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(CNN) -- More than 60 years after reneging on a promise to the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos who fought for the United States during World War II, the U.S. government will soon be sending out checks -- to the few who are still alive. Veteran Franco Arcebal says, "we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us." "For a poor man like me, $15,000 is a lot of money," said 91-year-old Celestino Almeda. Still, he said, "After what we have suffered, what we have contributed for the sake of democracy, it's peanuts. It's a drop in the bucket." During the war, the Philippines was a U.S. commonwealth. The U.S. military promised full veterans benefits to Filipinos who volunteered to fight. More than 250,000 joined. Then, in 1946, President Truman signed the Rescission Act, taking that promise away. Today, only about about 15,000 of those troops are still alive, according to the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. A provision tucked inside the stimulus bill that President Obama signed calls for releasing $198 million that was appropriated last year for those veterans. Those who have become U.S. citizens get $15,000 each; non-citizens get $9,000. "I'm very thankful," said Patrick Ganio, 88, the coalition's president. "We Filipinos are a grateful people." Ganio was among the tens of thousands of Filipinos at the infamous battle of Bataan, a peninsula on Manila Bay opposite the Philippine capital. He was captured and beaten by Japanese troops before ultimately being freed, suffering from malaria and then resuming his service to the U.S. military. "The record of the Philippine soldiers for bravery and loyalty is second to none," Truman wrote to the leaders of the House and Senate in 1946. "Their assignment was as bloody and difficult as any in which our American soldiers engaged. Under desperate circumstances they acquitted themselves nobly." Though Truman said the Rescission Act resulted in "discrimination," he signed it. "There can be no question but that the Philippine veteran is entitled to benefits bearing a reasonable relation to those received by the America veteran, with whom he fought side by side," he said. "From a practical point of view, however, it must be acknowledged that certain benefits granted by the GI bill of rights cannot be applied in the case of the Philippine veteran." Some historians say financial concerns were paramount: The cost of funding full veterans benefits to all those Filipinos, particularly in the wake of the costly war, would have been a heavy burden. The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity offers a different explanation. "In 1946, discrimination against people of color was the rule of law," the group says in a document it submitted to the Obama-Biden transition team in November. "The second-class treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is another example from this historical period." For decades, Filipino activists and their supporters have fought for the full benefits. They've petitioned and picketed. Almeda, a widower who now lives in Virginia with his daughter, once chained himself to the fence outside the White House. "I was fined $50 for civil disobedience and was arrested," he says now, chuckling. He says he was just looking for answers. Despite encouraging words from U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, the benefits were never restored. "Only 70,000 Philippine veterans remain alive, and they hope to stay alive long enough to see those benefits reinstated," CNN reported in 1997. "There's a bill, stuck in committee in Congress, that would do just that." That effort, just like so many before, fell apart. "We were loyal to the United States. Even up to now, we are loyal to the United States, except that the United States has forgotten us in many ways," said Franco Arcebal, another leader of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans. "It's only now, because of the insistence of Sen. [Daniel] Inouye in the Senate, he was able to act on this." Inouye, D-Hawaii, inserted the language in the stimulus bill, calling it "a matter of honor." The honor comes too late for the many Filipino veterans who passed away waiting for this moment. Families of deceased veterans are not eligible to receive the money. For those who are alive, the checks could make a real difference. "Practically all of us are below the poverty line now at this age. We have no way of earning a living," Arcebal said. But, he emphasized, "it does not correct the injustice and discrimination done to us 60 years ago. ... We were not granted school benefits. We were not granted hospital benefits. ... And in the 60 years, several billion dollars were saved by the U.S. government for not paying 250,000 of us. "Now we are only 15,000. And the amount that they're giving us is a small amount. But we appreciate that. Because it will finally recognize our services ... as active service in the armed forces of the United States." CNN's Lisa Sylvester contributed to this report.

Filipinos were promised full military benefits to enlist . President Truman later signed act reneging on promise . Only about 15,000 of the troops are still alive . U.S. citizens will get $15,000; non-citizens will get $9,000 .

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) -- The head of a Kurdish nationalist party in Turkey addressed his party members Tuesday in the Kurdish language -- which is illegal -- prompting the national broadcaster to pull the plug on the live broadcast. Ahmet Turk began his speech in Turkish before switching to Kurdish. In his address, Democratic Society Party leader Ahmet Turk began his speech in Turkish, addressing the value of a "multilingual culture" and decrying the fact that the Kurdish language is not protected under Turkey's constitution. "We have no objection to Turkish being the official language, yet we want our demands for the lifting of the ban on Kurdish language to be understood as a humanitarian demand," he said. Turk then announced he would deliver the rest of his speech in Kurdish and, at that point, state broadcaster TRT cut the broadcast. "Since no language other than Turkish can be used in the parliament meetings according to the constitution of the Turkish Republic and the Political Parties Law, we had to stop our broadcast," the TRT announcer stated. "We apologize to our viewers for this and continue our broadcast with the next news item scheduled." The situation is somewhat ironic because Turkey began a new Kurdish language state television channel, TRT6, on January 1. Turk pointed out that paradox in his speech to parliament. "Despite the Kurdish broadcast on TRT 6, there is no legal protection (for the language)," he said. "(Politicians) get punished for speaking Kurdish while Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan speaks Kurdish during rallies. Therefore, Kurdish is forbidden to Kurds yet free for (the ruling party) and the state." The issue comes ahead of hotly contested elections scheduled to be held on March 29. Political analysts have said Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, known by its Turkish acronym AKP, is trying to gain votes in the Kurdish southeast, which has traditionally been held by the Democratic Society Party, or DTP. Erdogan's launching of the Kurdish language channel is considered a historic development not only because speaking the language in parliament is illegal, but also because the Turkish republic for decades officially denied the existence of ethnic Kurds, calling them "mountain Turks" instead. -- CNN's Ivan Watson contributed to this report.

Ahmet Turk switched to Kurdish during address to party members . Turk decried fact Kurdish language not protected under Turkish law . Turkish state broadcaster TRT then cut the broadcast . Ironic because Turkey has started a new Kurdish language state TV channel .

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Researchers may be getting closer to an effective way of preventing age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of vision loss among older Americans. A new study found that vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid may help prevent age-related macular degeneration. A new study finds that women who took a combination of B6 and B12 vitamins along with a folic acid supplement had lower risks of developing age-related macular degeneration. The women who got the supplements, compared with those taking a placebo, had a 34 percent lower risk of developing any form of AMD, and a 41 percent lower risk of more severe forms of AMD. Epidemiologist and study author William G. Christen, Sc.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, expects that if these findings are successfully replicated in future studies, "the combination of these vitamins might become the first prevention method of early stages of age-related macular degeneration other than avoiding cigarette smoking." Christen also noted that although the study was conducted among women age 40 and older, there is no particular reason to believe the same results would not hold true in a similar group of men. Christen and his colleagues examined the role of vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid in AMD partly because previous studies have shown these vitamins are known to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid found in the blood that when elevated has been associated with higher risks of AMD. The 5,442 women who participated in the randomized, double-blind clinical trial already had heart disease or at least three risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The majority of them did not have AMD at the start of the study, which lasted more than 7 years. Christen explains that the underlying mechanism of AMD likely involves the vascular system, and researchers widely believe that cardiovascular disease and AMD share common risk factors. Age-related macular degeneration is a vision disease common among people older than 60, involving the deterioration of tissues in the macula, the central part of the retina. The condition impedes the performance of critical everyday functions such as reading and driving because it affects the ability to see items that a person is looking at directly, as opposed to items even a few degrees off to either side of the direct line of vision. "If you affect that central part of your vision, no one goes blind from it but it really interferes with your quality of life," explains Dr. Roy Rubinfeld, ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry. Wet forms of AMD are caused by abnormal blood vessels growing beneath the macula, which can rupture and bleed. The dry form is generally caused by cells in the macula degenerating over time and thus losing function. While some treatments do exist for the wet form of the disease (including laser surgery, photodynamic therapy and injections into the eye), there is currently not much in the way of treatments for the more common dry form. When asked if the study results mean that people at high risk for AMD should begin taking a vitamin supplement that provides vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid, retina specialist Dr. Robert Frank of the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests probably not yet. "If you do anything, I would take a supplement of antioxidant vitamins containing high doses of vitamins A, E, C and zinc," suggests Frank, who has no financial interest in the vitamin supplement industry. These antioxidant vitamins were found to prevent the progression of age-related macular degeneration in the 10-year Age-Related Eye Disease Study conducted by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health. However, Frank does say that while it still remains to be seen whether people currently taking a multivitamin containing the B vitamins and folic acid will be able to prevent early AMD from developing -- answers which will probably not be found for several years, after a large-scale clinical trial is begun -- there is little risk for most people in taking a daily multivitamin.

Study: B vitamins may help prevent age-related macular degeneration . Women taking B6, B12, folic acid had 34 percent lower risk of getting AMD . Study findings need to be replicated . Only prevention now is avoiding smoking; antioxidant vitamins prevent progression .

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(CNN) -- One week in Darfur, the next week at the White House. That's the role of a peace activist -- one that actor George Clooney embraces. Actor George Clooney met with Vice President Joe Biden on Monday to discuss bringing peace to Darfur. His battle to bring peace to Darfur brought him to the White House on Monday, where he met with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The actor appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" later on Monday to discuss his activism. "I actually met with the president in the Oval Office for about 15 minutes," Clooney told King, adding that they'd worked together on Darfur three years ago, holding a news conference on the issue when Obama was a U.S. senator. The actor met separately with Biden on Monday. "They've been very involved" in Darfur, Clooney said. "Vice President Biden has been incredibly vocal on the issue." Clooney, a longtime Darfur activist and a Messenger of Peace for the United Nations, was in Darfur last week with journalists Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times and Ann Curry of NBC. "I think somehow we should all know that these people are hanging on by the skin of their teeth," Clooney told King of his visit. The government of Darfur has waged a brutal counter-insurgency against militias for the past six years, a war that some international critics have characterized as genocide. An estimated 300,000 people have been killed through direct combat, disease or malnutrition, according to the United Nations. An additional 2.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of fighting among rebels, government forces and the allied Janjaweed militias. Clooney said of his conversations with Obama and Biden: "Basically, we were just talking about coming back from Chad and right on the border of Darfur. And we were talking about there's a moment coming up relatively soon -- probably by the middle of next week -- where the International Criminal Court is going to indict the president of Sudan for war crimes, which has never happened before -- a sitting president." Last year, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was charged with genocide by the International Criminal Court for the government's campaign of violence in Darfur. The violence erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the Khartoum government. Sudanese authorities armed and cooperated with Arab militias that went from village to village in Darfur, killing, torturing and raping residents there, according to the United Nations, Western governments and human rights organizations. The militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength. Under pressure to end the fighting, Al-Bashir in November agreed to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Darfur. "This isn't about needing American dollars," Clooney said of the push for peace in Darfur. "I understand that it's a very difficult time. It's not about needing American troops. It's about needing what we do best -- what we have done best since the start of this country -- which is good, robust diplomacy all across the world." The priorities, as Clooney advocated to Obama and Biden: . -- An envoy working full time on bringing peace to Darfur -- someone "getting up every morning with their sole job to find peace in the area," he said. -- Persuading China to leverage its investment muscle in Darfur to push for peace. -- Pressing Egypt, the African Union and Europe to strengthen diplomatic efforts in the region. "Diplomacy has to start and it has to be aggressive and it has to start soon. We have an opportunity here," Clooney said.

"This isn't about needing American dollars," Clooney says of helping Darfur . Actor calls for full-time envoy to bring peace for refugees 'hanging on by a thread' Of Darfur, Clooney tells Obama and Biden "we have an opportunity here"

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(CNN) -- Nineteen political prisoners were released by the government of Myanmar over the weekend, the human rights group Amnesty International reported Tuesday. Protesters demand democracy for Myanmar at a demonstration in New Delhi, India earlier this month. Among those released was Ma Khin Khin Leh, who was serving a life sentence because her husband, a student activist, had helped plan a protest demonstration in Bago in July 1999, according to Amnesty International USA's Web blog . Authorities prevented the demonstration from taking place, but took the woman and her three-year-old daughter into custody after failing to find her husband, Amnesty International said. The child was released after five days but her mom, a 33-year-old school teacher, was sentenced to life in prison. "Even by the normally harsh standards of 'justice' meted out by Myanmar's military government, the life sentence given to Ma Khin Khin Leh was extreme," the human rights organization said. She was designated one of Amnesty International USA's priority cases. She was released with 18 others "widely considered to be political prisoners," Amnesty International said. Myanmar's military rulers have been widely condemned for their alleged human rights abuses. Pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi has been confined in her home for 12 of the past 18 years. Her last house arrest began in 2003 and has been periodically renewed. In October 2007, clashes erupted between pro-democracy demonstrators and government security forces. As many as 110 people are believed to have been killed in that crackdown, including 40 Buddhist monks. The protests were sparked by a huge fuel price increase imposed by the military government, and quickly escalated. Myanmar's military junta said in mid-October that it had detained more than 2,900 people amid the clashes. In September 2008, Amnesty International reported that Myanmar, also called Burma, had released seven dissidents, among them U Win Tin, a journalist and senior official in the opposition National League for Democracy who had been imprisoned for 19 years.

School teacher among 19 political prisoners freed in Myanmar, Amnesty says . Ma Khin Khin Leh sentenced to life in 1999 after her husband planned a protest . Myanmar's military rulers are widely condemned for alleged human rights abuses . Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi still confined to home .

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(CNN) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres said he had an amicable phone conversation with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a day after Erdogan stormed offstage during an angry exchange with Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan leaves the stage Thursday, as Israeli President Shimon Peres sits, left. Peres said he and Erdogan did not take the spat personally. "I called him up and said, yes, it's nothing against you, nothing against Turkey. We consider you as a friend," Peres said. He said Erdogan reciprocated. Although there was no mention of an apology, Peres said there was a polite exchange between the two leaders. "I didn't take it personally. I didn't go for a personal fight. I answered unfounded accusations. It was my duty. And they didn't change my mind," he said. Watch Shimon Peres on the Gaza conflict » . Turkey, a predominantly Muslim nation, has long been the Jewish state's closest military and economic partner in the region, and Turkey recently mediated indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria. But many Turks have been incensed with Israel over its three-week military operation that ended there earlier this month. And in Davos, Erdogan was angered after Peres said that Israel is committed to peace and blamed Hamas for the fighting in Gaza, where Israel staged a three-week military operation that ended earlier this month. When Erdogan began responding, a moderator cut him off, saying the debate had run over its allotted time. Erdogan patted the moderator on the arm until he was granted one more minute to respond. Watch commentary on Erdogan's angry exchange » . "I know the reason behind raising your voice is because of the guilty psychology," he said to Peres. "My voice will not be that loud. You must know that. When it comes to killing -- you know killing very well. I know how you hit, kill children on the beaches." He then left the stage, complaining that Peres was receiving preferential treatment. "From now on, Davos is finished for me," Erdogan said. "I will not come back. You won't let people talk. You gave him 25 minutes, but you gave me 12 minutes. This is not right." Erdogan had described the military campaign against Hamas fighters in Gaza as "barbaric" and accused Israel of using excessive force. He said: "The Palestinian Territories are like an open-air prison, isolated from the world. I have always been a leader who said anti-Semitism is a crime against humanity. But so is anti-Islamism." Peres had said Hamas was responsible for the "tragedy," accusing the Islamist militants of creating a "dangerous dictatorship." "Israel left Gaza completely -- no occupation," Peres said. "I want to understand why they throw rockets at us." On Friday, after his outburst, Erdogan returned home to a hero's welcome. Thousands of people lined up at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, cheering and waving signs. A large banner read, "You Will Never Walk Alone," and smaller signs bore phrases including "Davos Conqueror." People also were seen waving Turkish and Palestinian flags and throwing flowers on the road leading to Erdogan's home. Despite the glowing response at the airport, there has been some criticism in the Turkish media of Erdogan's exchange with the Israeli president. CNN Turk's Deniz Bayramoglu said the issue was still "hot" with Erdogan's secularist political opponents speaking out against the prime minister. "They also say that Israel's behavior in Gaza is unacceptable but they are very critical of Prime Minister Erdogan's behavior," Bayramoglu said. "Some are saying they are really proud of Prime Minister Erdogan and some are saying it is a diplomatic scandal." Erdogan explained whom he was directing his anger at during a news conference at the airport. "My words were only to the Israeli government, not the Israeli people," he said. CNN's Simon Hooper and Talia Kayali contributed to this report.

Turkish Prime Minister angered during debate on Gaza at World Economic Forum . Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israel's Gaza campaign "barbaric," stormed off stage . Israeli president Shimon Peres said he and Erdogan did not take spat personally . Erdogan returned home to a hero's welcome in Istanbul .

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(CNN) -- Her powerful voice resonates through the music hall, delivering an unlikely message of hope. All eight Liyana band members met at the King George VI school for disabled children in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The Afro-fusion melody comes from an unlikely source -- the small, wheelchair-ridden body of Prudence Mabhena, a woman from Zimbabwe who has overcome her physical disabilities and the hurdles of daily life in her home country. "Some people don't even get you and take you as a person," Mabhena said. "And with us singing right now, we're not giving up -- we're pushing up." Mabhena is the lead singer of Liyana, a group of eight musicians who are all physically disabled and from Zimbabwe. Their message of hope has been drowned out in their home country, which is suffering from an economic collapse, a cholera outbreak, and a political power struggle that has erupted into violence. Watch the band performing » . Mabhena was born with arthrogryphosis, a muscle and joint disorder, and had to have parts of her arms and legs amputated as a result. She said her mother was told to kill her rather than have her face life as a physically disabled woman in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was once a center for disability rights after it gained independence in 1980, according to recent report on Public Radio International. It was one of the first countries to recognize the rights of the disabled, who are sometimes shunned by communities in rural Africa who fear they are touched by witchcraft. But the gains for the disabled in Zimbabwe have been erased by the country's current crisis, according to Dr. Raymond Lang of the London-based Cheshire Center for Conflict Recovery who spoke to PRI's Lonny Shavelson. Mabhena said the group is apprehensive about returning to Zimbabwe after its U.S. tour, which wrapped up this month. But none of the members of Liyana dwell on the despair. "'Never give up' -- it's one of our biggest and strongest mottos," said singer Tapiwa Nyenger, explaining one of the band's song titles. "We have the capability to go on stage and at the end of the day make people smile. It's a good feeling." All eight band members, who are between the ages of 17 and 23, met at the King George VI school for disabled children in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The band describes their music as a fusion between "myriad geographic, cultural, and musical genres including gospel, reggae, and traditional Zimbabwean Shona music." Liyana means "rain" -- a Shona term for good luck. "Music makes you think of something positive," Nyenger said. "For me, music is rehabilitation." Mabhena has said her voice is a gift from god. They had long dreamed of performing in the United States, and their multi-city tour included more than 20 performances in California and the New York metro area, including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. "We have been received in an overwhelming, heart-filling way," Nyenger said. "Everywhere we go, every place we go, we [see] new things, we meet new people, we learn new stuff." The band's U.S. tour coincided with President Barack Obama's inauguration, which has also been a source of inspiration for a new song, "Obama." "When we heard Obama was going to be the American president, the first black American president, we were so excited," Mabhena said. "Through that joy that we had, there came a song." Liyana is also the subject of a new documentary, iTemba -- My Hope -- which is scheduled to be released worldwide later this year. The band's singers perform in seven languages -- Shona, Ndebele, English, Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Spanish -- allowing them to reach a wider audience. "We want to leave a message to everyone in the world that no matter what circumstance you are in, you can make it," singer Marvelous Meulo said.

Liyana are a group of eight physically disabled musicians from Zimbabwe . Their multi-city tour of the U.S. has included more than 20 performances . The message of their songs is you can make it, whatever the circumstances . Their message of hope has been drowned out in Zimbabwe, which is in crisis .

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(CNN) -- The second-highest ranking official in Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's political party resigned Saturday, along with four other high-ranking Kurdish politicians, officials said. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani could be jeopardized by the resignations of five key members of his party. Khosrat Rasul, the vice president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, resigned, along with four other members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), according to Kurdish lawmakers. Rasul is a battle-scarred veteran of Kurdish rebellions against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Kurdish members of the Iraqi Parliament say the resignations threaten the delicate balance of power in Iraqi Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq. It has been the most stable part of the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. "It looks very serious," said Ala Talabani, the president's niece and a PUK member, as well as a member of Parliament. She spoke by phone from the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya, long a stronghold of the PUK. "It's about corruption," Ala Talabani said of the resignations. "They are asking about the resources and the money. Who is spending it. And who is in charge of the income of the party." "It's not good," said Mahmoud Othman, a member of the Iraqi Parliament and an independent Kurdish politician. "The PUK is one of the main two [Kurdish] players," he added. "A problem like this will upset the whole situation." Iraqi Kurdistan broke free from Baghdad's control after the 1991 Gulf War. Since then, the region has been divided between two rival Kurdish factions, Talabani's PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Massoud Barzani. For several years throughout the 1990s, the groups battled each other in the mountains and valleys of northern Iraq. Those historic divisions faded somewhat following the United States' overthrow of Hussein. For the past five years, the Kurds have worked together in Baghdad to enhance the Kurdish region's position in Iraq. Kurdish politicians deftly took advantage of divisions between Sunni and Shi'a Arab factions. They successfully lobbied to maintain Kurdistan's militia of pesh merga fighters. Demands to expand the Kurdish zone of control and win the right to exploit oil deposits in Kurdish territory have increased tensions between Kurdish and Arab politicians. The resignation of Rasul and his allies threatens the power base of Talabani, the first Kurdish president in Iraqi history. "If it is not fixed by Talabani by tomorrow, this could change the entire landscape of Kurdish politics," said Hiwa Osman, the Iraq country director of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Iraq's three northern Kurdish provinces are scheduled to hold regional elections in May. Talabani is expected to travel to Kurdistan to hold emergency meetings with Rasul and his other former comrades-in-arms. This is not the first time the stout Kurdish leader has faced a rebellion from within the ranks of his followers. Kurdish observers say these disputes usually stem from disagreements over money and power.

5 politicians in Kurdish Iraqi President Talabani's PUK party resign . PUK and Kurdistan Democratic Party rivals for power in Kurdistan . Official says resignations are over corruption, questions of where money goes . Resignations could threaten power base of Talabani, first Kurdish president .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iran may be holding a former FBI agent in a bid to exchange him for Iranians seized by U.S. troops in Iraq in 2007, a U.S. senator suggested Tuesday. Christine Levinson, wife of Robert Levinson, went to Tehran in 2007 to try to learn her husband's fate. Robert Levinson disappeared from Iran's Kish Island in March 2007. Iranian authorities have repeatedly said they don't have any information on him, but that is widely doubted in the United States. "On several diplomatic occasions when Bob Levinson's name has been brought up to Iranian officials, the standard answer is, 'We don't know anything about that.' But the next thing out of the Iranian officials' mouths are to discuss the matter of the Iranians held by the Americans in Irbil, Iraq," Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, told reporters. "You can draw your own conclusions." U.S. troops arrested five Iranians accused of being members of an elite Iranian military unit during a January 2007 raid in the Kurdish city of Irbil. They were accused of supporting Shiite militias in Iraq, but Iran said they were diplomats and accused the United States of violating international law by raiding a consulate. The United States said the men were taken at a liaison office that lacks diplomatic status. Two were released the next November. Nelson and Florida Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler, whose district includes Levinson's Coral Springs home, are trying to jump-start efforts to find the missing man. Wexler said Iranian authorities have not assisted the Levinsons, saying they have "zero knowledge" of his whereabouts and are stonewalling "any effort to gain pertinent information." Levinson's wife, Christine, said her husband was working as a private investigator on a cigarette smuggling case when he disappeared. "It's been extremely difficult for my family," she said. "We hope to resolve this as soon as possible." Wexler and Nelson said they plan to introduce legislation in their respective houses calling on Iran to cooperate with the United States and come up with information about Levinson. Nelson said Iran could use Levinson's case as a show of good will toward the incoming Obama administration, which has said it wants to engage Iran after three decades without diplomatic relations. "We hope that Iran will take this moment in time to show a change in the relationship with the United States by doing this humanitarian gesture for this family," he said. In a January 22 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Wexler asked that the case be raised "at the highest levels." Nelson raised Levinson's status during Clinton's confirmation hearing. Nelson said the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations has discussed Levinson's case with him under the "fiction" that he represents the people of Florida, not the U.S. government. But he said the Iranians have never acknowledged holding the former federal agent. Levinson had been working as a private investigator in Dubai and was last heard from on March 8, 2007. His family said he checked into a hotel on Kish Island and then checked out the next day to go back to the United States, but he never boarded his flight. Levinson family members have met with local Iranian officials and have traveled to Iran to retrace his steps. Christine Levinson also flew to the United Nations in September to ask questions about her husband, whom she says suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. The family has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his safe return. The State Department and FBI have consistently denied Levinson was working for the government and have demanded Iran free Levinson -- if it is holding him. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the U.S. government has called on Iran to provide more information about the matter "for some time." "His family's extremely concerned, as you can understand, that no information has been forthcoming," Wood said. "So, again, we call on the Iranians to provide whatever information they have on Mr. Levinson so that we can hopefully return this gentleman to his family."

Robert Levinson disappeared almost two years ago from Iranian island . Florida congressman, senator seek new attention from Obama administration . Senator says Iranians caught in Iraq always mentioned in conjunction with Levinson . Iranians say they have "zero knowledge" of missing man's whereabouts .

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(CNN) -- A recent scientific expedition in Colombia's mountainous Darien region has unearthed 10 new species of amphibians, an environmental organization said. A new species of salamander was one of the exciting discoveries in Colombia's Darien region. Scientists with Conservation International on Monday announced the discovery of 10 new species in what's being referred to as a safe haven for frogs located in the west of the country on the border with Panama. The discovery of 10 amphibians, which are believed to be new to science, was the result of a three-week survey of the area, the group said. The new species were discovered as part of a CI program aimed at assessing the ecological health of a given area. Scientists identified nearly 60 species of amphibians, 20 reptiles and 120 species of birds, the group said in a prepared statement. The discoveries come as global extinction rates continue to rise. Experts with Conservation International argue that the discovery is particularly significant since amphibians serve as an accurate gauge of an area's ecological health. Amphibians can act as an early warning sign of pollution such as acid rain due to their porous, absorbent skin. The sensitivity of these species to low level environmental threats can also act as a barometer for human health. Conservation International says the discovery offered renewed optimism. "The high number of new amphibian species found is a sign of hope, even with the serious threat of extinction that this animal group faces in many other regions of the country and the world, " says Jose Vicente Rodriguez Mahecha, Scientific Director of CI-Colombia, who was part of the team that discovered the new species. The region is, however, not immune to modern threats. According to Conservation International, between 25 percent to 30 percent of the natural vegetation in the Darien area is currently being deforested. For the scientists, the hope now is that the discoveries will renew efforts to conserve the region and manage its rich biodiversity.

Ten new species of amphibians found in Colombia near border with Panama . Conservation International says the discovery offered renewed optimism . 25-30 percent of vegetation in the Darien area is currently being deforested .

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(CNN) -- Israel was founded on democratic principles with the Jewish state's declaration of independence in 1948 including a commitment to the "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex." It has remained a continuous democracy ever since. The 120-seat Knesset is the Israeli seat of government. The seat of Israeli government is the Knesset, the country's national parliament, located in Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital. The Knesset's 120 lawmakers are elected by universal suffrage with all Israeli citizens over the age of 18 entitled to vote. Knesset seats are divided according to each party's proportion of the overall vote. But parties must poll at least two percent nationally to gain a seat. Participation in elections, including among Arab Israelis who constitute around 20 percent of the population, has traditionally been high at around 80 percent turnout, according to Israeli government figures. Israel currently has around 5.3 million eligible voters. Israel usually holds national elections every four years. But this year's poll on February 10 was called early -- less than three years since the last vote -- by Israeli President Shimon Peres following the resignation of prime minister Ehud Olmert amid allegations of corruption and his Kadima Party successor Tzipi Livni's failure to form a coalition. Olmert has continued to serve as caretaker prime minister in the interim. Coalitions of two or more parties are common in Israel; in fact no party has ever won enough votes to form a government by itself. Those remaining outside the ruling coalition make up the opposition. Thirty-four parties will participate in the 2009 elections, including major parties such as Kadima, Likud and Labor and also three Arab parties. The task of forming and leading a government is charged by Israel's president to the Knesset member and party leader considered to have the best chance of forming a viable coalition. The prime minister-designate then has 28 days, extendable by 14 days, to build a coalition commanding the support of at least 61 Knesset members. Officials results are due to be published on February 18 with the new Knesset convening on March 2.

Israel goes to the polls in national elections on February 10 . 34 parties bidding for 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament . Turnout among Israel's 5.3 million eligible voters expected to be high . Election follows collapse of Kadima-led coalition, resignation of ex-PM Ehud Olmert .

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BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- Marxist guerrillas admit they recently killed eight Indians whom the rebels accused of collaborating with the Colombian government, media outlets reported Tuesday. In Bogota, Colombia, last week, Luis Evelis Andrade denounces the killings of Indians by FARC rebels. Human rights organizations and a state governor last week had accused the the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as FARC, of killing at least 27 Awa Indians in southwest Colombia in the past two weeks. The FARC issued a statement dated February 11 saying the guerrillas detained and "executed" eight people on February 6 in the town of Rio Bravo because the Indians were gathering information about the rebels to give to the Colombian military. The FARC statement was posted Tuesday by the New Colombia News Agency and Caracol Radio's Web site. The statement said the guerrillas were not targeting indigenous populations but took the action "against people who independent of their race, religion, ethnicity, social condition etc. accepted money and put themselves at the service of the army in an area that is the object of military operations." The FARC communication also urged the Indians not to be manipulated by government officials who say the guerrillas are out to harm indigenous populations. "They know of our respect for the civil community," the statement said, adding that a government that "never has looked out for these indigenous communities and has plunged them into war can't be their defenders. They are their executioners!" Last week, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe called the FARC "executioners" for killing Indians. "Let the world know: The Democratic Security [forces] protect the indigenous because it is for all Colombians," Uribe said. "And the FARC deceive the country, they assassinate the indigenous." The governor of Narino state, Navarro Wolff, said last week the FARC had killed 10 Awa in one incident a few days earlier and 17 others the previous week. Luis Evelis Andrade of the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, known by its Spanish acronym ONIC, said the FARC had targeted the Awa because the Indians don't want to get involved in the armed struggle and refuse to reveal information on government troop actions. Speaking on Caracol TV, ONIC said the FARC has abducted 120 Awa since February 4 and 44 Awa have been killed this year. Others also shared their concern. "We are very worried about the Awa community," said Monsignor Gustavo Giron Higuita, the bishop of the city of Tumaco. "It is a community that is pretty unprotected and that in the past five years has received a type of persecution by armed groups." The Awa, he said, "are pacifist, want respect of their organization and want to regain their traditions. We have been accompanying them in this process, and that's why this hurts so much." Colombian Attorney General Alejandro Ordonez Maldonado ordered the nation's human rights commissioner to launch an investigation and take steps to help the Awa. The Human Rights Watch organization said Wednesday that the guerrillas tortured some of the Awa before killing them with knives. "These cruel killings violate the most basic principles of human decency and dignity," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "There is no possible excuse or justification for these horrific actions." Monsignor Ruben Salazar Gomez, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia, joined last week's chorus of criticism, calling the killings a "very grave ... crime the whole country should condemn." New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a release that group members have made numerous visits to Narino, which is one of Colombia's 32 departments, or states. Narino is in southwest Colombia, on the Pacific Ocean and the border with Ecuador. The area has a heavy presence of various armed groups and Colombian military forces and has among the worst human rights conditions in Colombia, the human rights group said. The Awa territories have been particularly affected. The Colombian government has issued a "risk report" warning that civilians in the region are in danger. The FARC is said to have "confined" some villages, cutting them off from the outside world and not allowing anyone to enter or leave. The FARC, the largest and oldest guerrilla group in Colombia, has been waging war against the government since the 1960s. Security analysts say the FARC has about 9,000 to 12,000 armed guerillas and several thousand supporters, mostly in rural areas. The guerrilla group operates mostly in Colombia but has carried out extortion, kidnappings, bombings and other activities in Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador.

Statement from rebel group FARC takes responsibility for slayings of 8 Indians . FARC says the victims were "executed" for helping Colombian government . Indians say FARC targets them because they want to stay out of armed struggle . Human Rights Watch says rebels tortured some Indians before killing them .

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CNN) -- Former presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil called Wednesday for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use and a change in tactics on the war on drugs, a Spanish news agency said. People march in support of legalized marijuana in late January in Belem, northern Brazil. Ex-presidents Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico, Cesar Gaviria of Colombia and Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil made their announcement at a meeting in Brazil of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, the EFE news agency said. "The problem is that current policies are based on prejudices and fears and not on results," Gaviria said at a news conference in which the commission's recommendations were presented. The 17-member panel worked on the report for a year and will forward it to all Latin American governments as well as the United States and the European Union, EFE said. Gaviria said the time is right to start a debate on the subject, particularly with the pragmatic openings provided by the election of President Barack Obama in the United States. "In many states in the United States, as is the case in California, they have begun to change federal policies with regard to tolerating marijuana for therapeutic purposes. And in Washington there's some consensus that the current policy is failing," EFE quotes Gaviria as saying. Decriminalization should be accompanied by treatment for addicts and public service campaigns on abuse prevention, the commission said. "If you don't help those who are dependent, you are half way there because they are going to commit crime to get money and pay for the drug," Gaviria said. Cardoso said the group called for only the decriminalization of marijuana and not other illicit drugs because "you have to start somewhere" and it would have been unrealistic to ask the same for all drugs, EFE said. Marijuana was chosen because it is grown in all countries in the region and because it is "less harmful." The decades-old criminalization of personal consumption has failed to stop the plant's cultivation and distribution, the group said. The commission urged that all current criminal prosecution be aimed at drug cartels and organized crime and not marijuana smokers, EFE said. Zedillo did not attend the news conference but worked on the report, Cardoso said. Wednesday's recommendation was the second time in less than a week that a Latin American government official called for decriminalization. A mayor in Peru suggested Friday that the federal government legalize illicit drugs and administer them through the national health ministry. Gusto Sierra, the mayor of the Surquillo district in Lima, said a federal drug law is hypocritical because it allows maximum legally allowed quantities for some drugs and plants but doesn't say where to acquire them, the Peru 21 newspaper reported in a front-page story headlined "Say yes to drugs?" Sierra said he will take the matter up with the nation's executive branch. Zedillo served as president of Mexico from 1994-2000. Gaviria was president of Colombia from 1990-94. And Cardoso led Brazil from 1995-2002.

Ex-presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia urge decriminalization of marijuana . Leaders urge treatment for addicts, public service campaigns on abuse prevention . Criminal prosecution should target drug cartels, not users, former leaders say .

