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(CNN) -- Dubai could lose its place on the Women's Tennis Association Tour calendar after Israeli Shahar Peer was denied entry to compete at this week's event, the WTA supremo warned Monday. Shahar Peer told CNN she learned of her visa ban Saturday, just before her scheduled flight to Dubai. Peer was scheduled to fly into the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, but was informed Saturday night by telephone that she would not be granted a visa. WTA Chairman and CEO Larry Scott said the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour "will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament." Scott added: "The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly, and has a clear rule and policy, that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking." Peer, who had just finished playing in the Pattaya Open in Thailand, where she reached the semifinal, said she is "very, very disappointed" to have been denied the opportunity to play in Dubai. "They really stopped my momentum because now I'm not going to play for two weeks and because they waited for the last minute I couldn't go to another tournament either," Peer said from Tel Aviv. "So it's very disappointing, and I think it's not fair." Watch Peer describe her disappointment » . Scott, meanwhile, confirmed: "Following various consultations, the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the Tour's Board of Directors. "Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally, and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer." Scott said Peer's visa refusal has precedence: Last year an Israeli men's doubles team was denied entry to Dubai. He said the Emirate cited security reasons following recent unrest in the region. "At that time I was in Dubai. I made it clear to the authorities, the representatives of the government, that next year when our top players wanted to play this very prestigious tournament all of them had to be allowed to play," Scott said. "They had a year to work on it and solve it. We've spent time through the year discussing it. We were given assurances that it had gone to the highest levels of government," Scott said. "I was optimistic they would solve it. And we've made crystal clear to the government, to the tournament organizers that there could be grave repercussions not just for tennis in the UAE but sports beyond that." Watch CNN's interview with Larry Scott » . The Dubai government issued a short statement through the state-owned news agency, saying that Peer was informed while in Thailand that she would not receive a visa. The agency quoted an official source in the organizing committee saying, "The tournament is sponsored by several national organizations and they all care to be part of a successful tournament, considering the developments that the region had been through." Earlier an official source who did not want to be named, said, "We should check what happened in New Zealand, when Peer was playing there with all the demonstrations against Israel during the attacks on Gaza. We have to consider securing the players and the tournament." In January, a small group of about 20 protestors waved placards and shouted anti-Israel slogans outside the main entrance to the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland. They were moved on before Peer played her match. The Israeli player said she's received phone calls of support from her fellow players. "'All the players support Shahar," world No. 6 Venus Williams told The New York Times, adding, "We are all athletes, and we stand for tennis." Peer is uncertain of her next move. She said the last-minute decision had left her at a loose end. She said she was concerned about her points and ranking and may go to the U.S. this week to try to take part in another tournament. "I don't think it should happen," she said. "I think sport and politics needs to stay on the side and not be involved. I really hope it's not going to happen again, not only to me but to any other athlete." CNN Dubai bureau chief Caroline Faraj contributed to this report .

Israeli tennis player back in Tel Aviv after being denied entry for Dubai event . Shahar Peer told night before tournament she would not be granted visa by UAE . WTA chief Larry Scott warned Dubai tournament could lose place on calendar . Scott: "This runs counter to everything we were promised and is a setback"

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(CNN) -- Russia will begin the construction of a new naval base this year in Georgia's pro-Russian separatist region of Abkhazia, according to a Russian media report Monday. Russia's Black Sea fleet is based in Sevastopol under a lease agreement with Ukraine that expires in 2017. Russia's Itar-Tass news agency quoted an unnamed official at Russian naval headquarters as saying it wanted to station vessels at the Abkhaz port of Ochamchire on the Black Sea, Reuters.com reported. "The fundamental decision on creating a Black Sea Fleet base in Ochamchire has been taken," the official told Tass, in quotes carried by Reuters.com. "This year we will begin practical work, including dredging, along Abkhazia's coast. "It will take more than a year to implement all works." The official added that the deployment was to protect the breakaway region from Georgian attacks. Georgia launched a campaign against South Ossetia, a Russian-backed separatist territory, on August 7 last year. The following day, Russian tanks, troops and armored vehicles poured into South Ossetia and Abkhazia, advancing into Georgian cities outside the rebel regions. The two sides blamed each other for starting the conflict and have made accusations of ethnic cleansing. Moscow has since recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent regions -- a move which angered many Western governments who suspect Russia of acting to thwart Georgia's ambitions of joining NATO. This latest development comes despite comments made last year by Abkhazia's leader that his territory would not be hosting Russian military bases. "There will be no new bases," Sergei Bagapsh told Russia's Novosti news agency, adding that Russia's Black Sea Fleet will not be based in the republic either. "Only units of Russia's ground forces that have always been based here will continue to be stationed in Abkhazia," he said. Russia's Black Sea Fleet is currently based in the port of Sevastopol which belongs to Ukraine -- another former Soviet state which, like Georgia, aspires to NATO membership. The fleet is due to leave Ukraine for good in 2017, in line with a 20-year lease deal signed in 1997. However, Russia's diplomats and military have said they want the fleet to stay at its traditional home base after the expiry of the deadline, Reuters.com reported.

Official: Russia to station vessels at Abkhaz port of Ochamchire on Black Sea . Moscow recognizes Abkhazia as independent region following war with Georgia . Georgia and Russia blame each other for starting last year's conflict . Russia's Black Sea Fleet is currently based at the port of Sevastopol, Ukraine .

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BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio (CNN) -- After two years of traveling around the country and criticizing President Bush, President-elect Barack Obama said Friday that he "always thought [Bush] was a good guy." Barack Obama tells CNN's John King that it was "tough" for him to request the additional bailout funds. "I mean, I think personally he is a good man who loves his family and loves his country," Obama said in an exclusive interview with CNN's John King. During the election season, Obama frequently campaigned against what he called Bush's "failed policies" and promised a "clean break" from the past eight years. Asked if there was anything he wanted to take back, now that he has spent more time with the president, Obama praised Bush's team for helping with a smooth transition and said part of what America is about is being able to have "disagreements politically and yet treat each other civilly." Obama also said he thought Bush made "the best decisions that he could at times under some very difficult circumstances." "That does not detract from my assessment that over the last several years, we have made a series of bad choices and we are now going to be inheriting the consequences of a lot of those bad choices," Obama said. In addition to his relationship with Bush, Obama also discussed some key issues that he will face in the first days of his administration, including national security and the economy. Even before taking the oath of office, Obama has already faced a showdown with Congress over releasing what remains of the $700 bailout bill that Bush and Congress authorized before the election. The $350 billion that the Senate approved will come with specific conditions, Obama said. "There's nothing wrong with us placing some conditions, making sure that the money's not going to executive compensation, making sure you're not seeing big dividend payoffs to shareholders and making sure that money is being left so that we can get credit flowing again, not just for individual homeowners who are losing their homes, but also small businesses who are the lifeblood of this economy. "If they can't get credit, then they end up having to shutter their doors. And when they shutter their doors, people lose jobs. They then can't pay their mortgage, and you start down the road that we're on. We want to reverse that path, and that means that's the way we use the next $350 billion that Congress voted on, and that was a very tough vote for a lot of people. And it was tough for me to have to request it," he said. Obama sat down with King after he took a factory tour in Bedford Heights, Ohio.

