Day gets closer , will the race tighten in the polls ? The most recent national CNN poll of polls showed Obama with an 8-point lead over Republican presidential nominee John McCain , 51 percent to 43 percent . The polls were conducted October 21 through October 26 . Most other national polls show Obama with a lead ranging between 5 points and double digits . A look at CNN polling during the same period before Election Day in 2000 and 2004 suggests that political observers and campaign supporters ought to be cautious in declaring the race over because of current polling numbers . See the latest state and national polls When a presidential race has a non-incumbent in the lead , like this year , the poll numbers tend to tighten as Election Day gets closer , CNN senior researcher Alan Silverleib said . `` Any time it looks like they are on the verge of voting somebody new into office , there is buyer 's remorse , '' he said . `` Based on that , and the fact that the country has been so polarized in recent elections , there 's pretty good reason to think that the polls might tighten up a little bit . '' Four years ago , a national CNN poll of polls released about a week before Election Day showed President Bush leading Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry by 3 points , 49 percent to 46 percent . The poll was released October 25 and reflected likely voters ' choice for president . Election Day was November 2 in 2004 . A national CNN poll of polls released November 1 showed Bush leading Kerry by 2 points , 48 percent to 46 percent . President Bush won by 3 percentage points , 51 percent to 48 percent . In 2000 , it was a bit of a different story . Election Day arrived November 7 that year . A CNN\/USA Today\/Gallup tracking poll conducted October 29 through October 31 showed Bush , then the Texas governor , leading Democratic Sen. Al Gore , 48 percent to 43 percent . The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points . A subsequent poll conducted November 2 through November 4 , released two days before the voters cast their ballots , showed the same results . Gore , however , ended up winning the popular vote by about 540,000 votes . When broken down by percentage , both candidates had about 48 percent of the popular vote . Bush won the Electoral College , and thereby the presidency , by 5 electoral votes . Two of the battleground states this year , as in many recent presidential elections , are Ohio and Florida . What did the polls say before Election Day in those states four years ago ? In Florida , a CNN\/USA Today\/Gallup poll conducted about a week before Election Day showed Bush leading Kerry 51 percent to 43 percent . The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points and was conducted October 21 through October 24 . Kerry caught up to Bush in the polls before Election Day and led by a single point , 48 percent to 47 percent , in a similar poll conducted October 28 through October 31 . The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points . Bush won Florida by 5 percentage points in 2004 . In Ohio four years ago , a CNN\/USA Today\/Gallup poll showed Kerry leading Bush by a point -- 49 percent to 48 percent -- about two weeks before Election Day . The poll was conducted October 17 through October 20 and had margin of error of plus or minus 4 points . A week before November 7 , Election Day , a similar poll showed Kerry leading Bush 50 percent to 46 percent . The poll was conducted October 28 through October 31 , and the margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points . Bush won Ohio by 2 points in 2004 , 51 percent to 49 percent . Obama leads McCain in recent CNN poll of polls conducted in both states . In Florida , he leads McCain 49 percent to 45 percent . The polls were conducted October 23 through October 26 . In Ohio , Obama has an 8-point lead over McCain , 50 percent to 42 percent . The polls were conducted October 22 through October 27 . ` Buyer 's remorse ' in recent history There have been a few examples of such `` buyer 's remorse '' in recent history , Silverleib said . `` We saw that with -LSB- Arkansas Gov. Bill -RSB- Clinton in 1992 , when the polls suddenly tightened up during the last week , '' he said . `` It was almost like people saying , ` Do we really want this guy ? ' '' They did . Clinton soundly defeated President George H.W. Bush , 43 percent to 37 percent . In another example , polls tightened during the 1968 presidential race between Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat Hubert Humphrey . Nixon led by double digits among registered voters in late September , according to a Gallup analysis published Monday . The lead dwindled to 8 points in a poll conducted October 17 through October 22 . By early November , Nixon was clinging to a 1-point lead . The poll was conducted October 29 through November 1 and surveyed likely voters , according to Gallup . Nixon won by less than 1 percentage point . `` Humphrey had all the momentum at the end , and there 's an open question there that had that election gone on for another week , Humphrey might very well had won , '' Silverleib said . There is then the oft-cited example of Thomas Dewey and Harry Truman in 1948 . Polls predicted that Dewey would win , but Truman pulled off the upset . Silverleib , however , is reluctant to cite that race as illustrative of the accuracy of contemporary polls . `` People talk about Dewey and Truman , but they stopped polling a couple of weeks before the election , '' he said , adding , `` polling then was n't nearly as refined a science as it is now . '' However , in what might be a bit of sobering news for the McCain campaign , since 1956 , front-runners in late October lost the popular vote only twice after being ahead in the Gallup poll a week before Election Day , according to that polling organization 's analysis . Obama held a lead in both of Gallup 's likely voter tracking polls released Tuesday .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- February marks the beginning of Black History Month , a federally recognized , nationwide celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have played in the shaping of U.S. history . But how did this celebration come to be , and why does it take place in February ? We should emphasize not Negro History , but the Negro in history . What we need is not a history of selected races or nations , but the history of the world void of national bias , race hate , and religious prejudice . - Dr. Carter G. Woodson -LRB- 1875-1950 -RRB- on founding Negro History Week , 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson , considered a pioneer in the study of African-American history , is given much of the credit for Black History Month , and has been called the `` Father of Black History . '' The son of former slaves , Woodson spent his childhood working in coalmines and quarries He received his education during the four-month term that was customary for black schools at the time . At 19 , having taught himself English fundamentals and arithmetic , Woodson entered high school , where he completed a four-year curriculum in two years . He went on to receive his Master 's degree in history from the University of Chicago , and he eventually earned a Ph.D from Harvard . Disturbed that history textbooks largely ignored America 's black population , Woodson took on the challenge of writing black Americans into the nation 's history . To do this , Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History . He also founded the group 's widely respected publication , the Journal of Negro History . In 1926 , he developed Negro History Week . Woodson believed that `` the achievements of the Negro properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization . '' Woodson chose the second week of February for the celebration because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population : Frederick Douglass -LRB- February 14 -RRB- , an escaped slave who became one of the foremost black abolitionists and civil rights leaders in the nation , and President Abraham Lincoln -LRB- February 12 -RRB- , who signed the Emancipation Proclamation , which abolished slavery in America 's confederate states . In 1976 , Negro History Week expanded into Black History Month . The month is also sometimes referred to as African-American Heritage Month . -LRB- Source : http:\/\/blackhistorypages.net\/pages\/cgwoodson.php , http:\/\/www.chipublib.org\/002branches\/woodson\/woodsonbib.html -RRB-","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Discussion Questions 1 . When did the U.S. government establish a holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ? When in January does this holiday typically take place ? 2 . Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ? What are some of his accomplishments ? What cause did he work for ? How did he approach this cause ? How did he think that people should bring about political and social change ? 3 . What is the title of Dr. King 's most well-known speech ? When and where was this speech given ? What do you think Dr. King was trying to say in this speech ? Why do you think that it has become so famous ? 4 . How does community service play a role in the MLK holiday ? What does `` A day on , not a day off '' mean ? What are some of the activities that people participate in to observe the holiday in Dr. King 's honor ? Activities 1 . Read or listen to Dr. King 's famous `` I have a dream '' speech . What were the points Dr. King was trying to make ? What views did he express on equality ? Why do you think that he chose to promote peaceful protest as a means to that end ? What are your reactions to this speech ? Share your thoughts with the class or write them in a journal . 2 . In the `` I have a dream '' speech , Dr. King says that he hopes that one day , his children `` will be judged not by the color of their skin , but by the content of their character . '' What does this mean ? Create artwork , song lyrics or an interactive presentation that captures what Dr. King meant when he spoke of the content of one 's character . Share your creation with the class . 3 . Many people volunteer for community service projects on MLK Day . If you have ever been part of a community service project , share your experience with the class and talk about how the community benefited from the project , and what you got out of helping others . If you have never been involved in community service , consider what you could do to help someone else . Do you have a talent or skill , however small , that might help someone else ? Elderly neighbors might appreciate your willingness to pick up their mail , for example . Another student might need help in a subject that you excel in . And if you are capable -LRB- and have your parents ' permission -RRB- , you might even consider being part of a bigger project , like landscaping around a school or painting a community center . Think about what you can do , not just on MLK Day , but on a regular basis to help your community be a better place , and then make a commitment to make it happen . Standards Social Studies V. Individuals , Groups and Institutions Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals , groups , and institutions . VI . Power , Authority and Governance Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power , authority , and governance . The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/www.socialstudies.org\/standards\/strands\/ -RRB- are published by the National Council for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/www.socialstudies.org\/ -RRB- . Resources The Martin Luther King , Jr. . Research and Education Institute -LRB- http:\/\/mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu\/ -RRB- Constitution.net : The I Have a Dream Speech -LRB- http:\/\/www.usconstitution.net\/dream.html -RRB- Martin Luther King , Jr. . Day of Service -LRB- http:\/\/www.mlkday.gov\/ -RRB- The King Center -LRB- http:\/\/www.thekingcenter.org\/ -RRB-","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new national poll suggests a majority of Americans oppose legalizing same-sex marriages , but the survey indicates a vast generational divide on the issue . The recent poll shows that those who have a gay friend or relative are more likely to support gay marriage . Fifty-four percent of people questioned in a CNN\/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday say marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid , with 44 percent suggesting they should be considered legal . But among those 18 to 34 years old , 58 percent said same-sex marriages should be legal . That number drops to 42 percent among respondents aged 35 to 49 , and to 41 percent for those aged 50 to 64 . Only 24 percent of Americans 65 and older support recognizing same-sex marriages , according to the poll . While a majority of those polled oppose legalizing gay marriage , six of ten said states that do not recognize gay marriages should allow civil unions . When it comes to supporting civil unions , the poll indicates a similar generational shift . Three states -- Massachusetts , Connecticut and Iowa -- currently allow same-sex marriages . A law passed by Vermont legislators that makes gay and lesbian marriages legal takes affect in September . New Hampshire lawmakers are close to passing a similar bill . `` It 's not surprising that three Northeastern states are the first to take this step , '' says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland , referring to Massachusetts , Connecticut and Vermont . `` A majority of people who live in the Northeast say they approve of same-sex marriage . Solid majorities in the South , Midwest and West all oppose gay marriage . '' Forty-nine percent of those questioned say they have a family member or close friend who is gay . That 's up eight points from 1998 and 17 points from 1992 . Fifty-eight percent of those aged 18 to 34 say they have a family member or close friend who 's gay . That drops to just one in three of people 65 or older . `` People who say they have a gay friend or relative support same-sex marriage , '' Holland notes . `` Most of those who say they do n't know anyone who is gay , oppose gay marriage . '' The poll 's release comes just three days after Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced he would step down from the high court after this year 's session ends in late June . Any Supreme Court nomination battle between conservatives and progressives will most likely include hot-button social issues , like gay marriage . `` Republicans do n't have the votes to defeat President Obama 's choice for the Supreme Court . They have to get some Democrats to join them , possibly on a hot-button social issue , '' says Bill Schneider , CNN senior political analyst . The poll indicates that close to 40 percent of Democrats oppose legalizing gay marriage . But Schneider says there 's a risk for conservatives if they make same-sex marriage an issue in the fight over a Supreme Court nomination . `` Young voters strongly favor marriage equality . They 're the future of American politics , '' says Schneider . The CNN\/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted April 23-26 , with 2,019 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday morning in Oslo , Norway . A record number of nominations -- 241 -- were received by the Nobel committee this year . Of those , 53 are organizations , including WikiLeaks -- the website founded by Julian Assange that facilitates the publication of classified information . It made headlines for leaking documents and videos related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and also released thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables . Among the individuals thought to be strong contenders are several involved in fomenting peaceful uprisings in the Arab world . They include Wael Ghonim , the former Google executive who used social media to jump-start social change in Egypt , Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni , who criticized the regime long before the uprisings began , dispersing information to the outside world , and Israa Abdel Fattah , who helped organize Egypt 's online April 6 Youth Movement in 2008 and played a role again in 2011 . Other favorites are Sima Samar , head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and a trailblazer for women 's rights in Afghanistan , German Chancellor Helmut Kohl , Cuban dissident Oswaldo Payas Sardinas and Ghazi bin Muhammad , a Jordanian advocate of interfaith dialogue . Another organization which could be in with a shot is Memorial , a Russian civil rights group known for its fight for to protect refugees and victims of political persecution and human rights violations in war zones . Apart from the winner , the names of the nominees can not be revealed by the Nobel committee for another 50 years . Last year , Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the prize but could not attend the award ceremony . The political activist and longtime critic of communist rule in China is serving an 11-year prison term for what the Chinese government calls `` inciting subversion of state power . '' U.S. President Barack Obama won for what the committee called `` his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples '' in 2009 . Nobel prizes in literature , chemistry , physics and physiology or medicine were awarded earlier this week . Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer won the Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday . The Swedish academy said it gave the award to Transtromer `` because , through his condensed , translucent images , he gives us fresh access to reality . '' On Wednesday , the prize in chemistry was awarded to Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman . Shechtman is a professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and is known for his discovery of quasicrystals . On Tuesday , the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences named Saul Perlmutter from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California , Berkeley ; Brian P. Schmidt of Australian National University and Adam G. Riess of Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute the winners of the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics . They made the discovery that our universe apparently is expanding at an accelerating rate some 14 billion years after the Big Bang . The Nobel committee on Monday named Ralph Steinman , a biologist with Rockefeller University , and scientists Bruce A. Beutler and Jules A. Hoffmann , the winners of the 2011 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine . The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 91 times since 1901 . The youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate is Mairead Corrigan , who was 32 years old when she was awarded the Peace Prize in 1976 . The oldest winner is Joseph Rotblat , who was age 87 when he was awarded the Prize in 1995 . The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a committee of five people chosen by Norway 's parliament and is named for Alfred Nobel , a Swedish scientist and inventor of dynamite . Nominations come from lawmakers around the world , university professors , previous Nobel laureates and members of the Nobel committee .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday , but two-time champion Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round . Kuznetsova , who lost in the 2007 and 2008 finals , became the first top-ranked player at the Californian tournament to lose their opening match since Clijsters in 2002 . The Russian , who had an opening-round bye , lost 6-4 4-6 6-1 to unseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro as she paid for her 69 unforced errors and seven double-faults . `` It 's frustrating , because I know I have the game , '' the 24-year-old told the tournament 's official Web site . `` I feel great . I do practice , play unbelievable , and then get to the match and I do n't do much . `` So my thinking is I just need more matches because as soon as I have matches , I keep going . '' Suarez-Navarro will play Agnes Szavay in the third round , with the Hungarian 27th seed progressing after a 6-3 6-2 victory against Taiwan 's Chan Yung-Jan . U.S. Open champion Clijsters avoided suffering the same demise as fellow Belgian and former world No. 1 Justine Henin , who lost to Argentina 's Gisela Dulko on Friday . Clijsters , seeded 14th in her first appearance at the tournament since winning it for the second time in 2005 , thrashed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-1 . `` I felt good out there today , '' Clijsters told the WTA Tour Web site . `` Legs felt good , fresh . It 's important in a match like this , to get through without wasting too much time , but also getting a good rhythm . `` I want to get the game I had when I was playing at the U.S. Open , where I played really well . I want to keep raising the bar . '' Clijsters will next face Russian 23rd seed Alisa Kleybanova , who beat Bulgaria 's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-7 -LRB- 5-7 -RRB- 6-3 6-1 . Daniela Hantuchova , another two-time champion , was knocked out by Italy 's Roberta Vinci . The 21st seed was upset 6-3 7-5 despite battling back from 3-0 down in the second set , with Vinci earning a third-round clash with Belgian 13th seed Yanina Wickmayer . Third seed Victoria Azarenka progressed with a 6-1 7-5 win over Austria 's Sybille Bammer , and the Belarussian will next play Spanish 28th seed Maria Jose Martinez . Australian eighth seed Samantha Stosur defeated France 's Julie Coin 6-1 7-6 -LRB- 7-4 -RRB- to set up a clash with Russian 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova . Ninth seed Flavia Pennetta also went through with a 6-3 6-3 win over Czech Petra Kvitova , and the Italian will play Israel 's 17th seed Shahar Peer in the third round .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just one in 10 Latino high school dropouts earns a high school equivalency degree , compared with two in 10 African-American dropouts and three in 10 white dropouts , the Pew Hispanic Center said Thursday . The equivalency degree , called the General Educational Development -LRB- GED -RRB- credential , `` is widely regarded as the best ` second chance ' pathway to college , vocational training and military service for adults who do not graduate from high school , '' the center said on its website . Latinos also have a much higher high school drop-out rate than blacks or whites . About 41 percent of Latinos 20 and older in the United States do not have a regular high school diploma , compared with 23 percent of black adults and 14 percent of white adults , Pew said . Among Latinos , Pew noted , significant differences exist between those who were born in another country and those born in the United States . About 52 percent of foreign-born Latino adults are high school dropouts , compared with 25 percent of the native born , Pew said . Among Latino dropouts , about 21 percent of those born in the United States have a GED , compared with 5 percent of those born abroad , the research center said . A greater percentage of U.S.-born Latinos obtain GEDs because they are more aware of the opportunities available to them , said Richard Fry , the Pew Hispanic Center researcher who compiled the report . `` For the foreign-born , it takes them a little bit of time to learn about the GED , '' Fry told CNN . `` It takes a little bit of time to figure things out . '' Fry said he obtained the information by performing an analysis of newly available educational attainment data from the U.S. Census Bureau 's 2008 American Community Survey . That Census Bureau survey was the first to differentiate between those who graduated from high school and those who obtained a GED , Fry said . Previous surveys had lumped both categories together . The Pew analysis also found that in 2008 , Latino adults with a GED had a higher unemployment rate than those with a high school diploma -- 9 percent versus 7 percent . However , the report said , Latino full-time , full-year workers with a GED had about the same mean annual earnings -LRB- $ 33,504 -RRB- as full-time , full-year Latino workers with a high school diploma -LRB- $ 32,972 -RRB- . The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization that does not take positions on policy issues . Release of the report comes amid heightened tensions over a recent Arizona law that requires immigrants to carry their registration documents at all times and allows police to question individuals ' immigration status in the process of enforcing any other law or ordinance . Opponents have called for an Arizona tourism boycott and the measure has drawn criticism from Mexico and several Latin American nations . Fry said timing of the report 's release was coincidental . `` There 's nothing magical about it , '' he said . `` The report 's been done for about a week or so and it was time to get it out the door . '' CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rep. Paul Gillmor of Ohio was found dead in his townhouse in Arlington , Virginia , on Wednesday , leadership aides for both the Republican and Democratic parties said . Rep. Paul Gillmor was first elected to Congress in 1988 . Gillmor , a Republican , was 68 . The leadership aides did not say how Gillmor died . House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , told fellow congressmen on the floor of the House that their colleague died `` suddenly overnight . '' `` He was a good friend to all of us , '' said a somber Boehner . `` He 's going to be missed by us all . '' A tribute to Gillmor will be held in the House later Wednesday afternoon , Boehner said . Watch Boehner tell colleagues of death '' Gillmor , the deputy minority whip , was in his 10th term in the House , representing the 5th Congressional District in the northwest part of the Buckeye state . He was a member of the House Committee on Financial Services , and the ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit . Gillmor also served on the Subcommittee on Capital Markets , Insurance and Government Sponsored-Enterprises and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity . He was elected to Congress in 1988 , after serving in the Ohio State Senate for 22 years , where he was elected Republican leader five times . Gillmor was born Feb. 1 , 1939 , in Tiffin , Ohio . He received a bachelor of arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware , Ohio , and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School . In 2006 , Roll Call -- a Capitol Hill newspaper -- listed him as the 43rd richest member of Congress , with an estimated net worth of $ 6.16 million . He formerly ran a financial services company . Gillmor was also a U.S. Air Force veteran -- where he attained the rank of captain -- and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1986 . He served in the Vietnam War in 1965 and 1966 . He was married to Karen Gillmor , vice chairman of the State Employment Relations Board in Ohio and a former state senator . Their family includes two daughters , Linda and Julie , and three sons , Paul and twins Connor and Adam . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Serbian police are conducting another search for war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic and another fugitive , the office of the war crimes prosecutor in Belgrade said Friday . Ratko Mladic , pictured in 1993 , is the highest-ranking war crimes suspect still at large . The search , launched at the request of Serbian war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic , is being conducted around the town of Arandjelovac , 45 miles -LRB- 75 kilometers -RRB- south of Belgrade , the prosecutor 's office said . Serbia is offering a reward of 1 million euros for information leading to the capture of Ratko Mladic , the Bosnian Serb general wanted by the United Nations ' International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia , ICTY , in the Hague . A reward of $ 250,000 is offered for information leading to the arrest of Serbia 's other fugitive , Goran Hadzic . Mladic is the highest-ranking figure from the conflict to remain at large following the July arrest of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic . Mladic commanded the Bosnian Serb military during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina . The U.N. tribunal indicted Mladic in 1995 , along with 51 others , on charges involving war crimes and atrocities committed during four years of civil war . In July 1996 , an international arrest warrant was issued for Mladic after investigators collected evidence at the site of the Srebrenica massacre . Mladic stepped down as military commander in November 1996 and returned to Belgrade . But he disappeared after former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was arrested in 2001 . The 66-year-old faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity over the killing of some 7,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995 . He 's also wanted for his role in the 1992 shelling of Sarajevo . In 1992 , as hostilities broke out in Sarajevo , Mladic led the `` shelling and sniping to target civilian areas of the city and its civilian population and institutions , killing and wounding civilians , and thereby also inflicting terror upon the civilian population , '' the war crimes tribunal contends . The status of Mladic is one of the major stumbling block 's to Serbia 's admission to the European Union . In April Serbia 's government signed a preliminary agreement setting the country on the path to full EU membership . But ratification of the agreement was made conditional on Serbia sending Mladic to the Hague . CNN 's Ben Blake in London , England , contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some $ 700 million in economic stimulus money intended to upgrade baggage screening systems at airports will go further than originally expected , Department of Homeland Security officials said Wednesday . The new systems can process up to 500 bags an hour , compared to the 150 to 160 bags per hour on the older machines , the TSA said . The DHS said the money will now upgrade systems at 10 additional airports . Earlier this year the DHS announced funding for baggage screening at airports in 15 cities . The money will be used to speed up construction of in-line baggage screening systems , which take advantage of the airline 's existing conveyor belt systems to check bags , eliminating the need for minivan-size bomb detection systems now found in many airport lobbies . Government auditors have long complained about existing systems , which the Transportation Security Administration rushed into place to meet congressional deadlines after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . At airports with in-line systems , airline workers at the ticketing counters place the bags on conveyor belts , which pass through explosive detectors on their way to the aircraft . That is more efficient than stand-alone systems , which the TSA employees must staff . In addition , in-line systems can process up to 500 bags an hour , compared to the 150 to 160 bags per hour processed by stand-alone machines , the TSA said . Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement that DHS was able to `` stretch our resources '' by managing the recovery money and by negotiating with airports . In addition to the $ 700 million intended for checked baggage systems , $ 300 million is being allocated for checkpoint technology , such as new X-ray machines , `` whole body imaging '' technology and bottled liquid scanners . The new airports expected to get stimulus money for in-line explosive detection systems are : \u2022 Washington Dulles International Airport -LRB- Chantilly , Virginia -RRB- \u2022 Lambert-St . Louis International Airport -LRB- St. Louis , Missouri -RRB- \u2022 Yellowstone Regional Airport -LRB- Cody , Wyoming -RRB- \u2022 William P. Hobby Airport -LRB- Houston , Texas -RRB- \u2022 St. Petersburg\/Clearwater International Airport -LRB- St. Petersburg , Florida -RRB- \u2022 Gallatin Field Airport -LRB- Bozeman , Montana -RRB- \u2022 Little Rock National Airport -LRB- Little Rock , Arkansas -RRB- \u2022 Tulsa International Airport -LRB- Tulsa , Oklahoma -RRB- \u2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport -LRB- Charlotte , North Carolina -RRB- \u2022 Colorado Springs Airport -LRB- Colorado Springs , Colorado -RRB- Earlier this year , DHS announced funding for airports in the following cities : Atlanta , Georgia ; Columbus , Ohio ; Dayton , Ohio ; Honolulu , Hawaii ; Huntsville , Alabama ; Jackson , Wyoming ; Maui , Hawaii ; New Orleans , Louisiana ; Orange County , California ; Orlando , Florida ; Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; Portland , Maine ; and Sacramento , San Francisco and San Jose , California . To learn more about the DHS Recovery Act projects , visit www.dhs.gov\/recovery .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John Legend will perform at `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute , '' airing on Thanksgiving on CNN . John Legend will sing `` If You 're Out There '' from his just-released album `` Evolver . '' Hosted by CNN 's Anderson Cooper , the program honors the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , California . The show will be broadcast globally on CNN , CNN International and CNN en Espa\u00f1ol at 9 p.m. ET\/PT November 27 -LRB- 0200 GMT November 28 -RRB- . Each of this year 's top 10 CNN Heroes will be honored in a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter . Actors Cameron Diaz , Salma Hayek , Forest Whitaker , Meg Ryan , Terrence Howard , Lucy Liu , Jessica Biel , Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez are among the stars participating in the event . See photos of the presenters '' In addition , actor Hugh Jackman will present People magazine 's 2008 Heroes Among Us award to six recipients honored by the magazine this year . People is partnering with CNN for this portion of the telecast . Keys will perform `` Superwoman '' from her hit album `` As I Am . '' Legend , backed by the Los Angeles-based Agape Choir , will sing `` If You 're Out There '' from his just-released album `` Evolver . '' The evening will culminate with the announcement of the CNN Hero of the Year , chosen through a six-week online poll that generated more than 1 million votes . Viewers were asked to select the CNN Hero who inspired them the most from among the top 10 CNN Heroes selected by a blue-ribbon panel . The Hero of the Year will be awarded $ 100,000 in addition to the $ 25,000 that each of the top 10 CNN Heroes receives . Voting for the CNN Hero of the Year has now closed . Watch a close-up look at the CNN Hero Award '' Award-winning producer-director Joel Gallen returns to executive produce this year 's program . Among his credits , Gallen produced telethon events supporting victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina , winning an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for `` America : A Tribute to Heroes . '' Kodak Theatre is a 3,400-seat venue that opened in November 2001 and is best known as the first permanent home of the Academy Awards .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Conan O'Brien suggested in a statement Tuesday that he will not accept NBC 's proposal to move him and `` The Tonight Show , '' which he 's hosted for seven months , to 12:05 a.m. ET . NBC has proposed moving `` The Tonight Show '' from its traditional 11:35 p.m. slot so that the show 's former host , Jay Leno , could host a half-hour show then . `` My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of ` The Tonight Show . ' But I can not participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction , '' O'Brien said . `` Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot does n't matter . But with the Tonight Show , I believe nothing could matter more . `` There has been speculation about my going to another network but , to set the record straight , I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next . My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff , crew , and I can do a show we can be proud of , for a company that values our work . '' Read O'Brien 's full statement After Leno left `` The Tonight Show '' last year -- as part of an agreement reached six years ago giving it to O'Brien -- he began hosting `` The Jay Leno Show '' for NBC in the fall , airing at 10 p.m. ET . But ratings for the 10 p.m. show were low , and on Sunday , NBC announced that it was taking Leno out of the prime-time slot because the show `` did n't meet affiliates ' needs '' despite performing at acceptable levels for the network . The last show will air February 11 to make way for the 2010 Winter Olympics , which airs starting February 12 . Jeff Gaspin , chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment , said the plan was for Leno to host a new , half-hour show at 11:35 p.m. ET , followed by `` Tonight '' with O'Brien at 12:05 a.m. and Jimmy Fallon 's `` Late Night '' show moving to 1 a.m. . As of Sunday , NBC was still negotiating with the three hosts over the proposed lineup . iReport : Share your view on the late-night shakeup O'Brien , in his statement Tuesday , said the plan was n't acceptable . `` For 60 years the ` Tonight Show ' has aired immediately following the late local news . I sincerely believe that delaying ` The Tonight Show ' into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting , '' O'Brien said . '' ` The Tonight Show ' at 12:05 simply is n't ` The Tonight Show . ' `` Also , if I accept this move I will be knocking the ` Late Night ' show , which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon , out of its long-held time slot . That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love , and it would be unfair to Jimmy . '' Fox 's president of entertainment , Kevin Reilly , told reporters on Monday that his network may be interested in O'Brien should he leave `` Tonight . '' `` I love him , '' Reilly said at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena , California . `` It 's a very compatible fit for our brand . He is one of the few guys in the planet who has demonstrated he can do one of these shows every night . '' In monologues on their respective shows on Monday , Leno and O'Brien had zingers about the looming shakeup . `` NBC said the show performed exactly as they expected it would and then canceled us . Do n't confuse this -LSB- with -RSB- when we were on at late night and performed better than expected and they canceled us . That was totally different , '' Leno quipped . O'Brien had the following to say on his show Monday : -- `` Good evening , I 'm Conan O'Brien , the new host of ` Last Call with Carson Daly . ' '' -- `` This weekend no one was seriously hurt , but a 6.5 earthquake hit California . The earthquake was so powerful that it knocked Jay Leno 's show from 10:00 to 11:35 . '' -- `` On the positive side , I have learned a valuable lesson from all this : Never sign a contract that ends with the word ` NOT . ' ''","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was charged in Florida on Wednesday with killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence , a spokesman for the Miami-Dade County state attorney 's office said . Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been charged with DUI manslaughter Authorities charged Stallworth , 28 , with DUI manslaughter in the death of Mario Reyes , spokesman Ed Griffith said . Stallworth is expected to surrender in court Thursday , Griffith said . The charge is a bondable offense , and bail is expected to be set at $ 200,000 . If convicted , he could face up to 15 years in prison . According to Griffith , Stallworth 's blood-alcohol level after last month 's accident was measured at 0.126 percent , higher than the state 's legal limit of 0.08 percent . Stallworth was drinking at a Miami Beach , Florida , club early March 14 , court documents say . He later left the club and went to a Miami residence for about 45 minutes before leaving in his black Bentley GT at 7:07 a.m. . He was driving east on the MacArthur Causeway , which connects Miami to the South Beach area of Miami Beach , when he struck Reyes , prosecutors said . Reyes , a construction worker , was crossing the eastbound lanes of the causeway . CNN affiliate WSVN reported that he was heading to a bus stop after leaving work . Reyes , 59 , was struck by the right front and fender of the car and suffered critical head , chest and abdominal injuries , according to an affidavit . He died a short time later at a hospital . Read the affidavit -LRB- PDF -RRB- Stallworth told the arriving officer , `` I hit the man lying in the road , '' the affidavit said . He said he had time to honk his horn and flash his headlights to alert Reyes , according to the documents . Police smelled alcohol on his breath , the documents said , and Stallworth provided a blood sample at the scene . Stallworth released a statement four days after the incident saying he and his family were `` grief-stricken . '' `` My thoughts and prayers are with the Reyes family during this incredibly difficult time , '' he said . Among the expected conditions of Stallworth 's bail are that he consume no alcohol or drugs , submit to random drug and alcohol testing , abide by a curfew between midnight and 6 a.m. , surrender his passport and not drive , according to an agreement setting conditions of his release . He will be allowed to reside in Ohio and Florida as needed , but he must notify authorities 24 hours in advance when traveling . Stallworth and his attorney have been cooperating with authorities , Officer Deborah Doty , spokeswoman for Miami Beach police , said Wednesday . Stallworth , a former University of Tennessee player , has also played professionally for the New England Patriots , the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles . CNN 's Rich Phillips contributed to this report","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr. George Tiller , whose Kansas women 's clinic frequently took center stage in the U.S. debate over abortion , was shot and killed while serving as an usher at his Wichita church Sunday morning , police said . Dr. George Tiller was one of the few U.S. physicians that performed late-term abortions . Wichita police said a 51-year-old man from the Kansas City , Kansas , area was in custody in connection with the slaying of Tiller , who was one of the few U.S. physicians who still performed late-term abortions . The killing , which came about 16 years after Tiller survived a shooting outside his Wichita clinic , took place shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church . Officers found the 67-year-old dead in the foyer , police said . Witnesses provided a description of the car and a license number of the killer 's getaway vehicle , Wichita police spokesman Gordon Bassham said . Police stopped a blue Ford Taurus matching the description about three hours later in Gardner , about 30 miles southwest of Kansas City , and took the driver into custody . No charges had been filed Sunday evening and no motive for the killing was immediately known , but Wichita police Detective Tom Stoltz told reporters : `` We think we have the right person arrested . '' `` We will investigate this suspect to the Nth degree -- his history , his family , his associates -- and we are just in the beginning stages of that , '' Stoltz said . See what people are saying about Dr. Tiller 's murder '' Tiller 's slaying drew condemnation from supporters , from some of those who tried to shut down his practice and from President Obama , who just two weeks ago urged Americans to seek `` common ground '' on the issue of abortion . `` However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion , they can not be resolved by heinous acts of violence , '' Obama said in a statement issued by the White House . The shooting prompted U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to direct federal marshals to `` offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation , '' according to a statement from the Department of Justice . Tiller had been practicing medicine for nearly 40 years , said Peter Brownlie , president of the Kansas City-based regional Planned Parenthood office . His patients were `` almost always in circumstances where something had gone horribly wrong with a pregnancy , '' and where a woman 's health would be endangered if the pregnancy continued , Brownlie said . He and his staff had been picketed for years , with some activists distributing leaflets around his neighborhood , Brownlie said . His clinic suffered serious damage from a bomb in the mid-1990s , and he was shot through both arms in 1993 by an anti-abortion activist who is currently serving time in federal prison . `` He endured that kind of stuff on a very frequent basis , '' Brownlie said . `` As recently as early this month the clinic sustained serious vandalism that put them out of commission for a week or so . '' Watch Tiller describe the philosophy of his clinic in 1999 '' Tiller had armed security at his clinic and a `` pretty rigorous '' security procedure at home , Brownlie said . But he `` made an effort to live his life as normally as possible knowing he could be a target at any time , '' he said . In a statement issued through Tiller 's lawyers , his family -- a wife , four children and 10 grandchildren -- said their loss `` is also a loss for the City of Wichita and women across America . '' `` George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and violence , '' his family said in a written statement . `` We ask that he be remembered as a good husband , father and grandfather and a dedicated servant on behalf of the rights of women everywhere . '' In March , Tiller was acquitted of 19 counts of performing procedures unlawfully at his clinic . In 2008 , a probe initiated by abortion opponents who petitioned state authorities to convene a grand jury ended without charges . Leading anti-abortion groups condemned Sunday 's shooting , emphasizing they wanted to shut down Tiller 's practice by legal means . Operation Rescue , which has led numerous demonstrations at Tiller 's clinic , called the shooting as a `` cowardly act . '' And the National Right to Life Committee , the largest U.S. anti-abortion group , said it `` unequivocally condemns any such acts of violence regardless of motivation . '' `` The pro-life movement works to protect the right to life and increase respect for human life , '' it said . `` The unlawful use of violence is directly contrary to that goal . '' But Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry , who is no longer affiliated with the group , called Tiller `` a mass murderer . '' `` We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God , '' Terry said in a written statement . `` I am more concerned that the Obama administration will use Tiller 's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions . Abortion is still murder , and we still must call abortion by its proper name . '' The National Organization for Women , which supports abortion rights , called Tiller 's killing an act of `` domestic terrorism . '' And NARAL Pro-Choice America said Tiller had worked for years under `` intense harassment tinged with persistent threats of violence . '' If Tiller was killed because of his work , he would be the fourth U.S. physician killed over abortion since 1993 . See all abortion-related attacks since 1993 '' In 1998 , a sniper killed Dr. Barnett Slepian in his Amherst , New York , home . Anti-abortion activist James Kopp was later arrested in France and is serving life in prison . In 1994 , Dr. John Bayard Britton and one of his volunteer escorts were shot and killed outside an abortion clinic in Pensacola , Florida . Paul Hill , a former minister , was convicted of the killings and executed in 2003 . And in 1993 , another doctor , David Gunn , was shot to death outside another Pensacola clinic . His killer , Michael Griffin , is serving a life sentence . In addition , a nurse at a Birmingham , Alabama , clinic was maimed and an off-duty police officer was killed in a 1998 bombing by Eric Rudolph , who included abortion among his list of anti-government grievances . Rudolph admitted to that attack and three other bombings -- including the 1996 attack on the Olympic games in Atlanta , Georgia -- and is currently serving life in prison . CNN 's Matt Smith contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A South Carolina sheriff 's office is investigating whether Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps smoked marijuana on the University of South Carolina campus . Michael Phelps is facing a criminal investigation into whether he smoked marijuana on a college campus . Authorities will file criminal charges if the investigation determines that they are warranted , a spokesman said Tuesday . `` If someone breaks the law in Richland County , we have an obligation as law enforcement to investigate and to bring charges , '' Sheriff Leon Lott said in a statement . `` The Richland County Sheriff 's Department is making an effort to determine if Mr. Phelps broke the law . If he did , he will be charged in the same manner as anyone else . The sheriff has a responsibility to be fair , to enforce the law and to not turn a blind eye because someone is a celebrity . '' Phelps admitted `` regrettable behavior '' on Sunday after a British newspaper published a photograph of him smoking through a bong . The tabloid News of the World showed Phelps using the bong during what it said was a November party at the University of South Carolina , in Richland County . Both university police and Columbia , South Carolina , police have said they would not pursue charges , according to The State newspaper in Columbia . It was unclear where the party took place , the paper said , or whether it was on the USC campus . `` I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment , '' said Phelps , who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , China , in a statement Sunday . See the photo on the cover of Star magazine '' `` I 'm 23 years old , and despite the successes I have had in the pool , I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way , not in a manner that people have come to expect from me , '' he said . `` For this , I am sorry . I promise my fans and the public -- it will not happen again . '' The U.S. Olympic Committee also issued a statement that said in part , `` Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologized for his actions . We are confident that , going forward , Michael will consistently set the kind of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion . '' In 2004 , Phelps was arrested on charges of driving under the influence in Salisbury , Maryland . He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months probation . He also issued an apology after that incident . Phelps is one of 12 Olympic athletes who have signed on to `` My Victory , '' an initiative launched last year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency aimed at keeping competitive sports clean .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor , who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession , made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation 's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice . Sonia Sotomayor , 55 , will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court . Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote . Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination . Sen. Ted Kennedy , D-Massachusetts , supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness . Sotomayor , a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge , will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice . She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday . President Obama , who selected Sotomayor on May 26 , said he was `` deeply gratified '' by the Senate vote . `` This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family , but I also think it 's a wonderful day for America , '' Obama said at the White House . Watch Obama 's remarks '' Watching the final vote with friends and family at the federal courthouse in Manhattan , Sotomayor was confirmed after senators spent a final day of debate rehashing arguments for and against her . Democrats continued to praised Sotomayor as a fair and impartial jurist with an extraordinary life story . Many Republicans portrayed her as a judicial activist intent on reinterpreting the law to conform with her own liberal political beliefs . Among other things , Republican opponents emphasized concerns over her statements and rulings on hot-button issues such as gun control , affirmative action and property rights . See how Sotomayor measures up with her new colleagues '' They also raised questions about some of her most controversial speeches and statements , including her hope that a `` wise Latina woman , with the richness of her experiences '' would reach a better conclusion than a white man `` who has n't lived that life . '' Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , helped close the debate by stressing the historic nature of the nomination . `` It is distinctively American to continually refine our union , moving us closer to our ideals . Our union is not yet perfected , but with this confirmation , we will be making progress , '' Leahy said on the Senate floor . `` Years from now , we will remember this time , when we crossed paths with the quintessentially American journey of Sonia Sotomayor , and when our nation took another step forward through this historic confirmation process . '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , took aim at what he claimed was Sotomayor 's inability to refrain from bringing her personal political opinions to bear on her rulings . `` This is the most fundamental test for any judge and all the more so for those who would sit on our nation 's highest court , where a judge 's impulses and preferences are not subject to review . Because I 'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor would keep this commitment , I can not support her nomination . '' Several Republicans , however , bucked party leadership by voting in favor of Sotomayor . Sen. George Voinovich , R-Ohio , announced Thursday morning that he had decided to back Sotomayor after weighing a range of factors , including her education , experience and temperament . `` Judge Sotomayor is not the nominee I would have selected if I were president , but making a nomination is not my role here today , '' Voinovich said . `` My role is to examine her qualifications to determine if she is fit to serve . ... Based on my review of her record , and using these factors , I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a justice on the Supreme Court . '' Voinovich was joined by Maine 's Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe , New Hampshire 's Judd Gregg , Indiana 's Richard Lugar , Missouri 's Kit Bond , Florida 's Mel Martinez , South Carolina 's Lindsey Graham and Tennessee 's Lamar Alexander . Watch the Senate vote '' In a telling political sign , none of the Republicans who voted for Sotomayor is seeking re-election in 2010 . Conservative activists , including the powerful National Rifle Association , mounted a concerted effort to rally GOP opposition to Sotomayor . The abortion issue also played a significant role in the nomination , with abortion-rights supporters backing Sotomayor and opponents urging her defeat . `` Today 's historic vote is a sign of progress for Americans who want a Supreme Court that values individual freedom and privacy , '' said Nancy Keenan , head of the group National Abortion Rights Action League Pro-Choice America . Charmaine Yoest , head of Americans United For Life , praised the 31 Republican senators who opposed Sotomayor for a `` stunning vote of ` no confidence ' in a nominee whose background of abortion advocacy and record of judicial interventionism raise serious questions about her fitness for the high court . '' Underlying the debate over Sotomayor was the larger political question of whether the Republican Party risked alienating Hispanic voters by opposing the first Latina nominee . The party 's share of the Hispanic vote dropped sharply in last year 's presidential election . `` If you meet all of the challenges that you are told you need to meet and still you can be told no , despite fidelity to Constitution , the law and precedent , then it sends a tough message to us as a community , '' said Sen. Robert Menendez , D-New Jersey . Sotomayor 's confirmation capped an extraordinary rise from humble beginnings . Her parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II . Her father worked in a factory and did n't speak English . She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project , not far from the stadium of her favorite team , the New York Yankees . Her father died when she was 9 , leaving her mother to raise her and her younger brother . Her mother , whom Sotomayor has described as her biggest inspiration , worked six days a week to care for her and her brother , and instilled in them the value of an education . Sotomayor later graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to attend Yale Law School , where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal . She worked at nearly every level of the judicial system over a three-decade career before being chosen by President Obama to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court . Accepting the nomination , Sotomayor thanked Obama for `` the most humbling honor of my life . '' After the selection , Sotomayor was touted by her supporters as a justice with bipartisan favor and historic appeal . She has served as a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since 1998 . She was named a district judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton . Sotomayor presided over about 450 cases while on the district court . Before her judicial appointments , she was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes . CNN 's Lisa Desjardins , Kristi Keck and Bill Mears contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two people have died and 28 people have fallen ill with matching strains of E. coli after an outbreak in ground beef , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said . Sixteen of those people are in hospitals and three have developed kidney failure as a result of the contamination , the CDC said late Monday . The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that Fairbank Farms in Ashville , New York , was recalling more than half a million pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with a strain of E. coli , a potentially deadly species of bacteria . The products subject to recall were sent to retailers including Trader Joe 's , Price Chopper , Lancaster and Wild Harvest , Shaw 's , BJ 's , Ford Brothers , and Giant Food Stores . The exact products affected are listed on the USDA 's Web site . The recall was for distribution centers in eight states , but Fairbank Farms said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states . Each package is printed with `` EST. 492 '' inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label . They were packaged on September 15 and 16 and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from September 19 through 28 , the USDA said . Consumers should ask at their point of purchase if the products they have purchased are subject to recall , the USDA said . E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea , dehydration , and in the most severe cases , kidney failure . The very young , seniors and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness . The USDA 's Food Safety and Inspection Service advised consumers to safely prepare raw meat products , whether they are fresh or frozen , and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit . The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature , the FSIS said . Of the 28 people infected with E. coli from the outbreak , eight are in Massachusetts ; four each are in Connecticut and New Hampshire ; two each are in Maine , Pennsylvania and South Dakota ; and one each is in California , Maryland , Minnesota , New Jersey , New York and Vermont , according to the CDC .","question":""}
{"answer":"New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Emmy-winning `` Golden Girls '' actress Rue McClanahan died of a stroke in a New York hospital early Thursday , her manager said . She was 76 . McClanahan , who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage last Monday , was surrounded by family when she died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital , according to manager Barbara Lawrence . The actress ' career began on the New York stage in the 1950s , but her long television career was first boosted when producer Norman Lear cast McClanahan in his hit CBS series `` All in the Family '' in 1971 . She appeared in Lear 's `` Maude '' a year later . Her most memorable TV role was as Southern belle Blanche Devereaux on `` The Golden Girls , '' which ran from 1985 through 1992 . McClanahan won an Emmy for best lead actress in a comedy in 1987 . Betty White is the last surviving member of the four `` Golden Girls '' stars . `` Rue was a close and dear friend , '' White said Thursday . `` I treasured our relationship . It hurts more than I even thought it would , if that 's possible . '' Estelle Getty passed away in 2008 , and Bea Arthur died last year . McClanahan requested that no funeral be held for her , but memorial services will be announced for later this summer in New York and Los Angeles , California , Lawrence said . Fans can pay their respects online , a family statement said . `` Please join us in celebrating Rue 's amazing life '' by visiting a memorial page established for her on Facebook , the family said . McClanahan 's last comedic TV role was in an episode of Tyler Perry 's `` Meet the Browns , '' taped in 2009 . She carried the Devereaux character to three other TV series , including `` The Golden Palace , '' `` Empty Nest '' and `` Nurses . '' She was married six times and had one child . Her son , Mark Bish , was born in 1958 during a brief first marriage . Her present marriage to Morrow Wilson , starting in 1997 , was her longest . Her book `` My First Five Husbands ... And the Ones Who Got Away '' was published in 2007 . McClanahan was born in Healdton , Oklahoma , on February 21 , 1934 , to parents with Scottish and native American heritage . CNN 's Jack Hannah contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- African-Americans are extremely supportive of President Obama , but their enthusiasm appears to have dramatically dropped from earlier this year , according to a new national poll . The CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. survey , released Tuesday , also indicates that Obama 's presidency appears to have made blacks more optimistic about race relations , but less than one in five believe the new president has ushered in a new era of race relations in the country . More than nine in 10 blacks questioned in the poll approve of the job Obama 's doing in the White House , far higher than 42 percent of whites who approve of his performance as president . But when asked how they personally feel about Obama 's presidency , only 42 percent of black respondents say they 're thrilled , with nearly half of those questioned saying they are happy but not thrilled . The 42 percent who are thrilled is down from 61 percent in January , when Obama was inaugurated . `` African-Americans are still big fans of the first black president in U.S. history , but the thrill is gone , '' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland . According to the poll , 51 percent of African-Americans say Obama 's presidency has brought some improvement in race relations in the U.S. , but only 18 percent feel it 's the start of a new era . Another 23 percent say they 've seen a real change in race relations over the past 11 months and 7 percent say things have gotten worse . The survey indicates that three-quarters of blacks believe race relations will improve eventually , which is up from 49 percent of blacks who felt that way a year before Obama was elected . `` Whites take a dimmer view of Obama 's effect on race relations , with a third believing that the new presidency has not changed race relations in the country and 15 percent of whites saying that Obama has made race relations worse , '' Holland added . `` Not surprisingly , whites are less supportive of Obama , although for a notable number of whites , their negative view of the president is due to the perception that he 's not been liberal enough . '' The CNN\/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted December 16-20 , with 1,160 adult Americans , including 259 African-Americans and 786 whites , questioned by telephone . The survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points and plus or minus 6 percentage points for the African-Americans sample . CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number two Rafael Nadal beat Milos Raonic in the second round of the Japan Open for the second successive year on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Tokyo tournament . Defending champion Nadal , top seed for the Ariake Coliseum event , completed a straight-sets 7-5 6-3 triumph without conceding a break of serve against his Canadian opponent . `` His serve was impressive , especially at the beginning of the match , '' Nadal told the ATP Tour 's official website of his 20-year-old opponent . `` It was an important victory for me and now I am in the quarterfinals . Physically I feel fine and I have the motivation to keep going and keep practising hard . '' Next up for Spain 's Nadal is Colombian Santiago Giraldo , who ended the challenge of Russia 's Dimitry Tursunov with a 6-4 7-6 -LRB- 7-4 -RRB- win . Second seed Andy Murray powered past American Alex Bogomolov Jr. , smashing 11 aces on his way to a 59-minute 6-1 6-2 success . `` It was good , '' said Britain 's Murray , who has won 18 of his last 19 matches . `` I wanted to get off to a good start , having played a long match against Marcos Baghdatis in the first round . `` It was good to get the first set in 20 minutes . It was a bit tougher in the second . Against Baghdatis I had a lot of long rallies and tough situations I had to get through , so I am pleased with today 's performance . '' World No. 4 Murray 's next opponent will be 2002 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian after the Argentinean eliminated big-serving Croat Ivan Dodig with a 7-6 -LRB- 7-2 -RRB- 6-2 victory . Spaniard David Ferrer also booked his place in the last eight , the third seed coming back from one-set down against Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden to seal a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win . Meanwhile at the China Open in Beijing Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga moved into the quarterfinals by knocking out Chinese wildcard Ze Zhang . World No. 7 Tsonga , top seed for the tournament , continued his quest for a seventh career Tour title with a 6-3 6-4 success in 77 minutes . The 26-year-old 's win set up a clash with former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero after the Spaniard beat compatriot Marcel Granollers 6-4 6-4 . In the women 's draw , Romanian Monica Niculescu continued her unlikely challenge for a second WTA Tour title by inflicting a 4-6 6-1 6-2 loss on fellow-qualifier Virginie Razzano . Niculescu , who defeated French Open champion Li Na in the opening round , will come up against Maria Kirilenko next after the Russian eased to a 6-1 6-2 win over Austria 's Tamira Paszek . Second seed Victoria Azarenka was forced to withdraw from her match against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova , meaning world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki is the only top 10 player left in the draw .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Natasha Richardson was hospitalized after she fell on a ski slope at a Quebec resort , a resort spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday . Actress Natasha Richardson was transferred Tuesday to an undisclosed location in the United States . Richardson was taken to a hospital near Station Mont Tremblant before she was transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal following her fall on Monday , according to the statement . However , she was transferred Tuesday to an undisclosed location in the United States , according to Michelle Simard , spokeswoman for Hopital du Sacre-Coeur . Simard said she had no further details . Richardson fell on a beginners ' trail Monday during a ski lesson at Station Mont Tremblant , said the statement from the resort , located about 80 miles northwest of Montreal . She was not wearing a helmet , the resort said . At the time , Richardson was accompanied by a veteran female ski instructor , who called the ski patrol , the statement said . The ski patrol members examined her and found no visible sign of injury , according to the statement . `` As standard protocol , the ski patrol insisted that Ms. Richardson be transported to the base of the hill in a rescue toboggan , '' the resort statement said . Once at the base of the hill , staffers advised Richardson to seek additional medical attention , but she declined . Accompanied by the instructor , Richardson went to her hotel , where she was again advised to see a doctor , the resort said . As a precautionary measure , the instructor stayed with her , the statement said . The statement offered no details on Richardson 's condition or injuries , but said resort staffers and police were providing support to Richardson 's family and friends . Richardson , 45 , has appeared in many television , film and stage roles , including the movies `` Nell '' and `` The Parent Trap . '' She won a Tony award in 1998 for her performance as Sally Bowles in `` Cabaret . '' She is married to actor Liam Neeson and is the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave . The Montreal Gazette reported that Richardson 's two sons with Neeson were skiing with her at the time of her fall , and that Neeson flew to Montreal from a Toronto film set to be with her at the hospital .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Texas grand jury indicted polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs on sexual assault charges , and five of his followers also face a variety of charges , state Attorney General Greg Abbott said . Members of the polygamous FLDS revere jailed leader Warren Jeffs as their prophet . Jeffs was charged in the Tuesday indictment with sexual assault of a child , a first-degree felony . A conviction on the charge could mean a maximum penalty of five to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of $ 10,000 , said Dirk Fillpot , a spokesman for the attorney general . Jeffs , 52 , is the so-called leader and `` prophet '' of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which broke off from mainstream Mormonism in the 1890s over the practice of polygamy . The FLDS openly practices polygamy at its Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado , Texas , and in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line : Hildale , Utah , and Colorado City , Arizona . Jeffs is accused in the indictment of assaulting a child `` younger than 17 years of age and not legally married to the defendant '' in January 2005 . The alleged victim , whose name is redacted on the document , `` was a person who the defendant was prohibited from marrying or purporting to marry or with whom the defendant was prohibited from living under the appearance of being married '' under Texas law . The indictments , which were handed down by a grand jury in San Angelo , Texas , also charge four of Jeffs ' followers with single counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 17 . One of the four also faces a count of bigamy . A fifth follower is charged with three counts of failure to report child abuse . The Texas attorney general 's office was cooperating with other agencies to ensure the five others would be taken into custody , Fillpot said . Their names have not been made public , and only Jeffs ' indictment has been released . Jeffs has been in custody since August 2006 , when he was arrested during a routine traffic stop after spending several months on the FBI 's 10 most wanted fugitives list . Jeffs is serving two consecutive sentences of five years to life in prison on accomplice to rape charges in Utah for his role in the marriage of a sect member to his 14-year-old cousin . He is being held Arizona while he awaits trial on similar charges . It was not immediately clear when Jeffs would be brought to Texas . Authorities seized more than 400 children in April during a raid on the Texas ranch . The children were returned to their families after the Texas Supreme Court ruled the state had no right to remove the children and lacked evidence to show they faced imminent danger of abuse . In May , DNA samples were taken from Jeffs as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that he `` spiritually '' married four girls ranging in age from 12 to 15 , authorities said . A search warrant seeking the DNA samples said marital records -- known as bishop 's records -- from the ranch show that Jeffs married a 14-year-old girl on January 18 , 2004 , in Utah . The records showed that Jeffs `` married '' two 12-year-olds and a 14-year-old at the YFZ Ranch , according to the search warrant . One of the 12-year-olds , believed to have married Jeffs on July 27 , 2006 , was sexually assaulted by Jeffs later that day , the search warrant said . The warrant made reference to pictures of Jeffs with his alleged underage brides . In one photograph , the warrant states , he is kissing one of the 12-year-olds . In another , he is shown with a 15-year-old wife at the birth of their child in October 2004 . Authorities had said the DNA samples would determine whether he is the father of the children born to underage mothers . FLDS spokesman Rod Parker , who is vacationing in Colorado this week , had no immediate comment on the indictment Tuesday . `` As far as an indictment of Warren Jeffs , I 'd want to know a little more before I start talking about it , '' he said . On Thursday , the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to hold a hearing on polygamy and the need for a `` coordinated state and federal response , '' according to an agenda . Carolyn Jessop , a former FLDS member who recently wrote a book about leaving her marriage and the sect , is scheduled to testify , along with federal prosecutors , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nevada , and the attorneys general of Texas and Arizona .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rafael Nadal 's shock French Open exit at the hands of a player ranked outside the top 20 is already attracting suggestions that it may be the biggest upset in tennis history . Rafael Nadal faces media after his shock loss to Sweden 's Robin Soderling at the French Open on Sunday Nadal , the world number one had never lost a game at Roland Garros , winning the previous four titles in a row . However , Sweden 's Robin Soderling proved too good for the `` King of Clay , '' beating him 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6 . The official French Open Web site called it `` one of the greatest upsets in Grand Slam history , '' while other news outlets have rushed to praise the Swede for the `` game of his life . '' The result leaves the men 's draw at the French Open tournament wide open -- with Roger Federer and Andy Murray now the highest-ranked players remaining . Undoubtedly a massive upset , Nadal 's loss also raises the question of what have been the biggest men 's Grand Slam upsets in tennis history . Is this is the biggest ? Below , in no particular order , are ten of the most shocking.What do you think the biggest upset in recent tennis history is ? Tell us in the Sound Off box below . 1 . Robin Soderling beats Rafael Nadal , French Open 2009 Spain 's clay master was unbeaten at Roland Garros and looking for his fifth title in a row when he was shocked by the 23rd seed Swedish player . Soderling was too good for Nadal , and deserved the win . 2 . Michael Chang beats Lendl and Edberg , French Open 1989 American Michael Chang etched his name in history by winning the 1989 French Open aged just 17 years and three months . He beat legends Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg -LRB- in an epic five set final -RRB- to win the event and he is still the youngest winner of a Grand Slam . 3 . George Bastl beats Pete Sampras , Wimbledon 2002 Swiss player Bastl was ranked 145 in the world when he took on the seven-time champion of Wimbledon , Pete Sampras . Bastl , who only got into the tournament as a lucky loser after failing to qualify , beat the American in five sets . 4 . Mark Edmondson wins the 1976 Australian Open The Australian only ever won one Grand Slam event , and he beat defending champion John Newcombe in the final to do it . The most remarkable point however , was that he was ranked 212th in the world when he did it . He remains the lowest-ranked player to win a Grand Slam title . 5 . Goran Ivanisevic wins 2001 Wimbledon Left-handed Ivanisevic had lost the Wimbledon final three times before he finally won it in 2001 . The eventual victory was a near-miracle , as he had only entered the tournament as a wild card . Ranked outside the top 100 at the time , he became the lowest-ranked player and only wild card to win Wimbledon . 6 . Mats Wilander wins the 1982 French Open The young Swede shocked the tennis world when at 17 years of age he beat the second , third , fourth and fifth seeds at Roland Garros to win the tournament . He was unseeded for the event . 7 . Richard Krajicek beats Pete Sampras , Wimbledon 1996 Krajicek surprised everyone when he became the first Dutchman to win Wimbledon in 1996 , but the biggest upset had come when he defeated Pete Sampras in the quarter-final . His win was Sampras ' only loss at the grass tournament between 1993 and 2001 . 8 . Gustavo Kuerten wins the 1997 French Open It 's no surprise that `` Guga '' was a Roland Garros favorite . When he won the 1997 tournament he was ranked 66th in the world and he beat three former champions along the way . He remains the third-lowest ranked Grand Slam champion . 9 . Lleyton Hewitt beats Andre Agassi while ranked # 550 The Australian went on to win his first ATP tour title after beating Agassi in the semi-final of the Adelaide International . The win over former world number one Agassi was remarkable given that he was ranked at 550th and only 16 years old . 10 . Vladimir Voltchkov makes 2000 Wimbledon semi-final The Belarussian was ranked 237 when he managed to make it through to the semi-finals of Wimbledon -- becoming the lowest-ranked player to ever make the last four at the London tournament .","question":""}