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(CNN) -- Malmo is a shopper's heaven. Most stores are within walking distance of the city center, and unlike in neighboring Copenhagen, where shops are usually shut all day on Sunday, most department stores and shopping centers are open seven days a week. Select from modern and classic designs at the shop at the Form Design Center. Stock up on souvenirs at the stores around Lilla Torg. Hokeriet, an old-fashioned general store, sells a variety of collectibles and interesting gifts while hand-painted Swedish wooden clogs are a specialty of Toffelmakaren. Venture into the picturesque Gamla Vaster neighborhood and you'll find chic boutiques like Issue (Stora Nygatan 25a) which stocks designer labels like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Rag & Bone. Fashion mavens will also want to check out the eclectic label Robert & Blad (Norra Grangesbergsgatan 4), which is known for making well-cut clothes in good fabrics. Kit of Elsinore (Rodergatan 2) in the trendy Western Harbor neighborhood is another spot to hit for of-the-moment style. If you want the convenience of a big shopping center, you can find just about anything at Hansa (Malmborgsgatan 6) and Triangeln (Sodra Forstadsgatan 41), which are both centrally located. If you have a weakness for shoes, check out the feminine footwear at Scardia, which recently moved from its flagship store in Master Johannsgatan to Hansa. Scandinavia is synonymous with good design and you don't have to go far in Malmo to find examples to take home. A variety of contemporary and classic designs are on sale in the shop at the Form Design Center in Hedmanska Garden. Also check out Formagruppen (Engelbrektsgatan 8) and Olsson & Gerthel (Engelbrektsgatan 9), which are both located nearby. Looking to spruce up your home? David Design (Skeppsbron 3) specializes in sophisticated interior design. Design Torget (Sodra Vallgatan 3) is the perfect place to find a gift for that someone who's impossible to buy for. The shop showcases independent designers and sells everything from unique kitchen utensils to quirky toys for kids. New items are added to its shelves every week. Take a break from your shopping extravaganza at Saluhallen, the covered market on Lilla Torg that is a tourist attraction it is own right. Stalls sell everything from sushi and kebabs to baked potatoes and bagels. If you're into buying green, Drottningtorget is the place for you. Here you'll find Morot & Annat, which sells everything from organically produced textiles to produce. Nearby Uma Bazaar (Ostra Forstadsg 13) stocks a wide range of fair-trade clothing produced by a women's collective in India. .................... Malmo City Guide: Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop . Do you agree with our Malmo picks? Share your comments and suggestions in the SoundOff below.

Swedish clogs and traditional wooden toys make great souvenirs . If you're in to eco-friendly shopping, head to Drottningtorget . Find gifts for people who are impossible to buy for at Design Torget . For fashion-forward apparel, check out local designers like Robert & Blad .

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MALMO, Sweden (CNN) -- The breathy vocals of Nina Persson helped launch The Cardigans onto the music scene in the 1990s. The band developed its dreamy pop sound in the Southern Swedish town of Malmo. Singer Nina Persson finds musical inspiration in love and relationships. They were catapulted to international success in 1997, when the single "Lovefool" appeared on the soundtrack for "Romeo and Juliet," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. The song's chorus ("Love me, love me, say that you love me") became a pop anthem. In addition to fronting The Cardigans, Persson, 34, has worked on solo projects under the name A Camp. Now, after a near decade long hiatus, her second A Camp album, "Colonia," is due out later this month. Persson, who splits her time between New York and Malmo, talks to CNN's "My City, My Life" about music, inspiration and life after "Lovefool." CNN: How did The Cardigans start? Nina Persson: We formed the band in this town where we are all originally from -- Jonkoping -- and that was in 1992. Magnus and Peter were the two guys who actually met and wanted to form the band. And then they recruited people and I was one of the first to be recruited, along with a friend of mine who played guitar in the first version of The Cardigans. I had not sung before that really. I was sort of hired because they knew they wanted a girl singing. And I was like 'I'm a girl' and I guess we got along well and I was willing to learn to sing. So that's how it started really. Watch Nina take CNN on a tour of her favorite Malmo spots » . CNN: How big was music in your life before you joined the band? Nina Persson: I've loved music my whole life. But I never really listened to a record and thought that was something that I wanted to do. I was interested in becoming a painter, an architect, a designer. Those are the things I was interested in. But music, I never took instrument classes -- it was a random thing to start doing. CNN: Sometime a career finds you? Nina Persson: Yeah and I was a person who was really helped by it. I was looking for something but I didn't know what it was and it proved to fulfill what I needed at the time. CNN: How is A Camp different from The Cardigans? Nina Persson: It's hard to say what makes it different because I'm still doing the same thing -- I'm still writing songs and singing them -- but it feels like it's a bigger freedom because I am in charge in A Camp. I like both. Both serve good purposes. I like to be in the collective, being part of the machinery, but I also really enjoy being dictator. CNN: How do you define yourself as a musician now? Nina Persson: Well I'm not. I'm not one of these people who live and breathe music. In the beginning I was a reluctant musician -- I still haven't bothered to learn an instrument. I'm still only a singer and that's how I write my songs. I'm always superstitious that if I do learn an instrument I would pop the bubble a bit. CNN: Is there anything else you would have liked to have done if you hadn't done singing? Nina Persson: At the time when I was found, picked up by the band, I was into art. I was really good at drawing, really creative. I made stuff, I built stuff, I sewed stuff. I thought I would end up in that world somewhere. Photography was a big thing for me. In retrospect, I'm sure that could have been a good career for me. But recently I've started to wish that I could start over and dedicate my life to medicine. I would have loved to go to med school. I don't think I will because I don't want to spend seven or eight years in training, but I dream about working in a hospital. CNN: What were your inspirations over the years? Nina Persson: That's an incredibly difficult question to answer, but I think I'm a sucker for constantly going back to the subject of love and relationships. It also varies very much from project to project and month to month. I'm very emotional when it comes to the music. I want to make people cry. CNN: Tell us the story of how the band ended up in Malmo. See photos of Nina in Malmo » . Nina Persson: We moved here because we started to record in Tambourine Studios which was here. Most studios are in Stockholm so sort of all roads wanted to drag us to Stockholm but we did persist and came here. CNN: When you came to Malmo, what was it like starting out in the early days? Nina Persson: Our parents helped us move down here which was really sweet. They sort of dropped us off and waved goodbye and we moved in. We really did hang out, the five of us, quite exclusively in the beginning. CNN: What was the area like back then? Has it changed? Nina Persson: Well actually the area where I now live hasn't changed that much. A lot of Malmo has moved away from the blue collar past it has, but not that area. It has strangely remained the same, and I like it. CNN: Do you think the gritty atmosphere of Malmo has helped you stay grounded? Nina Persson: Well it's hard to say how much has to do with the people we are or how much to do with Malmo. But there certainly is something here that does not encourage big headedness. CNN: The musical heritage of Malmo is quite rocky. How did you guys fit in? Nina Persson: People thought we were really ridiculous when we came to this totally rock place and played pop music. So we didn't fit in at all -- we were never part of the scene here. CNN: You were happy to be outsiders of the rocky heritage? Nina Persson: I think we felt sort of cool about doing our own thing. We thought we knew something that the others didn't understand. CNN: Is there something about Malmo that helps shape your music or influence you? Nina Persson: I think Malmo did have a big influence on us. Obviously we came here for the sound, and we got the sound we wanted. We were away from the industry -- that was great for us. I really did appreciate being in a place where there is not a lot whole of press and industry. Nina takes . CNN: So you also live in New York. What brings you back to Malmo? Nina Persson: For me, I love Malmo very much because of my friendships. In Malmo I get the intimacy and get to run into my friends in the street once in a while which is a lovely feeling and I get to have a great grocery store just around the corner. CNN: If Malmo was a person, what kind of person would it be? Nina Persson: It would be somebody who has been around for a while and survived a lot of hardships -- somebody you don't mess with, somebody really intelligent, stubborn, with a lot of beauty on the inside.

Cardigans' singer discusses Malmo, the group's adopted hometown . The band moved to the Southern Swedish city for a particular sound, she says . Persson talks about the "bigger freedom" that comes with her solo projects . Inspired by love and relationships, she wants her music "to make people cry"

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JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militants fired a long-range rocket from Gaza into southwestern Israel on Tuesday morning. It was the first such attack into the city of Ashkelon since the two sides declared a cease-fire, the Israeli military said. This aerial view shows the power station and industrial zone of Ashkelon, Israel, in March of 2008. The missile fired from a Grad rocket launcher did not cause any injuries or damage in the coastal city, said a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces. Rockets fired from a Grad have a longer range than the crude, home-made Qassams that Palestinian militants in Gaza fire more frequently. Militants have used Grads to strike farther into Israel. Ashkelon lies 12 miles (19 km) north of Gaza. Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007, declared separate, tentative cease-fires two weeks ago after more than three weeks of fighting in Gaza. Israel launched the attack on Hamas in Gaza on December 27 with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks on southern Israel. More than 1,300 Palestinians died and about 5,400 others were wounded. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, were also killed in the fighting. Since the two sides declared a cease-fire on January 21, militants have sporadically fired rockets into Israel. Israel has responded with air strikes. CNN's Igor Krotov contributed to this report.

It's the first attack into Ashkelon since cease-fire two weeks ago . Coastal city of Ashkelon is about 12 miles north of Gaza . Israeli Defense Forces say missile didn't cause any damage or injuries . Palestinians say more than 1,300 died after recent Israeli attacks on Hamas .

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BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- Colombian officials are blaming the FARC guerrilla group for a car bombing late Sunday at a police station in Cali that killed two people and wounded at least 14. Residents check out a destroyed police building after a car bombing Sunday night in Cali, Colombia. It was the second bombing in Colombia attributed to the Marxist guerrilla group in less than a week. An explosion at a Blockbuster video rental store in an upscale Bogota neighborhood Tuesday killed two and wounded more than 20. The suspect in Sunday night's attack was killed in a shootout with police after the explosion, Cali Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina said Monday, hours after convening a special security meeting in the middle of the night. "Although the explosive device only had moderate impact," Ospina said on the Cali government Web site, "we should not forget we are at war and the FARC has been committing terrorist acts in Bogota, Neiva, Cali and other cities in the country. That's why we cannot let our guard down, since they take advantage of Sundays and city centers, where control is more difficult." The explosion came just hours after the rebel group released four hostages in what many interpreted as a gesture to reach a peace accord with the government. Two officials also are slated to be released this week. FARC, which is the Spanish acronym for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is the largest and oldest revolutionary group in the nation and has been at war with the government for more than 40 years. According to Ospina, a blue and red Renault 12 Break pickup crashed into the police headquarters in Cali at 10:38 p.m. and then exploded. The driver tried to flee but was felled by two shots from uniformed police and died a few hours later at a hospital, the mayor said. The explosion caused damage in a two-block area, the Cali news Web site Semana.com said. Five of the 14 wounded were minors, Ospina said, citing emergency director Laureano Quintero. The injured are suffering from fractures and other wounds not considered life-threatening, he said. Cali's health minister, Alejandro Varela, said earlier 32 were wounded, including a pregnant woman who was in good condition. Others complained of hearing problems. The mayor's office said the previous higher tally could be a result of people not wounded in the bombing but seeking medical attention to receive government help. Three police were wounded, including a major with a broken arm and an officer who had to have three fingers amputated on his left hand, said the police chief, Gustavo Adolfo Ricaurte Tapia. The bombing caused a temporary power outage, which made security more difficult for officials, said the news Web site Burladero.com. It was the fourth bombing in Cali in less than 42 months, Semana.com said. The latest bombing took place about five blocks from the Palace of Justice, which was blasted by a car bomb in August, killing four and wounding 26. Police buildings were bombed in April 2007 and August 2006. The earlier blast killed five and wounded 17, Semana.com said. Security analysts say FARC has about 9,000 to 12,000 armed guerillas and several thousand supporters, mostly in rural areas. The guerrilla group was established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party. The guerrillas operate mostly in Colombia but have carried out extortion, kidnappings and other activities in Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador, according to the Federation of American Scientists Intelligence Resource Program. Authorities said Sunday night's bomb contained 90 kilograms (198 pounds) of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and fuel, a commonly used explosive, Semana.com said. By comparison, the bomb that Timothy McVeigh used in the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, contained more than 2,800 kilos (6,200 pounds) of ammonium nitrate and diesel fuel.

Car bombing at police station in Cali, Colombia, kills two people, wounds at least 14 . FARC rebels also blamed for last week's bombing at video rental store in Bogota . Suspect in Cali attack dies in shootout with police after blast, mayor says . Cali explosion comes hours after FARC releases four hostages .

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Editor's note: CNN has asked its journalists across the country to offer their thoughts on how the economic crisis is affecting their cities. In this installment, Bob Crowley reports from Boston, Massachusetts. Hardware store owner Brendan Kenney says "people who have money should go out and spend it." BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Brendan Kenney has seen enough bad news about the economy. "I'm also getting tired of being worried," he says. His family has been running a small hardware store in Brookline, Massachusetts, just outside Boston, for about 56 years. He says business has slowed down a little, but mostly because winter is normally the slow time of year for them. Though he hopes the stimulus plan will help his and other small businesses, he believes people shouldn't be afraid. "I think the American consumer holds a lot of power," he continues. "I think people who have money should go out and spend it." Like many in the Boston area, Kenney doesn't want to hear more discouraging stories and sees that as part of the problem. "It's just negative story after negative story, kind of creating a crisis of confidence." Watch Boston-area reaction to the economic slump » . South of Boston, Jose Nieto, from Plainville, has his own reasons to be discouraged. Between September and October of last year, he was laid off twice. Nieto, a civil engineer who works on road construction projects, had felt fortunate. After losing his job of 14 years, he was able to find employment after only being out of work for two weeks. After being on the new job for three weeks, however, he got called into the boss's office. "I said, 'Oh, no. My God, not again.'" He was faced with looking for work in an industry that traditionally slows down in the winter months. "It's more than losing your job. It gives you a feeling of rejection," he says. Yet, Nieto feels this is a time to learn valuable lessons, especially for those who need to dip into their savings when unemployment checks don't cover all of the bills. "I think a lot of people will learn from this situation, and, going forward, they'll try to save more money." He has been trying to stay healthy, busy and positive. Passing the time working on projects in his basement workshop and taking yoga classes has helped him get through the rough spots, and his luck is turning. He was offered a job that starts in March. "It is a relief, because I'm employed," he says, "however, I'm taking a job for much less money." Nieto believes that most employers cannot afford to hire at the salaries they could offer in the past. Like Kenney's hardware store, Sue Stein's American craft gallery, also in Brookline, is not seeing any major shifts in her business, yet. "Our business has been certainly down, but not devastating," she says. Fire Opal, her gallery, sells everything from earrings to pottery to scarves, all made by artists from around the country. To keep her business healthy, she says, she is trying to make adjustments like buying less merchandise. But she is changing her approach to her customers as well. She says she tries to keep "understanding that people are having a hard time and trying to find things that are more in their price range." Like Kenney and Nieto, Stein is also trying to stay optimistic. "I think if we all are very careful," she says, "we'll sort of ride it out and then things will adjust."

Hardware store owner in Boston slams "negative story after negative story" Worker laid off twice in two months says he's trying to stay positive . Layoff also brings on feelings of rejection, worker says . Gallery owner says business is down but not "devastating"

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Editor's note: Fareed Zakaria is a foreign affairs analyst who hosts "Fareed Zakaria: GPS" on CNN at 1 and 6 p.m. ET Sundays. "Banks are still reporting large losses, credit remains tight, home prices continue to fall," notes Fareed Zakaria. NEW YORK (CNN) -- President Barack Obama offered more detail on his plan to restore economic growth Friday, saying the economic stimulus program being debated in Congress is just one of at least three parts to his recovery plan. In a meeting to discuss the stimulus proposal with Vice President Joe Biden and Democratic and Republican congressional leadership, Obama said America also needs an improved financial system stability program as well as an overhaul of financial market regulation. CNN talked to world affairs expert and author Fareed Zakaria to get his thoughts about the most pressing issues facing the new president. CNN: What should be President Obama's first order of business? Zakaria: Oh, without question, the economy. This is a problem that isn't going away. Banks are still reporting large losses, credit remains tight, home prices continue to fall. It's difficult to tell whether the measures enacted have not had time to work, or that they are not working. But the basic reality remains -- the financial system is in crisis, and as a result, the American economy is in a dangerous paralysis. President Obama needs to focus like a laser beam on this issue above and beyond everything else. CNN: Does that mean foreign policy takes a back seat? Zakaria: Not a back seat, but if I were advising him, I would suggest that he save his presidential time, energy and political capital for the economy. He will probably need to go to Congress soon and ask for more money and more authority. Now, having said all this, the trouble with foreign policy is that it doesn't wait around for you until the time is convenient. Things happen and you have to react to them -- like the violence in Gaza. That's probably why the president called the foreign leaders he did on his first day -- [Palestinian President Mahmoud] Abbas [Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert, [Saudi] King Abdullah and [Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak. He had to make sure that the situation didn't spiral downward. CNN: What's the first major foreign policy problem President Obama should address? Zakaria: Afghanistan. This is his war; the one he said was the right war. And it isn't going well. The Taliban is gaining strength and the central government is losing power and legitimacy. CNN: The Taliban is back? I thought we defeated them. Zakaria: The Taliban was not defeated: They retreated. They retreated into the rural areas of Pakistan. If you remember, the Taliban was born in Pakistan and supported by the Pakistani military as a tool to destabilize Soviet-controlled Afghanistan and India. Since they retreated, they have been able to slowly reassert their influence. Rory Stewart, who was just in Afghanistan, is on our show this week and he mentions that in the past, the Taliban only had a presence in southern Afghanistan. But they now can be found in Kabul. The fact they have such a presence in the capital, an area we considered secure, is very troubling. CNN: Why are they experiencing this support within the country? Zakaria: There are many reasons. But you have to remember, this is still a very poor country that is very fragmented. Security and the rule of law are missing and the Taliban provides it. Barney Rubin remarked that the first thing the Taliban creates when they go into an area is courts. It may not be the type of justice we would like; but for the Afghans it's better than the corrupt system that exists. Also, we shouldn't assume our image of the Taliban is correct. It is a very dynamic organization and changes. We may need to find a way to negotiate with them. CNN: Negotiate with the group that harbored al Qaeda? Zakaria: It may be a political necessity. Rory Stewart said, "It's not 'what ought we do,' but 'what can we do.'" He argues that at some point, the reality of troops and money will force us to revaluate our goals and we should start that process now. And there are many other crises America must deal with -- Iraq, Pakistan, sub-Saharan Africa, Iran -- so we can't be obsessed with Afghanistan. Barney Rubin added: The question is, whether we can separate the terrorist al Qaeda connections from the political issues of the Taliban. If that can occur, then it may be possible to find a solution in Afghanistan as [Gen. David] Petraeus helped broker in Iraq. We'll have to wait and see what Gen. Petraeus advises the president and what he decides to do. Done in [the president's] spare time, when he's not handling the economy. [Barnett Rubin is one of the nation's foremost experts on Afghanistan and Pakistan and the author of eight books. Rory Stewart, who lives in Kabul, has traveled extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq and written books about his experiences.] .

Fareed Zakaria: Obama should save presidential time, energy for the economy . U.S. economy is in dangerous paralysis, says Zakaria . Zakaria: War in Afghanistan is top foreign policy problem Obama should address .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Pop star George Michael was cautioned by police in London after being arrested in public toilets on suspicion of possessing drugs, the UK's Press Association reported. George Michael has talked candidly about drug use in the past. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said a 45-year-old man had been arrested in the Hampstead Heath area of London on Friday. He was later released with a caution for possession of class A and class C drugs. The statement did not name Michael, but other sources confirmed his identity. Reports Sunday said Michael had been arrested following a tip-off to police from a suspicious toilet attendant, PA said. The 45-year-old, who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, has talked openly about his use of drugs in the past. In an inteview with the BBC last year he admitted: "I'm a happy man and I can afford my marijuana so that's not a problem." Last May he pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs and was banned from driving for two years after being found slumped behind the wheel of his car.

George Michael cautioned after being arrested for drugs in London public toilet . Pop star was released with a caution for possession of class A, class C drugs . Press reports claim police were tipped off by a suspicious toilet attendant .

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MUMBAI, India (CNN) -- In the U.S., the film "Slumdog Millionaire" barely escaped going straight to video before it caught the eye of moviegoers and critics alike, becoming a sleeper hit and best picture nominee. It's viewed by many observers as the film to beat at the 81st annual Academy Awards. Danny Boyle, left, celebrates with actor Anil Kapoor, right, at the Mumbai premiere of "Slumdog Millionaire." In the city where the movie was shot, Mumbai, India, the recognition came much quicker and more enthusiastically. The Mumbai premiere had all the makings of a scene from a Bollywood blockbuster: Musicians banged on traditional Indian drums as the cast and crew broke into dance on the red carpet in recognition of the 10 Academy Award nominations the film received Thursday. "It feels like a million nominations," said director Danny Boyle, who earned one of the nominations. Watch scenes from the Mumbai premiere » . Bollywood legend Anil Kapoor, who stars as the host of the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" in the movie, said he was with Boyle when the nominations were announced. "Danny had tears in his eyes, and I couldn't control myself," Kapoor said. Watch Kapoor rave about the film » . But not everyone was celebrating. The film, about a Mumbai orphan seeking fame and love through the "Millionaire" game show, has stirred strong emotions among some Indian critics. They found the word "slumdog" in the title insulting and complained that the movie romanticizes poverty in India. Film critic Meenakshi Shedde said she was disappointed with the movie. "What saddened me and annoyed me about the film is that it's a laundry list of India's miseries," she said. "The poverty, the child labor, the beggary, the prostitution, that part of it was just banal, I thought." According to the Press Trust of India, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan -- who once hosted the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" -- recently cleared the air with Boyle regarding Bachchan's reported criticism of the Golden Globe-winning film. Such negativity was forgotten at the Mumbai premiere, which was attended by several Bollywood celebrities. They said the event marked a proud day for Indian cinema. Loveleen Tandan, who was the film's casting director, said the entire cast was exhilarated by news of the Academy Award nominations. As for her whether she believed "Slumdog Millionaire" had a chance at the Oscars, she expressed confidence. "Now I can say it openly, I have high hopes," she said. "I am sure there's a statue waiting for A.R. Rahman [who composed the film's music and received three nominations] to bring home." CNN's Mallika Kapur contributed to this report.

Cast and crew celebrate Mumbai premiere of "Slumdog Millionaire" Film nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including best picture . Some in India critical of film's subject matter .

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(CNN) -- A Nigerian militant group released pictures Sunday of two Britons identified as captive oil workers, saying the men were "alive and well" and that more such Western workers would be taken hostage if the country does not stop exporting its oil wealth. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta released this image of two men it claims are British hostages. The photos, sent in an e-mail by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), show the men, identified as Robin Barry Hughes and Matthew John Maguire, standing on a dirt path wearing dirty shorts and flip flops. The pictures were "recent," MEND said in a written statement, but it is unclear when they were taken. MEND, formed in 2005, has taken American and European oil workers hostages in the past. The group is calling for more of the African nation's oil wealth to be pumped into the region -- instead of going to foreign investors -- and the release of political prisoners. The United States Agency for International Development says more than 70 percent of Nigeria lives on less than a dollar a day -- the population is among the 20 poorest in the world. Nigeria's federal government and oil companies split oil profits roughly 60-40. The money is then supposed to make its way down to the local governments to fund various projects, but little money actually reaches its intended destination. The country's anti-corruption agency estimates between $300 billion to $400 billion has been stolen or wasted over the last 50 years. "Our policy on kidnapping high value oil workers from Western Europe and North America remains unchanged and will continue to form an integral part of our pressure strategy in the emancipation struggle in 2009," MEND said in its statement. Watch special correspondent Lisa Ling meet militant group in a secret location . A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said the government was aware of the pictures. "We call for their immediate and unconditional release and will remain in close contact with their families," the spokeswoman said, though she declined to elaborate on whether the families had seen the photos. "Our thoughts are with them on this deeply distressful time." Violence in oil-rich Nigeria has been limiting crude supplies out of the country. MEND has been attacking oil pipelines in retaliation against government forces, limiting the amount of crude oil that can be exported. MEND also repeated its threat that the men would be held hostage until the Nigerian government releases one of the group's members, Henry Okah, who was taken into custody last year and, according to local reports, is charged with treason.

Nigeria is one of world's richest oil states; people are among poorest in world . Militant group MEND demands profits given to Nigerian people . MEND is holding two British oil workers captive . MEND says more workers will be seized if Nigeria does not stop exporting oil wealth .

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(CNN) -- Legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith is confirming the latest buzz: She's been laid off from the New York Post. Legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith, 86, has been a fixture of New York tabloids for more than three decades. Confronted with "economic gales," New York Post Editor Col Allan said in a letter sent to Smith that the newspaper would not renew her contract, which expires at the end of the month. "The Post is grateful to have been able to publish Liz Smith's legendary column for so many years. We wish her the very best for the future," Allan said in a statement Tuesday. In an interview with CNN affiliate WABC-TV in New York, Smith noted that Friday "will be the first time in 33 years that there hasn't been a Liz Smith column in a New York paper." "That hurts my heart. I would hate to see another newspaper fail. ... When I came to New York, there were nine newspapers. I've worked for seven of them. They just disappear out from under you," she added. Often referred to as the "Diva of Dish," the 86-year-old Smith has been a presence in New York tabloids for more than three decades. She's written for the New York Post, New York Daily News and Newsday. Smith was also a fixture on local television, appearing on WNBC-TV for more than 10 years. In 2000, she published a memoir, "Natural Blonde," and wrote a nonfiction work in 2005 combining food and gossip, "Dishing." Though her titillating and often penetrating look at the New York social scene may be gone from tabloid pages, Smith will continue to publish, writing five times a week for wowOwow.com, an online community created and run by women for women. In an online statement, WowOwow.com co-founder Joni Evans said that Smith will begin posting next week.

For first time in 33 years on Friday, Liz Smith column won't be in a New York paper . Letter cites "economic gales" in decision not to renew contract . "We wish her the very best for the future," says New York Post Editor Col Allan . Smith will write five times a week for Web site wowOwow.com .

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(CNN) -- For anyone yearning to forget about the recession by escaping to a tropical paradise or relaxing on a cruise, finding great travel deals right now isn't hard. Deciding whether to take advantage of them is another matter. Katie Parker and her husband, Damon Fodge, are going to India soon, but she had second thoughts about the trip. For many Americans, spending money on a getaway may not be a priority, a possibility -- or even the right thing to do -- amid thousands of layoffs, plunging home prices and shrinking portfolios. The general misery is even causing some who can afford a big trip to stay put. Take "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, who told the blog TVNewser this month that he and his family would skip a vacation in 2009 because it wouldn't seem appropriate during a time of hardship for so many people. "We were going to try to get away, but it didn't feel right this year," Williams told the blog. Other Americans are jetting off, but they're having lots of second thoughts and are watching their wallets closely. Katie Parker, a Web designer who lives in Washington, is going to India next month to meet her husband on the last leg of his international business trip. Parker, 33, said she's excited about the vacation but apprehensive about spending $1,600 for her plane ticket in addition to lodging costs and other expenses during the two-week stay. "Although I think my job is probably safe, you never really know," Parker said. "Part of me thinks maybe we should have waited on this trip." She added, "But I also feel like it's a once in a lifetime thing. I don't know when I'm going to get another chance to go to India so we're just going to do it." Parker and her husband, Damon Fodge, are usually frugal while traveling, staying in hostels and other inexpensive lodgings, she said, but they will be especially careful about spending money during this journey. Parker recalled feeling devastated after a layoff several years ago and said the possibility that it might happen again would be on her mind. Fear factor . The fear over what could happen is causing many people to put their lives on hold and hunker down because they don't feel in control, said Nancy Molitor, a clinical psychologist who practices in suburban Chicago, Illinois. "There's a huge psychological component to any recession and this one, I think, in particular ... because it's gone on for so long," Molitor said. "Anxiety is contagious." She also has heard from patients and friends who are affluent but who feel embarrassed about spending a lot of money on travel right now. Some have "survivor's guilt" and are downplaying their vacations instead of feeling excited about them, Molitor said. Brian Morton, a manager at a movie studio in Los Angeles, California, said talking about his travel plans with friends who are already unemployed -- and for whom travel is out of the question -- can be uncomfortable. "You don't want to seem like you're bragging," he said. Morton, 37, is planning to spend at least $3,500 on a weeklong trip to Aruba this summer, even though there have been layoffs in his industry and he's not entirely sure his job is safe. "I don't think I'm going to stop vacationing just because of the recession," he said. "[But] I scrutinize my budget a little bit more. ... I want to get the most bang for my buck when it comes to hotels and that kind of thing." Where the deals are . Americans such as Morton who are willing to travel right now may find globe-trotting much more affordable than before. Watch tips for finding the best airfares » . "It's the best time in years to book a vacation; the deals are outstanding," said Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity. Hotels are offering some of the best values, especially in cities such as Las Vegas, Nevada; New York; and San Diego, California, she added. Bargains also can be found in Hawaii and Canada. Watch how to find off-season deals » . For sea lovers, cruises are among of the best values this year, Shaw Brown said, though she urged people to consider the additional money they might have to spend on shore excursions, alcohol and other extras. Depending on where you go, the current travel discounts and incentives can mean that a vacation that might have cost $4,000 a year ago now costs $2,500, said Rey Alton, leisure marketing director at Travel Leaders/Almeda Travel in Houston, Texas. "Some people say, 'I'm going to have to hold off until next year or maybe the year afterward,' but [those who want to travel now] are really the ones who are finding deals," he said. Mexico and the Caribbean are the biggest destinations on sale right now, he added. Molitor urged people to be mindful of their budgets but to try to avoid thinking they're stuck and have no options. "If they get away to a vacation that they could afford, that could be very good for them," Molitor said. "Some people are so down that they're missing opportunities."

Travel deals abound, but some people are reluctant to spend money during crisis . "Anxiety is contagious," even for those with steady incomes, psychologist says . Some affluent Americans may feel embarrassed about spending a lot on travel . "It's the best time in years to book a vacation," a Travelocity editor says .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The global health community has been battling tuberculosis for more than a century, yet the disease still thrives. TB, which is contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, spits or sneezes, strikes everywhere, but predominately affects the poor. The countries most affected by TB are the so-called high-burden ones, or the 22 countries identified by the World Health Organization that combined contribute 80 percent of the global burden of TB. Many health care systems in these nations don't have the resources, drugs and diagnostics to effectively deal with the disease, according to Dr. Mel Spigelman, director of research and development at the not-for-profit Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance). "But even if we upgraded those systems, the lack of a really effective vaccine, the lack of better and faster drugs that shorten treatment to a reasonable time and the lack of good drugs for treating resistant disease -- make it hard for any health care system to effectively deal with the disease," he said. TB is usually treated with a combination of antibiotics administered for six to 24 months. But many patients fail to finish the long course of treatment, which has led to the emergence of deadly strains of the disease that can't be wiped out by the usual drugs. There hasn't been a new class of TB drugs developed in 40 years, Because it is mainly a disease of poverty, there hasn't really been a commercial market for new drugs, Spigelman noted. However, growing awareness of the disease has led to greater emphasis being placed on finding new treatments. Scientists at Rutgers University recently developed a group of antibiotic compounds that could be strong enough to combat even drug-resistant strains of TB. The project is exciting but is still in an early phase, according to Spigelman. He said it could be a good 10 years before a drug based on that research is available. "We're going in the right direction, but unfortunately, the resources - given the magnitude of the problem - are still a small fraction of what is needed to have great chance of coming up with something that will turn the tide," he said.

Tuberculosis is a disease of poverty . There hasn't been a new class of TB drugs developed in 40 years . A funding shortfall could hamper the global fight against the disease .

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(CNN) -- First trip to Malmo? Here's some insider advice to help you get the most out of your visit. Locals like to take a cold dip after a sauna at Ribersborgs Kallbadhus. Getting around town Most of Malmo's attractions are reachable by foot, but flat terrain and an abundance of cycle paths also make the city ideal to explore by bike. Rentals run around 120 kronor. You can also jump on the eco-friendly buses that criss-cross the city. Visit the tourist office at Central Station for maps. If you opt for a taxi, be sure to set the price of the trip with the driver before setting off. Ice cool For more than a century, locals have been visiting the Ribersborgs Kallbadhus for a steam in the sauna followed by a dip in the Baltic. The swimming baths are open year-round. If you want to blend in with the locals, brave the elements and hit the baths in the winter for an icy plunge. A better time to visit for the less adventurous is in the summer, when the baths are open for sunbathing. Living green As part of its post-industrial transformation, Malmo has become a leader in environmental design. The city's green achievements are reflected by the Bo01 housing development, a waterfront regeneration project with a focus on environmentally-friendly living. For the latest in green design, visit the Western Harbor and Augustenborg neighborhoods. For a more informed look, contact the local Environmental Department, which occasionally offers free guided tours of the city's ecologically sustainable areas. Around the Sound Malmo is located just 35 minutes by train from the Danish capital of Copenhagen, and every day thousands travel between the two cities via the Oresund Bridge. Trains leave from Malmo every 20 minutes for most of the day. After midnight, service is less frequent. The two cities are part of Scandinavia's Oresund region -- the transnational area made up of southern Sweden and eastern Denmark. The best way to explore the Oresund region is with an "Around the Sound" ticket, which gives you access to all the trains you need to travel around the area, including the ride across the Oresund Bridge. You can make as many stops as you want as long as you travel in one direction. Tickets are good for two days and also get you discounts to the major attractions in the region. Prices depend on how far you travel and start from 199 kronor. Feasting on crayfish Swedes are crazy about crayfish, and outdoor festivities celebrating the crustacean are held across the nation to mark the end of summer. In Malmo, head to Stortorget, the city's main square, for one of the biggest crayfish parties in the world. The massive celebration is held annually to kick off the popular Malmo Festival. Swedes like their crayfish cooked in salty water infused with dill. Blend in with the locals by eating it cold with toast and beer. To really get into the tradition, wash down the crayfish with akvavit, a Scandinavian kind of vodka.

Walking is the cheapest and easiest way to explore Malmo . Have a steam followed by an icy dip in the sea for a truly local experience . Enjoy a two-nation vacation by taking a trip to nearby Copenhagen . Feasting on crayfish is a traditional way to mark the end of summer .