Barack Obama says Bush made "the best decisions that he could at times" Obama campaigned against what he called Bush's "failed policies" Obama says it was "tough" to have to request bailout funds .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama weighed in Thursday on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, urging Israel to open Gaza border crossings and telling the Islamic fundamentalist organization to stop rocket fire into the Jewish state. President Obama called on both Israel and Hamas to make changes toward Mideast peace. He urged Israel to allow the flow of aid and commerce into the Palestinian territory. "Our hearts go out to Palestinian civilians who are in need of immediate food, clean water and basic medical care," he said. The crossings should be opened with an "appropriate monitoring," he added. Obama said Hamas leaders, for their part, must put an end to rocket attacks. He said he will send former Sen. George Mitchell, who was appointed Thursday as special envoy for Middle East peace, to the region as soon as possible. Earlier, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived at her new office in the State Department, promising a renewed emphasis on candor and "robust diplomacy" as the primary means for advancing American interests around the world. America's new chief diplomat walked through the front doors of the State Department lobby shortly after 9 a.m. ET to thunderous applause from an overflow crowd of about 1,000 career diplomats and other department employees. "I believe with all of my heart that this is a new era for America," Clinton told her colleagues. "President Obama set the tone with his inaugural address. ... Robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long-term tools for securing America's future." Watch Clinton greet her new employees » . In remarks that could be interpreted as a rebuke of the departed Bush administration, Clinton also said that the Obama administration would not "tolerate the divisiveness and paralysis that has undermined our ability to get things done for America." Clinton also called for a new sense of candor and free exchange of ideas. She urged the country's diplomatic corps to think "outside the proverbial box." "There's nothing I welcome more than a good debate and the kind of dialogue that will make us better," she said. Clinton later attended an intelligence briefing and a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Security Service. She also walked through various State Department offices, including the operations center. Clinton also phoned international leaders, according to acting State Department spokesman Robert Wood. She is expected to call Asian leaders later Thursday. Clinton will also visit the U.S. Agency for International Development, which she praised "for the work they've done on behalf of development through some very difficult years." During her confirmation hearing, Clinton pledged to secure more resources for the State Department and USAID, which has seen a lot of its development work fall to the Pentagon during the Bush administration. Clinton is the 67th U.S. secretary of state. CNN's Elise Labott contributed to this report.

NEW: President Obama urges Israel to open Gaza border crossings . Hillary Clinton receives intelligence briefing on first day at State . Clinton greets employees at the State Department . Clinton was confirmed as secretary of state Wednesday .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has blocked further consideration of a federal law designed to keep sexual material from underage users of the Web. The justices without comment Wednesday rejected an appeal from the federal government to reinstate the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), passed by Congress in 1998. The high court and subsequent federal courts said the law -- which has never taken effect -- had serious free speech problems. The Bush administration was a strong supporter of the law and the Justice Department led the fight in court to revive it. The justices issued their ruling a day after all nine were on hand for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor also attended the ceremony. The case tested the free speech rights of adults against the power of Congress to control Internet commerce. The Supreme Court twice ruled against COPA, arguing that it represented government censorship rather than lawful regulation of adult-themed pornography businesses. The law would have prevented private businesses from creating and distributing "harmful" content that minors could access on the Internet. Free speech advocates said adults would be barred access to otherwise legal material and that parental-control devices and various filtering technology are less intrusive ways to protect children. The high court in 2004 upheld a preliminary injunction against the law and sent the case back to lower courts for consideration of the arguments. In their opinion at the time, the 5-4 majority concluded COPA "likely violates the First Amendment." "The government has not shown that the less restrictive alternatives proposed ... should be disregarded," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the 2004 decision. "Those alternatives, indeed, may be more effective" than the law passed by Congress. "Filters are less restrictive" he said, and thus pose less risk of muzzling free speech. "They impose selective restrictions on speech at the receiving end, not universal restrictions at the source." He added, "There is a potential for extraordinary harm and a serious chill upon protected speech" if the law takes effect." In reconsidering the law, a federal appeals court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, again ruled the law unconstitutional.

Justices reject appeal to reinstate the Child Online Protection Act . COPA violates the First Amendment right to free speech, justices say . COPA would have kept businesses from distributing "harmful" content to minors . In 2004 ruling, justice said parental filters are less restrictive on free speech .

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(CNN) -- Most of us know we shouldn't be talking on a handheld cell phone while driving. But recent studies suggest that hands-free devices are just as dangerous on the road. Studies suggest that talking on a hands-free cell phone while driving is just as dangerous as a handheld one. Engaging in a phone conversation on a mobile device while driving distracts the brain and delays reaction times, experts said. Drivers are more likely to swerve between lanes, slow down and miss important signs. "When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call," said Janet Froetscher, president of the National Safety Council, which in January urged legislators in all 50 states to pass laws prohibiting motorists from using cell phone devices. A recent University of Utah study found that drivers engaging in a cell phone conversation on a headset were more likely to make errors behind the wheel than a driver talking to a front-seat passenger. "It doesn't matter what kind of cell phone device they are using, because the impairments are so large," said University of Utah professor David Strayer, who used a high-tech driving simulator for his experiment. Strayer's study, published in December, concluded that conversations with a front-seat passenger can actually mitigate accidents, because the passenger can help observe road conditions and warn the driver of possible hazards. In Strayer's previous studies, he found driving while talking on a mobile device is "just as bad as driving drunk." The risk of getting into a car accident while talking on a wireless device -- including headsets and vehicles with built-in communication systems -- is growing as the number of cell phone subscribers increases. There are 270 million cell phone subscribers in the United States, up from 76 million in 1999, according to CTIA -- The Wireless Association, an organization representing the wireless communications industry. In a survey by Nationwide Insurance, 80 percent of people admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving. About 45 percent of drivers said they have been hit or nearly hit by someone using a cell phone, according to Nationwide's survey, conducted in 2006. Some experts said drivers talking on cell phones are four times more likely to get into a crash than those who don't talk on their phones behind the wheel. One study from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis estimated that 636,000 traffic accidents each year -- about 6 percent of all accidents -- are caused by drivers using their cell phones, resulting in an estimated 2,600 deaths. Elderly and younger drivers are most at risk of getting into an accident when they talk on a mobile device while driving, said Arthur Kramer, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "I don't think legislation alone is the answer," Kramer said. "Education needs to go along with the legislation to encourage people that these are risky habits for yourself and for others." There is no federal law against using handheld devices on the road, but six states and the District of Columbia have such laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a group that tracks legislative data trends. No states ban the use of hands-free or wireless communication devices, experts said. Some private industries, such as trucking and bus companies, prohibit their employees from using cell phones on the road. Other states restrict teenagers from talking on cell phones while driving. Anne Teigen, a policy specialist on transportation issues for the National Conference of State Legislatures, says states are moving to ban handheld cell phone use. Almost all states have debated the issue, but many governments are reluctant to pass restrictions because they say there isn't enough research. They point out that talking on a mobile device isn't the only distraction. Other distractions, such as reaching for the glove compartment, changing the radio station or putting on makeup, also can cause accidents. The popularity of smart phones equipped with Internet, text messaging and e-mail present drivers with even more distractions. Such new technology also makes it difficult for states to keep their laws updated. "Then there is the final question of whether these laws are enforceable or not," Teigen said. Some members of the cell phone industry are advising drivers to stop using cell phones on the road, but few have taken a stance on hands-free devices, because research has been limited. Verizon Wireless was one of the first cellular phone companies to support hands-free driving laws in the early 2000s. The company is focusing on promoting laws against text-messaging while driving. So far, only a handful of states ban the practice. Aegis Mobility, a Vancouver, Canada, company, has created a device that would reduce cell phone usage in cars. The product, DriveAssist, set to launch this fall with a major network carrier in the United States, will enable cell phones to automatically detect when a mobile user is driving. Users can subscribe to DriveAssist's service, which manages incoming and outgoing calls, text messages and e-mails electronically. Callers get a message that the recipient is driving but can leave an emergency message alerting the driver to pull over and return the call. "People find it hard to stop talking on their cell phones because we've been conditioned our entire life to answer the phone," said David Teater of Spring Lake, Michigan, one of the product's backers. Five years ago, Teater's seventh-grade son died in a daytime car accident after a woman talking on her cell phone ran a red light. "Her life was ruined as well," Teater said. "She had no idea what she was doing was so dangerous. The vast majority of drivers have no idea that it's dangerous."