{"answer":"BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. military announced Wednesday that coalition forces recently killed al Qaeda in Iraq 's `` charismatic '' senior leader in northern Iraq . Abu Qaswarah was second only to Abu Ayyub al-Masri -LRB- pictured -RRB- in al Qaeda in Iraq leadership . Abu Qaswarah , also known as Abu Sara , was killed during an operation in Mosul on October 5 , the military said . The Moroccan native was second-in-command to al Qaeda in Iraq -LRB- AQI -RRB- leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri , according to the military . He had `` historic ties '' to al-Masri 's predecessor , Abu Musab al-Zarqawi , and senior al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan , the military said . Abu Qaswarah -- who became AQI 's senior leader in northern Iraq in June 2007 -- was the target of the military raid in Mosul earlier this month , the military said . Coalition forces tracked him down inside a building in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul , which `` served as a key command and control location for AQI , '' according to the military . `` Upon entering the building , forces were immediately fired upon , '' the military said . `` Coalition forces returned fire in self-defense , leading to the death of five terrorists . It was later determined that one of the five was positively identified as Abu Qaswarah . '' The U.S. military described Abu Qaswarah as a `` charismatic '' leader who rallied al Qaeda in Iraq 's northern network after `` major setbacks to the terrorist organization across Iraq . '' Groups comprised mainly of former Sunni insurgents -- known as Awakening Councils or `` Sons of Iraq '' -- have turned against al Qaeda in Iraq , helping to diminish its presence in several parts of the country . The U.S. military credits them with playing a key role in bringing about the nationwide drop in violence that coincided with the `` surge '' of U.S. forces . Abu Qaswarah -- who trained with al Qaeda in Afghanistan -- helped bring foreign terrorists into northern Iraq , where they carried out a spate of suicide attacks , according to the military . He also organized and led AQI 's attacks in Mosul , including the `` failed attempt to destroy the Mosul Civic Center during the holy month of Ramadan , '' which took place in September , the military said . That attack , the military said , `` could have killed hundreds of innocent Iraqis . '' The military said Abu Qaswarah 's death `` will significantly degrade AQI operations in Mosul and northern Iraq , leaving the network without a leader to oversee and coordinate its operations in the region . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"KARBALA , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A female suicide bomber apparently targeting Shiite worshippers killed at least 40 people and wounded at least 65 in Karbala on Monday , according to an Interior Ministry official . Iraqi security forces gather around the site of a car bomb explosion in Baghdad on Monday . The incident occurred one-half mile from the Imam Hussein shrine of Karbala . Karbala is a Shiite holy city , and the Imam Hussein shrine is one of Shiite Islam 's holiest locations . The shrine marks the burial spot of Hussein bin Ali , the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed , who was killed in battle nearby in 680 . No more information was immediately available about the blast southwest of the capital city , Baghdad . Earlier Monday , in Baghdad , a roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol , killing one officer and wounding another , the Interior Ministry told CNN . A short time later , another roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol on Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad , wounding four bystanders , a ministry official said . The first attack took place about 8:30 a.m. in the upscale Mansour neighborhood , where law enforcement officials have come under frequent attacks in recent weeks . Also Monday , two American soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad , officials said . The incident occurred about 12:20 p.m. as the soldiers were `` conducting a route-clearance combat operation north of Baghdad , '' according to a news release . The names of the soldiers were not immediately released . Meanwhile , U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the Iraqi capital Monday on an unannounced visit . Cheney told reporters that the five years in Iraq since the war 's start has been `` well worth the effort . '' He said he met with top Iraqi officials . He appeared at a news conference with Gen. David Petraeus , the top U.S. commander in Iraq , and Ryan Crocker , the U.S. ambassador to the country . Cheney began a trip to the Middle East on Sunday with an official itinerary that listed stops in Oman , Saudi Arabia , Turkey , Israel and the West Bank , according to the White House . E-mail to a friend CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A grand jury has indicted polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs on a second sexual assault charge in connection with a probe of his Texas compound , prosecutors said Wednesday . The charge against Warren Jeffs stems from a probe into his sect 's Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado , Texas . The Schleicher County , Texas , grand jury charged Jeffs , who already could be sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of a different charge in Utah , with a first-degree felony count of aggravated sexual assault . The indictment is Jeffs ' second in Schleicher County . In July , he was charged with sexually assaulting a child under 17 . Grand jurors have also indicted three more members of Jeffs ' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , prosecutors said Wednesday . One member faces a count of conducting the unlawful marriage of a minor , another faces three counts of bigamy and a third faces three counts of bigamy and one count of tampering with evidence . The Texas charges stem from a state and federal investigation into the sect 's Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado , about 190 miles northwest of San Antonio . In April , child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the compound , citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse . After a court battle , the Texas Supreme Court ordered the children returned in June , saying the state had no right to remove them and there was no evidence to show the children faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . To date , 12 people associated with the compound have been indicted as part of the investigation , Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said . Jeffs , 52 , is the leader and `` prophet '' of the estimated 10,000-member FLDS , an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church . The FLDS openly practices polygamy at the YFZ Ranch , as well as in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line -- Hildale , Utah , and Colorado City , Arizona . In Utah , Jeffs was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . He is awaiting trial in Arizona , where he faces similar charges . He faces a sentence of up to life in prison for the Utah conviction , and he also could face another life term if convicted of the Texas charges . His attorney in Arizona , Michael Piccarreta , has questioned the motives of Texas authorities , telling CNN in a July interview that the state 's investigation into Jeffs and his followers is an effort `` to cover themselves up on the botched attack on the ranch in Texas . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Natasha Richardson , a film star , Tony-winning stage actress and member of the famed Redgrave acting family , died Wednesday after suffering injuries in a ski accident , according to a family statement . She was 45 . Natasha Richardson fell on a beginners ' slope in Canada . Richardson , wife of actor Liam Neeson , was injured Monday in a fall on a ski slope at a Quebec resort about 80 miles northwest of Montreal . Richardson 's family released a statement saying , `` Liam Neeson , his sons , and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha . They are profoundly grateful for the support , love and prayers of everyone , and ask for privacy during this very difficult time . '' According to a statement from Mont Tremblant Ski Resort , Richardson fell during a lesson on a beginners ' trail . Watch a report on Richardson 's life '' `` She did not show any visible sign of injury , but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor , '' the statement said . Richardson , accompanied by her instructor , returned to her hotel , but about an hour after the fall was `` not feeling good , '' the statement said . An ambulance was called , and Richardson was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal . From there she was transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City . Friends and colleagues were saddened by her death . `` Natasha was brilliant , beautiful , funny , talented beyond measure , as emotionally raw as she was razor sharp , '' said Jodie Foster , who worked with Richardson in `` Nell , '' in a statement . `` Tasha loved fiercely and that love continues in all of us who knew her . May Liam , her beautiful boys and her loving family hold her close as they move through this tragic moment . '' `` Natasha combined the best of -LSB- her parents , Vanessa -RSB- Redgrave and -LSB- Tony -RSB- Richardson : the enormous depth and emotional force of a great actor on the one hand , and the intelligence and objectivity of a great director on the other . She was a one-of-a-kind , a magnificent actress , '' said director Sam Mendes in a statement . Mendes directed Richardson in her Tony-winning `` Cabaret '' performance . Richardson was practically born to perform . Her grandfather , Sir Michael Redgrave , was a famed British actor . Her mother , Vanessa Redgrave , is an Oscar-winning actress , and her father , the late director Tony Richardson , helmed such films as `` Look Back in Anger , '' `` The Entertainer '' and the Oscar-winning `` Tom Jones . '' Natasha Richardson 's uncle Corin Redgrave , aunt Lynn Redgrave , and sister Joely Richardson are also noted performers . But being part of a family of actors was n't always easy for Richardson . Her parents divorced when she was 4 and her mother , involved in controversial political causes , gave away a lot of money , putting the family in financial straits , according to the BBC . Then there was the family heritage , of which Richardson once said , `` Though my name opened doors it did n't get me work , and a lot of pressure comes from having a mother who is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation , '' the BBC reported . In 2007 , Richardson worked with her mother in the film `` Evening . '' Richardson said she made one point to director Lajos Koltai about the relatives working together . `` This is a unique opportunity , '' she said she told him . `` This is the one time my mother and I are going to play mother and daughter on screen , so you 've got to take advantage of it . '' Watch Richardson talk about working with her mom '' Richardson 's first film role was a bit part in her father 's `` The Charge of the Light Brigade '' -LRB- 1968 -RRB- , made when she was 4 . After a handful of roles through her teens and early 20s , she broke through as Mary Shelley in Ken Russell 's film `` Gothic , '' and followed that up as Patty Hearst in Paul Schrader 's 1988 film of the same name . iReport.com : Share memories of Richardson Richardson 's other notable films included `` The Handmaid 's Tale '' -LRB- 1990 -RRB- ; the TV movie `` Zelda '' -LRB- 1993 -RRB- ; `` Nell '' -LRB- 1994 -RRB- , alongside Neeson , whom she married in 1994 ; the 1998 remake of `` The Parent Trap '' ; and `` Wild Child '' -LRB- 2008 -RRB- . Watch Larry King and his panel talk about Richardson 's career and death '' But some of Richardson 's greatest successes were on the stage . At 22 , she played opposite her mother and Jonathan Pryce in a London production of Anton Chekhov 's `` The Seagull '' ; the performance earned her the London Drama Critics ' most promising newcomer award . She won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 revival of `` Cabaret '' and earned raves for her Blanche DuBois in a 2005 production of `` A Streetcar Named Desire . '' She was scheduled to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim 's `` A Little Night Music '' this year , following a January benefit performance of the show . She and Neeson have two children , Michael and Daniel . Richardson was married to Robert Fox from 1990 to 1994 .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barack Obama told supporters that `` change has come to America '' as he claimed victory in a historic presidential election . Sen. Barack Obama addresses a crowd of 125,000 people in Chicago , Illinois . `` The road ahead will be long . Our climb will be steep . We may not get there in one year or even one term , but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there . I promise you -- we as a people will get there , '' Obama said in Chicago , Illinois , before an estimated crowd of up to 240,000 people . With Obama 's projected win , he will become the first African-American to win the White House . Obama had an overwhelming victory over Sen. John McCain , who pledged Tuesday night to help Obama lead . Watch Obama pay tribute to McCain \u00c2 '' `` Today , I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much , and tonight , I remain her servant , '' McCain said . McCain called Obama to congratulate him , and Obama told the Arizona senator he was eager to sit down and talk about how the two of them can work together . President Bush also called Obama to offer his congratulations . Bush told Obama he was about to begin one of the great journeys of his life , and invited him to visit the White House as soon as it could be arranged , according to White House spokeswoman Dana Perino . Obama will be working with a heavily Democratic Congress . Democrats picked up Senate seats in New Hampshire , New Jersey , North Carolina and Virginia , among others . Read about the Senate races `` While the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight , we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress , '' Obama said . Watch more on the balance of power \u00c2 '' Flanked by American flags , Obama told the roaring crowd , `` This is your victory . '' `` To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn -- I may not have won your vote , but I hear your voices , I need your help , and I will be your president too , '' he said . Watch Obama tell voters ` all things are possible ' \u00c2 '' Supporters in Chicago cheering , `` Yes , we can '' were met with cries of `` Yes , we did . '' More than 1,000 people gathered outside of the White House , chanting `` Obama , Obama ! '' Sen. Hillary Clinton , Obama 's former rival for the Democratic nomination , said in a statement that `` we are celebrating an historic victory for the American people . '' iReport.com : Share your Election Day reaction with CNN `` This was a long and hard fought campaign but the result was well worth the wait . Together , under the leadership of President Barack Obama , Vice President Joe Biden and a Democratic Congress , we will chart a better course to build a new economy and rebuild our leadership in the world . '' Sen. Ted Kennedy said Americans `` spoke loud and clear '' in electing Obama . `` They understood his vision of a fairer and more just America and embraced it . They heard his call for a new generation of Americans to participate in government and were inspired . They believed that change is possible and voted to be part of America 's future , '' the Massachusetts senator said in a statement . As results came in Tuesday night , Obama picked up early wins in Pennsylvania and Ohio -- states considered must-wins for McCain . Obama also won Virginia , a state that has not voted for a Democratic president since 1964 . Going into the election , national polls showed Obama with an 8-point lead . Voters expressed excitement and pride in their country after casting their ballots in the historic election . Poll workers reported high turnout across many parts of the country , and some voters waited hours to cast their ballots . Read about election problems Tuesday marks the end of the longest presidential campaign season in U.S. history -- 21 months . Obama , 47 , will now begin his transition to the White House . He will be sworn in at the 44th president on January 20 , 2009 .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- 'T is the season , for movies , that is ! This holiday season is introducing audiences to a whole new crop of flicks guaranteed to drive you to a theater , despite the $ 10 ticket . Check out the movies taking 2010 out with a bang . `` Burlesque '' Christina Aguilera stars as a small-town girl who goes to Los Angeles , California , to perform in a musical revue run by Cher , an Oscar-winning actress who has n't starred in a film in a decade . In real life , Cher has reportedly been helping Aguilera through her divorce . But things are looking up for Aguilera , who got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame right before the movie 's premiere on November 15 . `` Burlesque '' will be released November 24 and also stars Stanley Tucci , Kristen Bell and Julianne Hough . `` Love and Other Drugs '' In this flick , which also opens November 24 , a pharmaceutical salesman -LRB- Jake Gyllenhaal -RRB- begins a relationship with a woman who has Parkinson 's disease -LRB- Anne Hathaway -RRB- . The movie is loosely adapted from Jamie Reidy 's book `` Hard Sell : The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman '' and features Gabriel Macht , Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt . `` The King 's Speech '' The plot of this movie follows an Australian speech therapist who tries to help King George VI of Britain overcome a speech impediment . Colin Firth is already getting Oscar nods for his role as King George VI . The buzz-worthy film opens November 26 and features Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter . `` Black Swan '' After dominating the film-festival circuit , `` Black Swan '' is coming to theaters December 3 . The sexy film tells the tale of the relationship between a veteran ballet dancer and her rival . Natalie Portman is expected to earn a best actress nomination for her performance as a mentally unstable ballerina and co-star Mila Kunis is getting Oscar buzz as well . Kunis reportedly lost 20 pounds for the role , as both stars underwent vigorous ballet training . `` The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage of the Dawn Treader '' Due in theaters December 10 , Lucy -LRB- Georgie Henley -RRB- and Edmund Pevensie -LRB- Skandar Keynes -RRB- are drawn back into Narnia with their cousin Eustace -LRB- Will Poulter -RRB- to help Caspian -LRB- Ben Barnes -RRB- find seven lords while aboard the Dawn Treader ship . This is the third film based on C. S. Lewis ' books , and reportedly Barnes ' favorite of the seven tales . The first Narnia film , `` The Lion , the Witch and the Wardrobe '' is the 35th highest grossing movie worldwide of all time . `` The Company Men '' Opening December 10 , Tommy Lee Jones , Ben Affleck and Chris Cooper star as three men trying to survive during a year in which their company undergoes corporate downsizing . The film might hit a bit too close to home for some people in the recession , but critics are giving it solid reviews . `` The Fighter '' Mark Wahlberg 's passion project hit theaters December 10 . The film takes a look at the true-life story of boxing hero '' Irish '' Micky Ward and his brother -LRB- played by Christian Bale -RRB- who helped train him before going pro in the mid-1980s . The movie also stars Oscar nominees Melissa Leo and Amy Adams , along with Conan O'Brien 's younger sister , Kate , who plays one of Ward 's seven sisters . `` The Tourist '' Opening December 10 , Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp star in this highly anticipated film in which an Interpol agent draws a tourist into a web of intrigue . We expect ladies and gentlemen to flock to theaters in hopes of seeing two of the world 's most beautiful people lock lips , even if it 's only rated PG-13 . `` How Do You Know '' How do you know when you 're in love ? In luck ? In trouble ? If you 're in the mood for a lighthearted chick flick , check out Oscar winners Jack Nicholson and Reese Witherspoon in this romantic comedy , hitting theaters December 17 . In the film , Witherspoon is caught in a love triangle involving a baseball player -LRB- Owen Wilson -RRB- and an old friend -LRB- Paul Rudd . -RRB- Our favorite line from the trailer ? `` I think I 'm in love with somebody when I wear a condom with the other girls . '' `` All Good Things '' It 's , as the tagline says , `` The perfect love story . Until it became the perfect crime . '' `` All Good Things '' is a love story and murder mystery based on the most notorious unsolved missing person 's case in New York history . It was inspired by the story of superwealthy Robert Durst , who was suspected , but never tried , in the death of his wife , Kathie , who disappeared in 1982 and was never found . The film stars Ryan Gosling , Kirsten Dunst , Kristen Wiig and Frank Langella and will first be released in New York on December 3 . Click here for a complete list of holiday movies","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- William Safire , a onetime speechwriter for President Nixon who became a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times , has died at age 79 , the newspaper announced Sunday . William Safire died in Maryland following a battle with pancreatic cancer , The New York Times reported . Safire joined the Times as a columnist in 1973 . In addition to his conservative news columns , which he wrote until 2005 , he wrote a language column for the paper 's Sunday magazine from 1979 until shortly before his death . He won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1978 . In 2006 , President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom , the highest U.S. civilian honor . Safire had suffered from pancreatic cancer and died Sunday at a hospice in Rockville , Maryland , the newspaper reported . Born in New York in 1929 , Safire began his career as a reporter for newspapers , television and radio stations after dropping out of Syracuse University . After becoming a public relations executive in the late 1950s , he was credited with putting together the 1959 `` kitchen debate '' between then-Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at that year 's American National Exhibition in Moscow . Safire was the publicist for a builder at the time . `` What I was publicizing was the typical American house , '' he recounted during a conference at George Washington University in July . `` It was my kitchen . '' The next year , he went to work for Nixon 's first , unsuccessful presidential bid . He rejoined the Nixon team in 1968 , when the Republican eventually won the White House , and became one of the administration 's top speechwriters . Perhaps his best-known line in that job was Vice President Spiro Agnew 's denunciation of journalists as `` nattering nabobs of negativism . '' But Safire left the administration to join that nattering club in 1973 , when he left the Nixon administration to join the Times . His often-pugnacious voice -- he once denounced then-first lady Hillary Clinton as a `` congenital liar '' -- held down the right flank of the Times ' op-ed page for more than three decades . He won his Pulitzer in 1978 for columns on the travails surrounding Bert Lance , who as President Carter 's budget director in 1977 resigned amid allegations of bank fraud . Lance was acquitted by a federal jury in 1980 . And he was an outspoken advocate of the plight of Iraq 's Kurdish population . He sharply criticized U.S. support for Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein in the 1980s , when Hussein used poison gas to put down a Kurdish revolt , and he strongly supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 , writing that `` nobody came out of this war more nobly '' than the Kurds . Safire also wrote four novels , several collections of columns and a political dictionary that was first published in 1968 . A new edition came out in 2008 . He is survived by his wife , Helene , two children and one grandchild .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Health.com -RRB- -- Women run a lower risk of having babies with certain birth defects if they eat a diet rich in fruits , vegetables , and whole grains during their childbearing years , a new study suggests . Women who followed healthy Mediterranean-style diets in the year before pregnancy were up to one-half as likely as those who ate diets high in meat , fat , and sugar to have a baby with anencephaly , a neural-tube defect that blocks the development of the brain and tends to result in miscarriage . Compared with fat - and sugar-heavy diets , healthier diets -- which included plenty of folate , iron , and calcium -- were also associated with up to a one-third lower risk of cleft lip , a one-quarter lower risk of cleft palate , and a one-fifth lower risk of spina bifida , another neural-tube defect . `` Diet quality matters , and it was protective , '' says Suzan L. Carmichael , Ph.D. , the lead author of the study and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Stanford School of Medicine , in Palo Alto , California . Health.com : Feed the Belly : Recipes for a healthy pregnancy The defects covered in the study are very rare overall , occurring in less than 0.1 % of all births . They have become less common since the 1990s , when government health officials led a campaign to increase folic-acid intake among pregnant women through supplements and fortified grain products . Deficiencies in folic acid -- the synthetic form of folate , a B vitamin -- have been linked to both neural-tube defects and cleft lip and palate . Carmichael and her colleagues took into account whether the women in the study were taking folic acid , which suggests that a healthy diet provides protection against birth defects over and above that provided by folic acid . Women of childbearing age should , however , still take folic-acid supplements , says Gail Harrison , Ph.D. , a professor of community health services at the UCLA School of Public Health , in Los Angeles . `` Folic acid has made a difference , '' says Harrison , who was not involved in the study . `` In countries that have used fortification levels higher than the U.S. , it has made an even bigger impact . '' Health.com : How to soothe heartburn during pregnancy Most research on diet and birth defects has focused on single nutrients , such as vitamins A and B12 -LRB- in addition to folate -RRB- . Carmichael and her colleagues took a different approach by looking at overall diet quality -- a method that has become common in cancer and heart-disease research . The government-funded study , which appears this week in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine , compared the diets of 3,824 mothers whose children experienced birth defects with those of 6,807 mothers of healthy children . The researchers collected detailed questionnaires about the women 's diets in the year before they became pregnant , and used that data to score their diet quality on two indexes , one modeled on the U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and another based on the Mediterranean diet . Both indexes considered fruits , vegetables , whole grains , and `` good '' fats to be healthy , and saturated fats and sweets to be unhealthy . Health.com : Good fats , bad fats : how to choose Across the board , women with the healthiest diets were far less likely to have had children with birth defects than the women with the poorest-quality diets . High scores on both indexes were associated with a reduced risk of defects , although the association was stronger for the USDA score . Seventy-eight percent of the women took supplements containing folic acid during early pregnancy , but higher-quality diets were protective regardless of whether the women took folic acid . The study authors and other experts strongly recommend that pregnant women continue taking folic-acid supplements . But the study does raise the general question of whether `` eating the right foods '' can provide health benefits that supplements do not , says David R. Jacobs Jr. , Ph.D. , a professor of public health at the University of Minnesota , in Minneapolis . Health.com : Diabetes ? 7 tips for a healthy pregnancy `` We have evolved to eat food . We have not evolved to eat supplements , '' says Jacobs , who cowrote an editorial accompanying the study . `` If you would like to be healthy , the better way to do that is by getting what you need from food rather than isolated compounds . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- The 2012 box office got off to a fine start this weekend , as Paramount 's `` found footage '' -LRB- riiiight ... -RRB- horror movie `` The Devil Inside , '' which the studio acquired for just under $ 1 million , earned a tremendous $ 34.5 million in its first three days , becoming the first breakout box office star since `` The Lion King 3D . '' In fact , the strong debut marks the third-best January opening of all time behind `` Cloverfield '' -LRB- $ 40.1 million -RRB- and a re-release of `` Star Wars '' -LRB- $ 35.9 million -RRB- . Is this a sign of things to come in 2012 ? Perhaps . But it 's more likely a sign of the recent popularity of possession movies . Demonic tales have made a mini-comeback in the last few years -- starting with the success of 2005 \u2032 s `` The Exorcism of Emily Rose , '' which earned $ 75.1 million domestically . Since then , similar titles like 2009 \u2032 s `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' -LRB- $ 55.4 million -RRB- , 2010 \u2032 s `` The Last Exorcism '' -LRB- $ 41 million -RRB- , and 2011 \u2032 s `` Insidious '' -LRB- $ 54 million -RRB- have all proven lucrative thanks to their tiny budgets . `` Insidious , '' for example , cost just $ 1.5 million to make . Of course , the `` Paranormal Activity '' movies -LRB- the fourth of which was just announced this week -RRB- are the biggest success stories of this whole trend . A total of $ 8 million has been spent making the three `` found footage '' movies , yet they have earned $ 296.7 million domestically . Paramount marketed `` The Devil Inside '' in much the same way the studio markets the `` Paranormal '' films . Commercials included ample shots of audiences screaming at the screen , and viewers were encouraged to use social media to chat up the film with the `` Tweet Your Scream '' campaign . Indeed , all the promotional costs -- certainly a much higher number than the budget -- helped `` The Devil Inside '' achieve a stellar debut , but where does it go from here ? Well , it falls . Fast . Due to their overwhelmingly young audiences , who love to rush out to the theater on opening weekend , horror movies almost always open big and fall precipitously at the box office , but `` The Devil Inside , '' with its utterly terrible `` F '' CinemaScore grade -LRB- some issue has been raised as to whether the grade is actually an `` F '' or closer to the `` C '' range -RRB- , will likely plummet even more quickly . Not that it really matters , though -- the horror pic is already in the black , and it may finish with as much as $ 70 million . In second place , `` Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol , '' another Paramount film , continued its comeback performance with $ 20.5 million in its fourth weekend . The action blockbuster , which became the biggest hit of the holidays , has now earned $ 170.2 million , and it should finish well above $ 200 million . `` Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows '' held onto third place with a $ 14.1 million weekend . The sequel , which initially appeared a major disappointment when compared to the original `` Sherlock Holmes , '' has redeemed itself handily in the last few weeks . After two weekends , `` Shadows '' was trailing `` Sherlock Holmes '' by $ 59.7 million , but over the past two weeks , the sequel has narrowed that gap to $ 22.7 million , and it now has a running total of $ 157.4 million -- still disappointing , but not nearly the disaster it first appeared . `` The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo '' finished the frame in fourth place with $ 11.3 million , dipping only 24 percent , the smallest drop in the Top 10 . Could the edgy adaptation finally be finding its adult audience now that the warm n ' fuzzy holiday season is over ? After 19 days , `` Dragon Tattoo '' has grossed $ 76.8 million , and if it maintains strong holds like this , it should pass $ 100 million . `` Alvin and the Chipmunks : Chipwrecked '' rounds out the Top 5 . The kiddie threequel , which has majorly underperformed compared to expectations , dropped 42 percent to $ 9.5 million . It has now grossed $ 111.6 million total . The next three spots were filled by holiday releases that never totally found their footing . Two of them , `` War Horse '' and `` We Bought A Zoo , '' are performing respectably , though . The films earned $ 8.6 and $ 8.5 million , respectively , this weekend , and they have nearly identical totals of $ 56.8 million and $ 56.6 million . Still , there seems to be a common understanding in the blogosphere that `` War Horse '' -LRB- which cost $ 66 million -RRB- is performing admirably , while `` We Bought A Zoo '' -LRB- which cost $ 50 million -RRB- kind of fizzled , to which I say : Huh ?! In eighth place is a movie which has actually fizzled -- at least domestically . `` The Adventures of Tintin , '' Steven Spielberg 's expensive motion-capture animation , dropped 42 percent this weekend to $ 6.6 million and $ 61.9 million total . In ninth place , Focus Features ' `` Tinker , Tailor , Soldier , Spy , '' which expanded into 809 theaters this weekend , performed admirably in its wider release . The well-reviewed spy drama maintained a robust $ 7,129 per theater average , giving the film a $ 5.8 million weekend and an early $ 10.4 million total after five weekends . `` New Year 's Eve '' held onto a spot in the Top 10 for one final weekend . The ensemble romantic comedy fell 48 percent to $ 3.3 million . The film has earned $ 52 million -LRB- less than half the gross of Valentine 's Day -RRB- , and it likely wo n't make it much further . 1 . The Devil Inside - $ 34.5 million 2 . Mission : Impossible -- Ghost Protocol - $ 20.5 million 3 . Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows - $ 14 million 4 . The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - $ 11.3 million 5 . Alvin and the Chipmunks : Chipwrecked -- $ 9.5 million 6 . War Horse - $ 8.6 million 7 . We Bought A Zoo -- $ 8.5 million 8 . The Adventures of Tintin -- $ 6.6 million 9 . Tinker , Tailor , Soldier , Spy -- $ 5.8 million 10 . New Year 's Eve -- $ 3.3 million See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly \u00a9 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Record the CNN Special Investigations Unit Classroom Edition : Notes from North Korea when it airs commercial-free on CNN . -LRB- A short feature begins at 4:00 a.m. and precedes the program . -RRB- Program Overview CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour travels to North Korea as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra makes a historic visit to one of the world 's most closed societies . She examines the tense standoff with the U.S. over nuclear weapons and provides a rare look inside a notorious , top-secret nuclear facility . Grade Levels : 9 -- 12 , College Subject Areas : U.S. History , World History , Current Events , Political Science , Government Objectives The CNN Special Investigations Unit Classroom Edition : Notes from North Korea and its corresponding discussion questions and suggested activities challenge students to : Curriculum Connections Social Studies Standard VI . Power , Authority , and Governance : Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power , authority , and governance . The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/www.socialstudies.org\/standards\/strands\/ -RRB- are published by the National Council for Social Studies -LRB- http:\/\/ncss.org\/ -RRB- . United States History Standard 27 . Understands how the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics Level IV -LSB- Grade 9-12 -RSB- Benchmark 1 . Understands U.S. foreign policy from the Truman administration to the Johnson administration Standard 30 . Understands developments in foreign policy and domestic politics between the Nixon and Clinton presidencies Level IV -LSB- Grade 9-12 -RSB- Benchmark 5 . Understands the influence of U.S. foreign policy on international events from Nixon to Clinton Content Knowledge : A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education -LRB- Copyright 2000 McREL -RRB- is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning -LRB- McREL -RRB- -LRB- http:\/\/www.mcrel.org\/standards-benchmarks -RRB- , 2550 S. Parker Road , Suite 500 , Aurora , CO 80014 ; Telephone : 303\/337 -0990 . World History Standard 44 . Understands the search for community , stability , and peace in an interdependent world Level IV -LSB- Grade 9-12 -RSB- Benchmark 11 . Understands common arguments of opposition groups in various countries around the world , common solutions they offer , and the position of these ideas with regard to Western economic and strategic interests Content Knowledge : A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education -LRB- Copyright 2000 McREL -RRB- is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning -LRB- McREL -RRB- -LRB- http:\/\/www.mcrel.org\/standards-benchmarks -RRB- , 2550 S. Parker Road , Suite 500 , Aurora , CO 80014 ; Telephone : 303\/337 -0990 . Civics III . How Does The Government Established By The Constitution Embody The Purposes , Values , And Principles Of American Democracy ? 4 . Major responsibilities of the national government in domestic and foreign policy IV . What Is The Relationship Of The United States To Other Nations And To World Affairs ? 1 . Nation-states 2 . Interactions among nation-states 4 . The historical context of United States foreign policy 5 . Making and implementing United States foreign policy 6 . The ends and means of United States foreign policy 7 . Impact of the American concept of democracy and individual rights on the world The National Standards for Civics and Government -LRB- http:\/\/www.civiced.org\/index.php?page=stds -RRB- are published by the Center for Civic Education -LRB- http:\/\/www.civiced.org\/ -RRB- . Discussion Questions 1 . Who is the leader of North Korea ? According to the report , how do North Koreans regard this leader ? What aspects of his personality are revealed in the program ? 2 . According to the program , North Korea is a `` closed society . '' What does this mean ? 3 . How does the report describe the history of U.S.-North Korea relations ? According to the report : What tensions currently exist between these two nations ? What humanitarian and political concerns exist in North Korea ? 4 . Why do you think that North Korea invited the New York Philharmonic to play , and decided to open the Yongbyon nuclear facility to the media at this point in time ? Why are these events historically and politically significant ? 5 . Who is Madeline Albright ? When and where did she meet with Kim Jong-Il ? How does she describe her visit with Kim Jong-Il ? Why does Albright say that she is not surprised that Kim Jong-Il chose the New York Philharmonic for this `` cultural overture '' ? 6 . According to the report , why is the division of Korea an emotional issue for many Koreans ? Who are Kim Cho Wun and Ji Hae Nam ? To what countries did they defect , and why did they flee North Korea ? What risks and sacrifices do you think that they assumed when they chose to defect ? 7 . According to the report : Why did New York Philharmonic President Zarin Mehta accept North Korea 's invitation to play ? Why was this performance controversial ? What logistical hurdles did Mehta have to overcome to execute the trip ? 8 . What were some of the pieces of music that the New York Philharmonic played during its concert ? Which of these pieces , if any , do you think were politically significant ? Explain . If you were choosing the music for this performance , what pieces would you have selected , and why ? 9 . Following the concert , North Korea 's nuclear negotiator , Minister Kim Gye Gwan , was quoted as saying that the concert was `` a political breakthrough ; an act of courage by both nations . '' What do you think that he means ? Do you agree with the minister ? Why or why not ? 10 . What is `` cultural diplomacy '' ? How do you think that cultural diplomacy differs from other forms of diplomacy ? Give examples . According to U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill and former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry , why is `` people-to-people diplomacy '' important to the future of U.S.-North Korea relations ? 11 . According to Amanpour , to what extent did the New York Philharmonic 's concert impact U.S-North Korea relations ? In your view , what actions , if any , might these two nations take to build upon the goodwill that was generated by the concert ? 12 . What did CNN 's Christiane Amanpour observe during her visit to the Yongbyon nuclear facility ? What impact , if any , do you think that this visit will have on U.S.-North Korea relations ? 13 . In your opinion , should the U.S. fulfill its commitment to remove North Korea from its list of states that sponsor terrorism ? State your rationale . 14 . Prior to viewing this program , what preconceived notions , if any , did you have about North Korea ? To what extent did Amanpour 's report challenge or reinforce these perceptions ? Explain . Suggested Activity Point out to students that towards the end of World War II , Korea was divided by the Soviet Union and the United States at the 38th parallel , and that by 1948 , North and South Korea had become independent nations . Generate a class discussion about students ' knowledge of North Korea . Next , refer students to online resources to learn more about North Korea . Use the following questions to guide their research : After students present their findings , ask : Do you think that peace talks between North and South Korea could benefit the two nations , as well as the international community ? Explain . Given the cultural diplomacy represented by the New York Philharmonic 's trip to Pyongyang , what do you think should be the next step in relations between the U.S. and North Korea ? Challenge each student to write a brief for a North Korean , South Korean or an American diplomat that outlines a strategy for addressing the existing tensions among these parties . Have students present their documents to the class . Keywords North Korea , Pyongyang , Kim Jong Il , secret state , New York Philharmonic Orchestra , Yongbyon nuclear facility , defect , diplomacy , negotiations , United Nations","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite the bruising battle over their proposals to overhaul health care , congressional Democrats have maintained an advantage over their Republican counterparts on one key measure , according to a new national poll . A CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday indicates that a bare majority of Americans , 51 percent , believe that the Democrats ' policies are good for the country , with 46 percent saying that those policies would take the U.S. in the wrong direction . Fifty-three percent of people questioned in the poll said the GOP 's polices would move the nation in the wrong direction , with 42 percent saying Republican policies are good for the country . `` The numbers for both parties are virtually unchanged since late August , just before President Barack Obama 's health care speech to Congress opened the latest round of debate on this divisive issue , '' said Keating Holland , CNN 's polling director . Democrats will be defending their large majorities in Congress next year when all 435 House seats and more than a third of the Senate seats are up for grabs . `` This advantage on policy could be an important edge for the Democrats heading into the 2010 midterm elections , '' Holland added . `` But independents will be the key to the midterms , and the numbers among independents spell bad news for both parties among that important group . '' In an August survey , independent voters ' views of GOP policies were evenly divided . But a majority of independents now say Republicans would move the country in the wrong direction . Nonetheless , the number of independents who dislike Democratic policies , now at 57 percent , is higher than the 52 percent who hold a negative view of Republican policies . The survey suggests that Sen. Joe Lieberman is taking a hit in popularity due to his opposition to a major element in the health care bill . The Connecticut independent , who caucuses with the Democrats to give the party a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate , threatened to undermine the bill unless compromises were made . Lieberman opposed the creation of a government-run public insurance option and the expansion of Medicare to individuals as young as 55 . Both of those proposals were dropped from the bill this month , enraging many liberals . According to the poll , Lieberman 's favorable rating has dropped 9 percentage points , from 40 percent to 31 percent , from early December . His unfavorable rating has risen 6 percentage points , from 28 percent to 34 percent . `` Lieberman 's biggest decline -- a 14-point drop -- came among independents , '' Holland said . `` Only Republicans continue to like Lieberman . '' The survey also indicates that just one in five Americans trust the federal government always or most of the time , down 4 percentage points from a year ago . The CNN\/Opinion Research poll was conducted December 16 through Sunday , with 1,160 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After about 30 hours of deliberation , a jury on Monday convicted music producer Phil Spector of second-degree murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson more than six years ago . Phil Spector will not remain free on bail pending his May 29 sentencing . Wearing a black suit with a red tie and pocket square , Spector showed no reaction as the verdict was announced . Now 69 , he faces a sentence of 18 years to life in prison when he is sentenced May 29 . Asked if he agreed to the sentencing date , Spector quietly answered , `` Yes . '' Prosecutor Alan Jackson said he believed the jury reached the correct verdict , and he acknowledged the strength and backing of Clarkson 's family . But defense attorney Doron Weinberg said Spector 's defense team disagreed and planned to appeal . `` We do n't believe justice was done , '' Weinberg said . Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler declined to allow Spector to remain free on bail pending sentencing , citing Spector 's years-long `` pattern of violence '' involving firearms . Watch the lawyers give their views of the verdict '' `` This was not an isolated incident , '' Fidler said , noting Spector 's two previous firearm-related convictions from the 1970s . `` The taking of an innocent human life , it does n't get any more serious than that . '' Spector 's wife , Rachelle , was in the courtroom to hear the verdict Monday , as was Clarkson 's mother , Donna . Clarkson , 40 , was found dead , slumped in a chair in the foyer of Spector 's Alhambra , California , mansion with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth in February 2003 . A mistrial was declared in Spector 's first trial in September 2007 . After deliberating 15 days , jurors told Fidler that they were unable to reach a verdict . Spector was also charged with second-degree murder in that trial . Jurors deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction . In closing arguments at the retrial , prosecutor Truc Do called Spector `` a very dangerous man '' who `` has a history of playing Russian roulette with women -- six women . Lana just happened to be the sixth . '' Weinberg argued that the prosecution 's case hinged on circumstantial evidence . He said the possibility that Clarkson committed suicide could not be ruled out . Do pointed out , however , to jurors that Clarkson bought new shoes on the day of her death -- something a suicidal woman would not have done , the prosecutor said . A female juror who declined to be identified told reporters the jurors considered all the evidence and testimony to reach their verdict . `` This entire jury took this so seriously , '' she said with tears in her eyes , before adding that `` it 's tough to be in a jury , '' because another person 's life is in the jury 's hands . Clarkson starred in the 1985 B-movie `` Barbarian Queen '' and appeared in many other films , including `` DeathStalker , '' `` Blind Date , '' `` Scarface , '' `` Fast Times at Ridgemont High '' and the spoof `` Amazon Women on the Moon . '' She was working as a VIP hostess at Hollywood 's House of Blues at the time of her death . In the 2007 trial , Spector 's attorneys argued that Clarkson was depressed over a recent breakup and grabbed a .38 - caliber pistol to kill herself while at Spector 's home . But prosecution witnesses painted Spector as a gun-toting menace . Five women took the stand and claimed he had threatened them with firearms . His driver testified that he heard a loud noise and saw the producer leave the home , pistol in hand , saying , `` I think I killed somebody . '' Spector 's retrial began in October . Fidler ruled that jurors could consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter against Spector . Spector 's professional trademark was the `` Wall of Sound , '' the layering of instrumental tracks and percussion that underpinned a string of hits on his Philles label -- named for Spector and his business partner , Lester Sill -- in the early 1960s . iReport.com : What do you think of this verdict ? The roaring arrangements were the heart of what he called `` little symphonies for the kids '' -- among them No. 1 hits like the Ronettes ' `` Be My Baby '' and the Righteous Brothers ' `` You 've Lost That Lovin ' Feelin ' . '' Spector co-produced the Beatles ' final album , `` Let It Be , '' and worked with ex-Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon on solo projects after the group broke up . His recording of Harrison 's 1971 benefit concert for war relief in Bangladesh won the 1972 Grammy award for album of the year . Spector has won two Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 , but he stayed out of the public eye for two decades before his 2003 arrest in Clarkson 's death .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- A remake , a prequel , and one woefully misguided bird-watching comedy could n't take down Hugh Jackman and the robots of `` Real Steel '' at the box office this weekend . `` Steel '' punched up an estimated $ 16.3 million this weekend , marking a healthy 40 percent drop from its $ 27.3 million debut . As evidenced by the film 's impressive 64 percent boost on Saturday , it appears that `` Real Steel '' is playing as an outright family affair , and that sort of appeal will help it achieve small drops in the coming weeks . Still , the $ 110 million Dreamworks film , which is being distributed by Disney 's Touchstone Pictures , has a very long way to go before it 's in the black . So far , `` Real Steel '' has earned $ 51.7 million in ten days . Paramount 's $ 24 million remake `` Footloose '' managed to open in second place with $ 16.1 million , a rather lackluster result . Instead of playing like a hyped-up event movie , `` Footloose '' played much more like a typical dance flick . It attracted fewer dance fans than movies like `` Save the Last Dance '' -LRB- 2001 , $ 23.4 million opening -RRB- and `` Step Up '' -LRB- 2006 , $ 20.7 million opening -RRB- , but it performed on the same level as `` Step Up 3D '' -LRB- 2010 , $ 15.8 million opening -RRB- and `` You Got Served '' -LRB- 2004 , $ 16.1 million -RRB- . The film played best with women , who made up 75 percent of the audience , and older moviegoers , who composed 61 percent of the opening weekend crowd . `` Footloose '' earned a solid `` A '' CinemaScore grade , and strong word-of-mouth could help it dance its way out of financial trouble , but it will not be able to match the $ 80 million total that the original `` Footloose '' achieved back in 1984 . In third , Universal 's horror prequel `` The Thing '' did n't scare up many ticket sales this weekend , opening with $ 8.7 million . The film , which totes a reported $ 35 million budget , performed below Universal 's expectations , becoming the latest 2011 horror film to not connect with audiences . Movies like `` Scream 4 '' -LRB- $ 38.2 million total -RRB- , `` The Rite '' -LRB- $ 33 million -RRB- , and `` Priest '' -LRB- $ 29.1 million -RRB- have all struggled at the box office this year . Even `` Thing '' star Mary Elizabeth Winstead 's former franchise film , `` Final Destination 5 , '' performed unremarkably , earning only $ 42.1 million . The best comparison for `` The Thing '' is probably `` Do n't Be Afraid of the Dark , '' which opened with a similar $ 8.5 million and finished with $ 23.2 million . Considering `` The Thing '' earned a weak `` B - '' CinemaScore grade and a sad $ 2,990 per theater average , that total is about the best it can hope for . George Clooney 's political thriller `` The Ides of March '' held very well in its sophomore weekend , dipping only 28 percent to $ 7.5 million in fourth place . That decline is far less severe than Clooney 's other recent political flicks , `` The American '' and `` The Men Who Stare At Goats , '' which dropped by 57 and 54 percent in their second weekends , respectively . Perhaps Clooney has made a political movie that 's a bit more palatable for general audiences -- or perhaps it 's just the Ryan Gosling effect . Either way , after ten days , `` Ides , '' which cost Sony $ 12.5 million to produce , has earned $ 22.2 million . If it keeps up the soft declines , it could become a serious Oscar contender . `` Dolphin Tale '' spent one last weekend in the Top 5 , sliding 31 percent to $ 6.3 million . After four weekend 's Warner Brothers ' surprise 3-D hit has accrued a nice $ 58.7 million total . Along with `` Moneyball '' -LRB- $ 57.7 million after four weeks -RRB- and `` The Lion King 3D '' -LRB- $ 90.5 million after five -RRB- , `` Dolphin Tale '' is one of the few box office bright spots since `` The Help . '' The weekend 's other new wide release , `` The Big Year , '' debuted way back in ninth place with $ 3.3 million out of 2,150 theaters . Fox spent $ 41 million on the Jack Black , Steve Martin , Owen Wilson bird-watching collaboration that was n't quite a comedy , was n't quite a drama , was n't quite a competition film , and apparently was n't at all enticing for audiences , who gave the picture a `` B - '' CinemaScore grade . Between the financial failure of `` The Big Year , '' and 2006\u00e2 $ \u00b2 s `` Hoot , '' which opened to $ 3.4 million out of 3,018 theaters , maybe Hollywood should think twice about the appeal of birds at the box office . They do n't always soar . In limited release , Pedro Almodovar 's deeply creepy `` The Skin I Live In '' got off to a strong start , with $ 231,000 in six theaters , good for a robust $ 38,500 per theater average . Internationally , tastes were n't quite as refined , as `` The Smurfs '' finally passed $ 400 million overseas . 1 . Real Steel -- $ 16.3 mil 2 . Footloose -- $ 16.1 mil 3 . The Thing -- $ 8.7 mil 4 . The Ides of March -- $ 7.5 mil 5 . Dolphin Tale -- $ 6.3 mil 6 . Moneyball -- $ 5.5 mil 7 . 50\/50 -- $ 4.3 mil 8 . Courageous -- $ 3.4 mi 9 . The Big Year -- $ 3.3 mil 10 . The Lion King 3D -- $ 2.7 mil See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly \u00a9 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved .","question":""}