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(CNN) -- Just west of Seville in Spain, a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's energy to provide "concentrated solar power" (CSP) while illuminating the path to a new wave of green energy projects. Shining beacon: The concentrated solar power plant in Sanlucar, Spain is the first of its kind. The 624 carefully positioned mirrors reflect the sun's heat towards a 50 meter-tall central tower where it is concentrated and used to boil water into steam. The superheated steam is then used to turn a turbine that can produce up to 11 megawatts of electricity -- enough power for 6,000 homes -- according Solucar, the Spanish company that has built the power plant. While traditional solar panels, photovoltaic cells, convert the sun's power directly into electricity, CSP focuses power from a wide area and uses the vast heat generated to make electricity in a similar way to that produced from coal or oil. The Spanish tower, known as PS10, is the first phase of an ambitious development. By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm" with an output of 300 megawatts, which would be enough power for 180,000 homes, or equivalent to the entire population of nearby Seville. This $1.5 billion project is the largest commercial CSP station in the world -- so far. But many believe the technology will soon take off in areas of continuous hot sun and clear skies, offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to photovoltaic cells, and bringing jobs and money to arid, often depressed areas. CSP also produces no greenhouses gasses and the only pollution is visual. The European Union has invested over $31 million in CSP research over the last ten years. At least 50 CSP projects have been given permission to begin construction across Spain. By 2015 the country may be producing two gigawatts of electricity from CSP, and employing thousands in the industry. One of the strengths of CSP is that it allows the construction of power stations on a scale that can match many fossil fuel based plants, and for an investment far less than that required to install the equivalent wattage of photovoltaic cells. There is also the possibility that production can keep going around the clock -- even when the sun has gone down. Solucar is currently testing technology at a plant near Granada that will pump 50 percent of the electricity generated in the day into the Spanish national grid, and use the other 50 percent to melt salt, which will then act as a kind of battery, storing the sun's power. When dusk falls, the heat stored in the molten salt can be used to generate power through the night. "These technologies excite me," says Dr Jeff Hardy, Network Manager at the UK Energy Research Council. "One of the real advantages is that you can get a decent sized power plant. "The main challenge with the technology is working with extreme heat, but then a lot of the back-end is very similar to a traditional fossil-fuel generation; you are after all just dealing with water heated to make steam and drive a turbine." Concentrating on promoting CSP worldwide . As America looks to increase the contribution of renewables to its overall energy mix -- a key part of the Obama plan before the recession turbocharged Government funding for such "green" infrastructure projects -- the potential of CSP technology is obvious. The Spanish company responsible for the Sanlucar la Mayor plant has seen the potential and created Solucar Power, Inc., a subsidiary aiming to develop the market in the USA. There is already a huge Solar Energy Generating Systems' CSP station in the Mojave Desert, California; Spanish firm Acciona has built a plant near Las Vegas. Many more are surely on their way. One bold projection estimates that a single plant 100 miles by 100 miles located in the American South West could generate enough electricity for the whole country. It would obviously be a huge undertaking -- politically, financially and scientifically -- but it's not hard to imagine such a scheme finding a home in the nation's vast, empty quarter. Other equally arid areas may also find themselves transformed, and CSP may be able to offer valuable foreign earnings for drought-stricken Africa -- while giving Europe the green energy it needs. According to Dr Hardy the technology has a ready application, given the right political, environmental and economic context. "Concentrated Solar Power is proven to do well in countries like Spain with a favorable government policies and the right climate," he says. "I can certainly see the potential for extended networks linking together, and the idea of a North African grid linking renewable resources is a real possibility." Providing power, jobs and money . The Sahara, the world's largest desert, is fringed by some of the poorest countries in the world and the harsh environment has always been seen as a problem, with it's vast, waterless interior regularly reaching temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius. But with large-scale CSP projects, suddenly all that empty space, with its year-round clear skies and hot sun, has a value that could transform local economies. It could potentially turn Africa into a net exporter of energy to power-hungry Europe, and perhaps even do for countries in North Africa what oil did for Saudi Arabia. The sums are dizzying. Estimates vary, but one projection from the German Aerospace Agency puts the amount of solar energy stored in just one per cent of the Sahara -- 35,000 square miles, or a piece of land slightly smaller than Portugal -- as having the potential to yield more power than all the world's existing power plants combined. Already Spanish firms are exporting CSP technology to Morocco and Algeria, and a British consortium, the Sahara Forest Project, is testing the technology in the deserts of Oman. Costs and benefits . However, there is a problem: at the moment costs are still very high. But they are falling as plants get bigger, the technology is perfected and economies of scale kick in. Even so, any plans to power Europe from the Sahara would require a vast infrastructure of CSP plants and cables laid across the Mediterranean -- requiring billions upon billions of dollars in investment. Such sums will only be possible through international co-operation on a huge scale. But on a smaller, more local scale a simple change in the way electricity generators are paid has been hugely effective in boosting renewable power. In Spain and other European countries investment has been encouraged by Governments creating what's known as a "feed in tariff," which pays companies a premium for power sold to the national grid generated by renewable means for a fixed period of time. This enables investors to pay back up front costs more quickly. Where they have been introduced they have brought about a huge increase in renewable power: Germany has 200 times as much solar energy as Britain, generates 12 percent of its electricity from renewables, and has created a quarter of a million jobs in the sector. We're a long way from a future where the Sahara becomes the world's largest source of renewable electricity, and the American South West is covered in mirrors lighting and powering cities across the continent. There are many huge issues yet to resolve, but with small steps, we may be moving towards it.

Concentrated solar power projects in Spain leading field in that form of green energy . Potential of CSP in desert regions around the globe; more benefits than power . Plans to transform Sara ha would involve huge costs; small projects breaking through .

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(CNN) -- Whether you're looking for a laid-back evening or want to party the night away, there are plenty of bars and clubs in Malmo to keep you entertained. Slagthuset is Scandinavia's biggest nightclub. Many nights start out in Lilla Torg, which boasts a wide array of restaurants and lounges. Sip cocktails at Victors -- if the weather's good, grab your drinks and head to the outdoor terrace. An equally popular hangout is nearby Moosehead, which has a more casual-woodsy vibe. Be sure to order the moose meat burger. A vibrant club scene exists in Malmo, which is home to Slagthuset (Jorgen Kocksgatan 7A) -- the largest nightclub in Scandinavia. Young dancers spread out over three dance floors at the club located behind Central Station. As its name suggests, Club Prive (Malmborgsgatan 7) draws an exclusive crowd. To chill in style, head to Torso Twisted (Vastra Varvsgatan 44) in the hip Western Harbor district. The restaurant serves gastronomic delights, and at night the lounge is decidedly cool. Indulge in one of the lavish cocktails or sample from the impressive wine list. You can also find the trendy set partying the evening away at Hipp (Kalendegatan 12). You can hang out in the restaurant or two bars or head straight to the pulsating nightclub. Satisfy your thirst for beer at Tva Krogare (Storgatan 35). The pub dishes up traditional Swedish fare and you'll likely find locals playing a game of darts. For a taste of British in Malmo, try The Bishop's Arms (Norra Vallgatan 62). Located inside the Hotel Savoy, it serves staples like fish and chips and has a wide assortment of beers available. If parties begin in Lilla Torg, they tend to end in Mollevangen. The bohemian neighborhood is dotted with bars that stay open well into the night. Prices in this area aren't as cheap as they once were but are still lower than compared to what you'll find in the city center. Local musicians hang out at hip Tempo Bar and Kok (Sodra Skolgatan 30). For something a little different, try Chokladfabriken (Bergsgatan 33), a club housed in an old chocolate factory that plays mostly hip hop, funk and soul. Malmo's passion for music makes it a great place to take in live performances. Kulturbolaget (Bergsgatan 18), one of the best venues for live acts, is a veritable Swedish institution. The club puts on about 220 rock concerts annually. Inkonst (Bergsgatan 29), a so-called culture house, puts on shows and club evenings. Jazz enthusiasts get into their groove at Jeriko (Spangatan 38), named such because it's housed in a former church. .................... Malmo City Guide: . Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop . Do you agree with our Malmo picks? Share your comments and suggestions in the SoundOff box below.

The bars and restaurants around Lilla Torg are a great place to start the night . From rock to jazz, there are plenty of venues to take in live music . Malmo is a clubber's paradise, with several pulsating nightclubs .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi soldiers have found a mass grave of mutilated bodies in a restive region north of Baghdad, a local security official told CNN Thursday. Mourners with the coffin of a relative killed by a triple car bombing Wednesday in the city of Amara. Elsewhere an Iraqi was killed and five people were wounded Thursday when a car bomb detonated near the Italian Embassy in northern Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood, an Interior Ministry official said. And 11 people were detained in coalition raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and those who help foreign insurgents, the U.S. military said. Iraqi soldiers said 12 of the bodies found north of Baghdad were beheaded and four others were mutilated. The corpses, all male, were discovered Wednesday near Muqdadiya in Diyala province north of the capital, the official, from Diyala province, said on Thursday. He said police believe al Qaeda in Iraq left behind the mass grave. Diyala province -- which stretches north and east of the capital and borders Iran -- has been a major scene of fighting during the U.S. and Iraqi troop escalations this year. It is one of the Baghdad "belts" with a strong insurgent presence that have been targeted by coalition and Iraqi forces over the year. It is not the first mass grave found in and near Baghdad this autumn. Others include a mass grave of 17 Iraqi civilians believed kidnapped at fake police checkpoints, found under a house used by insurgents near Baquba, Diyala's provincial capital -- an area where al Qaeda in Iraq has had a strong presence. The decomposed bodies of 16 Iraqi civilians believed killed by al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists were found in early December in a shelter in central Baghdad's Fadl neighborhood. And U.S. and Iraqi troops found 22 corpses buried in the region around Iraq's Lake Tharthar, northwest of Baghdad, in both Anbar and Salaheddin provinces. Meanwhile the Italian Embassy confirmed the bombing in northern Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood which killed one person but had no further details about the incident. Three police were among the wounded when the parked car blew up, the official said. A predominantly Sunni neighborhood, Adhamiya is one of the areas in Baghdad where an "awakening" movement has been created to maintain security. The awakening movement is the name for the anti-al-Qaeda in Iraq Sunni groups that have emerged in Iraq over the year. The detention of the 11 people in coalition raids targeting netted, the U.S. military said, an al Qaeda in Iraq leader north of Hawija, believed to be responsible for facilitating finances and logistics for the terrorist network in the area". Five others were detained. A "wanted individual" and three others were detained in Mosul and another person was seized in Samarra. "Foreign terrorists who come to Iraq to support al Qaeda will find no safe haven from which they can operate," said Cmdr. Scott Rye, a Multi-National Forces-Iraq spokesman. "While they struggle to rebuild their networks, we will continue to dismantle them." E-mail to a friend .

Mass grave found north of Baghdad, includes mutilated remains of at least 16 men . One Iraqi killed and five people wounded by a car bomb in northern Baghdad . Eleven people detained in countrywide coalition raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Identifying the world's finest airports is easy. Hong Kong International Airport, Singapore's Changi and Seoul's Incheon have topped the ranks of airport awards for the last decade. Sitting comfortably? Not at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, ranked by some as one of the worst. These 21st-century airports boast the best shopping, classiest restaurants, as well as features such as indoor pools, orchid gardens, and free wireless Internet. See world's best airports . The world's worst airports, however, are harder to pin down. It's a crowded field to choose from and the choice depends on what you class as bad. See our pick of the world's worst airports » . If it's for danger, then Baghdad International Airport, in the middle of a war zone, should rank pretty high. Lukla airstrip -- gateway to the Mount Everest region in Nepal -- is also a strong contender. Landing involves a hair-raising plummet onto an uphill airstrip cut into the side of a mountain. On takeoff, the airstrip comes to an abrupt end at the edge of a mountain cliff. What do you think is the world's worst airport? Sound off below . Watch CNN's Ayesha Durgahee examine what it takes to become Airport of the year in Hong Kong. » . In 2007, TripAdvisor asked travelers to rank airports according to how easy they are to navigate, the cleanliness of the lavatories and parking facilities. Based on these factors, the 2,500 respondents classed London Heathrow and Chicago O'Hare as the world's most hated. Yet neither of these major hubs appeared in Foreign Policy magazine's review of the five worst airports, published in 2007. The list here included the likes of Mineralnye Vody airport in Russia for its feral cats and daggers on sale in the departure lounge. Charles de Gaulle also gains little affection from those that pass through its interminable terminals. As Foreign Policy says, "visitors to Paris should expect more than the grimy terminals, rude staff, confusing layout, and overpriced food." Where was your worst airport experience in 2008? Which airport do you think is the most dangerous, uncomfortable or aggravating? Sound Off below . We're also looking for photos and video of your worst airport experiences. Send them to the Business Traveller page on CNN iReport . Here's your chance to grumble.

Travelers rank Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul airports as the world's best . Which airports are the worst? Send your photos, videos to iReport . Crowded terminals? Terrifying airstrips? Rude staff? Sound off below .

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(The Frisky) -- There are two sides to almost every breakup -- the dumper and the dumpee. (Sorry, I don't buy those "mutual" decision splits. I'm sure they happen, but they're as rare as a fat cell on Madonna's rear end, so they don't count.) Don't haunt the person you dumped by sending them a birthday card. While it's ideal when both sides exit the relationship with dignity, it's much easier to be the Gracious Ex when you're the dumper. After all, it was your bright idea to break up. You've had time to wrap your head around it, and really, who are you kidding -- you probably have a replacement lined up already. So we're going to start with you, the breaker-upper, because your list of "How Not to Be" is a lot shorter. Without further adieu, you definitely should not: . • Refuse to be the bad guy. Every breakup has one and, as the dumper, you need to suck it up and admit you're it. Even if you're not particularly evil, you're the one who used his heart as a hankie, so don't call him, wondering if he's "OK." Not only does it not absolve you from anything (and that's really all you're looking for), it's presumptuous. And while we're at it, don't even think about acknowledging milestones. Nothing says Unhappy Birthday like a store-bought greeting card from the person who ruined your life (at least for a while). • "Friending" them. There is not one action more weaselly than kicking someone to the curb one week, only to send them a "Zombie Hug" on Facebook the next. I went out with one dude whose MySpace page consisted solely of women he'd wrung through his emotional wringer. Guess who he tried to add next? I don't think so, buddy. • Leave them on your band/performance/whatever SPAM list. The best thing about getting dumped by a musician/actress/mime is that you never have to sit through another one of their lame performances. The second worst thing about these emails is that they serve as a reminder you still draw breath and are experiencing some level of success. But the all-time worst aspect is that you just know that the list of recipients includes the person she's currently snogging. This goes up an extra notch of excruciating when the sender doesn't utilize the BCC function. • Throwing the sad face. True, running into someone you've emotionally eviscerated is uncomfortable, but if you happen to cross paths with your ex, be polite, be discreet, and move on quickly. Don't coo and hover, your exaggerated frown telegraphing their status as the booted party to any and all in the area. Getting dumped is humiliating enough without the insincere theatrics. • Rebound with a friend or family. The ultimate in sketchy ex behavior would have to be dumping a dude to get to his cousin (or brother). Next up is his best friend. If you're going to go there, at least wait a couple days before you do so. • Backsies! How many times have you finally gotten over someone, only to have them come bounding back into your life the second you meet someone new? It's uncanny -- and unbelievably irritating -- how often this happens. Don't be that person. To ensure you won't, before you have "the talk" with your no-longer-significant other, picture him making out with your best friend. Are you a) mildly intrigued; b) livid; or c) relieved that he found someone else because now he won't cry when you tell him to get lost. If you picked A or C, you're good to go. If B was your answer, well, you'll get what you deserve when he starts dating your hotter, younger cousin. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved .

After you've dumped someone, don't try to date his friends or relatives . Take your ex off all your SPAM lists so you don't haunt him . Do not "Zombie Hug" or poke them on social networking sites .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Washington police told the mother of slain congressional intern Chandra Levy that an arrest is imminent in her daughter's 2001 death, Susan Levy told CNN on Saturday. Washington intern Chandra Levy's body was found a year after she disappeared in 2001. "I got a call from the Washington police department, just to give me a heads up that there's a warrant out for the arrest," Levy said. Police Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department did not reveal the suspect's name when she contacted the parents on Friday, Levy said. She said police told her they have "enough evidence to convict somebody." A source close to the investigation told CNN the suspect was Ingmar Guandique, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for two assaults in Washington's Rock Creek Park that occurred around the time of Levy's disappearance. Levy's remains were found in the park. View a timeline of her disappearance » . The source would not speak on the record because the investigation is ongoing and the arrest warrant had not been finalized. A California native working as an intern for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Levy, 24, disappeared May 1, 2001. Her remains were found in May 2002 by a man walking his dog in a remote area of the park. The source said authorities are working to finalize the arrest warrant. Asked about reports that Guandique, a laborer from El Salvador, told a fellow inmate he killed Levy, the source said Guandique "was running his mouth." Guandique has been imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution - Victorville, a medium-security facility north of San Bernardino, California, an official there confirmed to CNN on Saturday. Watch CNN's Mike Brooks discuss Guandique's background » . He has denied any involvement in her death, the Washington Post reported Saturday. Guandique was mentioned last year in a Washington Post article about the killing. "It's a bittersweet situation for me as the mother of a daughter who is no longer here. I want justice. I want to know that the person who did it is in jail and will not do it to anybody else," Levy said. "Every day the elephant is there. Every day you get a knot in your stomach. It doesn't go away. It's a life sentence for the families and relatives that miss their loved ones. We have a life sentence of hurt." Referring to the impending arrest, Chandra's father told CNN affiliate KXTV that Lanier didn't say when an announcement would be made, but "she said it would be really soon." "She didn't say the name yet, but we think we know who it is. I don't want to say until it's official, though," the father said. The search for Levy and massive publicity that accompanied it stemmed largely from her connection to Rep. Gary Condit, D-California. Condit and Levy, who was from Condit's district, had an affair, and police questioned Condit many times in connection with her disappearance. Police never named Condit as a suspect. Condit, a member of Congress since 1989, lost the 2002 Democratic primary and left office at the end of his term. He later reportedly moved to Arizona. "For the Levy family, we are glad they are finally getting the answers they deserve. For my family, I am glad that their years of standing together in the face of such adversity have finally led to the truth," Condit told WJLA on Saturday. Condit's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, blamed police and media attention on Condit for delays in the arrest. Police never named him as a suspect. "It is a tragedy that the police and media obsession with former Congressman Condit delayed this result for eight years, and caused needless pain and harm to the families involved," Lowell said. "This should give the Levys the answer and closure they deserve, and remove the unfair cloud that has hung over the Condits for too long." CNN's Carol Cratty, Karen Zuker, Justine Redman and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.

NEW: Chandra Levy's death is a "life sentence" for family, Susan Levy says . Source tells CNN that inmate Ingmar Guandique "was running his mouth" in prison . Guandique is serving time for attacks in park where Chandra Levy's remains found . Chandra Levy went missing May 1, 2001; her remains were found May 22, 2002 .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met with President Barack Obama on Tuesday making him the first head of state to be hosted by the new administration. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso steps off his Boeing 747 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland Monday. It was a long trip -- 6,800 miles (11,000 km) -- for a short meeting -- one hour -- and happened as Obama was preparing his first address to a joint session of Congress. Sitting next to Aso in the White House, Obama said: "The friendship between the United States and Japan is extraordinarily important. "It is for that reason that the prime minister is the first foreign dignitary to visit me in the Oval Office." Obama said the U.S.-Japanese alliance would be crucial in solving international problems including climate change. "We think we have to work together, not only on issues relating to the Pacific Rim, but throughout the world," Obama added. Aso said the global economy was also on the agenda at their meeting. "We are the number 1 and second biggest economies of the world. We will have to work hand in hand. "I think we are the only two nations which are powerful enough to solve those very critical, vital issue," Aso said. Japan's Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said that being the first to visit the Obama White House was an indication of the priority the new president placed on the relationship. Another topic likely to have been on the agenda was Japan's Asian neighbor North Korea, which U.S. intelligence says is preparing to test a long-range missile. Pyongyang has denied the charge, instead saying it is making preparations to launch a satellite. A test-fire by North Korea in 2006 failed 40 seconds after launch. The missile is thought to have an intended range of about 4,200 miles (6,700 kilometers), which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking Alaska or Hawaii. Aso's visit to Washington comes, as his approval rating stands at a meager 11 percent, the second lowest ever recorded for a Japanese prime minister. Yoshiro Mori, a former prime minister, resigned after his rate bottomed out at 9 percent. Last week his finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa announced he will step down after coming under fire for appearing intoxicated at a weekend news conference during the G-7 meeting in Rome. CNN's Chie Kobayashi contributed to this report.

Aso's approval rating at 11 percent, the second lowest ever for a Japanese PM . Aso is first head of state hosted by Obama administration . Obama will give his first address to joint session of Congress hours later .

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(MENTAL FLOSS) -- Most of the world seems to think that America invented obesity sometime in the last century, but the truth is, fat has always been a part of life (witness Hatshepsut, one of the great ancient Egyptian queens who reigned in the 15th century BC -- despite her svelte sarcophagus, modern archeologists believe that she was pretty obese and may have suffered from diabetes). Goldfish may have delivered a dubious dietary aid -- tapeworms. So it stands to reason that dieting has been around just as long. Some historians credit William the Conqueror with starting the first fad diet. Having grown too fat to ride his horse, William went on a liquid diet in 1087 -- or, rather, a liquor diet, since all he did was drink booze. The story might be apocryphal -- William, still fat, actually died after falling from his horse and there was no word on whether he was drunk at the time -- but it's a good one, and it sets the tone for the next 1000+ years of dieting. Throughout history, people have been looking for some kind of magic that will allow one to eat and live as one pleases, but still look emaciatedly gorgeous. And they've come up with some pretty dubious theories that somehow took hold in the public consciousness and became fads. Here are a few of our favorites. Location, location, location . "The Causes and Effects of Corpulence" was a treatise penned in 1727 by one Thomas Short, in which he observed that larger people were more likely to live near swampy areas. His advice? Fat people should move to more arid climes. Improbable side effects . The namesake of the graham cracker -- ironically now an integral part of that deliciously fattening treat, the 'smore -- was a Presbyterian minister who claimed that overeating could not only make you fat, it could make you lecherous, too. In the 1830s, Sylvester Graham ran health retreats for like-minded parishioners featuring a strict meat-free, incredibly bland diet. Chew yourself thin . Horace Fletcher, a turn of the century San Francisco art dealer, became known as the Great Masticator after he claimed he lost more than 40 pounds by chewing his food until it was essentially liquefied and spitting out all the bits that weren't. Fletcher's scheme became incredibly popular -- novelist Henry James and industry titan John D. Rockefeller were reportedly fans, as was John Harvey Kellogg. Kellogg, of the cereal fame, was a health nut who ran a sanitarium in Michigan, where he encouraged his visitors to "Fletcherize" with a little song he wrote called "Chew Chew." Mental Floss: How cereal transformed American culture . The parasite diet . In the early part of the 20th century, the weight loss industry allegedly found a tiny little helper in the form of a tiny little parasite -- the noble tapeworm. According to product advertisements of the day, tapeworms were being sold in pill form as a weight loss tool. While whether or not those pills actually contained a real live tapeworm is certainly debatable, however, there is evidence that jockeys, who frequently needed to lose a lot of weight fast, would try to induce tapeworms. Another favorite weight loss tool of the Lilliputian equestrians: Burying themselves in piles of horse manure, which acted as a kind of natural sauna. Introducing the calorie . In 1918, Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters introduced a new word to the world lexicon --"calorie" (may she be forever cursed for it). Peters' book, "Diet and Health, With a Key to Calories," which helpfully included a phonetic spelling of the word "calorie," as so many people were unfamiliar with it, sold more than 2 million copies and established calorie-counting as the framework of a good health. This diet regime wasn't particularly dubious, but it did lend a potentially dangerous new tool to those looking for a way to quantify and reduce their food intake. Case in point: The Scarsdale Diet of 1979, a strict 700-calorie a day diet that works -- because you're starving. Mental Floss: Quiz: Which item has more calories? The goldfish diet . OK, this one wasn't so much about weight loss as it was fame gain, but in 1939, it was a fad that swept the nation. Like most good things, it all started with a bet -- a Harvard University undergrad won $10 after swallowing an innocent fishy. The story spread from there, prompting a countrywide goldfish slaughter. Goldfish swallowing became so popular that not only were pet stores running out of the indigestible comestibles, but the New York Times published warnings from doctors that swallowing goldfish, which are known to carry tapeworms and other parasites, could be very harmful to one's health. The nicotine diet . By the middle of the 20th century, dieting had become such a major economic, social and cultural force in the Western world that cigarette companies, not wanting to miss the money boat, jumped on board promoting cigarettes as a weight-loss tool. It's a belief that persists today -- ask any supermodel. The master cleanse . In the 1940s, nutrition guru Stanley Burroughs created the Master Cleanse, a fast during which the dieter subsists solely on a mixture of cayenne pepper, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup and water. The Master Cleanse is still popular today, especially among anorexics and aspiring anorexics, despite the fact that most nutritionists and doctors say that "detoxing" is a nonsensical and potentially harmful idea. The Sleeping Beauty diet . Then there's the Sleeping Beauty Diet, a regime that allows the dieter to literally sleep off the pounds while under heavy sedation for several days. Elvis was reportedly a fan of that one, right about the time when he was having a little trouble squeezing into those trademark white jump suits, as was a character in the landmark beach read, "Valley of the Dolls." Mental Floss: 7 simple rules for how to take a nap . The monotony diets . The 20th century also brought us back to a concept allegedly pioneered by William the Conqueror -- the single food or drink diet. There's the Grapefruit Diet, which alleges that eating a lot of grapefruit and drinking a lot of grapefruit juice, in conjunction, of course, with a very low-calorie diet, is the way to weigh less; the Cabbage Soup Diet, which is said to cause serious gas with a side of nausea; the Popcorn Diet, which is pretty much undercut by all the tasty things one puts on popcorn to make it palatable; and the Chocolate Diet, which, though tempting, is just plain silliness. Memorable dieting paraphernalia . And let's not forget about the gadgets that went along with these suspect food fads, like the Vision-Dieter Glasses, which made food look unappealing, or the Mini-Fork system, which encouraged people to eat smaller portions by supplying them with -- you guessed it -- smaller forks. Or how about slimming soaps, popular in the 1930s, which promised dieters that they could just wash the fat away? And then there's the perennially popular vibrating machine, which promised to melt off pounds by a few minutes of intense body vibration -- and which is actually enjoying a comeback now at gadgetry stores like Brookstone. For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved.

Over the years, there have been many dubious theories on how to lose weight . William the Conqueror went on liquid diet (alcohol) until killed by fall from horse . In early 20th century, pills alleged to contain tapeworms were sold for weight loss . Living in arid areas, chewing food into liquid, smoking pitched for weight loss .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- On their son's last night as president, a melancholy former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, made an impromptu visit to the White House's press briefing room and told reporters how much they'll miss the building. Ex-President George H.W. Bush says he'll miss coming and going from the White House. "We will miss coming and going, but it's time to move on," said the former president, who was a frequent visitor during his son's two terms in office. "The Bushes are going to a happy life." When a reporter suggested that perhaps one of their other sons, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will take the White House someday, the former president smiled. "Maybe Jeb will do something. I'd like to see him try," the former president said. Barbara Bush, who was first lady from 1989 to 1993, said the hardest part of the night was saying goodbye to the White House residence staff a second time. "In tears twice," she said, her eyes red. She added that she and her husband are looking forward to attending Tuesday's inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. "Very exciting day," she said. In addition to the inauguration, the former first couple was to attend a final dinner at the White House with current President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and the first couple's two daughters, Barbara and Jenna. As the former first couple left the briefing room, some reporters and photographers spontaneously started clapping out of respect. Your view of history . The ex-president, who was using a long walking stick to get around, quipped, "You didn't clap when I was president, what the hell is going on?"

Former president, wife visit White House on son's last night as president . George H.W. Bush smiles when reporter suggests other son could run . Barbara Bush reflects on saying goodbye to White House staff for second time . Former first couple attending inauguration of Barack Obama .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former GOP presidential nominee John McCain warned Wednesday that the United States is losing the war in Afghanistan. Sen. John McCain recommended expanding the Afghan army to between 160,000 and 200,000 troops. The Arizona senator, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that while he approved of President Obama's recent decision to send 17,000 more troops to the country, he believed an additional allied military and civilian surge would be necessary to prevent it from once again becoming an al Qaeda safe haven. The Obama administration is conducting a review of overall U.S. policy in the troubled Islamic republic, the president said in his joint address to Congress on Tuesday. "With our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda and combat extremism," Obama said Tuesday. "Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens halfway around the world. We will not allow it." But McCain said on Wednesday, "When you aren't winning in this kind of war, you are losing. And, in Afghanistan today, we are not winning." He delivered his remarks at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based think tank. McCain claimed that while the situation in Afghanistan is "nowhere near as dire as it was in Iraq," the number of insurgent attacks had spiked in 2008 and violence had increased more than 500 percent in the past four years. Growing portions of the country "suffer under the influence of the Taliban," he added. McCain's comments echoed those of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who acknowledged last Friday that the United States is facing a "very tough test" in Afghanistan. "But I'm sure we will rise to the occasion the way we have many times before," Gates told a news conference in Krakow, Poland, where NATO defense ministers were meeting. McCain said that the U.S. was winning the war in Afghanistan through early 2005, when some troops were withdrawn and "our integrated civil-military command structure was disassembled and replaced by a Balkanized and dysfunctional arrangement." A Vietnam War veteran, former prisoner of war and longtime member of the Armed Services Committee, McCain said that while he knows Americans "are weary of war ... we must win [in Afghanistan]. The alternative is to risk that country's return to its previous function as a terrorist sanctuary, from which al Qaeda could train and plan attacks against America." Among other things, McCain stated that the U.S. needs to establish a larger military headquarters capable of executing "the necessary planning and coordination for a nationwide counterinsurgency campaign." He also said plans to expand the Afghan army from 68,000 to 134,000 troops were insufficient. He recommended expanding the Afghan army to between 160,000 and 200,000 troops. At the same time, he said, the U.S. needs to boost the country's nonmilitary assistance to help strengthen "its [civilian] institutions, the rule of law, and the economy in order to provide a sustainable alternative to the drug trade." Southern Afghanistan provides about two thirds of the world's opium and heroin. Over the years, those two drugs have served as a major source of revenue for the insurgency, including the Taliban. McCain warned that, even if his recommendations are adopted, the violence in Afghanistan is "likely to get worse before it gets better. The scale of resources required to prevail will be enormous." The timetable, he concluded, "will be measured in years, not months."

McCain: "When you aren't winning in this kind of war, you are losing" While Afghanistan is "nowhere near as dire as it was in Iraq," attacks have spiked . U.S. needs to establish a larger military headquarters, McCain says . "The scale of resources required to prevail will be enormous," senator says .

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(CNN) -- After almost 10 months, the FBI has zeroed in on a suspect in the case of missing Florida pilot Robert Wiles, who may have been kidnapped for ransom. Missing Florida pilot Robert Wiles is thought to have been kidnapped for ransom. "We're close to solving the case," said FBI special agent David Couvertier. He would not elaborate. Agents also would not identify the suspect, and they said the person is not in custody. Investigators would only reveal that the "key suspect" is in Florida, either in Orlando, Lakeland or Melbourne. "They're holding that back in hopes of getting additional information," said Couvertier. The FBI says it's also looking at several persons of interest in those same three Florida cities. Wiles, 27, was last seen in the family's aircraft maintenance business, National Flight Services, at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport on April 1, 2008. The day Wiles disappeared, he left behind his bags, his computer, and even his car. His father says the next day, Wiles was supposed to be on a flight out of Orlando. He never showed up. Two days after he vanished, Wiles' father, Thomas, received a ransom note. It demanded money and threatened to harm Robert Wiles if the terms weren't met. Wiles' parents said they tried to comply but heard nothing back. Nearly a year later, the FBI says their investigation shows that those involved "were very familiar with Robert's work, Robert's personal information and had knowledge of his parent's personal affairs." Agents say they've tracked down leads in nine U.S. cities and as far away as Thailand where National Flight Services also does business. The Ohio-based company services aircraft in 50 countries and has been in business since 1972. Investigators are reaching out to the public in hopes of sparking any additional information about Wiles to "close the loop," Couvertier said. Investigators want to talk with "people who knew about his work routine, who might know someone who was obsessed with him, who was upset or jealous of him, or complained about him, anything that might be helpful," said Couvertier. Wiles' parents told CNN they hope their son Robert is still alive. "That is our hope until proven otherwise, ' said his mother, Pamela. "We don't know what happened to him. We don't know where he is. We just hope somebody will call and tell us what their needs are," she added. "Sometimes, I stay up late and get up early and try to come up with any scenarios to make sense of this," said Wiles' father. "I have my very low moments when I think I'll never see him again, " he added. Occasionally, Wiles' mother says she plays back a voicemail message her son left her shortly before he disappeared. It said "Hey, mom. It's Robert. I just wanted to call and thank you for sending that stuff down to me. And I hope you have a good weekend, ... and I'll talk to you later." "I still listen to it, and it breaks my heart," said Pamela Wiles. The Wiles are still offering a $250,000 reward for information about their son and arrest of those responsible for his disappearance. "But Tom and I don't think you can put a dollar on his head," said Pamela Wiles. "We want to provide them with security and a new life, if that's what they need," she added. His father doesn't think whoever is responsible is working alone. He says his son is too strong to have left willingly or without knowing who his alleged captors are. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI. Wiles' parents have a message for the FBI's unidentified suspect. "I would say to him 'come forward and tell the truth and we hold no personal animosity,'" said Pamela Wiles. "Someone made a bad mistake. It's up to God to forgive him."

FBI agent says they are "close to solving the case," have a "key suspect" "Key suspect" is in Florida, either in Orlando, Lakeland or Melbourne, agent says . Police believe missing pilot Robert Wiles may have been kidnapped for ransom . Mother would tell suspect to "come forward and tell the truth"

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(CNN) -- It was the late 1960s and Tom Repasky was in a fog. H. Michael Karshis owns thousands of albums but Steely Dan's "Can't Buy a Thrill" holds a special place in his heart. "I was trying to discover who I was, what I was and what I was doing here," he said. In 1963, at age 14, Repasky was on a field trip with his seminary when he and another student accidentally fell down a steep ledge while throwing rocks at upperclassmen. A tree broke his friend's fall, but Repasky was not so lucky. Repasky awoke in the hospital, but says he was unable to remember even the smallest detail of his past. "It was as if I didn't exist before that time," he said. This experience scarred him, to the point that he was asked to leave the seminary by the end of the year. "I clearly was not the same person," he said. "After my near-death experience, there was this prolonged period of not being able to relate to reality very well." Several years after his accident, Repasky first heard the Moody Blues song "Nights in White Satin." "After I heard these lyrics, I thought, 'They know what I'm feeling.' " He sought out their album "Days of Future Passed." He was particularly drawn to the lyrics from their song "Dawn is a Feeling:" "You are here today; no future fears; this day will last 1,000 years, if you want it to." Repasky, who now lives in Danville, Pennsylvania, and is an artist, often goes back to this album. "When I hear the music, it brings me to the point of realizing that I had experienced life and I could be alive, and it brings me great joy in knowing that." The part of "Nights in White Satin" where the words "I love you" are repeated always moves Repasky, even 40 years later. iReport.com: Watch Repasky tell his story . Repasky is one of many iReporters who shared the album that first hooked them and has stayed with them throughout their lives. H. Michael Karshis owns about 3,200 albums, but one holds a special place in his heart: "Can't Buy a Thrill" by Steely Dan. Even though his mother worked in a record store in 1973 (which helps explain the number of albums he owns), "Can't Buy a Thrill" was the first one he bought with his own money, at the age of 12. "Reelin' in the Years" was the song that hooked him. "It's almost an ode to a distant past," he said. "I remember listening to that before I was 17 and thinking about how old 17 was. It has a different connotation and meaning the older you get, but it's still a poignant, relevant song." Whenever Karshis moves into a new home, one of the first things he does is to crank up the stereo and play the album. "It's just one of those timeless albums and it's hard to describe how it affects me." Karshis, who works as a graphic artist in San Antonio, Texas, thinks the cover of the album has influenced his artwork. "I'm not saying I got it all from the Steely Dan cover, but it's amazing how it permeates everything I do now." iReport.com: Karshis talks about one album in his massive collection . Sal Steels of Denver, Colorado, first rocked out to Van Halen's album "1984" about 20 years ago, and hasn't stopped since. In fact, he demonstrated the way he feels when the song "Panama" starts in a video for iReport.com. For Steels, "1984" is "one of those you have in the car. It's one you make a backup CD for." He listens to it constantly and considers "Panama" his favorite song of all time. iReport.com: Sal Steels rocks out to Van Halen . Not all iReporters listen to their most influential album regularly. Diane Holder of Ann Arbor, Michigan, had fond memories of Pink Floyd's "The Wall," but it had been a while since she had heard it. "Twice before, I went back and looked at something that I cherished as a memory from my childhood, [and] the results were not very good," she said. Despite her hesitation, she listened to the album online. In this case, she was pleasantly surprised by how well it stood the test of time, and she ended up downloading the whole thing. "For me, that is remarkable. I can count on my fingers the albums I have bought." Jill Pearson of Atlanta, Georgia, is such a fan of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" that she created a video quiz for the iReport.com community. Pearson has been going back to the album off and on for years. "It takes me back to my college days and he's just one of my favorite performers," she said. iReport.com: Take the Elton John quiz . For some iReporters, one album opened their eyes to something new. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" was not the first album Tony Bernez bought, but he considers it an important work, not just for himself, but for his generation. He considers it "one of the most ground-breaking, consciousness-raising and inspiring concept albums of its time, or any other time, for that matter." "It marked a transcendent change from the Motown R&B songs that Marvin had previously released, and it spoke to the pain, injustice, and uncertainty of the turbulent 1960s and early 1970s," he said. "I just listened to it yesterday, and it still moves me in a very special way." For Lulis Leal, one album completely changed her philosophy of life. She had not been exposed to Rush's music before their ninth album, "Signals," was released, but when she heard the song "Subdivisions," Neal Peart's drumming had her hooked. Leal listened to more of Rush's music and soon learned that the band was influenced by author Ayn Rand. After reading her novels, Leal began to adapt Rand's philosophy into her own life. Fred Thorne was a big fan of much of the popular music of the 1980s when he was 14, but the moment he heard R.E.M.'s song "Fall on Me" on alternative radio, he was determined to own the album "Life's Rich Pageant." After buying not just one, but three R.E.M. albums, his musical tastes changed forever. Thorne went on to play in bands for 18 years. "If you ask me, R.E.M. is the godfather of indie sound." iReport.com: Fred Thorne pays tribute to R.E.M. Whether it's nostalgia, an appreciation of great songwriting, or even a life-changing experience, music has certainly done a lot to help these iReporters throughout their lives. "Music can be that one thing that can bring a bright spot to anyone's life," said iReporter Crystal Dickson. "Where would we be without it?"

iReporters share the albums that stayed with them throughout their lives . The Moody Blues got one iReporter through a near-death experience . H. Michael Karshis owns thousands of albums, but loves Steely Dan the most . iReport.com: What album had a lasting impact on you?