Study: Talking on a hands-free cell phone while driving is still dangerous . Drivers on cell phones are involved in an estimated 636,000 traffic accidents a year . Six states and District of Columbia ban handheld cell phones by drivers . DriveAssist service can help drivers stay off the phone by managing calls .

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(CNN) -- German billionaire Adolf Merckle, one of the richest men in the world, committed suicide Monday after his business empire got into trouble in the wake of the international financial crisis, Merckle's family said Tuesday in a statement. Merckle, 74, was hit by a train in the southwestern town of Ulm, police said. His family said the economic crisis had "broken" Merckle. He was number 94 on the Forbes list of the world's richest people. He had fallen from number 44 on the Forbes 2007 rich list as his fortune declined from $12.8 billion to $9.2 billion in 2008. Merckle's business empire included interests as diverse as cement-maker HeidelbergCement and generic drug-maker Ratiopharm. But he lost hundreds of millions of dollars, including company capital, betting against Volkswagen stock last year. The state government of Baden-Wuerttemberg rejected his petition for financial assistance, and he entered bailout talks with several German banks. "The financial troubles of his companies, induced by the international financial crisis and the uncertainty and powerlessness to act independently which the financial problems brought about, broke the passionate family business man, and he took his own life," his family wrote in the news release. An employee of Germany's railroad company found the body on the tracks at about 7 p.m. Monday and notified authorities. Merckle's family had already reported him missing earlier in the day after he walked out of the house and did not return. Authorities are currently conducting DNA tests to confirm his identity. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen in Germany and Alysen Miller in London, England, contributed to this report.

Adolf Merckle was No. 94 on Forbes list of world's richest people . Merckle's net worth estimated to be $9.2 billion . Billionaire was killed by a train in German town of Ulm . Family says financial woes "broke the passionate family business man"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's a frightening scenario, almost a staple of action movies: Someone has fallen onto subway tracks, and a train is rumbling into the station. iReporter Stuart Gordon spotted rescuers after a woman fell onto subway tracks in Washington. For a heart-stopping moment, the train is certain to strike the fallen person, until rescue comes at the last possible second. But at a Washington Metro station near the National Mall on Tuesday, it was an all-too-real scenario, and all the more frightening. A 68-year-old woman from Nashville, Tennessee, in Washington for the inauguration of Barack Obama, fell off the platform at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop. Houston Metro Officer Eliot Swainson, deputized to assist with the huge crowds for the inauguration, was aiding another rider when he heard shouts that someone was on the track. Watch Swainson describe what happened » . "I turned around and saw a lady standing in the track area," Swainson said. The former Houston police officer rushed into action. He and another Metro rider tried to pull the woman to safety, but with a Red Line train bearing down on the station, they didn't have the time. iReport.com: See photos of the rescue operation . "The train was coming down the tunnel there," Swainson said. "It was coming in closer. I pushed her down and got her tucked down under the platform." Swainson cited training from Metro staff for giving him the information he used to get the woman out of danger. The woman, who was not identified, huddled beneath the lip of the granite platform as the train passed. An emergency response crew brought her back up onto the platform and took her to Washington Hospital Center, where hospital staff said she was treated and released. No further details were provided. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokeswoman Taryn McNeil said Tuesday that the woman had sustained cuts and bruises from the fall. The agency said transit officers from 18 locations across the country were in Washington to assist with the inauguration crowds. Ridership records were shattered Tuesday: There were more than 1.5 million trips across all the authority's platforms, including more than 1.1 million on the subway system. The Tennessee woman's accident was the only one reported on the transit line, the authority said. iReport.com: Are you there? Send your photos . As for Swainson, Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn said he did exactly the right thing. "Due to Officer Swainson's quick response, the woman was not seriously injured," Taborn said. "He did exactly what was expected, and we are enormously grateful for his actions." McNeil said the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro stop was reopened not long after the accident and trains were moving through it, although there were delays. CNN's Larry Lazo and Kelly Marshall contributed to this report.

Woman, 68, fell off platform at Metro's Gallery Place-Chinatown stop . Houston Metro Officer Eliot Swainson, another rider tried to pull her up . When they couldn't grab her, Swainson helped tuck her under platform . Woman safely huddled beneath platform lip as train passed .

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(CNN) -- In her first interview since giving birth, the teenage daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said having a child is not "glamorous," and that telling young people to be abstinent is "not realistic at all." Bristol Palin says "everyone should just wait 10 years" to have a baby, rather than when you're young. "It's just, like, I'm not living for myself anymore. It's, like, for another person, so it's different," Bristol Palin told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren. "And just you're up all night. And it's not glamorous at all," she said. "Like, your whole priorities change after having a baby." The 18-year-old, who gave birth in late December, said she is being helped tremendously by her mother, grandmother, cousins and other family members. She is engaged to teen father Levi Johnston, who is now working for his father and trying to complete school, but said she wishes that she waited another 10 years to have a baby. It was "harder than labor" telling her parents she was pregnant. "Well, we were sitting on the couch, my best friend and Levi, and we had my parents come and sit on the couch, too. And we had my sisters go upstairs," Bristol said. "And we just sat them down, and I just -- I couldn't even say it. I was just sick to my stomach. "And so finally, my best friend just, like, blurted it out. And it was just, like -- I don't even remember it because it was just, like, something I don't want to remember." Todd and Sarah Palin were "scared just because I have to -- I had to grow up a lot faster than they ever would have imagined," Bristol said. Her parents insisted that she and her boyfriend hash out a "game plan" immediately. And now her parents and relatives are all pitching in to help take care of the child, particularly when Bristol is at school during the day. Van Susteren was delicate with the teenager but pointedly asked if "contraception is an issue here." "Is that something that you were just lazy about or not interested, or do you have philosophical or religious opposition to it," Van Susteren asked. Bristol quickly answered that she didn't want to get into specifics. The best option is abstinence, the teen said, but added that she didn't think that was "realistic." Watch Bristol Palin say that abstinence is "not realistic at all" » . While her mother was running for vice president, the teenager said her treatment in the media was "evil." She said she read some of the tabloids that wrote about her. People didn't understand, she said, and some media reports perpetuated falsehoods about her experience. "They thought that, like, my mom was going to make me have the baby, and it was my choice to have the baby," she said. "And it's just -- that kind of stuff just bothered me." Van Susteren asked, "But this is your issue? This is your decision?" Bristol answered yes. "(It) doesn't matter what my mom's views are on it. It was my decision, and I wish people would realize that, too," she said. The network interview was Bristol's idea, the teen said. And she apparently sprung the news to her parents that she was going to speak publicly the day before the network taping. The teen said she wanted to tell her story so that other young people might think twice about having sex. "I'd love to [be] an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it's not, like, a situation that you would want to strive for, I guess," Bristol said. Gov. Palin made an unexpected appearance during the interview in Alaska, and Van Susteren asked her about her daughter's pregnancy. "Not the most ideal situation, certainly you make the most of it," the governor said. Bristol is a "strong and bold woman, and she is an amazing mom," Palin said. "And this little baby is very lucky to have her as a mama. He's going to be just fine."