{"answer":"United Nations -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Delegates from the United States and other nations walked out of the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a fiery speech that criticized Washington , capitalism and the world body itself . Though incendiary statements from Ahmadinejad are nothing new , tension in the hall grew as the Iranian leader recounted various conspiracy theories about the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on New York and Washington . `` Some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack , '' Ahmadinejad told the General Assembly . He followed with the claim that the attacks were aimed at reversing `` the declining American economy and its scripts on the Middle East in order to save the Zionist regime . The majority of the American people , as well as most nations and politicians around the world , agree with this view . '' That appeared to be the last straw for many of the diplomats . Representatives from the United States , Britain , Sweden , Australia , Belgium , Uruguay and Spain walked out while Ahmadinejad asserted that U.S. government was involved in the attacks or allowed them to happen as an excuse to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq . President Barack Obama already had delivered his address to the General Assembly and had left the grounds before Ahmadinejad spoke . White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president `` found the comments to be outrageous and offensive , given how close we are to ground zero , '' the New York site of the attacks . And Mark Kornblau , a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the U.N. , said in a statement , `` Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people , Mr. Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable . '' A European Union diplomat said that all 27 member nations had agreed to walk out if Ahmadinejad made inflammatory statements during his address . The exits did not deter the Iranian leader from his line of attack , however . Ahmadinejad went on to compare the death toll in the September 11 attacks to the casualty count in the wars in Afghanistan in Iraq . `` It was said that some 3,000 people were killed on September 11th , for which we are all very saddened , '' he said . `` Yet , up until now in Afghanistan and Iraq , hundreds of thousands of people have been killed , millions wounded and displaced , and the conflict is still going on and expanding . '' Ahmadinejad also continued the attack on capitalism that he began during a Monday address at the Millennium Global Development Summit . He linked the U.S.-led conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan with wars for colonial expansion in Africa , Latin America and Asia . The Iranian president also touched on the recent controversy over a Florida pastor 's plans to burn copies of the Quran , the Muslim holy book , by waving copies of a Bible and a Quran as he declared his respect and reverence for both . And he concluded his address with a defense of Iran 's nuclear ambitions , discussing a recently submitted statement to the U.N. 's nuclear watchdog , the International Atomic Energy Agency . CNN 's Richard Roth and Joe Vaccarello contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man police say was driving drunk when he ran a red light and struck a car , killing a Major League Baseball pitcher and two others has been charged with murder . Fans gather around a memorial for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart on Friday . Andrew Thomas Gallo , 22 , was charged with three counts of murder , driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crime , the Orange County district attorney 's office announced Friday . Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was among those killed in the crash in Fullerton , California , early Thursday morning . Adenhart was beginning his first full season in the majors and had pitched his fourth Major League game hours earlier . Gallo , whose blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit , according to police , faces up to life in prison if convicted on all charges . According to the DA 's office , Gallo was driving a minivan 65 mph in a 35 mph zone at about 12:35 a.m. Thursday . He was on probation and his license had been suspended after a previous drunk-driving charge . Watch Adenhart 's agent describe his friend '' Authorities say he ran a red light and hit the car Adenhart was in , killing the pitcher , 20-year-old California State University student Courtney Stewart and law student Henry Pearson , 25 . A fourth victim , 24-year-old John Wilhite , a former baseball player at California State , remained in critical condition Friday . A driver in a third car suffered minor injuries . Adenhart died at UC Irvine Medical Center , where he underwent surgery , according to spokesman John Murray . The Angels ' game Thursday night with the Oakland A 's was postponed at the direction of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig . `` Major League Baseball is in mourning today upon the news of this tragedy that has taken Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others , '' Selig said in a statement that accompanied the announcement . `` Nick was just 22 years of age , with a wonderful life and career ahead of him . '' After the wreck , Gallo fled the scene , according to the district attorney . He was captured about 30 minutes later . Adenhart pitched in a game against the Oakland A 's Wednesday night in Anaheim , California , making what was characterized as a `` brilliant effort '' despite the Angels ' 6-4 loss , according to Major League Baseball 's Web site , MLB.com . In his fourth major league start , Adenhart pitched a scoreless six innings , allowing seven hits , three walks and five strikeouts . `` The Angels family has suffered a tremendous loss today , '' Tony Reagins , the team 's general manager , said in a written statement . `` We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragic loss . Our thoughts and prayers go out to Nick 's family , friends , loved ones and fans . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"CABO SAN LUCAS , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hurricane Jimena weakened to a Category 3 storm Tuesday afternoon , but remained dangerous as it bore down on the Mexican peninsula of Baja California , with the resort town of Cabo San Lucas in its path . Jimena bears down Tuesday evening on Baja California , with the resort town of Cabo San Lucas in its path . Meanwhile , Tropical Storm Erika formed in the Atlantic on Tuesday , east of the northern Leeward Islands , the National Hurricane Center said . Jimena 's maximum wind speed dropped from 125 mph to 120 mph -LRB- 195 kph -RRB- , according to the U.S. National Weather Service 's 5 p.m. PT -LRB- 8 p.m. ET -RRB- update . `` A gradual weakening is forecast during the next 24 to 48 hours , '' the weather service said . `` However , Jimena could be near major hurricane strength when it makes landfall . '' The storm 's center is forecast to come ashore on Thursday morning , but the weather service warned that `` because it will be moving parallel to the coastline , any slight change in direction could have a huge impact in the location and timing of landfall . '' Mexico 's government extended a hurricane warning for most of the southern half of the Baja peninsula -- from Punta Abreojos on the peninsula 's west coast to Mulege on its east coast , according to the National Weather Service . See the storm 's projected path '' A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area in the next 24 hours and people should quickly prepare `` to protect life and property . '' `` A dangerous storm surge along with battering waves will produce significant coastal flooding along the Baja California Peninsula , '' NWS said . On its current track , Jimena 's center will approach the peninsula 's southern portion later on Tuesday and central Baja California peninsula by Thursday , the weather service said . In addition to damaging winds , the storm could bring as much as 15 inches of rain , forecasters said . Jimena -- the 10th named storm of the Pacific season -- was centered about 85 miles -LRB- 135 km -RRB- west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas , according to the weather service . It was traveling north-northwest near 12 mph -LRB- 19 kph -RRB- . On Tuesday , the skies in Cabo San Lucas were overcast and gusts of wind began to pick up . There were good waves for surfing , but popular beaches were devoid of tourists . Red flags warned people to stay out of the water , in case they needed any reminding . The day before , airlines offered extra flights to leave the area . Lionel Alvarez , who runs a resort hotel called `` Las Ventanas al Pariaso '' in the town of San Jose del Cabo , found a silver lining to the coming storm . `` The wind is refreshing a little bit because of the high temperatures we 've gone through in the past few days , '' he said . But Alvarez , like other locals , had work to do in preparation of Jimena . `` We protect the property by dismantling all that could be dangerous , fly or can be broken , '' he said . Authorities had asked about 10,000 people to evacuate the area , but many had decided to wait out the storm . Cuauhtemoc Morgan , a local resident of Los Cabos who sent videos to to CNN 's iReport , said residents had protected every home in his neighborhood , fortifying windows with masking tape . Lines at supermarkets were long with worried residents preparing for the storms , Morgan said . See iReport videos Authorities were setting up shelters in schools and trying to devise a plan to protect the homeless , he added . The Pacific is n't the only place seeing action . As of 8 p.m. ET Tuesday , tropical storm watches were issued for the Caribbean islands of St. Maarten , Antigua , Barbuda , St. Kitts , Nevis , Anguilla , St. Martin and St. Barthelemy by the governments of France , the Netherlands Antilles , and Antigua and Barbuda , according to the hurricane center . A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions , including winds of at least 39 mph , are possible within 36 hours . See Erika 's projected path '' Interests in the northern Leeward Islands , the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should monitor Erika 's progress , forecasters advised . Erika 's center was about 390 miles -LRB- 625 km -RRB- east of the northern Leeward Islands , the hurricane center said . Its maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph -LRB- 80 kph -RRB- , with higher gusts . While Erika meandered Tuesday afternoon , it was expected to start moving west-northwest at about 9 mph during the night . `` Some slow strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days , '' forecasters said . Tropical-storm force winds extended outward up to 105 miles -LRB- 170 km -RRB- from Erika 's center . The storm was moving west-northwest at near 9 mph -LRB- 15 kph -RRB- , and was expected to continue doing so for the next couple of days , the hurricane center said . Tracking maps put the storm east of the Bahamas by Sunday . On the forecast track , Erika should remain northeast of the Leeward Islands , forecasters said . CNN 's Betty Nguyen and CNN Radio 's Matt Cherry and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- When you have beach on the brain , who wants to bother with a layover ? Budget Travel has prepared the ultimate insider 's guide to seven resort towns south of the border that are just one quick flight away . The Pacific-coast resort of Puerto Vallarta has attracted artists in recent years with its natural beauty and well-preserved colonial architecture . MAZATL\u00c1N As resort towns go , Mazatl\u00e1n is one of Mexico 's prettiest , with an assortment of 19th-century neoclassical , republican , and French baroque buildings in pastel colors . The best place for wandering is Old Mazatl\u00e1n , particularly the tree-lined streets around Plazuela Machado , where guitarists and singers roam from one sidewalk caf\u00e9 to the next . Eat Sample traditional Sinaloan dishes at Pedro & Lola , a restaurant with seating on the square that 's known for its Mexican Molcajete , grilled beef served with cactus and onions -LRB- 011-52\/669 -982 -2589 , restaurantpedroylola.com , beef $ 14 -RRB- . Drink On nearby Belisario Dom\u00ednguez street , locals gather nightly for tequila and Pacifico beers at La Tertulia , a bullfighting-themed bar that 's owned and staffed by actual bullfighters and has posters , costumes , and pictures of the sport 's greats all over the walls -LRB- no phone , tequila from $ 2 -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Find a nonstop route to Mexico Stay Among the hotel options in the area , the 72-room Best Western Posada Freeman Express has the most character -- it 's in a renovated 1940s high-rise and has a rooftop pool with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean -LRB- 011-52\/669 -985 -6060 , book.bestwestern.com , from $ 80 -RRB- . Detour To lose the crowds , jump on one of Aqua Sport Center 's boats to tiny , uninhabited Deer Island just off the coast . It has a white-sand beach , trails for hiking , and clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling -LRB- 011-52\/669 -913 -3333 , $ 12 -RRB- . IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO The twin cities of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are separated by just three miles , but despite that proximity , they do n't have a lot in common . Zihuatanejo , which dates back to precolonial times , is a relaxed fishing town set on an enclosed bay with not a single high-rise hotel . Stay The 30 rooms at the Hotel Brisas del Mar are accented with Mexican tiles and have hammocks on the balconies -LRB- 011-52\/755 -554 -2142 , hotelbrisasdelmar.com , from $ 102 -RRB- . Ixtapa , in contrast , was built 36 years ago as part of a government effort to spur tourism development on the coast . Today , it has a gleaming strip of beachfront hotels , manicured lawns , and a wide range of restaurants , from local spots to large Mexican chains . Eat El Arbolito serves fresh seafood dishes , such as camaronillas -- shrimp and cheese in a fried tortilla -- and creative cocktails like the Black Banana , a mixture of Kahlua , coconut liqueur , and orange juice -LRB- 011-52\/755 -553 -3700 , entr\u00e9es from $ 8 -RRB- . Drink At Barcel\u00f3 Ixtapa Beach Hotel 's Sanca Bar , bands play salsa and Cuban music on weekend nights -LRB- 011-52\/755 -555 -2000 , barcelo.com , beer from $ 3 -RRB- . Do Ixtapa has no shortage of beaches , but if you 're in the mood for something more active , rent a bike at Xplora Adventours -LRB- 011-52\/755 -553 -3584 , $ 3 per half hour -RRB- and take a ride through Parque Ecol\u00f3gico Aztl\u00e1n , a forest teeming with native birds , turtles , and iguanas . BudgetTravel.com : Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo photos ACAPULCO Acapulco got its glamorous start in the 1950s and '60s , when celebrities like Frank Sinatra , Elizabeth Taylor , and Judy Garland turned the exclusive hotels on the rugged cliffs over the bay into their playground . Drink One of these spots , the 78-year-old Hotel el Mirador , is the place to go for a quintessential Acapulco experience : Watching cliff divers plunge 130 feet into the bay while having a watermelon daiquiri on the patio at the on-site La Perla bar -LRB- 011-52\/744 -483 -1155 , hotelelmiradoracapulco.com.mx , $ 24 drink minimum -RRB- . For another side of the city 's nightlife , find a dance partner and head to Ninas , a salsa and merengue club where bands play nightly -LRB- 011-52\/744 -484 -2400 , cover $ 24 , with open bar -RRB- . Stay Close to the city center , One Hotel Acapulco Costera has 126 rooms with simple , Scandinavian-style furniture -LRB- 800\/343 -7821 , onehotels.com , from $ 75 -RRB- . Eat The open-air restaurant El Zorrito offers a wide range of regional Guerrero dishes , such as posole , hominy stew with chicken -LRB- 011-52\/744 -485 -3735 , posole $ 6 -RRB- . Detour Eight miles south of downtown Acapulco is one of the most secluded beaches around : Playa Majahua . Swim in the bay and then try the ceviche at one of the tiny shacks set up near the sand . BudgetTravel.com : Acapulco photos PUERTO VALLARTA Puerto Vallarta 's art scene does n't yet rival that of San Miguel de Allende , but it 's well on its way : Painters , sculptors , and other artisans have moved to the Pacific-coast resort town in recent years , drawn by the natural beauty of the mountainous coast and the well-preserved colonial architecture in Old Vallarta . Shop The old town has a number of galleries and boutiques , such as Joyer\u00eda Yoler , which sells handcrafted silver jewelry -LRB- 011-52\/322 -222 -8713 -RRB- , and Peyote People , a purveyor of Huichol Indian art -LRB- 011-52\/322 -222 -2302 -RRB- . See Large bronze sculptures by Mexican artists adorn the city 's Malec\u00f3n , the oceanfront boardwalk lined with dozens of restaurants and shops . Stay One of the best hotel options in the area is the Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Spa , which has more than 200 newly renovated rooms -- some with beamed ceilings -- and a pool overlooking Playa Camarones -LRB- 011-52\/322 -226 -7000 , hotelbuenaventura.com.mx , from $ 120 -RRB- . Eat Dine on a patio overlooking the beach at nearby El Barracuda , which specializes in seafood dishes like the Dynamite : shrimp , octopus , and tilapia served over rice -LRB- 011-52\/322 -222 -4034 , entr\u00e9es from $ 13 -RRB- . LOS CABOS Wedged between granite peaks and the water on the tip of Baja California , Los Cabos has one of Mexico 's most dramatic settings . But a less-than-thrilling 20-mile-long tourist corridor connects the towns of San Jos\u00e9 del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas , making it all the more appealing to choose a town and stick with it . See In San Jos\u00e9 del Cabo 's downtown arts district , galleries like Old Town show works by Mexican artists -LRB- 011-52\/624 -142 -3662 , oldtowngallery.net -RRB- . Stay El Encanto Inn & Suites is decorated in Spanish-colonial style , with chandeliers in the entryway and a fountain in the courtyard -- plus , the 28 rooms all have balconies -LRB- 011-52\/624 -142 -0388 , elencantoinn.com , from $ 95 -RRB- . Eat Set in a hacienda in Cabo San Lucas , La Fonda serves dishes that chef Christopher Chong 's grandmother used to cook , like empanadas with a red chili sauce -LRB- 011-52\/624 -143 -6926 , empanadas $ 11 -RRB- . Do At Playa M\u00e9dano in Cabo San Lucas , Andromeda Divers y Mas offers water sports such as sea kayaking and parasailing -LRB- 011-52\/624 -143 -2765 , scubadivecabo.com -RRB- . Detour An hour 's drive north of Los Cabos , eclectic shops and galleries have opened in artist-friendly Todos Santos , including the bookstore El Tecolote Libros -LRB- 011-52\/612 -145 -0295 -RRB- and Galer\u00eda de Todos Santos -LRB- 011-52\/612 -145 -0500 , galeriadetodossantos.com -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Los Cabos photos CANC\u00daN Canc\u00fan may never shake its reputation as a rowdy college-party destination , but outside of spring-break season , the city is a surprisingly subdued place . The peninsula is where most of the major resorts are located , so if you 're looking for character , it 's best to head downtown on the mainland . Stay The boutique hotel Sol y Luna has 11 brightly painted rooms , mosaic-trimmed baths , and balconies overlooking Parque de las Palapas -LRB- 011-52\/998 -887 -5579 , solylunahotel.com , from $ 48 -RRB- . Eat The park is a popular gathering spot for musicians in the evenings ; it 's also where you 'll find one of the city 's best restaurants , Labn\u00e1 , which serves Yucatecan dishes such as pibil , achiote-flavored pork wrapped in a banana leaf -LRB- 011-52\/998 -892 -3056 , labna.com , pibil $ 9 -RRB- . Drink The aptly named Bling Resto Bar , on the resort peninsula , is just what it sounds like ; lounge on the patio with a grape mojito and watch the sun go down over the lagoon -LRB- 011-52\/998 -840 -6014 , blingcancun.com , drinks from $ 5 -RRB- . Detour Xcaret , a sprawling ecological and adventure theme park about 45 minutes south of Canc\u00fan , is an ideal spot for families . Activities here range from swimming through caves in an underground river to walking through a butterfly pavilion and watching monkeys , manatees , pumas , and jaguars in their natural environments -LRB- 011-52\/998 -883 -0470 , www.xcaret.com , from $ 69 -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Cancun photos COZUMEL Surrounded by vibrantly colored coral reefs , the island of Cozumel , 11 miles off the Yucat\u00e1n coast , has been attracting divers since Jacques Cousteau popularized it in the 1960s . The most central place to be situated for day trips around the island is the town of San Miguel , which has a number of reasonably priced guesthouses . Stay Las Anclas gets high marks not only for its seven bi-level suites and beautiful garden , but also for owners Pedro and Eyal , who are eager to offer up restaurant recommendations -LRB- 011-52\/987 -872 -5476 , lasanclas.com , from $ 95 -RRB- . Eat A local favorite is La Candela , which serves hearty dishes like chicken stuffed with ham and cheese , and jamaica , a cold tea made from hibiscus flowers -LRB- 011-52\/987 -878 -4471 , chicken $ 8 -RRB- . Do The tour operator Deep Blue arranges dive trips to some of the hardest-to-reach reefs around the island -LRB- 011-52\/987 -872 -5653 , deepbluecozumel.com , from $ 68 -RRB- . Or , you can take a boat ride through the mangroves in the Faro Celarain Eco Park for an adventure of a different sort : crocodile spotting -LRB- 011-52\/987 -872 -1680 , cozumelparks.com , $ 11 -RRB- . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright \u00a9 2008 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prescription drug overdose is now the fastest-growing drug problem in the country , surpassing the number of people who overdosed during both the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and the black tar heroin epidemic of the 1970s combined , the Obama administration says . The problem is so severe , the administration is releasing a plan to combat what it calls a crisis of epidemic proportions . `` The toll our nation 's prescription drug abuse epidemic has taken in communities nationwide is devastating , '' said Gil Kerlikowske , White House director of national drug control policy . `` We share a responsibility to protect our communities from the damage done by prescription drug abuse . '' According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy , in 2007 about 28,000 people died from drug overdoses . Most were accidental and were related to prescription drugs . `` Today , we are making an unprecedented commitment to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse , '' said Vice President Joe Biden as he announced the administration 's plan Tuesday morning . `` The government , as well as parents , patients , health care providers , and manufacturers all play a role in preventing abuse . This plan will save lives , and it will substantially lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families , communities , and workforce . '' The effort , called `` Epidemic : Responding to America 's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis , '' is primarily aimed at cracking down on abuse of opioids , some of the most powerful pain relievers on the market . Opioids are a class of drugs used to treat chronic pain and include products like OxyContin , Vicodin , Darvon , Dilaudid and Demerol . When abused they can be highly addictive . Prescriptions for these painkillers have increased dramatically over the past 10 years . In 2000 pharmacies filed 174 million opioid prescriptions . By 2009 that number was 257 million . According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , over the past five years , hospital emergency room visits linked to prescription drug abuse or misuse have doubled . `` Unintentional drug overdose is a growing epidemic in the U.S. and is now the leading cause of injury death in 17 states , '' said Dr. Thomas Frieden , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` There are effective and emerging strategies out there to address this problem . Support for this action plan will help us implement those strategies which will go a long way to save lives and reduce the tremendous burden this problem has on our health care system and our society . '' The plan seeks to reduce abuse and drug diversion , educate both parents and health care providers , find better ways to dispose of unused pills , and beef up enforcement efforts by clamping down on pill mills and doctor shopping . The Food and Drug Administration will provide support by requiring an opioids Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy to determine that a drug 's benefits outweigh its risks . Under this process , drug manufacturers must make educational materials on proper prescribing and disposal available to anyone writing prescriptions for long-acting and extended-release painkillers . The agency must approve all materials before they are released . `` Long-acting and extended-release opioid drugs have benefit when used properly and are a necessary component of pain management for certain patients , but we know that they pose serious risks when used improperly , with serious negative consequences for individuals , families and communities , '' said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg . `` The prescriber education component of this opioid -LRB- risk evaluation and mitigation strategy -RRB- balances the need for continued access to these medications with stronger measures to reduce their risks . '' Thirty-five states already have prescription drug monitoring programs in place that help track how prescriptions are prescribed and distributed by authorized healthcare providers and pharmacies . The program 's main goal is to prevent abuse and diversion at the retail level . Under the new plan , agencies will work to establish prescription drug monitoring programs in every state . The Drug Enforcement Agency will be heavily involved in enforcement , recovering prescription drugs , and focusing on doctors who illegally prescribe and dispense these drugs . They will also target `` doctor shoppers '' -- people who visit multiple doctors to secure multiple prescriptions and pill mills . `` When abused , prescription drugs are just as dangerous and just as addictive as drugs like methamphetamine or heroin , '' DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart said . `` The more we can do to stop the abuse of prescription drugs , the more effective we will be in reducing the death , destruction and despair that accompanies all drug abuse . '' A number of other federal agencies will also be involved in the effort , including the departments of Health and Human Services , Justice , Defense and Veterans Affairs .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday , challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman . The state of Massachusetts says the Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex couples essential rights . `` We 're taking this action today because , first , we believe that -LSB- the Defense of Marriage Act -RSB- directly interferes with Massachusetts ' long-standing sovereign authority to define and regulate the marital status of its residents , '' Attorney General Martha Coakley said Wednesday afternoon . `` Massachusetts has a single category of married persons , and we view all married persons equally and identically , '' she said . `` DOMA divides that category into two distinct and unequal classes of marriage . '' The lawsuit argues that the act , which became law in 1996 , denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections , including federal income tax credits , employment and retirement benefits , health insurance coverage and Social Security payments . `` In enacting DOMA , Congress overstepped its authority , undermined states ' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples , and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people , '' the state wrote in the lawsuit , which was filed Wednesday in federal court . Massachusetts , the first state to legalize gay marriage , said that about 16,000 same-sex couples have been married there since 2004 , when it began issuing marriage licenses . Since that time , the lawsuit said , `` the security and stability of families has been strengthened in important ways throughout the state . '' The state is challenging Section 3 of the law , which defines marriage as `` a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife '' and a spouse as `` a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife . '' Before the act , the lawsuit argues , defining marital status was the prerogative of the states . The law `` eviscerated more than 200 years of federal government deference to the states with respect to defining marriage , '' it said . The lawsuit also argues that the law forces Massachusetts to treat same-sex married couples differently from heterosexual married couples , particularly through determining who qualifies for the state 's Medicaid program , known as MassHealth , and whether a same-sex spouse of a veteran can be buried in a veteran cemetery . `` But for DOMA , married individuals in same-sex relationships in the commonwealth would receive the same status , obligations , responsibilities , rights , and protections as married individuals in different-sex relationships under local , state , and federal laws , '' the lawsuit said . The defendants named in the lawsuit include the Department of Health and Human Services , Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius , the Department of Veterans Affairs , Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the United States itself . Charles Miller , a spokesman for the Department of Justice , said the department will review the case but noted that President Obama supports the legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act . In March , Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the same Boston-based group that successfully argued in 2003 for same-sex marriage rights in Massachusetts -- also sued the federal government over Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act . Besides Massachusetts , three other states recognize same-sex marriages : Connecticut , Maine , and Iowa . Vermont and New Hampshire will join their company when same-sex marriages become legal later this year and early next year .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal health officials are expanding efforts to ensure no additional bacteria-tainted cantaloupes get to consumers in what has become the deadliest U.S. outbreak of a food-borne illness in more than a decade . The Food and Drug Administration said it has teamed up with state officials in the effort . `` FDA and its state partners are conducting checks at retail stores , wholesalers and distributors to make sure they have received notification about the Jensen Farms ' whole cantaloupe recall and that they have taken appropriate action to notify their customers and remove the recalled whole cantaloupes from the shelves , '' the agency said in a statement Wednesday . Thirteen people have died in what has become the deadliest U.S. outbreak of a food-borne illness since 1998 , according to records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The outbreak -- blamed on the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes -- was first reported September 12 . It was traced to consumption of Rocky Ford cantaloupes grown at Jensen Farms ' fields in Granada , Colorado . What you need to know about Listeria As of Monday , it had grown to 18 states , 72 illnesses and 13 deaths , according to the CDC 's latest statistics . `` Because some of the wholesalers and distributors may have further distributed the recalled cantaloupes to food processors , it is possible that additional products that contain cantaloupe from Jensen Farms could be recalled , '' the FDA said . `` There is no indication of foreign distribution at this time . '' In 1998 , 21 people died from consuming tainted hot dogs , according to a CDC database . Food poisoning 101 In the current outbreak , four people who ate contaminated cantaloupes died in New Mexico , two each in Colorado and Texas , and one each in Kansas , Maryland , Missouri , Nebraska , and Oklahoma . Public health officials also have reported illnesses in California , Florida , Illinois , Indiana , Montana , North Dakota , Virginia , West Virginia , Wisconsin and Wyoming . Listeria can grow even at low temperatures and can also can take three weeks or longer to make a person sick , so more cases may emerge in the coming weeks , officials said . Listeriosis causes fever , muscle aches , diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms . It is rarely a serious concern for healthy children and adults , according to the CDC , but it is particularly dangerous for older adults , people with weakened immune systems . In pregnant women , it can cause miscarriages , stillbirth and premature delivery . Pregnant women may experience only mild flu-like symptoms , said Dr. David Acheson , a former chief medical officer for the FDA who is now the managing director for food and import safety practice at Leavitt Partners , a firm which advises clients on health care and food safety . Listeria can be devastating to a fetus , he said , particularly in the second or third trimesters , so pregnant women who may have been exposed and have any flu-like symptoms should see a doctor . Symptoms can be more pronounced in the elderly or those with compromised immune systems , he said . About 1,600 people become seriously ill because of the bacteria each year , the CDC reports , and about 260 die . How to keep your food safe","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Didier Drogba came off the bench to rescue a point for Ivory Coast as they drew 1-1 with Malawi on Saturday to book their place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Didier Drogba scored for Ivory Coast as they drew 1-1 with Malawi to book their place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Ivory Coast needed only a point from their match with the bottom-placed team in African qualifying Group E but found themselves a goal down in the 64th minute when Jacob Ngwira put the hosts ahead at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre . Elephants coach Vahid Halilhodzic responded by throwing on Chelsea striker Drogba who was able to level the scores in the 67th minute . Malawi pushed for a winner as the second half wore on but were unable to add to the score and Ivory Coast secured the point they required for qualification . The result brought Ivory Coast 's 100 percent run in the group to an end but ensured they will feature in the World Cup Finals for a second time following their debut appearance in 2006 . Malawi also improved their chances of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations by moving third with four points , just behind Burkina Faso who have six and Guinea who are now last with three points . Elsewhere in the African qualifying zone Egypt recorded a 1-0 win over Zambia in their Group C clash in Konkola to potentially set up a deciding match with Algeria in Cairo next month . Egypt were on the back foot in the first half and were indebted to goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary who frustrated the Zambia fans with several fine saves as the visitors struggled to get to grips with the pitch at the Konkola Stadium . But the Pharaohs were a much-improved side after the half-time break and Hosny Abd-Rabou secured all three points with the only goal of the game in the 68th minute . Egypt defender Sayed Moawad laid off the ball for Abd-Rabou to fire a powerful right-footed shot past Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and into the top corner of the net . The result means qualification will go right down to the wire even if Algeria take maximum points from their clash with bottom side Rwanda on Sunday and go three points clear of Egypt at the top of the group . Cameroon moved a step closer to qualification as they remained top of Group A with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Togo in Yaounde . The Indomitable Lions took the lead in the 32nd minute through Newcastle midfielder Geremi when he smashed home the rebound after Togo goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale had saved his initial shot from the penalty spot . Lyon 's Jean Makoun doubled the advantage two minutes after the interval after he tapped home following a mazy dribble by Samuel Eto'o and Achille Emana made the points safe in the 52nd minute with a low drive . Gabon remain a point behind Cameroon after they clinched a 3-1 win over Morocco in Libreville having taken the lead after Hicham Mahdoufi put through his own net moments before half-time . Eric Mouloungou and Daniel Cousin gave Gabon a three-goal lead before Adel Taarabt pulled one back for Morocco with a late consolation . Paul Le Guen 's Cameroon side , who had looked doubtful to qualify when he took over , are in pole position at the top of the group with 10 points ahead of Gabon on nine , Togo on five and Morocco with three .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 2 Novak Djokovic suffered a shock defeat by sixth seed Mikhail Youzhny in the semifinals of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Saturday . The Serbian , who had not played since Thursday after being handed a walkover in his quarterfinal , lost 7-6 -LRB- 7-5 -RRB- 7-6 -LRB- 8-6 -RRB- to the Russian despite saving two match-points . Youzhny , who won the Dutch indoor tournament in 2007 , will play second seed Robin Soderling in Sunday 's final after the world No. 8 edged out sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 -LRB- 7-3 -RRB- 6-4 . Youzhny will have the chance to avenge his compatriot 's defeat as he seeks to improve his 1-1 career record against Soderling . The signs are good for the world No. 20 , who also defeated Djokovic in the semifinals three years ago . The Muscovite will bid to win his sixth ATP Tour title , having won one in each of the past three seasons . Soderling has bounced back from a poor start to the season that saw the Swede lose in the first round of his first two tournaments in 2010 , including the Australian Open . `` This is a really tough tournament and it 's not easy to reach the final here , '' last year 's French Open finalist told the ATP Web site . `` I 'm playing better with every match , so I 'm very happy . I 've had a lot of tough matches with Nikolay in the past few years . He 's one of the best players in the world , so it means I am playing great tennis to beat him . My confidence is up and I 'm looking forward to the final . '' Meanwhile , second seed Fernando Verdasco reached the final of the SAP Open in San Jose in the United States after beating Uzbekistan 's Denis Istomin on Saturday . The Spaniard won 6-3 2-6 6-4 to set up a clash with the top seed Andy Roddick who overcame a first set loss and two tiebreakers to defeat fellow American Sam Querrey 2-6 , 7-6 -LRB- 5 -RRB- , 7-6 -LRB- 4 -RRB- . Top seed Elena Dementieva will play Lucie Safarova in Sunday 's Paris Indoor Open final on the women 's WTA Tour circuit . Russian world No. 7 Dementieva came from behind to beat young American Melanie Oudin 4-6 6-3 6-3 in the semifinals of the French hardcourt event , where she lost in the final last year to Amelie Mauresmo . Unseeded Czech Safarova upset Italy 's Flavia Pennetta , the second-ranked player in the field , as she also rallied from a set down to win 4-6 6-3 6-4 . World No. 46 Safarova lost to Nadia Petrova in the 2007 final . In Thailand , top seed Vera Zvonareva will seek home hope Tamarine Tanasugarn from winning her first Pattaya Open title on Sunday . The Russian is on course to defend her title following a 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory against fourth seed Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan , reaching her 21st career title . The 32-year-old Tanasugarn will have her 10th tilt at a WTA title after crushing Shvedova 's compatriot Sesil Karatantcheva , ranked 185th in the world , 6-2 6-0 in the other semifinal on Saturday .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gillette said Saturday it was `` limiting '' golfer Tiger Woods ' role in its marketing programs to give him the privacy he needs to work on family relationships after disclosures of his `` infidelity . '' In a statement , the Boston , Massachusetts-based body grooming company said it supports Woods ' decision to take `` an indefinite break '' from professional golf . On his Web site Friday , Woods admitted to infidelity and said he was taking a break from the sport to focus on his family . `` In the midst of a difficult and unfortunate situation , we respect the action Tiger is taking to restore the trust of his family , friends and fans , '' Gillette spokesman Mike Norton said in the statement . `` We fully support him stepping back from his professional career and taking the time he needs to do what matters most . We wish him and his family the best . `` As Tiger takes a break from the public eye , we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs , '' Norton said . Woods ' Friday posting said : `` After much soul searching , I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf . I need to focus my attention on being a better husband , father and person . '' `` I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people , most of all my wife and children , '' Woods ' statement said . `` I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness . It may not be possible to repair the damage I 've done , but I want to do my best to try . '' Woods , 33 , who tops the sport 's world rankings , crashed his car outside his Florida mansion late last month . Authorities issued a citation for careless driving , and he was given a $ 164 fine . Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck and declined to talk with investigators on several occasions . In the week following the crash , Woods apologized for `` transgressions '' that let his family down . The same day , US Weekly published a report alleging that Woods had an affair with Jaimee Grubbs , a 24-year-old cocktail waitress . US Weekly 's report followed a National Enquirer article before the crash that the athlete was having an affair with New York nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel , an assertion she vigorously denied , according to The New York Post . It was not immediately clear how Woods ' hiatus would affect his other sponsorships , which include Nike , Gatorade and Electronic Arts . `` He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era , '' Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in a statement . `` We look forward to his return to golf . He and his family have Nike 's full support . '' The statement did not elaborate on whether Woods ' announcement would impact his business relationship with the sports company , which has worked with him for more than a decade . Woods has won three U.S. Open titles and the Masters tournament and the PGA tournament each four times . The PGA Tour said it supports Woods and looks forward to his return to the game . `` We fully support Tiger 's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family . His priorities are where they need to be , and we will continue to respect and honor his family 's request for privacy , '' the PGA Tour said in a statement Friday . `` We look forward to Tiger 's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him . '' EA Sports , the company that makes Woods ' video game , also said it is standing behind the golfer . `` We respect that this is a very difficult and private situation for Tiger and his family . At this time , the strategy for our Tiger Woods PGA TOUR business remains unchanged , '' said David Tinson , a company spokesman .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On his final full day in office , President Bush issued commutations for two former U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted in 2006 of shooting and wounding an unarmed illegal immigrant -- suspected of drug smuggling at the time -- and then covering it up . An artist 's sketch shows Ignacio Ramos , left , and Jose Compean . The prison sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean will now end March 20 . Ramos had received an 11-year prison sentence ; Compean had received a 12-year term . They began serving their sentences in January 2007 . The Office of the Pardon Attorney was still reviewing the clemency request when Bush made his decision , Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said . `` The president has reviewed the circumstances of this case as a whole and the conditions of confinement and believes the sentences they received are too harsh and that they , and their families , have suffered enough for their crimes , '' a senior administration official said . `` Commuting their sentences does not diminish the seriousness of their crimes . Ramos and Compean are convicted felons who violated their oaths to uphold the law and have been severely punished , '' the official stated . `` This commutation gives them an opportunity to return to their families and communities , but both men will have to carry the burden of being convicted felons and the shame of violating their oaths for the rest of their lives . '' The official noted that both Democratic and Republican members of Congress have supported a commutation , including President-elect Barack Obama 's incoming White House chief of staff , Rahm Emanuel , and Texas GOP Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn . The head of the labor union representing Border Patrol agents told CNN Radio he was `` grateful '' that Bush commuted the sentences but questioned why the prison terms wo n't end until March 20 . `` I would be quite curious to learn why they have to wait another two months for an unjust sentence , '' said Rich Pierce , president of the National Border Patrol Council . He said the union 's ultimate goal would be for the men to get their Border Patrol jobs back . The shooting happened February 17 , 2005 , on the border southeast of El Paso , Texas . During their trial , Ramos and Compean said the illegal immigrant , Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila , had brandished a gun while actively resisting arrest . Aldrete-Davila , however , said he was unarmed and was attempting to surrender when Compean attempted to beat him with a shotgun . Aldrete-Davila was shot while fleeing toward the Rio Grande . Ramos and Compean were ultimately convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon , lying about the incident and violating Aldrete-Davila 's Fourth Amendment right against illegal search and seizure . After receiving immunity to testify in the case against the two agents , Aldrete-Davila was arrested in 2007 on charges of bringing more than 750 pounds of marijuana into the United States . The case quickly became a political flash point , with advocates of tighter border controls defending the agents and civil liberties groups saying that the agents had used illegal and excessive force against Aldrete-Davila . Bush has granted 189 pardons and 11 commutations over his eight years in office , far fewer than Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan in their two-term administrations . During the final months of the Bush administration , speculation has swirled around the question of whether former vice presidential aide Lewis `` Scooter '' Libby would be granted the presidential favor . Libby was convicted in March of 2007 of four counts of lying and impeding a federal investigation into the leak of information that revealed that Valerie Plame was a covert CIA operative . Among the more notable people who have applied for -- but not received -- some form of clemency are : former Rep. Randall `` Duke '' Cunningham , R-California , who was convicted of receiving bribes ; publishing executive Conrad Black , who was found guilty of fraud ; former junk bold salesman Michael Milken , who pleaded guilty to securities fraud ; and former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers , convicted of accounting fraud . The parents of John Walker Lindh , who was given a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty to supporting terrorists in Afghanistan , held a news conference in December urging Bush to commute their son 's sentence . There is a long tradition of presidents issuing pardons and commutations during their final days in office . Clinton pardoned fugitive financier Marc Rich during his last hours in office , setting off a firestorm of controversy . A commutation reduces a convict 's prison term , but the conviction remains on the person 's record . A pardon , however , wipes the slate clean by erasing the record of the conviction . A president has the sole authority to grant clemency to whomever he chooses , although a Justice Department office usually reviews applications and makes recommendations after considering such standards as a person 's degree of remorse and ability to lead a responsible and productive life after release . Those applying for a pardon through the Justice Department are required to wait at least five years after their conviction or release from confinement .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that laboratory tests on popular smoking devices known as electronic cigarettes have found they contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals dangerous to humans . E-cigarettes are battery-operated and contain cartridges filled with nicotine and other chemicals . Known as `` e-cigarettes , '' the devices are battery-operated and contain cartridges filled with nicotine and other chemicals , spiced with flavors such as chocolate , cola or bubble gum . While manufacturers tout e-cigarettes as a `` healthy way '' to smoke , federal health officials say the devices turn nicotine , which is highly addictive , and other chemicals into a vapor that is inhaled by the user . `` The FDA is concerned about the safety of these products and how they are marketed to the public , '' said Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg , commissioner of the FDA . CNN contacted Florida-based Smoking Everywhere , one of the largest manufacturers of e-cigarettes , after the FDA announcement , and a spokeswoman said the company had no comment . Because e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval , the agency had no way of knowing the levels of nicotine or the amounts or kinds of other chemicals that the various brands of these products deliver to the user . That is why the FDA began to test them . The FDA 's Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis analyzed the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands of e-cigarettes . In releasing its information , the FDA did not identify the two companies , but said in one sample , diethylene glycol -- a chemical used in antifreeze that is toxic to humans -- was detected . Other samples detected carcinogens that are dangerous to those who smoke them , the FDA said . The FDA has been examining and seizing shipments of non-U.S.-made e-cigarettes at the U.S. border since summer 2008 . To date , 50 shipments have been stopped . The products examined thus far meet the definition of a combination drug-device product under the Federal Food , Drug , and Cosmetic Act . `` We know very little about these devices , said Dr. Jonathan Samet , director of the Institute for Global Health at the University of Southern California , `` but to say they are healthy -- that 's highly doubtful . '' Samet and other health experts attended the FDA announcement on its findings . Dr. Jonathan Winickoff , chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Tobacco Consortium , said parents need to be aware of e-cigarettes . `` It is very important that parents let their children know these are not safe and to make recommendations , or even enforce rules that they not be used , '' he said . `` Children who use these products may also be using other tobacco products , '' said Dr. Matthew McKenna , director of the Office of Smoking and Health , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` It 's a good idea to make sure the child is aware of the dangers of tobacco in products in general . '' The FDA has been challenged regarding its jurisdiction over certain e-cigarettes in a case pending in federal court . The FDA suggested health care professionals and consumers report serious side effects or product quality problems with the use of e-cigarettes to the FDA 's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program either online , by regular mail , fax or phone . CNN 's Valerie Willingham contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Gulf of Mexico undersea gusher is the largest oil spill in United States history -- possibly already more than twice as big as the Exxon Valdez spill , government estimates suggested Thursday . Scientists observed 130,000 to 270,000 barrels of oil on the water 's surface on May 17 , and think a similar amount had already been burned , skimmed , dispersed or evaporated . That would mean 260,000 to 540,000 barrels had leaked as of 10 days ago . The Exxon Valdez leaked about 250,000 barrels into Alaska 's Prince William Sound in 1989 . The busted well is spewing oil at a rate of at least 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day , U.S. Geological Survey chief Marcia McNutt told reporters Thursday . A barrel of oil has 42 gallons , so that 's 504,000 to 798,000 gallons a day . That 's more than twice as much as previous estimates , which put the rate at 5,000 barrels , or 210,000 gallons , per day . It 's also the more conservative estimate of two reached by two separate teams of government scientists who used two different methods , McNutt told reporters Thursday . One team looked at the oil on the surface and came up with the estimate of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day . A second team used a different method and came up with a range of 12,000 to 25,000 barrels per day , McNutt said . The official estimate uses the range where the estimates overlap . The lower end of the government estimate -- 12,000 barrels per day -- would mean that about 18.6 million gallons of oil has been spilled since the April 20 oil rig explosion that started the leak . The higher end -- 19,000 barrels per day -- would mean 29.5 million gallons has been spilled . The Exxon Valdez spilled about 11 million gallons of oil . Worldwide , there have been more than a dozen bigger oil spills than the Gulf spill . The worst was the destruction of Kuwaiti terminals and tankers by Saddam Hussein 's forces during the 1991 Gulf war , which spilled 240 million gallons , according to the Oil Spill Intelligence Report . The amount of oil spilled could have very specific financial ramifications for BP . If the government finds the company negligent or the leak avoidable , BP will owe royalties on the lost oil , Minerals Management Service spokesman Nicholas Pardi told CNN . `` Now we know the true scale of the monster we are fighting in the Gulf , '' said Jeremy Symons , senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation . `` BP has unleashed an unstoppable force of appalling proportions . It 's as if two Exxon Valdez tankers have already run aground , and more are on the way if they do n't get this hole plugged . `` This independent government estimate shows what we expected all along -- BP can not be trusted , because every gallon of oil that is spilled means they will pay more in fines and liability , '' Symons said . The estimates are preliminary and based on new methodologies , McNutt said in a teleconference . The first team , which got the lower estimate , analyzed how much oil was on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on a given date , using aerial imaging . They estimated that `` 130,000 to 270,000 barrels -LRB- were -RRB- on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on May 17 , '' McNutt said . `` We estimate that , in addition , as of May 17 a similar volume of oil had already been burned , skimmed , dispersed or evaporated , '' she said . That led those scientists to the range of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day . The second group used video observations to arrive at the higher figure . The scientific teams were composed of federal scientists , independent experts and representatives from universities around the country , McNutt said . BP , which owns the well , was not involved except to provide raw data , she said . CNN 's Richard Allen Greene , David Mattingly and Courtney Yager , and CNN Radio 's Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- City officials in New York have denied Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's request to visit the site of the destroyed World Trade Center next week , a police spokesman said Wednesday . Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked to visit ground zero , but New York city officials said no . The controversial , outspoken president wanted to `` pay his respects '' and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks during his visit to the U.N. General Assembly , Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said , citing Iranian officials . But workers are rebuilding the foundations of the site , `` and it would not be possible for him to go where other people do n't go , '' Kelly told CNN . Iranian officials have not put in any additional requests to visit the public platforms at ground zero , police spokesman Paul Browne told CNN . But , he said , `` If there were a further request , we 'd reject it '' because of security fears . Watch why New York said no to Iranian leader '' The Iranian mission to the U.N. said it had not been told of the decision , but in a statement issued Wednesday evening , it called the rejection `` unfortunate . '' Iran is ruled by a Shiite Muslim government hostile to the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda . Ahmadinejad 's predecessor at the time of the September 11 attacks , Mohammed Khatami , condemned them , and Tehran cooperated with the U.S.-led campaign to topple al Qaeda 's Taliban allies in Afghanistan that followed . The United States and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980 after Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days . The United States considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and has accused the country of meddling in Iraq and in Afghanistan where U.S. troops are battling Taliban and al Qaeda remnants more than six years after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks . More than 2,700 people died in the attack on the World Trade Center , when al Qaeda terrorists flew hijacked passenger jets into the twin towers . A third jet hit the Pentagon , and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers resisted their hijackers . `` It is appalling that President Ahmadinejad , one of the world 's leading sponsors of terror , would find it appropriate to visit this hallowed ground , '' State Department spokesman Tom Casey said . Several presidential candidates also condemned the requested visit . Hillary Clinton , the New York senator and Democratic front-runner , called the request `` unacceptable . '' Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney , a leading Republican , called it `` shockingly audacious . '' And former Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- whose leadership after the attacks is the cornerstone of his GOP presidential bid -- said that `` under no circumstances '' should Ahmadinejad be allowed to visit the World Trade Center site . Zalmay Khalilzad , the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , said the site should not be `` used as a photo op . '' Numerous critics have attacked Ahmadinejad 's hard-line anti-Israel stance and his insistence that Iran will defy U.N. demands that it halt its production of enriched uranium . Iran insists it is producing nuclear fuel for civilian power plants , but Washington accuses Tehran of trying to produce a nuclear bomb . E-mail to a friend CNN Correspondent Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scientist and author Stephen Hawking is `` very ill '' and has been hospitalized , according to Cambridge University , where he is a professor . Stephen Hawking in Pasadena , California , in March . Cambridge University said the 67-year-old is `` comfortable '' and will stay overnight at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge . Hawking , one of the world 's most famous physicists , is also a cosmologist , astronomer , and mathematician . Wheelchair-bound Hawking is perhaps most famous for `` A Brief History of Time , '' which explored the origins of the universe in layman 's terms . The book is considered a modern classic . Hawking has Lou Gehrig 's Disease -LRB- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis , or ALS -RRB- , which is usually fatal after three years . Hawking has survived for more than 40 years since his diagnosis . On his Web site , Hawking has written about living with ALS . `` I try to lead as normal a life as possible , and not think about my condition , or regret the things it prevents me from doing , which are not that many , '' he wrote . He added : `` I have been lucky , that my condition has progressed more slowly than is often the case . But it shows that one need not lose hope . '' The disease has left him paralyzed -- he is able to move only a few fingers on one hand . Hawking is completely dependent on others or technology for virtually everything -- bathing , dressing , eating , even speech . He uses a speech synthesizer with an American accent . Hawking has been married and divorced twice . In 2004 , police completed an investigation into accusations by Hawking 's daughter that his second wife was abusing him . Authorities said they found no proof . His Web site says he has three children and one grandchild . Hawking was born in Oxford , England , on what turned out to be an auspicious date : January 8 , 1942 -- the 300th anniversary of the death of astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei . A Cambridge University spokesman told CNN : `` Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrookes Hospital , Cambridge . '' Professor Peter Haynes , head of the university 's department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics , said : `` Professor Hawking is a remarkable colleague , we all hope he will be amongst us again soon . '' At Cambridge , he holds the position of Lucasian Professor Mathematics -- the prestigious post held from 1669 to 1702 by Sir Isaac Newton . Hawking has guest-starred , as himself , on Star Trek : The Next Generation and The Simpsons . He also said if he had the choice of meeting Newton or Marilyn Monroe , his choice would be Marilyn . In October , CNN 's Becky Anderson interviewed Hawking . The following are some quotes from that interview : `` Over the last twenty years , observations have to a large extent confirmed the picture I painted in ' A Brief History of Time . ' The one major development that was not anticipated was the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating now , rather than slowing down ... We live in the most probable of all possible worlds . '' CNN 's Jennifer Pifer contributed to this report","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of a 14-year-old girl in England after she received a vaccination for Human Papilloma virus -LRB- HPV -RRB- has prompted a widespread freeze on the country 's national vaccination program . Millions of girls have received vaccinations for HPV since 2008 , the virus that causes 99 percent of cervical cancers . More than 1.4 million girls have received the vaccination in England since the National Health Service -LRB- NHS -RRB- started administering it in September 2008 . Natalie Morton 's sudden death Monday occurred within hours after she received a shot of the vaccine Cervarix at the NHS at her school in Coventry . Three other girls at the Blue Coat Church of England school suffered mild symptoms of dizziness and nausea after receiving the vaccine , according to media reports . It remains unclear if the vaccine caused Morton 's death . Only an autopsy will be able to determine the exactly cause of death . Glaxo Smith Kline , the manufacturer of Cervarix , issued a recall of the batch of vaccine used in Coventry as a `` precautionary measure . '' Watch reaction to Natalie Morton 's death '' `` At this stage the cause of this tragic death is unknown , '' the company said in a statement posted on their Web site . `` Following immediate quarantine of the batch involved last night , we have taken the decision to voluntarily recall this batch as a further precautionary measure while the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Natalie 's death is conducted . '' On Tuesday several NHS clinics and schools indefinitely postponed immunizations . `` As a purely precautionary measure , we have asked the NHS to quarantine all stocks of HPV vaccine from the batch related to this case , '' a spokesperson for the NHS said . `` Where the local NHS has supplies of vaccine from other production batches , they should continue with the vaccination program . '' Many clinics were forced to close as they checked the numbers on their batches of the vaccine . What is HPV ? HPV stands for human Papilloma virus . Although there are more than 100 types of HPV , only a few of them are known to cause cervical cancer . Most strains of HPV are harmless or cause genital warts . HPV is a common sexually-transmitted disease . Almost half of all women who have sex will be infected at one point in their life , according to the British National Health Service . HPV infects the cells of the surface of the cervix . Infections can clear up on their own or stay for many years without any symptoms and develop into cervical cancer . Ninety-nine percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV . What is the Cervarix HPV vaccine ? The Cervarix HPV vaccine protects against the two strains of HPV -LRB- 16 and 18 -RRB- that cause cervical cancer in over 70 percent of women . The vaccine is typically injected in the upper arm , or thigh , in three doses within six months , and is recommended for teenage girls . How effective is the Cervarix vaccine ? According to the manufacturer , Glaxo Smith Kline , Cervarix is over 99 percent effective . Is Cervarix the most common vaccine for HPV ? No . Gardisil , manufactured by Merck is used by the majority of vaccine programs worldwide . Gardisil protects against four strains of HPV -LRB- 16 , 18 , 6 and 11 -RRB- . Strains 6 and 11 cause less serious conditions , such as genital warts . Gardisil proved comparatively effective in trials carried out by Merck . Of 23 million American girls who have already been vaccinated , 32 deaths were reported , though the reports do not determine if the deaths were caused by the vaccine or just a coincidence . Why was Cervarix chosen for the UK ? According to the NHS , Cervarix , `` was selected because the bid from this company scored higher than the competitor in the adjudication process against pre-agreed award criteria . The pre-agreed award criteria were shared with the manufacturers during the process so that they were fully informed of the criteria against which their bids would be evaluated . '' When was the vaccine introduced ? In September 2008 , England began a national program to vaccinate girls aged 12-13 , and a three-year catch up campaign offering the vaccine to 13-18 year old girls . Do condoms protect against HPV ? Using condoms reduces the risk of HPV transmission , but infection is still possible because HPV can be spread by contact with parts of the body that the condom does not cover . What are the known dangers associated with taking the HPV vaccine ? Cervarix has undergone rigorous safety testing as part of the licensing process required in the UK and other European countries , according to the NHS . The most commonly reported side effects are mild swelling or pain at the injection site , nausea , a mild temperature , dizziness , diarrhea and muscle aches . In rare cases allergic reactions in the form of skin rashes and in very rare cases anaphylactic shock has occurred .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday , challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman . The state of Massachusetts says the Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex couples essential rights . `` We 're taking this action today because , first , we believe that -LSB- the Defense of Marriage Act -RSB- directly interferes with Massachusetts ' long-standing sovereign authority to define and regulate the marital status of its residents , '' Attorney General Martha Coakley said Wednesday afternoon . `` Massachusetts has a single category of married persons , and we view all married persons equally and identically , '' she said . `` DOMA divides that category into two distinct and unequal classes of marriage . '' The lawsuit argues that the act , which became law in 1996 , denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections , including federal income tax credits , employment and retirement benefits , health insurance coverage and Social Security payments . `` In enacting DOMA , Congress overstepped its authority , undermined states ' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples , and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people , '' the state wrote in the lawsuit , which was filed Wednesday in federal court . Massachusetts , the first state to legalize gay marriage , said that about 16,000 same-sex couples have been married there since 2004 , when it began issuing marriage licenses . Since that time , the lawsuit said , `` the security and stability of families has been strengthened in important ways throughout the state . '' The state is challenging Section 3 of the law , which defines marriage as '' a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife '' and a spouse as `` a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife . '' Before the act , the lawsuit argues , defining marital status was the prerogative of the states . The law `` eviscerated more than 200 years of federal government deference to the states with respect to defining marriage , '' it said . The lawsuit also argues that the law forces Massachusetts to treat same-sex married couples differently from heterosexual married couples , particularly through determining who qualifies for the state 's Medicaid program , known as MassHealth , and whether a same-sex spouse of a veteran can be buried in a veteran cemetery . `` But for DOMA , married individuals in same-sex relationships in the commonwealth would receive the same status , obligations , responsibilities , rights , and protections as married individuals in different-sex relationships under local , state , and federal laws , '' the lawsuit said . The defendants named in the lawsuit include the Department of Health and Human Services , Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius , the Department of Veterans Affairs , Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the United States itself . Charles Miller , a spokesman for the Department of Justice , said the department will review the case but noted that President Obama supports the legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act . In March , Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the same Boston-based group that successfully argued in 2003 for same-sex marriage rights in Massachusetts -- also sued the federal government over Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act . Besides Massachusetts , three other states recognize same-sex marriages : Connecticut , Maine , and Iowa . Vermont and New Hampshire will join their company when same-sex marriages become legal later this year and early next year .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman convicted in the 2002 kidnapping of Utah teenager Elizabeth Smart pleaded guilty in the attempted kidnapping of Smart 's cousin a month later , court officials said Monday . In exchange for Wanda Barzee 's plea of guilty but mentally ill to one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping , prosecutors dropped state charges against her in Smart 's abduction , said Nancy Volmer , spokeswoman for Utah state courts . Barzee , 64 , pleaded guilty in November to federal charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor in connection with Smart 's abduction . As part of that plea agreement , she agreed to cooperate with the state and federal cases against her husband , Brian David Mitchell , federal prosecutors have said . Barzee and Mitchell were accused of abducting Smart , then 14 , at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family 's Salt Lake City home in June 2002 . Smart was found nine months later , walking down a street in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy , Utah , in the company of Barzee and Mitchell , a drifter and self-described prophet who calls himself Emmanuel and had done some handyman work at the Smarts ' home . The month after Smart was kidnapped , prosecutors alleged , Barzee and Mitchell attempted to break into the home of her cousin , but were unsuccessful . The girl was 15 years old at the time , according to CNN affiliate KSL . She is not named in court documents . `` Mr. Mitchell 's attempt was thwarted when the minor child awakened , which caused Mr. Mitchell to flee , '' the court documents said . Following her arrest in 2003 , Barzee told authorities that she and Mitchell went to the home in order to abduct the girl , and planned to hold her , along with Smart , in the couple 's camp in the mountains , according to court documents . Sentencing is set for May 21 on the state charge , Volmer said . Barzee faces between one and 15 years in prison , but prosecutors have agreed to allow that sentence to run concurrently with her federal sentence , according to court documents . Federal prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 15 years in prison for her in exchange for her cooperation against Mitchell . Federal sentencing was set for May 19 , but a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors has said a sentence would not be imposed until Barzee 's cooperation against Mitchell is complete . At the hearing in federal court , Barzee apologized to Smart , according to a transcript . `` I 'm greatly humbled as I realize how much Elizabeth Smart has been victimized and the role I played in it , '' she said . `` I 'm so sorry , Elizabeth , for all the pain and suffering I have caused you and your family . It is my hope that you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me one day . '' Barzee had been housed at the Utah State Hospital while courts determined her competency as well as Mitchell 's . After years of being declared incompetent , she recently was declared competent to stand trial , according to the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper . A state court had ruled she could be forcibly medicated , and that ruling led federal prosecutors to proceed with bringing a case against the couple , the Tribune said . At a competency hearing for Mitchell in October , Smart , now 21 , testified that she had been held captive in Utah and California . Just after her abduction , Mitchell took her to a wooded area behind her home and performed a mock marriage ceremony with her , she said . During the nine months of her captivity , Smart testified , no 24-hour period passed without her being raped by Mitchell . U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball has not yet ruled on Mitchell 's competency . State court proceedings are on hold pending the outcome of the federal case . CNN 's Ashley Hayes and Eliott McLaughlin contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. government has charged an international arms dealer with conspiring to sell a rebel group millions of dollars in weapons `` to be used to kill Americans in Colombia , '' federal prosecutors announced Tuesday . Viktor Bout is accused of selling missiles , rockets and other weapons to FARC , a Colombian rebel group . Viktor Bout , who was recently captured in Thailand , had agreed to sell the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -LRB- FARC -RRB- surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons , the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release . There was no immediate public response from Bout , who remains in custody in Thailand . Federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging Bout with four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals , conspiracy to kill U.S. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization . FARC is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department . Justice Department officials said they are seeking Bout 's extradition to the United States . The indictment alleges that Bout made agreements with FARC between November 2007 and March of this year . In their news release , federal prosecutors said Bout agreed to sell weapons `` to two confidential sources '' working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration , who had `` represented that they were acquiring these weapons for the FARC , with the specific understanding that the weapons were to be used to attack United States helicopters in Colombia . '' The news release also refers to a `` covertly recorded meeting in Thailand on March 6 , 2008 . '' `` With the unsealing of this indictment , we are one step closer to ensuring Bout has delivered his last load of high-powered weaponry and armed his final terrorist , '' DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Loenhart said in the news release . Attorney General Michael Mukasey last month singled out Bout as a leading example of a new breed of organized crime leaders who operate across international boundaries to amass wealth without regard to political ideology . `` Viktor Bout has long been considered by the international community as one of the world 's most prolific arms traffickers , '' U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said in the news release Tuesday . Bout 's assets in the United States were frozen in 2004 after he allegedly shipped weapons to Liberia in violation of U.S. government restrictions .","question":""}
{"answer":"NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Syrian arms dealer was sentenced to 30 years in a U.S. federal prison for conspiring to sell weapons as part of a plot to kill Americans in Colombia , according to prosecutors . Syrian-born arms dealer Monzer al-Kassar , seen in a file photo , tried to sell weapons to undercover U.S. agents . Monzer al-Kassar was also ordered Tuesday to forfeit all of his assets , according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the Southern District of New York . Al-Kassar 's co-defendant Luis Felipe Moreno Godoy received a 25-year prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy . Both men were convicted in November of five charges , including conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals , conspiracy to acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles , conspiracy to provide support for FARC guerrillas in Colombia , and money laundering . The federal indictment paints al-Kassar as an international arms dealer with a hand in conflicts in nearly every part of the world , with a web of bank accounts and front companies across Europe and the Middle East . Al-Kassar was arrested in Spain in 2007 on a U.S. warrant and his associate Moreno Godoy was arrested in Romania . Both were extradited to the United States . The arrests stemmed from an undercover sting operation involving U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents posing as members of FARC . During the 16-month operation , the agents arranged to buy more than 12,000 weapons from the two men , according to the indictment . Al-Kassar agreed to provide surface-to-air missiles for the FARC to shoot down American helicopters , and also offered to send 1,000 men to fight with the FARC , plus explosives and men who could train the FARC in how to use them , the indictment charged . Al-Kassar demanded 3,500,000 euros -LRB- $ 4.4 million -RRB- as `` partial payment '' for the weapons , it said . Justice Department officials say al-Kassar has been a source of weapons and military equipment for armed combatants since the 1970s . Kassar had told journalists before he was arrested that he had retired from arms dealing , but the United States says he had been involved since the 1970s , providing weapons and military equipment to armed factions in Nicaragua , Cyprus , Bosnia , Croatia , Iran , Iraq , Somalia , and elsewhere . CNN Justice Producer Terry Frieden contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Carolina State University women 's basketball coach Kay Yow , who won more than 700 games in nearly four decades of coaching , died Saturday after a long struggle with breast cancer , the university said . North Carolina State University 's Kay Yow , in 1996 , was one of only six coaches to amass 700 wins . She was 66 . Yow , who was in her 38th season as a coach , had amassed numerous awards , including inductions into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame . In her 34 years on the sidelines for the Wolfpack , her teams won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles , averaged 20 wins a season , appeared in 20 of 27 NCAA tournaments and reached the Final Four in 1998 . She was one of only six coaches in the women 's game to win at least 700 games , the university said . She also coached the 1988 women 's Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Seoul , South Korea . Yow was beloved by her players , colleagues and fans , and in 2007 , N.C. State christened the court in Raleigh 's Reynolds Coliseum in her name . Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 , Yow had been active in efforts to raise awareness and money to battle the disease , which forced her to miss two games during the 2004-05 season and another 16 in the 2006-07 season , the university said . She helped establish the Kay Yow\/WBCA Cancer Fund , which raised money for the cause . About three weeks ago , Yow announced that she was stepping away from coaching duties for the remainder of the 2008-09 season , after missing four straight games because of an extremely low energy level . `` Stepping away from coaching is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make , '' Yow said January 6 , according to N.C. State . `` Even though I do n't feel well enough to coach , I 'm hopeful to feel well enough to attend some ACC games and show my support for the team as well as N.C. State University , '' she added . Yow was born in 1942 in Gibsonville , North Carolina , about 16 miles outside Greensboro . She began coaching at local high schools in 1964 before Elon University hired her . N.C. State hired her in 1975 . `` It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Coach Yow for the last 15 seasons . I suddenly find myself grasping to retain everything she has ever said and ever taught me , '' interim head coach Stephanie Glance said , according to the university . The team 's game against Wake Forest University , which was scheduled for Monday , has been postponed until February 10 in Winston-Salem , the university said .","question":""}