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than two dozen guests joined first lady Michelle Obama at the president's speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Leonard Abess Jr. was recognized by President Obama during Tuesday's State of the Nation speech. One person on the first lady's guest list was Leonard Abess Jr., a Miami banker who received a $60 million bonus from the proceeds from the sale of shares of City National Bank in Florida and gave it out to his 399 workers and 72 former workers. During his speech, President Obama said Abess didn't tell anyone about his generosity, but when the local newspaper found out, Abess simply said, "I knew some of these people since I was 7 years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself." Abess demonstrates the kind of "responsibility" the president has called for from high-profile financial CEOs, the White House said. Obama contrasted Abess' story with the greed that he said got the country into the problems it faces now. "CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks, or buy fancy drapes, or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over," Obama said. Obama also referenced in his speech an eighth-grader who wrote a letter to members of Congress appealing for help in rebuilding her deteriorating school. Ty'Sheoma Bethea, a student at the J.V. Martin Junior High School in Dillon, South Carolina, was invited after a letter she sent lawmakers appealing for help rebuilding her school made its way to President Obama. Obama talked about the school during his first news conference earlier in February as evidence of crumbling schools across the country. Other guests of the first lady Tuesday night included injured Afghanistan veteran Spc. Jonathan N. James, equal pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter and Blake Jones, the co-founder and president of a solar electric company. The president and first lady also invited Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas -- one of the president's key Republican allies among the nation's governors in passing the massive $787 billion stimulus bill -- and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a key Democratic governor whose state is among the hardest hit by the economic downturn. The practice of inviting guests to sit in the House Gallery is a tradition dating back to 1982 when president Ronald Reagan recognized Lenny Skutnick -- a good Samaritan who pulled a survivor out of the frozen Potomac River in Washington after an Air Florida plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge. Since then, presidential administrations steadily increased the number of invitees to the first lady box, often including prominent athletes and celebrities, citizen heroes, members of the military, and individuals likely to benefit from policies proposed by the president. It has also become customary for the president to acknowledge a handful of guests sitting in the box during his speech, especially those who have a particularly compelling story or illustrate a point he is trying to make. Earlier Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an expansive guest list of her own, including hero-U.S. Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and several other crew members of flight 1549. CNN's Alexander Mooney contributed to this report.

Miami, Florida, banker Leonard Abess gets prime seat at Obama speech . Abess received $60 million bonus, gave it to employees . White House: Abess demonstrates "responsibility" Obama has called for .

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(CNN) -- Basketball is often viewed as a game of opposing sides. But one man is using the game to bring young Catholic and Protestant men together on the same team in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After graduating college, Michael Evans coached basketball at two high schools in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Former college basketball player, Michael Evans, 26, in partnership with another basketball player, Dave Cullen, created the organization Full Court Peace to help forge friendships between between schools in the divided communities. He spoke with CNN's Nicole Lapin about how Full Court Peace works. The following is an edited transcript of the interview. Lapin: So you wanted to use basketball as a bridge but you started Full Court Peace almost to dupe these youngsters into working together? Evans: Yea that's one way to put it. I think what I did was I just coached basketball separately in two high schools. And, uh, on the opposite sides of these walls I've been talking about. And I got roughly five on each side to latch on to me. These 16-year-old boys. You know, they came from broken homes and I showed them loyalty. That's what coaches do, is show their players loyalty and the kids latched on to me, so much that I was able to sell the idea of making an integrated team out of their enemies and it was a complete success. Watch more on Michael Evan's organization » . Lapin: They didn't think that they were going to work with the other side. Like Robert, for example, one of your players who is Protestant. What did he think when he was going to work with a Catholic team? Evans:That was a pretty discouraging moment throughout the whole process of forming that team. I told Robert the news and he shunned me. He couldn't believe that the time I'd spent with him alone was really just basically me trying to convince him to join this team. I thought I might have lost him. Lapin: Now he's also friends with the other side to this day. There was a little bit of hesitation at first, I know they did speak, but are they still friends? Evans:They are still friends. I recently went back to Belfast and had dinner with a lot of them all together. And the ones that couldn't meet for the integrated dinner asked about their team mates. The neighborhoods are too divided for them to visit each other so they communicate a lot online through bebo.com which is a social networking site over there. And they keep up with each other. They're not bashful about having pictures of each other, arm-in-arm on their social networking sites, and they communicate through me about each other because I'm in touch with all of them. Lapin: So that's amazing, Michael. How do you think you do this? How does sports diplomacy, which is really what this is, succeed where world leaders, prime ministers and presidents have failed? Evans: I mean just because a politician, two politicians come together and say they agree on something, it doesn't mean that the people on the ground are going to be agreeing on it. And most importantly the youth that are growing up in these environments, that doesn't mean that they agree with what's going on. So that's sort of just a face to the whole solution. I think what sport does, namely basketball, is that you put kids in a small, very small group together and they're forced to communicate in order to succeed; in order to win. And then the coaches role is very unique in that the kids all bond over having one voice and one person telling them what to do and guiding them along and helping them with success.

Michael Evans on organization to forge friendships in Northern Ireland . He put Protestant and Catholic high school students on one team . Even after graduating from school, the former teammates are still friends . The friends communicate via Internet because it's too dangerous to visit .

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(CNN) -- Fighting has prompted thousands of people in the southern part of Sudan's Darfur region to seek security and shelter at a refugee camp in the northern part of the war-torn area, according to the United Nations. A member of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) stands guard near the Sudan-Chad border in 2007. The U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that fighting in Muhajeria and Shearia between Sudanese government forces, and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), drove over 15,000 people north to the Zam Zam camp. The water supply to the camp is becoming strained with displaced people arriving there every day, OCHA said Wednesday. The government of Sudan has waged a brutal counter-insurgency against militias for the past six years, a war that some international critics have characterized as genocide. An estimated 300,000 people in the western Sudanese region have been killed through combat, disease or malnutrition, according to the United Nations. An additional 2.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of fighting among rebels, government forces and the violent Janjaweed militias. Fighting continues in the region despite the JEM and local government signing a "goodwill and confidence-building" agreement earlier in February, according to the U.N. The U.N.-African Union allied peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) will begin building a new community police center near Zam Zam in the next two weeks, the U.N. announced Saturday. The violence in Darfur erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the Sudanese government. To counter the rebels, Sudanese authorities armed and cooperated with Arab militias that went from village to village in Darfur, killing, torturing and raping residents there, according to the United Nations, Western governments and human rights organizations. The militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength. Last year, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was charged with genocide by the International Criminal Court for the government's campaign of violence in Darfur. Under pressure to end the fighting, Al-Bashir in November agreed to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Darfur. But the rebel Justice and Equality Movement was not included in the case-fire talks. CNN's Katy Byron contributed to this report.

Refugees seek security and shelter at refugee camp in north Darfur . Darfur government has waged counter-insurgency war against militias for six years . Darfur violence erupted in 2003 after rebel uprising against Sudanese government .

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(CNN) -- Kawasaki have announced they will run Marco Melandri in a one-bike team in the 2009 MotoGP world championship. Italian Melandri will be the sole Kawasaki rider in the 2009 MotoGP championship. The news comes just weeks after the Japanese manufacturer confirmed it was to end its MotoGP activities due to the economic downturn. A statement confirmed the team's return to the sport comes in the wake of "constructive talks between Kawasaki, MotoGP organisers and other involved parties". "This decision was made after negotiations that followed Kawasaki's January 2009 announcement to suspend its MotoGP activities due to the economic crisis," the statement continued. "The rider for the new MotoGP team will be Marco Melandri. The team will be equipped with Kawasaki motorcycles and supporting materials. "That Kawasaki have come to this new team approach is the result of, on the one hand, the need for a strong reduction of MotoGP racing investments and, on the other hand, the necessity to come to constructive solutions for all related parties." Melandri moved to Kawasaki from Ducati at the end of what was a dismal 2008 season for the Italian, but shortly afterwards was told his new team would not be on the grid in 2009. While the 26-year-old has earned a welcome reprieve, the man who would have been Melandri's team-mate this season, American John Hopkins, appears set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

Kawasaki will run Marco Melandri in a one-bike team in 2009 MotoGP season . The news comes after manufacturer revealed it was ending MotoGP activities . Italian Melandri moved to Kawasaki from Ducati at the end of the 2008 season .

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(CNN) -- At least 40 bodies -- all of them wearing uniforms identifying them as army officers -- have been found in a mass grave inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles paramilitary in the capital, Dhaka, authorities said Friday. Bangladeshi army soldiers gather near the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka Thursday. The discovery brings to at least 62 the number of army officers who have been found dead after mutinous paramilitary forces took dozens of superiors hostages at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters on Wednesday. The Rifles laid down their arms after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to grant them amnesty. The bodies were found in a grave behind the mortuary building inside the BDR compound in the Pilkhana area of Dhaka, said Cmdr. Abdul Kalam Azad with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite internal security team that is helping with the recovery effort. "It's a bad scene," Azad said. "You can only see their legs. We're carrying away only as many as we can fit in ambulances. Then we're going to go look for more." Earlier, 22 bodies had been recovered from the Buriganga River after the rebelling troops dumped them down a sewer during the standoff, authorities said. The Rifles took their superiors -- all military men -- hostage Wednesday morning after a rebellion they said was spurred by years of their grievances not being addressed. Discontent had been bubbling for years among the ranks of the BDR troops, a 65,000-strong paramilitary outfit primarily responsible for guarding the country's borders. Watch how the paramilitary revolt spread » . The recruits complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and opportunities to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors contribute the most troops to such U.N. operations. And the pay is far greater than the meager salary the jawans -- as the BDR troops are called -- make.

Mass grave found with bodies of at least 40 Bangladesh army officers . At least 62 officers found dead since mutiny by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles . Rifles laid down arms Thursday after PM agreed to offer them amnesty .

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BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Lebanon's prime minister condemned the firing of rockets into northern Israel after an attack wounded two Israelis on Thursday. He said his government is trying to determine who was responsible. U.N. soldiers on Thursday inspect the site in Lebanon thought to be the source of rockets fired into Israel. Israel's military warned Israeli civilians to stick close to shelters after police said at least four rockets hit near the city of Nahariya, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) south of the Lebanese border. The Israeli military said it returned fire across the border with mortars. Schools and kindergartens were closed in Nahariya and the nearby town of Shlomi, the Israel Defense Forces reported. "What happened in the south [of Lebanon] is a violation of Resolution 1701 and is rejected by Lebanon," Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said, referring to the U.N. resolution that ended the 2006 conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. In a statement issued by his office, Siniora said he has asked Lebanese authorities to investigate the attack alongside troops from the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. He also condemned the Israeli retaliatory strikes, which the Lebanese military said inflicted no casualties. Watch CNN's Christiane Amanpour discuss rocket attack » . There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which came as Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, to the south, entered a 13th day. The Israeli campaign in Gaza is aimed at halting rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory. Israel fought a similar battle against the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah in 2006, during which Hezbollah rained rockets on cities in Israeli's north for a month before a cease-fire was reached. But Hezbollah has kept a tight rein on its forces in southern Lebanon since the cease-fire, and a number of Palestinian factions operate in southern Lebanon as well. Andrea Tenenti, a spokesman for UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, said the rockets appear to have been fired from a point about 4.5 miles east of Naqoura, where the peacekeepers are headquartered. "We've been intensifying our patrols on the ground in order to prevent any further incident," Tenenti said. He said UNIFIL's commander, Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano, is in "constant and close contact" with both sides "and has urged maximum restraint in order to prevent any escalation of the situation." CNN's Michal Zippori in Jerusalem and Cal Perry and Nada Husseini in Beirut contributed to this report.

NEW: Prime Minister Fouad Siniora calls attack a violation of U.N. resolution . NEW: Lebanese government, United Nations investigating, Siniora says . Four Lebanon-based rockets strike northern Israel, authorities say . Israeli military returns fire toward source of rocket attack .

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MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Dramatically played out on live television, an opposition politician and rebel military officers surrendered to government forces after taking over a luxury hotel in Manila. "We're going out for the sake of the safety of everybody," Philippines Sen. Antonio Trillanes said. The senator made the decision to give up after the military peppered the inside of the hotel with tear gas. Live pictures from inside the hotel showed reporters and rebel soldiers covering their faces. An armored personnel vehicle was also seen firing into the lobby of Manila's Peninsula hotel and later rammed through the front entrance of the building. "The situation is contained within the Peninsula hotel, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told CNN. "The perpetrators are in the process of being arrested." Those who held the hotel were shown being loaded into a Philippine National Police bus. Teodoro said no one was injured, but Associated Press reported that at least two people were injured. The standoff began hours earlier when a group led by Trillanes and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim bolted from a court hearing on charges linked to a failed 2003 coup attempt. Watch footage of troops storming the hotel in Manila » . "What happened, to me, was clearly either an attempted rebellion or an attempted coup d'etat," Teodoro said. Philippines military and police personnel had been surrounding the hotel, where the group was asking for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down. After Trillanes' announcement, soldiers milled around the outside of the hotel, but the scene had calmed noticeably. Arroyo had issued orders to the military and police in response to the seizure of the hotel, located in Manila's Makati financial district, journalist Adrian Addison told CNN. Few supporters of the rebels were visible around the Peninsula hotel, Addison said. Philippine authorities gave the rebel group until 2:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) to allow guests to leave the hotel, and until 3:00 p.m. (0700 GMT) to surrender, the ABS-CBN news service reported. Businessman Peter Parcel was caught in the middle of the hotel's takeover and subsequent tear-gassing. Listen to the eyewitness in the hotel describe what happened » . "I couldn't see and couldn't breathe," he said, noting he faced "at least 100 guns" as he exited the hotel. E-mail to a friend .

Renegade officers and politician surrender and leave Manila hotel . Shots and tear gas fired into the hotel by government troops . Rebels entered hotel after walking out of court hearing where they were on trial . The group was asking for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The disabled young son of UK opposition leader David Cameron has died. David Cameron leaves the family home after the death of his 6-year-old son on February 25. Ivan Cameron, six, passed away early Wednesday, the UK's Press Association reported a Conservative Party spokesman as saying. "It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son Ivan," the spokesman said according to the agency. The spokesman said that Ivan, who suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy, was taken ill overnight and died at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, central London early Wednesday morning. "David and Samantha would ask that their privacy is respected at this terribly difficult time," the spokesman added. Meanwhile, the queen sent a private message of sympathy to the Camerons, Buckingham Palace said. Prime minister Gordon Brown said the "thoughts and prayers of the whole country" would be with the Conservative leader and his family, The Guardian newspaper reported, while prime minister's question time -- which offers Cameron a weekly opportunity to grill Brown in parliament -- was cancelled at Brown's suggestion. The prime minister, together with other senior British politicians, instead offered their condolences in the parliament chamber. "I know that the whole house will want to express their sorrow at the death of Ivan Cameron," Brown told lawmakers, according to The Guardian. "He brought joy to all those around him. Every child is precious and irreplaceable. The death of a child is an unbearable sorrow no parents should have to endure." Brown and his wife Sarah lost their first child, Jennifer Jane, in 2001 after she was born prematurely and died 10 days later. They have two sons, John and Fraser, who suffers from cystic fibrosis.

UK media: Young son of opposition leader David Cameron has died . Ivan Cameron, six, passed away early Wednesday, Conservative Party says . Ivan Cameron suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy . British PM Gordon Brown offered his condolences in parliament .

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(CNN) -- More than 40,000 Somalis have returned to the abandoned neighborhoods of Mogadishu in the past six weeks, despite some of the heaviest fighting in months, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday. Violence continued this week in Mogadishu between Somali Islamist fighters and African Union soldiers. They are part of more than a million residents who have been displaced by fighting, including 100,000 who fled to neighboring countries last year, according to the United Nations. Most of those returning are families from Somalia's southern and central regions, areas that are suffering from drought and renewed fighting, according to UNHCR. They are now living in neighborhoods in northern Mogadishu that had been abandoned over the past two years of conflict, the U.N. agency said. Part of the reason displaced Somalis may be braving the violence and returning to the war-torn capital city is because of the recent pullout of Ethiopian troops, who were blamed for indiscriminately killing civilians in Mogadishu, a Somali journalist said. "The AU [African Union] and [Somali] government forces only defend in their positions, they don't move around," according to Mohammed Amiin Adow. "This may reduce the fear of the civilians that their homes may be raided. "During the Ethiopian presence, it was different: When their bases were attacked, they used to come and carry out search operations in which civilians may be detained, killed or wounded." Adow also said another reason refugees may be returning is the bad conditions at the camps for internally displaced Somalis. "People had been living in very poor conditions in the makeshift camps on the road between Mogadishu and Afgooye for the last two years," Adow said. "So that is I think why people are returning." Those returning to Mogadishu will have limited access to basic necessities, a problem that is compounded by the scarcity of international aid agencies, who have fled Somalia because of the violence, UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said Friday. "UNHCR is not encouraging returns to Mogadishu at this juncture, as the security situation is volatile and the conditions are certainly not conducive," he said. "Nevertheless, we are preparing to help returnees or those who wish to return in the near future, in the hope that the security situation will improve."

Most of those returning are fleeing drought, fighting in central and southern Somalia . Others may be returning because of conditions at displacement camps . More than a million Somalis have been displaced throughout country, abroad . Supplies in the capital city are scarce due to exodus of aid groups fleeing violence .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The notorious Iraq prison once called Abu Ghraib has reopened under Iraqi government control. And the Ministry of Justice has launched a public-relations campaign to show it has changed since the days when prisoners were tortured there -- first under Saddam Hussein, and later by American troops. The Iraqi Ministry of Justice gave journalists an inside look at the prison formerly known as Abu Ghraib. It is now called Baghdad Central Prison, and has water fountains, a freshly planted garden and a gym -- complete with weights and sports teams' jerseys on the walls. Under Saddam Hussein, tens of thousands of Iraqis were thrown behind bars here. There were horrific stories of torture, abuse, execution without trial. In 2004, the prison was once again thrown into the international spotlight, this time because of abuse by U.S. troops. Watch how the prison has been revamped » . Detainees were photographed in degrading positions, as Americans posed next to them smiling. The images -- naked prisoners stacked on top of each other, or being threatened by dogs, or hooded and wired up as if for electrocution -- caused outrage around the world when they were leaked to the news media in May 2004. Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, commander of the Abu Ghraib prison at the time, was demoted in rank to colonel because of the scandal. Seven low-ranking guards and two military intelligence soldiers -- described by then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as "bad apples" -- were disciplined after the scandal surfaced. Rumsfeld later said the day the scandal broke was the worst in his tenure as defense secretary. "Clearly the worst day was Abu Ghraib, and seeing what went on there and feeling so deeply sorry that that happened," Rumsfeld said shortly before leaving office at the end of 2006. "I remember being stunned by the news of the abuse." The United States always denied it was a matter of policy to torture detainees. But it shut down Abu Ghraib in September 2006 and turned the facility over to the Iraqis. They have revamped and reopened it. Rooms have been transformed and renovated. CNN was told, but not shown, that a few hundred prisoners are here already, in a revamped part of the facility that can hold up to 3,000 prisoners. The capacity is critical to help deal with overcrowding at Iraq's other facilities and the potential security threat. The Iraqi government is going to great lengths to try to change the image this facility has. It organized a tour for journalists, very carefully orchestrated by the Ministry of Justice. Murtada Sharif, the only Ministry of Justice official to speak to CNN on camera about the prison, admitted Abu Ghraib is synonymous in people's minds with the inhumane acts that took place there both before and after the fall of Saddam in 2003. "We want to change its image, to make it a place of justice," he said. A wing that used to hold a thousand prisoners In Saddam Hussein's time now is ready for 160. Cells that used to hold between 30 and 50 people now have a capacity of eight. Prisoners and their families actually get to see each other -- the prisoners behind a cage-like structure, the families on the other side of the fence, in a courtyard with a playground for the children. Again, it is part of the whole effort to create a different atmosphere. But human rights organizations in Iraq say abuse and torture remain routine in Iraq's detention facilities. Changing Abu Ghraib's infamous reputation may take more than fresh paint and fake flowers.

Abu Ghraib is now Baghdad Central Prison, with a garden and a gym . In 2004, photos of prisoners being humiliated by American guards were published . Ministry of Justice trying to show that the prison, now under Iraqi control, has changed .

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Vimlendu Jha is the founder and head of Swechha -- We For Change Foundation which is based in India's capital, New Delhi. "The Dreamtime Circus is a troupe of fire dancers, jugglers, aerialists, clowns and musicians who travel the world to share the uplifting experience of the circus." Swechha started out as an organization to combat the pollution of the city's main waterway, the river Yamuna. Today it deals with the environmental issues that affect several aspects of Delhi. Vimlendu leads volunteers and local children to key sites around the city to tackle the ecological problems, as well as to raise awareness of the issues. Follow his efforts in his blogs and video diaries. December 4, 2007 We live in a conflict-ridden world. There is upheaval and turmoil between countries, between people, between man and nature and within one's own self. Fortunately, there are people who are striving hard to fight this feeling of gloom and despondency. Dreamtime Circus and Swechha -- We for Change Foundation have joined hands to salute this indefatigable spirit of such change makers through "Circus for Change." Both organizations are comprised of people who have devoted themselves to reduce the misery of the earth and her people by way of grassroots level advocacy, raising awareness about social, cultural and political issues or by bringing smiles to the faces of many by entertaining them through their creative performances. The Dreamtime Circus is a troupe of fire dancers, jugglers, aerialists, clowns and musicians who travel the world to share the uplifting experience of the circus with the peoples of the world. During their travels, the troupe aims to support local organizations working on vital environmental, health, and humanitarian issues that impact the communities they visit. The Dreamtime Circus was founded by fire dancers and non-profit organizers Chris Dunn and Kara "Kfire" Voss in 2005, when they first started performing in villages throughout Indonesia. Since then, Dreamtime Circus has grown from two to 30 performers and their debut performance, "Between Worlds," played to five sold out audiences in San Francisco, California, as well as a packed circus tent at the world famous "Burning Man Festival" in the U.S. The coming together of Dreamtime Circus and Swechha symbolizes the fusion of advocacy and creativity, and a common goal for effecting social change. One of the key objectives of Swechha's various endeavors is to help people -- primarily youth -- to rediscover their relationship with the environment and to empower them to reflect on the consumption-based lifestyle of modern times and its ill-effects. Dreamtime Circus epitomizes daring, innovation and a will to make the world a more humane place, through creative arts and in whatever little way one can. While Swechha promotes volunteerism in a big way, the performers at Dreamtime hope to further the cause of volunteerism by performing for free, wherever they travel in India and in doing so, they wish to aid local civil society groups in their work. Objectives of Circus for Change: . • To promote "out-of-the-box" methods for raising awareness. • To spread the message of "One Earth, Your Earth," which essentially means -- political, cultural and economic boundaries notwithstanding -- this earth is undivided and there is a need for each one of us to be responsible towards it without thinking about our personal gains. • To help local NGOs in their efforts to uplift society through performances and workshops by Dreamtime Circus. It would also help the NGOs, especially the ones in rural areas, to attract media attention and get publicity for their present and future projects. • To collaborate with artists, activists and performers from different countries to promote inter-cultural learning, and to share experiences and good practices. From October 2007 through March 2008, Dreamtime Circus will tour India and perform for free in cities, villages, schools, and refugee communities throughout the country. Wherever a circus need be, a circus shall be. Performances will include an array of circus arts, music and storytelling, and will communicate positive messages of hope, dreams and respect for the Earth and all humanity. In addition to performing, the Dreamtime troupe can hold workshops to teach a variety of basic circus arts to kids of all ages. These performances and workshops will provide a unique and creative venue for partnering organizations to raise awareness about their issues. There's nothing like a circus to attract a captive audience. "Circus for Change" has already been staged at several places in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. It will travel to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh in the next five months. E-mail to a friend .

Swechha has teamed up with the Dreamtime Circus troupe . Dreamtime Circus supports local organizations on key issues . The troupe is touring India putting on shows and circus skills workshops .

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(CNN) -- Trading two children for a bird landed three people in jail in Louisiana, authorities say. The biological mother, who was not involved in the alleged trade, is to be interviewed by authorities Friday. Investigators seek further details about a case that they say unfolded this way: . Paul and Brandy Romero advertised that they were selling their pet cockatoo for $1,500. A woman named Donna Greenwell responded and said she wanted to buy the bird. Greenwell then told the Romeros that she was taking care of three children whose biological parents were going through a separation. Greenwell proposed selling two of the couple's children to the Romeros for $2,000, saying that her job as a truck driver made it hard to take care of the children, said Capt. Keith Dupre of the Evangeline Parrish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. The parties allegedly negotiated a trade involving the two kids, the bird and $175. An anonymous tipster contacted authorities after the children began living with the Romeros. As a result, Greenwell and the Romeros were arrested February 21 and charged with aggravated kidnapping, Dupre said. The children were well taken care of when they were with the Romeros, who badly wanted children, according to Dupre. Greenwell said she needed the cash for a lawyer to handle adoption paperwork, authorities said. She had placed the third child with another Louisiana couple, Dupre said, but he didn't know whether bartering was involved. The two children were ages 4 and 5, according to CNN affiliate WGNO. Police did not identify the biological parents, and no other information was available. The children have been placed in foster care. -- Sean Nottingham contributed to this report.

Paul and Brandy Romero advertised the sale of their pet cockatoo for $1,500 . Donna Greenwell offered two children, who were not her own, for payment . Greenwell and the Romeros were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping .

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(CNN) -- Singapore's economy shrank by 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said Thursday, as it forecast the economy would contract between 2 and 5 percent this year. Boats ply under a bridge near the financial district of Singapore. Compared to a robust growth of 7.8 percent a year earlier, the economy grew by 1.1 percent for the whole of 2008, the ministry added. It called Gross Domestic Product growth prospects for 2009 "weak ... on account of the pessimistic global economic outlook." All major sectors, except for construction, business services and information and communications, saw contractions, the ministry said. The ministry cited a decline in private sector investments and private consumption expenditure for dragging down total domestic demand. Declines in global demand for electronics products, pharmaceuticals and chemicals were also likely to weigh on the manufacturing sector.

Singapore's economy shrinks by 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 . Government forecasts economy will contract between 2 and 5 percent this year . Economy grew by percent in 2007, but only 1.1 percent for the whole of 2008 . Construction, business services, information, communications avoid contractions .

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(CNN) -- Premier League big-spenders Manchester City are set to fine record signing Robinho for his training ground walk-out in Tenerife last week. Manchester City have confirmed Robinho will be fined following his Tenerife walk-out last week. The 25-year-old striker made an unscheduled departure, flying home to Brazil without telling City manager Mark Hughes that he had to attend to some "urgent family business". It was expected that Hughes would fine the £32.5 million ($46m) striker approximately two weeks wages, which would be touching £200,000 ($283.5m), but there have also been suggestions that the City manager would not impose a punishment at all. However, Hughes has denied that allegation, confirming that Robinho will be punished. "I've had a talk with Robinho," Hughes told the UK's Press Association. "I have read some of the things that have been said this morning but nothing could be further from the truth. "I have told Robby about the situation and our intention is to fine him. But there is a disciplinary procedure that has to be gone through and that is what we are doing at the moment. But what I would like to say is that he will be treated no differently to any other member of the squad." Robinho returned to Manchester from South America at the weekend and trained yesterday. It is expected he will line-up alongside new arrivals Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong when City entertain Newcastle in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

Manchester City confirm they will fine Robinho after his walk-out in Tenerife . Manager Mark Hughes was reacting to reports Robhinho would not be fined . Club record signing returned to his native Brazil without permission last week .

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(CNN) -- Relief teams dug through rose gardens at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles Sunday, looking for more than 70 army officers still missing -- and presumed killed -- after a deadly uprising by paramilitary forces last week. Bangladeshi firefighters continued to uncover bodies Friday of Bangladesh Rifles officers from a mass grave. By late Saturday night, 72 bodies had been found floating in a river or in three mass graves inside the compound of the Rifles, or BDR, in the capital city, Dhaka, the Home Ministry said. Fifty of the dead were confirmed to be army officers, shot or stabbed to death. Another six were Rifles troops, or jawans. The rest of the bodies were too damaged for immediate identification, the ministry said. But four days since the rebellion, grieving family members keeping vigil outside the headquarters were losing hope of seeing their loved ones alive again. Some men quietly recited verses from the Quran, Islam's holy book, or counted prayer beads. Several women howled in despair and collapsed hopelessly on the pavement. Sympathy for the mutineers has dried up, a Bangladeshi journalist said. "The first day of the incident, Bangladeshis were for the BDR. They thought they had legitimate concerns of army officer corruption and denial of basic necessities to them," said Ashraf Kaiser, host of the television show, "Road to Democracy." "But from the second day, when we started getting news of missing officers and seeing pictures of one body after another being pulled out, the perception changed," he said. One can see the shift in the media coverage of the mutiny, he said. "What was being called Pilkhana revolt or rebellion" -- named after the area of the city where the BDR compounds are located -- "is now being dubbed the Pilkhana massacre." Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initially earned high marks for persuading the jawans to surrender in exchange for amnesty. But now she finds herself in a delicate balancing act: trying to appease an army that demands the killers, who stubbed out the lives of so many of its officers, be punished. She met for hours Sunday with the army's top officials, and made several concessions. A committee the Home Ministry set up to investigate the mutiny will be shuffled to include more members from the army's ranks. She has also backtracked from her promise of amnesty. Killers will face trial, she said, and ordered jawans to return to their posts or report to police stations by the end of the day Sunday. Hundreds of jawans lined up at a field outside the Pilkhana headquarters, insisting to reporters they fled the compound during the rebellion. They kissed their loved ones as they waited, assuring wives and fathers they were innocent but asking for their prayers. The fear of a military take-over is a pervasive one in Bangladesh. The country has experienced a series of coup since its independence in 1971, including one that killed Hasina's father -- the country's independence leader. The current government itself came to power in December, after two years of an army-backed rule. "Hasina has her responsibility to keep peace and tranquility and so she did what she did," said Aneeqa Khan, a student who lives not far from the BDR headquarters. "And you can't fault the army from reacting. They lost so many people." The military did its part to allay fears of retaliation. "I believe if exemplary punishment is meted out to the people involved directly or indirectly in the mutiny, it will help pacify the anger among our officers and soldiers," Brig. Gen. Mahmud Hossain told reporters. The standoff started Wednesday when BDR troops rebelled against their commanders. The BDR is a paramilitary force distinct from the army, but its commanders are career army officers. The Rifles is responsible primarily for guarding the country's borders. The force, more than 65,000-strong, also takes part in operations such as monitoring polls. The troops staged their rebellion on the second day of BDR Week, when officers and troops from various BDR outposts along the border were in the capital for celebrations. Discontent had been bubbling for years in the ranks of the BDR, who complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and their requests to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations -- which pay far more than what they make at home. Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors are the largest troop contributors to U.N. peacekeeping operations. During the stand-off, dozens of officers were killed. Some bodies were dumped in mass graves. Others were tossed in sewers that emptied into the Buriganga River, where they floated for miles before being retrieved.

72 bodies found floating in a river or in three mass graves inside Rifles' compound . Fifty of the dead were confirmed to be army officers . Standoff started Wednesday when Rifles troops rebelled against commanders . More than 160 were inside Bangladesh Rifles headquarters when mutiny erupted .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Even though she was born without arms, Jessica Cox never says "can't." Jessica Cox, 25, uses her life story to inspire young people to face challenges head-on. She was determined to become a pilot, and she did. Not only has she mastered flying with her feet, but she also earned a black belt in tae kwon do and can legally drive a car. Cox also conquered otherwise mundane challenges like putting in contacts, text messaging, and applying makeup. Instead of saying she can't do something, Cox prefers to say, "I haven't figured it out yet." Watch more of the interview with Jessica Cox » . CNN's Nicole Lapin spoke to Cox about her determination to overcome obstacles. The following is an edited transcript of the interview: . Nicole Lapin: [Your dad] said to us he never shed a tear for you. Jessica Cox: He never saw me as a victim. I never had that as an excuse, that I was a victim of my condition. This is just who I am and I'm not a victim of anything. Lapin: We have a question from our Web site that said, "What motivated you to become a pilot, Jessica?" Cox: Actually, flying was my greatest fear. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Identify your greatest fear and walk directly at it." And that's how it has been for me as a student pilot and learning how to fly an airplane. The first time, a fighter pilot, he came up and asked me if I would like to fly, and I didn't answer right away because it was my fear. But, when [someone] offered to take me up in a Cessna for the first time, I thought about it for a while and said what great opportunity, to attempt to fly an airplane. Lapin: You use your right foot on the throttle, left foot on the yoke and up you go. Cox: Yes. Lapin: We have another question in from [a viewer] who wants to know, "What do you think could be different if you had both arms?" You wouldn't want anything different? Cox: I mean, I would have a whole different life. So there is really no way to know where to start on that, because this is my life and I wouldn't trade it for the world, to be honest with you. And so, to think about that, I don't even know if I'd want to waste the time to even think about how my life would be different, because I enjoy it as it is now. Lapin: What kind of advice would you give young people today? Cox: Well, I think that it's important to not allow our fears to stand in the way of our opportunities. And for me, I had this great fear of flying. And I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Three and a half years later, after confronting my fear and saying I'm going to do it anyway, I'm now certified. [However] just because you confront your fear doesn't necessarily mean that you can overcome it, because I still have a little bit of fear, and fear is a good thing. Lapin: We all do. Cox: Yes. So, I think that it is important not to allow our fear to stand in the way of any opportunity and stand in the way of achieving whatever we set out to accomplish.

Jessica Cox, 25, was born with no arms . Accustomed to not having arms, she decided against using prosthetics . Cox is a certified pilot, black belt in tae kwon do and licensed driver . Her advice: Don't let fear stand in the way of opportunity .