Bristol Palin said she wishes she had waited 10 years to have a baby . 18-year-old is getting a lot of help from family, says baby son is "awesome" Palin said she's hoping to encourage young people to wait to have sex .

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(CNN) -- Two children and one adult were killed Friday after a man with a painted face launched a knife attack at a children's daycare center in Belgium. Police look at a hearse parked in front of the childcare centre in Dendermonde where the attack took place. Officials said two adults and 10 children, some of whom were in a critical condition, were being treated in hospital following the attack in Dendermonde, 25 kilometers (16 miles) northwest of Brussels. "The guy just went crazy," local official Theo Janssens said, according to Agence France-Presse news agency. He was arrested an hour and a half afterwards, according to the Interior Ministry. Reports said he was trying to make his escape on a bicycle. The attacker entered the day care center in Dendermonde, about 16 miles northwest of Brussels, around 10 a.m. (4 a.m. ET) and began stabbing children and staff, the ministry said. Local journalist Bart Bekaert told CNN that the attacker's face was painted black and white. Hear Bekaert describe the attack » . "Witnesses say he looked calm. There was no security and he just walked straight in," he added. AFP reported that the man was not known to staff at the nursery. "You don't expect such acts happening in a daycare center," Dendermonde deputy prosecutor Jan Kerkhofs told CNN. "It is not like a prison so there are no bars on the doors or security systems."

2 children, 1 adult killed in knife attack at creche, Belgian Interior Ministry says . Three others reported seriously injured in attack in town of Dendermonde . Attacker "had painted face," local journalist tells CNN .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Guantanamo Bay's legacy of torture will hurt the United States even if President Obama makes good on a pledge to close the prison camp, a former inmate says. Moazzam Begg says that during intense interrogations at Guantanamo Bay, he would have confessed to anything. Justice will be impossible to mete out to the alleged terrorists and war criminals held there because any confessions must be tainted by the methods used to obtain them, ex-prisoner Moazzam Begg told CNN. Begg says he would have confessed to anything during interrogations while he was held at Guantanamo for nearly three years. "What procedure can you use on people who have been systematically tortured including waterboarding, including being stripped naked and beaten? What sort of evidence can be admitted into a court of law that has been extracted under that process?" asked Begg. Watch what Begg thinks of Guantanamo » . The new administration has said that waterboarding, which causes the feeling of drowning, is torture. Begg, who is British, was captured during the war in Afghanistan and accused of aiding the Taliban regime. His family has always maintained he was a victim of mistaken identity. He was sent back to his home in Britain by the Bush administration in 2005 and never prosecuted. President Obama on Wednesday moved closer to making good on his campaign promise. The administration is drafting executive orders calling for the detention facility's closure, officials said. Earlier in the day, a judge granted Obama's request for a 120-day suspension of prosecutions so a review of all cases of suspected terrorists could take place. During his inaugural speech, he stressed that ideals of justice did not need to be thrown out to ensure the nation's safety. "Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake," Obama said. Watch what could be next for Guantanamo » . Legal issues are already complicating the cases of some of the most important terror suspects, like Mohamed al-Qahtani, the so-called 20th hijacker, who has been accused of helping to plan and possibly participate in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Earlier this month, the retired judge in charge of determining which Guantanamo detainees should be tried by a U.S. military commission told The Washington Post that al-Qahtani was tortured and therefore could not be put forward for prosecution. "Guantanamo Bay is the most notorious prison on earth," Begg said. He said he believes Guantanamo is a radicalizing force for militants around the world. Looking beyond high-profile suspects, human rights campaigners say there is little evidence to prosecute dozens of Guantanamo inmates still being held. They argue that keeping those detainees locked up will not help keep al Qaeda at bay. "I think it's actually one of the most harmful myths about it, that we can't let people go because we've got the tiger by the tail," said Cori Crider of the human rights organization Reprieve. Chris Arendt, a former guard at Guantanamo Bay, says the Obama administration must rethink and reform the way it detains and prosecutes future terror suspects -- and do more than just close Guantanamo. "We're focused on this one camp that has become the star of the whole show. But there are camps everywhere," he said. "There are camps in Iraq, in Afghanistan -- every country that American or the coalition forces have set their feet. None of those detainees are seeing any justice."

NEW: Obama administration drafting executive orders calling for camp's closure . President Obama suspends prosecutions at Guantanamo Bay prison camp . Ex-inmate says torture at the camp has made justice unattainable . Former guard says detainees at Guantanamo, other camps get no justice .