{"answer":"Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saddam Hussein 's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- also known as Chemical Ali -- was executed Monday , an Iraqi government spokesman said . He was hanged after having been convicted on 13 counts of killings and genocide , Ali al-Dabagh said . Al-Majeed had been sentenced to death in four separate trials , including one that focused on his involvement in a poison gas attack against Iraqi Kurds that killed about 5,000 people . His execution had been delayed for political rather than legal reasons . It is not clear what change , if any , led to the reported execution . Al-Majeed had been held in United States custody since his capture in 2003 . But he was handed over to the Iraqi authorities in the 24 hours before his execution , U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill told CNN 's Diana Magnay on Monday . The 1988 poison gas attack on the village of Halabja , which earned al-Majeed his nickname , was part of the Anfal campaign , in which the Hussein regime killed at least 100,000 Iraqi Kurds . The campaign is believed to be worst poison gas attack on civilians ever . Al-Majeed was sentenced to death separately for his role in putting down a Shiite uprising against Hussein in 1991 , and for his part in putting down a Baghdad revolt in 1999 . Estimates of the Shiite death toll in the 1991 rebellion range from 20,000 to 100,000 . Al-Majeed was convicted of playing a key part in the slaughter during the revolt in southern Iraq that followed the 1991 Persian Gulf War . One of his co-defendants in the Anfal case , Sultan Hashem , is a prominent Sunni leader who is considered a key player in efforts to reconcile the country 's once-dominant Sunni community with the Shiite majority that now wields political power . Hashem was also sentenced to death , but Iraq 's Sunni Arab Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi has long refused to sign his execution order . That delayed the execution of al-Majeed and another defendant as well . Iraqi law requires all three members of the Iraqi presidency council -- the president and two vice-presidents -- to sign execution orders . It does not say what happens if they do not sign . CNN 's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- It 's Nobel Prize announcement week , and if you had Carol W. Greider , Elizabeth Blackburn , or Jack Szostak in your office pool , you 're off to a good start -LRB- the trio will share this year 's Nobel Prize in Medicine -RRB- . As we await news of the rest of the winners , here are some stories about past Nobel laureates . Nobel Prize winners receive a medal and a cash award . 1 . Robert Lucas , winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on the theory of `` rational expectations , '' split his $ 1 million prize with his ex-wife . If there were a Nobel Prize for Foresight or Timing , she should be nominated , based on a clause in their divorce settlement from seven years earlier : `` Wife shall receive 50 percent of any Nobel Prize . '' The clause expired on October 31 , 1995 . Had Lucas won any year after , he would have kept the whole million . 2 . Physicist Lise Meitner , whose work helped lead to the discovery of nuclear fission , was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times without ever winning -LRB- though nominations are kept secret , so we do n't know for sure -RRB- . This makes her the Dynasty of the Nobel Prize scene -- that show was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards but never won . Other analogies we 'd accept : The Color Purple -LRB- 11 Oscar nominations in 1985 , no wins -RRB- , the Buffalo Bills or Minnesota Vikings -LRB- 4 Super Bowl losses each without a victory -RRB- and William Jennings Bryan -LRB- three-time Democratic nominee for President , losing twice to McKinley and once to Taft . -RRB- 3 . People who refused the prize : \u2022 Le Duc Tho was awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with Henry Kissinger for their roles in brokering a Vietnam cease fire at the Paris Peace Accords . Citing the absence of actual peace in Vietnam , Tho declined to accept . \u2022 Jean Paul Sartre waved off the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature . His explanation : `` It is not the same thing if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre or if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre , Nobel Prize winner . A writer must refuse to allow himself to be transformed into an institution , even if it takes place in the most honorable form . '' \u2022 Afraid of Soviet retribution if he traveled to Stockholm to claim his prize , Boris Pasternak declined to accept the 1958 Prize in Literature , which he 'd earned for Doctor Zhivago . The Academy refused his refusal . `` This refusal , of course , in no way alters the validity of the award . There remains only for the Academy , however , to announce with regret that the presentation of the Prize can not take place . '' Yevgeny Pasternak accepted the prize on behalf of his deceased father in 1989 . \u2022 Swedish poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt won for Literature in 1918 . He did not accept because he was Secretary of the Swedish Academy , which awards the prize . He was given the award posthumously in 1931 . This was allowed because the nomination was made before Karlfeldt died -- no candidate may be proposed after death . Mental Floss : 10 technologies we stole from the animal kingdom 4 . In 2007 , 90-year-old professor Leonid Hurwicz became the oldest person to ever win -LRB- one-third of the Prize in Economics -RRB- ; at 87 , writer Doris Lessing became the oldest woman -LRB- Literature -RRB- . 5 . DNA expert Kary Mullis -- 1993 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry -- was scheduled to be a defense witness in O.J. Simpson 's murder trial . However , Simpson 's lawyer Barry Scheck felt the prosecution 's DNA case was already essentially destroyed , and he did n't want Mullis ' personal life to distract jurors -LRB- he 'd expressed an affinity for LSD . -RRB- 6 . Nobel Laureates you must know : Teddy Roosevelt , Woodrow Wilson , Rev. Martin Luther King , Jr. , Mother Teresa , Elie Wiesel , Mikhail Gorbachev , Nelson Mandela , Yasser Arafat , Shimon Peres , Yitzhak Rabin , Jimmy Carter , Toni Morrison , William Faulkner , T.S. Eliot , Ernest Hemingway , Samuel Beckett , Pierre & Marie Curie , Max Planck and Albert Einstein . 7 . Big names who never won : Dmitri Mendeleev , Leo Tolstoy , Virginia Woolf , James Joyce , Marcel Proust , Mark Twain , Gertrude Stein , Henrik Ibsen , Joan Robinson , Thomas Edison , Nikola Tesla , Jules-Henri Poincar\u00e9 , Raymond Damadian and Mahatma Gandhi . Mental Floss : 6 people who accidentally found a fortune 8 . Winners without the greatest reputations : \u2022 Daniel Carleton Gajdusek , who won in 1976 for his research in human slow-virus infections , spent 19 months in jail after pleading guilty in 1997 to charges of child molestation . \u2022 Johannes Fibiger won in 1926 after discovering parasitic worms cause cancer -- a breakthrough that turned out to not be true . \u2022 Yasser Arafat shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin . This decision caused Nobel Committee member Kare Kristiansen to resign . `` What consequences will result , '' he asked at the time , `` when a terrorist with such a background is awarded the world 's most prestigious prize ? '' \u2022 William Shockley won for Physics in 1956 for his role in the invention of the semiconductor , but his support of the eugenics movement alienated the scientific community . Shockley also donated sperm to the Repository for Germinal Choice , a sperm bank developed to spread humanity 's best genes . 9 . As part of his divorce settlement , Einstein 's Nobel Prize money went to his ex-wife , Mileva Maric . 10 . The Curie family is a Nobel Prize machine , winning five : Pierre and Marie for Physics in 1901 ; Marie solo for Chemistry in 1911 ; daughter Irene and her husband Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Joliot-Curie for Chemistry in 1935 ; and Henry Labouisse , who was married to Pierre and Marie 's daughter Eve , accepted on behalf of UNICEF in 1965 . 11 . Marie Curie 's second prize was marred by scandal . Then a widow , Curie had an affair with a married scientist , Paul Langevin -- a former pupil of Pierre Curie . Love letters were involved , eventually leading to a duel between Langevin and the editor of the newspaper that had printed them -LRB- no shots were actually fired . -RRB- According to NobelPrize.org , when it was suggested that Curie not accept the prize , she wrote a shrewd letter , `` which pointed out that she had been awarded the Prize for her discovery of radium and polonium , and that she could not accept the principle that appreciation of the value of scientific work should be influenced by slander concerning a researcher 's private life . '' 12 . Singing support -- While there 's no evidence the Nobel judges can be swayed by theme songs , that has n't stopped Loriana Lana from composing one for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi . `` Peace Can '' includes the lyrics , `` Silvio forever will be \/ Silvio is reality \/ Silvio forever ! \/ Silvio gives us trust . '' 13 . Alfred Nobel -- inventor of dynamite -- may have been inspired to create the Nobel Prize after a premature obituary in a French newspaper called him a `` merchant of death . '' 14 . Nobel died on December 10 , 1896 . The formal awards ceremony is held in Stockholm each year on the anniversary of his death . The first awards show took place on December 10 , 1901 . -LRB- These things take time to plan . -RRB- And in case you were wondering just how much of a say Alfred Nobel had in the prize , here 's what he wrote in his will : `` The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way : `` The capital shall be invested by my executors in safe securities and shall constitute a fund , the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who , during the preceding year , shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind . The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts , which shall be apportioned as follows : one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics ; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement ; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine ; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency ; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity among nations , for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses . `` The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences ; that for physiological or medical works by the Caroline Institute in Stockholm ; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm ; and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting . It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates , so that the most worthy shall receive the prize , whether he be Scandinavian or not . '' Mental Floss : 13 bizarre stipulations in wills For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com","question":""}
{"answer":"TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran 's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday he sees no change in U.S. policy toward Iran despite the U.S. promise of a `` new beginning . '' Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran would change its policy when the U.S. did so as well . Khamenei said a change in rhetoric is not enough , and Washington must practice what it preaches , according to the English-language Press TV channel in Iran . He also promised that Iran will change its policy if the United States does so as well , Press TV reported . Khamenei 's comments , which he made in a televised address to mark the start of the Iranian New Year on Friday , come a day after U.S. President Barack Obama reached out to Iran in a videotaped message . A spokesman for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad condemned U.S. foreign policy Friday in response to the video . Obama 's message spoke of `` new beginnings '' with the promise of a new year . `` My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us , and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States , Iran and the international community , '' the president said in his message Friday . Obama said the United States seeks engagement with Iran that is `` honest and grounded in mutual respect . '' The president 's message is part of a dramatic shift in tone from that of the Bush administration , which branded Iran as part of an `` axis of evil '' along with North Korea and Iraq . It also echoes Obama 's inaugural speech in which he told the Muslim world , `` We seek a new way forward , based on mutual interest and mutual respect . '' Ahmadinejad said last month that Iran would welcome talks with the United States `` in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect . '' Khamenei also said world powers have come to realize they are not able to block Iran 's nuclear progress . He looked back on the February 25 testing of Iran 's first nuclear power plant , at Bushehr , as one of the `` joyful developments '' of the past year . Last month , the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report saying that Iran has reached `` nuclear weapons breakout capability '' -- it has enough uranium to make a nuclear bomb . The report was based on an analysis of data from the International Atomic Energy Agency . However , an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data , saying Iran 's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium to be weapons-grade material . That has n't been done , the official said . The United States has had tortuous relations with Tehran since the Islamic revolution in 1979 . Meanwhile , the widow of the late founder of the Islamic Republic , Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , died Saturday morning after a long period of illness , the Iranian-run Islamic Republic News Agency said . A funeral for Khadije Saghafi was scheduled to be held Sunday in Tehran and she was set to be laid to rest in Khomeini 's tomb , the agency reported . Khomeini was the leader of the 1979 revolution that led to the toppling of the shah of Iran and the ushering in of an Islamic state . He died in 1989 .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Boys may soon be able to get Gardasil , the vaccine given to girls and young women to prevent infection by four types of human papillomavirus . Gardasil , a vaccine against human papillomavirus , would be given to boys exactly as it is to girls . A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted Wednesday to recommend that the vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV . The vaccine protects against four types of HPV , and two of those are believed to be responsible for 70 percent of cervical and anal cancers , and HPV-associated penile and throat-and-neck cancers . The other two cause 90 percent of genital warts cases , researchers say . At Wednesday 's advisory committee meeting , pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. , maker of Gardasil , presented data from three clinical trials that the company claims supports broadening the distribution of the vaccine to include males . The trials included more than 5,400 boys and men from six continents and 23 countries . According to Anna Giuliano , an independent scientist at Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa , Florida , and the trials ' principal investigator , `` The data clearly demonstrates that there was a benefit to men in receiving Gardasil . Overall , we saw a 90 percent reduction in disease -- genital warts and pre-cancerous lesions -- caused by HPV in men and an 89 percent reduction in genital warts incidence . `` Essentially , we have a really fantastic opportunity to extend the benefit of the vaccine to men , '' Giuliano said . `` This is a sexually transmitted infection ; if we can reduce infection and related diseases in men , we have the potential to have a much broader public health impact by reducing the overall burden of infection and disease in the community at large . '' Giuliano said there were no serious adverse events related to the vaccine . There were some minor side effects such as pain at the injection site and low-grade fever . The vaccine would be administered in boys and young men exactly as it 's been given to girls and young women : three doses over a period of six months . Merck spokeswoman Pam Eisele said the cost will be $ 130 per dose . According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , about 20 million Americans are infected with HPV . There are 6.2 million new infections each year . The CDC says that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women get an HPV infection at some time in their life . The American Social Health Association says HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus and puts that number at 75 percent or more . The CDC says that although HPV is very common in both sexes , most men wo n't develop symptoms or serious health problems , and there is no test to detect the virus in men . The only approved HPV test on the market is for women , for use in cervical-cancer screening . The advisory committee also voted that Cervarix , a new HPV vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline , appeared to be safe and effective for girls and young women 10 to 25 years of age . Cervarix has been approved in Europe . `` This is an important step in cancer prevention for the millions of girls and young women at risk for cervical cancer , '' said Barbara Howe , vice president and director of North American vaccine development for GlaxoSmithKline . `` If approved , Cervarix will provide protection against cervical cancer , a devastating disease that is responsible for thousands of deaths in U.S. women each year . '' Still , the panel recommended that Glaxo do more studies that would monitor miscarriages and other problems reported by patients . In a final review , both applications will be considered by the FDA , which usually -- but not always -- follows the recommendations of its advisory committees .","question":""}
{"answer":"A whopping 70 percent of American kids are n't getting enough vitamin D , and such youngsters tend to have higher blood pressure and lower levels of good cholesterol than their peers , according to two new studies published this week in the journal Pediatrics . Low vitamin D levels also may increase a child 's risk of developing heart disease later in life , experts say . People who drank milk less than once a week were among those most at risk for vitamin-D deficiency , a study found . `` We were astounded at how common it was , '' says study author Dr. Michal Melamed , an assistant professor of medicine , epidemiology , and population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine , in the Bronx , New York . `` There is a lot of data that suggests adults with low vitamin-D levels are at risk for diabetes , high blood pressure , cardiovascular disease , and a lot of cancers , and if kids start out with low levels and never increase them , they may be putting themselves at risk for developing all of these diseases at a much earlier age . '' Vitamin D is often called the `` sunshine vitamin '' because the human body makes it only when exposed to sunlight -- although it only takes 10 to 15 minutes a day to make an adequate amount . Vitamin D , which helps the bones better absorb calcium , is also added to multivitamins and milk . In Melamed 's study , the researchers looked at the vitamin D levels of more than 6,000 people ages 1 to 21 . They checked for vitamin-D deficiency , which is defined as less than 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood -LRB- ng\/mL -RRB- , and vitamin-D insufficiency , which is defined as 15 to 29 ng\/mL . Overall , 7.6 million , or 9 percent , of U.S. children were vitamin-D deficient , and another 50.8 million , or 61 percent , had insufficient levels of this important vitamin in their blood . Children with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have high blood pressure and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein , also known as good cholesterol -- two factors that are considered major risk factors for heart disease later in life . Health.com : How cholesterol affects your heart 's health Children with low vitamin-D levels also had higher levels of parathyroid hormone than their counterparts with adequate vitamin D in their blood . Parathyroid hormone is a measure of bone health . When levels are high , it suggests that bones need more calcium to grow . Watch more on kids in the U.S. and low levels of vitamin D '' Overall , those most at risk for a vitamin-D deficiency were older , female , obese , drank milk less than once a week , and spent more than four hours a day watching TV , playing video games , or working on a computer . They were also more likely to be children with darker skin , including non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican-Americans . -LRB- Children with darker skin are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D because they have more melanin than their fairer counterparts . Melanin is the pigment that gives skin color , but it may prevent the skin from absorbing enough sunlight to produce an adequate amount of vitamin D. -RRB- Health.com : Battle aging with vitamin D In the second study , a research team led by Jared P. Reis , Ph.D. , of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions , looked at 3,577 adolescents ages 12 to 19 . Those with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have high blood pressure , high levels of blood sugar , and metabolic syndrome -LRB- a cluster of factors known to increase risk of heart disease -RRB- than their counterparts with ample vitamin D in their blood , regardless of how much they weighed . Exactly how a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of heart disease is an evolving story . In terms of blood pressure , vitamin D helps control renin , a protein that plays a role in regulating blood-pressure levels . Health.com : Why belly fat increases type 2 diabetes risk The best vitamin-D boosting strategy involves a three-pronged approach , says Melamed . `` You can get a little bit from food , but not as much as you need , '' she says . `` Supplements are readily available , and kids like to take Flintstones or gummy-bear multivitamins , which typically contain vitamin D. '' Also , parents should help their children get at least 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure daily without sunscreen . `` Set your watch and then apply sunscreen after 15 minutes , '' Melamed says . Some children , including those in high-risk groups , may need to be screened to check for low vitamin-D levels . Dr. Michael F. Holick , Ph.D. , a professor of medicine , physiology , and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine , and the author of `` The Vitamin D Solution '' -LRB- to be released in April 2010 -RRB- , has been sounding an alarm about the dangers of low vitamin-D levels for years . Health.com : Easy food swaps cut cholesterol , not taste `` This is a recipe for serious diseases occurring in our children when they are in their 20s and 30s , '' he says . Holick was among the first to document the return of rickets -- a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D and other minerals -- which can lead to the softening and weakening of the bones . Health.com : How to get vitamin D safely '' -LSB- But -RSB- rickets is just the tip of the iceberg , '' Holick says . `` Vitamin-D deficiency has insidious , serious long-term health consequences for children that could remain with them throughout their lives , '' he explains . '' -LSB- Parents should know -RSB- their child is likely to be vitamin-D deficient if the child does not take a supplement of 400 IU vitamin D a day and receive some unprotected sun . It is next to impossible to get enough vitamin D from diet , and the sun-phobic attitude has made the problem much worse . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama will welcome Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for an official state visit Tuesday . The two leaders will discuss a range of global , regional and bilateral issues , the White House said . Those discussions are likely to center on Afghanistan , climate change and nuclear energy cooperation . Singh has been quoted as saying that a Taliban victory in Afghanistan would be disastrous for Central and South Asia . Singh 's visit will be the first state visit hosted by the administration , the highest honor extended to a foreign dignitary . It will be Singh 's second visit to Washington ; he has also met with former President George W. Bush . Grammy - and Oscar-award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Hudson will entertain the black-tie crowd , several sources involved in the planning outside the administration said . Hudson , raised in Chicago like first lady Michelle Obama , sang the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008 at the request of the Obama campaign , when Obama became the Democratic presidential nominee . Singh arrived Sunday for his five-day visit . On Monday , he attended a luncheon hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce . He addressed the Council on Foreign Relations later in the day . Obama will receive the prime minister at the White House on Tuesday , and Singh and his wife will be the guests at an official state dinner Tuesday night . On Wednesday , Singh will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and will later attend a reception for the Indian community hosted by Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar . Singh will leave Washington Thursday morning and fly to Port of Spain , Trinidad , to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit . Singh , 77 , is a Cambridge - and Oxford-educated economist who was governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982 to 1985 and the nation 's finance minister from 1991 to 1996 . A member of the Congress Party , he is serving a second five-year term as prime minister . He was sworn in as prime minister in May 2004 and again this past May . He and his wife of 51 years , Gursharan Kaur , have three daughters .","question":""}
{"answer":"CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich vowed Friday to fight federal corruption charges and stay on the job , despite calls for his resignation amid allegations that he attempted to sell President-elect Barack Obama 's former Senate seat . Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich spoke to reporters at a news conference Friday but did not take questions . `` I will fight , I will fight , I will fight until I take my last breath . I have done nothing wrong , '' Blagojevich said in a brief news conference in Chicago . `` I 'm not going to quit a job that people have hired me to do . '' The spirited comments were the first public statements from the second-term governor about the allegations since his arrest December 9 on federal corruption charges . Federal prosecutors have accused the governor of trying to sell Obama 's former Senate seat . Prosecutors also allege the governor and his former chief of staff , John Harris , tried to have Chicago Tribune editorial board members fired by leveraging state assistance to the parent company of the newspaper , the Tribune Co. , in its sale of Wrigley Field . Blagojevich said he was `` dying '' to show his innocence , but maintained he would reserve his comments for an appropriate forum . `` I 'm not going to do what my accusers and political enemies have been doing , and that is talk about this case in 30-second sound bites on ` Meet the Press ' or on the TV news , '' he said . `` I have on my side the most powerful ally there is , and it is the truth . '' Watch Blagojevich speak at the news conference '' Quoting Rudyard Kipling 's poem , `` If , '' Blagojevich called on the public to be patient and reserve judgment until the facts unfold in criminal proceedings . `` If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you ; if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you , but make allowance for their doubting , too ; if you can wait and not be tired by waiting ; or being lied about , do n't deal in lies ; or being hated , do n't give way to hating , '' he said . Blagojevich did not take questions from reporters . Earlier Friday , his attorney , Ed Genson , said he did not feel it was prudent for the governor to answer questions now . Genson has said that the governor did nothing wrong and that evidence obtained through wiretaps in Blagojevich 's office and home was `` illegally obtained . '' The 76-page criminal complaint against Blagojevich includes snippets of intercepted phone calls involving the governor 's alleged efforts to benefit from the Senate vacancy . After Blagojevich 's statement , Genson 's co-counsel , Sam Adam Jr. , told reporters that the U.S. attorney 's office has not provided them with information related to the criminal complaint . `` We 've been asking for the documents . We 've been asking for the tapes . We 've been asking for the witnesses , we 're asking for a witness list . We have not gotten that , '' he said . Blagojevich 's arrest has thrown Illinois politics into chaos . Many of the state 's political leaders -- including Obama -- have called on the governor to resign . Harris , who was also arrested on federal corruption charges , resigned days after his arrest . Watch Illinois lawmakers discuss impeachment '' Members of an Illinois House of Representatives panel met Wednesday to continue discussions about whether there is a basis to impeach Blagojevich .","question":""}
{"answer":"MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hurricane Omar became a major Category 3 storm Wednesday night as it barreled toward the Virgin and Leeward Islands in the West Indies , the National Hurricane Center said . A man watches waves crash into the shore Tuesday at Club Nautico in Falcon state , Venezuela . Omar is expected to continue gathering strength as it passes east of the Virgin Islands in the next few hours and makes its way to the northern Leeward Islands Thursday morning , the hurricane center said . At 11 p.m. , Omar was moving northeast at about 20 mph with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph . The hurricane 's center was about 30 miles -LRB- 45 km -RRB- southwest of St. Croix and about 105 miles -LRB- 165 km -RRB- southwest of St. Martin . A hurricane warning -- meaning winds of 74 mph and higher are expected within a day -- is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands , the islands of Vieques , Culebra , St. Martin , Saba , St. Eustatius , St. Barthelemy , the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla . See where Omar is headed '' Puerto Rico is under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch , as are St. Kitts and Nevis , the hurricane center said . As Omar approached , Hovensa , a 500,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery on St. Croix , began shutting down all processing and auxiliary equipment `` except those necessary to maintain power supply in the complex , '' refinery spokesman Alex Moorhead said in a statement . Watch Venezuelans try to save homes , dogs '' The move was to ensure the safety of employees and the operation of the refinery , which is jointly owned by Hess Corp. and Venezuela 's state oil company . The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Christiansted Harbor , where the refinery is located , on Tuesday , and it will remain closed until the order is lifted , Moorhead said . `` Once Hurricane Omar has passed , we will conduct an inspection of our facilities as soon as it is safe to do so . If no damage is found that would impact safe operation of the refinery , the start-up of processing units will begin in sequential order , '' Moorhead said . Puerto Rico and some portions of the northern Leeward Islands , which includes the Virgin Islands , could get up to 20 inches of rain , according to the forecast . `` These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides , '' the hurricane center warned . Also , the storm could produce large swells affecting the western and southern coasts of the Lesser Antilles , the Caribbean islands that stretch from the Virgin Islands southward to the islands off Venezuela 's coast . The swells could cause beach erosion and damage coastal structures , the hurricane center said . Antigua , Barbuda and Montserrat are under a tropical storm warning , meaning they could experience tropical storm conditions over the coming 24 hours . A tropical storm watch is in effect for Guadeloupe . The storm 's forecast track shows it heading into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean after crossing over the Virgin Islands and sweeping past Puerto Rico , but hurricane tracks are subject to variation , and such long-range predictions can change . Omar formed Tuesday in the eastern Caribbean . It is the 15th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season , which began June 1 and ends November 30 .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A visit to the Eiffel Tower , the Statue of Liberty and the Pyramids is on the itinerary of most jet-setting travelers . Visiting the Eiffel Tower was voted the most overrated experience by tourists . But some of the most famous and iconic tourist attractions in the world are the most disappointing to actually visit , according to a survey of British tourists . And those questioned did n't think too highly of their own country 's best-known landmarks either , with Big Ben , Buckingham Palace and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain also turning people cold . Travel expert Felice Hardy explained why many tourists , often after spending inflated amounts on reaching and then viewing the most famous places , are left with a feeling of anti-climax . `` It 's easy to be swayed by brochures that opt for the mainstream and focus on clich\u00e9d tourist sights around the world , '' she said . `` But many of them are overcrowded and disappointing . `` Pick carefully and do n't always go for the obvious . Natural phenomena are usually more exciting than the man-made , and can be wonderfully free of tourists . '' The Eiffel Tower -- described by Hardy as `` frustratingly overcrowded and overpriced '' -- was dubbed the most disappointing international sight . Britain 's biggest letdown was Stonehenge , a sacred Druid sight in the rural south of England , which was dismissed as `` an isolated pile of rocks in a usually muddy field '' by Hardy . The Diana fountain resembled `` a colorless wet skateboard park '' while as far as Big Ben was concerned : `` Once you 've seen it , you 'll know what time it is -- time to go somewhere else . '' Three of America 's most famous sights -- New York 's Times Square and Statue of Liberty plus The White House in Washington also made the list of shame . But the 1,267 adults questioned by Virgin Travel Insurance also nominated the best places to visit in the world , with the Treasury in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan topping the list . Other unmissables included the Grand Canal in Venice , Italy , the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya and Australia 's Sydney Harbor Bridge . Alnwick Castle in Northumberland was voted Britain 's top tourist sight . TOP TEN MOST DISAPPOINTING GLOBAL SIGHTS 1 . The Eiffel Tower , Paris ; 2 . The Louvre , Paris ; 3 . Times Square , New York ; 4 . Las Ramblas , Barcelona ; 5 . Statue of Liberty , New York ; 6 . Spanish Steps , Rome ; 7 . The White House , Washington DC ; 8 . The Pyramids , Egypt ; 9 . The Brandenburg Gate , Berlin ; 10 . The Leaning Tower of Pisa . TOP TEN MOST DISAPPOINTING UK SIGHTS 1 . Stonehenge ; 2 . Angel of the North . Gateshead ; 3 . Blackpool Tower ; 4 . Land 's End , Cornwall ; 5 . Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain , London ; 6 . The London Eye ; 7 . Brighton Pier ; 8 . Buckingham Palace ; 9 . White Cliffs of Dover ; 10 . Big Ben . TOP TEN BEST GLOBAL SIGHTS 1 . The Treasury at Petra , Jordan ; 2 . The Grand Canal , Venice ; 3 . The Masai Mara , Kenya ; 4 . Sydney Harbour Bridge ; 5 . Taroko Gorge , Taiwan ; 6 . Kings Canyon , Northern Territory , Australia ; 7 . Cappadoccia caves , Turkey ; 8 . Lake Titicaca , Peru and Bolivia ; 9 . Cable Beach , Broome , Western Australia ; 10 . Jungfraujoch railway , Switzerland . TOP TEN BEST UK SIGHTS 1 . Alnwick Castle , Northumberland ; 2 . Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge , County Antrim ; 3 . The Royal Crescent , Bath ; 4 . Shakespeare 's Globe Theatre , Southwark , south London ; 5 . The Backs , Cambridge ; 6 . Holkham Bay , Norfolk ; 7 . Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast , Devon and Dorset ; 8 . Tate St Ives gallery , Cornwall ; 9 . Isle of Skye , Scotland ; 10 . The Eden Project , Cornwall E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Students will examine Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 's famous `` I Have a Dream '' speech . Also , they will compose written responses to Dr. King in which they compare his historic vision of racial equality in the United States to the reality of present-day life . Procedure On August 28 , 1963 , Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his vision of racial equality in America in his historic `` I Have a Dream '' speech . Now , efforts are under way to build on that dream by constructing a monument to Dr. King on the banks of the National Mall 's Tidal Basin in Washington , D.C. . In class discussion , have students define the following terms : racism , prejudice and discrimination . Have them give examples of each . Then , point out that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of being judged not by the color of one 's skin , but by the content of his or her character . Direct your students to read Dr. King 's famous `` I Have a Dream '' speech and discuss its content in class . Then , challenge each student to compare Dr. King 's dream to the reality of life in the U.S. in the year 2008 . Direct each student to compose a written response to Dr. King , explaining what life is like in the U.S. today and to what extent his dream has been realized . -LRB- Encourage students to be creative in their responses . For example , students could write a letter , a speech , a song or a poem . -RRB- After students share their responses to Dr. King , pose the following questions for class discussion : Do you think that in today 's society individuals are judged by the content of their character and not by their race ? Give examples to support your opinion . Correlated Standards United States History Standard 29 . Understands the struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties Level II -LSB- Grade : 5-6 -RSB- Benchmark 1 . Understands the development of the civil rights movement -LRB- e.g. , the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and its significance in advancing civil rights ; the resistance to civil rights in the South between 1954 and 1965 ; how the `` freedom ride , '' `` civil disobedience , '' and `` non-violent resistance '' were important to the civil rights movement ; Martin Luther King Jr. 's `` I Have a Dream '' speech in the context of major events -RRB- Level III -LSB- Grade : 7-8 -RSB- Benchmark 1 . Understands individual and institutional influences on the civil rights movement -LRB- e.g. , the origins of the postwar civil rights movement ; the role of the NAACP in the legal assault on the leadership and ideologies of Martin Luther King , Jr. and Malcolm X ; the effects of the constitutional steps taken in the executive , judicial , and legislative branches of government ; the shift from de jure to de facto segregation ; important milestones in the civil rights movement between 1954 and 1965 ; Eisenhower 's reasons for dispatching federal troops to Little Rock in 1957 -RRB- McREL : Content Knowledge : A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education -LRB- Copyright 2000 McREL -RRB- is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning -LRB- McREL -RRB- -LRB- http:\/\/www.mcrel.org\/standards-benchmarks -RRB- , 2550 S. Parker Road , Suite 500 , Aurora , CO 80014 Keywords Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , `` I Have a Dream '' speech , racial equality , discrimination , prejudice , racism","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rapper Kanye West and his business manager face vandalism , battery and grand theft charges in connection with a scuffle with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport last September . Rapper Kanye West has been charged after an incident last year involving two photographers . The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file felony charges , but L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo decided to charge West , 31 , and Don Crawley , 33 , with misdemeanors Wednesday . Police arrested West on September 11 , 2008 , after an altercation with two paparazzi , airport police said . The incident , which took place near the airport 's Terminal 4 , occurred between the rap star and Crawley -- his road manager and bodyguard -- and a photographer and a cameraman who were taking their photos , airport police said . The cameras of the paparazzi were damaged in the altercation , police said . West was charged with one count of vandalism , one count of grand theft and one count of battery , according to Frank Mateljan , the spokesman for the city attorney . Crawley was charged with two counts of vandalism , two counts of grand theft and two counts of battery , Mateljan said . If convicted of all charges , West could face up to two years and six months in jail , while Crawley could face up to five years , he said . Their arraignment hearing is set for April 14 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse , he said . West , a 10-time Grammy winner , and Crawley were in the airport to catch a flight to Honolulu , Hawaii , police said . The pair were outside of passenger security screening when the incident occurred . CNN could not immediately reach the star 's publicist for comment . The celebrity Web site TMZ posted a video of the incident shot by one of its reporters , who was also in the terminal when the altercation occurred . The video was short and chaotic , and the man whom TMZ identifies as West never shows his face , which is shrouded in the hood of a gray sweatshirt . According to the Web site , after West grabbed the camera from the photographer , Crawley took it from him , leaving the rap star with the lighting component . The video shows the man in the gray sweatshirt and another man in a red sweatshirt -- whom TMZ identifies as Crawley -- each smashing parts of a camera on the ground . Then the man in red approaches the camera as it is filming . He reaches out for the camera , and it appears a struggle ensues . As airport officials arrive , the man walks off . TMZ reported that after the incident with the first photographer , Crawley grabbed the TMZ reporter 's camera and allegedly broke it . Police stopped West and Crawley as they tried to leave to go through security to board the plane , the Web site said . TMZ is partly owned by AOL , part of CNN 's parent company , Time Warner . West quickly became a hip-hop star after his first album , `` College Dropout , '' debuted in 2004 , earning him a best rap album Grammy that year . He twice matched that feat with 2005 's `` Late Registration '' and 2007 's `` Graduation . '' West also has won three best rap song Grammys for his hits `` Jesus Walks , '' `` Diamonds from Sierra Leone '' and `` Good Life . '' His other four Grammys include two best rap solo performance awards , one for best rap performance by a duo or group , and one for best R&B song for his role in helping write `` You Do n't Know My Name , '' a song performed by Alicia Keys . The platinum rapper is also known for controversial outbursts , most notably in 2005 , when he went off script during an NBC telethon for victims of Hurricane Katrina , saying , `` George Bush does n't care about black people . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tropical Storm Paula pushed across western Cuba Thursday evening with wind gusts just under hurricane strength in some places , bringing heavy rain and high winds to the island nation , forecasters said . The storm is gradually weakening and is expected to become a tropical depression Friday , the Miami , Florida-based National Hurricane Center said As of 8 p.m. ET , the center of Paula was about 25 miles -LRB- 45 kilometers -RRB- east of Havana , the center said . It was moving east at 14 mph -LRB- 22 kph -RRB- . Paula passed just south of the Cuban capital around 6 p.m. Thursday -- with sustained winds of 41 mph -LRB- 67 kph -RRB- and a gust of 54 mph -LRB- 87 kph -RRB- recorded in Havana -- after making landfall at about noon near Puerto Esperanza . The storm 's maximum sustained winds have weakened to 55 mph -LRB- 90 kph -RRB- , the center said Thursday night , but wind gusts of 68 mph had been recorded earlier near Puerto Esperanza . Stronger gusts were confined to a small area near the storm 's center , the center said . Paula 's tropical storm-force winds have expanded to 70 miles -LRB- 110 km -RRB- outward from the center , altering the landscape of a storm that has been roughly half that size for most of its duration . Forecasters said the storm was likely to stick to an east to east-northeast track , moving across western and central Cuba Thursday night and Friday . The hurricane center said that tropical storm force winds should continue to spread eastward across western and central Cuba Thursday night , primarily along the north coast . The center discontinued an earlier tropical storm watch also was for the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas . Emergency management officials in the Keys said Wednesday they were keeping an eye on the progress of Paula and expected some gusty winds and rain , but no protective actions had been initiated . Forecasters predict the center of Paula will remain south of the Keys . Paula is likely to dump an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain over portions of western and central Cuba over the next two days , the National Hurricane Center said . Total maximum amounts could be 10 inches in some areas . Heavy rain could trigger flash floods and mudslides , forecasters said . The Florida Keys could see between 1 and 2 inches of rain . In addition , a storm surge is forecast to raise water levels by 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels along the coast of western Cuba , accompanied by `` large and destructive waves , '' the hurricane center said .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Well , here 's what we 've all been waiting for . Apple put out a couple of announcements on Tuesday related to its desktop computers . Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel 's `` Nehalem '' processor . The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel 's `` Nehalem '' processor , a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine , and updated iMacs that include the lowest price point yet for the consumer desktops . Let 's look at the new Mac Pro first : priced at $ 2,499 for the quad-core version and $ 3,299 for the eight-core version , those Intel `` Nehalem '' Xeon processors run at 2.93 GHz , and the interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier . On the green front , it meets the new Energy Star 5.0 requirements that will go into effect later this year . The new iMac desktop is a 24 '' machine that is priced at $ 1,499 , the cost of Apple 's previous 20 '' iMac . The 20-inch is now $ 1,199 . The 20 '' is powered by a 2.66 GHz processor ; the 24 '' has processor speed options of 2.66 GHz , 2.93 GHz -LRB- for $ 1,799 -RRB- , or 3.02 GHz -LRB- for $ 2,199 -RRB- . The 24 '' comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB ; the 20 '' comes with a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB . `` Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $ 1,499 , '' Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook , currently standing in at the helm of the company in place of iconic CEO Steve Jobs , said in a release . `` The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac , it 's also the world 's most energy efficient desktop computer . '' As for the new Mac Mini , the big upgrade is NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics that Apple says will improve its graphics performance as much as fivefold . The monitor-free machine costs either $ 599 for a lower-end edition -LRB- 1GB RAM , 120GB hard drive -RRB- or $ 799 for the higher-end -LRB- 2GB RAM , 320GB hard drive -RRB- . All these machines , like the new Mac Pro , meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements . Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider . \u00a9 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Foreign nationals who are HIV-positive will find it easier starting Monday to visit the United States . The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed HIV infection from the list of diseases that prevent non-U.S. citizens from entering the country . HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus -- the virus that causes AIDS . Advocates for HIV-positive people said the new policy was long overdue , calling it `` a significant step forward for the United States . '' `` The end of the HIV travel and immigration ban is the beginning of a new life for countless families and thousands who had been separated because of this policy , '' said Steve Ralls , spokesman for Immigration Equality , a national rights organization for lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and HIV-positive individuals . `` This is a new beginning for them . '' The final rule was approved in November and went into effect Monday . The new regulation takes HIV infection out of the category of `` communicable diseases of public health significance , '' the CDC said . It also removes required testing for HIV infection from the U.S. immigration medical screening process and eliminates the need for a waiver for entry into the United States . U.S. laws and regulations enacted since 1952 have made persons `` who were afflicted with any dangerous contagious disease '' ineligible to receive a visa to enter the country . People infected with HIV have been restricted since 1987 , when Congress directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to add HIV to its list of diseases of public health significance . The United States Global Leadership Against HIV\/AIDS , Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 , which President Bush signed on July 30 , 2008 , removed the statutory requirement that mandated the inclusion of HIV on the list of diseases of public health significance that barred entry in the United States . The legislation did not , however , automatically change the existing regulations , administered by HHS , that continued to list HIV as a `` communicable disease of public-health significance '' and required the more cumbersome visa process . The United States was one of 13 countries that restricted entry of HIV-positive visitors , according to amfAR , an AIDS research foundation .","question":""}
{"answer":"Los Angeles -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four southern California teenagers have been charged following the apparent drug overdose death of an 18-year-old high school quarterback whose father is a retired NFL player , the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department said Saturday . Three of the teens have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Griffen Kramer , son of former pro quarterback Erik Kramer , who played for several NFL teams including the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions , officials said . Griffen Kramer played quarterback at Thousand Oaks High School , which lists him as a 6-foot 210-pound senior . Kramer was found dead October 30 in a friend 's bedroom in Agoura Hills , the sheriff 's office said in a statement . That friend , David Nemberg , 19 , of Agoura Hills , is charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance , authorities said . After investigating several of Kramer 's acquaintances who were involved in narcotics-related activities , police also charged Corey Baumann , 19 , also of Agoura Hills , with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance for sales , the sheriff 's office said . Baumann and Nemberg were each released in lieu of a $ 125,000 bail , authorities said . The two other accused teenagers are minors , whose names were n't released , the sheriff 's office said . A 17-year-old boy from Oak Park , California , was charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance , the sheriff 's office said . He is being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall without bail , authorities said . Investigators found `` deplorable '' living conditions during the search of the boy 's home and took five children from the residence into protective custody , said authorities . The fourth teen , also a 17-year-old boy , of Agoura Hills , was charged with possession of a controlled substance , the sheriff 's office said . He was released to his parents ' custody , according to police . Police allege Griffen , Nemberg and a juvenile met at Sumac Park in Agoura Hills on October 29 and drove to a nearby cul-de-sac , where Griffen injected narcotics , causing him to instantly become ill and unconscious , authorities said . Nemberg allegedly dragged the unconscious Griffen into his car and then drove him around the area , police said . Nemberg called acquaintances and asked them if he could drive to their residences , but they told him no because their parents were home , police said . Nemberg allegedly took a still unconscious Griffen to Nemberg 's home , authorities said . He did n't seek medical attention for Griffen until the next morning , when Nemberg woke up and saw Griffen was still unconscious , authorities alleged . `` He woke up the following morning and called 911 because Griffen was unresponsive , '' Sheriff 's Sgt. Barry Hall said in a statement . Griffen was believed to have been dead for several hours before Nemberg made the call , according to the Los Angeles County coroner 's office . Investigators believe Griffen had likely died from an overdose , but `` we 're still waiting for a toxicology results to determine the ultimate cause of death , '' Hall said . CNN 's Michael Martinez contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Robin van Persie hat-trick earned Arsenal a thrilling 5-3 win over their west London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the English Premier League on Saturday . Chelsea started the match strongly taking the lead in the 14th minute when Juan Mata delivered an inch-perfect cross for Frank Lampard to guide a header past Szczesny in the Arsenal goal . The home side continued to dominate possession but Arsenal hit back in the 36th minute when Aaron Ramsey threaded the ball through to Gervinho who selflessly squared the ball back for van Persie to side-foot past Petr Cech . Chelsea had a goal disallowed two minutes later with Ramires being ruled offside , but earned a deserved halftime lead when John Terry bundled the ball home from a corner kick in the 45th minute . Arsenal were far from finished though and hit back four minutes after the break as Alex Song played in Andre Santos who squeezed a shot underneath Cech to level the scores at 2-2 . Six minutes later , Theo Walcott gave the Gunners the lead -- unleashing a fierce shot inside Cech 's near post after outwitting three Chelsea defenders . A 25-yard strike from Mata restored parity for Chelsea in the 80th minute , but van Persie put Arsenal ahead again five minutes later , pouncing on a mistake by John Terry to slot home his second before lashing home his third in injury time to seal a remarkable win . Manchester United bounced back from the 6-1 battering from their city rivals last weekend edging past Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park . Havier Hernandez was on hand to side-foot home from a Patrice Evra cross in the 19th minute to give United the lead after they had made a bright opening to the match . Everton battled their way back into the match and came close to an equalizer -- Leighton Baines hitting the crossbar from a free-kick , while David De Gea saved smartly from Leon Osman . But despite the pressure , United held firm to cement second place in the table behind leaders , Manchester City who enjoyed a comfortable 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers . Edin Dzeko opened the scoring for City in the 52nd minute with Aleksandar Kolarov adding a second 15 minutes later . City 's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany was sent off in the 75th minute for a challenge on Kevin Doyle -- the resulting penalty was converted by Stephen Hunt . But Adam Johnson -LRB- who came on for Dzeko midway through the second half -RRB- netted in injury time to ensure Robert Mancini 's side maintained their five-point lead at the top of the table . First half goals from Charlie Adam and Andy Carroll proved enough for Liverpool who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at The Hawthorns . Liverpool were awarded a penalty in the 9th minute when Luis Suarez was bundled over in the box -- Adam making no mistake with the spot kick . Suarez was involved again in the second , setting up Carroll who poked a shot past advancing West Brom keeper Ben Foster . Despite a host of chances in the second half Liverpool could n't extend their lead , but the win lifts them to fifth . West Brom are 13th with 11 points . Norwich City came from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers -- a result which keeps Steve Kean 's side in the bottom three . Norwich are in eighth place . Sunderland also came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa . Goals from Villa 's Bulgarian midfielder Stiliyan Petrov -LRB- 20th minute -RRB- and Richard Dunne -LRB- 85th minute -RRB- were canceled out by Connor Wickham , who scored seven minutes before half time and Stephane Sessegnon who stole a point for Sunderland seconds before the final whistle . Swansea City continued their promising start to season with 3-1 over struggling Bolton Wanderers . The result moves them up to 10th place . Bolton , meanwhile , are second from bottom with six points , one point ahead of Wigan who suffered their third home defeat of the season losing 2-0 to Fulham . Goals from Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele lift Martin Jol 's side up to 15th .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States Mint launched a new coin Tuesday featuring jazz legend Duke Ellington , making him the first African-American to appear by himself on a circulating U.S. coin . The District of Columbia coin honoring Duke Ellington was introduced Tuesday in Washington . Ellington , the composer of classics including `` It Do n't Mean a Thing If It Ai n't Got That Swing '' appears on the `` tails '' side of the new D.C. quarter . George Washington is on the `` heads '' side , as is usual with U.S. quarters . The coin was issued to celebrate Ellington 's birthplace , the District of Columbia . U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy introduced the new coin at a news conference Tuesday at the Smithsonian Institution 's National Museum of American History . Members of Ellington 's family were present at the ceremony , and the jazz band of Duke Ellington High School performed . Ellington won the honor by a vote of D.C. residents , beating out abolitionist Frederick Douglass and astronomer Benjamin Banneker . Also on the coin is the phrase `` Justice for all . '' The Mint rejected the first inscription choice of D.C. voters , which was `` taxation without representation , '' in protest of the district 's lack of voting representation in Congress . Edward Kennedy `` Duke '' Ellington received 13 Grammy Awards and a Pulitzer Prize , among numerous other honors . His orchestra 's theme song , `` Take the A Train , '' is one of the best-known compositions in jazz . Ellington was born in the district in 1899 and composed more than 3,000 songs , including `` Satin Doll , '' `` Perdido '' and `` Do n't Get Around Much Any More . '' `` It Do n't Mean a Thing If It Ai n't Got That Swing '' helped usher in the swing era of jazz . Ellington performed with other famous artists , including John Coltrane , Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald , and he traveled around the world with his orchestras . He died in 1974 at the age of 75 . The first African-American to appear on a circulating coin was York , a slave who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their `` Corps of Discovery '' adventures across America at the dawn of the 19th century . The 2003 Missouri quarter features the three men together in a canoe on the obverse . The U.S. Mint distinguishes between circulating coins , which are intended for daily use , and commemorative ones , which mark special occasions . African-Americans including Jackie Robinson , who broke baseball 's color barrier , have appeared on commemorative coins . Educator Booker T. Washington , botanist George Washington Carver and the first Revolutionary War casualty , Crispus Attucks , all of whom were black , have also appeared on commemorative coins , according to the U.S. Mint .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forbes ' list of the world 's wealthy has named Warren Buffett the richest person on the planet , surpassing his friend and philanthropic partner Bill Gates who had held the title for 13 consecutive years . American investor Warren Buffett has been named world 's richest person . The American investor and philanthropist is worth an estimated $ 62 billion , up $ 10 billion from a year ago thanks to surging prices of Berkshire Hathaway stock , according to Forbes magazine 's annual ranking of the world 's billionaires . Gates , the co-founder of Microsoft , is now ranked as the world 's third richest person . At $ 58 billion , his net worth is up $ 2 billion from a year ago . Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu was named the world 's second richest man , with a net worth of around $ 60 billion , up $ 11 billion since last March . For the first time , Forbes ' rich list named more than 1,000 billionaires from around the world , with 226 newcomers . The total net worth of the group is $ 4.4 trillion , up $ 900 billion from 2007 . Watch who 's up and who 's down '' This year 's survey finds an increasing number of the world 's richest coming from emerging markets , including China , India and Russia . Two years ago , 10 of the top 20 billionaires were from the United States . This year , there are only four . India is now home to four of the 10 richest people in the world , the highest number for a single country . But the United States still holds the top spot as the country with the most billionaires -- Americans account for 42 percent of the world 's billionaires and 37 percent of the total wealth , according to Forbes . With 87 billionaires , Russia is now in second place , overtaking Germany , with 59 billionaires , which had held that position for six years . It is also a record-breaking year for young billionaires , with Forbes listing 50 billionaires under the age of 40 . Check out the youngest billionaires '' Over half of them are self-starters , including Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page , and India 's Sameer Gehlaut , who started online brokerage Indiabulls . Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg , age 23 , was called `` quite possibly the world 's youngest self-made billionaire ever . '' E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A car bomb struck a U.S. Embassy vehicle Tuesday as it traveled along a coastal highway north of Beirut , killing at least three Lebanese civilian bystanders , according to American and Lebanese officials . Lebanese soldiers and Red Cross workers stand near charred cars at the site of the explosion in Beirut . The driver of the embassy vehicle suffered minor injuries , and the sole passenger walked away unscathed , U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said . Both were Lebanese nationals , he said . An American citizen who happened to be in the area suffered non-life-threatening injuries , the spokesman said . Lebanese internal security forces said three Lebanese civilian bystanders were killed in the explosion in Beirut 's Dora area , contradicting earlier reports of four . Twenty-one others -- including the American bystander -- were wounded in the explosion , which was caused by a 15-kilogram -LRB- 33-pound -RRB- bomb placed in a car before the explosion , the security forces said . The United States is outraged by the terrorist attack , said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , who is traveling with President Bush in Saudi Arabia . `` I want on behalf of our country to say to those who were wounded , and certainly to the families of those who were killed , that our condolences are with them , '' she added . It was not clear whether the blast was caused by a suicide attack or by a remotely detonated car bomb . A communique issued by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said the embassy vehicle was apparently the intended target of the attack , and identified the driver and passenger as Lebanese security personnel for the embassy . But McCormack cautioned against jumping to any conclusions on the intended target . `` We do n't yet have a full picture of exactly what happened , who is responsible , who is exactly being targeted , '' he told reporters during the State Department 's daily briefing . `` We will see over the next day or two ... where the facts lead us . '' Citing security concerns , McCormack would also not address unconfirmed reports that the vehicle was part of a convoy for departing U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman . A U.S. Embassy statement said Feltman canceled a farewell ceremony that he was to host Tuesday night `` out of respect to the victims of today 's terrorist explosion . '' In addition to the American , an Iraqi and at least three Lebanese were among those wounded in the blast , according to a Western diplomatic source . Video of the scene showed several damaged cars , including at least one that was left a pile of twisted metal . A nearby high-rise building also sustained damage . Mohammed Chatah , senior adviser to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora , pointed out that the attack happened during `` a major political crisis '' in Lebanon , which has been without a president for nearly eight weeks amid a bitter political feud . `` This explosion just exacerbates a difficult situation , '' Chatah told CNN . Tuesday 's blast appears to be the latest in a series of attacks against pro-Western , anti-Syrian targets in the Lebanese capital . Most recently , an explosion in Beirut 's Christian suburb of Baabda killed Brig. Gen. Francois Al-Hajj , the head of operations for the Lebanese army , and his bodyguard on December 12 . Al-Hajj was believed to be a top candidate to take over as army commander in the event current commander Gen. Michel Suleiman was elected to replace Emile Lahoud as president . Lebanon has been in the midst of a political crisis as pro- and anti-Syrian lawmakers in parliament are locked in a battle to elect a new president . The nation has been without a president since November 23 , when the pro-Syrian Lahoud stepped down at the end of his term . In February 2005 , the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut sparked widespread protests that led to the ouster of Syrian forces from Lebanon . E-mail to a friend CNN 's Anthony Mills in Beirut and Elise Labott in Washington contributed to this report","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In what he called a `` defining moment for our nation , '' Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday became the first African-American to head the ticket of a major political party . Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday told supporters he will be the Democratic nominee . Obama 's steady stream of superdelegate endorsements , combined with the delegates he received from Tuesday 's primaries , put him past the 2,118 threshold , CNN projects . `` Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America , '' he said . `` Tonight , I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States . '' Watch Obama say he 'll be the nominee '' Obama 's rally was at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul , Minnesota -- the same arena which will house the 2008 Republican National Convention in September . Speaking in New York , Sen. Hillary Clinton , congratulated Obama for his campaign , but she did not concede the race nor discuss the possibility of running as vice president . `` This has been a long campaign , and I will be making no decisions tonight , '' she said . Watch Clinton congratulate Obama '' There were reports earlier in the day that she would concede , but her campaign said she was `` absolutely not '' prepared to do so . Two New York lawmakers also told CNN on Tuesday that during a conference call Clinton expressed willingness to serve as Obama 's running mate in November . Watch the latest on a possible joint ticket '' ' One source told CNN that Clinton told those on the call that if asked by Obama , she would be interested in serving as his running mate . One of the lawmakers said Clinton 's husband , former President Bill Clinton , has been pushing the idea privately for several weeks . The Clinton campaign maintains the New York senator merely said she would do whatever is in the party 's best interest , and that her comments Tuesday are no different than what she has been saying for weeks . Clinton said she would meet with supporters and party leaders in the coming days to determine her next steps . She also asked people to go to her Web site to `` share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can . '' Watch what could be in store in Clinton 's future '' CNN has projected that Clinton will win the primary in South Dakota and Obama will take Montana . Those states marked the final contests in the primary season . Obama praised Clinton 's campaign . He has been speaking favorably of the New York senator as his focus has turned toward the general election and his battle against John McCain , the presumptive GOP presidential nominee . `` Sen. Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she 's a woman who has done what no woman has done before , but because she 's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength , her courage , and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight , '' he said . Diving into general election mode , Obama turned his attacks to McCain , saying it 's `` time to turn the page on the policies of the past . '' `` While John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past , such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign , '' he said . `` It 's not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush 95 percent of the time , as he did in the Senate last year . '' Earlier Tuesday night , McCain portrayed himself as the candidate of `` right change . '' `` No matter who wins this election , the direction of this country is going to change dramatically . But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change , between going forward and going backward , '' he said in Kenner , Louisiana . CNN 's Candy Crowley , Jim Acosta , Suzanne Malveaux , Paul Steinhauser and Robert Yoon contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. soldier convicted of rape and murder two decades ago will be executed December 10 in the nation 's first military execution since 1961 , the Army said Thursday . Pvt. Ronald Gray has been on the military 's death row at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , since 1988 . A court-martial panel sitting at Fort Bragg , North Carolina , unanimously convicted him of committing two murders and other crimes in the Fayetteville , North Carolina , area , and sentenced him to death . Gray 's execution by injection will be carried out by Fort Leavenworth soldiers at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute , Indiana , the Army said in a news release . Gray was convicted of raping and killing a female Army private and a civilian near his post at Fort Bragg . He was also convicted of the rape and attempted murder of another fellow soldier in her barracks at the post . Both military and civilian courts found Gray responsible for the crimes , which were committed between April 1986 and January 1987 . Gray pleaded guilty to two murders and five rapes in a civilian court and was sentenced to three consecutive and five concurrent life terms . The general court-martial at Fort Bragg then tried him and in April 1988 convicted him of two murders , an attempted murder and three rapes . In July , President George W. Bush approved the Army 's request to execute Gray . `` The president took action following completion of a full appellate process , which upheld the conviction and sentence to death , '' the Army said in the news release . `` Two petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court were denied during the appellate processing of Pvt. Gray 's case . '' Members of the U.S. military have been executed throughout history , but just 10 have been executed with presidential approval since 1951 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice , the military 's modern-day legal system . The Army also sought Bush 's authorization to execute another condemned soldier , Pvt. Dwight Loving , who was convicted of robbing and killing two cab drivers in 1988 . The last U.S. military execution was in 1961 , when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged for raping and attempting to kill an 11-year-old Austrian girl . Bennett was sentenced in 1955 . The U.S. military has n't actively pursued an execution for a military prisoner since President John F. Kennedy commuted a death sentence in 1962 . Nine men are on military death row . CNN 's Mike Mount contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Well , here 's what we 've all been waiting for . Apple put out a couple of announcements on Tuesday related to its desktop computers . Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel 's '' Nehalem '' processor . The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel 's `` Nehalem '' processor , a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine , and updated iMacs that include the lowest price point yet for the consumer desktops . Let 's look at the new Mac Pro first : priced at $ 2,499 for the quad-core version and $ 3,299 for the eight-core version , those Intel `` Nehalem '' Xeon processors run at 2.93 GHz , and the interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier . On the green front , it meets the new Energy Star 5.0 requirements that will go into effect later this year . The new iMac desktop is a 24 '' machine that is priced at $ 1,499 , the cost of Apple 's previous 20 '' iMac . The 20-inch is now $ 1,199 . The 20 '' is powered by a 2.66 GHz processor ; the 24 '' has processor speed options of 2.66 GHz , 2.93 GHz -LRB- for $ 1,799 -RRB- , or 3.02 GHz -LRB- for $ 2,199 -RRB- . The 24 '' comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB ; the 20 '' comes with a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB . `` Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $ 1,499 , '' Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook , currently standing in at the helm of the company in place of iconic CEO Steve Jobs , said in a release . `` The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac , it 's also the world 's most energy efficient desktop computer . '' As for the new Mac Mini , the big upgrade is NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics that Apple says will improve its graphics performance as much as fivefold . The monitor-free machine costs either $ 599 for a lower-end edition -LRB- 1GB RAM , 120GB hard drive -RRB- or $ 799 for the higher-end -LRB- 2GB RAM , 320GB hard drive -RRB- . All these machines , like the new Mac Pro , meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements . Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider . \u00a9 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three more members of a polygamous sect led by Warren Jeffs are facing sexual assault charges , Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Tuesday . The latest charges come two months after Warren Jeffs and five followers were indicted in Texas . On Tuesday , a Texas grand jury indicted the three male members of Jeffs ' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints compound outside Eldorado , Abbott said . Each faces one felony count of sexual assault of a child . Two of them also face felony bigamy charges . The identities of the men were not released because they had not been arrested as of Tuesday afternoon . In July , the Schleicher County grand jury indicted Jeffs and four of his Texas FLDS followers on child sexual assault charges . Jeffs was charged with sexually assaulting a child under 17 . A fifth follower was charged with failure to report child abuse . The charges stem from a state and federal investigation into the sect 's Yearning for Zion Ranch . In April , child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the compound , citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse . After a court battle , the Texas Supreme Court ordered the children returned in June , saying that the state had no right to remove them and that there was no evidence to show the children faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . Jeffs , 52 , is the leader and `` prophet '' of the estimated 10,000-member FLDS , an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church . The FLDS openly practices polygamy at the YFZ Ranch and in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line : Hildale , Utah , and Colorado City , Arizona . Jeffs , who is facing a sentence in Utah of up to life in prison and is awaiting trial in Arizona , could face another life sentence in Texas if convicted on the latest charge . In Utah , he was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . He faces similar charges in Arizona . His attorney in Arizona , Michael Piccarreta , has questioned the motives of Texas authorities . He said in July that the state 's investigation into Jeffs and his followers is an effort `` to cover themselves up on the botched attack on the ranch in Texas . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that he wo n't push to visit the site of the destroyed World Trade Center during his visit to the United Nations next week . Iran 's president said he wanted to `` pay his respects '' and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks . The controversial leader asked to `` pay his respects '' and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks , but New York city officials on Wednesday denied that request , citing safety concerns at what is now a construction site . Ahmadinejad said he would try to visit the site `` if we have the time and the conditions are conducive . '' But if local officials can not make the proper arrangements , `` I wo n't insist , '' he said in an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS ' `` 60 Minutes . '' The Bush administration considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism , and State Department spokesman Tom Casey called the request `` the height of hypocrisy . '' CBS correspondent Scott Pelley told Ahmadinejad he `` must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans . '' `` Well , I 'm amazed , '' he said , surprised by the question . `` How can you speak for the whole of the American nation ? The American nation is made up of 300 million people . There are different points of view over there . '' More than 2,700 people died in the attack on the World Trade Center , when al Qaeda terrorists flew hijacked passenger jets into the twin towers . A third jet hit the Pentagon , and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers resisted their hijackers . Iran is ruled by a Shiite Muslim government hostile to the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda . Ahmadinejad 's predecessor , Mohammed Khatami , condemned the attacks and cooperated with the U.S.-led campaign to topple al Qaeda 's Taliban allies in Afghanistan that followed . But the United States calls Iran the world 's top state sponsor of terrorism because of its support of the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah and other militant groups . Washington and Tehran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980 after Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days . The Bush administration has also accused Iran of meddling in Iraq and Afghanistan , where U.S. troops are battling Taliban and al Qaeda remnants more than six years after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks . It accuses Iran of supplying advanced explosives to Shiite Muslim militias , some of which have used the devices against U.S. troops . Ahmadinejad also has drawn fire for his hard-line anti-Israel stance and his insistence that Iran will defy international demands that it halt its production of enriched uranium . Iran insists it is producing nuclear fuel for civilian power plants , but Washington accuses Tehran of trying to create a nuclear bomb . The Iranian leader has made statements suggesting that Israel be politically `` wiped off the map , '' though he insists that can be accomplished without violence . He has questioned the existence of the Holocaust , the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews , and warned Europeans that they may pay a heavy price for its support of Israel . Ahmadinejad is also slated to speak on the campus of Columbia University during his visit , university President Lee Bollinger said . His presence is likely to spark protests on and off campus . Bollinger said the appearance is part of the World Leaders Forum -- an annual university event `` intended to further Columbia 's long-standing tradition of serving as a major forum for robust debate . '' E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Vick turned himself in to authorities on Monday to get a head start on serving his sentence for running a dogfighting ring , the U.S. Marshals Service said . Michael Vick leaves court in Richmond , Virginia , in August after pleading guilty to dogfighting charges . The Atlanta Falcons quarterback is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10 on a federal conspiracy charge of bankrolling the dogfighting operation . Vick , 27 , voluntarily turned himself in around noon , said Kevin Trevillan of the Marshals Service , and is being held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw , Virginia , until the sentencing hearing . The quarterback , who has been suspended indefinitely by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell , faces 12 to 18 months in prison on the charge . Vick pleaded guilty in August after three associates admitted their own roles in the operation and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors . `` From the beginning , Mr. Vick has accepted responsibility for his actions and his self-surrender further demonstrates that acceptance , '' Vick 's attorney , Billy Martin , said in a statement . `` Michael wants to again apologize to everyone who has been hurt in this matter and he thanks all of the people who have offered him and his family prayers and support during this time , '' Martin 's statement said . CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin speculated that Vick started his sentence early `` to get it out of the way . '' Watch Toobin explain why Vick would surrender early '' On September 25 , a Virginia grand jury indicted Vick and the three co-defendants -- Purnell Peace , 35 , of Virginia Beach , Virginia ; Quanis Phillips , 28 , of Atlanta , Georgia ; and Tony Taylor , 34 , of Hampton , Virginia -- on state charges of running a dogfighting ring at Vick 's home outside Newport News . The Surry County grand jury brought two charges against the four men : one count of unlawfully torturing and killing dogs and one of promoting dogfights . Each is a felony charge that could result in a five-year prison term . In addition , Taylor faces three additional counts of unlawful torture and killing of dogs . A hearing in that case is set for November 27 , but Vick does not have to be in court at that time . In September , Vick was put under tight restrictions by the federal court after he tested positive for marijuana use . Vick tested positive for the drug on September 13 , a court document from the Eastern District of Virginia shows . As a result , U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson ordered Vick to `` submit to any method of testing required by the pretrial services officer or the supervising officer for determining whether the defendant is using a prohibited substance . '' Those methods could include random drug testing , a remote alcohol testing system `` and\/or any form of prohibited substance screening or testing , '' the order said . Vick was also ordered to stay home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. , `` or as directed by the pretrial services officer or supervising officer , '' the order said . He was to be electronically monitored during that time . Vick must participate in substance abuse therapy and mental health counseling `` if deemed advisable by the pretrial services officer or supervising officer '' at his own expense , the order said . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- EW.com -RRB- -- `` Real Steel '' showed what it was made of , as the robot-boxing action drama won the weekend with an estimated $ 27.3 million . That 's the strongest opening ever for a boxing-themed picture , beating `` Rocky IV '' 's $ 20 million debut in 1985 -LRB- when not adjusting for inflation -RRB- . DreamWorks ' $ 110 million film , which was released by Disney 's Touchstone Pictures , scored a superb `` A '' rating from CinemaScore graders . That bodes well for the movie 's box-office stamina , especially since there are no other major family films hitting theaters until `` Puss in Boots '' pounces on October 28 . Unsurprisingly for a movie about mechanical fighters beating up one another , `` Real Steel '' skewed male -- 66 percent of the audience according to Disney . It also attracted a younger crowd , with 44 percent under the age of 25 . The PG-13 movie 's respectable opening must also come as a relief to star Hugh Jackman , who has n't had a non-X-Men film open to more than $ 20 million since 2004\u00e2 $ \u00b2 s `` Van Helsing . '' In second with $ 10.4 million was the political thriller `` The Ides of March . '' The R-rated film -- which George Clooney directed , co-wrote , and co-stars in along with Ryan Gosling , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Paul Giamatti , Evan Rachel Wood , and Marisa Tomei -- particularly appealed to older women . According to Sony , 58 percent of the audience was female and 60 percent was over the age of 35 . The $ 12.5 million movie earned a `` B '' grade from CinemaScore participants , which is a bit lower than expected considering its awards buzz and positive reviews . `` The Ides of March '' will need to hold up well the next few weeks if it wants to keep its Oscar hopes alive . The rest of the top five consisted of prior releases that all dropped around -LRB- a very commendable -RRB- 35 percent from last week . In third place , the family film `` Dolphin Tale '' slipped 34 percent for $ 9.2 million , pushing the film 's cumulative tally to $ 49.1 million . The Brad Pitt baseball drama `` Moneyball , '' a critical darling , grossed $ 7.5 million for a 38 percent decline . And the well-reviewed cancer comedy `` 50\/50 , '' starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen , fell 36 percent for $ 5.5 million . In limited release , the why-does-this-movie-exist horror sequel `` The Human Centipede 2 : Full Sequence '' stitched together a decent $ 54,000 from 18 theaters , with most locations only offering late-night showings . 1 . Real Steel -- $ 27.3 mil 2 . The Ides of March -- $ 10.4 mil 3 . Dolphin Tale -- $ 9.2 mil 4 . Moneyball -- $ 7.5 mil 5 . 50\/50 -- $ 5.5 mil See the full article at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly \u00a9 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Senate passed groundbreaking legislation Thursday that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity . President Obama has said the country must make significant changes to ensure equal rights . The expanded federal hate crimes law now goes to President Obama 's desk . Obama has pledged to sign the measure , which was added to a $ 680 billion defense authorization bill . President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure . The bill is named for Matthew Shepard , a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998 , and James Byrd Jr. , an African-American man dragged to death in Texas the same year . `` Knowing that the president will sign it , unlike his predecessor , has made all the hard work this year to pass it worthwhile , '' said Judy Shepard , board president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation named for her son . `` Hate crimes continue to affect far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly , and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence , and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families . '' Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate-crimes law could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality . Attorney General Eric Holder has asserted that any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias , as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs . Holder called Thursday 's 68-29 Senate vote to approve the defense spending bill that included the hate crimes measure `` a milestone in helping protect Americans from the most heinous bias-motivated violence . '' Watch survivor of attack discuss legislation '' `` The passage of this legislation will give the Justice Department and our state and local law enforcement partners the tools we need to deter and prosecute these acts of violence , '' he said in a statement . Joe Solmonese , president of the Human Rights Campaign , called the measure `` our nation 's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender people . '' `` Too many in our community have been devastated by hate violence , '' Solmonese said in a statement . `` We now can begin the important steps to erasing hate in our country . '' This month , Obama told the Human Rights Campaign , the country 's largest gay rights group , that the nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians . `` Despite the progress we 've made , there are still laws to change and hearts to open , '' he said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign . `` This fight continues now , and I 'm here with the simple message : I 'm here with you in that fight . '' Among other things , Obama has called for the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military , the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy . He also has urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act . The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage , for federal purposes , as a legal union between a man and a woman . It allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages . The Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act would extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian federal workers . More than 77,000 hate-crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007 , or `` nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade , '' Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June . The FBI , Holder added , reported 7,624 hate-crime incidents in 2007 , the most current year with complete data .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of deaths linked to cantaloupes contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria has risen to 23 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Wednesday . At least 116 cases of listeria have been reported in 25 states , the agency said . The two latest fatalities came in Louisiana . The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals confirmed this week that an 87-year-old Baton Rouge woman died earlier this month . Last week the department also indentified a Shreveport-area woman , 81 , who died from the same strain . Health officials have said the number of cases could continue to grow , citing reporting lags and the fact the disease can develop slowly in some people , taking up to two months . The listeria outbreak is the deadliest food-borne illness outbreak in the United States since 1998 . Five people each have died in New Mexico and Colorado from consuming the tainted fruit , along with two people each in Kansas , Texas and now Louisiana . One has died in Indiana , Maryland , Missouri , Nebraska , New York , Oklahoma and Wyoming , the CDC said . In addition , one woman who was pregnant at the time of the illness had a miscarriage . Cases have also been reported in Alabama , Arkansas , California , Idaho , Illinois , Montana , North Dakota , Oregon , South Dakota , Texas , Virginia , West Virginia and Wisconsin . Groups at high risk for listeria include older adults , people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women , officials have said . The grower , Jensen Farms of Granada , Colorado , issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford brand cantaloupes on September 14 . The tainted cantaloupes should be off store shelves , the CDC said . Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms should be disposed of immediately , even if some of them have been eaten , the CDC said . If consumers are uncertain about the source of a cantaloupe , they are urged to ask their supermarket . If the source remains unknown , the fruit should be thrown out , officials have said . Refrigerating a cantaloupe will not kill the bacteria , which can grow at low temperatures , authorities have said , and consumers should not try to wash off the bacteria .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Music producer Phil Spector was sentenced Friday to the maximum sentence of 19 years to life for the murder six years ago of actress Lana Clarkson . Phil Spector 's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they could n't reach a verdict . That means Spector , 69 , would be 88 before he would be eligible for parole . Slumped , stone-faced and wearing a dark suit and bright red tie , he sat silently throughout his sentencing by Judge Larry Paul Fidler . Spector 's lawyer gave a $ 17,000 check to Donna Clarkson , the victim 's mother , to pay for her funeral expenses -- part of the court-ordered sentence . `` All of our plans together are destroyed , '' the mother said , reading a statement on behalf of her family . `` Now , I can only visit her at the cemetery . '' Fidler denied a motion for a new trial by defense attorney Doron Weinberg , who said he would file an appeal . `` The evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty for the simple reason -LSB- that -RSB- he did not kill Lana Clarkson , '' Weinberg said . Watch Spector receive his sentence '' `` Obviously , he 's not very happy , '' Spector 's wife , Rachelle , told reporters about her husband . `` I 'm going to stand by him and get him out of that awful place so he can come home where he belongs . '' Clarkson , 40 , was found dead -- slumped in a chair in the foyer of Spector 's Alhambra , California , mansion with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth -- in February 2003 . View a timeline of the case '' Spector 's trial , which began in October , ended last month when jurors deliberated for 30 hours and then announced a guilty verdict on the second-degree murder charge . Fidler had ruled jurors also could consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter . Spector 's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they could n't reach a verdict after 15 days of deliberations . Jurors then were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction . Fidler declined to allow Spector to remain free on bail pending sentencing , citing Spector 's years-long `` pattern of violence '' involving firearms . `` This was not an isolated incident , '' Fidler said , noting Spector 's two firearms-related convictions from the 1970s . `` The taking of an innocent human life , it does n't get any more serious than that . '' In closing arguments at the retrial , prosecutor Truc Do called Spector `` a very dangerous man '' who `` has a history of playing Russian roulette with women -- six women . Lana just happened to be the sixth . '' Weinberg argued that the prosecution 's case hinged on circumstantial evidence . He said the possibility that Clarkson committed suicide could not be ruled out . Do pointed out to jurors , however , that Clarkson had bought new shoes on the day of her death -- something he said a suicidal woman would not have done . A female juror who declined to be identified told reporters the jurors considered all the evidence and testimony to reach their verdict . `` This entire jury took this so seriously , '' she said with tears in her eyes , before adding that `` it 's tough to be in a jury , '' because another person 's life is in the jury 's hands . Clarkson starred in the 1985 B-movie `` Barbarian Queen '' and appeared in many other films , including `` Deathstalker , '' `` Blind Date , '' `` Scarface , '' `` Fast Times at Ridgemont High '' and the spoof `` Amazon Women on the Moon . '' She was working as a VIP hostess at Hollywood 's House of Blues at the time of her death . In the 2007 trial , Spector 's attorneys argued that Clarkson was depressed over a recent breakup and grabbed a .38 - caliber pistol to kill herself while at Spector 's home . But prosecution witnesses painted Spector as a gun-toting menace . Five women took the stand and testified that he had threatened them with firearms . His driver testified that he heard a loud noise and saw the producer leave the home , pistol in hand , saying , `` I think I killed somebody . '' Spector 's professional trademark was the `` Wall of Sound , '' the layering of instrumental tracks and percussion that underpinned a string of hits on his Philles label -- named for Spector and his business partner , Lester Sill -- in the early 1960s . The roaring arrangements were the heart of what he called `` little symphonies for the kids '' -- among them No. 1 hits like the Ronettes ' `` Be My Baby '' and the Righteous Brothers ' `` You 've Lost That Lovin ' Feelin ' . '' Spector co-produced the Beatles ' final album , `` Let It Be , '' and worked with ex-Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon on solo projects after the group broke up . His recording of Harrison 's 1971 benefit concert for war relief in Bangladesh won the 1972 Grammy award for album of the year . That was one of two Grammy Awards won by Spector , who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 . He stayed out of the public eye for two decades before his 2003 arrest in Clarkson 's death .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Sen. Tom Daschle will be announced Thursday as President-elect Barack Obama 's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a Democratic source said Wednesday . Former Sen. Tom Daschle , shown with his wife , Linda , says he will write Obama 's health care plan . CNN has previously reported that the 61-year-old former Senate majority leader from South Dakota would be Obama 's choice , but not the announcement date . In November , Daschle said he was excited about the possibility of serving as point person in Obama 's effort to change the nation 's health care system . Daschle is on the health care advisory group of Obama 's transition team and said he plans to write the health care plan that Obama submits to Congress next year . `` I hope to have the plan enacted by next year , and then it will take several years to implement , '' Daschle said last month . Daschle said reforming health care in the United States must be a priority in the current economic climate . `` We ca n't afford not to do it , '' he said . `` If we do nothing , we 'll be paying twice as much on health care in 10 years as we do today . '' Daschle served as Democratic leader in the Senate from 1995 until he lost a re-election bid in 2004 . Representing South Dakota , he was first elected as a congressman in 1978 and served in the House until he was elected to the Senate in 1986 . He recently wrote a book on health care titled `` Critical : What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis . '' In the book , he pushed for universal health care coverage to reach 46 million uninsured Americans by expanding the federal employee health benefits program to include private employer plans together with Medicaid and Medicare . Most Republicans oppose any such plan , saying it would give too much power to the government . They 've also questioned Daschle 's recent work for a Washington lobbying firm . His wife , Linda Daschle , is a registered lobbyist for a firm that includes health care clients . But a source close to Daschle told CNN that Linda Daschle would be leaving the firm at the end of the year to set up her own company focusing on transportation lobbying in order to clear any potential conflicts of interest . CNN 's Candy Crowley and Ed Henry contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani authorities have arrested two top leaders of the Islamic militant group India blames for the November massacre in Mumbai , Pakistan 's prime minister confirmed Wednesday . Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistani security forces had rounded up a number of militant figures . The top military officer in the U.S. on Wednesday said he is `` encouraged '' by Pakistan 's recent arrests of `` significant players '' in the Mumbai attacks . U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said the arrests amount to `` first steps '' toward determining who plotted the three day siege last month that killed 160 people in Mumbai , India 's financial capital . `` There are more steps to follow , '' he noted . He also thanked India for showing restraint against Pakistan , which it has accused of harboring the terrorist groups behind the November massacre . Zarar Shah , a top operational commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , and Zakir Rehman Lakhvi , whose arrest had been reported Tuesday , were among the militant figures rounded up in recent days , Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters . Gilani would not confirm the detention of Masood Azhar , the leader of another militant group , Jaish-e-Muhammad . But he said his government has launched its own investigation into India 's allegations that the gunmen who killed more than 160 people in Mumbai had links to Pakistan . The acknowledgment came three days after Pakistani security forces raided an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad , the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir , in the first sign of government action against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba since the three-day siege of India 's financial capital . Both LeT and Jaish-e-Muhammad were formed to battle Indian rule in the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir , and both were banned after a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that brought the South Asian nuclear rivals to the brink of war . The United States has listed LeT as a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden 's al Qaeda network . According to the U.S. government , Lakhvi , 47 , has directed LeT 's military operations in southeast Asia , Chechnya , Bosnia and Iraq . Pakistan 's Defense Minister Choudhry Mukhtar Ahmed told CNN 's sister network in India , CNN-IBN , that Lakhvi and Azhar had been arrested on Monday . Azhar has been in Pakistan since 1999 , when he was released from an Indian prison in exchange for hostages aboard a hijacked Indian airliner . Indian authorities say the sole surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks told investigators that he was trained at an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad , along with the nine other attackers who were killed in the three-day siege . A Pakistani security official said the terror raids on banned militant groups are ongoing and have resulted in at least 15 arrests .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States has renewed a travel alert to Mexico , citing increased violence in the country . The alert , issued Sunday by the State Department , is in effect until August 20 and supersedes an alert issued August 20 , 2009 . `` Recent violent attacks have caused the U.S. Embassy to urge U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to parts of Michoacan , Durango , Coahuila and Chihuahua ... and to advise U.S. citizens residing or traveling in those areas to exercise extreme caution , '' the alert says . `` Drug cartels and associated criminal elements have retaliated violently against individuals who speak out against them or whom they otherwise view as a threat to their organization . These attacks include the abduction and murder of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua . '' More than 16,000 people have died in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after assuming office in December 2006 . Ciudad Juarez , in Chihuahua state across the border from El Paso , Texas , is the most violent city in the nation . `` The situation in the state of Chihuahua , specifically Ciudad Juarez , is of special concern , '' the alert says . `` Mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez in 2009 , '' the report states . `` Additionally , this city of 1.3 million people experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009 . U.S. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in Ciudad Juarez , avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours , and remain alert to news reports . '' But the problems are not limited to Juarez , the State Department says . `` Mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict -- both among themselves and with Mexican security services -- for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the U.S.-Mexico border , '' the report says . `` In order to combat violence , the government of Mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country . U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways . `` Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades . Large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across Mexico , but occur mostly in northern Mexico , including Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana , Chihuahua City , Nogales , Matamoros , Reynosa and Monterrey . During some of these incidents , U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' A number of areas along the border continue to experience a rapid growth in crime , with robberies , homicides , petty thefts and carjackings increasing during the past year nationwide , the alert says . The State Department reports notable spikes in Chihuahua , Sinaloa , and northern Baja California . `` Ciudad Juarez , Tijuana and Nogales are among the cities which have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues , '' the alert says . `` Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles in border areas including Nuevo Laredo , Matamoros , and Tijuana . Travelers on the highways between Monterrey and other parts of Mexico to the United States -LRB- notably through Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros -RRB- have been targeted for robbery and violence and have also inadvertently been caught in incidents of gunfire between criminals and Mexican law enforcement . Such incidents are more likely to occur at night but may occur at any time , '' the alert says .","question":""}
{"answer":"BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraqi leaders are applauding President Obama 's plan to withdraw most U.S. troops from the country by August 2010 . U.S. troops will cede security measures to Iraqi security forces including the police , shown here , and the army . Iraq 's Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi 's office released a statement Saturday saying he received a call from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informing him of Obama 's announcement of the withdrawal . `` Mr. al-Hashimi welcomed the American administration 's commitment to withdrawing its troops from Iraq according to the agreed-on schedule and stressed that every possible effort should be exerted to increase the readiness of Iraqi security forces and improve their performance , '' the statement said . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Obama called him to tell him about the plan Friday . The prime minister said Iraqi security forces have proven their ability to provide security across Iraq `` which qualifies them to take over full security responsibilities from American forces . '' Obama said Friday he plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010 . Watch Obama say `` Our combat mission will end '' '' Between 35,000 and 50,000 troops will remain to help execute a drawdown plan under which all U.S. forces will be out of Iraq by December 31 , 2011 . That was a deadline set under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraqi government last year . `` Let me say this as plainly as I can : By August 31 , 2010 , our combat mission in Iraq will end , '' Obama said in a speech at the Marine Corps ' Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . Meanwhile , Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited neighboring Iran , where the supreme leader warned him that the United States is planning a prolonged stay in Iraq . `` Occupying military forces are laying the groundwork for a long-lasting stay in Iraq , and that is a great danger , '' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Talabani on Saturday , according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency . `` Occupying military forces should leave Iraq as soon as possible , '' Khamenei said , according to IRNA . `` Every day their exit is delayed will be a detriment to the Iraqi nation . '' On Friday , Talabani met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who described Tehran 's ties with Iraq as `` growing and deep , '' according to IRNA . The two leaders vowed to expand their political , cultural and security relationships .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Basketball commentator and former hoops star Charles Barkley was arrested Wednesday in Scottsdale , Arizona , on suspicion of drunken driving , a police spokesman said . Charles Barkley was driving an Infiniti SUV through a trendy area of Scottsdale on Wednesday , police say . Barkley issued a brief statement , saying , `` I am disappointed that I put myself in that situation . The Scottsdale police were fantastic . I will not comment any further as it is a legal matter . '' Lt. Eric Shuhandler of the Gilbert Police Department said an officer pulled Barkley over after he ran a stop sign in Scottsdale 's Old Town area , a trendy spot known for its nightclubs and bars . Gilbert and Scottsdale are in the Phoenix metro area . `` The officer identified the driver of the 2005 Infiniti as Charles Barkley , '' according to a written statement from police . `` Mr. Barkley was administered the standard field sobriety tests after the odor of intoxicating liquor was detected . '' Watch : Barkley ` disappointed ' by arrest '' At a news conference later in the day , Shuhandler said Barkley 's `` performance on the field sobriety test revealed there was probable cause to make an arrest . '' Barkley declined to take a breath test to measure his blood-alcohol level , Shuhandler said earlier . `` When he arrived at the station , police administered a blood test , which is customary of our police department to do , '' he said , adding that Barkley consented to the blood test . It will take `` a few days '' for the crime lab to test the blood sample and determine Barkley 's blood-alcohol level , Shuhandler said . The former NBA power forward was cited for driving while impaired and released . `` It was a pretty routine arrest , '' Shuhandler said . Barkley 's sport-utility vehicle was impounded under mandatory vehicle impound laws , police said . Shuhandler said Barkley behaved professionally during the booking and was `` very respectful and cordial with our officers . '' Watch Shuhandler describe the arrest '' Barkley , 45 , is a commentator for TNT 's coverage of the NBA . In October , he told CNN 's Campbell Brown that he plans to run for governor of his home state of Alabama in 2014 , saying , `` I ca n't screw up Alabama . We are number 48 in everything and Arkansas and Mississippi are n't going anywhere . '' Although he is well known for entertaining comments and a cocky attitude , he also compiled an impressive r\u00e9sum\u00e9 as a professional basketball player . A Hall of Famer and 11-time All-Star , Barkley is one of four players in history to rack up more than 20,000 points , 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists in a career . He also earned the NBA 's most valuable player designation in 1993 and brought home gold medals with the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1992 and 1996 . His commanding performance on the court earned him the nicknames `` Sir Charles '' and the `` Round Mound of Rebound . '' Barkley was drafted out of Auburn University in 1984 by the Philadelphia 76ers and played 16 seasons with the Sixers , Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets before he was permanently sidelined in 1999 with a ruptured tendon in his left knee . TNT is owned by Turner Broadcasting Corp. , also the parent company of CNN . CNN 's Nick Valencia contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Health.com -RRB- -- Doctors often recommend exercise for patients with fibromyalgia , but the chronic pain and fatigue associated with the condition can make activities like running and swimming difficult . Tai chi -- a slow , meditative martial art -- may be an effective alternative , a new study suggests . Fibromyalgia patients who took tai chi classes twice a week for three months experienced less pain , stiffness , and fatigue than a control group that attended lifestyle education and stretching sessions , according to the study , which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine . Tai chi involves a series of slow , fluid movements that focus on balance and deep breathing . Although it 's not clear from the study how exactly tai chi might improve fibromyalgia symptoms , both the physical activity and the meditative aspects are likely beneficial , says Chenchen Wang , M.D. , the lead researcher and an associate professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine , in Boston , Massachusetts . `` Some people need the physical improvement ; some people need more mental improvement , '' she says . `` Tai chi can help with both . '' Health.com : How fibromyalgia is diagnosed Previous research has shown that tai chi can help relieve the symptoms of arthritis and other pain conditions , but this study is the first controlled trial to examine its effectiveness as a treatment for fibromyalgia , which affects an estimated 10 million Americans . The study included 66 fibromyalgia patients who were randomly assigned to take one-hour tai chi classes with an experienced teacher or one-hour classes that taught coping skills , pain-management techniques , and stretching . Participants were also asked to practice tai chi or stretch on their own for 20 minutes each day , depending on which group they were in . Health.com : 13 mistakes fibro patients make After three months , Wang and her colleagues asked the patients to rate their pain symptoms , physical functioning , fatigue , and mood , all of which were combined on a single scale ranging from 0 to 100 , with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms . -LRB- The patients completed the same survey before the study began . -RRB- The average score among the tai chi patients dropped from 63 to 35 , while the average for the control group dropped by just nine points , from 68 to 59 . Three months after the sessions stopped , the scores had remained roughly the same , which suggests that the benefits of the tai chi were lasting , Wang says . The results were encouraging , as existing fibromyalgia treatments -- including medication , sleep therapy , and aerobic exercise -- fail to help many patients . `` We need another approach , '' says Wang . Health.com : Medical marijuana may help fibromyalgia pain Robert Shmerling , M.D. , an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the clinical chief of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , in Boston , says that he often recommends alternative treatments , such as acupuncture and massage , to his fibromyalgia patients , although some of them are skeptical . `` I would certainly put tai chi on the list , '' says Shmerling , who co-wrote an editorial that accompanies the study . `` It 's difficult to take something that 's as safe as tai chi and show that it has this dramatic benefit and not be enthusiastic about it . '' The calming style of tai chi used in the study , known as Yang , may be especially effective for fibromyalgia patients , says Kim D. Jones , Ph.D. , an associate professor at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing , in Portland . `` It works more on the parasympathetic nervous system , ... the part of the nervous system that helps us feel calm and relaxed , '' says Jones , who studies Yang-style tai chi and yoga in fibromyalgia but was n't involved in the study . Health.com : 13 conditions that mimic fibromyalgia Jones recommends that fibromyalgia patients find a well-trained instructor rather than trying tai chi on their own . She points out that learning tai chi in a group may have its own therapeutic benefits , by boosting confidence , for instance . Many community centers offer affordable tai chi classes , but experienced teachers can be expensive and hard to come by . However , if future studies support the benefits of tai chi , insurance companies might start to cover the practice , Shmerling says .","question":""}
{"answer":"Tehran , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran 's Bushehr nuclear power plant is just weeks from operating at full capacity , the country 's top nuclear official said Saturday . Feireidoun Abbasi , the head of Iran 's Atomic Energy Organization , also said Tehran has shown its new Iranian-made centrifuges to a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency -LRB- IAEA -RRB- . The Bushehr plant , located along the Persian Gulf coast , will reach its full capacity of 1,000 megawatts by February 1 , Abbasi said , according to the country 's official news agency , IRNA . The plant was connected to the country 's electric grid in September with a capacity of 60 megawatts . At 1,000 megawatts , Bushehr will be able to provide 2.5 % of Iran 's current electricity consumption , the IAEA said . Abbasi made the announcement about Bushehr while attending a meeting on Iran 's nuclear achievements held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas . He told the meeting that Tehran had shown the new generation of its homemade centrifuge machines to the IAEA `` in a bid to demonstrate the ability of Iranian scientists , '' he said . Abbasi said the centrifuges , which are used to enrich uranium , were shown to the deputy of IAEA , Director-General Yukiya Amano , but he did not say when . It was not immediately clear whether an IAEA representative had in fact been to Iran and seen the centrifuges . The new centrifuges will enable Iran to enrich uranium over the current purity level of 5 % , according to experts cited by the news agency . Uranium enriched to between 3 % and 5 % is necessary to make fuel for reactors . Uranium enriched to 93.5 % is considered weapons-grade . The construction of Bushehr -- a civilian , not military , plant -- started in 1975 when Germany signed a contract with Iran . Germany , however , pulled out of the project following the 1979 revolution that created the current Islamic republic . Iran then signed a deal with Russia in 1995 , under which the plant was originally scheduled to be completed in 1999 , but the project was delayed repeatedly . Bushehr finally opened in August 2010 . The United States and other Western nations have expressed concerns that Iran 's development of missile and nuclear fuel technology mean it is developing a nuclear program for military purposes . The IAEA said in a November report that it has `` serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions '' to Iran 's nuclear program . The agency said it has information indicating Iran has carried out `` activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device . '' Iran has denied such allegations , saying the Bushehr plant will be used only to generate electricity and operates under IAEA supervision . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the concern is not the Bushehr plant , but other nuclear facilities like Natanz , in the middle of the country ; a facility at Qom , south of Tehran ; `` and other places where we believe they are conducting their weapons program . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"Fourth seed Elena Dementieva avoided an embarrassing early exit when comeback queen Jelena Dokic 's French Open hopes were ended by a back injury on Thursday . Jelena Dokic was left in tears after being forced to retire hurt against Elena Dementieva at the French Open . Dokic , taking part in her first French Open since 2004 following well-documented family problems , won the first set 6-2 and -- after her first break for treatment -- broke the 2004 finalist to lead 3-2 in their second round clash . But the Russian won the next two games as the tearful former world No. 4 was reduced to walking pace before calling it quits . `` I went for a return and I just went down and could n't get back up , '' she said . `` It 's very painful and very disappointing because I felt as if I had the match in my hands . '' Dokic , now ranked 80th after reviving her career with a run to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January , had won her opening match on Tuesday when she came back from a set down to beat Slovenia 's Karolina Sprem 3-6 6-1 6-2 . The 26-year-old 's career had nosedived following her highly-publicized split from controversial mentor and father Damir . Dementieva will next play Australian 30th seed Samantha Stosur , who won her second-round match in straight sets against Belgium 's Yanina Wickmayer . Earlier on Thursday , the Williams sisters also progressed through to the third round with contrasting victories . Second seed Serena crushed Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2 6-0 to set up a clash with another unseeded Spaniard , Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez . Third seed Venus survived a scare against unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova before completing a match that was halted on Wednesday night due to bad light . The American saved a match point at 5-4 down in the third set before managing to hold , break her opponent and then serve out to love for a 6-7 -LRB- 5-7 -RRB- 6-2 7-5 success . Venus , who lost the 2002 final to Serena , will next play Hungarian 29th seed Agnes Szavay . Fifth seed Jelena Jankovic had no such troubles in beating Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-1 6-2 , setting up a third-round clash with unseeded Austrian Jarmila Groth . Seventh-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced along with Danish 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki , but 13th seed Marion Bartoli of France made a surprise exit . The 2007 Wimbledon finalist lost 6-3 7-5 to Tathiana Garbin of Italy , who will next take on unseeded Virginie Razzano of France .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A United Nations court convicted a former governor of Rwanda to life in prison for his role in a 1994 genocide that left about 800,000 dead in the central African country . An estimated 800,000 people -- mainly Tutsis -- were killed in Rwanda in 1994 . Tharcisse Renzaho was found guilty of genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . The verdict , delivered Tuesday , is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda -LRB- ICTR -RRB- . The U.N. court is holding hearings in Arusha , Tanzania , where it is based . Renzaho was governor of the capital , Kigali , and a colonel in the Rwandan Armed Forces in 1994 during the country 's genocide , when extremist militias made up of ethnic Hutus slaughtered ethnic Tutsis across Rwanda . It began in April of that year and within 100 days , an estimated 800,000 people were killed . The court found that Renzaho ordered soldiers , police and militias to set up roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians to be executed . It found he ordered the distribution of weapons to people who then killed Tutsis . Renzaho also supervised a selection process at a refugee site where about 40 Tutsis were abducted and killed , the court found . Renzaho participated in an attack at the Sainte Famille church in which more than 100 Tutsis were killed . People across Rwanda sought refuge in churches all over the country as the genocide unfolded . He also made remarks encouraging the sexual abuse of women , according to the court , and was found criminally liable for the rapes that followed . The genocide ended when Tutsi-led militias backing Rwandan President Paul Kagame ousted the Hutu government supporting the massacre . Renzaho was arrested in September 2002 in the Democratic Republic of Congo . His trial began in January 2007 and closed in September that year after hearing from 53 witnesses , including Renzaho . Throughout the trial , Renzaho maintained his innocence and said he had no association with the militia . Renzaho 's lawyer blamed the case on political interference by the Rwandan government . Renzaho has the right to appeal the verdict . The decision is the third judgment on charges of genocide delivered this year by the tribunal . Emmanuel Rukundo , a former military chaplain , was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 25 years in prison . The court found Rukundo had a history of contempt for Tutsis and his fellow clergymen , and that he ordered the killings of Tutsi civilians . Callixte Kalimanzira was sentenced to 30 years in prison for genocide and incitement to commit genocide . The court found that Kalimanzira , a senior civil servant who at one point worked with the Interior Ministry , participated in various massacres of Tutsi civilians and actively encouraged other crimes against them . Prosecutors at his trial said he beat some Tutsis to death and called for the elimination of all Tutsis , including pregnant women and their babies .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal will face Celtic in a mouthwatering all-British tie later this month to decide who reaches the Champions League group stages . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will see his side face an early-season test against Celtic . Scottish side Celtic went into the final qualifying round with a superb 2-0 away win over Dinamo Moscow earlier this week , overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg . Arsenal , who reached the semifinals of the Champions League last season where they lost to Manchester United , will be favorites to go through , but according to their former striker Charlie Nicholas , who also played for the Celtic , they will not be relishing the task . `` They would have wanted to avoid each other , '' he told Sky Sports News . `` For Arsenal , the concern is the lack of players they 've brought in and injuries . I think it will be very tight . '' The first leg matches will be played on August 18 and 19 , the same week as the start of the English Premier League season , the return matches are on August 25 or 26 . A total of 10 pairings were drawn with the prize for the winners a place in the lucrative group stages of the world 's most prestigious club competition . The losers will drop down to play in the Europa League , formerly the UEFA Cup . Five of the pairings feature match-ups between the champions of lower-rated leagues such as Latvia and Cyprus . European governing body UEFA effectively ring fenced five places in the group stages for these sides by separating them in the draw from teams from stronger leagues such as England , Italy and Spain . It has led to a series of intriguing clashes with Panathinaikos of Greece facing Spanish side Atletico Madrid . Portugal 's Sporting Lisbon take on Fiorentina of Italy , deposed French champions Lyon play Anderlecht of Belgium and Romainian side Timisoara face Stuttgart of Germany . Timisoara surprisingly beat Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukraine in the previous qualifying round . Shakhtar won the UEFA Cup last season and will now be able to defend their title under the guise of the revamped Europa League . They were paired against Turkish side Sivasspor when the draw for the competition was also made at UEFA 's headquaters in Nyon on Friday . Champions League play-off draw : Champions group : Sheriff -LRB- Mol -RRB- v Olympiakos -LRB- Gre -RRB- Salzburg -LRB- Aut -RRB- v Maccabi Haifa -LRB- Isr -RRB- Ventspils -LRB- Lat -RRB- v Zurich -LRB- Swi -RRB- Copenhagen -LRB- Den -RRB- v Apoel Nicosia -LRB- Cyp -RRB- Levski Sofia -LRB- Bul -RRB- v Debrecen -LRB- Hun -RRB- Non-champions group : Lyon -LRB- Fr -RRB- v Anderlecht -LRB- Bel -RRB- Celtic -LRB- Sco -RRB- v Arsenal -LRB- Eng -RRB- Timisoara -LRB- Rom -RRB- v VfB Stuttgart -LRB- Ger -RRB- Sporting Lisbon -LRB- Por -RRB- v Fiorentina -LRB- Ita -RRB- Panathinaikos -LRB- Gre -RRB- v Atletico Madrid -LRB- Sp -RRB-","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration raised the stakes in the health care debate Monday , releasing a new blueprint that seeks to bridge the gap between measures passed by the Senate and House of Representatives last year . If enacted , the president 's sweeping compromise plan would constitute the biggest expansion of federal health care guarantees since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid more than four decades ago . The White House said it would extend coverage to 31 million Americans . Among other things , the White House said it would expand Medicare prescription drug coverage , increase federal subsidies to help people buy insurance and give the federal government new authority to block excessive rate hikes by health insurance companies . It increases the threshold -- relative to the Senate bill -- under which a tax on high-end health insurance plans would kick in . As with both the House and Senate plans , it includes significant reductions in Medicare spending in part through changes in payments made under the Medicare Advantage program . President Obama 's plan does not include a government-run public health insurance option , an idea strongly backed by liberal Democrats but fiercely opposed by both Republicans and key Democratic moderates . It also eliminates a deeply unpopular provision in the Senate bill worked in by Sen. Ben Nelson , D-Nebraska , that would exempt his Midwestern state from paying increased Medicaid expenses . Administration officials said Obama 's measure would cut the deficit by $ 100 billion over the next 10 years . They estimate the total cost of the bill to be $ 950 billion in the next decade . The Senate bill would cost an estimated $ 871 billion , according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office , while the more expansive House plan has been estimated to cost more than $ 1 trillion . The release of Obama 's plan sets the stage for a critical televised health care summit Thursday with top congressional Republicans . The White House is trying to pressure GOP leaders to present a detailed alternative proposal in advance of the meeting . `` We view this as the opening bid for the health meeting '' on Thursday , White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer told reporters . `` We took our best shot at bridging the differences '' between the House and Senate bills . `` It is our hope the Republicans will come together around -LSB- their -RSB- plan and post it online '' before the meeting . President 's health care blueprint Pfeiffer said Obama will come to Thursday 's meeting `` with an open mind . '' The president 's willing to back decent Republican ideas if the two sides can have an `` honest , open , substantive discussion '' in which `` both parties can get off their talking points , '' he said . GOP leaders have indicated they will attend the meeting but have urged Democrats to scrap the Senate and House bills completely . They characterized Obama 's proposal Monday as setting the stage for a meeting that will amount to little more than political posturing . `` The president has crippled the credibility of this week 's summit by proposing the same massive government takeover of health care based on a partisan bill the American people have already rejected , '' said House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio . `` This new Democrats-only backroom deal doubles down on the same failed approach that will drive up premiums , destroy jobs , raise taxes and slash Medicare benefits . This week 's summit clearly has all the makings of a Democratic infomercial . '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , released a statement calling the plan `` disappointing that Democrats in Washington either are n't listening or are completely ignoring what Americans across the country have been saying . '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed the GOP criticisms , arguing that Republican leaders had asked for this week 's meeting for months . `` If they 're not the party of no , Thursday 's the perfect venue to be the party of yes , '' Gibbs said . Highlights of Obama 's proposal Under Obama 's plan : \u2022 The health and human services secretary would work with a seven-member board of doctors , economists and consumer and insurance representatives to review premium hikes . This Health Insurance Rate Authority would provide an annual report to recommend to states whether certain rate increases should be approved , although the secretary could overrule state insurance regulators . \u2022 New health insurance subsidies would be provided to families of four making up to $ 88,000 annually , or 400 percent of the federal poverty level . Compared with the Senate bill , Obama 's proposal lowers premiums for families making between $ 44,000 and $ 66,000 , according to the White House . Compared with the House legislation , it lowers premiums for families making between $ 55,000 and $ 88,000 . \u2022 The Medicare prescription drug `` doughnut hole '' would be closed by 2020 . Under current law , Medicare stops covering drug costs after a plan and beneficiary have spent more than $ 2,830 on prescription drugs . It starts paying again after an individual 's out-of-pocket expenses exceed $ 4,550 . \u2022 A 40 percent tax would be imposed on insurance companies providing so-called `` Cadillac '' health plans valued at more than $ 27,000 for families . The tax would kick in starting in 2018 for all plans . In contrast , the Senate bill would apply the tax to plans valued at more than $ 23,000 for families . The House bill does not include the tax , which labor unions vehemently oppose . \u2022 The federal government would assist states by picking up 100 percent of the costs of expanded Medicaid coverage through 2017 . The federal government would cover 95 percent of costs for 2018 and 2019 , and 90 percent in the following years . \u2022 Health insurance exchanges would be created to make it easier for small businesses , the self-employed and unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage . \u2022 Total out-of-pocket expenses would be limited , and insurance companies would be prevented from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . Insurers would be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person 's gender or medical history . \u2022 Individuals under Obama 's plan would be required to purchase coverage or face a fine of up to $ 695 or 2.5 percent of income starting in 2016 , whichever is greater . The House bill , in contrast , would have imposed a fine of up to 2.5 percent of an individual 's income . The Senate plan would have required a person to buy coverage or face a fine of up to $ 750 or 2 percent of his or her income . All three plans include a hardship exemption for poorer Americans . \u2022 Companies with more than 50 employees under Obama 's plan would be required to pay a fee of $ 2,000 per worker if the company does not provide coverage and any of that company 's workers receives federal health care subsidies . The first 30 workers would be subtracted from the payment calculation . As with the individual requirement , this represents a compromise between the House and Senate plans . \u2022 Some $ 40 billion in tax credits would be established for small businesses to help them provide health care options for their employees . \u2022 States could choose whether to ban abortion coverage in plans offered in the health insurance exchanges . Individuals purchasing plans through the exchanges would have to pay for abortion coverage out of their own funds . The White House is following the Senate 's lead . The stricter House version banned abortion coverage in private policies available in the exchange to people receiving federal subsidies . \u2022 Illegal immigrants would not be allowed to buy health insurance in the health insurance exchanges . They would be exempted from the individual insurance mandate . As with abortion , the White House is adopting the Senate 's language . CNN 's Dana Bash , Lisa Desjardins , Kristi Keck , Suzanne Malveaux , Alan Silverleib and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The medical examiner has ruled that the death of Daniel Kerrigan , the father of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan , was a homicide , the Middlesex County district attorney 's office said Tuesday . The skater 's brother , Mark , was arraigned in January on assault and battery charges in an incident involving his father , but the district attorney 's office would not say if other charges might be filed against the younger Kerrigan in light of the medical examiner 's finding . Daniel Kerrigan , 70 , died January 24 after an alleged altercation with his son at the Kerrigan home in Stoneham , Massachusetts . The Kerrigan family released a statement through their attorney expressing disappointment `` that the medical examiner would release a cause of death without having all of the relevant facts . We believe this finding to be premature and inaccurate . '' `` The Kerrigan family does not blame anyone for the unfortunate death of Dan Kerrigan , who had a pre-existing heart condition , '' said the family statement , released by attorney Tracy Miner . Mark Kerrigan , 45 , pleaded not guilty to the charges against him January 26 . Through his attorney , he denied any responsibility in his father 's death . According to Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Keeley , police responded to a 911 call at approximately 1:30 a.m. January 24 from Brenda Kerrigan , wife of Daniel and mother to Mark and Nancy Kerrigan . Keeley told District Court Judge Mark Sullivan during the arraignment for Mark Kerrigan that there was a violent argument and struggle between the father and his son , resulting in the elder Kerrigan falling or collapsing on the kitchen floor . Keeley said Mark Kerrigan told authorities `` that he did in fact have an argument with his father , the argument became physical , he grabbed his father around the neck , and at some point the father collapsed to the floor . '' According to Keeley , police found Mark Kerrigan in the basement of the house , `` clearly intoxicated '' and `` extremely combative . '' He refused to comply with police officers , said Keeley , and they had to subdue him with pepper spray before forcibly removing him from the home . Mark Kerrigan 's attorney , Denise Moore , said in court that Kerrigan was unemployed , was recently released from a correctional facility and was living at home with his parents . He is taking medications and seeking psychological help for post-traumatic stress , apparently from his time in the Army , she added . Despite appeals from his attorney , the judge ordered Kerrigan held on $ 10,000 cash bail . His next court appearance is expected to be February 24 . Nancy Kerrigan first gained prominence by winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville , France . In 1994 she earned a silver medal in Lillehammer , Norway . But she is perhaps best remembered for being injured in an attack before the 1994 Winter Games by skating rival Tonya Harding 's ex-husband and an accomplice .