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CLEARWATER, Florida (CNN) -- Two NFL players are among four boaters missing since Saturday night off Florida's Gulf Coast, officials told CNN. Corey Smith, left, and Marquis Cooper are missing after a boating trip off the Florida coast, officials said. Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper and NFL free agent Corey Smith, who played for the Detroit Lions for the past three seasons, have not returned from a Saturday fishing trip in water off Clearwater, Florida, family members and colleagues said Sunday. "It feels like my greatest fear coming true -- it doesn't feel real," Cooper's wife, Rebekah, told CNN affiliate WTSP in Tampa on Sunday afternoon. "I'm just waiting for a phone call." The Coast Guard began searching around 2 a.m. Sunday after it learned that four men -- Cooper, Smith, and former University of South Florida football players William Bleakley and Nick Schuyler -- had not returned from their fishing trip Saturday evening as expected. Rough weather has hampered the effort, but "it's still a very active search," Coast Guard Capt. Tim Close told reporters Sunday afternoon. Poor visibility from heavy waves forced the search-and-rescue effort to be conducted primarily by air, though authorities deployed patrol boats as well, Close said. Watch relatives, friends express concern for missing boaters » . Searchers have focused on 750 square miles of open water in the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles west of Clearwater Pass. From there, the men had left the Seminole Boat Ramp in a 21-foot single-engine boat about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said. Rebekah Cooper said she became worried Saturday night when she didn't hear from her husband. She called her one of her husband's fishing buddies, Brian Miller, who contacted the Coast Guard with the coordinates of where the men planned to fish. "Usually I'm on the boat. It's a little difficult wondering if something would have been different if I had been there," Miller said. "Or who knows? They may be just sitting out there with a broken motor -- and that's what we're hoping for."He said it was clear something was wrong when Cooper didn't call Saturday night. "He should've been within range to use his cell phone, and he knows enough to shut it off when he goes out so the batteries are still there," he said. Close said weather conditions were relatively good Saturday, "but the weather picked up overnight." "It's a small vessel for the conditions that are out there right now," Close said Sunday afternoon. Rebekah Cooper said her husband was aware of Sunday's weather forecast and for that reason picked Saturday for the trip. "Fishing is his first love, it always has been," she said, adding, "I have a lot of faith in him out there." Cooper's father said he learned of the situation Sunday morning from his daughter-in-law. His son "routinely stays out on the water 12-14 hours," Bruce Cooper, a sports anchor for CNN affiliate KPNX in Phoenix, Arizona, said in a statement. Close said authorities had not received a distress signal from the boaters. Close said Cooper owns the boat. Bruce Cooper called his son an "avid fisherman." "He goes deep sea fishing any opportunity he gets," Cooper said in the statement. "Two years ago I went deep sea fishing with him. I swore I would never do so again; I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see land. Needless to say I am very concerned. I am praying and hoping for the best." The boat, a center-console vessel manufactured by Everglades Boats, is billed as "unsinkable," Close said. The Detroit Lions released a statement acknowledging that Smith was among the missing men, adding, "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the passengers, their families and all those involved in the search efforts." Smith and Cooper were teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for part of the 2004 season, when Cooper was a rookie, according to the NFL's Web site. Smith, who entered the league with Tampa Bay in 2002, went on to play for the Washington Redskins before moving to the Lions for the 2006 season. Cooper has played for six teams in his five-season career. Cooper played college football at the University of Washington. Smith played at North Carolina State. Schuyler's father, Stu, told reporters that the four men knew each other from working out at a gym, and that his son had accompanied Cooper and Smith on a fishing trip last week that lasted 15 hours. Bleakley lettered from 2004 to 2006 as a tight end for USF, according to a spokesman for the university's athletics department. Schuyler was a walk-on defensive end for USF in 2006, but he never played in a game, the spokesman said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Will and Nick, as well as the Florida Coast Guard as they continue their search," USF Athletic Director Doug Woolard said in a statement Sunday. The Coast Guard asked anyone with information on the boaters to contact its St. Petersburg, Florida, office at 727-824-7506. CNN Radio's Ninette Sosa contributed to this report.

NEW: "It feels like my greatest fear coming true," wife of missing man says . Four boaters missing off Florida's western coast, officials say . NFL's Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper among the missing . Boat set out early Saturday; Coast Guard began search Sunday .

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(CNN) -- After 34 years of invitations, the "Boss" finally said yes to the National Football League. Bruce Springsteen was first asked to play the Super Bowl in 1975, his bandmate says. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band headline the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday. E Street guitarist Nils Lofgren promises it will be "a very cool thing," but would only hint at what four Springsteen songs the band will play. "One of them has to be 'Born to Run,' but he's got over 400 great songs," Lofgren said. The song list, in fact, is subject to change "knowing Bruce, since what we do is so improvisational," he said . "We've got the best bandleader in the business and whatever we decide to do, we'll be able to do it well and I'm sure it will be a great ride," he said. Lofgren said the NFL first asked Springsteen to play at the Super Bowl in 1975, but he declined. "They keep offering it to him and he keeps turning them down," he said. "So, we were thrilled that he had a change of heart and decided to do it." Springsteen is taking the E Street Band on tour a world tour beginning April 1 to support the band's latest album, which was released January 27. The new album -- "Working on a Dream" -- sounds "very fresh and in your face," Lofgren said. Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson will deliver the National Anthem before the start of Sunday's game, her first public performance since her mother, brother and nephew were found shot to death in October. Faith Hill will sing "America the Beautiful" during the pregame show at Raymond James Stadium. The 2009 Super Bowl will be broadcast February 1 in 230 countries and territories, the NFL said. More than 148 million American viewers watched the 2008 game, the NFL said. CNN's John Lorinc contributed to this report.

E Street guitarist Nils Lofgren promises show will be "a very cool thing" He won't say what four songs Springsteen and band will play . Jennifer Hudson, Faith Hill also will sing at Super Bowl XLIII Sunday .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The ever budget-conscious boss of Ryanair has suggested the discount airline may start charging passengers for using the toilet on board its flights. Whatever you do, don't drink too much before your flight. Ryanair's investigating onboard fees for flushing. Michael O'Leary said the airline had revived inquiries into whether the airline could install coin-operated toilets on its fleet. "People might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he said in a BBC interview, adding "We're always in Ryanair looking at the ways of constantly lowering the costs of air travel and making it more affordable and easier for passengers to fly with us." Asked by the incredulous presenter what passengers would do if they found themselves without money mid-flight, O'Leary replied: "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound." Sound Off: Is it fair to charge a fee for a flush? The Irish airline is renowned for its cheap flights and regularly advertises competition-crushing deals to boost capacity on its short-haul routes. The company has made no secret of its quest to boost revenue by any means possible. It already charges for food and each bag checked into the hold is subject to a fee. Last week Ryanair announced plans to remove all its check-in counters in an effort to encourage travelers to take just one piece of hand-luggage. Ryanair's latest revenue-raising proposal has surprised few in the industry who are accustomed to its method of business. "It seems Ryanair is prepared to plumb any depth to make a fast buck and, once again, is putting profit before the comfort of its customer," said Rochelle Turner, Head of Research at Which? Holiday. The consumer group also warned that move might hit Ryanair where it hurts. "Charging people to go to the toilet might result in fewer people buying overpriced drinks on board, though -- that would serve Ryanair right," Turner said.

Passengers on board Ryanair flights may need to take plenty of spare change . Airline boss says he's considering installing coin-operated toilets on fleet . Which? Holiday says it may encourage passengers to spend less on drinks .

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(CNN) -- Yahoo! announced Monday that the search is on for the Internet giant's next CEO. Jerry Yang, Yahoo! co-founder, speaks at an electronics show in Las Vegas in January. The new CEO will replace Yahoo! co-founder, Jerry Yang, who assumed the position in June 2007 and has since come under fire for failing to turn around the company. Yang will step down when a replacement is selected. Just two weeks ago at the Web 2.0 Summit, Yang was asked if he was the right guy to lead the battered portal. Yang dodged the question by defending his passion for the company he co-founded 13 years ago. "I didn't make the decision of being the CEO lightly," he said. "I wanted to make a change at Yahoo! that I believe I can make ... That's a dream that I felt I could achieve by being CEO and that's still the dream today." Now, Yang plans to return to his former role as "Chief Yahoo" and will still have a seat on the board, Yahoo! said. During his short tenure, Yahoo! has had two major rounds of layoffs and has seen its search market share shrink significantly while a series of reorganizations led to the departure of senior executives. Wall Street and shareholders criticized Yang for falling short of reaching an agreement to sell the company to Microsoft. Yang also was taken to task when Google pulled out of a controversial ad agreement earlier this month that would have boosted Yahoo's revenues by hundreds of millions of dollars. Yahoo! said the search for a new CEO will encompass both internal and external candidates. "Over the past year and a half, despite extraordinary challenges and distractions, Jerry Yang has led the repositioning of Yahoo! on an open platform model as well as the improved alignment of costs and revenues," said Chairman Roy Bostock. "Jerry and the Board have had an ongoing dialogue about succession timing, and we all agree that now is the right time to make the transition to a new CEO who can take the company to the next level."

Jerry Yang plans to resume his former role as "Chief Yahoo" The Yahoo! co-founder will still have a seat on the board . Yang criticized for not reaching deal to sell Yahoo! to Microsoft . Yang took over as CEO in June 2007 .

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MUMBAI, India (CNN) -- On Sunday night, Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali were in Hollywood, California, getting celebrity treatment as eight Oscars were awarded to the movie they starred in, "Slumdog Millionaire." Rubina Ali, who starred in "Slumdog Millionaire," is greeted by crowds in Mumbai, India, on Thursday. Thursday night, the two children were sleeping at home in Mumbai, India. Azharuddin sleeps under a plastic sheet in a shantytown beside a railway track, where the smell of urine and cow dung lingers in the air. Rubina sleeps with her parents and siblings in a tiny shack beside an open drain. The slum they live in put on a Bollywood-style welcome for the two young stars. There were music, dancing, sweets, garlands, security -- tears and tantrums -- and paparazzi. Mumbai's Garib Nagar area, which translates literally into "poor district," put on a robust show for two of its own. Watch the children get happy, chaotic reception » . Rubina and Azharuddin have lived in a Mumbai slum all their lives. They were handpicked by the producers of "Slumdog Millionaire" for parts in the movie, which tells the rags-to-riches tale of a young boy who grew up in a Mumbai slum. Following the film's spectacular success around the world, the producers decided to include the two young actors in the movie's Oscar experience. The children made their first journey on a plane when they were flown to Los Angeles, California, to attend the awards ceremony. "The plane was so big," said Rubina. "I'd only seen [planes] in the sky earlier and it used to look so small." "America was just fantastic," Rubina gushed, visibly excited after she made a dramatic entry into the slum on her father's shoulders on Thursday afternoon. "I was so excited to be on stage at the Oscars. Everyone was crying." Red-carpet formalities done, the children were given a whirlwind tour of Los Angeles. The highlight -- a trip to Disneyland. "I loved all the rides, especially the fast ones," said Rubina. The trip to the United States did have some drawbacks though. "The food is different over there," said Rubina. " I didn't like it. I missed Indian food." They'll have plenty of that now that they're back home. The first thing Azharuddin did when he returned to Garib Nagar was to dig into a plate of biryani, a traditional Indian meal of meat and rice, at a restaurant. His mother, who accompanied him to Los Angeles, spoke to reporters at home -- a makeshift shelter under a tree, with a torn plastic sheet for a roof. See where the children live » . She said she hoped the "Slumdog Millionaire" experience would change things. "It would be nice to get a proper home." She says she has heard rumors the government may provide her family with one, but no one has confirmed any plans for a new home. "I've been praying for a new home for so long. It's all up to Allah now." Returning to their slum, Azharuddin and Rubina were excited -- and exhausted -- by media attention that was sometimes a little overwhelming. Azharuddin burst into tears while eating lunch, leaving his biryani unfinished, his every move caught on camera. Hoping to secure a future for Azharuddin and Rubina, the film's producers have enrolled them in a school and set up a trust fund to ensure their welfare. "We thought long and hard about how best can we benefit them and we decided to put in place an education plan for them," said Danny Boyle, the movie's director. iReport.com: One iReporter's personal 'slumdog' experience . "We put them in school, a very good school, which they're paid for to stay in until they're 18. If they stay in school until they're 18, a substantial sum of money is released to them then, which will effectively change their lives for the better," Boyle said. The Telegraph newspaper of London, England, quoted their parents saying Azharuddin was paid less than $2,500, and that Rubina got about $700. "The children were paid well," Boyle said. "The families were paid well for their work, over and above what you could pay, way over and above what you could pay." "I hope the children get a better life after this," said a neighbor who waited outside her home all day to welcome the children home. "They've achieved so much at a young age. They deserve much better."

"Slumdog Millionaire" won eight Academy Awards in Hollywood on Sunday . Child actors who attended Oscars ceremony return home to India . Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail greeted by crowds, celebration, paparazzi . Rubina says she loved Disneyland rides, but didn't like American food .

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(CNN) -- The bad economy and downturn in the housing market aren't the only painful things for Realtor Anne Stephens. Her knees, hips and ankles hurt from arthritis. Anne Stephens, 61, was in her late 30s when she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. "I can't sit too long. I can't stand too long, and I can't walk too long," said Stephens, 61, from Conyers, Georgia. Stephens is among the 27 million Americans who suffer from the most common form of arthritis called osteoarthritis. "I think people tend to think of this as more of a nuisance," said Dr. John Klippel, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. "They think of it as only aches and pains and not the serious problem that it actually is -- the leading cause of disability in this country." Klippel said part of the misconception has to do with all the myths surrounding the disease. Common myth 1: Arthritis is a disease of the elderly . While older people do develop arthritis, children and teenagers can get certain forms of the condition, Klippel said. The Arthritis Foundation reports two-thirds of people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis are under age 65. Watch more on arthritis fact and fiction » . Stephens was in her late 30s when she developed osteoarthritis after injuring her knees running and playing volleyball. She felt a sharp pain and recalled, "It was downhill after that." Researchers don't know the exact cause of arthritis, but they do know what puts people at risk. Klippel said that while the disease is associated with aging, other risk factors include heredity, joint injury, obesity and lack of fitness. Common myth 2: Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis . Despite what your grandmother told you, experts say cracking your knuckles is not a risk factor for arthritis. "It's annoying -- it's certainly not good for the joints, but on the other hand, it doesn't cause arthritis," Klippel said. Common myth 3: Predicting the weather . "Boy, there's a good myth," Klippel said with a chuckle. "I can't tell you how many patients I would take care of who would say they were better than the weatherman at predicting changes in humidity." He said researchers have studied the claims, but concluded there is no scientific evidence to suggest arthritis flare-ups occur during bad weather. Klippel also doesn't buy the argument that arthritis patients are better off if they live in a warmer climate. "If you live in a warmer climate, you're simply more active for more months of the year and that's probably why people feel better," Klippel said. "It probably has very little to do with the weather itself." Common myth 4: Exercise aggravates arthritis . Staying active actually is one of the most important ways to prevent and ease the pain of arthritis, Klippel said. It also helps with weight control. "For people with arthritis, it hurts to exercise," he said. "But over time, the post-exercise pain actually diminishes if you push through it." He recommended choosing joint-friendly exercises such as walking, biking or swimming. In addition to putting ice on an aching joint, Klippel suggested taking nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory medication before or after exercising to help relieve the pain. "People need to stay active and move their joints to keep the muscles strong and to keep the joints flexible," Klippel said. Common myth 5: Nothing helps . Klippel worries about arthritis patients who don't seek medical help because they don't think anything can be done about the pain. He said a proper diagnosis can lead to a host of possible treatments, including the latest prescription medicines for pain and rehabilitating aching joints through physical therapy. Klippel urges people not to wait until the pain is unbearable before seeing a doctor. "If aches and pains persist for more than four weeks, that's a time to pay attention," he said. Anne Stephens followed that advice and she said it has made all the difference. She manages the inflammation and pain by taking prescription medication (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug). She also exercises at least three days a week; the workouts help her strengthen her muscles. And she sees her doctor several times a year. "I've learned to adapt," she said. "I know what's going to hurt me and what doesn't."

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the disease, affects 27 million Americans . Arthritis is not a disease of the old: Two-thirds of those diagnosed are under 65 . Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can help with pain, as can exercise .

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(CNN) -- Two hijackers who took over a plane flying from Sudan's Darfur region on Tuesday and diverted it to Libya surrendered to authorities Wednesday, Libyan state media said. The hijacked plane took off from near the Darfur refugee camp of Kalma, which was attacked earlier in the week. The official news agency JANA said the two hijackers surrendered to Libyan authorities in the eastern town of Kufra, where the plane landed, and they were being detained in a hall in the airport there. Their identities were not released. Earlier, the hijackers had released all 87 passengers aboard the plane, but had held on to six crew members while they negotiated with Libyan officials through the pilot about passage to France, JANA said. Libyan officials tried to persuade the hostage-takers to surrender as the hijackers demanded fuel to fly the plane to Paris, France. No details were provided as to how the two surrendered. All of the remaining hostages were freed, and JANA said 20 Sudanese officials were en route to the airport. Libya will send a plane to return the passengers and crew to Khartoum, Sudan, the plane's original destination, JANA said. The Sun Air Boeing 737 airliner was about 10 minutes into a flight from Niyala, Sudan, to Khartoum on Tuesday when the pilot called the control tower and told officials the plane had been hijacked and was heading to Kufra, Sun Air airlines official Murtada Hassan Jumaa told the Al-Arabiya news channel. The hijackers at first wanted to land the plane in Egypt, but the Egyptian government refused them permission, John Ukec, Sudan's ambassador to the United States, said Tuesday. Khaled Deeb, an Al-Jazeera reporter in Tripoli, Libya, said Libyan authorities allowed the plane to land only because the hijackers said they were low on fuel -- "for humanitarian reasons and nothing else." "The fact that the plane was kidnapped from Darfur indicates that one of the militant groups may have prepared for this operation, and the fact that they want to go to France adds more to that theory," Deeb said Tuesday. "The hijackers don't have any clear demands except for fuel and then heading to France." -- CNN's Mustafa Al-Arab contributed to this report .

NEW: Two hijackers surrender to Libyan authorities . Hijackers earlier released passengers but had kept crew as hostages . Sudan plane hijacked shortly after taking off from Darfur region for Khartoum . Hijackers reportedly wanted fuel to fly to France; no other demands known .

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -- President Bush surveyed this week's bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and pledged the government would "eliminate roadblocks" and "cut through paperwork" to get it rebuilt. "I bring prayers from the American people to those who have suffered loss of life as a result of the collapse of the 35W bridge in the Twin Cities. I bring prayers to those who wonder whether they'll ever see a loved one again," Bush said on his visit. "I have met with the chief of police and the sheriff and rescue workers -- people who represent men and women working as hard as they possibly can to save life and to find life -- to go under these murky waters to find the facts. And it's going to take awhile." Shortly after Bush left the site, a diver bobbed in the water and communicated with an attending boat with hand signals. "I have been impressed not only by their determination but by their compassion," the president said. Watch Bush tour the disaster site » . "We want to get this bridge rebuilt as quick as possible. We understand that this is a main artery," Bush said. "People depend on this bridge, on this highway." Bush was accompanied by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who pledged that she would do what she could to meet the needs of the city. On Friday, the chief federal investigator said the south end of the bridge "behaved differently" from the rest of the structure during its catastrophic collapse. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker said, based on a video of the collapse and where the bridge debris lies, the southern end shifted 50 feet to the east. "And when we compare that to what we've seen in the rest of the bridge, the rest of the bridge appears to have collapsed in place," Rosenker told reporters. Rosenker cautioned that investigators' interest in the southern end does not mean they have found the cause of the bridge collapse. "What we have is a step forward," he said. "We believe that as the bridge began to fall, as it began to collapse, it shifted," Rosenker said. "I am not saying that the 50-foot shift created the fall. That is not what we believe. What we believe is whatever created the failure, we also saw a 50-foot shift in the southern end of the structure." Rosenker would not offer any theories on what caused the collapse, saying that would come after the 19 investigators have completed their analysis. See which states have most troubled bridges » . The 1,907-foot bridge came down Wednesday in a cloud of dust and river water during the evening rush hour. Divers searched the river throughout Friday, locating 12 submerged or partially submerged vehicles, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said. While no bodies were found, two of the vehicles were so badly crushed that divers could not check inside. Five people were confirmed to have died in the collapse. View photos from the disaster » . "I'm hopeful that the death toll will remain low, but I can't be absolutely certain," Stanek said. "I can only pray." The Hennepin County medical examiner's office Friday identified a fifth victim as Paul Eickstadt, 51, of Mounds View, Minnesota, who was the driver of the tractor-trailer that was ablaze in the immediate aftermath of the collapse. The other four victims were previously identified. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Susan Roesgen contributed to this report.

NEW: President pledges to get bridge rebuilt "as quick as possible" NEW: Transportation secretary promises help for city's transit needs . Bush praises people who disregarded danger to help victims . Federal investigator notes 50-foot shift of part of bridge .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Militants set fire to a hotel at Pakistan's only ski resort Thursday, as security in the Swat Valley continued to deteriorate despite a month-old peace deal. Pakistani soldiers on patrol in the Swat Valley, which is home to the country's only ski resort. Militants forced their way into the state-run hotel in the northwestern tourist valley early Thursday morning, ransacked it and set it on fire, said Sardar Rehim Shahzad, district coordinator for Swat police. The hotel, the only one at the Malam Jabba ski resort, sustained significant damage, he told CNN. The resort is located near the Afghanistan border and about 300km (186 miles) from the capital city of Islamabad. It was shut down last summer after militants overran the area, keeping tourists away, Shahzad said. Swat Valley, located in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), was once Pakistan's biggest tourist destination. Aside from the ski resort, it was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and visitors to the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area. In recent months, however, militants bent on imposing fundamentalist Islamic law, or Sharia, have unleashed a wave of violence across the NWFP which has claimed hundreds of lives, many of them security personnel. The militants want women to wear veils, beards for men and to ban music and television. After months of bloody battles, the government in May reached a peace deal with fighters loyal to the banned hardline Islamic group, Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM). It is the latest attempt by Pakistan's new government -- headed by the party of the assassinated prime minister Benazir Bhutto -- to achieve peace through negotiations in the lawless tribal areas where Taliban and al Qaeda leaders are believed to have free rein. Ahead of the peace pact, Pakistan's government released TNSM's former leader Sufi Mohammed, who had been jailed in 2002 after recruiting thousands of fighters to battle U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He was freed after agreeing to cooperate with the government. Under the terms of his release, TNSM was also expected to lay down its arms and forgo violence. But his son-in-law Fazlullah, who took over TNSM during his jail stint, vowed to continue his fight to impose fundamentalist Islamic law in the region.

Militants set fire to a hotel at Pakistan's only ski resort Thursday . Militants forced their way into the state-run hotel in the Swat Valley . The resort is located near the Afghanistan border, 300km from Islamabad .

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(CNN) -- Local security forces and coalition soldiers in western Afghanistan killed several insurgents Thursday in what the NATO command called a "successful operation against high-priority Taliban targets." British troops detain suspected Taliban Militants during a recent operation in Afghanistan. The operation took place in the Shindand district of Herat province. Two Taliban leaders, Haji Dawlat Khan and Haji Nasrullah Khan, and "significant number of other insurgents" were killed, according to a statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force. It added there was no evidence of civilian casualties or accidental damage in the operation, in which a "number of men were discovered handcuffed and imprisoned in appalling conditions in one of the insurgent compounds." The incident reflects the increasing violence between troops and Taliban militants across Afghanistan and the growing concern in the United States that the war there should be more of a priority than it has been. Since May, the deaths of U.S. and allied troops have far outpaced the toll in Iraq. On Thursday, the toll in Afghanistan was 21 compared to six in Iraq. The International Security Assistance Force did not provide the nationality of the soldier who died in Afghanistan Thursday. Two top Pentagon officials said Wednesday they expect to be able to recommend more troop reductions in Iraq this fall and will try to find ways to increase troops in Afghanistan. One of the toughest fronts in the war has been the southern province of Helmand. The British Defense Ministry said its troops in southern Afghanistan killed a senior Taliban leader, two weeks after another leading militant died in a British missile attack. Mullah Bismullah Akhund was killed Saturday in the Now Zad district of Helmand, long a Taliban bastion. The Defense Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday, called Bismullah "a senior key facilitator and logistician responsible for the northern Helmand region." The ministry says his death will disrupt the Taliban's leadership structure and hamper the group's ability to conduct attacks. "He is believed to have commanded numerous fighters and was identified by Task Force Helmand as a key player in the insurgency, and criminality, before the strike," according to ISAF. British troops, which are part of the assistance force, announced the killing on Thursday. Saturday's operation occurred 15 days after British troops killed another senior Taliban militant, Sadiqullah, in an Apache missile strike. "Bismullah was closely associated with local Taliban leader Mullah Rahim, whose brother was also killed during this operation," ISAF said. The Defense Ministry said that "combined with the elimination of Sadiqullah, this is the most significant blow struck against the Taliban logistics and facilitation chain in northern Helmand this year." The U.S.-led coalition said it also is investigating an airstrike in western Afghanistan's Farah province. Launched after a coalition convoy was attacked Tuesday, it struck a house and killed eight civilians. CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.

NATO: 2 Taliban leaders and "significant number of insurgents" were killed . UK said its troops in S. Afghanistan killed another senior Taliban leader . Mullah Bismullah Akhund described as "a senior key facilitator and logistician" W. Afghanistan: Airstrike launched after a coalition convoy was attacked .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Southwest Airlines will pay $7.5 million to settle complaints that it flew unsafe aircraft, and the fine will double unless the airline completes additional safety measures within a year, federal regulators announced Monday. The FAA found Southwest operated jets on nearly 60,000 flights without performing certain mandatory inspections. The Federal Aviation Administration originally recommended more than $10 million in civil penalties in 2008 after finding Southwest operated 46 of its Boeing 737 jets on nearly 60,000 flights without performing mandatory inspections for fatigue cracks in their fuselages. FAA documents obtained by CNN found that in some cases, Southwest aircraft flew for 30 months after government inspection deadlines had passed. A congressional panel concluded the planes were "not airworthy," and two FAA whistle-blowers said agency managers let the airline conduct the safety checks on a slower schedule to avoid disrupting flights. The Dallas, Texas-based airline said it was happy to have settled "all outstanding issues with the FAA." "This settlement with the FAA will allow us to focus on safety going forward, rather than on issues that are now behind us and that have already been addressed," Southwest Airlines said in a written statement. CNN's Mike M. Ahlers contributed to this report.

Fine will double unless airline completes additional safety measures within a year . FAA found Southwest flew 46 jets without checking for fatigue cracks in fuselages . FAA documents: Aircraft flew for 30 months after inspection deadlines passed . Southwest happy to have settled "all outstanding issues with the FAA"

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(CNN) -- Climate protesters demonstrating against Donald Trump's plans for a sports resort broke into a Scottish airport Tuesday, setting up a small golf course and scaling the roof of a terminal building. Climate protesters broke into Aberdeen Airport in the early hours of Tuesday to demonstrate against plans for expansion. Flights at Aberdeen airport were returning to normal by midday after the activists breached the security fence overnight, the airport authority said. Nine members of Plane Stupid, which campaigns against airport expansion and aviation-related climate change, entered the airport grounds at about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday (9:15 p.m. Monday ET), the group said. A spokesman for the airport called the protest "dangerous and highly irresponsible." By mid-morning, the seven members on the ground had been arrested, but the two protesters remained on the roof, group spokesman Leo Mullay told CNN. He explained that the group is against plans to expand the one-runway airport for the American millionaire's planned golf resort in the region. "It's going to cause a huge increase in emissions," Mullay said. "There's simply no capacity within our carbon budget for more flying." Trump's plans call for a golf resort to be built on 1,400 acres along Scotland's northeast coast, just north of Aberdeen, according to the resort's Web site. Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, is to feature two championship-caliber golf courses and a five-star luxury hotel. Trump's resort is in the planning stages, project director Neil Hobday told CNN. But he rejected the idea that the airport is expanding because of the Trump resort. "The runway issue has been going on long before we got here," Hobday told CNN. It's "nothing to do with us. They were going to lengthen the runway whether we were here or not." The protest caused a backlog of flights at the airport, a major gateway for Scotland and one of Europe's busiest heliports, airport officials said. Outbound flights resumed just after 9 a.m. (4 a.m. ET), but there remained some delays and cancellations, according to the airport's Web site. "Despite the runway being open and available for use, the earlier protest is likely to cause some knock-on disruption during the course of the day and passengers are being asked to check the status of their flight," an airport statement said.

Protest caused a backlog of flights at the airport, a major gateway for Scotland . Donald Trump plans a golf resort on a 1,400-acre site alongside Scotland's NE coast . Activists claim that the airport in nearby Aberdeen will have to expand as a result . Trump project director: Runway issue was ongoing long before we got here .

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(CNN) -- CNN's Larry King talked with Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal in a prime-time exclusive interview Monday night. Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Barack Obama: "I'm certainly not nearly as good of a speaker as he is." Jindal gave the Republican response after President Obama's address to Congress last week. Jindal received negative reviews after the speech, and Larry asked him how he felt about that. They also talked about the war of words in the Republican Party centered around Rush Limbaugh. The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity: . Larry King: Governor, you took a lot of flak for that speech. Were you surprised that you did? Gov. Bobby Jindal: Let's be clear, the president is a great speaker -- probably the greatest we've seen in a generation. I'm certainly not nearly as good of a speaker as he is. And I'm not the only one that's got that opinion. I hope people look at the content of the speech, not just the delivery. You know, for years, I've been told I speak too quickly. Now I'm told I speak too slowly. What's more important is I was outlining a philosophical difference with the stimulus package, with the leadership in Congress, with the administration. I was outlining a philosophical disagreement that says we need to get businesses hiring again. We need to put more money in the private sector. Watch Larry King's interview with Gov. Bobby Jindal » . Let's cut taxes. Let's get rid of the wasteful spending. That's the debate. That's the discussion we need to be having. King: But governor, to say that the federal government apparently has no voice in this crisis, when in some cases, they are the only answer, that pointed to a lot of the criticism, didn't it? Jindal: If the president had actually delivered the targeted temporary stimulus package that he described, I think you'd see a lot more conservative and Republican support. We absolutely agree with the kind of infrastructure spending he describes -- speeding up federal spending that would have happened anyway. Less than 5 percent of this bill was actually [for] the shovel-ready infrastructure spending that he described. ... Fundamentally, I don't think $30 million for the federal government to buy new cars, $1 billion for the Census, $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is going to get the economy moving again as quickly as allowing the private sector to create jobs. King: There was no criticism of the Bush bailout of the automobile industry. No criticism of the last eight years of the Republican leadership with a tremendous deficit. Jindal: Well, Larry, I think that you're absolutely right. One of the reasons the Republicans lost the elections in 2006 and 2008 is the Republican Party didn't match its actions with its rhetoric. ... I think one of the reasons we lost elections was that the Republicans came to Washington to change the culture and instead became captive of that culture. The Republican Party defended spending and corruption we never would have accepted from the other side. King: Governor, if perception is reality, do you think your speech hurt the party? Jindal: I think that people are going to look at the content. I think people are going to be focused now that we've [got] alternative views on how to move our country forward. Let me begin the first to say we want to work with the president every chance we can get. Whenever we can find areas of agreement, we need to work across the aisle and put America first. But when we disagree, we need to offer principled alternative solutions. So for example, in health care, I agree with the president that health care should be affordable for every American. I just don't think it should be a government-run program. King: All right, governor, here was Rush Limbaugh at this weekend's CPAC Conference. Watch. Rush Limbaugh: What is so strange about being honest and saying I want Barack Obama to fail if his mission is to restructure and reform this country so that capitalism and individual liberty are not its foundation? Why would I want that to succeed? King: Governor, do you think people are thinking about capitalism now or are they thinking about problems? Jindal: Look, clearly, the American people are worried about paying their mortgages, keeping their jobs and paying their health care bills. I think Rush is a great leader for conservatives. I think he articulates what a lot of people are concerned about. King: Do you want him [Obama] to fail? Jindal: I don't want those policies to be adopted. I want my country to succeed, but I don't want policies to be adopted. King: What if the policies work? Jindal: Well, again... King: What if they work? Jindal: This is where we have a fundamental disagreement. I don't think it's going work ... to spend in excess of our revenues. I want my country to succeed. But what I worry about is that simply spending money on new programs. Look at every new bailout. You talked about the auto bailouts. Then you had the fourth, I think it's the fourth -- it's hard to keep track -- AIG bailout today. It seems like every time you turn around, there's another trillion dollar plan. King: One more thing. It may be moot now, but RNC Chairman Michael Steele took some shots at Limbaugh and then apologized. What do you make of all of that? Jindal: Well, I didn't follow the day's events. I'm glad he apologized. I think the chairman is a breath of fresh air for the party. As I said before, I think Rush is a leader for many conservatives and says things that people are concerned about. [He] articulates very well the concern people have about growing government spending without an end in sight. King: Thanks, governor. We'll call on you again. Always good seeing you. Jindal: Thank you, Larry.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal talks with CNN's Larry King in prime-time exclusive . Jindal says he hopes people judge content of his speech, not just delivery . "I think Rush [Limbaugh] is a great leader for conservatives," Jindal says . Jindal: Republicans became captive to Washington politics, lost elections as result .

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(CNN) -- Your saliva is doing all kinds of useful things for you all the time -- for instance, helping you chew and taste food. It's also home to more than 600 species of bacteria, which are harmlessly enjoying the moisture of your mouth. There's a slew of bacteria floating around in your mouth, but it's generally harmless. Since people have different eating habits in different places, you might think an American's saliva might look a lot different from, say, a South African's. But a new study published in the journal Genome Research finds that bacteria in saliva may not be as related to environment and diet as you might think. In fact, researchers found that the human salivary microbiome -- that is, the community of bacteria in saliva -- does not vary greatly between different geographic locations. That means your saliva is just as different from your neighbor's as someone's on the other side of the planet. "It was somewhat surprising to us, because in our sampling we didn't control for diet, or environment, or anything like that," said Mark Stoneking of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and co-author of the study. Now, Stoneking and colleagues are trying to figure out why. One theory is that since the researchers looked only at the genus of the bacteria in question, they might find more differences at the level of individual species. They are investigating this in a follow-up study. Stoneking became interested in surveying the bacteria of saliva when he learned that saliva contains more DNA than blood, if you include DNA of bacteria and other organisms. Human blood, as you might guess, still contains more human DNA than saliva. Researchers took saliva samples from a total of 120 healthy subjects. The countries represented in this sample were Germany, Poland, Turkey, Georgia, China, Philippines, South Africa, Republic of the Congo, Argentina, Bolivia and the United States. This was the first global survey of bacteria diversity in human saliva. The most common type of bacteria found in the survey of saliva was Streptococcus, Stoneking said. People typically have Streptococcus in their mouths living benignly, although certain species are responsible for diseases such as strep throat, meningitis and bacterial pneumonia. Why do you need hundreds of bacteria species in your mouth? It turns out they're mostly not helping you at all -- you're just giving them a warm, moist home. "Having those bacteria -- that's the price we have to pay for having a lot of saliva in the mouth to begin with," said Nate Dominy, anthropologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dominy, who has studied enzymes in saliva, found the results surprising, and said no one had previously surveyed the variety of bacteria in saliva. What else is inside saliva? One component of saliva that has been shown to vary according to diet is amylase, the only digestive enzyme that converts starch into sugar, Dominy said. Amylase is also found in the pancreas and the small intestine. The human body evolved to start the digestive process early, in the mouth, so we can maximize the amount of sugar that we take in, Dominy said. "Given that we have such large brains, and our brains are metabolically very demanding tissues, they're extremely costly and expensive to maintain, so we need a lot of sugar," he said. Americans in particular have a lot of amylase in their saliva because their diets are full of starch: chips, rice and baked potatoes. But the Pygmies of central Africa, for example, eat mostly game animals, honey and fruit. They have relatively little amylase in their saliva. Dominy and colleagues found these differences at the genetic level, meaning natural selection has favored large quantities of amylase in populations with starchy diets. But there is also evidence that amylase levels can rise and fall within an individual's lifetime. A study on college students in Ghana, who typically eat a lot of meat at the university, found that students who had grown up eating traditional starchy Ghanaian home-cooked meals had lower levels of amylase after attending the school. Humans have had starch as an important part of their diet for at least 12,000 years, since the advent of agriculture, he said. So what else is spit good for? Saliva spreads molecules to the taste receptors on the tongue so you can tell whether something is salty, sour, sweet or spicy, Dominy said. It also helps soften food and spread it to your teeth so that you don't have to chew as hard. Compared with other animals, humans are not very good at detecting toxins, he said. As a result, humans vomit much more than other species, and saliva buffers the acid that results from throwing up -- meaning you'll likely salivate immediately beforehand to limit the damage. "A lot of the value of saliva is attributable to the fact that, in human evolution, we've had to eat marginal plant foods, things that are marginal in quality and full of toxins, and we need these particular salivary adaptations to help cope with those types of food," he said.