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(CNN) -- A crusading Sri Lankan journalist shot dead last week knew he would be killed -- he said so in a dramatic, posthumously published column touching a raw nerve in his war-torn island nation. A candlelight vigil in the Sri Lankan capital in memory of slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunga. Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor-in-chief of The Sunday Leader, was gunned down execution-style January 8 but spoke from the grave three days later when the newspaper published "And Then They Came For Me." That posthumous column anticipated his slaying by government forces and defended the craft of journalism in his country, a profession under fire during its bitter civil war. "Diplomats, recognizing the risk journalists face in Sri Lanka, have offered me safe passage and the right of residence in their countries. Whatever else I may have been stuck for, I have not been stuck for choice. But there is a calling that is yet above high office, fame, lucre and security. It is the call of conscience," Wickrematunga wrote. "People often ask me why I take such risks and tell me it's a matter of time before I am bumped off." Wickrematunga wrote that he was twice assaulted and his house was fired upon. "Despite the government's sanctimonious assurances, there was never a serious police inquiry into the perpetrators of these attacks, and the attackers were never apprehended. "In all of these cases, I have reason to believe the attacks were inspired by the government. When finally I am killed, it will be the government that kills me," he wrote. Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa, asked about threats to journalists, voiced assurance that no journalist or media institution had cause to fear any threats or attacks by the government, according to a statement on the government's official Web site. Watch Sri Lanka's foreign minister discuss press freedom » . "The government had no interest whatever in seeking disgrace through any attacks on the media," he said, and he assured media leaders that the culprits would be captured and brought to justice, the statement said. Hostility against journalists and their institutions has been high as the Sinhalese-dominated government forces work to eradicate the last vestiges of Tamil Tiger separatists in the Jaffna peninsula, the rebel-held northern region. The 25-year-old civil war has left more than 65,000 people dead. Sunanda Deshapriya, spokesman for Sri Lanka's Free Media Movement, said harassment of journalists has been common, and cited these examples from the past year: two journalists killed, another journalist shot at, more than 50 reports of intimidations and threats, 12 media personnel arrested, 16 journalists physically assaulted, one tortured, one assaulted in an abduction attempt, the circulation of a list with 27 journalists targeted for killings, the proposal of a censorship law, and the naming of some journalists as terrorists or terrorist supporters. On January 6, 15 masked gunmen entered Maharajah TV studios outside the capital, Colombo. The journalism watchdog group Committee to Protect Journalists said the attackers shot at and destroyed broadcast equipment, held staff members at gunpoint, and attempted to burn down the station's facilities. CNN on Wednesday interviewed the head of Maharajah TV, Chevaan Daniel, about the incident. Afterward, Sri Lanka's defense secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, called for the arrest of a person who had talked to CNN, Deshapriya said. CPJ said the government-run media has criticized Maharajah TV for its coverage of a suicide bombing in the capital and "undermining" a presidential victory speech after government troops took Kilinochchi -- which had been the de facto capital of the Tamil Tigers movement. Government officials have condemned strikes on Colombo and have ordered probes. Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program director, said that "far too often the government or its unofficial allies have been prime suspects behind attacks on journalists and media organizations," despite government condemnations and investigations. As the civil warfare first unfolded, Tamil journalists were targeted, Dietz said. But in the past year and a half, mainstream journalists, such as those who raise questions about the government's military activity, have been facing a crackdown -- even if they are from the majority Sinhalese ethnic group or sharply critical of the Tamil rebel movement. This includes Wickrematunga, who questioned the government's successes and value of its military actions. "That really got under the skin of the government," Dietz said. "It's one thing to insult the president, but another thing to insult the military during wartime." "This killing is the worst," said Dietz, who compared it to the impact that would be felt if a New York Times or Washington Post columnist were killed in the United States. Wickrematunga's killing spurred a demonstration in Colombo by 4,000 people, which Reporters Without Borders said was the largest since the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa took power three years ago. Another protest was to be held on Thursday in London. The title of Wickrematunga's column was inspired by a poem by a German theologian about how Germans failed to react to Nazism in the past century before it was too late. In his rendition of the poem, Wickrematunga wrote: "First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me." Wickrematunga pronounces his pride in his profession's attempt to chronicle life in a country at war and his paper's work to bravely represent all people -- "Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, low-caste, homosexual, dissident or disabled." He casts the paper as an independent organ that faithfully records events. He said the paper lacks a political agenda and wants to see Sri Lanka as a "transparent, secular, liberal democracy." "No other profession calls on its practitioners to lay down their lives for their art save the armed forces and, in Sri Lanka, journalism," he wrote, adding that "countless journalists have been harassed, threatened and killed. It has been my honor to belong to all those categories and now especially the last." "I have the satisfaction of knowing that I walked tall and bowed to no man. And I have not traveled this journey alone. Fellow journalists in other branches of the media walked with me: most of them are now dead, imprisoned without trial or exiled in far-off lands." He also castigates the country's president, who had been a long-time friend. "In the wake of my death I know you will make all the usual sanctimonious noises and call upon the police to hold a swift and thorough inquiry. But like all the inquiries you have ordered in the past, nothing will come of this one too."

Lasantha Wickrematunga gunned down execution-style January 8 . Posthumous column anticipated his slaying by government forces . Govt.: Says no journalist, media institution should fear attack by government . Civil war with Tamil Tigers has killed more than 65,000 .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Piracy off the coast of Somalia can't be stopped until there is some authority to bring pirates to justice, according to the commander of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain. U.S. Vice Admiral William Gortney: Need to hold pirates off Africa's east coast accountable. Because there is no working government in Somalia and no country is willing to take captured pirates, bring them to trial and detain them, there is no deterrent for pirates to stop attacking ships, Vice Admiral William Gortney said at a Pentagon briefing Thursday. "The problem is there's not a way to -- until we have a mechanism [to hold them] accountable and try them for their actions, there's no way to -- to finish the problem," Gortney said. The United States is making a deal with a country in the eastern Africa region to hold and try pirates captured by the U.S.-led Combined Task Force 151, a new maritime anti-piracy mission started earlier this month. He said an official announcement would be made after the deal with the country is official. In the past three months, piracy attacks have averaged about 12 to 14 a month off the east coast of Africa. As of mid-January, the attack numbers are already at the average of the past three months, according to Gortney. "That [number] should tell you that we're not -- we're not being 100 percent successful on the deterrence of the attempt. And that's where we have to go after," Gortney said. The United States is expecting other nations to join the anti-piracy task force, but at the moment, the United States is the only country in the task force with just three ships off of the waters of Somalia. There are ships from some European and Asian countries patrolling the waters independently as well, primarily guarding cargo ships from their own countries. Pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 in the waters off the coast of Somalia in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau. See how pirate attacks peaked in 2008 » . Pirating off of Somalia has increased during the past four to five years as fishermen from Somalia realize that pirating is more lucrative than fishing. Additionally, pirates are able to get away with the crimes because of the lack of government and overall lawlessness in the country. Gortney said statistically the chances of ships being pirated off of Somalia less than one percent, but it won't be stopped until piracy is "disincentivized."

Gortney: No working Somali government, country willing to detain, try accused pirates . U.S. currently only nation with ships dedicated to anti-pirate task force . Asian, European nations have own ships independently patrolling region .

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LONDON (CNN) -- Iran offered to stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq nearly four years ago in an attempt to get the West to accept Tehran's nuclear program, a British diplomat told the BBC in an interview aired Saturday. John Sawers, British ambassador to the U.N., told BBC of Iran approaching Western nations with offer. "The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program -- 'We stop killing you in Iraq, stop undermining the political process there, you allow us to carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance," said John Sawers, now the British ambassador to the United Nations, in the documentary, "Iran and the West: Nuclear Confrontation." The United States and other Western nations believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, but Iran says it is developing nuclear capability to produce energy. Iran also has been accused of sponsoring terrorists and supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents. The latter prompted a warning from the United States that such behavior by Tehran "would be regarded by us as enemy action," Philip Zelikow, a State Department counselor, told the BBC. Then, Iran began shopping its offer around Europe, Sawers said. Sawers, Britain's political director at the time, reveals the behind-the-scene talks from 2005 -- when roadside bombing against British and American soldiers in Iraq peaked -- were held with British, French and German diplomats at hotels in London, Paris and Berlin. "And then we'd compare notes among the three of us," Sawers told the BBC. The British government dismissed the offer and Iran's nuclear enrichment program restarted once again, the BBC reports . Iran has denied offering any such deal and reiterated its position Saturday. "Iran's high officials have repeatedly stated that Iran has not had any part in attacks against American and British forces, and there is no evidence to support these baseless accusations," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. Interviews with top brass from former President Bush's administration and British envoys indicate that Iran and the West had neared agreements several times in the past few years, but never reached success. Nick Burns, who was in charge of the Bush administration's State Department policy with Iran, said taking a tough approach with Iran didn't seem effective. "We had advocated regime change," Burns told the BBC. "We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years. It didn't produce any movement whatsoever." The documentary aired a day after the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report stating that Iranian scientists have reached "nuclear weapons breakout capability." The report analyzed the finding of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data, saying Iran's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium (HEU) in order to be weapons-grade material. That hasn't been done, the official said. Meanwhile, Iran's relationship with the West continues to be strained, though both sides have indicated interest in holding direct talks. President Obama, in his first prime-time news conference held earlier this month, said the United States is looking for opportunities for "face-to-face" talks with Iran after an absence of diplomatic ties for nearly three decades. "There's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it's not going to happen overnight," he said. And Iran's powerful parliament speaker and former nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has called the Obama administration "an exceptional opportunity for Americans."

Iran approached diplomats with offer nearly four years ago, BBC told . Diplomat: Iran offered to stand down in Iraq if West would accept its nuke program . Iran denies involvement in fighting in Iraq, says allegations are "baseless" Despite strained relations, Obama administration has hinted at direct talks .