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oklahoma State University women 's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed when their plane crashed on the way to a recruiting trip in Arkansas , university officials said Friday . Former Oklahoma state Sen. Olin Branstetter and his wife , Paula , also died in the crash Thursday , university spokesman Gary Schutt said . `` It 's a terribly sad day , '' he said . The crash occurred in Perry County , Arkansas , leaving no survivors . The plane , a Piper Cherokee PA-28 , according to FAA records , crashed under `` unknown circumstances '' in a wooded area about four miles south of Perryville , Arkansas , about 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday , agency spokesman Lynn Lunsford said Friday . No additional information about the crash was immediately available . The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators to the crash site , the agency said Friday . Budke and Serna were on a recruiting trip to Little Rock , Arkansas , the university said . `` For any coaching community to lose bright stars like Kurt and Miranda is tragic , '' NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement . `` This is a profound loss for the Oklahoma State women 's basketball family , the entire university and future women 's basketball players as well . '' University officials credited Budke for turning the school 's women 's basketball program around , culminating with a top-10 national ranking and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season . He was in his seventh season with the school . `` Kurt was an exemplary leader and a man of character who had a profound impact on his student-athletes , '' Oklahoma State President Burns Hargis said . `` He was an outstanding coach and a wonderful person . We send our deepest sympathies to his wife , Shelley , and their children , Sara , Alex and Brett . '' Serna was also in her seventh season with OSU after coming to the school to work for Budke from Louisana Tech , where they both previously worked . She served as the program 's recruiting coordinator , according to the school . Hargis called her `` an up-and-coming coach and an outstanding role model for our young ladies . '' `` Its our worst nightmare , '' he added . The school called off games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday , and grief counselors were on hand for athletes and staff , the university said . Jim Littell , the team 's associate head coach , will take over as interim head coach , according to Mike Holder , OSU vice president for athletics . The crash is the second fatal plane crash to strike the OSU basketball program in nearly 11 years . Ten people , eight of them associated with the university 's men 's basketball program , died when their plane crashed in a Colorado snowstorm on January 28 , 2001 .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- RealSimple.com -RRB- -- Overwashing , overapplying , and product overkill wo n't improve your skin . Rein in your regimen to get real results . Want beautiful skin like model Megan Gale ? Do n't overdo it , experts say . Cleansing and exfoliating You do n't need to wash or scrub as often -- or as vigorously -- as you may think . `` Many women go overboard here , figuring it will make their skin look better if they do both more frequently , '' says dermatologist Leslie Baumann . `` But that only damages the skin 's natural barrier and creates dryness and irritation . '' Combination skin How often : Wash your face twice a day , and gently exfoliate once or twice a week ; this is enough to keep skin balanced and encourage cell turnover , according to experts . What to look for : A mild cleanser that is n't too rich or too drying , says Mary Lupo , a dermatologist in New Orleans , Louisiana . Use an exfoliant that contains gentle particles or acids to remove dead cells without abrading your skin . Where to find it : Cleanser -- Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash , $ 6 at drugstores . Exfoliant -- St. Ives Elements Microdermabrasion Scrub , $ 7 at drugstores . Dry skin How often : Cleanse skin at night , when it 's dirtiest . Rinse with cool water in the morning to help maintain natural oils . If skin is flaky , exfoliate once a week , says Lisa Donofrio , a professor of dermatology at Yale University . What to look for : A cleansing oil or creamy wash that has moisturizing ingredients , such as glycerin . If you have sensitive skin to boot , avoid products that contain fragrances or alcohol , which can irritate . Where to find it : Cleanser -- Laura Mercier Purifying Oil , $ 40 , www.sephora.com ; or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser , $ 11.50 at drugstores . Exfoliant -- Your safest bet is to use a wet washcloth . Oily\/acne-prone skin How often : Lather up two to three times a day -LRB- as needed -RRB- but never more ; overwashing kicks oil glands into overproduction . Exfoliate once or twice a week , but skip this if you have acne ; the friction can make it worse . What to look for : An oil-free , non-comedogenic foaming cleanser that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to prevent breakouts . The scrub should contain mild acids to keep the pores open and clean . Where to find it : Cleanser -- Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser , $ 7 at drugstores . Exfoliant -- Bior\u00e9 Pore Unclogging Scrub , $ 6 at drugstores . Sensitive skin How often : Wash once a day if your skin is irritated by nearly everything or if you have eczema or psoriasis ; twice a day if your skin is dirty . Forget about exfoliating , as it 's too abrasive for your skin type . What to look for : Hypoallergenic and fragrance - and soap-free cleansers . Calming ingredients , like green tea , chamomile , feverfew , and aloe , are a bonus . As a general rule , the fewer ingredients in a product , the better . Where to find it : Cleanser -- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser -LRB- $ 19.50 , www.laroche-posay.com -RRB- . Apply with your fingers . `` Think of the way you 'd touch a newborn , '' says Barbara Reed , a Denver , Colorado , dermatologist . Portion control \u2022 Use a quarter-size amount of cleanser on most skin types . \u2022 A dime-size dollop of scrub will do . \u2022 A pea-size dab of cleanser is plenty for sensitive skin . Real Simple : Best facial cleansers Moisturizing and protecting No matter what your skin type , moisture is important . `` If your skin is n't hydrated , it ca n't protect itself from the free radicals that cause damage , discoloration , and wrinkles , '' says dermatologist Leslie Baumann . Year-round daily sun protection is also a must . Fortunately there are moisturizers with SPF available for every complexion . Combination skin How often : Each morning , apply moisturizer with SPF after cleansing your skin . Reapply if you 're spending more than 30 minutes outside , as sun-screens break down in sunlight over time . What to look for : A medium-weight lotion with skin-protective antioxidants , such as green tea , coenzyme Q10 , and vitamin C , and broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of 15 or higher . Where to find it : L'Or\u00e9al Paris Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX SPF 15 , $ 22 at drugstores ; or Clinique Super-defense SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer Dry Combination , $ 43 , www.clinique.com . Dry skin How often : To help seal in water , apply moisturizer with SPF once a day , right after cleansing , while your skin is still damp . Reapply at midday if your skin begins to feel tight , and use a cream at night . What to look for : A rich cream that contains antioxidants , plus hyaluronic acid , glycerin , or ceramides . `` Hyaluronic acid and glycerin bind in moisture , and ceramides prevent water loss from the skin , '' says Donofrio . Where to find it : Dove Pro Age Day Moisturizer SPF 15 , $ 14 at drugstores ; or Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 , $ 10.50 at drugstores . Oily\/acne-prone skin How often : Moisturize every morning . Oily skin needs the right type of moisture and lightweight , non-comedogenic sun protection . Reapply as needed , since blotting away shine can remove sunscreen . What to look for : An oil-free , featherweight lotion , serum , or gel with antioxidants . If you 're acne-prone , avoid products with cocoa butter , cinnamon , or coconut oil , as they can trigger breakouts , says Baumann . Where to find it : DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew SPF 15 , $ 38 , www.ddfskincare.com ; or Clean & Clear Soft Oil-Free Day Moisturizer SPF 15 , $ 8.50 at drugstores . Sensitive skin How often : In the morning , apply moisturizer to skin that has been dabbed dry . Ingredients penetrate wet skin more deeply , which is often a good thing , but this can irritate sensitive skin . What to look for : Fragrance-free lotions or creams that contain anti-inflammatories , such as chamomile , green tea , feverfew , and caffeine . Avoid lipoic acid , as it can be irritating . Where to find it : Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Moisture Lotion SPF 15 , $ 14 at drugstores ; or Dermalogica Super Sensitive Faceblock SPF 30 , $ 45 , www.dermalogica.com for locations . Portion control Use a nickel-to quarter-size amount of moisturizer with SPF for face coverage . Real Simple : Seventeen affordable moisturizers Treating and troubleshooting Nighttime is best for targeting fine lines , blemishes , and discoloration . That 's when the skin repairs itself , and the sun is n't around to degrade the active ingredients in the treatments . Careful and consistent use of effective products -LRB- most also provide moisture -RRB- will gradually yield great results . Combination skin To keep it smooth : Four nights a week , use a cream with retinol , a potent , tried-and-true wrinkle reducer . Try : Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment , $ 45 , www.philosophy.com . To clear it up : Use a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide or 2 percent salicylic acid gel nightly . Try : B. Kamins Medicated Acne Gel 5 , $ 26 , www.bkamins.com ; or Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Gel , $ 8 at drugstores . To even tone : Retinol evens tone , but for darker spots , at night use a formula that also has skin-lightening licorice , kojic acid , soy , or vitamin C. Try : RoC Multi-Correxion Night Treatment , $ 25 at drugstores . Dry skin To keep it smooth : As dry skin can be sensitive , apply gentle retinols every other night with a moisturizer . Try : Av\u00e8ne R\u00e9trinal Cream .05 , $ 56 , www.skincarerx.com . Other nights , just moisturize . To clear it up : Heal blemishes using a moisturizing 2 percent salicylic acid treatment or a sulfur-based salve once or twice a week . Try : AcneWorx Gentle Moisturizing Clear Acne Treatment Gel , $ 20 , www.amazon.com . To even tone : Slather on a rich cream that contains skin-brightening ingredients , like coffeeberry extract , each night . Try : Reval\u00e9Skin Night Cream , $ 99 , www.skincarerx.com . Oily\/acne-prone skin To keep it smooth : Nightly use of a retinol gel or serum softens fine lines -LRB- skip it on nights you treat blemishes , as below -RRB- . Try : Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3X , $ 56 , www.skincarerx.com . To clear it up : Oily skin can take a 5 or 10 percent benzoyl peroxide gel twice a day , says Sonia Badreshia-Bansal , a dermatologist in Danville , California . Try : Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 , $ 5 at drugstores . To even tone : Each night smooth a thin layer of a lightweight vitamin C serum over your face to gradually lighten any discoloration . Try : Avon Anew Alternative Clearly C 10 % Vitamin C Serum , $ 20 , www.avon.com . Sensitive skin To keep it smooth : Every third night , apply a mild retinol -LRB- see dry skin -RRB- . Or use peptides nightly on lines . Try : Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Moisturizing Treatment , $ 18 at drugstores . To clear it up : Treat blemishes with a 2 percent salicylic acid treatment and follow with moisturizer . Try : Exuviance Blemish Treatment Gel , $ 16 , www.exuviance.com . Avoid benzoyl peroxide , which can be irritating . To even tone : Consider a nightly application of a lotion with a gentle lightener , like a niacin derivative or vitamin C. Try : NIA 24 Intensive Recovery Complex , $ 110 , www.skincarerx.com . Portion control \u2022 A pea-size amount of a retinol cream is adequate . \u2022 A dime-size dollop of a skin brightener or moisturizer will do the trick . \u2022 A sunflower seed -- size dot of an acne salve is all your spots require . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE !","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods apologized on Wednesday for `` transgressions '' that `` let his family down . '' `` I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart . I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves , '' he said in a statement on his official Web site . `` I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect . I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family . Those feelings should be shared by us alone . '' Woods made the comments in a statement posted on his Web site the same day that a gossip magazine published a story alleging that Woods had an affair with a 24-year-old New York cocktail waitress . The nightclub hostess , identified by a supermarket tabloid as Tiger Woods ' mistress had called allegations that she is romantically involved with the golf superstar false and `` ridiculous . '' In an interview published Tuesday , Rachel Uchitel told The New York Post that a disgruntled acquaintance sold the story to the National Enquirer and that `` not a word of it is true . '' `` I work in clubs , and I am a businesswoman , '' Uchitel said . `` I do not have sex with celebrities , and I have not had an affair with Tiger Woods . '' Speculation has swirled around Woods since a wreck outside his Florida home early Friday left him with minor injuries and a citation for careless driving . The Florida Highway Patrol said Tuesday that its citation closes its investigation of the crash . Woods was not required to talk to state police about the wreck and did not sit for an interview with investigators . He issued a statement Sunday saying he alone was responsible for the crash and denouncing `` the many false , unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me . '' Opinion : Woods is only human The 33-year-old golf phenomenon has won the Masters tournament and the PGA tournament each four times , as well as three U.S. Open titles . Investigators have said they do n't have details on why Woods was driving away from his home at such an early hour . A police report says the wreck was not alcohol-related . Uchitel said she has met Woods twice , once in her capacity as the VIP director at a club in Manhattan 's trendy Meatpacking District and another time through a mutual friend . `` That 's my job : to know these people , to have a relationship with them , to hang out with them , '' she told the Post . `` It does n't mean I am having sex with them or an affair with them . '' She said the allegations `` must feel horrible '' to Woods ' wife , Elin Nordegren . `` The worst part of it , it 's not true , '' Uchitel said .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Utah teenager Elizabeth Smart in 2002 -- and attempting to kidnap Smart 's cousin a month later -- will be sentenced for both offenses in state and federal court Friday . Wanda Eileen Barzee , 64 , pleaded guilty in November to federal charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor in Smart 's kidnapping . As part of that plea agreement , she agreed to cooperate with the state and federal cases against her husband , Brian David Mitchell , federal prosecutors have said . Barzee and Mitchell were accused of abducting Smart , then 14 , at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family 's Salt Lake City , Utah , home in June 2002 . Smart was found nine months later , walking down a street in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy in the company of Barzee and Mitchell , a drifter and self-described prophet who calls himself Emmanuel and had done some handyman work at the Smarts ' home . Federal prosecutors have recommended Barzee be sentenced to 15 years in prison in exchange for cooperation against Mitchell . In state court in February , Barzee pleaded guilty but mentally ill to one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping in the attempted kidnapping of Smart 's cousin . In exchange for her plea , prosecutors dropped state charges against her in Smart 's abduction , said Nancy Volmer , spokeswoman for Utah state courts . The month after Smart was kidnapped , prosecutors alleged , Barzee and Mitchell attempted to break into the home of her cousin , but were unsuccessful . The girl was 15 years old at the time , according to CNN affiliate KSL-TV . She is not named in court documents . `` Mr. Mitchell 's attempt was thwarted when the minor child awakened , which caused Mr. Mitchell to flee , '' the court documents say . After her arrest in 2003 , Barzee told authorities that she and Mitchell went to the home to abduct the girl , and planned to hold her , along with Smart , in the couple 's camp in the mountains , according to court documents . Barzee faces between one and 15 years in state prison . But prosecutors have agreed to allow that sentence to run concurrently with her federal sentence if she cooperates with the case against Mitchell , said Mark Biljanic , spokesman for the Salt Lake County district attorney 's office . The federal sentencing will be held first Friday , at 10:30 a.m. , followed by the state court sentencing at 1 p.m. . When she entered pleaded guilty to Smart 's kidnapping in federal court , Barzee apologized to Smart , according to a transcript . `` I 'm greatly humbled as I realize how much Elizabeth Smart has been victimized and the role I played in it , '' she said . `` I 'm so sorry , Elizabeth , for all the pain and suffering I have caused you and your family . It is my hope that you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me one day . '' Barzee had been housed at the Utah State Hospital while courts determined her competency as well as Mitchell 's . After years of being declared incompetent , she recently was declared competent to stand trial , according to the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper . A state court had ruled she could be forcibly medicated , and that ruling led federal prosecutors to proceed with bringing a case against the couple , the Tribune said . At a competency hearing for Mitchell in October , Smart , now 21 , testified that she had been held captive in Utah and California . Just after her abduction , Mitchell took her to a wooded area behind her home and performed a mock marriage ceremony with her , she said . During the nine months of her captivity , Smart testified , no 24-hour period passed without her being raped by Mitchell . In March , U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball ruled Mitchell competent to stand trial . His federal trial is set to begin November 1 . State court proceedings against him are on hold pending the outcome of the federal case .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Republican National Convention is kicking off in full force Tuesday in the Twin Cities -- the first time the GOP has held a presidential convention there since 1892 . Laura Bush and Cindy McCain speak at a shortened first day of the Republican National Convention Monday . The convention , delayed briefly when Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast , is also being held later in the year than any nominating convention in history . Check out these tidbits of convention history and political trivia . Location The Republican National Convention is being held in the Xcel Energy Center , the home of the National Hockey League team the Minnesota Wild . To prepare the Xcel center for the GOP convention , workers removed 3,000 seats and installed more than 25 miles of cable Sen. Barack Obama gave his first speech as the Democrats ' presumptive 2008 presidential nominee at the Xcel Center on June 3 . The Twin Cities and Denver have each received $ 50 million each in federal funds for convention security . No Republican since Richard Nixon has carried Minnesota in a presidential general election -- the longest Democratic streak of any state in the nation . The Delegates About 2,300 delegates and 2,200 alternates delegates are expected to journey to the twin cities for the event , and the Minneapolis\/St . Paul economy is expected to benefit to the tune of $ 150 to $ 160 million . The Candidates , past and present John McCain turned 72 last week ; if elected , he 'll be the oldest president sworn in to a first term . Two GOP presidential nominees were older than McCain ; Ronald Reagan was 73 in 1984 when he was running for his second term and Bob Dole was 73 in 1996 . Dole lost that election to Bill Clinton . John McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1967 to 1973 ; his service awards include the Silver Star , the Bronze Star , the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart . McCain 's father and grandfather were both U.S. Navy admirals ; they were the first father and son to achieve that rank . McCain represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987 ; he has served in the U.S. Senate since 1987 . McCain was the presidential nominating speaker in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole . McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination on March 4 after winning 26 primary season contests . Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the second woman to serve on a major party ticket -- in 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to serve on a major party ticket . Palin is the first woman to serve as Alaska governor ; she was elected in 2006 , winning the election to the governorship as a maverick reformer willing to distance herself from the Republican Party . McCain first met Palin at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington in February of 2008 . Conventions National political conventions were covered on radio for the first time in 1924 , and covered on television for the first time since 1948 . 2008 marks the fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions ; it also happened in 1912 , 1916 and 1956 . The longest convention in history was the 1924 Democratic convention in New York -- It lasted 17 days . The shortest convention in history was the 1872 Democratic convention in Baltimore -- it only lasted six hours .","question":""}
{"answer":"ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani authorities have arrested two top leaders of the Islamic militant group India blames for the November massacre in Mumbai , Pakistan 's prime minister confirmed Wednesday . Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistani security forces had rounded up a number of militant figures . The top military officer in the U.S . on Wednesday said he is `` encouraged '' by Pakistan 's recent arrests of `` significant players '' in the Mumbai attacks . U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said the arrests amount to `` first steps '' toward determining who plotted the three day siege last month that killed 160 people in Mumbai , India 's financial capital . `` There are more steps to follow , '' he noted . He also thanked India for showing restraint against Pakistan , which it has accused of harboring the terrorist groups behind the November massacre . Zarar Shah , a top operational commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , and Zakir Rehman Lakhvi , whose arrest had been reported Tuesday , were among the militant figures rounded up in recent days , Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters . Gilani would not confirm the detention of Masood Azhar , the leader of another militant group , Jaish-e-Muhammad . But he said his government has launched its own investigation into India 's allegations that the gunmen who killed more than 160 people in Mumbai had links to Pakistan . The acknowledgment came three days after Pakistani security forces raided an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad , the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir , in the first sign of government action against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba since the three-day siege of India 's financial capital . Both LeT and Jaish-e-Muhammad were formed to battle Indian rule in the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir , and both were banned after a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that brought the South Asian nuclear rivals to the brink of war . The United States has listed LeT as a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden 's al Qaeda network . According to the U.S. government , Lakhvi , 47 , has directed LeT 's military operations in southeast Asia , Chechnya , Bosnia and Iraq . Pakistan 's Defense Minister Choudhry Mukhtar Ahmed told CNN 's sister network in India , CNN-IBN , that Lakhvi and Azhar had been arrested on Monday . Azhar has been in Pakistan since 1999 , when he was released from an Indian prison in exchange for hostages aboard a hijacked Indian airliner . Indian authorities say the sole surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks told investigators that he was trained at an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad , along with the nine other attackers who were killed in the three-day siege . A Pakistani security official said the terror raids on banned militant groups are ongoing and have resulted in at least 15 arrests .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Champions League newcomers Manchester City are still waiting for their first win in the competition as a double from Mario Gomez gave in-form Bayern Munich a 2-0 Group A victory at the Allianz Arena . Bayern went into the match on the back of nine successive victories and they always looked dangerous in the first half , with Bastian Schweinsteiger volleying over the crossbar from close range in the 36th minute . However , the home side took the lead just two minutes later when goalkeeper Joe Hart did superbly to keep out shots from Frank Ribery and Thomas Mueller , but Gomez was on hand to stab home from three meters out . And the same player added a second goal on the stroke of half-time when Daniel Van Buyten 's header was wonderfully saved by Hart , only for Gomez to be on hand again from close range . City could find no response after the break , and a bad night for them was made worse when manager Roberto Mancini later confirmed that former captain Carlos Tevez refused to come onto the pitch in the second half after being named only as a substitute . An angry Mancini told reporters : `` I asked him to go on and help the team . We have 11 players -- maybe he was disappointed because he did n't play from the start . If I have my way he will be out of the club . '' The result leaves Bayern top of the table with a maximum six points from their two games , with Napoli second on four points after the Italian side beat Villarreal 2-0 in Naples . They opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Marek Hamsik chested down Ezequiel Lavezzi 's cross at the back post , before firing home with his left foot . And Edinson Cavani added a second from the penalty spot just three minutes later after Lavezzi was fouled by Gonzalo Rodriguez in the area . Big-spending City , who are joint top of the English Premier League with five wins and a draw from their six games so far , are back in third with just a single point following their opening home draw against Napoli , while Spanish side Villarreal are bottom of the group without a point , or a goal , so far . Meanwhile , 2010 champions Inter Milan made it two wins out of two under new coach Claudio Ranieri with a thrilling 3-2 Group B victory at CSKA Moscow . Ranieri replaced Gian Piero Gasperini last week , and began his San Siro tenure with a 3-1 Serie A win at Bologna over the weekend . And Inter showed they had got their shock opening 1-0 defeat by Trabzonspor out of their system , by repelling a CSKA fightback to secure their first victory in the tournament . Brazilian defender Lucio fired Inter ahead from the edge of the box after just six minutes and the Italian side doubled their lead midway through the half , when Giampaolo Pazzini netted from close range after fine work from Yuto Nagatomo . However , the Russian side pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time with a well-placed Alan Dzagoev free-kick and Brazilian Vagner Love levelled with 13 minutes remaining with a low drive . But , just a minute later , Mauro Zarate converted from Esteban Cambiasso 's pass to give Inter a vital victory . The other group match saw Trabzonspor and Lille share a 1-1 draw in Turkey . Moussa Sow opened the scoring for the French side when he converted Eden Hazard 's pass from a tight angle , but the home side earned a draw in the 75th minute when Gustavo Colman scored from the penalty spot after Mathieu Debuchy handled in the area . The result sees Trabzonspor top the group with four points , ahead of Inter on three , Lille on two and CSKA Moscow on a single point . Premier League leaders Manchester United needed a last-gasp Ashley Young goal to rescue a 3-3 Group C draw at home to Swiss side Basel , in a thrilling match that saw United squander a comfortable two-goal lead . United took a 16th minute lead when Danny Welbeck , in for the injured Wayne Rooney , was left unmarked in the area to score off the post , and the young England international added his second just a minute later when side-footing home a Ryan Giggs pass . But United took their foot off the gas and Basel pulled a goal back when Fabian Frei lashed home in the 58th minute after the United defense were slow to clear a corner . And , just two minutes later , Basel drew level when Frei 's right-wing cross was superbly headed home by his namesake Alex Frei . Basel looked to have stolen a famous victory when they went ahead in the 75th minute after Antonio Valencia fouled Marco Streller in the area and Alex Frei scored the resulting penalty . But Young 's late header from Nani 's cross rescued a point for United , although they surrendered their 20-match winning run at Old Trafford in all competitions . Benfica beat Otelul Galati 1-0 in Romania in the other group game , which leaves Basel and Benfica level on top of the group on four points , with Manchester United third on two points after drawing their opening two matches . Real Madrid are top of Group D with a maximum six points from their two matches , after a 3-0 win over Ajax at the Bernabeu . Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 25th minute when he converted a fine flowing move that saw five players involved . And the Spanish giants doubled their lead four minutes before the break when Kaka fired home a left-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net from Ronaldo 's pass . The home side secured the points early in the second half when Kaka found Karim Benzema , who found the net from 10 yards out . Lyon are second in the table with four points after they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 at the Stade de Gerland in their 100th Champions League game . Bafetimbi Gomis opened the scoring with a sublime chip and Bakary Kone sealed the points from close range . Ajax are third in the group with a single point , while Zagreb are bottom after losing their opening two matches .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A first-half hat-trick by Lionel Messi helped Barcelona to a 5-0 win over Mallorca at the Nou Camp on Saturday . The Argentina international opened the scoring after 13 minutes with a spot kick after Emilio Nsue had handled the ball in the penalty area . Eight minutes later he tapped in after a miscue from Adriano before completing his hat-trick on the half-hour mark , expertly guiding home a cross from Dani Alves . Twenty-year-old Issac Cuenca scored his first senior goal for the club five minutes into the second half , while Alves rounded things off with a superbly taken goal in injury time . A ninth-minute goal from Argentina striker Higuain earned Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday night . The win puts them one point ahead of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with 25 points , although Levante will depose them if they win at Osasuna on Sunday . Two goals from Frenchman Sofiane Feghouli and one for Aritz Aduriz earned fourth-placed Valencia a 3-1 win over Getafe , while Villareal were comfortable 2-0 winners over Rayo Vallecano -- Bruno Soriano and Borja Valero scoring goals in either half . Meanwhile in Italy , Juventus remain top of Serie A after a 2-1 win at Inter Milan on Saturday . All the goals came in an action-packed first half with Juve taking an early lead thanks to a 12th minute strike from Mirko Vucinic . Maicon equalized for the hosts in the 28th minute , but it was n't long before the visitors were back in front -- Claudio Marchisio scoring in the 33rd minute . The win gives Juve a two-point lead at the top of Serie A , but that will be reduced to one point if Udinese beat Palermo on Sunday . Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as AC Milan beat Roma 3-2 at the Stadio Olimpico to send the reigning league champions up to second in the table . The Swedish striker opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Nicolas Burdisso equalized for the home side in the 28th minute . Alessandro Nesta restored Milan 's lead two minutes later before Ibrahimovic made it 3-1 in the 78th minute to all but clinch three points . Bojan Krkic pulled one back for Roma three minutes before the end but it was n't enough to deny the Rossoneri vital away points . Napoli lost ground with the league leaders as they went down to a 2-1 defeat at Catania . Edinson Cavani had given Napoli the lead after just 27 seconds , but goals from Giovanni Marchese in the 25th minute and Gonzalo Bergessio three minutes after the break were enough to earn the home side all three points . Napoli played half the match with 10 men after Mario Santana was sent off shortly before half time .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Having a disease named after you is a decidedly mixed bag . On the one hand , your scientific developments are forever commemorated . On the other hand , though , you 're stuck with the knowledge that no patient will ever be happy upon hearing your name . Who are the scientists and doctors behind some of our most famous diseases and conditions , though ? Here are a few of the physicians and their eponymous ailments : 1 . Crohn 's disease The inflammatory digestive disease could just have easily ended up with the name Ginzburg 's disease or Oppenheimer 's disease . In 1932 , three New York physicians named Burrill Bernard Crohn , Leon Ginzburg , and Gordon Oppenheimer published a paper describing a new sort of intestinal inflammation . Since Crohn 's name was listed first alphabetically , the condition ended up bearing his name . 2 . Salmonellosis Yes , the salmonella menace that haunts undercooked chicken is named after a person . Daniel Elmer Salmon was a veterinary pathologist who ran a USDA microorganism research program during the late 19th century . Although Salmon did n't actually discover the type of bacterium that now bears his name -- famed epidemiologist Theobald Smith isolated the bacteria in 1885 -- he ran the research program in which the discovery occurred . Smith and his colleagues named the bacteria salmonella in honor of their boss . Mental Floss : Margherita pizza , other foods named after people 3 . Parkinson 's disease James Parkinson was a busy fellow . While the English apothecary had a booming medical business , he also dabbled in geology , paleontology , and politics ; Parkinson even published a three-volume scientific study of fossils . Following a late-18th-century foray into British politics where he advocated a number of social causes and found himself briefly ensnared in an alleged plot to assassinate King George III , Parkinson turned his attention to medicine . Parkinson did some research on gout and peritonitis , but it was his landmark 1817 study `` An Essay on the Shaking Palsy '' that affixed his name to Parkinson 's disease . 4 . Huntington 's disease George Huntington was n't the most prolific researcher , but he made his papers count . In 1872 , a fresh-out-of-med-school Huntington published one of two research papers he would write in his life . In the paper , Huntington described the effects of the neurodegenerative disorder that now bears his name after examining several generations of family that all suffered from the genetic condition . 5 . Alzheimer 's disease In 1901 , German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer began observing an odd patient at a Frankfurt asylum . The 51-year-old woman , Mrs. Auguste Deter , had no short-term memory and behaved strangely . When Mrs. Deter died in 1906 , Alzheimer began to dissect the patient 's brain , and he presented his findings that November in what was the first formal description of presenile dementia . Mental Floss : 4 people with super memory 6 . Tourette syndrome Credit George Gilles de la Tourette for his modesty . When the French neurologist first described the illness that now bears his name in 1884 , he did n't name it after himself . Instead , he referred to the condition as `` maladie des tics . '' Tourette 's mentor and contemporary Jean-Martin Charcot renamed the illness after Tourette . Tourette did n't have such great luck with patients , though . In 1893 , a deluded former patient shot the doctor in the head . The woman claimed that she lost her sanity after Tourette hypnotized her . Tourette survived the attack . 7 . Hodgkin 's lymphoma British pathologist Thomas Hodgkin first described the cancer that now bears his name while working at Guy 's Hospital in London in 1832 . Hodgkin published the study `` On Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen '' that year , but the condition did n't bear his name until a fellow physician , Samuel Wilks , rediscovered Hodgkin 's work . 8 . Bright 's disease The kidney disease bears the name of Richard Bright , an English physician and colleague of Hodgkin 's at Guy 's Hospital . Bright began looking into the causes of kidney trouble during the 1920s , and in 1927 he described an array of kidney ailments that eventually became known as Bright 's disease . Today , doctors understand many of the symptoms historically clumped together as Bright 's disease are in fact different maladies , so the term is rarely used . 9 . Addison 's disease Guy 's Hospital was apparently the place to work in the 19th century if you wanted to have a disease named after you . Thomas Addison , a colleague of Bright and Hodgkin at Guy 's Hospital , first described the adrenal disorder we call Addison 's disease in 1855 . On top of this discovery , Addison also published an early study of appendicitis . Mental Floss : 11 celebrities who overcame dyslexia 10 . Tay-Sachs disease Although both of their names are attached to this genetic disorder , Warren Tay and Bernard Sachs did n't work together . In fact , they did n't even work in the same country . Tay , a British opthalmologist , first described the disease 's characteristic red spot on the retina in 1881 . In 1887 Bernard Sachs , a colleague of Burrill Crohn at Mount Sinai Hospital , described the cellular effects of the disease and its prevalence among Ashkenazi Jews . 11 . Turner syndrome The chromosomal disorder got its name from Oklahoma doctor Henry Turner , who first described the condition in 1938 . 12 . Klinefelter 's syndrome The genetic condition in which males have an extra X chromosome bears the name of Harry Klinefelter , a young Boston endocrinologist who published a landmark study while working under the tutelage of endocrinology star Dr. Fuller Albright in 1942 . Albright pushed his young prot\u00e9g\u00e9 to be the lead author of the paper that described the condition , so the young Klinefelter 's name is forever associated with the syndrome . 13 . Asperger 's syndrome Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger first described the syndrome that now bears his name in 1944 after observing a group of over 400 children who suffered from what Asperger described as `` autistic psychopathy . '' Interestingly , since Asperger 's research was all written in German , his contributions to the literature went unrecognized until much later . The term `` Asperger 's syndrome '' did n't come into widespread usage until 1981 . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Utah man with chronic health problems died Wednesday from complications associated with swine flu , a local health official said . If confirmed , it would be the ninth U.S. fatality associated with the flu outbreak . Memorials appeared at the door of I.S. 238 in Queens , New York , this week after the death of an administrator . The man , who was from around Salt Lake City , was between 18 and 25 years old and `` had chronic medical conditions that may have contributed to severe complications from influenza , '' said Gary Edwards , executive director of the Salt Lake Valley Health Department . Also on Wednesday , health and education officials in New York announced that 21 of the city 's public schools had been closed after an increase of reports of students with flu-like symptoms . A school administrator in Queens died after being hospitalized with the H1N1 virus , commonly called swine flu . Nineteen of the schools closed at the recommendation of the Health Department are public and two are private , the city 's Education Department announced in a news release . In addition , two private schools in Manhattan -- St. Davis Academy and Horace Mann -- have decided on their own to close after a number of students exhibited flu-like symptoms , according the schools ' Web sites . In the city 's news release , city Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden repeated what has become a familiar refrain : `` We continue to see a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City . As the virus spreads , we will look to slow transmission within individual school communities by closing individual schools . '' Late last week the city closed 11 schools in Queens and one in Brooklyn after confirming cases of the virus at Intermediate School 238 in Queens and unusually high levels of flu-like symptoms in the others . Mitchell Wiener , an assistant principal at I.S. 238 who died Sunday after being hospitalized with the disease , had an underlying condition , according to Frieden . The death in Utah was the first associated with the swine flu , or H1N1 , virus . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked eight U.S. deaths to the flu outbreak , but had not confirmed a link to H1N1 in the Utah death as of Wednesday evening . The outbreak has sickened at least 10,176 people and caused at least 80 deaths -- mostly in Mexico , according to the World Health Organization . The actual number of people affected may be higher , as it takes time for national governments to confirm cases and report them to the global body . In the United States , at least 5,710 cases of swine flu have been reported , according to recent figures from the CDC . Utah officials echoed national agencies in saying that the swine flu has largely behaved like typical seasonal influenza , which usually is fatal only among the very old , the very young or people with other health problems . In New York , 19 of the schools closed at the recommendation of the Health Department are public and two are private , it and the city 's Education Department announced in a news release . In addition , two private schools in Manhattan -- St. Davis Academy and Horace Mann -- have decided on their own to close after a number of students exhibited flu-like symptoms , according the schools ' Web sites . In the city 's news release , city Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden repeated what has become a familiar refrain : `` We continue to see a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City . As the virus spreads , we will look to slow transmission within individual school communities by closing individual schools . '' Late last week the city closed 11 schools in Queens and one in Brooklyn after confirming cases of the H1N1 virus , commonly called swine flu , at Intermediate School 238 in Queens and unusually high levels of flu-like symptoms in the others . An assistant principal of Intermediate School 238 died Sunday after being hospitalized with H1N1 . Frieden has said the administrator , Mitchell Wiener , had an underlying condition . CNN 's Deb Brunswick contributed to this report","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nineteen former patients at a Denver , Colorado , hospital have tested positive for hepatitis C , federal prosecutors said Thursday as they announced new charges against a former hospital employee accused of exposing the patients to the virus . A hospital worker is accused of injecting herself and using unclean syringes for patients . Prosecutors charged Kristen Diane Parker with 21 counts of tampering with a consumer product and another 21 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge , according to an indictment . Parker , 26 , had previously faced three federal counts from earlier this month . Parker , who worked as a surgical technician at Rose Medical Center in Denver , is accused of injecting herself with syringes that held patients ' pain medication Fentanyl , then replacing the pain medication in the syringes with saline , according to a statement from the office of the U.S. attorney for Colorado . In a statement to police during the investigation , Parker said , `` I ca n't take back what I did , but I will have to live with it for the rest of my life , and so does everyone else . '' Parker 's attorney did not return a call from CNN on Thursday . Authorities said Parker knew she had hepatitis C , a contagious liver disease . Hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Parker believes she contracted the virus through using heroin and sharing needles with other users while she lived in New Jersey in 2008 , authorities said . According to an affidavit filed by an investigator with the Food and Drug Administration , Rose Medical Center knew Parker tested positive for hepatitis C . She was counseled on how to limit her exposure to patients . Parker worked at Rose Medical Center from October 2008 to April 2009 , said Jeff Dorschner , a spokesman for the U.S. attorney for Colorado . Parker 's employment was terminated after she failed a hospital-ordered drug test , said Leslie Teegarden , spokeswoman for Rose Medical Center . The tests were ordered after co-workers reported `` suspicious behavior , '' Teegarden said Thursday . Rose Medical Center contacted about 4,700 patients who may have been exposed to the virus , according to a statement on the center 's Web site . Of those patients , 3,540 have been tested thus far , Teegarden said . She said the hospital plans to use tamper-resistant , pre-filled Fentanyl syringes to prevent intentional contaminations . Parker also worked at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York and Audubon Ambulatory Surgical Center in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Prosecutors have not charged her with any crimes related to her employment at the other two facilities . About 1,200 patients may have been exposed between May 4 and July 1 of this year , when Parker worked at Audubon , according to the center 's Web site . As of last week , 545 of Audobon 's former patients had been tested for the virus , according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment . One patient tested positive for hepatitis C , but that infection could not be linked to Parker , according to the department 's Web site . Nearly 1,000 patients had been tested as of Thursday , said Audubon spokeswoman Amy Triandiflou . Details about what Parker may have done to expose Audubon patients to the virus are still sketchy , Triandiflou said . More than 2,700 patients could have been exposed at Northern Westchester Hospital , according to the hospital 's Web site . The site did not indicate whether any infections had been detected . There is no vaccine for hepatitis C . If Parker is convicted and if any one of the former patients suffers serious bodily injury because of her actions , she could face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison , prosecutors said . If she is convicted and if any one of the former patients dies as a result of the infection , she could be sentenced to life in prison , according to prosecutors . CNN 's Jim Spellman contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former engineer for Rockwell International and Boeing was convicted Thursday of economic espionage and acting as an agent of China , authorities said . A Delta IV rocket launches on March 10 , 2003 at Cape Canaveral , Florida . Dongfan `` Greg '' Chung , 73 , was accused of stealing restricted technology and Boeing trade secrets , including information related to the space shuttle program and the Delta IV rocket . U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney convicted him on charges of conspiracy to commit economic espionage ; six counts of economic espionage to benefit a foreign country ; one count of acting as an agent of the People 's Republic of China ; and one count of making false statements to the FBI , according to a statement from federal prosecutors . Carney presided over Chung 's three-week bench trial last month . In a bench trial , there is no jury and the judge decides whether to convict a defendant after hearing testimony . Chung was free on bond after his arrest by FBI agents and NASA investigators in February 2008 . He was taken into custody after Carney 's ruling was read . Chung , a native of China who is a naturalized United States citizen , was employed by Rockwell International from 1973 until Boeing acquired its defense and space unit in 1996 , and by Boeing thereafter . He retired from Boeing in 2002 , but returned as a contractor , a position he held until September 2006 , prosecutors said . Chung held a `` secret '' security clearance , authorities said . `` For years , Mr. Chung stole critical trade secrets from Boeing relating to the space shuttle and the Delta IV rocket -- all for the benefit of the government of China , '' said David Kris , assistant attorney general for national security , in the prosecutors ' statement . `` Today 's verdict should serve as a warning to others willing to compromise America 's economic and national security to assist foreign governments . '' The case against Chung resulted from an investigation into another engineer who obtained information for China . That engineer , Chi Mak , and several of his relatives were convicted of providing defense articles to the PRC , authorities said . Mak was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison last year . According to evidence presented at trial , individuals in the Chinese aviation industry began sending tasks to Chung via letter as early as 1979 , federal prosecutors said . Over the years , the letters directed Chung to collect data related to the space shuttle and various military and civilian aircraft . In his letters back to China , Chung referenced materials he had already sent , including 24 manuals relating to the B-1 bomber , which Rockwell had forbidden for distribution outside the company and federal agencies . In addition , between 1985 and 2003 , Chung traveled to China several times and met with government officials . His contacts in China discussed these trips in letters and recommended methods of passing information , authorities said . In a 2006 search of Chung 's home , FBI and NASA agents found more than 250,000 pages of documents from Boeing , Rockwell and other defense contractors in the house and in its crawl space , prosecutors said . They included `` scores of binders containing decades ' worth of stress analysis reports , test results and design information for the space shuttle . '' Each economic espionage charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $ 500,000 fine , authorities said . The charge of acting as an agent for a foreign government carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine . The charges of conspiracy to commit economic espionage and making false statements to federal investigators each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine . Chung is set for sentencing November 9 .","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shortly before President Obama departs for a trip to the Middle East , a new national poll suggests that one in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries . President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit an Istanbul mosque in April . That view compares with 46 percent of the people questioned in a CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. survey who say they have an unfavorable opinion of Muslim countries . That 's up 5 percentage points from 2002 , when 41 percent indicated that they had an unfavorable view . Meanwhile , three in 10 say they have a neutral opinion of Muslim countries . The poll also suggests that most Americans suspect people in Muslim countries do n't think highly of the United States . Nearly eight in 10 questioned say people in Muslim countries have a unfavorable opinion of the United States , with 14 percent saying Muslims hold a favorable view . iReport.com : Your perspectives on the Muslim world But the poll indicates Americans seem to be split on whether such negative opinions by Muslims matter . Fifty-three percent of those questioned say they think Muslim views of the United States matter greatly or moderately , with 47 percent saying that Muslim opinions of the United States do n't matter very much or at all . The poll 's release comes hours before the president flies to Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah . Following the stop in Saudi Arabia , Obama will head to Egypt , where he 'll deliver a long-awaited speech Thursday on relations between the United States and the Muslim world . Watch the challenges Obama faces with the speech '' At a town hall in Turkey earlier this year , the president declared that `` the United States is not , and will never be , at war with Islam . '' Many Americans seem to agree with the president : Sixty-two percent of those surveyed say they do n't think the United States is at war with the Muslim world , with 36 percent indicating that the country is at war with Muslim countries . Those numbers have remained stable since CNN 's 2002 poll . But the poll suggests that six out of 10 think that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the United States . `` The feeling seems to be mutual . We distrust Muslims . They distrust Americans . Views of Americans have not changed very much over the past seven years . There are some indications that Muslims ' views of Americans have improved a bit since Barack Obama took office , but they are still not positive , '' said Bill Schneider , CNN senior political analyst . The CNN\/Opinion Research poll was conducted May 14-17 , with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chief operating officer of the National Children 's Museum was arrested Tuesday and is charged with distributing child pornography over the Internet , authorities said . Robert A . Singer is accused of sending images depicting child pornography to people he believed to be a 12-year-old girl and her 33-year-old mother , according to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia of the Southern District of New York . In reality he was communicating with an undercover detective for the New York Police Department . Some of the pornographic images were sent from Singer 's computer at the museum , according to an affidavit filed in support of the charges by a special agent who investigates child pornography and child exploitation for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement . The Washington museum posted a message on its Web site saying officials there are `` horrified '' by news of Singer 's arrest . They reported that he has been suspended from his post , effective immediately , and is barred from the property . Singer , 49 , was arrested at his home in Falls Church , Virginia , by federal agents , according to the prosecutors ' statement . Authorities allege he engaged in several instant messaging `` chats '' and e-mail communications with the undercover detective , posing as the woman and her daughter , from August to September . He is charged with five counts of distributing child pornography in interstate commerce . If convicted on each count , he would face a sentence of up to 140 years in prison -- up to 20 years for the first count and up to 40 years for each additional count , prosecutors said . Singer allegedly initiated contact with the undercover detective , posing as the mother , in an America On Line chat room called `` Cuties . '' The chat room attracts people who `` are known to trade in pornographic images , including child pornography , '' according to an affidavit filed in the case by a special agent who investigates child pornography and child exploitation for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement . `` On five separate occasions in August 2007 , Singer sent several images of child pornography over the Internet to the mother and the daughter , including images depicting sexual acts between minors and adults and images depicting known victims of child exploitation , '' prosecutors said . In his communications with the supposed daughter , Singer pretended to be a 15-year-old boy , authorities said . In August 2007 , he sent her two images featuring child pornography , according to the affidavit , with the instruction , `` just delete it when you are done . '' A search of Singer 's AOL account activity showed that from July to September , he sent about 80 images featuring child pornography to people including the detective , authorities said in the statement . Also , the search revealed that he had received about 10 images and one video depicting child pornography . Singer was expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge later Tuesday . He is identified in the complaint as a spokesman for the National Children 's Museum , but a spokeswoman who asked not to be identified said he was promoted to chief operating officer within the past few months . He has been employed by the museum for four years , she said . In a written statement , the museum said it was notified by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE of Singer 's arrest . `` We are horrified by the charges , '' the statement said . `` This news is deeply upsetting to the National Children 's Museum family . '' `` As its essence , the National Children 's Museum is about enriching the lives of children , '' the statement said . `` We are educators , child advocates and parents . Anyone who does anything that might endanger the welfare of a child has no place here . Harming children is against everything we stand for as an organization and as individuals . '' The museum , formerly known as the Capital Children 's Museum , has been closed to the public since 2004 , and operates from administrative offices , the statement said . A new facility is being built and is scheduled to open in 2012 . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama will announce the U.S. troop strategy for Afghanistan in a speech at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point , New York , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday . In the speech , Obama will explain why the United States is in Afghanistan , its interests there and his decision-making process , Gibbs said , but `` the president does not see this as an open-ended engagement . `` Our time there will be limited , and I think that 's important for people to understand , '' he said . `` We are in year nine '' in Afghanistan , Gibbs told reporters . `` We 're not going to be there another eight or nine years . '' Obama will meet with members of Congress at the White House on Tuesday afternoon before the speech . Cost issues are among the topics the president will address , Gibbs said . `` It 's a million dollars a troop for a year , '' he said . `` Ten thousand troops is $ 10 billion . That 's in addition to what we already spend in Afghanistan and Pakistan . That also does not include training , and it does n't include the maintaining of a security force . It 's very , very , very expensive . '' But , Gibbs added , `` I think the president , throughout this process , has talked about the cost in terms of American lives and in terms of the cost to our treasury , and I think he 'll continue to talk about it . '' The president ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by U.S. military action in 2001 . Obama has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to the 40,000 McChrystal requested . A defense official told CNN earlier this week the Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of Obama 's decision on the 8-year-old war . There had been no final word on Obama 's decision as of Tuesday , said the Defense Department official , who has direct knowledge of the process . But the official said planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan with the expectation that Obama was leaning toward approving that many . iReporters sound off ; share your views on sending more troops in Afghanistan Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to receive the paperwork Thursday to approve orders to deploy 1,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , to Afghanistan in late December -- the first of the new troops to be sent , a U.S. military official told CNN on Wednesday . The official is not authorized to talk about the plans because they have not been officially announced . The 1,000 Marines are part of a battalion task force that has been preparing and training for the deployment , the official said . The president held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night , and he told reporters Tuesday that he would announce new plans for Afghanistan after Thanksgiving . McChrystal took part in the meeting Monday , along with Vice President Joe Biden , Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , Afghanistan . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations had been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there -LSB- in Afghanistan -RSB- , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The defense official said Tuesday that the military is planning to send three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of about 34,000 troops . CNN reported last month that this was the Pentagon 's preferred option . However , the official said Wednesday that the Marines are expected to deploy 8,000 combat , aviation and support troops , plus 1,000 to 1,500 Marines as part of a headquarters unit -- a total of between 9,000 and 9,500 . They will be in addition to the 11,000 Marines already in Afghanistan . After the first deployment , the remaining Marines will deploy over the next three to four months , the military official said . The troops would be dispatched throughout Afghanistan but would be focused mainly on the southern and southeastern provinces , where much of the recent fighting has taken place . Currently , brigades from Fort Drum in upstate New York and Fort Campbell in Kentucky are among those next in line to deploy . About 68,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , along with about 45,000 from the NATO alliance . Two U.S. military officials have told CNN that NATO countries would be asked to contribute more troops to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send and the 40,000 McChrystal wants . The request is expected to come during a December 7 meeting at the alliance 's headquarters in Brussels , Belgium . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Brussels next week to meet with allies , State Department sources told CNN . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell would not discuss specific numbers , but he said NATO would be asked for additional help . Obama 's Afghanistan plan will include `` very broad terms '' that show how and where the United States is succeeding in the nation , a senior U.S. military official told CNN . Those points will be used to determine how and when troops can be brought home . Another senior military official said McChrystal will take his orders from Obama and will do the best he can with what he has . The question , he said , is not the number of troops , but is whether the United States has `` the right resources to do what we need to do . '' `` We ca n't just go and blow people up and win this war , '' the official said . `` We have to gain the trust of the people , and that is a major part of the plan here . '' U.S.-led troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the al Qaeda terrorist network 's September 11 , 2001 , attacks on New York and Washington . The invasion overthrew the ruling Taliban , which had allowed al Qaeda to operate from its territory -- but most of the top al Qaeda and Taliban leadership escaped the onslaught . Taliban fighters have since regrouped to the mountainous region along Afghanistan 's border with Pakistan , battling U.S. and Afghan government forces on one side and Pakistani troops on the other . Al Qaeda 's top leaders , Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , remain at large and are suspected to be hiding in the same region . The conflict has so far claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . CNN 's Jill Dougherty , Deirdre Walsh , Elaine Quijano and Mike Mount contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the wake of the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner , most Americans remain confident the Obama administration can protect the country from terrorism , according to a new national poll . A CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday also indicates the vast majority of Americans believe that full-body scanners should be used in airports across the country . Nearly two-thirds of people questioned in the poll said they have a moderate or great deal of confidence in the administration to protect the public from future terrorist attacks , up 2 percentage points from August . Thirty-five percent said they have not much or no confidence , down 1 percentage point from August . Read the full poll results -LRB- PDF -RRB- A number of Republicans have criticized President Obama over his handling of the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam , Netherlands , to Detroit , Michigan . But according to the survey , 57 percent approve of the way Obama has responded , while 39 percent disapprove of how he handled the situation . `` Only a third of Republicans have a positive view of Obama on this matter , but the key for the administration is the 55 percent of independents who approve of how the president responded to the incident on Christmas Day , '' said Keating Holland , CNN 's polling director . The poll also indicates no increase in overall concern about terrorism . `` In October , about a third said they were worried that a family member would become a victim of terrorism , and that number is unchanged in the wake of the attempted attack in December , '' Holland said . `` The public seems to react calmly to individual incidents , possibly because most Americans believe that the government can not prevent every single terrorist plot from occurring . '' Six in 10 said terrorists always will find a way to launch an attack , no matter what the government does , he added -- identical to the number who felt that way during the Bush administration . The poll indicates a majority , 57 percent , think suspect Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab should be tried in military court and not a civilian criminal court . Forty-two percent back handling the case in civilian court . According to the survey , Americans also are split on whether heads should roll as a result of the attempted bombing of the airliner . Forty-six percent questioned feel that top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling the issue of terrorism should be fired , while 51 percent said no . The poll indicates that nearly eight in 10 believe full-body scanners should be used in U.S. airports , while 15 percent said they would refuse to go through one of the machines if asked to do so . `` Most Americans do n't see full-body scanners as a health risk , and more than seven in 10 say they would be unconcerned if asked to go through one at an airport , '' Holland said . `` Women in particular seem to prefer the idea of a full-body scanner to being frisked by a security guard , even when the question makes clear that the guard doing the manual pat-down would also be a woman . '' The CNN\/Opinion Research poll was conducted Friday through Sunday , with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"MOSCOW , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A leading human rights activist was abducted and killed in Russia Wednesday , the organization she worked for told CNN . Estemirova , pictured in 2007 , had been openly critical of Chechnya 's president , Ramzan Kadyrov . Natalya Estemirova , of the Russian human rights group Memorial , was kidnapped outside her home in Grozny , Chechnya , Oleg Orlov said , citing eyewitness reports . She was later found dead in the neighboring Russian republic of Ingushetia , said Orlov , the head of the organization 's Moscow office . Estemirova , 50 , was a leading human rights activist in the North Caucasus area who had been openly criticizing Chechnya 's authoritarian president , Ramzan Kadyrov , and his methods . Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed indignation at the murder and said her killers should be punished to the full extent of the law , his office said . He expressed his condolences to her family , press secretary Natalya Timakova said . Estemirova shouted that she was being kidnapped as she was forced into a white Lada automobile that had stopped on the road in front of her house at 8:30 a.m. -LRB- 12:30 a.m. ET -RRB- , Orlov said . An unidentified man grabbed her and shoved her into the car , he told CNN . `` This is a kidnapping , '' she yelled , he said . Estemirova studied history at Grozny University , then taught history before turning to journalism and human rights in 1998 , Memorial said . She joined the organization in March 2000 . In a written statement , U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States is `` deeply saddened '' by the report of Estemirova 's death . `` We call upon the Russian government to bring those responsible to justice , '' he said . He described Estemirova as `` uncompromising in her willingness to reveal the truth regardless of where that might lead . She was devoted to shining a light on human rights abuses , particularly in Chechnya . '' The Committee to Protect Journalists , in a written statement , demanded that the killing be thoroughly investigated immediately . `` As she uncovered massive , ongoing human rights violations in Chechnya by the federal and regional authorities , Estemirova was often at odds with Chechen authorities , according to her colleagues , '' the advocacy group said . She won three international awards for human rights activities -- including the inaugural Anna Politkovskaya Award , named for the Russian investigative journalist who was herself murdered almost three years ago . Estemirova was Politkovskaya 's `` most frequent companion during travel and investigations in Chechnya , '' the organization Reach All Women in War said in announcing the prize for Estemirova . `` They investigated a number of cases together -- about which Anna wrote for -LRB- the newspaper -RRB- Novaya Gazeta and Natalya wrote for Memorial 's Web site and for local newspapers . '' `` President Medvedev must make good on his promise to investigate this shocking killing by ensuring that the inquiry is thorough and transparent , '' said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney . `` The killers of this courageous reporter , one of the few left in Chechnya , must not be allowed to walk free like so many before them . '' CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko in Moscow , Russia , contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The bone fragment found near the California home where Jaycee Dugard is said to have been confined for 18 years is `` probably human , '' a sheriff 's spokesman said Tuesday . Jaycee Dugard was locked in a shed tucked under a blue tarp in her alleged captor 's backyard . Investigators said they found the bone last week on a neighbor 's property in an area that Dugard 's accused captor and rapist , Philip Garrido , had access to . The fragment , which was analyzed by an outside expert , will go on to the state DNA lab for testing , Jimmy Lee , director of Public Affairs for the Contra Costa County 's Sheriff 's Office said in an e-mail . `` The expert has determined that the bone fragment found in the backyard of Garrido 's neighbor is probably human , '' Lee said . `` We will be requesting the state to see if it can develop a DNA profile on the fragment . It should be noted that it is not uncommon to find Native American remains in Contra Costa County , '' he said . Garrido and his wife , Nancy , have pleaded not guilty to 29 felony charges , including rape and kidnapping , stemming from Dugard 's disappearance when she was 11 years old . Investigators believe Garrido kidnapped Dugard in 1991 in South Lake Tahoe , California , fathered two daughters with her and held her captive in a well-hidden compound behind his home in Antioch . After the Garridos were arrested in August , investigators used cadaver dogs to search the couple 's ramshackle home and the surrounding rural property for possible connections to unsolved crimes . Police in Hayward , California , are trying to determine whether Garrido is linked to the 1988 kidnapping of Michaela Garecht , Hayward Police Lt. Chris Orrey said last week . Garecht and Dugard were of similar age and appearance , both were abducted in daylight and a sketch of a suspect resembled Garrido , Orrey said . In Dublin , California , investigators said last week they were looking into whether Garrido was connected to the 1989 disappearance of Ilene Misheloff , who was 13 when she was abducted . Garrido was convicted of kidnapping and raping Katie Callaway Hall in 1976 . He was released from prison after serving 10 years of a 50-year sentence . He was labeled a sex offender and put on lifetime parole . CNN 's Dan Simon contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been suspended indefinitely by the National Football League , days after he pleaded guilty to killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence of alcohol , the NFL said . Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth on Tuesday pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter . Stallworth , 28 , pleaded guilty in a Florida court Tuesday to DUI manslaughter charges in the March death of construction worker Mario Reyes . Under terms of a plea agreement , he will serve 30 days . Prosecutors said he began serving his sentence immediately . `` The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable , '' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told Stallworth in a letter Thursday , the league said . Excerpts from the letter were posted on the NFL Web site . `` While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident , it is my responsibility as NFL commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions , which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family , your club , your fellow players and the NFL . '' Stallworth 's suspension is effective immediately , the league said . Goodell wrote in the letter that `` in due course '' the league would contact his attorney to schedule a meeting with him , after which a final determination would be made on discipline . Stallworth was driving his black Bentley GT east on the MacArthur Causeway , which connects Miami , Florida , to the South Beach area of Miami Beach , when he struck Reyes on the morning of March 14 , according to prosecutors . He had been drinking at a Miami Beach club , according to court documents . His blood alcohol level was 0.126 percent , prosecutors said ; Florida 's legal limit is 0.08 . Reyes , 59 , reportedly was heading to a bus stop after work when he was struck . Court documents said he suffered `` critical head , chest and abdominal injuries '' and died at a hospital . When police arrived at the scene , Stallworth told them he was the driver of the car and admitted striking Reyes . During Tuesday 's hearing , Stallworth offered his `` deepest condolences to the Reyes family . '' `` Though I can not bring back Mr. Reyes or ease his family 's pain , I can and will honor his memory by committing my time , my resources and my voice by educating this community about the dangers of drunk driving , '' he said . Stallworth could have served up to 15 years in prison . But State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle noted in a statement that he cooperated with authorities and had no previous criminal record or traffic violations . Reyes ' family supported the plea agreement , she said . Stallworth 's attorney , Chris Lyons , on Tuesday told CNN sister network HLN that Stallworth had reached an `` amicable '' financial settlement with Reyes ' family but would not disclose the amount . He said the length of Stallworth 's jail term `` had nothing to do with Donte Stallworth being a celebrity , a professional football player or money . '' Stallworth has shown `` genuine remorse '' and accepted responsibility for his actions , Lyons said . Goodell wrote Stallworth that there is `` ample evidence to warrant significant discipline '' under both the NFL 's personal conduct and substance abuse policies . `` There is no reasonable dispute that your continued eligibility for participation at this time would undermine the integrity of and public confidence in the league , '' the letter said . `` Everyone associated with the league derives tremendous benefits from participating in our game and from the extraordinary support we receive from the public , '' Goodell wrote . `` With these benefits comes , among other things , the responsibility to conduct ourselves in a lawful and responsible way , with no entitlement to or expectation of favorable treatment . '' Goodell notified NFL clubs earlier this year that there would be increased emphasis on addressing driving under the influence and other misconduct , the league said . It noted the NFL offers a `` safe rides '' program used by most clubs to provide players and other employees with alternative transportation if they have been drinking . Under terms of Stallworth 's plea agreement , he will face two years of house arrest upon his release . He is also required to donate $ 2,500 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving , serve eight years of probation and submit to random drug and alcohol testing throughout his probation . His driver 's license was permanently revoked . CNN 's Rich Phillips contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Terrell Owens , a former San Francisco 49er and a former Philadelphia Eagle , is now a former Dallas Cowboy . The Cowboys released Owens late Wednesday , according to published reports . The Dallas Cowboys have decided to part ways with wide receiver Terrell Owens , according to published reports . Questions surrounding the future of the controversial wide receiver have swirled since the Cowboys ' season ended with a 44-6 loss at Philadelphia that kept Dallas out of the playoffs . Owner Jerry Jones had said in recent weeks that he had not decided whether to keep or release Owens . In early February , Jones struck down an ESPN report that Jones ' son , Stephen , who is the team 's vice president , was lobbying his father to cut the wide receiver . Owens signed a three-year , $ 25 million contract with Dallas in March 2006 . He signed a new four-year , $ 34 million deal that included a $ 12 million signing bonus , in June 2008 . Owens finished the 2008 season 69 receptions for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns . In Owens ' three seasons with the team , the Cowboys went 31-17 , but 0-2 in the playoffs . While Owens has produced solid numbers on the field , his career has been plagued with controversy . After Owens left the San Francisco 49ers in 2003 , he insinuated in an interview with Playboy magazine that his then-quarterback , Jeff Garcia , was homosexual . As a Philadelphia Eagle , Owens made headlines for coming back to play in Super Bowl XXX after suffering a severely sprained ankle and a fractured fibula weeks earlier . The following season , he voiced his displeasure with QB Donovan McNabb and Eagles management , which led to a four-game suspension without pay and his eventual deactivitation from the team . In September 2006 , police responded to Owens ' home after his publicist found the wide receiver unresponsive with an empty bottle of painkillers . Owens refuted reports that it was a suicide attempt and claimed a combination of painkillers and supplements made him groggy . This past season , Owens was reportedly jealous of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo 's relationship with tight end Jason Witten . According to published reports , Owens believed Romo and Witten held private meetings and created plays without including him . Published reports also said Owens had issues with Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett 's play-calling . -- CNN.com 's Kamal Wallace contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Natasha Richardson died of injuries caused by blunt impact to the head , the New York City Medical Examiner 's Office confirmed Thursday . Natasha Richardson fell on a beginners ' ski slope in Canada . The death was ruled an accident , the office said . Paramedics dispatched to help Richardson minutes after she fell on a Canadian ski slope Monday were turned away and did not have a chance to check her injury , the ambulance service director told a Toronto , Canada , newspaper . Richardson -- a film star , Tony-winning stage actress and member of the famed Redgrave acting family -- died two days later in a New York hospital from a head injury suffered at a Quebec resort about 80 miles northwest of Montreal . Yves Coderre , operations director for Ambulances Radisson , told Toronto 's The Globe and Mail newspaper on Wednesday that his company sent an ambulance to the slopes at Mont Tremblant Ski Resort after a call from the ski patrol . `` They never saw the patient , '' Coderre said . `` So they turned around . '' Watch how brain injuries can be hidden '' Coderre did not say who sent the ambulance away . Efforts by CNN to reach Coderre have been unsuccessful . A resort spokeswoman said a statement was being prepared in response to the latest report . An earlier statement from the resort said a paramedic from its ski patrol `` arrived on the scene within minutes '' after Richardson , 45 , fell during a lesson on a beginners ' trail . The ski patrol paramedic `` did not find any visible sign of injury , '' it said . `` As standard protocol , the ski patrol insisted Ms. Richardson be transported to the base of the hill in a rescue toboggan , '' it said . `` Once at the base of the hill , Ms. Richardson was advised by staff to consider seeking additional medical attention which was declined . '' The resort 's statement said Richardson , accompanied by her instructor , returned to her hotel but about an hour after the fall was `` not feeling good , '' the statement said . Another ambulance was later called to the hotel , where paramedics found her conscious , but she `` was n't in good shape , '' Coderre said . Richardson was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal . From there she was transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York . She and her husband , actor Liam Neeson , have two children , Michael and Daniel . Her family issued a short statement Wednesday night acknowledging her death . `` Liam Neeson , his sons , and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha . They are profoundly grateful for the support , love and prayers of everyone , and ask for privacy during this very difficult time . '' Richardson is a member of acting royalty . Her grandfather , Sir Michael Redgrave , was a famed British actor . Her mother , Vanessa Redgrave , is an Oscar-winning actress , and her father , late director Tony Richardson , helmed such films as `` Look Back in Anger , '' `` The Entertainer '' and the Oscar-winning `` Tom Jones . '' Watch a review of her career '' Richardson 's uncle Corin Redgrave , aunt Lynn Redgrave and sister Joely Richardson are also noted performers . Natasha Richardson won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 revival of `` Cabaret '' and earned raves for her Blanche DuBois in a 2005 production of `` A Streetcar Named Desire . '' She was scheduled to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim 's `` A Little Night Music '' this year , after a January benefit performance of the show . Broadway dimmed its lights Thursday evening in tribute to Richardson .","question":""}
{"answer":"Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo , who was arrested in 1989 for his role in the Tiananmen Square protest , faces trial Wednesday for allegedly `` inciting subversion '' in a more recent case . Liu , a former university lecturer and literary critic , faces a possible 15-year jail sentence , amid growing international outrage over his yearlong detention , according to media reports . The trial begins Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time -LRB- Tuesday 8 p.m. ET -RRB- . On Monday , the Times of London quoted Liu 's wife , Liu Xia , as saying , `` I have no hope whatsoever , I ca n't even attend the trial . '' She said she planned to wait outside the courthouse . `` I think he will be sentenced to more than ten years , '' she said . Liu , 53 , was detained on December 8 , 2008 , and held under `` residential surveillance '' as police investigated the case , according to the PEN American Center , a U.S. literary and human rights organization . On June 23 of this year , he was arrested and charged with inciting subversion of state power , the organization said . Liu is on the PEN board of directors . The case was turned over to the prosecutor 's office December 8 -- one year from the time Liu was detained . Liu co-authored Charter 08 , `` a declaration calling for political reform , greater human rights , and an end to one-party rule in China that has been signed by hundreds of individuals from all walks of life throughout the country , '' PEN says on its Web site . The group said Liu was arrested before the formal release of Charter 08 . `` Liu has been engaged in agitation activities , such as spreading of rumors and defaming of the government , aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialism system in recent years , '' according to a police statement reported by China 's state-run Xinhua news agency . The statement claimed Liu confessed to the charge during a preliminary police investigation . Liu served as an adviser to student leaders during the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square in 1989 . Along with three other intellectuals , he took part in hunger strikes there on June 2 of that year prior to the crackdown to show support for the flagging student protests . He was arrested two days after the Tiananmen crackdown and was released in 1991 . In May 1995 he was detained again for collecting signatures for a petition calling for human rights guarantees . The U.S. government has pressed for Liu 's release . `` The U.S. government is deeply disturbed by reports that Liu Xiaobo has been formally arrested and charged with serious crimes , '' said Richard Buangan , deputy spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing , following Liu 's latest arrest . `` We call on the government of China to release Mr. Liu and respect the rights of all Chinese citizens who peacefully express their desire for internationally recognized freedoms . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hall of Fame football linebacker Lawrence Taylor was charged Thursday with rape and patronizing a prostitute in a case involving a 16-year-old girl , police in Ramapo , New York , said . Taylor 's attorney said the former New York Giants star denied the charges and will fight them . `` My client did not have sex with anybody . Period , '' Arthur Aidala said , adding : `` Lawrence Taylor did not rape anybody . '' Taylor appeared at an afternoon court hearing where a judge set bail at $ 75,000 . Taylor was not asked to enter a plea and left the courthouse after posting bail . Seeing television cameras outside the courthouse , Taylor said , `` I 'm not that important '' as he walked away . Taylor , 51 , was arrested in a Holiday Inn room a few hours after the alleged rape took place , according to Christopher St. Lawrence , the town supervisor and police commissioner in Ramapo , about 30 miles northwest of New York City . Police Chief Peter Brower said Taylor was charged with third-degree rape , a felony , for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with someone younger than 17 . Taylor also was charged with third-degree patronization for allegedly paying the underage victim $ 300 to have sex , Brower said . According to Brower , the rape charge carries a possible four-year prison term , and the patronization charge , a misdemeanor , could bring up to a year in prison . Asked whether Taylor knew that the victim was underage , Brower said `` ignorance is not an excuse '' for having sex with a minor . Aidala said after the bail hearing that Taylor `` is denying and preparing to fight each and every one of those charges . '' Aidala said that `` no violence , no force , no threat , no weapons '' was involved in the case . He noted that the rape charge against Taylor was for consensual sex with a minor and said Taylor denied it . St. Lawrence and Brower said the alleged victim , since March a runaway from New York 's Bronx borough , was allegedly brought to Ramapo by a pimp on Wednesday night . When the pimp and the girl returned to New York early Thursday , she texted an uncle who notified the New York police , St. Lawrence said . New York police arrested the pimp and called Ramapo police , and Taylor was arrested in his hotel room at around 4 a.m. , according to St. Lawrence . The alleged victim had facial injuries that police determined occurred before she entered the Holiday Inn room , St. Lawrence said . Detective Lt. Brad Weidel said police knocked twice on Taylor 's hotel door and identified themselves before entering the room . Weidel and St. Lawrence said Taylor was cooperative with authorities . Taylor was a 10-time All-Pro linebacker for the New York Giants from 1981 to 1993 after earning All American honors at the University of North Carolina . A punishing tackler and pass rusher known by his initials `` L.T. , '' he was on two Super Bowl champion teams and was inducted into the National Football League 's Hall of Fame , which noted that he `` redefined the way the outside linebacker position was played . '' However , Taylor was twice suspended by the NFL for substance abuse and battled a cocaine addiction long after retirement , resulting in several arrests and a downward spiral that he chronicled in a 2003 autobiography . After kicking drugs , he worked as a sports commentator and appeared as a contestant on ABC 's `` Dancing With the Stars '' in 2009 . Taylor and his dance partner on the program , Edyta Sliwinska , were eliminated in the seventh week of competition . Brower said that police found a bottle of alcohol in Taylor 's hotel room but that Taylor showed no sign of inebriation . Brower said that no drugs were found in the room . Mark Lepselter , Taylor 's agent , said Taylor was very upset about the charges against him . `` He 's worked very hard over the last 12 years to change perceptions about him , '' Lepselter said . CNN 's Ross Levitt and Alan Chernoff contributed to this story .","question":""}
{"answer":"MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hurricane Bill weakened Friday afternoon to a Category 2 hurricane , with its maximum sustained winds at 105 mph , forecasters said . Hurricane Bill is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast over the weekend . As of 11 p.m. Friday , Bill 's center was about 180 miles west-southwest of Bermuda , and about 545 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras , North Carolina . Its forward speed had increased to about 20 mph as it continued moving north-northwest , forecasters said . The storm was expected to gradually turn toward the north late Friday and into Saturday . See Bill 's projected path '' If the storm follows its current track , it should pass over the open water between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast on Saturday , forecasters said . Earlier Friday , Bill 's outer bands began producing rain in Bermuda as the storm neared the British territory , the hurricane center said . Forecasters expect Bill to pelt Bermuda with 1 to 3 inches of rain , although up to 5 inches is possible . iReport.com : Bermuda 's preparations The storm also was beginning to affect the U.S. East Coast , where dangerous rip currents and battering waves were developing , said CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras . Rip currents form as wind and waves push water against the shore , where it is caught behind an obstacle such as a sandbar until it breaks free , sending a strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline . The large swells are expected to affect most of the U.S. East Coast within the next couple of days , the hurricane center said . There were reports of waves at the center of the storm as high as 54 feet , Jeras said . With Bill advancing , the Bermuda Weather Service forecasts the storm tide will raise water levels by as much as 3 feet along the coast and produce large , battering waves . Large swells were affecting Puerto Rico , the island of Hispaniola and the Bahamas to the south , the agency said . Bermuda remained under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch . The warning means winds of at least 39 mph are expected within 24 hours , while the watch indicates winds of at least 74 mph are possible within 36 hours . Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 85 miles from the center and storm-force winds outward as much as 275 miles , the hurricane center said . Forecasters advised people along the New England coast and in the Canadian Maritime provinces to monitor Bill 's progress .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- Health.com -RRB- -- Over the past several years , researchers have noticed an odd pattern in the relationship between body weight and Alzheimer 's disease : Middle-aged people have a higher long-term risk of developing the disease if they 're overweight or obese , while older people have a lower risk of the disease if they 're carrying excess weight . A new study , published this week in the journal Neurology , may offer a clue to this so-called obesity paradox . Non-overweight individuals in their late 60s , 70s , and early 80s who have no outward symptoms of Alzheimer 's are more likely than their heavier peers to have biological markers -LRB- or biomarkers -RRB- of the disease , the study found . This finding raises the possibility that weight loss or a low body mass index -LRB- BMI -RRB- later in life may be an early warning sign of mental decline , the researchers say . `` Weight changes or body composition changes may actually be a manifestation of disease , which would explain the obesity being an apparent protective factor , '' says Jeffrey M. Burns , M.D. , the lead author of the study and the associate director of the University of Kansas Alzheimer 's Disease Center , in Kansas City . Health.com : 25 signs and symptoms of Alzheimer 's disease Well before memory loss and other symptoms appear , Alzheimer 's may trigger metabolism changes that promote weight loss , Burns says . `` In general , we think of Alzheimer 's as a brain disease , but this is evidence that there are systemic problems throughout the body in the early stages of Alzheimer 's . '' Burns and his colleagues analyzed data from the Alzheimer 's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative , a huge study spanning 58 hospitals and universities that 's funded by the National Institutes of Health and an array of nonprofit organizations and drug companies . The goal of the initiative is to find ways to measure the progression of Alzheimer 's and the precursor condition known as mild cognitive impairment . The researchers looked at 101 people who underwent brain scans designed to identify the plaques and abnormal tangle of proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer 's , and another 405 people whose cerebrospinal fluid was analyzed for fragments of these proteins -LRB- beta-amyloid peptide and tau -RRB- . Each group included some people with Alzheimer 's disease , some with mild cognitive impairment , and some with no signs of mental deterioration . Health.com : 7 ways to protect your memory There was no connection between BMI and Alzheimer 's biomarkers in the patients who actually had Alzheimer 's . But in the other two groups , lower BMI was associated with higher levels of biomarkers and a higher likelihood of having brain plaques and tangles . Among people with mild cognitive impairment , for instance , 85 percent of non-overweight individuals had signs of these brain abnormalities , compared to just 48 percent of those who were overweight or obese . -LRB- A BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight . -RRB- Richard Lipton , M.D. , an attending neurologist at Montefiore Medical Center , in New York City , who was not involved in the new research , agrees with the authors that the findings suggest that Alzheimer 's can affect the entire body early on . `` The most obvious manifestations of Alzheimer 's disease are in the brain , but Alzheimer 's disease has a large number of effects on the body as well , '' says Lipton , the principal investigator of a long-running study on aging and Alzheimer 's . `` The brain regulates blood pressure and respiratory rate and pulse and hunger and satiety and blood flow to various organs in the body , so it would n't be surprising if a widespread disease of the brain had effects on many , many different aspects of bodily function . '' Health.com : Aging workforce means dementia on the job could rise The study shows only an association , not cause and effect , so Burns and his colleagues ca n't be sure that Alzheimer 's directly causes weight loss -LRB- or prevents weight gain -RRB- . In fact , the researchers found no association between BMI changes and Alzheimer 's biomarkers in a subset of study participants whose weight was tracked for two years . May Ahmad Baydoun , Ph.D. , a staff scientist at the National Institute on Aging who studies risk factors for dementia , described the study as `` very strong '' overall . But , she says , `` the results would have been a lot stronger if they found weight loss over time is associated with increased Alzheimer 's disease pathology , also over time . '' The relationship between weight loss and the progression of Alzheimer 's is likely a two-way street , Lipton says . People who start to experience declines in mental function may shop for groceries less regularly , cook less frequently , and eat less -- and the poor nutrition that results could in turn accelerate the progression of the disease , he says . Health.com : Foods that may help save your memory `` It seems pretty likely to me that both things are true -- that good health practices prevent illness , and health practices may fall apart in the early stages of illness and accelerate cognitive and physical decline , '' Lipton says .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt resigned Tuesday , three days after he was arrested on a drunk driving charge near his suburban Washington home . In a brief statement released to the media , Babbitt said he had submitted his resignation to his boss , Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood , and that LaHood had accepted it . Babbitt , 65 , a former airline pilot and president of a major pilots ' union , said serving as FAA administrator had been `` the highlight of my professional career , '' adding , `` But I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done 24 hours a day , 7 days a week by my colleagues at the FAA . '' His statement made no mention of his arrest , although it was clearly the event that precipitated his action . Earlier in the day , Secretary LaHood told reporters he was `` very disappointed '' that he had learned about Babbitt 's Saturday night arrest only after the Fairfax City , Virginia , police department issued a news release about the incident . In a statement released just minutes after Babbitt announced his resignation , LaHood called Babbitt a `` dedicated public servant and outstanding leader . '' `` I 'm proud to say that we have the safest aviation system in the world , and thanks to Randy 's stewardship , it became safer and stronger , '' LaHood said . `` He worked tirelessly to improve relations with the labor community and bolstered employee engagement among his 49,000 colleagues at the FAA . '' Fairfax City police arrested Babbitt late Saturday night after they allegedly saw Babbitt driving on the wrong side of the road . The police put out a news release on Monday morning detailing the incident . Babbitt was alone in the car , and was cooperative , police said . He was released on personal recognizance , meaning no bail was required . The police department said Babbitt failed a sobriety test , but they did not release the results of any blood-alcohol test . On Monday , DOT officials appeared to be caught off-guard when the police department , in accordance with its policies , issued a news release saying Babbitt had been arrested . DOT officials Monday afternoon issued a statement saying that Babbitt had asked for a leave of absence , and it had been granted . A court date for Babbitt has been set for February 2 in Virginia . Deputy Administrator Michael Huerta is serving as acting administrator .","question":""}
{"answer":"DUBAI , United Arab Emirates -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir on Tuesday accused the international media of `` exaggerating '' the situation in Darfur to detract from atrocities in Iraq , the Palestinian territories and Somalia . Refugees from Darfur gather at a camp in Chad . Sudan 's president says the crisis in Darfur is a `` media fabrication . '' El-Bashir spoke at a news conference in Dubai following a three-day visit to the Persian Gulf emirate . He said the crisis in Sudan 's western Darfur region is a `` media fabrication . '' El-Bashir 's government has been blamed by the United Nations of supporting militias that conduct `` indiscriminate attacks '' on civilians in the Darfur region , including torture , rape , and killings . Rebels fighting the government-backed militias have also been accused by the U.N. of widespread human rights abuses . During Tuesday 's news conference , el-Bashir restated his position that foreign intervention in Darfur was an obstacle in achieving peace in the region . The Sudanese president has been outspoken in his opposition to allowing non-African forces in Darfur . At the start of this year , more than 9,000 members of a joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force were deployed to the region to address the fighting and humanitarian suffering . The force will eventually number 26,000 . Speaking on Tuesday , el-Bashir said that the fighting only affects 10 percent of the region . In the majority of Darfur , there is little to no conflict and people are living normal lives , he said . Citing Sudanese government statistics , el-Bashir said that less than 10,000 people have died in the conflict and less than 500,000 have been displaced . International figures , including United Nations ' data , put the death toll in Darfur at approximately 200,000 , with another 2.5 million people displaced by the violence since 2003 . The conflict started five years ago when ethnic African tribesmen took up arms , complaining of decades of neglect and discrimination by the Sudanese government . Sudan 's Arab-dominated government is accused of responding by unleashing the tribal militias known as janjaweed , which have committed the worst atrocities against Darfur 's local communities . El-Bashir , however , rejected claims that the Darfur conflict is being fought along ethnic lines . E-mail to a friend CNN 's Elham Nakhlawi in Dubai contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Condolences continued to pour in late Sunday night following the death of heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio , who lost his battle with stomach cancer earlier in the day . `` Today my heart is broken , Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. 16th May , '' his wife , Wendy Dio , said in a message on his official website . Dio , 67 , followed Ozzy Osbourne as Black Sabbath 's lead vocalist in 1979 . `` Many , many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away , '' she wrote . `` Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all . '' The rock community paid tribute to Dio in messages late Sunday . `` In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability , Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him , '' KISS said . `` We will miss him . '' Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian called Dio 's death a big loss . `` So many memories of Ronnie . Toured together many times . He always had a kind word and a smile , and he loved the Yankees , '' Ian said . Musician Slash summed up the loss in one sentence : `` Ronnie died at 7:45 a.m. , but his music will live for eternity . '' Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx , who became friends with Dio while touring Europe , said the rocker will be missed . `` I still have this image of him standing on stage in front of 100,000 belting out ` Man on the Silver Mountain ' and remember the shivers it sent up my spine , '' Sixx said . He called Dio `` one of the kindest souls I have ever met and his talent was beyond inspirational to so many of us . '' `` Those of us that had the opportunity to know Ronnie can tell you what a wonderful and passionate man he was , '' Sixx said . Dio most recently was touring with Heaven and Hell , a version of Black Sabbath renamed for legal reasons . All shows were canceled last March because of his illness . His last public appearance was in April at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards when he accepted a vocalist of the year award for his work on last year 's Heaven and Hell album . Dio appeared frail , but he spoke while accepting his award . Born Ronald James Padavona in 1942 , Dio 's professional music career began as a high school student in the late 1950s . His 1960s rock group The Electric Elves evolved into Elf by the early 1970s , when the group played heavy blues rock . Dio 's rock became darker with his band Rainbow , which he left in 1979 to join Black Sabbath . Black Sabbath released three albums with Dio , including `` Heaven and Hell '' in 1980 , `` Mob Rules '' in 1981 and `` Live Evil '' in 1982 . Dio left that band in 1982 , but he had a brief reunion with the group a decade later . He formed the group Dio in 1982 and later Heaven and Hell .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Harold Pinter , the Nobel Prize-winning playwright and screenwriter whose absurdist and realistic works displayed a despair and defiance about the human condition , has died , according to British media reports . He was 78 . The much-honored Harold Pinter received the French Legion d'honneur in 2007 . Pinter 's wife , Lady Antonia Fraser , confirmed his death . Pinter , who had been suffering from cancer , died on Christmas Eve , according to the reports . Fraser told the Guardian newspaper : `` He was a great , and it was a privilege to live with him for over 33 years . He will never be forgotten . '' Pinter was known for such plays as `` The Birthday Party '' -LRB- 1957 -RRB- , `` The Homecoming '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- , `` No Man 's Land '' -LRB- 1974 -RRB- , `` Mountain Language '' -LRB- 1988 -RRB- , and `` Celebration '' -LRB- 2000 -RRB- . The works caught a linguistic rhythm -- the legendary `` Pinter pause '' -- and an air of social unease that resonated throughout the English-speaking world and in myriad translations . His movie credits , like his plays , span the decades and include `` The Quiller Memorandum '' -LRB- 1965 -RRB- and `` The French Lieutenant 's Woman '' -LRB- 1981 -RRB- . Pinter also wrote the screenplay for his 1978 play `` Betrayal , '' the story of a doomed love affair told backward , which was made into a 1983 film with Ben Kingsley , Jeremy Irons and Patricia Hodge . He received the Nobel Prize in literature in 2005 . Pinter 's later plays were more overtly political , with works such as `` One for the Road '' -LRB- 1984 -RRB- and `` The New World Order '' -LRB- 1991 -RRB- focusing on state torture . In commentaries , he became a blistering critic of the United States , writing in his Nobel lecture that the country `` quite simply does n't give a damn about the United Nations , international law or critical dissent , which it regards as impotent and irrelevant . It also has its own bleating little lamb tagging behind it on a lead , the pathetic and supine Great Britain . '' But Pinter could also be a man of great humor . In 2006 , he recounted a story about a fall that had landed him in the hospital a year earlier . `` Two days later , I woke up to find that I 'd been given the Nobel Prize in literature , '' he said . `` So life is really full of ups and downs , you see . '' Harold Pinter was born in London on October 10 , 1930 . He was the son of Jewish immigrants , his father a dressmaker , his mother `` a wonderful cook , '' he once recalled . In 1948 he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts , then as now one of Great Britain 's most renowned drama schools . But the RADA did n't take ; Pinter hated the school and dropped out after two terms . He became an actor and turned to playwriting with his first work , `` The Room , '' in 1957 . Later that year he wrote `` The Birthday Party , '' a `` comedy of menace , '' in the words of one critic , that helped make Pinter 's reputation -- though , in an irony he could appreciate , after it closed in London due to scathing notices . Ensuing Pinter plays , including `` The Dumb Waiter '' -LRB- 1957 -RRB- and `` The Homecoming , '' made him Britain 's most famous playwright , as influential to `` late 20th-century British theater -LSB- as -RSB- Tennessee Williams is to mid-century American stages , '' CNN.com 's Porter Anderson wrote in 2006 . `` What 's generally meant as a ` Pinter play ' in the purest sense usually revolves around one or more characters who are imposing on themselves a constricted , even deprived existence in order to hold off a presumed but uncertain threat , '' Anderson wrote . Pinter 's plays featured sparse dialogue , often spiced with paranoia or simple befuddlement . In `` The Birthday Party , '' a boardinghouse resident is accosted by two malevolent visitors who insist it 's his birthday ; in `` The Homecoming '' -- which won the Tony Award for best play when it premiered on Broadway in 1967 -- a professor and his wife return to his working-class British family , where the wife becomes the center of attention . Pinter credited Samuel Beckett , among others , as an influence . -LRB- He starred in a production of Beckett 's `` Krapp 's Last Tape '' in 2006 . -RRB- In turn , writers such as David Mamet and Sam Shepard followed Pinter 's elliptical lead . `` One way of looking at speech is to say it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness , '' Pinter once said . He was married first to the actress Vivien Merchant . Following a 1980 divorce , Pinter married writer-historian Lady Antonia Fraser .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic was Thursday found not guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosovo by a U.N. tribunal . Milan Milutinovic had was cleared of war crimes in Kosovo . Five other former high-ranking Serb officials -- Nikola Sainovic , Dragoljub Ojdanic , Nebojsa Pavkovic , Vladimir Lazarevic and Sreten Lukic -- were found guilty on all or some of the same charges . The judgment was the first by The Hague , Netherlands-based tribunal for crimes by the former Yugoslav and Serbian forces during a military campaign against Kosovo 's ethnic Albanians in 1999 . Their crimes took place during a Serb-led military campaign against Kosovo 's ethnic Albanian population during the first six months of 1999 before a NATO bombing campaign forced a halt to the operation . Sainovic , former Yugoslav deputy prime minister and Pavkovic , a former Yugoslav army general were each sentenced to 22 years in prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes . Watch Milutinovic receive not guilty verdict '' Lazarevic , another ex-general and Ojdanic , who was chief of general staff , were each sentenced to 15 years on charges of forced deportation of Kosovo 's ethnic Albanian population . The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia had heard during the two year tribunal how military forces of the former Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia waged a campaign of terror against Kosovo Albanians . The court said Milutinovic did n't have `` direct individual control '' over the army and that `` in practice '' then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic `` exercised actual command authority '' over the army during the NATO campaign . Milosevic eventually surrendered to Serbian authorities in 2001 and had been extradited to The Hague , where he was on trial between 2002 and 2006 for the alleged offences in Kosovo and for alleged crimes in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina . He died from natural causes in March 2006 before the trial ended and before a judgment was made . He was the first sitting head of state to be charged for war crimes when he was indicted in 1999 . Kosovo 's government declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008 after being administered by the United Nations since 1999 . The U.S. , Britain and France have recognized Kosovo 's independence , but China and Russia joined Serbia in opposing the move .","question":""}
{"answer":"BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The top court in Iraq sentenced two of Saddam Hussein 's half-brothers to death Wednesday for crimes against humanity . Tariq Aziz , seen in 2002 , was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in jail for crimes against humanity . The court also sentenced former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and a former senior official known as '' Chemical Ali '' -- Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- to 15 years in custody for crimes against humanity , an official with the Iraq High Tribunal told CNN . The men were sentenced for their roles in the 1992 execution of 42 merchants . In an unrelated trial last week , Al-Majeed was sentenced to death for his role in putting down an uprising in Baghdad a decade ago , Iraqi state TV reported . It was the third death sentence for al-Majeed , a cousin of Hussein , the former dictator of Iraq who was toppled from power by the U.S.-led coalition in 2003 . Al-Majeed and other former members of Hussein 's regime remain in U.S. custody . His execution has been delayed for political rather than legal reasons . In last week 's trial , Aziz was acquitted . Aziz , one of the best-known faces of the Hussein regime , was Iraq 's deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and also served as minister of foreign affairs for part of that time . He was captured by U.S. forces in April 2003 , shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq . Meanwhile , car bombs in the northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk killed six people on Wednesday , officials told CNN . The Mosul car bomb , which targeted troops , killed four people and wounded 14 others , an Interior Ministry official said . The car , parked near the city 's medical college , blew up near an Iraqi army patrol . Of the dead , three were soldiers . Four other soldiers were among those wounded . Mosul , which has long been a volatile city , has had a strong militant presence . In Kirkuk , a parked car bomb exploded near a police patrol , killing two civilians and wounding seven others . The oil-rich and ethnically diverse city is known for sectarian and political tension . People were injured in wo other incidents in Iraq on Wednesday . In Baghdad , mortar fire in a residential area wounded four civilians . And a roadside bomb in the largely Kurdish town of Jalawla in Diyala province wounded four police officers . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this story","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pentagon is making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of President Obama 's decision on the future of the eight-year-old war , a defense official said Tuesday . Obama held a lengthy meeting with top advisers Monday night and said Tuesday that he would announce plans for Afghanistan after the Thanksgiving holiday . A Defense Department official with direct knowledge of the process said there has been no final word on the president 's decision . But planners have been tasked with preparing to send 34,000 additional American troops into battle with the expectation that is the number Obama is leaning toward approving , the official said . Obama ordered more than 20,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , reportedly has called for up to 40,000 more to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against the Taliban , the Islamic militia originally ousted by the U.S. invasion in 2001 . The president has weighed several options for bolstering the American contingent , ranging from sending a few thousand troops to sending the 40,000 McChrystal requested . McChrystal was among those who took part in Monday 's conference with Obama and other top advisers , which broke up at 10 p.m. Vice President Joe Biden , Defense Secretary Robert Gates , Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen and Karl Eikenberry , the U.S. ambassador in Kabul , were among the other senior officials in the meeting . Obama said Tuesday that the deliberations have been `` comprehensive and extremely useful . '' `` It 's going to be important to recognize that in order for us to succeed there , you 've got to have a comprehensive strategy that includes civilian and diplomatic efforts , '' he said at a news conference Tuesday with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . The military has planning under way to send these units : three U.S. Army brigades , totaling about 15,000 troops ; a Marine brigade with about 8,000 troops ; a headquarters element of about 7,000 ; and between 4,000 and 5,000 support troops -- a total of approximately 34,000 troops , according to a defense official with direct knowledge of Pentagon operations . CNN reported last month that this was the preferred option within the Pentagon . The troops would be dispatched throughout Afghanistan but would be focused mainly on the southern and southeastern provinces , where much of the recent fighting has taken place . Currently , brigades from Fort Drum in upstate New York and Fort Campbell in Kentucky are among those that are next in line to deploy . About 68,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , along with about 45,000 from the NATO alliance . Two U.S. military officials said NATO countries would be asked to contribute more troops to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send and the 40,000 McChrystal wanted . The request is expected to come during a December 7 meeting at the alliance 's headquarters in Brussels , Belgium . Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell would not discuss specific numbers , but he said NATO would be asked for additional help . `` Clearly , if the president decides to commit additional forces to Afghanistan , there would be an expectation that our allies would also commit additional forces , '' Morrell said . U.S.-led troops invaded Afghanistan in response to the al Qaeda terrorist network 's September 11 attacks on New York and Washington . The invasion overthrew the Taliban , which had allowed al Qaeda to operate from its territory , but most of the top al Qaeda and Taliban leadership escaped the onslaught . Taliban fighters have since regrouped in the mountainous region along Afghanistan 's border with Pakistan , battling U.S. and Afghan government forces on one side and Pakistani troops on the other . Al Qaeda 's top leaders , Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri , remain at large and are suspected to be hiding in the same region . The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 900 Americans and nearly 600 allied troops . A CNN\/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday suggests that the U.S public is split over whether more troops should be sent to Afghanistan . Fifty percent of those polled said they would support such a decision , with 49 percent opposed . The poll found that 66 percent of Americans believe the war is going badly , up 11 percentage points from a similar survey in March . Overall support for the war has fallen to 45 percent , with 52 percent opposed . iReporters sound off ; share your views on sending more troops in Afghanistan Afghanistan was among the topics Obama and Singh discussed in their meetings Tuesday . Singh said the international community needs `` to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan , to help it emerge as a modern state . '' `` The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated , '' he said . `` President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism . '' India is one Afghanistan 's biggest international donors , contributing $ 1.2 billion in aid . That involvement has been met with suspicion in Pakistan , India 's nuclear rival in South Asia . But it has helped the United States by sharing some of the burden of stabilizing the country and providing civilian support . In addition , several leading analysts have argued that settling the decades-old tensions between India and Pakistan would allow both sides to pull troops off their borders , giving Pakistan more resources to battle the Taliban along its northwest frontier . `` I think that will certainly be at the center of the agenda this week , '' Nicholas Burns , a former State Department official , said on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' U.S. prospects in Afghanistan depend partly `` on convincing Pakistan to be more cooperative in the fight against those terrorist groups . '' `` The United States is not going to be an outright mediator between Pakistan and India , but we can quietly , behind the scenes , push them to reduce their problems , '' Burns said . CNN 's Elaine Quijano and Mike Mount contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health care reform backers won a key victory Saturday night as the Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on a sweeping $ 848 billion bill . The 60-39 vote to prevent a Republican filibuster against the start of debate on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 's legislation broke down along strict party lines . All 58 Senate Democrats -- along with independent Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- supported bringing the measure to the floor . Thirty-nine of the 40 Senate Republicans opposed the motion . Sen. George Voinovich , R-Ohio , did n't vote . `` Tonight 's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses , reining in spiraling health care costs , providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it , '' White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement . The polarized vote set the table for a holiday season now virtually certain to be marked by acrimonious deliberations on President Obama 's top domestic priority . Top Senate Democrats , who are trying to pass a bill before the end of the year , spent much of the day tarring their Republican colleagues as defenders of a broken status quo benefitting rich insurance companies at the expense of ordinary American families . Republicans , in turn , slammed Democrats for pushing a bill that conservatives insist will force millions of Americans to drop insurance plans they like while boosting premiums , raising taxes and leading to government rationing of care . Read the health care bill -LRB- PDF -RRB- `` Today we -LSB- decide -RSB- whether to even discuss one of the greatest issues of our generation , '' Reid , a Nevada Democrat , said shortly before the vote . `` Whether this nation will finally guarantee its people the right to live free from fear of illness and death , which can be prevented by decent health care for all . '' The Republicans `` are frightening people , '' said Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa . `` Now is not the time to go wobbly in the knees . Now is the time to stand strong ... and move this country forward . '' `` This bill ... is a massive monument to bureaucracy and spending , '' replied Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky . It `` imposes punishing taxes on almost everyone . ... A vote in favor of proceeding to this bill is a vote in favor of adding to the tax burden of the American people in the midst of double digit unemployment . '' The bill `` does worse than nothing , '' said Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa . It `` threatens the economic recovery . ... Changes to the health care system must be responsible and not break the backs of the taxpayers . '' The procedural vote represented another milestone in what has become an epic battle over the future of America 's health care system . The House of Representatives narrowly passed a more than $ 1 trillion bill this month . If the Senate also manages to pass a bill , a congressional conference committee will then need to merge the House and Senate proposals into a consensus version requiring final approval from each chamber before moving to Obama 's desk to be signed into law . The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that Reid 's 2,074-page bill would extend health insurance coverage to 31 million additional Americans . The agency estimates that the proposal would reduce the federal deficit by $ 130 billion over the next 10 years , through 2019 . Any effect on the deficit in the following decade would be `` subject to substantial uncertainty , '' but probably would result in `` small reductions in federal budget deficits , '' according to budget office analysts . A minimum of 60 votes is required to break a filibuster in the 100-member Senate . The outcome of the Senate vote was unclear before Saturday afternoon , when Sen. Blanche Lincoln , D-Arkansas , announced her intention to back a floor debate on the measure . Lincoln , a key moderate probably facing a tough re-election campaign in 2010 , said the issue deserved further debate and consideration . She made clear , however , that she opposes several aspects of Reid 's bill , including a controversial government-run public option . `` Although I do n't agree with everything in this bill , I believe it is important to begin debate , '' Lincoln said . `` The issue is very complex . There is no easy fix . '' Republicans wasted no time tearing into Lincoln 's vote , issuing a news release while she was still announcing her decision , proclaiming that she had caved to `` pressure from the left wing of her party . '' `` There 's no doubt that this vote will be a critical issue for Sen. Lincoln as she embarks on her uphill re-election bid , '' said Amber Wilkerson Marchand , a GOP spokeswoman . `` The people of Arkansas will have an opportunity to hold her accountable when they cast their ballots next November . '' Two other Democratic moderates whose support was considered to be in doubt -- Nebraska 's Ben Nelson and Louisiana 's Mary Landrieu -- also announced their decision to back a full debate shortly before the vote . Reid 's bill , projected to ensure coverage for 94 percent of Americans , includes a range of tax increases and new fees . The Medicare payroll tax on individuals earning $ 200,000 a year and couples earning $ 250,000 a year would increase by half a percentage point , from the current 1.45 percent to 1.95 percent . In addition , insurers providing costly health coverage -- known as Cadillac plans -- would face a 40 percent tax on policies worth more than $ 8,500 for individuals and $ 23,000 for families . The bill also includes a 5 percent tax on the cost of elective cosmetic surgery , as well as new fees for insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers . The total projected revenue raised by all the taxes and fees would exceed $ 200 billion . The bill would require individuals to buy health insurance , with a fine for non-compliance of $ 95 in the first year that would escalate to $ 750 by 2016 . Unlike the plan recently passed by the House , the Senate bill does not mandate that all employers offer health care . Businesses with more than 50 workers , where at least one employee qualifies for government subsidies , would face a penalty of $ 750 for every full-time employee if it does not offer health care coverage . Reid 's bill also would expand government-run Medicaid coverage for the poor to everyone making less than 133 percent of the national poverty level . Democratic leaders in both chambers have been wrestling with the most contentious issues , including abortion and immigration , as well as how to pay for reform . The House bill has more restrictive abortion language and includes a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on individuals making more than $ 500,000 and couples earning more than $ 1 million . Both bills include a government-run public option , but the Senate version allows states to opt out before the national program would go into effect in 2014 . The two bills are virtually identical on a broad range of changes , including creating health insurance exchanges , expanding Medicaid , subsidizing insurance for low - and some middle-income families , and capping out-of-pocket medical expenses while preventing insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions . Insurers under both plans would be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person 's gender or medical history .","question":""}
{"answer":"One doctor says the study `` very clearly shows that autism did not arrive through a vaccine . '' A new study published in the January 2008 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry found the prevalence of autism cases in California children continued to rise after most vaccine manufacturers started to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal in 1999 , suggesting that the chemical was not a primary cause of the disorder . Researchers from the State Public Health Department found that the autism rates in children rose continuously during the study period from 1995 to 2007 . The preservative , thimerosal , has not been used in childhood vaccines since 2001 , except for some flu shots . The latest findings failed to convince some parents and advocacy groups , who have long blamed mercury , a neurotoxin , for the disorder . For years , parents have been concerned that a mercury-containing vaccine preservative may play a role in autism . But a study conducted in California found that autism rates increased even after thimerosal was removed from most vaccines . The study authors say this is evidence that thimerosal does not cause autism , although advocacy groups say it 's too soon to determine whether autism rates have been affected . Do these findings suggest that autism is n't linked to mercury in vaccines ? Dr. Sanjay Gupta , chief medical correspondent : Let me explain . In 1999 , manufacturers began removing thimerosal - which is a mercury-based preservative - from vaccines . Some people believed autism would decrease as a result , because they thought the two were connected . A new study in the Archives of General Psychiatry says this just did n't happen . Researchers looked at cases of autism in California after 1999 . They reasoned that if mercury exposure in vaccines was a major cause of autism , the number of affected kids should have dropped after thimerosal was removed . Just the opposite happened . From 2004 to 2007 , when exposure to thimerosal dropped significantly for 3 - to 5-year-olds , the autism rate continued to go up , from 3 per 1,000 children to 4 per 1,000 children in California . A child psychiatrist who supported the study said it `` very clearly shows that autism did not arrive through a vaccine . '' But advocacy groups say it 's too soon to determine whether autism rates were affected by removing thimerosal from vaccines . The National Vaccine Information Center says the study does n't include children under the age of 3 , which they say is the only group that was never exposed to mercury in vaccines . It says thimerosal was n't completely off the shelves until 2002 or 2003 . Their main point is that mercury is a neurotoxin , so why take a chance by putting it in vaccines ? What do scientists think causes autism ? As many as one in every 166 children in this country is found to have autism , and doctors still do n't know why . Doctors point to genetics and environment as culprits , but it could be more complicated than that . The latest research shows these children are not necessarily born with autism but with the potential to develop it . What exactly are these outside factors ? It 's hard to pinpoint . What we eat , what we breathe , what we drink -- all these things could play a role . Some doctors say the increase is due to a change in the way the condition is diagnosed kids who were once labeled mentally retarded are now being labeled as autistic . What are possible signs of autism in your child ? Doctors are now looking for signs of autism in children as young as 18 to 24 months . Some red flags that indicate your child may have autism : no babbling or pointing by 12 months , no single words by 16 months , no brief phrases by 24 months , loss of language or social skills . If you see any of these signs , the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends seeing a pediatric neurologist , developmental pediatrician or child psychologist . What led companies to remove thimerosal from vaccines to begin with ? Several things pushed companies in this direction . Over the past decade , more and more attention was given to the health effects of mercury on humans . And then in the '90s , the CDC added new vaccines to the list of routine shots that children should get . Some of them used thimerosal as a preservative . This was happening while the government was trying to decrease our exposure to mercury . So the FDA began looking into the issue . In 1997 , Congress passed a bill that mandated review of products containing mercury , which led manufacturers to begin removing thimerosal from vaccines two years later .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia said a senior al Qaeda operative tied to several attacks in East Africa was killed Monday in a U.S. strike in southern Somalia . Saleh ali Saleh Nabhan , pictured on the FBI 's Web site , reportedly was tied to al Qaeda 's East Africa operations . Intelligence sources have confirmed to the Somali government that Saleh ali Saleh Nabhan was killed , Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle said Tuesday . `` We welcome that attack because those people targeted were murderers , and they are unwanted and unwelcome in Somalia , '' Gelle said . Nabhan 's death will have `` a major impact '' on al Qaeda 's operations in the Horn of Africa , according to one regional analyst . U.S. special operations forces used a helicopter to fire on a car Monday in southern Somalia , killing several people , including one they believed was Nabhan , U.S. officials told CNN earlier . Nabhan , 30 , was born in Kenya and had been tied to attacks that included the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania , according to the sources . More than 200 were killed , and 4,000 wounded in those attacks , most of them Kenyans . The United States targeted Nabhan in an airstrike in southern Somalia near the Kenyan border in March 2008 , U.S. officials said at the time . In February 2006 , the FBI announced that Nabhan was wanted for questioning in connection with the 2002 suicide bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel and the unsuccessful attack on an Israeli charter jet in Mombasa , Kenya . Ten Kenyans and three Israelis -- including two children -- were killed when three suicide bombers detonated a car bomb outside Mombasa 's Paradise Hotel in November 2002 . The bombing took place within minutes of an unsuccessful missile attack on an Israeli charter jet , which was taking off with 261 passengers and 10 crew members . President Obama signed off on Monday 's operation , a senior U.S. official said . The United States had been monitoring the situation for days and had intelligence that Nabhan was in the area , the U.S. officials said . The officials who talked to CNN are familiar with the latest information on Monday 's strike but did not want to be identified because they were not authorized to talk to the media . The U.S. helicopter flew from a U.S. Navy warship offshore , while the ship kept watch on the operation , one of the sources said . The warship was ready to rescue the American troops if they got into trouble . Farmers in the southeastern town of Barawe , Somalia , said they witnessed the assault . They said helicopters attacked a car and its occupants and that at least two people died . The witnesses said some helicopters landed and that some of the injured or dead were pulled into at least one helicopter . A U.S. official said the troops landed to take away the body believed to be that of Nabhan for positive identification . Nabhan is believed to be an associate of al Qaeda member Harun Fazul , who was indicted in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies . The U.S. military has long sought Nabhan because he is believed to be deeply involved in al Qaeda 's East African operations , a senior U.S. official said last year . `` He was certainly one of the leading al Qaeda figures in East Africa , '' said Rashid Abdi , a Somalia analyst for the International Crisis Group , an independent advisory and analysis organization . Nabhan `` has been living in the shadows '' in Somalia and not much is known about his recent activity , Abdi said . `` The fact that he is now out of the picture will have a bigger impact on al Qaeda than on Al-Shabaab , '' he said , referring to the Islamist militia in Somalia that has ties to al Qaeda . `` He is a man with an important organizational memory , and if a key figure like him is killed , it always has a major impact . '' Al-Shabaab is waging a bloody battle against Somalia 's transitional government and is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations because of its al Qaeda ties . There are growing concerns that Somalia could be the next base for al Qaeda as U.S. forces pound their positions in Afghanistan and Pakistan . CIA Director Leon Panetta recently said the intelligence agency is keeping tabs on the region as a possible destination for fleeing al Qaeda operatives . Journalist Mohammed Amiin Adow and CNN 's David McKenzie , Barbara Starr and Ed Henry contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno said Sunday the string of sexual child abuse charges against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky are `` shocking . '' Sandusky , 67 , allegedly engaged in fondling , oral and anal sex with young boys over a period of more than 10 years , according to an investigative state grand jury 's summary of testimony . He maintains he is innocent . Also named in the state grand jury report are Penn State Athletic Director Timothy Curley , 57 , and Gary Schultz , 62 , the university 's senior vice president for finance and business . They face one count of perjury each in connection to an alleged cover-up of the abuse . `` If true , the nature and amount of charges made are very shocking to me and all Penn Staters . While I did what I was supposed to with the one charge brought to my attention , like anyone else involved I ca n't help but be deeply saddened these matters are alleged to have occurred , '' Paterno said in a statement . The legendary coach said an assistant coach told him in 2002 about an `` incident in the shower of our locker room facility . '' `` It was obvious that the witness was distraught over what he saw , but he at no time related to me the very specific actions contained in the Grand Jury report . Regardless , it was clear that the witness saw something inappropriate involving Mr. Sandusky . As Coach Sandusky was retired from our coaching staff at that time , I referred the matter to university administrators , '' Paterno said . Sandusky , who served 23 years as defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions , faces seven counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse , and numerous other charges , including aggravated indecent assault and endangering the welfare of a child . In some cases , Sandusky promised boys gifts or invited them to football games and sleepovers , according to the grand jury . `` One of the most compelling and disturbing pieces of testimony in this investigation came from an eyewitness to a late-night sexual assault that allegedly occurred in March of 2002 , in the locker room of the Lasch Football Building on the University Park Campus , '' Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly said Saturday . `` Hearing what sounded like sexual activity in the showers of a building that was supposed to be empty , a graduate assistant reportedly observed Sandusky sexually assaulting a naked boy who appeared to be about 10 years old , '' she said . The assistant reported the incident to head football coach Paterno , who in turn alerted athletic director Curley , said Kelly . Instead of reporting the incident to authorities , Curley and Schultz banned Sandusky from having children from Second Mile visit the football building , Kelly said . Sandusky , who retired from coaching in 1999 , was founder of the Second Mile , a charitable organization that began as a group foster home `` dedicated to helping troubled boys , '' the grand jury states . He was arrested and released Saturday on $ 100,000 unsecured bail . `` If this is true we were all fooled , along with scores of professionals trained in such things , and we grieve for the victims and their families . They are in our prayers , '' Paterno said in his statement . He added : `` I understand that people are upset and angry , but let 's be fair and let the legal process unfold . In the meantime I would ask all Penn Staters to continue to trust in what that name represents , continue to pursue their lives every day with high ideals and not let these events shake their beliefs nor who they are . ''","question":""}