Saliva contains more DNA than blood because of all of the oral bacteria . Most common type of bacteria in saliva is Streptococcus, in a mostly harmless form . Saliva spreads molecules to the taste receptors on the tongue .

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JUAREZ, Mexico (CNN) -- Jose Molinar knew something wasn't right. He hadn't heard from his wife for a few hours, which was not sitting well with him. Marisella Molinar was killed while driving her boss, a target of cartels, across the border into El Paso, Texas. Marisella Molinar worked as a secretary for a top prosecutor in Juarez, Mexico, Jesus Huerta Yedra. She was employed in the office for more than 10 years and though she lived across the border in El Paso, Texas, with her husband, she drove about 20 minutes over the Juarez-El Paso border every day to the job she loved. The growing violence over rival drug cartels had concerned the couple, but Mexico was a part of their lives and they were sure the violence stayed between rival drug gangs, who were fighting over a lucrative drug route into the United States. Without fail, Marisella Molinar would call her husband every day when she arrived to work, went out for lunch and when she was leaving the office. But on December 3, 2008, by around 5:30 p.m., Jose Molinar still hadn't heard from his wife. He called the office in Mexico and was told she was giving her boss a ride over the border so he could do some Christmas shopping. Jose Molinar turned on his television, and his life changed forever. "As soon as the image came up, I saw her truck," said Molinar, who was watching the news out of Juarez, "and I knew what happened right then and there." Watch Jose Molinar talk about the moment he knew his wife was killed » . Marisella Molinar was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her passenger, Jesus Huerta Yedra, was a target of the cartels that day. As Molinar's car was about a mile away from the border crossing back to the United States, gunmen walked up to her car and fired 85 rounds from an AK-47 into their intended target. One shot hit Marisella Molinar, a mother of two and proud grandmother, in the chest, killing her instantly. "She wasn't involved, she didn't have anything to do with this!" said Jose Molinar in a recent interview with CNN. "She was the guy's secretary and she was giving him a ride to meet his wife here in El Paso who was Christmas shopping." But instead of making it home to help her husband hang Christmas lights, Marisella Molinar became yet another victim in the drug war taking place just steps from the U.S. border. The violence generated by the war of the drug cartels for control of drug routes translated last year into some 6,000 killings. More than 1,600 of them occurred in Juarez, three times more than the most murderous city in the United States. This year, in two months, the body count in Juarez is 400. Mexican military and police in riot gear now patrol the once popular streets of Juarez. Gone are the Americans shopping, dining and partying. The bars and restaurants are shuttered -- many closed for good. Americans don't come here anymore. In March 2008, the Mexican military joined with Mexican states and local law enforcement in the fight against drug cartels in border cities. Mexican President Felipe Calderon has waged a war against business as usual with the cartels who controlled drug routes through Mexico and into the United States. The fallout has led rival drug gangs to launch all-out war not only with the military, but also with each other, because the once-established drug routes are now up for grabs. The violence has been the worst in Juarez, where cartels have killed police officers, forced the chief of police to resign and threatened public officials. "They started killing police officers, and not when they were doing police work, but when they were coming out of their homes and getting into their cars to go to the police station," said Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz, whose own family has recently received death threats. At the city's only morgue, bodies are piling up. The mayor said there are far too many dead for the small facility to handle. The majority of the dead are unidentified members of the cartels. Just last week, the mayor said, 50 corpses were buried in mass graves because no one claimed the bodies. Officials from both sides of the border said the drug war may go on for years. Beheadings, bodies riddled with gunfire and blood-stained streets will continue daily, they said. They added that the appetite for illegal drugs is too great in the United States, and the drug routes are too lucrative for the battles to end. "It's not going to be won quickly," said Enrique Torres, a spokesman for the Mexican government, adding that the Mexican president is committed to fighting the cartels. "He can't talk about a time frame in this type of situation. We know the monster is big, but we don't have an idea of how big it is."

Marisella Molinar, a secretary, was killed nearly a mile from her U.S. home . Husband: "She wasn't involved, she didn't have anything to do with this!" More than 1,600 deaths in Juarez last year, 400 already this year . Cartels have killed cops, forced police chief to resign, threatened public officials .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A New York Post cartoon Wednesday drew fire from civil rights activist Al Sharpton and others who say the drawing invokes historically racist images in suggesting an ape wrote President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package. Al Sharpton says he wonders whether the cartoon "is making a less-than-casual inference" to a form of racism. The artist, Sean Delonas, called Sharpton's reaction "ridiculous," and the newspaper defended its decision to run his cartoon. But other African-American leaders joined Sharpton, who has been the butt of previous Delonas panels, in attacking what they called the cartoon's racial overtones. "Sean Delonas' cartoon in today's New York Post is insensitive and offensive," National Urban League President Marc Morial said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. "Comparing President Obama and his effort to revive the economy in a manner that depicts violence and racist inferences is unacceptable." The cartoon showed two police officers standing over the body of a chimpanzee they just shot, a reference to this week's mauling of a Connecticut woman by a pet chimp, which police killed after the attack. In the cartoon, one of the officers tells the other, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." New York Post: See cartoon . The nearly $800 billion stimulus package was the priority for Obama, the first African-American U.S. president, who signed it Tuesday. Watch Sharpton raise racism concerns, and see the cartoon » . "The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best, given the racist attacks throughout history that have made African-Americans synonymous with monkeys," Sharpton said. Sharpton questioned whether Delonas "is making a less-than-casual inference to this form of racism." "The Post should at least clarify what point they were trying to make in this cartoon, and reprimand their cartoonist for making inferences that are offensive and divisive at a time the nation struggles to come together to stabilize the economy if, in fact, this was yet another racially charged cartoon," he said. In a brief phone interview with CNN, Delonas called the controversy "absolutely friggin' ridiculous." "Do you really think I'm saying Obama should be shot? I didn't see that in the cartoon," Delonas said. "It's about the economic stimulus bill," he added. "If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi, which it's not." Col Allan, the Post's editor-in-chief, said the cartoon "is a clear parody of a current news event." Watch CNN panel discuss the cartoon » . "It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist," Allan said in a written statement. But Sharpton and Morial were not alone in their criticism. Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists, said the Post showed a "serious lapse in judgment" by running the cartoon. "To think that the cartoonist and the responsible editors at the paper did not see the racist overtones of the finished product should insult their intelligence," Ciara said in a written statement. "Instead, they celebrate their own lack of perspective and criticize those who call it what it is: tone deaf at best, overtly racist at worst." Jeff Johnson, a former activist turned Black Entertainment Television host, said provocative cartoons are good, but that "none of this is appropriate on any level." "The Post ultimately has to answer ... [for] a specific reference to the president of the United States to violence and to his connection to an animal likeness," Johnson said. In California, civil rights leader Earl Ofari Hutchinson called on the Post to apologize. "In times past, that depiction of African-Americans has been vigorously condemned as racially offensive," Hutchinson said in a statement issued from his Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable. "The cartoon also subtly condones violence. We call on the Post management to issue an immediate apology and a statement that racial insults will not be tolerated by Post writers and cartoonists."

NEW: Others join Al Sharpton in saying cartoon invokes historically racist images . Cartoon makes references to recent chimp attack, stimulus bill . Cartoonist calls Sharpton's objections "ridiculous" Newspaper's editor: Sharpton showing himself to be a "publicity opportunist"

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(CNN) -- I've never been one to attend the performances of symphony orchestras, but off and on, for more than 35 years, I gave myself the gift of something even better: . Paul Harvey received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bush in 2005. I would go and sit with Paul Harvey as he broadcast his radio show. It was music; it was thrilling. I met him in the early 1970s, when I was a young newspaper reporter in Chicago, and that's when he allowed me, for the first time, to sit silently in his studio as he did his work. Over the years, whenever I felt a need for a Paul Harvey fix, he was always welcoming, and we came to know each other well. I would sit there wordlessly and observe absolute excellence. He would invariably be wearing a smock when I arrived -- he had been working since well before the sun came up, and the smock would cover his shirt and tie. It was the kind of smock a jeweler might wear, or a watchmaker -- it was crisply pressed, the uniform of an expert craftsman. I never asked him why he wore it, but I suspect that was the reason -- pride in craftsmanship. He would be at the typewriter, honing his script. He was famed for his voice, but the writing itself was so beautiful -- his respect for words, his understanding of the potency of economy, his instinct for removing the superfluous. The world heard him speak, but the world never saw him write, and I think he honored both aspects of his skill equally. He would walk down the hallway to his studio just minutes before airtime. The studio itself -- when I first knew him it was on the west side of North Michigan Avenue, and in later years he moved it to the east side of the street -- was far from lavish. It was impossible to equate the spartan surroundings with the idea that his voice was leaving this little room and traveling around the world. Maybe that was the point: He worked for the illusion of unfussy intimacy. He would make these warm-up noises -- voice exercises, silly-sounding tweets and yodels, strange little un-Paul-Harvey-like sounds -- and he showed no self-consciousness about doing it in front of someone else, because would a National Football League linebacker be self-conscious about someone seeing him stretch before a game, would a National Basketball Association forward be worried about someone seeing him leap up and down before tipoff? This was Paul Harvey's arena, and he would get the voice ready, loosening it, easing it up to the starting line. And then the signal from the booth, and. . . "Hello, Americans! This is Paul Harvey! Stand by. . . for news!" And he would look down at those words that had come out of his typewriter minutes before -- some of them underlined to remind him to punch them hard -- and they became something grander than ink on paper, they became the song, the Paul Harvey symphony. He would allow me to sit right with him in the little room -- he never made me watch from behind the glass -- and there were moments, when his phrases, his word choices, were so perfect -- flawlessly written, flawlessly delivered -- that I just wanted to stand up and cheer. But of course I never did any such thing -- in Paul Harvey's studio, if you felt a tickle in your throat you would begin to panic, because you knew that if you so much as coughed it would go out over the air into cities and towns all across the continent -- so there were never any cheers. The impulse was always there, though -- when he would drop one of those famous Paul Harvey pauses into the middle of a sentence, letting it linger, proving once again the power of pure silence, the tease of anticipation, you just wanted to applaud for his mastery of his life's work. iReport.com: Share your memories of radio legend Harvey . He probably wouldn't have thought of himself this way, but he was the ultimate singer-songwriter. He wrote the lyrics. And then he went onto his stage and performed them. The cadences that came out of his fingertips at the typewriter were designed to be translated by one voice -- his voice -- and he did it every working day for more than half a century: did it so well that he became a part of the very atmosphere, an element of the American air. He had difficult years toward the end. At one point there was a problem with his vocal cords, and he had to leave his broadcast for an extended period; when he came back he told me he had felt fear and the deepest kind of despondency, because he thought he might be finished. He wasn't; he was able to work again, and then in the last 12 months he became ill, and his beloved wife, Angel, died; he turned 90 and he wasn't on the air as much. I was in St. Louis last fall to cover the vice presidential debate, and I was taking a morning walk through the suburb of Clayton. I was on Wydown Boulevard, on a sidewalk beneath some old and thick trees, and the cell phone in my pocket rang. It was Mr. Harvey. I didn't know exactly why he was calling that day, and I still am not certain, but my sense was that he just felt a need to talk. This was during the time when his radio appearances had become sporadic; I knew how lonely he was without Mrs. Harvey. The voice, of course, was much older, and not as strong, but it was his voice, arriving out of the air in yet another American town, and what I said to him then is what I will say to you now: It was wonderful to hear it again. I walked down the street, his voice in my ear. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene.

Bob Greene: I was privileged to watch Paul Harvey prepare and deliver the news . He says Harvey wrote his own scripts and was a master of spare language . Greene: Harvey was a craftsman who words were flawlessly delivered .

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(CNN) -- Myanmar will allow Rohingya refugees back into the country if they can prove that they are Bengali, Thailand's foreign ministry said. A photograph released by the Thai navy shows a group of men captured on December 12. The agreement was reached in side talks between the Thai and Myanmese foreign ministers during the 14th ASEAN summit, a meeting of Southeast Asian nations held in Thailand over the weekend, said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thairit Charungwat on Monday. Thousands of Rohingya refugees -- a Muslim minority group from Myanmar -- have fled to Thailand over the years, saying they are persecuted by Myanmar's hard-line military government. In recent months, controversy has erupted as the Thai military has been accused of intercepting boatloads of Rohingya, sabotaging their vessels and abandoning them at sea. Thailand eventually acknowledged such actions, after initial denials. About 20,000 Rohingya migrants already live in Thailand, according to its foreign ministry, which says Thailand is being inundated. The refugees -- who lack documentation -- live on the fringes in Thailand and Myanmar. But in Myanmar, "things like forced relocation, forced conscription, forced labor -- these things are exacerbated for the Rohginyas," said Benjamin Zawacki of Amnesty International. "In addition to that, they suffer from what is really systemic discrimination, systemic persecution. Things, for example, like not being able to marry outside their ethnicity, very strict restrictions on movement, the inability to work for the government, to hold jobs as civil servants. They are summarily disenfranchised. They are not able to vote. They are not even held to be citizens." The latest group of 78 Rohingya boat people, who arrived Thailand a month ago, has been detained there. Some of the 78 have required medical treatment, after being abused by the Myanmese navy, they say. "They will have to be sent back, according to our law," Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told CNN. "They are entering the country illegally." Watch CNN's "The Forgotten People" on Rohingyas' escape to Thailand » . Myanmar says it will take refugees back if they can prove that they are Bengali, a recognized ethnic group in Myanmar. Proof would include confirmation by relatives, a standard practice in a country that often lacks documentation. But the refugees have resisted being returned to Myanmar, saying they would be killed. "At least this issue is being raised at international and regional level," Charungwat said. "Myanmar has also started to establish communication and participation on this issue, and join with ASEAN, as it is a regional issue to be solved."

Amnesty International: Rohingyas face systemic discrimination, persecution . Thailand's PM Abhisit: "They will have to be sent back, according to our law" Agreement reached during ASEAN summit .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One of the Marines shown in a famous World War II photograph raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima was posthumously awarded a certificate of U.S. citizenship on Tuesday. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Virginia depicts Strank and five others raising a flag on Iwo Jima. Sgt. Michael Strank, who was born in Czechoslovakia and came to the United States when he was 3, derived U.S. citizenship when his father was naturalized in 1935. However, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently discovered that Strank never was given citizenship papers. At a ceremony Tuesday at the Marine Corps Memorial -- which depicts the flag-raising -- in Arlington, Virginia, a certificate of citizenship was presented to Strank's younger sister, Mary Pero. Strank and five other men became national icons when an Associated Press photographer captured the image of them planting an American flag on top of Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945. Strank was killed in action on the island on March 1, 1945, less than a month before the battle between Japanese and U.S. forces there ended. Jonathan Scharfen, the acting director of CIS, presented the citizenship certificate Tuesday. He hailed Strank as "a true American hero and a wonderful example of the remarkable contribution and sacrifices that immigrants have made to our great republic throughout its history."

Marine Sgt. Michael Strank was among six who famously raised flag on Iwo Jima . Strank, born in Czechoslovakia, became a U.S. citizen after his father was naturalized . Strank, killed on Iwo Jima in World War II battle, didn't receive citizenship papers . Certificate given to his sister on Tuesday .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration's efforts to help struggling homeowners will aid "responsible" borrowers, not deadbeats or speculators, Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan said Sunday. The plan is aimed at "folks who are playing by the rules," Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan says. President Barack Obama announced the plan Wednesday, saying it will help up to 9 million people keep their homes in a housing market ravaged by foreclosures. But critics, including several leading Republicans and some commentators, said the $75 billion proposal will unfairly help some people at the expense of others. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged Friday that some people who made "bad decisions" might end up getting help under the proposal. But Donovan, Obama's secretary of housing and urban development, told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that "there are no 'flippers,' investor-owners or scammers that are eligible for this program." "We're going check everybody's income when they come into this program. We're going to make sure that people are paying their bills. And more than anything, we're targeting the folks who are playing by the rules," Donovan said. The administration's proposal would make it easier for homeowners to afford their monthly payments either by refinancing the mortgages or having their loans modified. And it would vastly broaden the scope of the government rescue by focusing on homeowners who are still current in their payments but at risk of default. Read more about the plan . South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican who also has criticized the administration's stimulus package, called the mortgage plan "a horrible idea." "About 95 percent of folks are playing by the rules and struggling, but still paying their mortgages. The idea that somebody down the street gets a different system, I think, is ultimately something that's going to undermine a whole lot of other folks with regard to paying their mortgage," Sanford told "Fox News Sunday." In particular, he singled out a provision that would allow judges to modify or reduce the principal of loans for borrowers in bankruptcy -- an idea Sanford called "incredibly dangerous for the precedent it sets." But Donovan told CBS's "Face the Nation" that judges already have that power for second homes or vacation homes. "It's only for people who have one home and are living in it or are in trouble where you can't have a modification of that loan in bankruptcy," he said. But he said the administration would limit the plan to existing loans, not future ones, and considered it a "last resort." "There seems to be growing consensus that this is an important part of the solution," he said. About $50 billion of the money would come from the $700 billion financial industry bailout package, a senior administration official said Friday. Nationalized mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will contribute more than $20 billion to the loan modification program, mainly to subsidize interest rates so troubled borrowers' monthly payments can be lowered to affordable levels. But those companies are on shaky financial ground themselves and are expected to report billions in losses in the next week or two. To stabilize them, the foreclosure prevention program calls for doubling their lines of credit with the federal government to $200 billion each. Donovan said 45 percent of home sales in December were "distressed," meaning either sellers were facing foreclosure or the homes were already seized by the bank, driving down home prices further in an already-battered market. "We've got to make clear, here, that a foreclosure hurts every American," he told CNN. In releasing his proposal Wednesday, Obama said it would help both responsible homeowners suffering from falling home prices and borrowers either at risk of or already in default. But it does virtually nothing for the unemployed, who often don't have enough income to make any reasonable monthly payment affordable. And since it relies more heavily on lowering interest rates than on reducing principal, it does little for borrowers concerned their homes will never recoup their value.

Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan: Scammers, speculators won't be helped . Critics have said plan will unfairly help some people at the expense of others . Donovan: "We're targeting the folks who are playing by the rules"

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- It only takes one injury to end an athlete's career. Anything that impairs an athlete's performance could mean they're no longer good enough for the top flight -- that's why the best athletes need the best treatment if they're to recover from injury. Owen Hargreaves (L) in action before his career was cut short by tendonitis. Manchester United star and England international footballer Owen Hargreaves is known for his versatility and exceptional work rate, but in 2008 his season was cut short by tendonitis. Hargreaves, 27, was told he would need surgery on both knees to save his career. That's when he decided to travel to the small mountain ski village of Vail, Colorado, to meet the "knee whisperer" -- Dr Richard Steadman. Steadman became fascinated with the way the knee functions and how it can be injured during his university days playing American football. Now known as "Doctor Steady," Steadman is knee specialist to the stars, counting Real Madrid ace Ruud van Nistelrooy, American football sensation Bruce Smith, and even the King of Spain among his clients. "I just think he understands the athletes, the significance of the injuries and he's able to deal with the personalities that go along with these injuries," Hargreaves told CNN. Watch Owen Hargreaves talking about his recovery » . Steadman works with a team of 75 doctors who have together repaired some 16,000 knees. He has developed pioneering knee treatments, including "micro-fracturing," which involves making a small hole in a patient's bone to draw out marrow blood, allowing the patient's own stem cells and growth factors to make new cartilage. Dr. Steadman says the secret to healing athletes is letting them do what they do best. "I became convinced early in my career that mobility was important and immobility was a bad thing. "I was one of the first ones to say, 'I don't think we'll use casts, we'll work on braces, we'll try to get motion back'," he told CNN. Owen Hargreaves has about a month left of rehab in Vail. His days follow a strict routine: Wake up, rehab, eat lunch, rehab, eat dinner and rest. "It's been frustrating at times," says Hargreaves. "I don't really watch our games because as an athlete, and being so competitive, it's hard to watch when you normally would be out there." Steadman says Hargreaves will return to football next season better than ever, adding that athletes often build inner strength from overcoming what could be a career-ending injuries. Hargreaves shares that view. "I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully add a couple of years onto my career," he said. For others the road to recovery can be slower. British middleweight boxer Michael Watson almost died after collapsing at the end of his 1991 title fight with Chris Eubank. "I took a punch, everything went blank and I woke up in a bed. I thought I was dreaming," Watson told CNN. Watson spent the next 40 days in a coma and had to undergo six brain operations. Neurosurgeon Peter Hamlyn, who operated on Watson, told CNN, "He was as close to death as I think it's possible to go, and survive. And he stayed there for longer than anyone I've ever known." It was thought that Watson would never walk again, but after years of slow recovery, he was able to enter the 2003 London Marathon, completing it over six days. "His [recovery] is by far the most remarkable I've ever seen," said Hamlyn. There's now a close bond between Hamlyn and Watson, and Steadman's patients are similarly grateful for their recoveries. The hallway of Steadman's clinic is lined with the signed shirts of his former patients; the number 10 Manchester United shirt signed by Ruud van Nistelrooy reads simply "Thank you for giving back my dream."

The best athletes need the best treatment if they're to recover from injury . Football star Owen Hargreaves was told he'd need surgery to save his career . Dr Richard Steadman, knee specialist to the stars, is treating Hargreaves . Boxer Michael Watson recovered slowly after sustaining severe brain injuries .

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(CNN) -- The ambush by up to a dozen gunmen of a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore is the realization of fears long held by the sport's leading players. Pakistani policemen outside The National Stadium after masked gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on March 3, 2009. The Sri Lankan team had agreed to tour Pakistan after India pulled out in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last November when more than 160 people died in a three-day siege. The England team was in India -- but not in Mumbai -- during the attacks and promptly cut their tour short and returned home. In September 2008, Cricket Australia decided to push ahead with a tour of India despite a series of bomb attacks in the country's capital New Delhi. In March of the same year, they had pulled out of a tour of Pakistan after a spate of suicide bombings. Before that, the Australian team had not played in Pakistan for 10 years. Such was the concern about the security risks presented to players in Pakistan that in August 2008 the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the biennial Champions Trophy would be postponed until October 2009. The ICC announced last month that it was investigating other venues after three countries -- England, New Zealand and Australia -- expressed reservations about touring Pakistan. South Africa pulled out of the 2008 competition citing security concerns. Long before that, in 2002, a suicide bomb blast outside the New Zealand team's hotel prompted them to pack up and abandon the second Test series in Pakistan. The explosion injured the team physiotherapist and killed 11 French navy experts as well as two Pakistanis. The previous year, the New Zealand team cancelled a scheduled tour of Pakistan in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the U.S. Most of the team stayed on to play, though under increased security, when a suicide attack closed Colombo's international airport in July 2001. In February 1996, Australia and the West Indies refused to play in preliminary World Cup matches in Sri Lanka after a huge bomb blast killed 80 people and injured 1,200 in Colombo. In November 1992, also in Colombo, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside a hotel where the New Zealand team was having breakfast, killing four people. Five players and the coach were allowed to return home on compassionate grounds. Five years earlier, in April 1987, the New Zealand team cut short a three-test tour of Sri Lanka after a car bomb killed 100 people at a bus station in Colombo.

Sri Lankan team agreed to replace India in Pakistan after Mumbai attacks . International teams have long expressed concern about security in Pakistan . Australian team pulled out of tour of Pakistan last year after suicide bombings . ICC currently investigating other venues for postponed Champions Trophy .

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Editor's note: CNN has asked its journalists across the country to offer their thoughts on how the economic crisis is affecting their cities. In this installment, All Platform Journalist Jim Spellman reports from Denver, Colorado. Hari Dallakoti says business at his UPS store in Denver, Colorado, is down 25 percent. DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- The conventional wisdom here in the Mile High City is that Denver entered the recession early and is pulling out of it ahead of the rest of the country. Time and again I have heard politicians, journalists and business people tell me that it isn't so bad here, that Denver is poised to lead the nation in an economic recovery. Maybe, but the signs on the ground are a little harder to read. Down on Broadway I stop by a UPS store a couple of times a week. The owner's name is Hari Dallakoti. Dallakoti always has a smile on his face and seems to know all his customers by name -- he was calling out to me by the second time I entered the shop. People drop by to ship out packages, make copies and pick up deliveries. There is always a crowd when I have been in, but Dallakoti tells me business is down 25 percent this month versus the same time last year. "Finally it's hitting in this area, and I believe that people are afraid of spending money," he says. "It's like a ripple effect, and I think I am feeling it now." Dallakoti says customers who once sent birthday presents across the country are now only sending cards. Also, eBay-related shipping is down, and he has seen a falloff in people sending mortgage-related documents. He has five employees and says he hasn't had to let anyone go, but he has had to cut back their hours. He agrees that business is better in Denver than in other parts of the country and is confident he will weather the economic storm, but it may be a while before things get better for him. "In my opinion it's going to get worse for the next couple, three months, and I'm hoping it will turn around after June," he says. Watch how the downturn is affecting Denver » . A block up Broadway is a little guitar store called Music Gear Guys. I play guitar, and this was one of the first businesses I stopped by when I moved to Denver in January. I have been in the shop four or five times and have been surprised that every time I drop by, the place is packed. "The recession affected us a little last year but overall -- knock on wood -- it hasn't really affected me too much," says owner Gregory Decker, who thinks the recession may actually be helping his business. "I have a feeling that people are looking for hobbies or different forms of entertainment that aren't too expensive," Decker explains. His store is crowded with new and used guitars, amplifiers and accessories. He says guitars based on designs from the 1960s are the hot items in the store. Like Dallakoti, the UPS store owner, Decker seems to know all of his customers by name. He says that in this economy you have to focus on customer service to stand a chance. He doesn't advertise, instead relying on word of mouth, and keeps overhead low: He is the sole employee. "Relationships are what make my business thrive. Without them I wouldn't be as successful," he says. But even here in a relatively successful small business there are signs of the hard times other people have been experiencing. Beginning last year more customers started coming in to sell Decker their guitars in hopes of making ends meet. "A lot of people are selling their gear due to job layoffs and needed the money," he says. The recession started with free-falling housing values and, in this respect, the signs are harder to read. Over the weekend I took my dog for a walk through my neighborhood near Sloans Lake in Northwest Denver and decided to count how many houses were for sale. In a six-block walk, I counted two houses for rent and 13 for sale, including the house next door to me. These homes sit like ghosts in the neighborhood. There are open houses on Sundays, but few people come by. The houses are all well-maintained, though most of them appear to be empty. My neighbors hope these places don't fall into foreclosure; they are worried the neighborhood will fall apart if they do. I'll be keeping my eye on the house next door, and keeping my fingers crossed that my new hometown will be back on track soon.

CNN journalist in Denver, Colorado, weighs in on how economy affecting city . UPS store owner says business down at least 25 percent . Business brisk at guitar store, but many selling instruments to obtain money . Housing market's slowdown also felt in Mile High City .

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(Travel + Leisure) -- Nothing, but nothing, has the power to spoil New Orleans' appetite. The people of this city love to eat, and they eat it all -- from simply fried oysters and perfectly dressed po' boys to cutting-edge dishes served Cajun style. Here, a meal-by-meal primer of the Big Easy from a lucky visitor who came to eat and stayed to listen. A classic meat biscuit at Mother's . Breakfast . When local business owners pulled together in move-on mode and reopened faster than seemed possible after Hurricane Katrina, natives dubbed Magazine Street, a six-mile ribbon of shops and restaurants, the "aisle of denial." Only a few blocks away, on the edge of the Central Business District, Mother's reopened with Vice Admiral Thad Allen, head of the disaster relief effort, as its first customer. Regulars and tourists alike line up to order at the counter, cafeteria-style, but dishes such as grits and debris (roast-beef edges in gravy) or red-bean omelets with baked ham and biscuits are delivered to your Formica-topped table by old-time waitresses who may well call you darlin'. Mellow Coffea Café (3218 Dauphine St.), in Bywater, a picturesque residential neighborhood a mile or so downriver from the French Quarter, doubles as a gallery space for local artists and has a genuine bohemian charm. Try their café au lait (equal parts chicory coffee and steamed milk), sweet potato pancakes, or the savory "huevos crepe," filled with eggs and black beans and served with a side of Southern hospitality: a half-dozen bottles of hot sauce, including the tangy Louisiana favorite, Crystal. iReport.com: Send your photos of New Orleans . Don't leave the neighborhood without swinging by homey corner restaurant Elizabeth's for fried chicken livers with pepper jelly or lacquered praline bacon, baked in brown sugar with crumbled pecans and tasting -- if you can imagine it -- like pig candy. The hand-lettered sign, swaying when the breeze blows off the river, promises REAL FOOD DONE REAL GOOD. For weekend brunch, order "red neck eggs" (poached and served over fried green tomatoes with grits) and sweet rice fritters called calas, a nearly extinct regional specialty. Travel + Leisure: World's craziest party towns . Lunch . Founded in 1919 by Italian immigrants, Casamento's takes pride in its oyster loaf: a sandwich of fried oysters layered between two slices of house-made buttery white bread (rather than a French-style po' boy roll). But check the calendar, because the tiny Garden District oyster house is only open in the cooler "r" months. If the time is right, plunk those freshly shucked oversize warm-water oysters onto some saltines and wash them down with the coldest local Abita Golden beer in town. During the summer "r-less" months, there's always La Petite Grocery (4238 Magazine St.), a cozy neighborhood bistro nearby. Chef Justin Devillier's top-notch half-pound burger comes with his house-made pickles and sweet Vidalia-onion marmalade. There's only one way to end the debate over where to find the best po' boy in town: head for the Parkway Bakery & Tavern. Whether you go for the roast beef with gravy or golden fried shrimp, the basic anatomy of Parkway's perfect rendition is always the same: "dressed" (lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and pickles) on distinctive New Orleans-style French bread (lightly crisped crust, interior as airy as cotton candy) from the celebrated Leidenheimer Bakery. Nothing better, nowhere else. A grande dame of French Creole cooking since 1905, and still family-owned, the clubby Galatoire's has long earned its place in the social scene. If you sit in the mirrored ground-floor dining room (not the second floor) and order without studying the menu, you might -- just might -- pass for an upper-crust regular. Cheat sheet: Get the "grand goute," a seafood appetizer trio featuring the restaurant's signature shrimp rémoulade. Dinner . Under sparkling chandeliers in a renovated four-story French-Creole warehouse, James Beard Award-winning chef John Besh, whose August empire has doubled in size post-Katrina, celebrates regional ingredients in French style. A devoted Louisiana resident, Besh is involved with artisanal producers and longtime area farmers, which means you might find a salad of heirloom beets with Allen Benton's cherrywood bacon, mustard greens, quail eggs, and black-eyed pea croutons, or a sugar-and-spice duckling with Anson Mills heirloom Carolina corn grits, roasted duck foie gras, and quince. Don't let the phrase "contemporary Cajun" scare you; there's no trickery about the food at Cochon. Devoted to protecting old-style traditions, chef/co-owners Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski turn out splendid boudin, andouille, and smoked bacon, which you can also buy at the newly opened Butcher, located in the same building. Order absolutely anything: wood-fired oyster roast, ham hock with lima bean hopping John, catfish court bouillon. And whatever you do, don't leave without trying the fresh chunk-pineapple and cornmeal upside-down cake, slightly sticky with caramel sauce. The last bite will haunt you for days. Between meals . Beignet rhymes with cliché for a reason: everybody hits Café Du Monde, a cornerstone of the historic French Market since 1862, sometime. Despite the crowds, it's hard to find fault with the hot little pillows of sweet fried dough, served 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except Christmas Day). Paris, Milan, New Orleans? It seems likely at ultrasleek patisserie Sucré, where you can rev up with a plate of delicate macarons or a chicory coffee-gelato shake. The NOLA Chocolate Collection includes evocative local flavors such as the Meuniere, brown butter and white chocolate ganache coated in dark chocolate; and the Magnolia, dark chocolate with pecan ganache, topped with a pecan half. After hours, Big Easy style . Traces of voodoo have long seeped into New Orleans's everyday life. So settle in at the International House hotel's candlelit bar Loa and toast the divine spirits with a champagne-and-pear brandy Laveau 347, a cocktail honoring Marie Laveau, New Orleans's legendary voodooienne, who's buried in Tomb 347 in St. Louis Cemetery No.1, on the edge of the French Quarter. Travel + Leisure: World's strangest hangover cures . The Columns Hotel, founded in 1883, is on the National Register of Historic Places and feels as haunted as hell. The creaky floorboards and dark corners of the Victorian Lounge give off a catacomb-like vibe. But meeting for a Sazerac, the city's official cocktail as declared by the state legislature, on the mansion's wide wooden porch facing the prettiest boulevard in the Garden District, is the perfect way to ease into -- or out of -- a long evening. Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

Mother's serves hearty breakfasts on the edge of the Central Business District . Parkway Bakery & Tavern is known for its po' boy sandwiches . Chef John Besh celebrates regional ingredients in French style at August .

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(CNN) -- The Bangladeshi military has revised the number of army officers missing after last week's bloody uprising, from 72 down to six. Bangladeshi soldiers carry a coffin during a funeral Monday for victims of last week's mutiny. The earlier number was based on "assumptions," said Lt. Gen. Sina Ibn Jamali, the army chief of general staff. "The numbers we are giving now are grounded in facts," Jamali told reporters Sunday night. Authorities said confusion arose because no one knew for sure how many officers were inside the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters when paramilitary troops, or jawans, staged a bloody revolt and took dozens of them hostage Wednesday. Search crews have recovered 73 bodies from a river, sewers and three mass graves inside the Rifles compound in the Pilkhana area of the capital, Dhaka. Of those bodies, 53 were confirmed as those of army officers. Meanwhile, an army investigation into the 35-hour rebellion began Monday. The police have filed murder charges against more than 1,000 Rifles, and soldiers were out in full force throughout Bangladesh looking for them. The 65,000-strong Rifles is a border security force -- distinct from the army, but whose commanders are career army officers. The jawans had complained for years that their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and the opportunity to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations, which pay far more than what they make at home. The two-day standoff ended after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised the jawans amnesty if they laid down their arms. She has backtracked since, saying the government will not show mercy to those who killed, looted or committed arson.