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(CNN) -- Diplomats edged closer to finding a way to end the fighting in Gaza on Friday as the United States and Israel signed an agreement designed to stop arms smuggling into the Palestinian territory. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says European nations and NATO will be helping with anti-smuggling efforts. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for an international effort to stem the flow of weaponry and explosives. The agreement outlines a plan to share information and provide technical assistance to stop the smuggling of arms to the militants. The meeting in Washington was one of several diplomatic moves afoot to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The diplomatic moves came as Israel's offensive against Hamas militants continued, with Israeli airstrikes pounding the northern and southern sections of Gaza. Watch more on the latest fighting in Gaza » . U.S. and Israeli diplomats said the agreement includes intelligence coordination to prevent arms from Iran from entering Gaza, maritime efforts to identify ships carrying weaponry, and the sharing of U.S. and European technologies to discover and prevent the use of weapons-smuggling tunnels. Rice said the steps spelled out in the memorandum will "stem the flow of weapons and explosives into Gaza." "The United States is reaching out to its partners as well. Together, the steps that we and other members of the international community can take will contribute to a durable cease-fire," said Rice, noting that "there must be an international consensus that Gaza never be used as a launching pad against Israeli cities." Livni said that ending the fighting in Gaza won't be "achieved by agreements with terror, but with effective arrangements against it" -- a unified effort by the international community. She said a "durable" end to hostilities requires a stop to weapons smuggling into Gaza. "We have agreed on a series of actions with regional and international players in order to complement Egyptian actions and end the flow of weapons to Gaza," Livni said. She said European nations and NATO would be helping with the anti-smuggling efforts. The Bush administration has been consulting with the Barack Obama team about the memorandum of understanding and efforts to forge a cease-fire. Rice has spoken with President-elect Obama, incoming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and incoming National Security Adviser James Jones. Israel on Thursday dispatched senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad to Cairo to discuss a cease-fire proposal, and Gilad was continuing talks in Cairo. A Hamas delegation is also in the Egyptian capital, talking with leaders there who are trying to hammer out a temporary truce. Egypt has hosted peace talks with leaders from Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and has acted as an intermediary between Hamas and Israel. Arab and regional diplomats and leaders also have been meeting to deal with the crisis, but there is no unified Arab stand. The state of Qatar held an emergency summit Friday in an attempt to find a unified Arab voice on Gaza. The meeting brought together some regional leaders, including the presidents of Iran and Syria and the leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Palestinian Authority were not in attendance. They plan to attend the regular annual Arab League summit scheduled for next week in Kuwait devoted to Gaza. Arab League foreign ministers were meeting in Kuwait City on Friday and were planning the groundwork for next week's meeting. Six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- focused on Gaza at their emergency summit Thursday in Riyadh. Also, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his trip through the region as part of the diplomatic effort to secure a truce. He has called for an immediate cease-fire between Hamas and Israel and said he is encouraged that the Egyptian government is trying to broker a truce. He met with Israeli officials Thursday and condemned an Israeli strike that damaged the U.N. Relief and Works Agency's compound in Gaza City, sparked a massive fire and injured three people. Once the fighting stops, the two sides can "discuss how to make this cease-fire durable and sustainable," he said. CNN's Elise Labott and Caroline Faraj contributed to this report .

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meet . Agreement reached on measures to stop flow of Hamas weapons . Arms smuggling is a key issue for Israel ahead of any cease-fire . Israeli airstrikes continue to pound northern and southern sections of Gaza .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Nearly 1,300 computers in more than 100 countries have been attacked and have become part of a computer espionage network apparently based in China, security experts alleged in two reports Sunday. The network was discovered after computers at the Dalai Lama's office were hacked, researchers say. Computers -- including machines at NATO, governments and embassies -- are infected with software that lets attackers gain complete control of them, according to the reports. One was issued by the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies in conjunction with the Ottawa, Canada-based think tank The SecDev Group; the second came from the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. Researchers have dubbed the network GhostNet. The network can not only search a computer but see and hear the people using it, according to the Canadian report. "GhostNet is capable of taking full control of infected computers, including searching and downloading specific files, and covertly operating attached devices, including microphones and web cameras," the report says. The discovery of GhostNet grew out of suspicions that the office of the Dalai Lama had been hacked. His staff sent a foreign diplomat an e-mail invitation to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader, but before the Dalai Lama's people could follow up with a phone call, "the diplomat's office was contacted by the Chinese government and warned not to go ahead with the meeting," according to the Cambridge report. Watch CNN's John Vause report on the network » . An investigation resulted in both reports. Both found links to computers in China, but the researchers did not conclude who they thought was behind the "malware," or malicious software. "Chinese cyber espionage is a major global concern ... [b]ut attributing all Chinese malware to deliberate or targeted intelligence gathering operations by the Chinese state is wrong and misleading," according to the Canadian report titled, "Tracking GhostNet: Investigating a Cyber Espionage Network." "The sheer number of young digital natives online can more than account for the increase in Chinese malware," it adds. But the report also points out that China is among a handful of countries, including the United States, Israel and United Kingdom, that are "assumed" to have considerable computer espionage capabilities. Attempts by CNN to contact the Chinese government in Beijing and its American embassy and consulate offices were unsuccessful on Sunday, as the offices were closed. However, a spokesman for the Chinese consulate in New York dismissed the idea China was involved when speaking to The New York Times. "These are old stories and they are nonsense," Wenqi Gao told the Times. "The Chinese government is opposed to and strictly forbids any cyber crime." Hackers gained access to computers in the Dalai Lama's office by tricking computer users into downloading e-mail attachments that had been carefully engineered to appear safe, according to the authors of the Cambridge report, titled, "The Snooping Dragon: Social-malware Surveillance of the Tibetan Movement." "The attackers took the trouble to write e-mails that appeared to come from fellow Tibetans and indeed from co-workers," according to the report, authored by Shishir Nagaraja and Ross Anderson. Once the attackers gained an initial foothold, "they also stole mail in transit and replaced the attachments with toxic ones," the report adds. The Dalai Lama investigation led to the discovery of hundreds more infected machines in locations from The Associated Press in Britain and Deloitte and Touche in New York, to the ministries of foreign affairs in Indonesia, Iran and the Philippines. The office of the prime minister of Laos was also snared, as was a single non-secure computer at NATO, according to the Canadian report. Infected computers "checked in" with control servers as early as May 2007 and as recently as March 12 of this year, the report adds. Attempts by CNN to verify the reports' allegations with NATO, the Laotian government and the Dalai Lama's organization in India were not immediately successful on Sunday. The attack has broader implications, Nagaraja and Anderson warn, since a single person could carry out a similar one. "Even a capable motivated individual could have carried out the attacks we describe here," they say. The computer systems of businesses are almost certain to be hacked by similar means, if they have not been already, the experts claim. "Social malware will be used for fraud, and the typical company really has no defense against it," since it is so expensive and inconvenient, for example, to keep sensitive information or processes on computers with no Internet access. "We expect that many crooks will get rich before effective countermeasures are widely deployed." The Information Warfare Monitor Web site, where the Canadian report was released, was down Sunday afternoon. GhostNet is not affiliated with GhostNet Inc., a business technology company.