{"answer":"WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration will ask Congress for another $ 83.4 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the end of September , Democratic congressional sources said Thursday . President Obama 's spending measure is likely to be the last supplemental request submitted to pay for the wars . The request is expected to pay for those conflicts for the rest of the 2009 budget year , two Democratic congressional sources said . The money would bring the running tab for both conflicts to about $ 947 billion , according to figures from the Congressional Research Service . More than three-quarters of the $ 864 billion appropriated so far has gone to the war in Iraq , the agency estimated . Since taking office in January , President Obama has announced plans to shift troops out of Iraq and beef up U.S. forces in Afghanistan , where American troops have been battling al Qaeda and Taliban fighters since al Qaeda 's 2001 attacks . In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Obama said the situation in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan `` demands urgent attention . '' `` The Taliban is resurgent , and al Qaeda threatens America from its safe haven along the Afghan-Pakistan border , '' Obama wrote in submitting the funding request . `` There is no question of the resolve of our military women and men . Yet , in Afghanistan , that resolve has not been matched by a comprehensive strategy and sufficient resources , '' Obama wrote . About $ 75 billion of the latest request would pay for military operations , including $ 9.8 billion for body armor and protective vehicles and $ 11.6 billion to replace worn-out equipment . The rest would go to diplomatic programs and development aid -- including $ 1.6 billion for Afghanistan , $ 1.4 billion for Pakistan and $ 700 million for Iraq . The request would also provide about $ 800 million for the Palestinian Authority , including humanitarian aid for Gaza , the Hamas-ruled territory that was heavily bombarded by Israel in December and January ; $ 800 million to support U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa ; and $ 30 million to the Department of Justice to manage the closure of the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . The supplemental spending bill is likely to be the last such request submitted to Congress to pay for the wars , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said . While the Bush administration relied on supplemental spending bills to fund the conflicts , Obama began including war spending in his 2010 budget . The president urged Congress to move quickly on the request `` and not to use the supplemental to pursue unnecessary spending . '' But Rep. Lynn Woolsey , a prominent anti-war Democrat , said the requested funding would `` prolong our occupation of Iraq through at least the end of 2011 , '' when U.S. troops are scheduled to leave the country , `` and it will deepen and expand our military presence in Afghanistan indefinitely . '' `` Instead of attempting to find military solutions to the problems we face in Iraq and Afghanistan , President Obama must fundamentally change the mission in both countries to focus on promoting reconciliation , economic development , humanitarian aid , and regional diplomatic efforts . '' Last month , Obama announced the United States plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010 . A residual force of between 35,000 to 50,000 troops will remain until December 31 , 2011 . There are 142,000 American troops in Iraq now . Obama has ordered the deployment of 17,000 troops to fight the Taliban in the south and east and 4,000 more to train Afghan troops .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will join the judges ' panel on `` American Idol '' for the show 's ninth season beginning in 2010 , a Fox spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday . Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres brings years of experience in front of a live audience to her role . `` I 'm thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol , '' DeGeneres said Wednesday . `` I 've watched since the beginning , and I 've always been a huge fan . So getting this job is a dream come true , and think of all the money I 'll save from not having to text in my vote . '' The popular comedian and entertainer will fill a seat left vacant by Paula Abdul , who announced she was leaving the show in August after eight seasons . Was DeGeneres the right replacement ? DeGeneres will sit alongside Simon Cowell , Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi after auditions are completed for the popular talent show , which starts in January . Until then , guest judges including Mary J. Blige , Kristin Chenoweth , Joe Jonas and Neil Patrick Harris will fill the empty slot , Fox said . Watch Jackson discuss what DeGeneres brings to the show '' `` We are thrilled to have Ellen DeGeneres join the `` American Idol '' judges ' table this season . She is truly one of America 's funniest people and a fantastic performer who understands what it 's like to stand up in front of audiences and entertain them every day , '' said Mike Darnell , president of Alternative Entertainment for Fox . `` We feel that her vast entertainment experience , combined with her quick wit and passion for music , will add a fresh new energy to the show . '' DeGeneres brings years of experience in front of a live audience as the host of `` The Ellen DeGeneres Show , '' now in its seventh season , and the host of the 79th Annual Academy Awards . In her new role , the Emmy Award-winning talk show host faces the task of winning over Abdul 's supporters , who lamented that her departure would irreparably alter the show . The singer-dancer turned `` Idol '' judge was known for her positive comments to the singers participating in the shows . She was also known for her on-camera run-ins with Cowell and other judges in the show . `` With sadness in my heart , I 've decided not to return to Idol . I 'll miss nurturing all the new talent , but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon , '' a statement on Abdul 's verified Twitter account said last month .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are around 200 known types of cancers . Some are far more widespread than others . Australian Professor Ian Frazer has developed a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and is working on a vaccine for skin cancer . Cancer researchers are making significant breakthroughs in unlocking the complete genetic makeup of many common cancers . Through extensive studies and research , they are understanding exactly how the rogue cells differ from normal cells , and modifying treatments so they work on just the cancer cells . We take a look at some of the most common types of cancers plus some possible causes , treatments and developments . Lung Cancer Lung cancer develops when cells of the lungs divide and grow in an uncontrolled manner . There are two types of lung cancer : non-small cell lung cancer -LRB- NSCLC -RRB- and small cell lung cancer -LRB- SCLC -RRB- . The latter is more likely to spread further in the body in its early stages . Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide , according to the World Health Organization , with 1.2 million new cases every year . Nearly all lung cancers arise because of smoking and men have always been more affected by lung cancer than women . However , a rise in female smoking worldwide has started reversing the trend . Treatments Not all lung-cancer patients are suitable for surgery . Surgery on non-small cell lung cancers is more common than in small cell lung cancer , but can still only happen in a minority of cases . Other options are radio therapy and chemotherapy . Developments In December 2008 , scientists pinpointed a gene that protects against lung cancer . It is hoped the discovery of the role of the tumor suppressor gene -- LIMD1 -- may lead to new treatments and techniques to pick up the disease earlier . The disease is often not picked up until it has reached an advanced stage and many patients die within a year of being diagnosed . Skin Cancer Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin . It generally develops in the outermost layer of skin , so a tumor is usually clearly visible and easier to detect than most other cancers . Skin cancer is the most diagnosed form of the disease , surpassing lung , breast , colorectal and prostate cancer . Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that usually starts within a mole or a dark spot on the skin . If found early , simple surgical treatment works well and usually leads to a cure , the British Medical Journal advises . However they can spread quickly and are responsible for the majority of skin-cancer-related deaths . It 's not entirely clear why skin cancers develop , but according to the U.S. National Institute of Health , UV radiation from the sun is the main cause . UV radiation is particularly harmful for children and teenagers and even a short exposure can lead to skin cancer much later in life . Diagnosis and Treatment Diagnosis is made with a skin biopsy , under local anesthetic with an injection . Treatment depends on the circumstances of the cancer and the patient ; including age , type of cancer and location . Treatments can include , amongst others , radiotherapy -LRB- radiation -RRB- , chemotherapy -LRB- pills -RRB- and surgery . Developments Scientists have recently conducted experiments on `` immune-priming , '' -- using the patients ' own immune systems to fight the skin cancer . This therapy is still relatively new , but has been shown to boost the immune system and thereby attack skin cancers and viruses . The Australian scientist who developed a vaccine for cervical cancer , Ian Frazer , told Australia 's Medical Research Congress in November 2008 that he is working on a skin cancer vaccine that could be available within a decade . Breast Cancer Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the breast tissue , leading to damage to the cells ' DNA . This results in cell division and growth and eventually leads to the formation of a lump . The malignant cells can then invade other organs where metastases -LRB- secondary lumps -RRB- may form . Breast cancer is the most common in women , affecting one in nine women at some point in their lives . The World Health Organization states that breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths , causing 502,000 deaths worldwide in 2005 . Diagnosis and Treatment Women are encouraged to check their breasts regularly for any lumps or other irregularities , such as discharge from the nipple . General practitioners or gynecologists can also do physical checks . To make a diagnosis , doctors can perform a mammogram or an ultrasound and take a tissue sample . Once a lump has been identified as malignant , the most common treatments are surgery , radiation therapy and chemotherapy . Developments Interstitial laser thermotherapy -LRB- ILT -RRB- is a relatively new minimally invasive , laser surgery procedure that reduces the possibility of complications during and after an operation . Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer develops in the prostate , a gland in the male reproductive system . It occurs when cells of the prostate mutate and begin to multiply out of control . These cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body . Rates of prostate cancer vary widely across the world and are most common in Europe and the United States . It is least common in South and East Asia , according to the figures from Cancer Research UK . A quarter of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in British men are prostate cancers . Almost 60 per cent of prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men aged over 70 years . Diagnosis and Treatment Prostate cancer is most often discovered by prostate specific antigen -LRB- PSA -RRB- screening and less commonly by physical examination through the rectum or by the appearance of symptoms . Treatment options for prostate cancer depend on the age of the man , his health and the spread of the cancer . The most common treatments are surgery and radiation therapy . Colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer , also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer , includes cancerous growths in the colon , rectum and appendix . According to the WHO , colorectal cancer causes 655,000 deaths worldwide per year and is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world Risk factors and symptoms According to the American Cancer Society , the following factors increase the risk for colorectal cancer : \u2022 Age : Most cases occur in people in their 60s and 70s . Cases in people aged 50 or under are uncommon unless a family history of early colon cancer is present . \u2022 Women who have had cancer of the ovary , uterus , or breast have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer . \u2022 A history of colorectal cancer in the family \u2022 Smoking Treatment Surgery is the primary treatment , while radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be applied depending on the patient , the tumor 's stage and other medical factors . If performed at a late stage or when the cancer has already spread , colorectal cancer is unlikely to be cured with surgery .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Republicans ' tough task of taking back control of the Senate next year now looks even tougher . Sen. Pete Domenici , R-New Mexico , says he will retire at the end of his term . Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election . `` For the past 35 years my friends and neighbors have given me the honor of allowing me to serve them as their United States senator , '' he said . `` Who could ask for anything more ? Domenici joins three other Republican senators who also are retiring at the end of their terms next year . Democrats took back both houses of Congress last November , but hold thin majorities . In the Senate , they have a 51-49 margin . Their advantage in the House of Representatives is 233-202 . Of 34 Senate seats being contested next year , Republicans hold 22 . With the four senators retiring and four others facing difficult re-election bids , the numbers are stacked against GOP hopes of recapturing the upper chamber of Congress . Read more about the senators who are retiring '' Domenici , a six-term senator , earlier had hinted he would run for re-election despite some criticism of his role in the controversial firings of U.S. attorneys . One of the prosecutors , David Iglesias , contends Domenici and U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson , R-New Mexico , wanted him to push harder on a corruption investigation of state Democrats before the 2006 midterm elections . Iglesias said he felt `` leaned on '' when Domenici called him to inquire about when indictments would be brought . The senator , who nominated Iglesias for the post , apologized for making the call but said he never pressured Iglesias . Domenici said he had complained to Justice Department officials about the pace of prosecutions in Iglesias ' office . Then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Domenici had complained to him about Iglesias in the fall of 2005 , saying the U.S. attorney `` was in over his head . '' Iglesias , a Naval Reserve lawyer listed in a Justice Department evaluation as a `` diverse up-and-comer '' before 2006 , was told to resign that December . Domenici , 75 , was first elected to the Senate in 1972 and has n't faced a tough re-election battle since then . But New Mexico 's other senator , Jeff Bingaman , is a Democrat , as is Gov. Bill Richardson , who is running for president , and Democrats are likely to pour a lot of resources into trying to capture Domenici 's seat . Republicans also face tough competition to hold onto the seats of retiring senators in Nebraska , Virginia and Colorado . In Nebraska , former Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has told friends he will run for retiring Sen. Chuck Hagel 's seat . Johanns is a former Nebraska governor , and Hagel said he has encouraged him to run . Nebraska Attorney General John Bruning had planned to run against Hagel and still could run against Johanns for the Republican nomination . Two other Republicans are also in the hunt for the open seat . Former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey also is considering running for Hagel 's seat . President Bush handily carried Nebraska in his 2004 re-election , but an unpopular war and an unpopular president could give the Democrats hope next year . The state 's other senator , Ben Nelson , is a Democrat . In Virginia , where longtime Republican Sen. John Warner is retiring , Democratic former Gov. Mark Warner , no relation to the senator , intends to run for the open seat . Mark Warner 's term as governor ended in January 2006 , and he left office with high favorable ratings . Democrats have won three major statewide elections there this decade . In 2006 , Democrat Jim Webb ousted Republican Sen. George Allen by a margin of fewer than 10,000 votes , or less than half a percentage point . Webb 's victory helped give Democrats their slim Senate majority . On the Republican side , there could be a bitter primary fight between Rep. Tom Davis , a moderate from northern Virginia , and conservative former Gov. Jim Gilmore , who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year . In Colorado , Sen. Wayne Allard announced this year that he 's retiring after his term finishes , and Democrats made major gains there in the 2004 and 2006 elections . In addition to those races , tough re-election fights lie ahead for Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine , John Sununu of New Hampshire , Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Gordon Smith of Oregon . As of now , only one Senate Democrat -- Mary Landrieu of Louisiana -- appears to face a challenge . The recent scandal involving Sen. Larry Craig 's arrest in an airport restroom should not hurt the GOP 's chances of holding on to his Senate seat in Idaho in 2008 , even if the Republican does leave office . Democrats have n't won a Senate seat in Idaho in more than 30 years . Craig had said he would resign from the Senate if he could not get his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge withdrawn by September 30 . But last week , Craig said he would n't resign until `` legal determinations '' are made . On Thursday , a judge denied Craig 's request to withdraw his guilty plea . While the controversy over his arrest and guilty plea may not cost the GOP a Senate seat , it wo n't help his party either . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican federal police have arrested a fugitive on the FBI 's 10 Most Wanted list , Mexican authorities said . Jorge Alberto Lopez Orozco allegedly murdered his girlfriend and her two young sons . Jorge Alberto Lopez Orozco is wanted in Elmore County , Idaho , on charges that he shot and killed three people , the FBI said . The charred remains of a woman and her sons , ages 2 and 4 , were found inside a burned-out vehicle on August 11 , 2002 , it said . Each victim had been shot in the head or chest . The FBI was still working Friday to confirm the identity of the man in custody , said Debbie Dujanovic , a spokeswoman in the agency 's Salt Lake City , Utah , field office . The Salt Lake City office has jurisdiction in the case . An extradition order was issued in January 2007 , the Mexican attorney general 's office said in a news release Thursday . A reward of up to $ 100,000 was being offered , the FBI said . Lopez , 33 , was captured in Zihuatanejo , a city northwest of Acapulco on the Pacific Coast in southern Mexico , the Mexican attorney general 's office said . Zihuatanejo is in Guerrero state , but Lopez was transferred to a jail in neighboring Michoacan state , officials said . The arrest came about after investigation and intelligence work by Mexican authorities , the attorney general 's office said . According to the FBI , Lopez abducted his girlfriend , Rebecca Ramirez , and her two young sons from her father 's house in Nyssa , Oregon , on July 30 , 2002 . The car he had been driving was found nearly two weeks later on a rural road near Mountain Home , Idaho , officials said . It had been torched with the three bodies inside . The suspect 's brother , Simon Lopez Orozco , and Simon 's wife , Maria Cruz Garcia , have been charged with accessory to first-degree murder , the FBI said . Garcia was arrested in California three years ago , but Simon Lopez Orozco is believed still at large . Mexican officials captured another FBI Top 10 fugitive on July 17 . Emigdio Preciado Jr. was wanted in connection with the shooting of two Los Angeles County , California , sheriff 's deputies in September 2000 . He had been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution , attempted murder of a police officer .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada is expected to plead guilty Wednesday in federal court to a count of lying to Congress about his knowledge of Major League Baseball players using performance-enhancing drugs , according to officials familiar with the case . Miguel Tejada , a shortstop for the Houston Astros , has been charged with lying to Congress . In a document filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , Tejada is charged in a criminal `` information , '' a document that routinely signals a plea bargain agreement . The document does not directly accuse Tejada of using steroids or other substances . However , the court document says that in 2003 Tejada gave another player more than $ 5,000 in checks `` for substances which he believed to be HGH -LSB- human growth hormone -RSB- . '' The document says Tejada lied to congressional investigators when he told them on August 26 , 2005 , that he had never heard discussions about steroids by other players , and that he never knew of any other player using steroids . After the December 2007 Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball , which appeared to contradict Tejada , the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Tejada `` made knowingly false statements to the committee . '' The investigators concluded he had lied . `` Defendant Tejada unlawfully withheld pertinent information from the committee because defendant Tejada before and during his interview with the committee staff , then and there well knew that Player # 1 -LSB- unidentified -RSB- , one of his teammates on the Oakland Athletics , had used steroids and HGH , '' the document says . Tejada played for the Athletics from 1997 to 2003 . He is scheduled to appear at 11 a.m. Wednesday before a magistrate judge , indicating the charge against him will be a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of a year in jail . However , a government official familiar with the case said that under sentencing guidelines , Tejada could get from zero to 6 months , which means he may receive probation without jail time . Tejada , who started his MLB career in 1997 , hit at least 30 home runs from 2000 through 2004 with the exception of 2003 , when he hit 27 . He won the American League 's most valuable player award in 2002 , when he hit a career-best 34 home runs . He matched that total in 2004 , his first year with the Baltimore Orioles . He began playing with Houston in 2008 . The information came one day after MLB star Alex Rodriguez -- the New York Yankees ' third baseman since 2004 -- admitted that he had used a `` banned substance '' during the 2001-2003 seasons . Sports Illustrated had reported that Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003 , when he was playing for the Texas Rangers .","question":""}
{"answer":"LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian football manager Carlo Ancelotti has gone from Milan to London in less than a day . Carlo Ancelotti will take over as manager of Chelsea from July 1 this year . Just 24 hours after resigning from his highly-successful eight-year stint at Italy 's AC Milan , he has been announced as the new manager of English Premier League club Chelsea -- replacing temporary manager Guus Hiddink . Chelsea , who won the FA Cup at the weekend , were looking for a permanent manager for the start of next season -- and Ancelotti has been signed on a three-year deal to the west-London club . A statement on Chelsea 's web site read : `` Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job . He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for , and have been successful in , major domestic and European competitions . '' Ancelotti , who turns 50 next week , has been in management since 1995 , when he took charge of Italian Serie B club Reggiana . Although he only spent one season at Reggiana , he managed to earn them promotion to the top-flight Serie A league . Since then he has managed Parma and Juventus , before taking on the San Siro-based giants AC Milan . Is Ancelotti 's appointment the right move for Chelsea ? Tell us in the Sound Off box below . As a manager he has enjoyed plenty of success , particularly in his time at the Rossoneri . He steered Milan to the Coppa Italia in 2003 , the Serie A title in 2003 -- 04 , the UEFA Champions League in both 2002 -- 03 and 2006 -- 07 , the UEFA Super Cup in 2003 and 2007 and the FIFA Club World Cup crown in 2007 . Before entering management , Ancelotti had a significant playing career as a midfielder with AS Roma and AC Milan . During his time at both clubs he amassed three Serie A titles , two European Cups , and he also won the Coppa Italia four times with Roma . He is one of only six people to ever win the Champions League as both a player and manager -- a list which includes current Barcelona manager and this year 's winner , Josep Guardiola . Ancelotti also represented Italy on 26 occasions , scoring once . He played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups alongside players such as Roberto Mancini and the recently-retired Paolo Maldini . Despite his management success at AC Milan , it has been widely reported that his relationship with the club 's owner , Silvio Berlusconi , has not been strong in 2009 . He takes over at Chelsea as the permanent replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari , although Guus Hiddink has been in charge since Scolari was sacked from Stamford Bridge in February .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the wake of a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis linked to bacteria-tainted cantaloupe , authorities assured the public that cantaloupe grown in places other than Colorado 's Jensen Farms is safe . But if in doubt about a fruit 's origin , they said , it 's best to throw it out . The outbreak -- blamed on the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes -- was first reported September 12 . As of Wednesday , it had grown to 72 cases in 18 states and had killed 13 people , officials with the Centers for Disease Control said . The number of cases is expected to rise , as it can take one to three weeks for a person who ingests the bacteria to show symptoms . All of the tainted cantaloupes were grown at Jensen Farms in Granada , Colorado , although they were shipped to 17 states -- Illinois , Wyoming , Tennessee , Utah , Texas , Colorado , Minnesota , Kansas , New Mexico , North Carolina , Missouri , Nebraska , Oklahoma , Arizona , New Jersey , New York and Pennsylvania . `` It 's important to know that if you know the cantaloupe that you have is not Jensen Farms , then it 's OK to eat , '' CDC Director Tom Frieden told reporters during a conference call Wednesday . `` But if you 're in doubt , then throw it out . '' The recalled cantaloupes may bear a green-and-white sticker that says , `` Product of USA-Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford-Cantaloupe , '' or a gray , yellow and green sticker that says , `` Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords . '' But not all cantaloupes may have a sticker , Frieden said . Consumers are urged to ask the supermarket or supplier if they know where the cantaloupes came from . If the cantaloupe 's origins remain unconfirmed , it should be disposed of , he said . However , the likelihood of tainted cantaloupes in the nation 's food supply is decreasing , thanks to the fruit 's short shelf life -- about two weeks , officials said . The recalled cantaloupes were shipped from July 29 through September 10 , `` so we really are nearing the end of the shelf life of the product in addition to its recalled product , '' Sherri McGarry , a senior adviser with the Food and Drug Administration -LRB- FDA -RRB- , told reporters . The recall itself should be removing the cantaloupes from shelves , she said , but the shelf life means the tainted cantaloupes will not be edible much longer . `` But consumers do have their own practices so we need to be cognizant some folks may hold that a little bit longer than we might expect , '' she said . If consumers do have a cantaloupe from Jensen Farms , authorities recommend they do n't try to wash off the bacteria . `` We want you to throw that product away , '' McGarry said . The fruits should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag and placed in a sealed trash can , to prevent people or animals from eating them , the CDC said . Refrigeration will not kill the Listeria bacteria , which can grow even at low temperatures , officials said . And the longer a contaminated food is stored in the refrigerator , the more opportunity the bacteria has to grow . `` It is very important that consumers clean their refrigerators and other food preparation surfaces '' in order to minimize risk , the FDA says on its website . After washing refrigerators , cutting boards and countertops , the agency recommends sanitizing them with a solution of one tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water and drying them with a paper towel or cloth that has not been previously used . Jensen Farms has now ended its cantaloupe harvest for the season , so no new contaminated fruit will be entering the market , FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said Wednesday . Although Jensen Farms does produce other products , there is no concern for any other product from the company , McGarry said . Listeriosis causes fever , muscle aches , diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms . It rarely is a serious concern for healthy children and adults , the CDC said , but can be dangerous for older adults or those with weakened immune systems . It can be treated with antibiotics . The source of the outbreak -- the deadliest U.S. outbreak of a food-borne illness since 1998 -- remained under investigation . Officials could not give a figure Wednesday for the number of cantaloupes recalled .","question":""}
{"answer":"Editor 's note : Dr. John Boyce , chief of the Infectious Diseases Section at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven , Connecticut , was lead author of the Centers for Disease Control 's national hand hygiene guidelines for health-care workers and heads the Hand Hygiene Resource Center . Dr. John Boyce says hands contaminated with virus are often a pathway for people to develop flu . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rapid spread of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus -LRB- also known as swine flu -RRB- from Mexico to at least 19 other countries in less than 10 days is a cause of major concern . It emphasizes the need for the public to become familiar with how influenza is spread and which preventive measures they can use to reduce their chances of becoming infected . Although little information is available at this time , it appears that this influenza virus spreads from one person to another in the same way as other influenza viruses -- by `` droplet spread . '' Respiratory droplets are generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes and expels droplets of fluid . Those droplets travel short distances -LRB- usually less than three feet -RRB- through the air and can be deposited on the mouth or in the nose of people or on surfaces . Those who develop influenza often shed large amounts of virus in their respiratory secretions for several days after they become ill . Experience with other viruses suggests that individuals with influenza can contaminate their hands when coughing , sneezing or blowing their noses . The virus can survive on the hands for at least one hour . If a person whose hands are heavily contaminated touches a surface such as a doorknob , table or computer keyboard , they can deposit the virus onto that surface , where it can survive for minutes to several hours . One study conducted with a regular seasonal strain of influenza virus found that the virus could survive on facial tissues for several minutes and for two to eight hours on stainless steel or plastic surfaces . If another person touches a contaminated surface with his hands when the virus is still alive and then touches his own mouth or nose , he may become infected . Infection might also occur when a person with influenza shakes hands with another person who subsequently touches their own mouth or nose with their fingers . Several studies have found that many people touch their noses or mouths several times an hour during the course of daily activities . So there are plenty of opportunities for people to inadvertently introduce a flu virus into their bodies if their hands become contaminated . As a result , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -LRB- CDC -RRB- recommends that individuals perform hand hygiene -- also known as hand washing or decontamination -- frequently during influenza outbreaks . In addition to reducing the risk of developing influenza , hand hygiene can help protect people from becoming ill with several other respiratory viruses by eliminating these organisms from the hands . A recent study found that hand washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer were both highly effective in reducing a seasonal strain of influenza virus on the hands . This should also be true for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus . Either plain soap or antimicrobial soap will reduce the amount of virus on the hands . To ensure decontamination , be sure to wash your hands vigorously and keep both soap and water on your hands for at least 15 seconds . When sinks are not readily available , alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a convenient and effective way of eliminate the virus from hands . Use an amount of sanitizer at least the size of quarter or enough to keep your hands wet for at least 15 to 20 seconds while you 're rubbing them together . The CDC also recommends that people should avoid touching their mouths , noses and eyes , since surfaces they touch may be contaminated when flu virus is present . People who develop influenza or other respiratory viral infections should also clean their hands after blowing their nose or after covering a cough with their hands . Since droplet spread is the most common way influenza is transmitted from person to person , the CDC also recommends avoiding close contact with individuals who are sick . If you do become ill with influenza , the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others . Hand hygiene is an important tool in preventing infection from influenza viruses such as this recent strain and is an easy and effective way to prevent contracting infectious diseases in general . Take the time to educate yourself about proper hand hygiene to protect both yourself and your family . Note : Further information about the 2009 H1N1 influenza -LRB- swine flu -RRB- outbreak can be obtained by going to CDC 's Web site . For general information about hand hygiene in health-care settings , go to this CDC site or this Hand Hygiene Resource Center site . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Boyce .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Lynn Redgrave died Sunday after a seven-year battle with breast cancer , according to her family . Redgrave , 67 , was surrounded by her children at her Connecticut home when she died , the family said in a statement Monday morning . The star of stage , film and television was twice nominated for an Academy Award : for best actress in 1966 for her role in `` Georgy Girl '' and for best supporting actress in the 1998 film `` Gods and Monsters . '' `` She lived , loved and worked harder than ever before , '' the family said . `` The endless memories she created as a mother , grandmother , writer , actor and friend will sustain us for the rest of our lives . Our entire family asks for privacy through this difficult time , '' the statement said . Redgrave is from `` a family of actors , embracing as it does more than five generations , '' she wrote on her official website . She is the younger sister of Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave and the aunt of the late actress Natasha Richardson . Her parents , Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson , were British stage and film actors . Her paternal grandparents , Roy Redgrave and Margaret Scudamore , were stage and silent film actors . Redgrave teamed with daughter Annabel Clark in 2004 to produce the book `` Journal : A Mother and Daughter 's Recovery from Breast Cancer . '' `` I thought I was living very fully before this happened , '' she said in 2005 . `` But in comparison , no , I really was n't . I was n't taking the time to notice things . I did n't see things as brightly or as sharply or as memorably as I do now . `` I really do n't let a moment slide by . I just do n't . It 's a big price to pay , is n't it , to have to have cancer to learn that ? But it is in the end , I have to say , a price worth paying , '' Redgrave said . Redgrave 's professional acting debut was in 1962 at London 's Royal Court Theatre in a production of `` A Midsummer Night 's Dream . '' A year later , she was invited to join Britain 's National Theatre for its inaugural season under the direction of Sir Laurence Olivier , according to her personal biography . Her first film performance came in `` Tom Jones , '' a 1963 movie co-starring Albert Finney and her mother . Redgrave 's `` Georgy Girl '' role three years later , opposite James Mason , earned her a best actress Golden Globe and the Academy Award best actress nomination . Her portrayal of a wisecracking young woman was a box office hit . Other early film roles included `` The National Health , '' `` Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex , '' `` The Happy Hooker '' and `` Getting It Right . '' Redgrave enjoyed a revitalized film career late in life . She won a second Golden Globe and her second Oscar nomination for her comedic role in `` Gods and Monsters . '' She continued to make movies despite her illness , including her last film role in `` Confessions of a Shopaholic , '' which hit theaters a year ago . Redgrave debuted on Broadway in 1967 in `` Black Comedy . '' The first of three Tony nominations came in 1976 for `` Mrs. Warren 's Profession . '' She was nominated again for her Broadway roles in `` Shakespeare for My Father '' in 1993 and `` The Constant Wife '' in 2005 . She teamed with her sister Vanessa Redgrave on the London stage in `` Three Sisters '' in 1991 . The sisters worked together the same year in a television version of `` Whatever Happened to Baby Jane ? '' Her three Emmy nominations all came for TV work in the 1980s , including an episode of `` House Calls '' in 1981 , `` The Shooting Company '' in 1982 and `` Walking on Air '' in 1987 . CNN 's David Daniel contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"PALO ALTO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize helps underscore the urgency of the climate crisis , said former Vice President Al Gore on Friday . `` This is a chance to elevate global consciousness about the challenges that we face now , '' said Al Gore . Gore 's comments came hours after the Nobel committee announced he would share the award with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work to raise awareness about global warming . `` This is a chance to elevate global consciousness about the challenges that we face now , '' Gore said , speaking to reporters in Palo Alto , California . `` It truly is a planetary emergency , and we have to respond quickly . '' The former vice president said he would donate his half of the $ 1.5 million prize to the Alliance for Climate Protection , an organization he founded to persuade people to reduce global warming by cutting pollution . `` That amount is very small compared to the enormous challenge that lies ahead , '' Gore said , including organizing a massive grass-roots movement and a mass advertising campaign focused on `` trying to change the way people think . '' Watch Gore describe what he calls a ` planetary emergency ' '' Earlier Friday , a White House spokesman said President Bush was pleased that Gore , Bush 's opponent in the 2000 presidential race , had won the award . `` Of course , he 's happy for Vice President Gore , happy for the International Panel on Climate Change scientists , who also shared the Peace Prize , '' White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said . `` Obviously it 's an important recognition , and we 're sure the vice president is thrilled . '' Fratto said Bush would not be under any pressure to adopt mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions , a policy Gore has advocated . Gore 's ex-boss , former President Clinton , also said he 's `` thrilled by this well-deserved recognition , '' and credited Gore with `` warning and educating us about the dangers of climate change for decades . He saw this coming before others in public life . '' The Nobel committee 's announcement cited Gore and the IPCC `` for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change , and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change . '' The award ceremony will be held December 10 in Oslo , Norway . In recent weeks , Gore has been the target of a campaign to persuade him to enter the 2008 presidential race . A source involved in Gore 's past political runs told CNN that he definitely has the ambition to use the peace prize as a springboard to run for president . But he will not run , because he wo n't take on the political machine assembled by Sen. Hillary Clinton , said the source . If the senator from New York had faltered at all , Gore would take a serious look at entering the race , the source said . But Gore has calculated that Clinton is unstoppable , according to the source . Gore repeatedly denied he has any plans to run again , but this week a group of grass-roots Democrats calling themselves `` Draft Gore '' took out a full-page ad in The New York Times in a bid to change his mind . Watch Gore discuss global warming and politics `` Your country needs you now , as do your party , and the planet you are fighting so hard to save , '' the group said in an open letter . `` America and the Earth need a hero right now , someone who will transcend politics as usual and bring real hope to our country and to the world . '' The Nobel committee praised Gore as being `` one of the world 's leading environmentalist politicians . '' `` He is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted , '' said Ole Danbolt Mjos , chairman of the Nobel committee . In making the announcement , Mjos said , `` Through the scientific reports it has issued over the past two decades , the IPCC has created an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming . `` Thousands of scientists and officials from over 100 countries have collaborated to achieve greater certainty as to the scale of the warming . '' Said Rajendra Pachauri , chairman of the U.N. panel : `` This is an honor that goes to all the scientists and authors who have contributed to the work of the IPCC . '' Renate Christ , secretary of the panel , called the award `` the most significant recognition that the IPCC has received . '' The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established in 1988 to study climate change information . The group does n't do independent research but instead reviews scientific literature from around the world . The U.N.-sanctioned group was formed by the World Meteorological Organization and U.N. Environment Program . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was `` delighted '' with the news that Gore and the IPCC will share in prize . The Nobel caps a series of prestigious awards associated with Gore , including two Oscars this year for the 2006 documentary film , `` An Inconvenient Truth , '' which followed him on a worldwide tour publicizing the dangers of climate change . Last month , he also picked up an Emmy -- the highest award in U.S. television -- for `` Current TV . '' The show , which Gore co-created , describes itself as a global television network giving viewers the opportunity to create and influence its programming . Previous American recipients of the peace prize include former Presidents Carter in 2002 , Wilson in 1919 and Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 . In 1973 , Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shared the award with North Vietnam 's Le Duc Tho . The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. received the honor in 1964 . See more on 2007 Nobel winners '' Gore was vice president for eight years before winning the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination and running against Bush . But he failed in his White House bid -- despite winning the popular vote -- when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his challenge over voting results in Florida , securing an Electoral College majority for Bush . E-mail to a friend","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sonia Sotomayor , who rose from humble roots in a Bronx , New York , housing project to a high-powered legal career , was sworn in Saturday as the 111th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court . Judge Sonia Sotomayor takes the judicial oath Saturday as her mother , Celina , holds the Bible . With friends and family looking on , the 55-year-old jurist took the judicial oath in the court 's wood-paneled East Conference Room , pledging to `` faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me . '' It was the first time such a ceremony was televised . Chief Justice John Roberts administered the 62-word oath required of all federal judges . In a private ceremony just moments before , Sotomayor took a separate , constitutional oath across the hall . Both oaths are necessary for her to assume her new duties . As her mother , Celina , held a ceremonial Bible , Sotomayor beamed as she waved to relatives and guests when she entered the room for the public ceremony . Among those in the room was her brother , Juan Sotomayor . Watch Sotomayor take the oath '' Roberts made brief preliminary remarks , telling the audience of about 60 that after the swearing-in , Sotomayor can `` begin her duties as an associate justice without delay . '' `` Congratulations and welcome to the court , '' he said afterward . Sotomayor made no statements and did not answer questions . She hugged her mother and several people in the front row . The newest justice can begin moving into her chambers and preparing for the upcoming fall term . The other justices plan to return early from their three-month recess to hear a case September 9 on free speech and campaign finance laws . Sources close to Sotomayor say she has already begun reading up on the caseload , and will soon formally hire four law clerks . She also will have two secretaries and a messenger to assist her . Justice Anthony Kennedy was the only current Supreme Court member on hand for the swearing-in ceremony . David Souter , whom Sotomayor replaces on the bench , was not there . He has retired to New Hampshire . The Senate confirmed Sotomayor on Thursday in a 68-31 vote . President Obama , who did not attend the swearing-in , will welcome his first high court appointee to the White House for a reception Wednesday . Watch Senate vote '' Obama , who selected Sotomayor on May 26 , said Thursday he was `` deeply gratified '' by the Senate vote . `` This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family , but I also think it 's a wonderful day for America , '' he said in brief remarks . Sotomayor , who watched Thursday 's final vote surrounded by friends and family at the federal courthouse in Manhattan , was confirmed after senators spent a final day of debate rehashing the main arguments for and against her . Democrats continued to praise Sotomayor as a fair and impartial jurist with an extraordinary life story . Many Republicans portrayed her as a judicial activist intent on reinterpreting the law to conform with her own liberal political beliefs . See how Sotomayor measures up to other justices '' Sotomayor 's confirmation capped an inspiring personal and professional journey . Her parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II . Her father worked in a factory and did not speak English well . She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project , not too far from the stadium of her favorite team , the New York Yankees . Her father died when she was 9 . Her mother , whom Sotomayor has described as her biggest inspiration , worked six days a week as a nurse to care for her and her younger brother . Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and attended Yale Law School , where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal . She worked at nearly every level of the judicial system over a three-decade career before being tapped by Obama . Her supporters touted her as someone with bipartisan favor and historic appeal . President George H.W. Bush named her a district judge in 1992 . She had served as a judge on the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since President Bill Clinton appointed her in 1998 . Prior to her judicial appointments , Sotomayor was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes .","question":""}
{"answer":"Editor 's note : Kevin Fenton is director of the National Center for HIV\/AIDS , Viral Hepatitis , STD and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Fenton has written for journals including The Lancet , AIDS , the British Medical Journal and the Journal of Infectious Diseases . After graduating from medical school , Fenton earned his Masters in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from University College London . Dr. Kevin Fenton urges Americans to get tested for HIV . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every 9 1\/2 minutes someone 's brother , mother , sister , father , or neighbor becomes infected with HIV in the United States . That 's 56,000 people every year . But there 's something we can all do to help protect ourselves and our partners from this disease -- get tested for HIV . In the fight against HIV , I can tell you that few things are more important than testing . It 's an essential step in reducing the number of new HIV infections and extending the lives of those who are infected . Put simply , HIV testing saves lives . As a CDC official , I 've spoken with hundreds of people who have made the decision to get tested . Many described the relief they felt when they found out they were HIV-negative . Thanks to the HIV test , they could take steps to make sure they and their partners stay that way . I 've also met people who found out they were HIV-positive . Although initially worried about their diagnosis and their future , they were thankful they had their infection diagnosed early , and were able to live long , healthy and productive lives with HIV . They had the knowledge and will to protect their partners from infection , or to prevent their infants from becoming HIV infected . I recently met one young woman who learned about her HIV infection after being diagnosed during routine HIV testing in pregnancy . By getting tested early , and having access to effective treatment , her child was born without HIV , and she now has two healthy children . She is a living testament that life does not stop with this disease . Instead , knowledge of her HIV status along with effective treatment and care has given her the freedom , resolve and respect to make choices to protect her life and the lives of those she loves . Yet today , not everyone has benefited from knowing their HIV status . Far too many individuals with HIV do n't know that they 're infected . CDC estimates that one in five people with HIV in the United States is unaware of being infected . That 's more than 200,000 Americans who may be transmitting the virus to others without knowing it , and who ca n't take advantage of HIV treatments that could prolong and improve the quality of their lives . As we mark National HIV Testing Day on Saturday , I strongly encourage all Americans to get tested for HIV . At CDC , our goal is to make HIV testing as routine as a blood pressure check . HIV testing has never been quicker , easier or more accessible . In fact , with rapid HIV tests , results can be available in as little as 20 minutes , and tests can be given in your doctor 's office or other locations in your community , such as churches and college campuses . To ensure that all Americans know their HIV status , CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV as part of routine medical care -- regardless of their perceived risk for infection . CDC also recommends that those at increased risk , such as sexually active gay and bisexual men , get tested at least annually . We are also working with our partners to bring HIV testing services directly to communities across the nation . Increased HIV testing will make it possible to significantly reduce the number of new infections . Research indicates the majority of new sexually transmitted HIV infections are transmitted by people who do not know they are HIV-infected . Studies also show that most people who test HIV-positive take steps to protect their partners from infection . Nearly 30 years after the start of the epidemic , far too many people continue to be diagnosed late in the course of their infection . Too many times , I 've heard stories from people who went to the emergency room after a few days of flu-like symptoms . Once there , doctors conduct tests and inform them they have both pneumonia and AIDS . They never knew they were HIV infected , and yet they had the virus for years . In fact , data released today show that nearly 40 percent of people develop AIDS within just a year of being diagnosed with HIV . Many of these people could have stayed healthier if they were diagnosed with HIV and began drug treatment much earlier . Anti-retroviral treatment can lower the amount of the virus in the blood , slowing progression from HIV to AIDS . We must remember that AIDS still kills in this country -- more than 14,000 people die every year . Yet we have the tools to diagnose an HIV infection early , to begin life-prolonging treatments to prevent progression to AIDS , and to ensure a strong quality of life for HIV-infected people . But without a test , there is no diagnosis -- and no treatment . The fight against HIV here at home is far from over . But too many mistakenly believe that HIV in the United States is no longer a serious problem . In fact , a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found a troubling decline in awareness and concern about the domestic HIV\/AIDS crisis , in the general population and among those at greatest risk . To help combat this complacency , the White House recently joined CDC and the rest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to announce a new communication campaign , `` Act Against AIDS . '' The campaign is working on a number of fronts to refocus national attention on the U.S. epidemic , and to increase the number of Americans who get tested for HIV . Although HIV\/AIDS continues to pose a serious threat to the nation 's health , HIV testing is a powerful weapon against the disease . By increasing the number of people who know their HIV status , we can decrease the number of new HIV infections , and help save thousands of lives . What you do n't know can hurt you . In fact , it can kill you . But a simple test could change your fate and the fate of others . That 's why today I urge all Americans to take the test -- and take control . To learn more about HIV\/AIDS and where you can receive a confidential HIV test , visit hivtest.org , call 800-CDC-INFO , or text your ZIP code to `` Know It '' -LRB- 566948 -RRB- . For comprehensive information about HIV prevention , visit http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nineandahalfminutes\/index.html , the Web site for the first phase of CDC 's recently-launched Act Against AIDS campaign .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia 's interim prime minister said Thursday that he has spoken to one of two French hostages seized earlier this week by gunmen who stormed their hotel in Mogadishu . Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke said the government will hold Hizbul Islam responsible for the safety of both men . Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke told a news conference at the presidential palace in the Somali capital that the hostage said he was in good health and is being treated well . Sharmarke said three low-level security officials have been arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping . The Somali government is negotiating the release of the hostages , who are being held by Islamist militants , he added . The two French nationals -- who have not been identified -- were abducted Tuesday when a group of about 10 armed men raided the hotel where they were staying . The French Foreign Ministry said the two were on an official mission to help the Somali government with security . The ministry has not divulged any details of its efforts to release the hostages , saying only that it is `` mobilized . '' The two advisers had apparently told the hotel they were journalists , something that the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders has criticized . `` We hope these two advisers are freed quickly , but we are shocked that they were passing themselves off as journalists , '' Reporters Without Borders said . `` They were on an official mission and had no need of cover . Their behavior endangers journalists in a region where media personnel are already in danger . '' Sharmarke said the two hostages were kidnapped by the militant group Hizbul Islam but later were transferred to Al-Shabaab . Both Islamic insurgencies are trying to topple the current Somali government . Eyewitnesses said a group of gunmen stormed into the Sahafi hotel , which is frequented by foreigners , and took the two blindfolded and bound hostages on foot toward Mogadishu 's Bakara market , a stronghold for Islamist insurgents fighting against the Somali government . The Somali prime minister said that the government will hold Hizbul Islam responsible for the safety of both men . He did not say if any demands had been made for the hostages ' release . Hizbul Islam is led by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys , a bitter rival of Somalia 's transitional president , Sheikh Sharif Ahmed . The two men once shared leadership of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia , which opposed the presence of Ethiopian forces in Somalia . The alliance split because the two leaders disagreed over whether to use force to oust the Ethiopian forces . Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabaab have continued their fight in Somalia despite the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces earlier this year . The United Nations had hoped that the withdrawal of the Ethiopians and the election of Ahmed -- an Islamist -- to the post of transitional president would help quell the insurgency in Somalia . The Islamist insurgency is led by Al-Shabaab -- an al Qaeda-linked group that is on the United States ' terror list . It wants to overthrow Somalia 's weak , transitional government and implement a radical version of sharia , or Islamic law . Fighting in Somalia 's capital city has displaced 200,000 Mogadishu residents since early May , according to the United Nations . Journalist Mohamed Amin Adow contributed to this report .","question":""}
{"answer":"-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Welcome to New York City . Hope you packed your appetite . We 're not claiming these are the definitive `` best , '' `` most essential , '' or `` most authentic '' restaurants in all of NYC or any of that jazz . We are just saying that if it were us in town for a few days , these are the places we 'd make a beeline for to eat , drink and generally be delighted . Not a fan of our faves ? Well , OK then . Just send us a DM or a note @eatocracy on Twitter , let us know where you are , and we 'll find you some food to suit your mood . Have a delicious stay . Terroir | Tribeca Address : 24 Harrison St. Phone : 212.625.9463 Website : http:\/\/www.wineisterroir.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Bar , Eat at the bar Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Three words : Riesling on tap . It may be touted as a wine bar , but the food is killer . Chicken liver and lardo bruschette are life-changers . Caracas Arepa Bar Address : 93 1\/2 East 7th St. Phone : 718.218.6050 or 212.529.2314 Website : http:\/\/www.caracasarepabar.com Categories : Downtown Tip : For a taste of Venezuela , chomp into one of these stuffed corn-flour arepas . Feeling indecisive ? Try the La Popular sampler of three different , traditional varieties . Otto Enoteca Pizzeria Address : 1 Fifth Ave. Phone : 212.995.9559 Website : http:\/\/www.ottopizzeria.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Celebrity chef , Eat at the bar Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Order some antipasti at Mario Batali 's casual pizzeria while you wait on his thin-crusted creations . Runny yolk fans opt for the Pane Frattau -- a pie with a sunnyside-up egg in the center . The house-made olive oil gelato is the ultimate sweet-savory ending . Gramercy Tavern Address : 42 East 20th St. Phone : 212.477.0777 Website : http:\/\/www.gramercytavern.com\/ Categories : Gramercy\/Flatiron , Date night Solo Dining : Yes Tip : It 's one of the New York 's most beloved restaurants -- and for good reason with its luxurious yet homey atmosphere . Everything 's seasonal and you really ca n't go wrong . Sakagura Address : 211 East 43rd St. Phone : 212.953.7253 Website : http:\/\/www.sakagura.com\/ Categories : Midtown , Hidden gem , Eat at the bar Solo Dining : Yes Tip : A taste of Tokyo is hidden in the basement of a Midtown East office building -- your friends will be impressed you found this place . Go for lunch and sake -- their platters are a multi-course steal at $ 20 . Pearl Oyster Bar Address : 18 Cornelia Street Phone : 212.691.8211 Website : http:\/\/www.pearloysterbar.com\/ Categories : Downtown , No reservations Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Come for the lobster roll , stay for the blueberry pie . Impatient diners take note : they do not accept reservations . Spotted Pig Address : 314 West 11th Street Phone : 212.620.0393 Website : http:\/\/thespottedpig.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Celeb spotting , Late night Tip : The gastropub to end all gastropubs . Devils on Horseback , chicken liver and a burger with Roquefort are a few of its hearty offerings . A 2-hour wait is normal during peak time as is celeb-spotting in the witching hours . Momofuku Ssam Bar Address : 207 2nd Avenue Phone : 212.254.3500 Website : http:\/\/www.momofuku.com\/ssam-bar\/ Categories : Downtown , Celebrity chef Tip : Order the pork buns and stop by Milk Bar next door for a compost cookie , crack pie or one of the ever changing , always inventive soft-serve ice creams . Porchetta Address : 110 East 7th Street Phone : 212.777.2151 Website : http:\/\/www.porchettanyc.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Casual Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Pork lovers : eat Porchetta 's porchetta . That is all . Marea Address : 240 Central Park South Phone : 212.582.5100 Website : http:\/\/www.marea-nyc.com\/home.html\/ Categories : Midtown , Date night , Eat at the bar Solo Dining : Yes Tip : It was just named Best New Restaurant at the James Beard Awards so reservations may be tight . But , it 's worth the fuss to order fusilli with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow and eat at the bar . Taim Address : 222 Waverly Place Phone : 212.691.1287 Website : http:\/\/taimfalafel.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Casual Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Skip the ubiquitous street cart falafel and head to the West Village . Choose between red , green or harissa falafel flavors . The Little Owl Address : 90 Bedford Street Phone : 212.741.4695 Website : http:\/\/www.thelittleowlnyc.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Date night Tip : This darling neighborhood restaurant is perfect for date night . Signature meatball sliders are a must , while a pork chop with butter beans and dandelion is close to porcine perfection . If soft shell crab is available , dive in for a suprisingly light taste of summer . Katz 's Delicatessen Address : 205 E. Houston Street Phone : 212.254.2246 Website : http:\/\/www.katzdeli.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Old New York , Casual Solo Dining : Yes Tip : It 's the quintessential New York deli -- as seen in When Harry Mat Sally . Order the classics : corned beef , pastrami or tongue with a Dr. Brown 's Cel-Ray chaser . Grand Central Oyster Bar Address : 89 E. 42nd St. -LRB- in Grand Central Station -RRB- Phone : 212.490.6650 Website : http:\/\/oysterbarny.com\/ Categories : Midtown , Old New York Solo Dining : Yes Tip : This is old school New York . Nab a table in the cavernous , subterranean dining room or saloon or a seat at the curving lunch counter or raw bar and slurp down fresh oysters or a classic pan roast . Blue Hill Address : 75 Washington Place Phone : 212.539.1776 Website : http:\/\/bluehillfarm.com\/food\/blue-hill-new-york Categories : Downtown , Date night Tip : Dine like the First Couple at this lauded , lovely farm-to-table restaurant helmed by James Beard Award winning chef Dan Barber . Torrisi Italian Specialities Address : 250 Mulberry St. Phone : 212.965.0955 Website : http:\/\/www.piginahat.com\/index.php Categories : Downtown , Casual Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Italian-American classics to take-out or eat-in by two accomplished , contemporary chefs . Word has quickly spread about this 18 seat restaurant 's chicken parm hero and turkey sandwich . Degustation Address : 239 East 5th Street Phone : 212.979.1012 Website : No website Categories : Downtown , Adventurous Tip : Skip a la carte and go for the tasting menu : a New York bargain at 5-courses for $ 55 . The tiny restaurant seats diners at a counter around an open kitchen -- dinner and a show . Shake Shack Address : 366 Columbus Ave. Phone : 212.889.6600 Website : http:\/\/shakeshack.com Categories : Gramercy\/Flatiron , Casual , Outdoors Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Shack burgers , Chicago-style dogs and shakes are the draw at Danny Meyer 's ode to summertime eats . Park yourself in the inevitable line -- locations in Madison Square Park , the Upper West Side and Citi Field triple your chances to satisfy crinkle-fry cravings . Death & Co. . Address : 433 E. 6th St. Phone : 212-388-0882 Website : http:\/\/www.deathandcompany.com\/lounge\/ Categories : Downtown , Bar Tip : Cocktails are to die for at this East Village bar . Drinks like the Joy Division and the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test sparkle amid the Gothic loveliness of this cocktail manor . Lombardi 's Address : 32 Spring St Phone : 212-941-7994 Website : http:\/\/www.firstpizza.com Categories : Downtown , Casual Tip : The nation 's first pizzeria does n't accept reservations , but their wood-oven pies are worth the wait . Hill Country Address : 30 West 26th Street Phone : 212.255.4544 Website : http:\/\/www.hillcountryny.com\/ Categories : Gramercy\/Flatiron , Casual , Good for groups , Live music Tip : Boot scoot on over to Hill Country for some low and slow-smoked brisket , ribs and all the southern fixings . Save room for a PB & J cupcake . Everything 's bigger in Texas so bring your appetite . Beacon Address : 25 W. 56th St. Phone : 212-332-0500 Website : http:\/\/www.beaconnyc.com\/ Categories : Midtown , Eat at the bar Solo Dining : Yes Tip : This undersung Midtown gem boasts some of the city 's greatest bar treats - woodfired pizza and serious cocktails . Lunch prix fixe is a steal . Sripraphai Address : 6413 39th Avenue Woodside , Queens Phone : -LRB-718-RRB- 899-9599 Website : http:\/\/www.sripraphairestaurant.com\/ Categories : Queens , Adventurous Tip : Sure , it 's a shlep from Manhattan -LRB- hop the 7-train to Woodside Ave. -RRB- , but the papaya and catfish salad and fish maw soup are worth the journey for serious Thai devotees . Sushi Yasuda Address : 204 East 43rd Street Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 972-1001 Website : http:\/\/www.sushiyasuda.com\/ Categories : Midtown , Date night Solo Dining : Yes Tip : Oh , oh , the otoro ! Opt for bar seating to watch the master prepare sumptuous fatty tuna , Arctic char and shockingly fresh urchin up close . Flatiron Lounge Address : 37 West 19th St. Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 727-7741 Website : http:\/\/www.flatironlounge.com\/ Categories : Gramercy\/Flatiron , Date night , Bar Tip : Artful mixologists led by the fabulous Julie Reiner craft bygone cocktails and daily drink flights by hand in this lovely , Art Deco-influenced bar . Get there early . Han Bat Address : 53 West 35th Street Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 629-5588 Website : No website Categories : Midtown , Late night Tip : Skip the late night slice and opt for bi bim bop and ox knee broth served 24\/7 in the heart of NYC 's Koreatown . Keens Steakhouse Address : 72 West 36th St. Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 947-3636 Website : http:\/\/www.keens.com\/ Categories : Midtown , Old New York Solo Dining : Yes Tip : In 1905 , Lillie Langtry sued to be allowed access to the gents-only premises . Upon winning , she swept in and ordered the mutton chop . Follow her lead . Do n't miss prime-rib hash and 200 + single malts . Hearth Address : 403 East 12th St. Phone : -LRB-646-RRB- 602-1300 Website : http:\/\/restauranthearth.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Date night Tip : Chef Marco Canora 's Italian-influenced American fare is inventive , hospitable and homey -- complemented by one of the most creative wine lists in town . WD ~ 50 Address : 50 Clinton St. Phone : 212.477.2900 Website : http:\/\/www.wd-50.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Adventurous Tip : Chef Wylie Dufresne deconstructs classic like eggs Benedict to re-imagine using high-tech `` molecular gastronomy '' techniques . Like Mama never made . Pegu Club Address : 77 W. Houston St. , 2nd Floor Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 473-7348 Website : http:\/\/www.peguclub.com Categories : Downtown , Bar Tip : Named for the Pegu Club cocktail , this romantic upstairs bar boasts classics and original inventions by mixologist Audrey Saunders . Nice Green Bo Address : 66 Bayard St. Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 625-2359 Website : No website Categories : Downtown , Adventurous Solo Dining : Yes Tip : The bare-bones atmosphere and terse service are n't the draw ; the turnip and ham pastries and sumptuous stewed pork balls surely are . Prune Address : 54 East 1st St. Phone : -LRB-212-RRB- 677-6221 Website : http:\/\/www.prunerestaurant.com\/ Categories : Downtown , Killer brunch Tip : A wild Sunday brunch Bloody Mary menu and an omelet with a marrow bone side sates adventurous eaters . Spaghetti carbonara breakfast soothes damage from late night revels . Jimmy 's Corner Address : 140 W. 44th St Phone : 212-221-9510 Website : No website Categories : Midtown , Dive bar Tip : a.k.a. . The Boxing Bar . Jimmy Glenn 's low-key joint is a longtime haven for thirsty locals in need of respite from Times Square tourists . Kabab Caf\u00e9 Address : 25-12 Steinway St. Astoria Queens N\/R to Astoria\/Ditmars Blvd. . Phone : 718-728-9858 Website : No website Categories : Queens , Adventurous Tip : This eclectically decorated cash-only caf\u00e9 is home to Egyptian fare so soulful and sumptuous , it 's not unusual to see patrons tearing up . Get the meze platter and let Chef Ali El Sayed select the rest of your meal for you .","question":""}