Number of army officers missing after mutiny is six, down from earlier estimate of 72 . Confusion arose because no one was certain how many officers were involved . Murder charges filed against more than 1,000 members of Bangladesh Rifles .

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(CNN) -- Your saliva is doing all kinds of useful things for you all the time -- for instance, helping you chew and taste food. It's also home to more than 600 species of bacteria, which are harmlessly enjoying the moisture of your mouth. There's a slew of bacteria floating around in your mouth, but it's generally harmless. Since people have different eating habits in different places, you might think an American's saliva might look a lot different from, say, a South African's. But a new study published in the journal Genome Research finds that bacteria in saliva may not be as related to environment and diet as you might think. In fact, researchers found that the human salivary microbiome -- that is, the community of bacteria in saliva -- does not vary greatly between different geographic locations. That means your saliva is just as different from your neighbor's as someone's on the other side of the planet. "It was somewhat surprising to us, because in our sampling we didn't control for diet, or environment, or anything like that," said Mark Stoneking of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and co-author of the study. Now, Stoneking and colleagues are trying to figure out why. One theory is that since the researchers looked only at the genus of the bacteria in question, they might find more differences at the level of individual species. They are investigating this in a follow-up study. Stoneking became interested in surveying the bacteria of saliva when he learned that saliva contains more DNA than blood, if you include DNA of bacteria and other organisms. Human blood, as you might guess, still contains more human DNA than saliva. Watch CNN's Elizabeth Landau talk more about saliva » . Researchers took saliva samples from a total of 120 healthy subjects. The countries represented in this sample were Germany, Poland, Turkey, Georgia, China, Philippines, South Africa, Republic of the Congo, Argentina, Bolivia and the United States. This was the first global survey of bacteria diversity in human saliva. The most common type of bacteria found in the survey of saliva was Streptococcus, Stoneking said. People typically have Streptococcus in their mouths living benignly, although certain species are responsible for diseases such as strep throat, meningitis and bacterial pneumonia. Why do you need hundreds of bacteria species in your mouth? It turns out they're mostly not helping you at all -- you're just giving them a warm, moist home. "Having those bacteria -- that's the price we have to pay for having a lot of saliva in the mouth to begin with," said Nate Dominy, anthropologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dominy, who has studied enzymes in saliva, found the results surprising, and said no one had previously surveyed the variety of bacteria in saliva. What else is inside saliva? One component of saliva that has been shown to vary according to diet is amylase, the only digestive enzyme that converts starch into sugar, Dominy said. Amylase is also found in the pancreas and the small intestine. The human body evolved to start the digestive process early, in the mouth, so we can maximize the amount of sugar that we take in, Dominy said. "Given that we have such large brains, and our brains are metabolically very demanding tissues, they're extremely costly and expensive to maintain, so we need a lot of sugar," he said. Americans in particular have a lot of amylase in their saliva because their diets are full of starch: chips, rice and baked potatoes. But the Pygmies of central Africa, for example, eat mostly game animals, honey and fruit. They have relatively little amylase in their saliva. Dominy and colleagues found these differences at the genetic level, meaning natural selection has favored large quantities of amylase in populations with starchy diets. But there is also evidence that amylase levels can rise and fall within an individual's lifetime. A study on college students in Ghana, who typically eat a lot of meat at the university, found that students who had grown up eating traditional starchy Ghanaian home-cooked meals had lower levels of amylase after attending the school. Humans have had starch as an important part of their diet for at least 12,000 years, since the advent of agriculture, he said. So what else is spit good for? Saliva spreads molecules to the taste receptors on the tongue so you can tell whether something is salty, sour, sweet or spicy, Dominy said. It also helps soften food and spread it to your teeth so that you don't have to chew as hard. Compared with other animals, humans are not very good at detecting toxins, he said. As a result, humans vomit much more than other species, and saliva buffers the acid that results from throwing up -- meaning you'll likely salivate immediately beforehand to limit the damage. "A lot of the value of saliva is attributable to the fact that, in human evolution, we've had to eat marginal plant foods, things that are marginal in quality and full of toxins, and we need these particular salivary adaptations to help cope with those types of food," he said.

Saliva contains more DNA than blood because of all of the oral bacteria . Most common type of bacteria in saliva is Streptococcus, in a mostly harmless form . Saliva spreads molecules to the taste receptors on the tongue .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The UK government has clashed with the judiciary amid claims that Washington pressured London into not releasing documents that reveal the torture of a terrorism suspect, UK media report. Binyam Mohamed has been held at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years. Ethiopian Binyam Mohamed, 30, formerly resident in the UK, has been held at Guantanamo Bay since September 2004. Allegations that he he was involved in a plot to release a "dirty bomb" in the United States have now been withdrawn. Mohamed and his supporters allege he was tortured in Pakistan, Morocco and Afghanistan between 2002 and 2004, and that the UK security services were complicit. UK media outlets had appealed against an earlier ruling to withhold documents relating to the alleged torture. Two UK High Court judges said Wednesday, in comments reported by the UK's Press Association, that the papers would still not be disclosed after UK foreign minister David Miliband warned their publication might affect intelligence sharing between the U.S. and UK. In their ruling, reported by PA, the judges said the documents included information "relevant to allegations of torture," but added that they did not contain any sensitive intelligence. Rather, the judges concluded, the material was "politically embarrassing" and urged the new U.S. administration to take a different approach. The judges also suggested the U.S. government had pressured London about the intelligence-sharing relationship should the documents be released. Miliband told the UK's Channel 4 News Wednesday that intelligence co-operation between nations relied on confidentiality and that there would have been repercussions if the papers had been released. But he added: "There has been no threat from the United States to 'break off' intelligence cooperation." "In this case, the United States made clear, in documents that have been published, that there would inevitably be serious and lasting harm if that fundamental principle was breached," Miliband said. "It is American information and it is for the Americans to decide when to publish their information." The UK government has peviously pressed for the release of Mohamed. Last month U.S. President Barack Obama set a one-year deadline for the closure of Guantanamo. Clive Stafford Smith, lawyer for Mohamed, said in a statement on the Web site of human rights group Reprieve that the U.S. and the UK governments were legally obliged to investigate any allegations of torture. "For the foreign secretary to give in to these illegal demands by the Bush Administration is capitulation to blackmail, pure and simple. It is hardly Britain's finest hour. As the judges say, it is up to President Obama to put his money where his mouth is. He must repudiate his predecessor's reprehensible policy." Earlier this week Miliband met with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for talks in Washington. Clinton told media after her meeting that the U.S.-UK relationship stood the test of time, adding: "Our two countries have stood side by side confronting global challenges for a very long time. We share fundamental values and important fundamental objectives."

Binyam Mohamed has been held at Guantanamo Bay since September 2004 . Mohamed's supporters allege he was tortured in Pakistan, Morocco, Afghanistan . UK media loses appeal against release of information relating to case . UK judges, in ruling, say U.S. govt. has pressured London to supress documents .

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MODESTO, California (CNN) -- Some of the people hit hardest by this bad economy are the youngest. Almost 2 million children nationwide have had or will have their lives disrupted by home foreclosures, according to one study. There are more empty desks in Suzell Tougas's fourth grade classroom after 10 students have stopped coming. These are the children whose families have had to move, sometimes more than once. The youngsters are pulled out of school, often leaving their friends behind without even saying goodbye. Nine-year-old Kenia, who is in the fourth grade at Fairview Elementary School in Modesto, California, said that is what happened to her. She is new to the school, having moved to the area just a few months ago. She said it is really hard and she misses her friends. Her classmate Bethany said her best friend since kindergarten just left without saying goodbye. Heather Sharp, the principal at Fairview, said her school has been the one most affected by the bad economy in the Modesto City School system. "We have, over the last couple of months, 50 students coming new to the school and 50 students leaving," Sharp said. It was so bad that the school conducted a door-to-door search for missing students, she said. "We had our community aide going out to houses. And they were boarded up, windows boarded, yard brown. She had to go to neighbors to find out where the kids were." In terms of raw numbers, California had the most foreclosures of any state from 2007 through January 2009. More than 57,000 homes entered foreclosure. Many of those were in Stanislaus County, where home prices have declined 65 percent since December 2005, according to the Modesto Bee. Fourth-grade teacher Suzell Tougas said she has lost 10 kids from her class so far this year and is braced to lose more. She usually has a room full of children with every desk occupied. Now, it "looks empty ... it's like a "ghost town". She said constant moving is hard on kids. "Just having to start over and start over is really hard on a child," Tougas said. "It takes six weeks for a child to adjust ... at least." While children are in that period of adjustment, she said, they aren't learning and their studies suffer. "The biggest issue is that when [children have to move] when there are other stressors going on, we know it puts these kids at greater risk for being behind in their academics," said Pat Popp, a past president of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. That is borne out in a recent study by a nonpartisan group in Washington called First Focus. It said that children who move twice in one year are only half as likely as others to be able to read proficiently, and may have a greater chance of being held back. It also found that moving a lot reduces the student's chance of graduating from high school by half. Read the report here . The report, published in May, estimated that 1.95 million children will be affected by foreclosure over the next two years. The number of homeless students is increasing dramatically. A study by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children reported that more than 450 school districts across the nation had an increase of at least 25 percent in the number of identified homeless students between the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years. Read the report here (pdf) A student who moves "may hear the same information again that you learned in your previous classroom or miss information that has already been covered in your class but wasn't taught in your previous school," Popp said. The fallout from the rash of foreclosures likely will have a long-term impact on education, especially in California. Schools get much of their funding from property tax revenues. Real estate values are spiraling downward and so is the revenue. At Fairview Elementary, Principal Sharp worries about students like 9-year-old Eunice, who has moved twice in the last year. Her parents told her that after they pay their mortgage this month, they won't have any money for a week. But, Sharp said, children are resilient. "We don't give them credit for what they can handle but, at the same time, the flip side is it's sad -- they shouldn't have to handle it. They should be able to know they can go to school and focus on reading and math and recess."

California hit hard by foreclosures, falling home values, families moving . Modesto 4th graders say they miss friends, some of whom left without goodbyes . Study: Children who move twice in year are half as likely to be able to read proficiently . Children are resilient, teacher says, but have hard time focusing on their studies .

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Children and teens who have a parent with bipolar disorder are 14 times more likely than their peers to have bipolar-like symptoms themselves, and are two to three times more likely to be found to have an anxiety or mood disorder, such as depression, according to a report in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. More than 10 percent of the kids with a bipolar parent had signs of a bipolar-spectrum, mood or anxiety disorder. When both parents are bipolar, children are 3.6 times more likely to have bipolar disorder than children with only one parent with the psychiatric condition. Bipolar disorder, which is also known as manic-depressive illness, affects 5.7 million people over age 18 in the United States. The condition is characterized by extreme fluctuations in energy, mood, and the ability to function. For example, someone experiencing an "episode" may have a manic state of euphoria for a period of time, followed by a bout of severe depression. Although bipolar disorder may run in families, it's not guaranteed that children of bipolar parents will develop the condition too. "I don't want parents to think 'I have bipolar, so my kids have bipolar,'" says Boris Birmaher, M.D., of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and author of the new study, called the Pittsburgh Bipolar Offspring Study. "Yes, these kids are at a higher risk, but that doesn't necessarily mean your child will have it." Health.com: Bipolar disorder is different for women . In the study, Birmaher and colleagues looked at 233 parents with bipolar disorder and their 388 children, ages 6 to 18. They were compared with a control group of 143 parents and 251 children with no family history of the condition. Overall, 10.6 percent of the children with a bipolar parent had signs of a bipolar spectrum disorder (which includes a range of symptoms from severe to less so) or a mood or anxiety disorder. In comparison, only two children, or 0.8 percent, in the control group had such symptoms. It's not clear whether genes, environment or a combination of both are responsible for the link, or possibly greater awareness and diagnosis of psychiatric conditions in bipolar families. Health.com: How a bipolar patient learned to manage mania . However, Birmaher says identifying the condition at an earlier age may ultimately help young people. "The longer you wait, the more complicated the condition could become," Birmaher says. Previous studies have suggested that it can take 10 years of symptoms before people get a correct diagnosis and proper treatment. "Ten years is a long time -- especially in the life of a child," he says. The condition is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be mistaken for depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or one of the disruptive behavior disorders. Signs of a manic episode include increased energy, extreme irritability, racing thoughts, spending sprees, abuse of drugs (particularly cocaine), and increased sexual drive. A depressive episode may range from disruptive sleeping patterns to thoughts of death or suicide. "The chronic highs and lows are only two manifestations of the condition," says Gary Sachs, M.D., director of the bipolar clinic and research program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "But there are plenty of people who live a full, functional life and still have bipolar disorder." Health.com: How to care for and cope with a bipolar spouse . Bipolar disorder cannot be cured, and is treated with mood-stabilizing medications like lithium, as well as psychotherapy, and psychosocial intervention. The ongoing study will follow this group of parents and children to explore further bipolar triggers including stress, family interactions, and genetics. Health.com: My story: I'm bipolar and struggle with addiction . "This study in no way should be a reason for someone with bipolar not to have children," says Sachs. "But there is a risk and that might make someone's child who has difficulty seek help sooner." In adults with bipolar disorder, up to 60 percent say they had their first symptoms before the age of 21. "Bipolar disorder is a multidimensional condition, and it can affect a lot of things including your physical health," says Sachs. "That is what we are learning from studies like this where you begin to see other psychiatric conditions." The National Institute of Mental Health funded the study. Birmaher has participated in pharmaceutical company-sponsored forums and a study co-author has served on the advisory boards of several pharmaceutical companies. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .

Kids with a bipolar parent are 14 times more likely to have bipolar-like symptoms . They're also more likely to have a diagnosis of an anxiety or mood disorder . Bipolar disorder affects 5.7 million people over age 18 in the United States . Findings might help families recognize problem, get help for a child earlier .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Nonnie Dotson, a nurse in the U.S. Air Force, was decompressing from a hard-fought child support battle when she disappeared hundreds of miles from her home base. U.S. Air Force nurse Nonnie Dotson disappeared on the way to the mall on November 19, 2006. Dotson, 33, was staying with her brother at his home outside Denver, Colorado, when she vanished on November 19, 2006. She was supposed to meet friends at the mall for a smoothie. She never showed. The single mother and her 16-month-old daughter, Savannah, lived in San Antonio, Texas, where Dotson worked on a military base as an intensive care nurse. They were staying with Dotson's brother, Tony, for a few days. Watch why Dotson's disappearance puzzles investigators » . Dotson had recently emerged from a court battle with Ed Vehle, Savannah's father. Vehle, who also lived in San Antonio, was ordered by the court to pay $10,000 in back child support, as well as $900 each month. Dotson won the court order two months before she disappeared. Dotson was just months away from completing her military duty and was trying to decide whether she would move back to her hometown in Colorado or remain in San Antonio. Vehle had declared he had no interest in being a part of their lives. The two met in 2004 and the relationship ended when Dotson became pregnant. Vehle did not want her to have the baby, she told friends at the military base. The friends spoke on condition that their identities would not be made public. Vehle is not a suspect or person of interest in the case, police said. Because things appeared to be going well in Dotson's life, her sudden disappearance is a mystery to her family and to police. She was hundreds of miles away from home in a safe Denver suburb. She left her brother's home on Sunday afternoon, and the mall was within walking distance,Tony Dotson said. "She asked me to look after Savannah for a couple hours and she walked out that door and we never saw her again," Tony Dotson added. "She would never have intentionally left Savannah behind like that." Police agree. Since Dotson vanished, there has been no activity on her bank accounts, credit cards or cell phone, police said. Her case is still an open missing persons investigation being handled by the Jefferson County homicide department. "Unfortunately, we have no real leads as to who is responsible for Dotson's disappearance," said sheriff's office spokeswoman Jacki Kelley. "She could be alive and being held against her will. She could have been kidnapped and then murdered. We are not ruling anything out at this time," Kelley said. For several weeks after Dotson's disappearance, Vehle refused to answer questions. He retained counsel. In mid-December 2006, Vehle and Jay Norton, his attorney, met with police, answering all their questions. Norton said they were able to provide investigators with receipts and cell phone records accounting for Vehle's whereabouts. Police confirmed that Vehle was nowhere near Colorado before, during or after Dotson's disappearance. After Dotson's disappearance, Vehle decided to go to court to pursue full custody of his daughter. Dotson's parents had been taking care of Savannah. The court last year gave Vehle shared custody with Dotson's parents. Family and police urge anyone with information about the whereabouts of Nonnie Dotson to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office tip line at (303) 271-5612. Nonnie Dotson is 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 115 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Nonnie Dotson was visiting brother in suburb of Denver, Colorado . She was an Air Force nurse based in San Antonio, Texas . She won court battle before November 2006 disappearance . Have a tip? Call Jefferson County Sheriff's office at (303) 271-5612 .

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- 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.

Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir: Crisis in Darfur region is a "media fabrication" Plan is to detract from atrocities in Iraq, Palestinian territories and Somalia, he says . El-Bashir says less than 10,000 people have died and less than 500,000 displaced . U.N. says 200,000 people have died, and 2.5 million have been displaced .

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(CNN) -- Nineteen political prisoners were released by the government of Myanmar over the weekend, the human rights group Amnesty International reported Tuesday. Protesters demand democracy for Myanmar at a demonstration in New Delhi, India earlier this month. Among those released was Ma Khin Khin Leh, who was serving a life sentence because her husband, a student activist, had helped plan a protest demonstration in Bago in July 1999, according to Amnesty International USA's Web blog . Authorities prevented the demonstration from taking place, but took the woman and her three-year-old daughter into custody after failing to find her husband, Amnesty International said. The child was released after five days but her mom, a 33-year-old school teacher, was sentenced to life in prison. "Even by the normally harsh standards of 'justice' meted out by Myanmar's military government, the life sentence given to Ma Khin Khin Leh was extreme," the human rights organization said. She was designated one of Amnesty International USA's priority cases. She was released with 18 others "widely considered to be political prisoners," Amnesty International said. Myanmar's military rulers have been widely condemned for their alleged human rights abuses. Pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi has been confined in her home for 12 of the past 18 years. Her last house arrest began in 2003 and has been periodically renewed. In October 2007, clashes erupted between pro-democracy demonstrators and government security forces. As many as 110 people are believed to have been killed in that crackdown, including 40 Buddhist monks. The protests were sparked by a huge fuel price increase imposed by the military government, and quickly escalated. Myanmar's military junta said in mid-October that it had detained more than 2,900 people amid the clashes. In September 2008, Amnesty International reported that Myanmar, also called Burma, had released seven dissidents, among them U Win Tin, a journalist and senior official in the opposition National League for Democracy who had been imprisoned for 19 years.

School teacher among 19 political prisoners freed in Myanmar, Amnesty says . Ma Khin Khin Leh sentenced to life in 1999 after her husband planned a protest . Myanmar's military rulers are widely condemned for alleged human rights abuses . Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi still confined to home .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- When stock markets are soaring, people think they're making money because they're geniuses. But when the market tanks -- which it always does, sooner or later -- people look for villains to blame for their losses. Allan Sloan says the real lesson of the Madoff case is not to rely on others to protect your investments. That brings us to Bernie Madoff, who has become the iconic symbol of the current horrible market and economic meltdown, even though he really had nothing to do with it. Yes, Madoff sure seems to be a really, really bad guy who ruined lots and lots of lives and should probably be locked up for the rest of his natural days. But Madoff's misdeeds -- or as our lawyers would prefer, his alleged misdeeds -- have nothing to do with the market meltdown that has sliced trillions of dollars from our collective net worth. He's become the symbol of the current meltdown the same way that uber-tastemaker Martha Stewart became a face of the 2001-02 corporate crime wave, even though the misdeeds of which she was convicted -- misleading government investigators -- were less than penny-ante compared to the multi-billion dollar frauds that first built up and then destroyed giant companies such as Enron and WorldCom. Along with Madoff, the Securities and Exchange Commission is being portrayed as the villain of the piece, having failed to catch him long ago when his alleged depredations must have been much smaller. Instead, it gave him a few wrist slaps until he confessed his misdeeds a month ago. But, tips from Boston money manager Harry Markopoulos over the years notwithstanding, it's not at all surprising that the SEC missed Madoff. In fact, I'd have been amazed if the SEC had been the ones to catch him. Why? I don't want to seem cynical or jaded, but after almost 40 years of covering business news, I've seen the same thing happen over and over because of the way regulators are trained. If someone runs a little bit out of the baseline by chiseling on numbers or playing some other game, regulators are pretty good at catching him (or her). But if -- like Madoff -- you make up numbers from scratch and deal with huge sums, you're so far out of the baseline that regulators aren't looking for you there. It's very hard for an SEC regulator to wrap his head around the idea that an establishment guy like Madoff -- a Nasdaq market pioneer and an occasional consultant to the SEC -- is capable of just making things up out of whole cloth. But, it would appear, he was. And as an aside, it's easy to blame George W. Bush's anti-regulation policies for the SEC not catching Madoff. But Markopoulos' original tips reached the SEC when Bill Clinton was president. Like newspapers, where I used to work, regulators get all sorts of tips coming across the transom. As in newspapers, I suspect, many of the tips end up ignored. Markopoulos was right about Madoff's operation being a fraud. But his magnum opus -- an 18-page 2005 letter listing 29 "red flags" -- is quite dense and confusing, probably because he'd gotten frustrated after years of not being taken very seriously. Unfortunately, the letter didn't list what would have been (in hindsight, naturally) the simplest tip-off: that this supposedly multi-billion dollar operation was audited by an obscure three-person accounting firm. As Jim Heatherington, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, certified public accountant, pointed out to me after reading a Madoff column I wrote for Fortune, a simple database search shows that the firm hadn't had a peer review since 1990. That would -- or should -- have set off all sorts of alarm bells. Back to the main event. Ponzi schemes, in which you pay existing investors not by making a profit but by getting money from new investors, have been around forever. Like Madoff, a Jew who preyed on fellow Jews and Jewish charities such as Elie Wiesel's foundation, Ponzi schemers often target their own religious or ethnic groups. That way, they lure victims who feel flattered at having been asked to join an elite society, so much so that many of them fail to find out basic things, such as whether the securities or properties they're supposedly being put into actually exist. Consider these: Tom Petters, a prominent Minnesota businessman is charged with running a multi-billion dollar scam that preyed on evangelical Christians. A New York City man was recently accused of preying on fellow members of a Hispanic church. A Haitian-American in Miami was accused on December. 30 of preying on other Haitian-Americans. Just yesterday, the SEC accused a Williamsville, N.Y., man of preying on fellow Catholics. If someone, especially a member of your racial, religious or social group, offers you a deal not available to the general public, check it out. Very diligently. Don't rely on the SEC or any other regulator to do that for you. Never, never, never put all your eggs in one basket, no matter how good it looks. And that, my friends, is the real bottom line. Pillory Madoff and mock him all you like, he has it coming. But learn from him, too. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Allan Sloan.

Allan Sloan: Madoff is being blamed for collapse of stock market values . He says Madoff had nothing to do with it but escaped scrutiny for fraud . Sloan says regulators rarely catch the biggest frauds . He says real lesson is to never rely on others to protect your investments .

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(CNN) -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced the resignations Tuesday of three high-level government officials, most notably Communications and Transport Secretary Luis Tellez Kuenzler. The government of Mexican President Felipe Calderon, seen here in January, is facing elections in July. Abraham Gonzalez, a key official for the powerful ministry that oversees Mexico's government, also resigned. So did Sergio Vela Martinez, president of the National Council for Culture and the Arts. No official reasons were given for any of the resignations, which analysts said did not appear to be related. But at least two of the resignations did not come as a surprise. Tellez, who stepped down from a Cabinet-level post, had been involved for weeks in a controversy over taped comments revealed last month by CNN journalist Carmen Aristegui. In the taped conversation, Tellez said former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari had stolen government money. Salinas has not been formally accused of any crime. Tellez received an anonymous threat in late February from an apparent political enemy telling him to resign or more damaging audiotapes would be released to the media. He refused and turned the matter over to authorities. Ana Maria Salazar Slack, a political analyst who is host of a daily radio show in Mexico City, called it "an almost soap opera-ish scandal" that left Calderon little choice but to force Tellez to resign. "Although Calderon wanted to keep him in office, it made it very difficult to keep him there," she said. Calderon moved Tellez to a post as a presidential aide dealing with economic matters. Other observers also were not surprised by the move. "That was waiting to happen," said Andrew Selee, director of the Mexico Institute at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center. "But evidently the president values his counsel and has kept him in a high-profile position in the presidency from which he'll continue to have influence." Robert Pastor, the Latin America national security adviser for President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s, praised Tellez but said political considerations prevailed. "He's a very competent fellow," Pastor said. "One of the most competent people I've known in Mexico. But this tape in particular was very embarrassing." In a televised news conference after Calderon announced the changes, Tellez expressed his "gratitude for this opportunity that few Mexicans obtain." Replacing Tellez will be Juan Molinar Horcasitas, the head of the Mexican Institute for Social Security. Molinar belongs to the same party as Calderon, the National Action Party [PAN], while Tellez belongs to the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party [PRI]. That played a role, Slack said. "The president is sending a signal to his party that he's going to support people from his own party," Slack said. "Beyond the political scandals of the tapes, there's a decision for the president to appoint people very close to the party." Gonzalez's departure was not a surprise either, since he is running for a congressional seat in July and Mexican law requires him to resign. Analysts spoke highly of Gonzalez's replacement, Geronimo Gutierrez Fernandez. He had been the top person in the foreign ministry for Latin and North America. "Gutierrez moving in is outstanding," the Mexico Institute's Selee said, calling him "one of the smartest people ... I've met" and "an impressive guy." Consuelo Saizar Guerrero takes over as head of the National Council for Culture and the Arts, replacing Vela, whose reasons for resigning were not disclosed. Saizar previously served as head of the Economic Culture Fund, the government's book-publishing enterprise. The arts and culture post will play a significant role in 2010, when Mexico celebrates 100 years of its social revolution and 200 years of its declaration of independence, radio analyst Slack said. As for the timing of resignations from three key posts, Slack linked it to Mexico's election calendar. "In order to understand these changes," she said, "you have to understand there are midterm elections in July. So if there are going to be any changes, they have to take place right now." Meanwhile, Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, said the changes do not portend a political shift. "This doesn't sound like any major direction in change for Calderon," Hakim said.

Analyst says timing of resignations linked to Mexican midterm elections in July . Communications and transport secretary resigns amid controversy over comments . Key official for ministry that oversees Mexico's government leaves .

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(CNN) -- Whether it's dining, shopping, culture, nightlife or people, everybody has a favorite city. Some cities are great places to live and raise a family. Others provide the backdrop for that once-in-a-lifetime vacation. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I-Reporters have been telling us about their favorite American cities. Here are some of the highlights. Jim Thompson sent the photo of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with this important information: "Be sure to mention that St. Francis Cathedral has been renamed to St. Francis Basilica. ... The request was made by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and was granted by the Vatican, so now St. Francis is the headquarters for the pope when he comes to Santa Fe." Diana Peters moved to New Orleans in 2003, and has experienced the city before and after Hurricane Katrina. Her feelings about recovery are complicated. "But don't turn your back on New Orleans, because she survives in all of us, especially those of use who still see her beauty in what remains." Josh Gorrell sent the photo of the "painted ladies" at Marina Del Rey in southern California. "My favorite part of living by the coast is the constantly fresh ocean breezes, the year-round sunshine and the wonderful seafood! Oh, and the surf!" Raymond Lopera's favorite city in the Los Angeles area is Santa Monica. He lived there briefly when he moved from New York a few years ago and says he goes back every chance he gets. He says Santa Monica is very pedestrian friendly and he enjoys taking long walks, stopping along the way at places like Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. Nikolai Ursin can't get enough of Minneapolis. "I'm 28 and able to live a fabulous life because the cost of living is so low, yet the wages are quite high. My friends in N.Y.C. are jealous. I travel a lot for work and there is nothing quite like landing in Minneapolis and knowing I'm home." I-Reporter Chris Fuhriman is a captain in the Army and completing a master's degree in geography at the University of Hawaii. Fuhriman moved to Honolulu from Utah three years ago with his wife and two children. "His favorite thing about Honolulu? "The international flavor of the city, and the diversity. It's really a city for everyone." Russell Clayton says there's "far too much to do" in Austin, Texas. Then he went on to list a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, swimming, mountain biking, kayaking and canoeing. Clayton says the city's unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird." E-mail to a friend .

Rate your favorite U.S. city by taking the America's Favorite Cities survey . The survey ends on July 15; enter to win a trip to Australia . I-Reporters weigh in with photos and comments about their favorites .

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BLACKSBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- Erin Sheehan was a freshman last year when Seung-Hui Cho peeked through the door of her German class. The next hour of her life would become a struggle for survival. Erin Sheehan played dead while the Virginia Tech shooter went on a rampage. "I still have trouble sleeping." "The gunman entered my room. He shot my German teacher and then proceeded to shoot the students in the classroom pretty thoroughly," she said. Sheehan was only one of four students in the room not to get shot. She jumped on the floor and remained quiet while Cho went on his rampage. "I thought if I played dead then he hopefully would think I was already hit." She listened as the killer left her Norris Hall classroom to attack another room. She and the other survivors barricaded the door to keep Cho from coming back. "I tried to use a podium at the front of the classroom to block the door, because the gunman was shoving at the door and started firing through the door. We didn't think we were going to be able to hold it," she said. Watch Sheehan remember a day of horror » . Sheehan is now a sophomore at Virginia Tech. Like so many on campus, April 16, 2007, marks the worst day of her life, when Cho killed 32 students and professors in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Sheehan recently accompanied CNN to what is known as the Virginia Tech April 16, 2007 Prevail Archive -- an office space on the edge of campus where mementoes sent from across the world are temporarily warehoused. The university is cataloging and documenting every item it can save in order to create a permanent collection as well as an online archive that the public can access. Take a tour of the archive » . Teddy bears, an American flag from the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, painted eggs, the hood of a race car, condolence posters signed by Koreans and a letter from President Bush are housed there. Thousands of other letters are also kept in the archive. "This is making me feel super bad. Because a lot of people died at Blacksburg. I love VT," wrote one young child. Walking through the archive for the first time, Sheehan was overcome with emotion. She stopped and held a picture of all the victims, pointing out her slain German teacher and another classmate. "I believe this is Nicole White, she sat right next to me. And I think I would credit her with taking bullets for me," she said in a muted tone. Watch letters to Virginia Tech » . Of the entire archive, she added, "I don't ever remember seeing it all together like this before. I think it is really remarkable that so many people cared to reach out to us like this." Tamara Kennelly is the archivist at Virginia Tech. She's responsible for documenting how everyone beyond the campus dealt with the tragedy, when the world was joined by four words: "We are all Hokies." "People at other places have really identified with us and felt all of this with us," she said. "I think it's very heartening, it's very moving to me." Watch a Tech student describe surviving four shots » . They've received just about anything, from condolences books from funeral homes to messages from prisons to letters from elementary students. "There are always people who really have their own story to tell or a powerful way of putting it. And when you find those letters, they stay with you -- all day, all week," said Amy Vilelle, the manuscript archivist. "There are a few that I will not ever forget reading." Some are very personal, like a pair of goggles from a lab partner. "Mike may you rest in peace. You will forever be remembered as my favorite lab partner. We'll be missing you," it says on the goggles. Fighting back tears, Kennelly said, "This job is very moving because you get something and you read it and you think, 'oh gosh, they want to share something with us somehow. They want to reach out and give some kindness.' " Gail McMillan, the director of digital archives, says it's especially difficult to read material from children. "It's hard to know what kind of impact this may have on them." Their job is not only to remember, but to preserve, an archival collection for the university. For those who lived it, the tragic events of April 16, 2007, are still too fresh to put into the past. "I still have trouble sleeping some days," Sheehan said. "It really does bother me because I still understand I could have been killed so easy, and there is no explanation why I wasn't." E-mail to a friend .

Thousands of items sent from around globe are housed on Tech campus . Items range from letters from kids to an American flag from Afghanistan . "It is really remarkable that so many people cared to reach out to us," survivor says . Archivist: "There are a few that I will not ever forget reading"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal and state health officials said Monday that salmonella linked last week in Minnesota to King Nut peanut butter was caused by the same strain of bacteria responsible for an ongoing outbreak of 410 salmonella cases in 43 states. Salmonella bacteria are transmitted to humans by eating contaminated foods. The infection may have contributed to three deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. "Preliminary analysis of an epidemiologic study conducted by CDC and public health officials in multiple states comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has suggested peanut butter as a likely source," the disease agency said in a written statement. "To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores." A spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration said Monday that the agency has been collaborating with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and public health officials in many states to investigate the outbreak of infections due to Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium. "This new information from Minnesota will not change what we are currently doing as part of the investigation," said FDA spokesman Michael Herndon. What you need to know about food poisoning » . The Minnesota bacteria were linked last week to institutionally distributed peanut butter, sold under the King Nut brand name. In one of the Minnesota patients, a 70-year-old female nursing home resident, the infection proved fatal, said Doug Schultz, a Minnesota public health department spokesman. "We do not know to what extent the salmonella contributed to the death," said Schultz, who added that the patient had other underlying illnesses. Virginia Health officials confirm that two of the three deaths linked to the salmonella outbreak were from their state. Although she could not provide a lot of information due to privacy laws, Michelle Peregoy, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health tells CNN that one person who died was over age 65 and from the Southwest part of the state, the other person who died was a younger adult between the ages of 25-64. As with the Minnesota patient, both Virgina patients had underlying illnesses, which means they had weakended immune systems. Very young people, older people and those with compromised immune systems are the most vulnerable to severe side effects, including death. Late last week, King Nut Companies, based in Ohio, recalled King Nut peanut butter. President and CEO Martin Kanan said the product is manufactured by a Lynchburg, Virginia-based company, Peanut Corporation of America. "King Nut took this action as soon as it was informed that salmonella had been found in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter," the company said Saturday in a posting on its Web site. King Nut, which distributes peanut butter through food service accounts, does not sell directly to consumers. Kanan said King Nut has asked customers to stop distributing peanut butter with lot codes beginning with "8" and has canceled orders with the manufacturer. The first cases nationwide were reported September 3, but most occurred between October 1 and December 31, the CDC said last week. About 18 percent of cases were hospitalized as a result of their illness, and patients have ranged from 2 months to 98 years of age. California has reported the highest case count with 55, followed by Ohio with 53, Massachusetts with 39, Minnesota with 30 and Michigan with 20. The other 37 states are each reporting from one to 19 cases. The seven states that have reported no cases connected to the outbreak are Montana, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida and Alaska. Strains of salmonella linked to outbreaks in the past have been traced to contaminated eggs, meat, poultry, vegetables, pet food and peanut butter. Contaminated tomatoes were blamed for an outbreak in the fall of 2006 caused by salmonella Typhimurium, which sickened at least 183 people in 21 states. Most people suffered from diarrhea and fever for about a week. No one is known to have died in that outbreak. Salmonella infections can be treated with antibiotics, though some strains are resistant to these drugs, according to the CDC. Most people infected develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within a few days of infection and the illness can last up to a week. Most recover without treatment, but some may suffer dehydration and, in severe cases, require hospitalization. Children, senior citizens, people with chronic illnesses and those with weak immune systems tend to be at highest risk for complications, according to the National Institutes of Health. CNN's Louise Schiavone and Miriam Falco contributed to this story.

New: Virginia officials confirm two salmonella-related deaths in the state . CDC: Salmonella outbreak sickens at least 410 people in 43 states . Officials link salmonella in Minnesota to same strain responsible for outbreak . Minnesota bacteria traced to institutionally distributed King Nut peanut butter .