Researchers: Dalai Lama's office, NATO, governments among targets . Network, dubbed "GhostNet," can take control of computers, search files . Researchers link network to China, but don't conclude who is responsible . Investigation finds hundreds of infected machines in more than 100 countries .

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(CNN) -- The e-mail arrived from Uzbekistan on February 26. It was titled "Bad News." Abdul Dadahanov had intended to study business, but changed his mind after 9/11, his academic adviser said. "Dear Mama Judy," a young woman named Aziza Dadahanov wrote in shaky English. "Very very bad news!!! Abdul is given 8 years of prison. Today was the verdict. Now i feel myself very bad. And i can't write now. I am shocked." "It was like being kicked in the stomach," recalled Judy Skartvedt, a retired flight attendant living in Easton, Connecticut. She knew Dadahanov's husband, Abdul Dadahanov, as an Uzbek exchange student who had wanted to help heal people after the 9/11 attacks. She thought of him as an open-minded Muslim whom her family had hosted when he came on a scholarship to study at Fairfield University in 2001. "We were totally shocked that someone like Abdul could be arrested for anything," Skartvedt said. "We haven't stopped worrying about his safety." The 32-year-old faces eight years in a labor camp for participation in what the Uzbekistan government says is an extremist religious organization, according to Forum 18, a religious freedom watchdog organization . The group says that Uzbek security forces arrested Dadahanov and four other men -- Bakhrom Ibrahimov, Davron Kabilov, Rovshanbek Favoyev and Botyrbek Eshkuziyev -- last summer after the men had written for an Islamic journal called Irmoq. The National Security Service reportedly claimed the magazine was "sponsored by a Turkish radical religious movement." Officials from the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington have refused to comment on the case. Forum 18 says Dadahanov and the four other Uzbek men were convicted of "dissemination of information and materials containing ideas of religious extremism, separatism and fundamentalism, calls for pogroms or violent eviction of individuals aimed at creating panic among the population." Human rights organizations say the convictions appear to be part of a broader crackdown in the former Soviet republic, targeting members of "Nurchilar," a moderate Muslim movement of Turkish origin, which follows the writing of a 19th-century Sufi Muslim theologian. "Unfortunately this is not an unusual case," said Igor Vorontsov, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in St. Petersburg. "The [Uzbek] government has persisted in its persecution of independent Muslims." Thousands of miles from the Republic of Uzbekistan, news of Dadahanov's jail sentence has stunned academics and Christian community leaders in Connecticut. They fondly describe a committed social activist and observant Muslim, who rode between work and classes on a secondhand bicycle and spent more than a year distributing food to soup kitchens in one of America's poorer cities. "He had a naive trust in the goodness of human beings," said Patty Jenson, an administrator at the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. "I am shocked. I know he is there [in prison] unjustly. What is happening is unjust." "He was a man of his word, he was gentle and kind," said Charlene Chambers, the director of King's Pantry, a nonprofit organization that distributes food to homeless people in Bridgeport. "Our common bond was feeding people who can't feed themselves and clothing those people who can't clothe themselves." Dadahanov's academic adviser, Katherine Kidd, said the young Uzbek originally intended to study business when he arrived at Fairfield University on a scholarship from the Open Society Institute of the Soros Foundation. That changed September 11, 2001. Kidd choked up as she recalled his visit to her office, hours after the terrorist attacks. "He said, 'Dr. Kidd, I have to do something to tell people that this is not what Islam is about.' He said, 'I want to be part of things that are done here to bring healing to people after 9/11.' " Dadahanov began working closely with Kidd's husband, Pastor John Kidd, who was a Lutheran minister and the executive director of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. Pastor Kidd helped Dadahanov tour churches and work with synagogues, giving lectures on his interpretation of Islam. Dadahanov also appeared before audiences dressed in traditional Central Asian attire, in an effort to spread cultural awareness about Uzbekistan. Advisers say the young Uzbek was inspired by his interaction with church and community groups. Gradually, he shifted his academic focus from business to grassroots community service and education reform. "He would regularly say 'Wow, how can I do this in Uzbekistan, and make my country and my community better and stronger?'" Katherine Kidd explained. Dadahanov helped establish a small prayer room for Muslim students at Fairfield University. He also launched a book drive, shipping secondhand books to Uzbekistan to help teach English in his home country. And he was eventually hired at the Council of Churches, and tasked with distributing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to 26 feeding programs across Bridgeport. "He wanted to be involved in the frontline programs," John Kidd said. "Ultimately, it's sad that all these things he came to see in terms of how you build a community, how you take responsibility for the life of a community, is at least in part what put him at odds with the authorities in Uzbekistan." When he returned to Uzbekistan in 2004 after two and a half years in Connecticut, Dadahanov set up an English-language school with friends. The school offered English lessons to young Uzbeks at an affordable price -- a remarkable achievement in a society in which the government controls almost all facets of the economy. There is little tolerance for independent grassroots activism in Uzbekistan. The country has had the same authoritarian president, Islam Karimov, since it won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The State Department's recently published 2008 human rights report states "torture remain systemic in [Uzbekistan's] law enforcement ... human rights activists and journalists who criticized the government continued to be subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrest, politically motivated prosecution, forced psychiatric treatment and physical attack." Uzbek security forces frequently target religious activists. "The government has almost a paranoia of any independent religious activity, particularly those related to Islam," said Sean Roberts, a Central Asia expert at George Washington University. "The Uzbek government tries to control the religious sector very similar to the way the Soviets did. They have a state Muslim board that oversees what is proper Islam - anything that falls out of that scope is seen as threatening and seditious." The Uzbek government says it "views the ensuring of human rights and freedoms of its citizens as its highest priority." A statement posted on the Web site of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington cited the passage of more then 120 laws and 60 international treaties aimed at improving the country's human rights record. The Uzbek government says it is making reforms of its judicial and penitentiary system, aimed at "prosecuting and punishing for the use of torture and other forms of ill-treatment." Dadahanov's former professors invited him to return on a scholarship to the United States after his arrest, and two families offered to house Dadahanov, his wife Aziza and young son Abdulrahman. Dr. Orin Grossman, Fairfield University's academic vice president, hoped the graduate school offer would allow Uzbek authorities to release Dadahanov. "It obviously didn't work," he wrote in an e-mail to CNN. Accounts of appalling conditions in Uzbek prisons have worried Dadahanov's American friends, who remember how the slim Uzbek rode to barbecues on his bicycle, carrying a giant watermelon in a backpack as a gift. The hardest part has been trying to get information from Dadahanov's family in Tashkent. "The government is tapping their phone and tracking their e-mail," Katherine Kidd said. "We're pretty much sure neither of those is secure from the government."

Abdul Dadahanov jailed in Uzbekistan, accused of extremist religious activities . American family recalls how the man wanted to aid healing after 9/11 . Rights groups say Dadahanov is victim of crackdown on "independent Muslims" Friends in the U.S. fear for health of "gentle, kind" man in Uzbek prisons .