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Indian police swiftly handled a "security scare" at New Delhi's major airport early Friday amid heightened concern in the wake of last week's terror attack in which gunmen killed 179 people in Mumbai. An Indian soldier joins the beefed up security detail at New Delhi airport. New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said police responded to reports of gunfire at Indira Gandhi International Airport but found no casualties or damage. Bhagat said there was "no terror threat." "And there's no cause of panic," he added. Uday Banerjee, the head of India's Central Industrial Security Force, told reporters at the airport that something sounding like gunshots was heard, but no one saw anything and no bullet casings were found. Indian authorities stepped up security at the nation's airports on Thursday after receiving intelligence reports that terrorists might be planning an air attack. At Indira Gandhi, four armed police stood guard at each entrance, and people waiting for arriving passengers were not allowed inside. Watch what triggered the security scare there » . "There have been intelligence inputs about some terrorist activity, and therefore security has been tightened (at airports)," civil aviation spokesperson Moushmi Chakraborty told CNN. Watch heightened anxiety after the attacks » . Police beefed up security at all airports including in the capital New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore, Chakraborty said. A spokesman for the Indian Navy, Cmdr. Nirad Sinha, also confirmed to CNN that security officials had received warnings about an airborne attack. Watch more on increase in security » . The Press Trust of India, a nonprofit newspaper cooperative, said that reports had suggested that terrorists could have sneaked into the country to carry out strikes on the anniversary of the Babri mosque demolition. The mosque -- one of the largest in the Uttar Pradesh state -- was destroyed on December 6, 1992, by Hindu nationalists who believe it was built on the site of an existing temple. On Wednesday India's defense minister met with the chiefs of the army, air force and navy and discussed what the ministry in a news statement called "possible terror threats from air." The officials also discussed the country's coastal security plans and how to tighten security along the military line of control dividing the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan to "prevent infiltration of terrorists," the statement said. India ranks among the countries where terrorism is most common, according to the U.S. State Department. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh and Sara Sidner contributed to this report.

NEW: "There's no cause of panic," says New Delhi police spokesman . Security raised at all the nation's airports amid intelligence on terrorist activity . Press Trust of India: Reports suggest possible strike on December 6 . India's top military officials discuss country's security plans .

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(CNN) -- The Indian city of Mumbai exploded into chaos early Thursday morning as gunmen launched a series of attacks across the country's commercial capital, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels frequented by Westerners. CNN's Christiane Amanpour says India and Pakistan might be warming toward each other. Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour spoke about the situation. CNN: An attack this large, this sophisticated, and carried out with no warning could have come from inside India, maybe, maybe outside, maybe a neighboring state could be involved. We turn to Christiane Amanpour. What do you hear? Christiane Amanpour: Well, Tom, Islamic militants have been stepping up their assaults on Mumbai, which is not just the center of its filmmaking, but the economic and financial hub of India. They have often blamed terror attacks on Islamic militants based in Pakistan. Some, they say, are concerned about, for instance, Indian rule over Kashmir. Al Qaeda also has threatened to attack India in revenge for its policies. Very, very interestingly, this comes at a time when the new president of Pakistan has, in fact, gone further than any previous Pakistani leader in saying they want to improve relations with India, in saying they want to jointly combat terrorism together. The Pakistani president even went so far as saying he would consider renouncing a nuclear strike on India. This is a very confused situation. Although some group has claimed responsibility, nobody knows the motive yet. ... CNN: Talk to me about why it would be in the interest of these people to sever this tie between Pakistan and India. Do they believe India would join in the effort to squeeze them out? Amanpour: This is the ongoing situation. Certainly, Kashmir is a flashpoint for India and Pakistan, and really back in 2006, there were Islamic militants blamed for recent attacks. About 180 people were killed there. The one that came closest to pitting India against Pakistan was in 2001, when Islamic militants attacked the Parliament. Only 12 people were killed, but not compared to what's happened now, and that almost led to a war between India and Pakistan. Whatever happens in this region is so, so difficult and dangerous because of the flash point it centers on. As I say, though it has come at a time right in the aftermath of the warmest outreach by Pakistan to India in decades. ... CNN: What is, in all of this world picture, Christiane, what is the significance of this? Amanpour: Well, this is deeply significant, obviously, because it is such a complex and coordinated attack on multitudinous targets, multitudinous locations. Obviously, a large number of militants or terrorists who have taken part in this, and they have engaged the Indian forces, the police and security forces. It's not like they just put bombs somewhere and allowed them to go off, and either they were suicide attackers who got killed or they were able to remotely detonate their bombs. What they've done is not just attack, take hostages, but engage also with the security forces. So this really ratchets it up a very significant level. And it's been coming for about 20 years, these attacks. Small in the last couple of decades, but in the last 10 years or so, particularly since 9/11, there have been a number of very significant attacks blamed by the Indian forces on Islamic militants. ... This is very, very dangerous in this part of the world. Mumbai is India's not just gateway to the nation; it's its economic and financial hub, and it's its cultural hub as well, having the Bollywood and the other film production studios there. Nobody quite knows who it is and why they have done it. This is the thing that is very difficult and dangerous at the moment. This little-known group, if it's true that they exist, have claimed responsibility, although that has not been confirmed, so-called Deccan Mujahedeen, and what is the motive? There has obviously for many, many years been a type of feelings by India that, say, 150 or so million Muslims who are in the minority are feeling sort of hard done by in terms of the Hindu majority. There are also complaints by Indian Muslims about the way Kashmir is progressing, that enclave, and that is a huge, huge flashpoint. But what's really amazing is that often, it's blamed on tensions with Pakistan. And yet, this comes at a time where the president of Pakistan has -- the new president -- has really made an unprecedented overture to India in terms of trying to warm up relations, trying to secure a lasting peace. And just today, Indian and Pakistani officials were having meetings, and they ended it with a joint declaration that they wanted to cooperate on ending terrorism and combating terrorism. CNN: Christiane, do you see any connection with the recent American elections and this? Amanpour: Well, it's hard to tell. People would say that it takes a lot longer than a few weeks to plan something like this. It's difficult to tell. I'm sure there will be a huge amount of analysis in the upcoming days and weeks. What is going to be vital is whatever information the Indian security forces can get from some of these terrorists, militants, who've apparently some may have been captured alive. Obviously, there apparently have been some who have been killed as well. All of this will provide some of those missing pieces of the puzzle. Who are these people? What is their motive? Just today, there is an interview with the U.S. Marine Corps commandant as basically saying that al Qaeda's focus now is Pakistan. There had been some thought that maybe al Qaeda was in the past trying to launch its attacks also in India, but the Indian secret services and the security services say that they don't have a presence there. But Pakistan is a very, very big worry. It's a failing state. Afghanistan is practically a failed state right now, even after the U.S. in 2001 sent al Qaeda and the Taliban packing. There's a very difficult and dangerous situation on this subcontinent that really has been the focus of a lot of attention right now, and indeed, the incoming president has said that he wants to step up the number of U.S. forces. U.S. commanders want more forces in that region as well, not just Afghanistan, but to cope with Pakistan as well. CNN: As you said, there have been a lot of incidents since the year 2000 in India. Why is this one getting so much particular attention? There was one with over 200 deaths. Amanpour: Well, about 180 in 2006. But those were sort of multiple bombings in trains and railway stations. But this is one night with, so far, according to our sources, at least 87 people killed, and it's a brazen attack on the most visible elements and symbols and structures of the economic, the cultural, the tourist, the international hub, as I said, the gateway to India -- which is the world's largest democracy -- which is not a failed state by any stretch of the imagination. Which has a unified political structure, which has an army and security forces. India is not Pakistan or Afghanistan, and yet this has been able to happen here. And why is it getting so much attention? Because so many more people than ever before have been killed in one fell swoop, and it's ongoing, and these people launched pitched battles with the security forces, and they still have hostages, and it appears they deliberately targeted Westerners.

Pakistani leader has gone far in reaching out to India, Amanpour says . Nations may even join together to fight terrorism, correspondent says . Region of Kashmir has been flashpoint for neighboring nations .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- 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.

NEW: Top U.S. military officer encouraged by terror arrests . Pakistan arrests militant leaders blamed by India for Mumbai terror attacks . Zarar Shah, top commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, among those held . Blamed militant groups were formed to oppose Indian rule in divided Kashmir .

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(CNN) -- Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated Thursday in Rawalpindi, was the first female prime minister of Pakistan and of any Islamic nation. She led Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. Benazir Bhutto died Thursday after a suicide bombing at a political rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Bhutto, 54, spent eight years in self-imposed exile in Great Britain and Dubai after President Farooq Leghari dismissed her second administration amid accusations of corruption, intimidation of the judiciary, a breakdown of law and order, and undermining the justice system. She was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to five years in prison. The conviction was later overturned but she remained in exile until this year. She returned to Pakistan in October after President Pervez Musharraf signed an amnesty lifting corruption charges. Watch political history of Bhutto » . In a September 26 interview on CNN's "The Situation Room," Bhutto said she expected threats against her life as she prepared to lead a push for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. "After military dictatorship an anarchic situation developed, which the terrorists and Osama (bin Laden) have exploited," she told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "They don't want democracy, they don't want me back, and they don't believe in women governing nations, so they will try to plot against me. "But these are risks that must be taken. I'm prepared to take them," she said. Bhutto narrowly escaped injury on October 18 when a suicide bombing near her convoy in Karachi killed 126 people. "Soon thereafter, I was asked by authorities not to travel in cars with tinted windows -- which protected me from identification by terrorists -- or travel with privately armed guards," she wrote for CNN.com in November. "I began to feel the net was being tightened around me when police security outside my home in Karachi was reduced, even as I was told that other assassination plots were in the offing." "I decided not to be holed up in my home, a virtual prisoner," she wrote. "I went to my ancestral village of Larkana to pray at my father's grave. Everywhere, the people rallied around me in a frenzy of joy. I feel humbled by their love and trust." Musharraf declared a state of emergency and placed Bhutto under house arrest twice in November as anti-government rallies grew in Rawalpindi. The arrest warrant was lifted November 16. She filed a nomination paper for a parliamentary seat on November 25 and appeared headed for a power showdown with Musharraf before she was assassinated Thursday. See a timeline of Bhutto's political career » . Bhutto was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, former president and prime minister of Pakistan, who was hanged in 1979 for the murder of a political opponent two years after he was ousted as prime minister in a military coup. Benazir Bhutto was the de facto leader of her father's Pakistan People's Party. Her brother, Murtaza, was killed along with six others in a 1996 shootout with police at his home. Another brother, Shahnawaz, died mysteriously in France in 1985. "I know the past is tragic, but I'm an optimist by nature," Bhutto told Blitzer in September. "I put my faith in the people of Pakistan, I put my faith in God. I feel that what I am doing is for a good cause, for a right cause -- to save Pakistan from extremists and militants and to build regional security. "I know the danger is out there, but I'm prepared to take those risks." Benazir Bhutto earned degrees from Radcliffe College and Oxford University and received an honorary degree from Harvard University in 1989. She leaves her husband of 20 years, Asif Ali Zardari, two daughters and a son. Bhutto's husband issued a statement Thursday from his home in Dubai saying, "All I can say is we're devastated, it's a total shock." President Bush, on his ranch in Crawford, Texas, said Bhutto "refused to allow assassins to dictate the course of her country." "We stand with the people of Pakistan in their struggle against the forces of terror and extremism," Bush said. "We urge them to honor Benazir Bhutto's memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life." E-mail to a friend .

NEW: Bush: Bhutto "refused to allow assassins to dictate the course of her country" Bhutto was first female prime minister of a Muslim country . Bhutto survived assassination attempt in October . Her father, a former prime minister, was hanged in 1979 .

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(CNN) -- Authorities said they were searching the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, on Saturday morning after killing several militants, and other standoffs across the city appeared to have ended by Friday. An Indian police officer takes position during an operation at the Chabad House Jewish center Friday. Officials said that at least 160 people have been killed in the violence and more than 300 injured. But even with most of the fighting quelled after more than two days of gun battles, many questions remain. The following is what is known about the attacks: . • Gunmen arrived by boats at the Mumbai waterfront near the Gateway of India monument on Wednesday night, police said. The gunmen hijacked cars, including a police van, and split into at least three groups to carry out the attacks, according to police. Watch a timeline of the attacks » . • One group headed toward the Cafe Leopold, a popular hangout for Western tourists, firing indiscriminately at passers-by on the street. The group then opened fire and lobbed grenades at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, authorities said. Watch theories on who attackers might be » . • As police rushed to the scene of the attacks, gunmen attacked the Cama Hospital for women and infants. Several people were killed at the hospital, and a standoff there lasted until Thursday morning. • Two other groups attacked the Oberoi and Taj Mahal hotels, taking hostages there, police said. • Gunmen took hostages at the Chabad House, where several Jewish families live, police said. • Police said gunmen fired indiscriminately from the Chabad House. Stray bullets killed a couple in their home and a 16-year-old boy who stepped outside, police said. • The Chabad-Lubavitch International group said Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, made a phone call to the Israeli Consulate to report gunmen in the house. "In the middle of the conversation, the line went dead," the organization said. • Authorities raided the Chabad house Friday morning. Two gunmen died after the assault was launched, CNN-IBN reported. Authorities said five hostages -- including Holtzberg, who was an American, and his Israeli wife, Rivka, 28 -- were found dead. One of the three others was a second American rabbi, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office said. • At the hotels, hostages or people who were trapped exited at various times Thursday and Friday. Commandos entered both hotels, trying to flush out militants and rescue others. • Fire brigades battled blazes at both hotels. By early Friday, it appeared that what had been a major fire at the Oberoi had been extinguished. • Police were reporting Friday that the standoff at the Oberoi was over. Two gunmen were killed as authorities cleared the hotel, said J.K. Dutt, the National Security Guard's director-general. Thirty-six people were found dead there, according to Bhushan Gagrani, a Maharashtra state official. • At various times Saturday morning, gunfire and explosions could be heard as security forces worked to clear the Taj of at least one remaining gunman. • Shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday local time, Dutt said that three militants had been killed but that security personnel still needed to search the hotel for civilians and any possible remaining gunmen. His comments came shortly after Mumbai Police Chief Hussain Gafoor told CNN-IBN that the last militants at the Taj had been killed. The statements coincided with an apparent end of gunfire at the hotel. • By Friday night, 160 had been killed in the Mumbai attacks, including at least 15 foreign nationals, authorities said. These included five Americans, three Germans, an Italian, an Australian and one Chinese. • The official death toll did not include attackers who were killed by security forces. R.R. Patel, the Maharashtra home minister, said Friday that nine attackers had been killed. • More than 300 people were wounded, including seven Britons, three Americans and two Australians. • Two of the killed Americans were identified as Alan Scherr, 58, and his daughter Naomi, 13, both of Virginia. The two, who were visiting India with a meditation group, died at the Oberoi. • Also among the dead were 16 police officers, two commandos and the chief of the Mumbai police anti-terror squad. • CNN-IBN quoted police sources as saying there were about 26 gunmen. • Authorities found 8 kilograms (17 pounds) of RDX, one of the most powerful kinds of military explosives, at a restaurant near the Taj. • The Indian navy, stepping up patrols on the country's western coast after the attack, was questioning the crew of the MV Alpha, a ship detained with the help of the Indian coast guard, British authorities said. The authorities said that they think the attackers' boats came from this ship and that they think the ship is from Karachi, Pakistan. • Several Indian news outlets reported that a group called the Deccan Mujahideen e-mailed them to claim responsibility for the attacks. Intelligence officials say little is known about the group. U.S. officials and security analysts say the sophistication of the attacks may indicate that a more-established group is involved. • State media Press Trust of India, citing Union Cabinet Minister Kapil Sibal, reported the gunmen had worked for months to prepare, even setting up "control rooms" in the two luxury hotels that were targeted.

NEW: Three militants killed at Taj Mahal hotel; authorities continue search . Two gunmen, five hostages dead at Chabad House . Security forces clear Oberoi hotel, where 36 people found dead . British authorities: Indian navy looking into ship where boats may have originated .

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NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated coastal areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, residents say much of America has forgotten their plight. President Bush and first lady Laura Bush pause for a moment of silence Wednesday at a New Orleans school. But President Bush said Wednesday the federal government has been persistent in pushing recovery efforts. "I would like them to know that we still need all the help and caring and volunteers. We need it bad. People don't realize. They just don't realize," Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, resident Linda Fallon said. The beachfront communities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Mississippi, were nearly destroyed in Katrina's fury. Two years later, one-third of Bay St. Louis residents haven't returned. Business has moved inland. Watch the struggle to rebuild in Mississippi » . "Without the people, we don't have a town. We don't have a city, we don't have a place apart," Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre said Tuesday. He predicted it would be at least seven years before the town is back to near-normal. A longtime resident, Diane Bourgeois, has moved 15 miles inland to an apartment and said she doubts she will rebuild. Her home was razed. When she asked why, she said, "I don't know, the memories. It will just never be the same. Can't risk it all again." David MacDonald, pastor of Calvary Independent Baptist Church in Bay St. Louis, said, "We get crews coming down, but they are thinning out as the months go on. "So it's trying to let the people know there is still a need down here, especially in the area of housing. And just the mental and spiritual needs that are down here -- just still overwhelming." In New Orleans, Bush participated in a moment of silence at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School for Science and Technology to remember Katrina victims. He said that the U.S. government hasn't forgotten the Gulf Coast and that federal efforts to make post-Katrina improvements to levees and infrastructure were unyielding. "I hope people understand we're still paying attention. We understand," Bush said. Eighty percent of the the $114 billion allocated to the region for Hurricane Katrina repairs has been disbursed, he said. "We're still engaged," Bush said of federal agencies. The president, in his 15th visit to the region since Katrina hit, called the school "a place of hope." Bush said Katrina broke hearts but not "the spirit" of New Orleans citizens. But he alluded to the challenges faced across the region, citing teachers who commuted 30 miles to teach at the school. "This town is better today than it was yesterday," Bush said in praising the Gulf Coast rebuilding effort. But he said it would be even better tomorrow. He urged people across the country to pitch in to help the recovery, whether through donations or volunteer efforts or even moving to the area and joining its work force. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said his city's population increase -- citing 4,000 to 7,000 people a month -- is a good indication of the progress made since Katrina hit. On Wednesday, Nagin participated in the groundbreaking for a memorial to storm victims. "We ring the bells for a city that is in recovery; we ring the bells for hope that the promise that was made at Jackson Square will become a reality and will restore confidence in government at all levels," Nagin said, referring to the scene of Bush's vow in 2005 that the government would help the city and region recover. Katrina first made landfall on August 25 in South Florida as a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of near 81 mph. At one point, after moving west into the Gulf of Mexico, it reached Category 5 status, with maximum sustained winds of nearly 173 mph before making landfall on the Gulf Coast. Four days after its initial landfall, Katrina came ashore near Buras, Louisiana, as a Category 3 storm, with winds near 127 mph. Initial reports put the wind speed higher, but the National Weather Service later revised its statistics. Water breached two levees in New Orleans at the 17th Street and Industrial Canals, flooding 80 percent of the historic city. More than 1,800 people died in five states -- 1,577 of them in Louisiana. Days after the storm, images of people stranded across the region -- particularly in New Orleans where horror stories emerged from the Louisiana Superdome -- led to outcries of an inadequate response from the government. After supporting him in the days after the hurricane, Bush announced that Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, would resign September 12. A special House of Representatives committee released a report in February 2006, saying the "response of government at all levels to Hurricane Katrina was "dismal," poorly planned and badly coordinated, showing that more than four years after the 9/11 attacks, "America is still not ready for prime time." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Kathleen Koch contributed to this report.

President Bush says federal recovery effort ongoing . 80 percent of of $114 billion in federal rebuilding aid distributed, Bush says . Mississippi mayor says his coastal city still years away from full recovery . Hurricane Katrina left 1,800 dead in five states in 2005 .

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(CNN) -- To some, she was a lifelong role model. Others call Pakistan's former prime minister and the first female prime minister of any Muslim nation a source of inspiration to women everywhere. One I-Reporter acknowledges, "I never was a political supporter of Benazir Bhutto but now after her death I feel that her loss is a loss for Pakistan, not just her political supporters." Anthony G. Moore photographed Benazir Bhutto with her husband Asif Ali Zardari in New York in 2006. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated during a suicide bombing on December 27, 2007, and I-Reporters from all over the world responded with their memories and condolences. Below are selections, some of which have been edited for length and clarity. Farhad Sethi of Lahore, Pakistan Breathing in the air of grief and sadness, the nation suffers the loss of our beloved leader Benazir Bhutto, an institution in herself withstanding pressures at times when suicide bombing has become an unstoppable enigma. A sniper pierced a bullet through her neck and our enthusiastic leader couldn't even make it to the hospital, her last words God knows what were they but her face and inspirational personality will always be remembered. A woman who grew up with politics in her backyard is no longer with us, she was a graduate from Harvard and Oxford universities and seeing her go down in a wooden casket was a sight bringing down tears in every eye. We all have to go down the ground one day but being assassinated like this is not something we would want for even our worst enemies. She has left a space that will never be filled in the hearts and minds of the nation. She has enjoyed the position of being the first Muslim woman to lead a country as Prime Minister, but this is over she's gone, may Allah (swt) have mercy on her soul and she rests in peace in a better place. Ameen. Al Alston of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Benazir Bhutto's gifts to Pakistan and the world far outweigh the charges made by her adversaries. I will never forget how she led Pakistan in its unwavering support for the African National Congress during the misery of the apartheid days. Her presence at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela left an indelible impression on me. I remain an admirer of her nation because of this critical alliance. I will keep her family and nation in my prayers. Mickin Sahni of Stone Ridge, Virginia As a first generation Indian-American, I have heard from my parents the turmoil on the subcontinent as their parents were forced to India while their friends were forced to Pakistan. Bhutto's effort to reconcile the differences between the two countries was one of her main missions. Indians throughout the world remember her as a peaceful link between the two nuclear superpowers and could only sympathize with Pakistanis grieving throughout the world. Hopefully her efforts were not in vain. Sandra Rios of Aberdeen, Maryland Benazir Bhutto loved her country and people so much that despite an assassination attempt in Oct and continuous death threats she remained unshaken. As a Women and a Former US soldier I admire her bravery. Russ Bonny of Golden, Colorado I haven't had the raw emotions I am feeling right now since September 11, 2001. The death of Mrs. Bhutto is a loss for the entire world and a grim reminder of how tirelessly we must fight extremists. Whitney Anderson of Irving, Texas I never really got the chance to know much about this woman. I'm still a teen, trying to figure out this mess we call our own democracy. But I can say this. For anyone to be slaughtered is a shame. It's crazy to think young adults like myself have had to grow up in a time where planes are flown into buildings, wars are dragging on and dragging us down, and now a revered and respected woman is dead, only because she was trying to better the world. I can only hope my future children don't have to live like this, and that the only time they hear of things like this is in a history book. Shima of Tehran, Iran All Persians know what her name means... Her name means Unique, and she was unique in all her life. God bless her. Naureen Haider of Jensen Beach, Florida It's a great loss to the country. Ms. Bhutto went to the same elementary school as mine, Convent of Jesus and Mary School in Karachi, and she was always an example to us, to motivate, thus that it is proud to be a female. Benazir, not only earned the best of qualifications on merit, but also proved to the world, that this is what patriotism is. My family having met Benazir personally several times, sends our deepest condolences to the family and prayers go out to the children. May Allah be with them. Ameen!! Humnaa Umar of Great Falls, Virginia The death of Benazir Bhutto not only marked the end of a revolutionary political leader, but also the demise of a pioneer in terms of women's rights. In a country with a strict gender hierarchy, Bhutto inspired countless women with her ceaseless supply of fortitude. Mwilu Mwanachilenga of Lusaka, Zambia A Martyr. A pity though that a life that I looked up to, for the whole 25 years of my existence, could ever end like this. Condolences to the family and may her soul rest in peace . Sabina Brauner of Frankfurt, Germany Disbelief was my first reaction when I just read the news. And shock. At such violence. I do not remember her as an outstanding figure but when someone mentioned Pakistan there was that immediate connection: Pakistan-Bhutto. So after such an act you just hope against hope that people there will find peace. I wish them all the best. Ahsan Khan of Reading, United Kingdom I never was a political supporter of Benazir Bhutto but now after her death I feel that her loss is a loss for Pakistan and not just for her political followers. The present government setup has failed and should resign to stop further bloodshed. God bless Benazir Bhutto's soul. Erum Qayyum of Lahore, Pakistan As the first female prime minister in the Muslim world, I felt as if women are really going to get ahead and men would actually start taking their technical knowledge more seriously but of course men are men. Her death was appalling and the way it happened. It has shocked me and everyone else in my family even though we are not really Benazir's supporters. It is a wonder that my land of Pakistan is actually going to the dogs where no one is safe. I wish the Bush administration opens its eyes to what's happening because neither the civilian nor the military governments have done anything to make this land of mine more peaceful and secure to live in. Moses Quinion Galabuzi of Kampala, Uganda It is too sad to hear of the assassination of this great lady. I was following her very closely and had a lot of respect for her. Whoever did kill her will die the same way but will never be a hero just as she was. Rest in peace Honorable Benazir Bhutto. May the good Lord reward you for the great things you did. Carlo Zappa of Montreal, Quebec When will the horror in Pakistan end? My heart goes out to her family and to the people of Pakistan. Her life was cut short and mankind will never see the additional good she could have done to resolve the endless political conflict in India. Ahmed Alian of Cairo, Egypt She was a brave woman in a coward world, may her soul rest in peace. I'm not blaming Musharraf for killing her, but I'm blaming him for feeding the atmosphere of terrorism through his dictatorship, which is unfortunately, supported by the so-called "free world." Oyefeso Temitope of Lagos, Nigeria You had a heart to help save Pakistan from military dictatorship, and you have to pay with your life!!! What a world!!! We await the reaction of the West. Sleep well, it was a just curse and rare fight from a woman. Linda Palumbo of Boston, Massachusetts A woman who was beautiful, brilliant and dedicated to bringing peace to her country. Such a tragedy and such a loss for the people of Pakistan. Kartiq Subramanian of Charlotte, North Carolina This is really sad! My limited political knowledge told me that she was Pakistan's only hope toward democracy and peace and now her killing has proved that. I feel sad for her family and for the people of Pakistan. May peace prevail. Fariha Waseem of Spring Valley, New York Benazir Bhutto is a woman of courage and conviction and we Pakistani's are proud to acknowledge her with all the dedication and deeds she made for her country. She stands for principal of democracy and corruptions and wants to remove it from roots. She not only received awards for her books but for her all dedications she did for her peoples. My condolence is with all the loved ones of Bhutto's family and her party workers. May God rest her soul in Peace! (Amen) Funmi Omoniyi of Lagos, Nigeria We will miss you Benazir Bhutto because you are a strong woman, ready to fight for your country. As a woman of substance, you deserve to rest in perfect peace. May Allah grant you Aljanat Amiin. Kimberley Brewer of Ottawa, Ontario Although I have no ties, either familial or political, to Benazir Bhutto, I am deeply saddened and enraged by her murder. This noble leader, who championed women's rights in a society rife with discrimination toward fully half the population, has been felled by cowards who seek to thwart progress and peace. My heart goes out to all who mourn her loss as I do, and my condemnation to those responsible for this horrific act of barbarism. Mohammad Khurram Khan of Cleveland, Ohio It is a sad day for all Pakistanis and the entire world. This is a direct result of the aftermath of September 11 and its ongoing consequences around the world. The blazes set forth by the terrorist continue to burn today in different cities. Bhutto was a legend and a role model for all men and women alike. She was inspirational not just to Pakistanis, but inspirational to us all through out the world. It is saddening (with tears in my eyes and sorrow in my heart) to see such a [legend] become a part of the blaze beset by the terrorists. Terrorists have no religion or political affiliations. They only have motives driven by greed and power. I certainly hope that the terrorist behind this are brought to justice and I am sure that General Musharraf will do his best to do so as he has always done in the interest of Pakistan. E-mail to a friend .

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is assassinated . I-Reporters from around the world offer condolences, memories . "We Pakistanis are proud to acknowledge her," says one I-Reporter . I-Report: Share your memories, condolences, photos of Benazir Bhutto .

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CLEARWATER, Florida (CNN) -- One of four missing boaters was found Monday clinging to an overturned fishing vessel off Florida's Gulf Coast, and the search for the other three, including two NFL players, has narrowed, the Coast Guard said. Nick Schuyler clings to an overturned boat in this Coast Guard photo. "We now know we are looking for persons in the water, not a boat," said Coast Guard Capt. Tim Close. Nick Schuyler, a former University of South Florida football player, was the only person still with the small fishing boat when a Coast Guard cutter came across it about 50 miles west of Clearwater Beach on Monday, the Coast Guard said. Still missing Monday afternoon were Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper; NFL free agent Corey Smith, who played for the Detroit Lions for the past three seasons; and former University of South Florida football player William Bleakley. Schuyler told his rescuers that the boat was anchored Saturday evening when it was overturned by waves during a storm, Close said. He told them that all four men were clinging to the boat for a time, but became separated, Close said. The four men embarked in a 21-foot single-engine boat from the Seminole Boat Ramp near Clearwater Pass about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said. The search was launched early Sunday after friends and relatives realized they had not returned from their fishing trip. Schuyler appeared to be conscious and talking in video showing him being removed from a Coast Guard helicopter Monday afternoon. Watch Schuyler being moved on stretcher » . Although he was initially able to answer a few questions to help with the search for the three missing men, officials decided to wait until he was treated for hypothermia before talking with him again, Coast Guard Petty Officer Robert Simpson said. See photos of rescue » . Schuyler's parents, Marcia and Stu Schuyler, told reporters in Florida on Monday they were ecstatic that their son had been found alive. But Stu Schuyler said his "heart is still out" for the three missing men. "We're not going to talk too much until we find these guys. We're all praying for them," Stu Schuyler said. The Air Force Reserve sent a C-130 airplane and a Pave Hawk helicopter to assist the Coast Guard's search, which also included several other helicopters and airplanes. Three Coast Guard cutters were also on the water, Close said. Rough seas and high winds that hampered the search Sunday continued Monday. The Coast Guard reported winds of 15 to 20 knots and waves up to 9 feet in the search area Monday. "It feels like my greatest fear coming true -- it doesn't feel real," Cooper's wife, Rebekah, told CNN affiliate WTSP-TV in Tampa on Sunday. "I'm just waiting for a phone call." Watch relatives, friends express concern for missing boaters » . Cooper said she became worried Saturday night when she didn't hear from her husband. She called her husband's fishing buddy, Brian Miller, who contacted the Coast Guard with the coordinates of where the men planned to fish. "Usually I'm on the boat. It's a little difficult wondering if something would have been different if I had been there," Miller said. He said it was clear something was wrong when Cooper didn't call Saturday night. "He should've been within range to use his cell phone, and he knows enough to shut it off when he goes out so the batteries are still there," he said. Rebekah Cooper said her husband was aware of Sunday's weather forecast and for that reason picked Saturday for the trip. "Fishing is his first love, it always has been," she said, adding, "I have a lot of faith in him out there." Cooper's father said he learned of the situation Sunday morning from Rebekah. His son "routinely stays out on the water 12 to 14 hours," Bruce Cooper, a sports anchor for CNN affiliate KPNX-TV in Phoenix, Arizona, said in a statement. He called his son an "avid fisherman." "He goes deep-sea fishing any opportunity he gets," Cooper said in the statement. "Two years ago, I went deep-sea fishing with him. I swore I would never do so again; I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see land. Needless to say, I am very concerned. I am praying and hoping for the best." Smith and Cooper were teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for part of the 2004 season, when Cooper was a rookie, according to the NFL's Web site. Smith, who entered the league with Tampa Bay in 2002, went on to play for the Washington Redskins before moving to the Lions for the 2006 season. Cooper has played for six teams in his five-season career. Cooper played college football at the University of Washington. Smith played at North Carolina State University. Bleakley lettered from 2004 to 2006 as a tight end for the University of South Florida, according to a spokesman for the university's athletics department. Schuyler was a walk-on defensive end for the school in 2006, but he never played in a game, the spokesman said. Schuyler's father told reporters Sunday that the four men knew each other from working out at a gym, and that his son had accompanied Cooper and Smith on a fishing trip last week that lasted 15 hours.

Search for missing men narrows after one found clinging to overturned boat . Man rescued off Florida coast identified as Nick Schuyler . Schuyler said boat flipped over Saturday during a storm, Coast Guard said . NFL's Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper and a third man remain missing .

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(InStyle) -- While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been celebrating film's best and brightest for more than 80 years, the glamour we associate with the Oscars truly started in the 1950s, when stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Janet Leigh brought high style to the ceremony. Anne Hathaway accessorized her Armani Prive gown with more than $1 million worth of Cartier jewelry. Since then, the red carpet has been a can't-miss staple of the evening, and Hollywood's hottest stars work with fashion designers, wardrobe stylists, jewelers, hairstylists and makeup artists to create looks they hope will go down in fashion history. This year's show was no exception, and high-wattage stars such as Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet and Natalie Portman walked the red carpet in stunning couture gowns. Here are just a few of our favorites: . • Best actress nominee Anne Hathaway made the most of her big night, arriving in a champagne-colored strapless Armani Prive gown that glittered with paillettes and Swarovski crystals. When the "Rachel Getting Married" star turned to give an over-the-shoulder pose, she revealed an unexpected onyx and black crystal dragon brooch, which was affixed to the back of her gown. Diamonds are always in fashion on the red carpet, and the actress accessorized with more than $1 million worth from jeweler Cartier. • Best actress nominee Kate Winslet looked as stunning as ever in an asymmetrical Atelier Yves Saint Laurent gown and Chopard jewels. Despite her picture-perfect appearance, the Oscar winner for "The Reader" admitted, "I'm extremely nervous!" See photos of InStyle's favorite red carpet looks » . • "Slumdog Millionaire" beauty Freida Pinto continued her winning awards season style streak in a John Galliano royal-blue gown made of silk tulle with delicate embroidery and metallic beading. The 24-year-old, who said an enthusiastic hello to her parents in India from the red carpet, wore Martin Katz jewelry, including a ring set with a 150-year-old diamond from her native country. • In a sea of red and white dresses Natalie Portman stood out in an orchid gown by Rodarte, vegan heels by Stella McCartney and a vintage Rialto clutch. The actress' minimal Kwiat jewelry and elegant updo highlighted her flawless skin. Portman was truly an Oscars triple threat, making our best dressed, best hair and best makeup lists. Other colorful bests included Sarah Jessica Parker's Dior Haute Couture gown, which we loved not only for the shade (which she described as "barely mint, maybe seafoam") but also for its impressive size. Best supporting actress nominee Amy Adams was stunning in a crimson silk and satin gown by Carolina Herrera and a jaw-dropping, jeweled collar necklace by Fred Leighton (as seen on Beyoncé in the November 2008 issue of InStyle!). And Heidi Klum's bright red dress was not only glamorous, but also charitable: For the second year running, the "Project Runway" host partnered with The Heart Truth campaign to raise awareness of women's heart health by wearing red. Last year, Klum wore a custom red dress by John Galliano for Dior that was auctioned off for charity, and this year she hit the carpet in a red silk taffeta gown from RM by Roland Mouret. The stylish supermodel accessorized with a diamond and ruby bracelet charm of her own design that will be part of a giveaway on dietcoke.com. In total, the best-dressed women of the night span 28 years, from 16-year-old Miley Cyrus to 44-year-old Marisa Tomei. See all of our favorites, including Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Hudgens, on InStyle.com. Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

InStyle: Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Freida Pinto among best dressed at Oscars . Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Amy Adams praised for color choices . Heidi Klum's wore red in hopes of raising awareness of women's heart health .

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