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(CNN) -- Watch out! Lock up your loved ones! Another bloated, over-produced, high-concept monstrosity has escaped from the labs at Dreamworks Animation, and it's out to devour your kids. Susan, aka "Ginormica," has to save the world in "Monsters vs. Aliens." But don't be too alarmed. "Monsters vs. Aliens" is relatively harmless -- a toothless satire with a knee-jerk feminist theme and a sorry excuse for a plot. That sounds harsh, I know. Who doesn't want to see a 50-foot woman careening through San Francisco on skates that turn out to be automobiles -- the ultimate demolition roller derby? But think about that, just for a second. Roller skates work because they have fixed wheels. Try it with motorcars and you won't get very far. Is that too picky? Perhaps, but you wouldn't find Pixar playing so fast and loose with the laws of physics, and that kind of inattention to detail is typical of the lackadaisical storytelling here and in other Dreamworks animated features. (The talent pool for this one includes the directors of "Shrek 2" and "Shark Tale" and the writers of "Kung Fu Panda" and "The Rocker," incidentally.) High concepts, top-notch voice talent and scattershot pop cultural references are no compensation for a coherent script. The XXXL lady in question -- dubbed "Ginormica" by her U.S. military guards -- starts out plain and petite Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), until a meteorite hits her just minutes before she's supposed to tie the knot with unctuous chauvinist Derek (Paul Rudd). Her rapid growth spurt saves her from that particular fate worse than death, even if at first glance her new roommates don't look like much of an improvement. There's Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), a mad scientist who semi-advertently mutated with a bug; B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) an amorphous blue jelly-like blob who gets on just fine without a brain; Missing Link (Will Arnett), a gung-ho amphibian who's all mouth; and a giant dust mite called Insectosaurus who isn't voiced by anyone because he doesn't have anything to say. Sci-fi fans will have fun counting off the references to myriad classics -- "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Invaders from Mars," "The Fly," "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," "The Blob," "Mothra" and "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman," for starters -- and noting a few clever bits and pieces (Kiefer Sutherland, as General W.R. Monger, riffs on George C. Scott in "Dr. Strangelove"). The trouble is, once the introductions are over, the filmmakers can only launch their desperately limp plot: The White House turns to these monstrous superheroes to save the planet from evil Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson), a squidlike creature with four eyes and twice as many legs, and a one-eyed tin robot to do his dirty work for him. Ginormica gets a kick-butt finale, and is a much stronger character -- in any number of ways -- than the movie's president. (In a genuinely witty casting touch he's voiced by Stephen Colbert.) That may be good politics or at least a sound marketing decision from the studio's perspective -- it's been awhile since a family animated feature produced a genuinely strong female character (unless you count "Coraline," which was way too scary for my family) -- but Susan's self-esteem is an awfully long time coming. iReport.com: What do you think of 'Monsters vs. Aliens'? (Bizarrely -- and maybe it's just my imagination -- Gallaxhar bears a passing resemblance to President Obama. I wonder ... would that make Susan/Ginormica a surrogate for Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton?) Visually, too, "Monsters vs Aliens" is undistinguished, although its shortcomings may be disguised if you seek out the 3-D version. Funny how 3-D movies tend to produce two-dimensional characters, with "Coraline" again the exception to the rule. Jocular and unpretentiously trashy, "Monsters vs. Aliens" should be a lot of fun -- and it is, in places. But the truth is it's as hung up on itself as Susan's preening fiance. Hand on heart, I had a better time at "Space Chimps." "Monsters vs. Aliens" runs 94 minutes and is rated PG. For Entertainment Weekly's take, click here.

"Monsters vs. Aliens" about Earth-born "monsters" taking on megalomaniacal alien . Film's main character is almost 50-foot woman voiced by Reese Witherspoon . "Monsters" has great talent but no script to speak of, says Tom Charity .

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(CNN) -- The Illinois state Senate on Monday began its impeachment trial against Gov. Rod Blagojevich without the governor present. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich denies any wrongdoing. Blagojevich said he expects lawmakers to vote to convict him. He is facing federal corruption allegations, including trying to trade or sell the Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president. The second-term Democratic governor has denied wrongdoing. Instead of attending the trial, Blagojevich hit the media circuit Monday. He appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and "The View," and was scheduled to give his first live prime-time interview Monday night on CNN's "Larry King Live." Speaking on "Good Morning America," Blagojevich restated his complaints about what he called the "unconstitutional" impeachment trial, which he said "denies me the right to call witnesses to defend myself and prove my innocence." Watch Blagojevich say he's done "nothing wrong" » . He said he is certain the Illinois Senate will vote to remove him from office and said he expects they will demand he step down "relatively soon." Earlier this month, the Illinois House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach him. Blagojevich has said the vote was politically motivated. Under the Illinois Constitution, the House can vote to impeach an executive or judicial officer, but it is the Senate that conducts the trial. A two-thirds majority vote in the Senate is required to convict an officer of an impeachable offense. According to a federal complaint issued in December, Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris -- who also was arrested on federal corruption charges -- were "conspiring to obtain personal financial benefits" for the governor by leveraging his sole authority to appoint a U.S. senator to replace Obama. "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden," Blagojevich allegedly said in one recorded phone conversation, referring to his authority to appoint, according to the complaint. "I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing." When asked about those alleged quotes, Blagojevich told ABC that federal prosecutors "took snippets of conversations completely out of context." "When the whole story comes out, you'll see that the effort was to work to have a senator who can best represent Illinois," he said. Blagojevich has said his rights are being violated because he cannot challenge assertions in the House impeachment report. Watch Blagojevich demand a fair trial » . Blagojevich also is asking for a change in a Senate trial rule that he said is preventing him from calling witnesses such as Valerie Jarrett, a confidant of Obama's; Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.; and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel, claimed Blagojevich, agrees that he did not break any laws. State Sen. Matt Murphy, part of the nine-member committee that put the Senate trial rules together, called Blagojevich's complaints "the theater of the absurd." iReport.com: Do you trust your political leaders? "What you've seen here ... is a cynical effort on the part of this governor that's perfectly consistent with his actions over the last six years, to try and further undermine the faith in this process that the people already have," Murphy said. He said the House prosecution team responsible for presenting the impeachment case to the Senate is operating under the same restrictions as Blagojevich with regard to calling witnesses. Murphy said on "Good Morning America" that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has asked both sides to "defer to the criminal prosecution" of Blagojevich and "limit witnesses." He noted that the governor has every right to submit "positive statements that the governor says exonerate him" -- such as those from Jarrett, Jackson and Emanuel -- as evidence in the Senate trial. "We have lowered the standard for the admission of evidence for the governor to bend over backward to make this fair," Murphy said. "The suggestion that this is somehow unfair to the governor is the most self-serving, ludicrous statement I have ever heard in my life. It couldn't be fairer for this guy." Blagojevich missed deadlines this month for answering the impeachment charge and for filing a motion to dismiss, a spokesman for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton has said.

Impeachment trial proceedings for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich begin . Illinois governor says impeachment trial is "unconstitutional" Blagojevich scheduled multiple television appearances Monday . Blagojevich accused of scheming to sell Barack Obama's ex-Senate seat .

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(CNN) -- High winds and heavy seas capsized a boat filled with African migrants heading for Europe off the coast of Libya Monday -- with more than 200 feared dead, the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, Switzerland, said Tuesday. A group of 227 migrants sits on a fishing vessel in Malta last month after arriving from Somalia. Jemini Pandya, IOM spokeswoman, said a boat carrying 250 people capsized north of the Libyan coast, with at least 20 confirmed dead and 23 rescued. Another boat with around 350 migrants was rescued. She said the rescued migrants were taken to two centers in the Libyan city of Tripoli. They included Egyptians, Somalis, Ghanians, Nigerians, Tunisians, Eritreans, Algerians, and Moroccans. There were also passengers from Asia -- Bangladeshis, Syrians, Indians, and Pakistanis, she said. She said there may be two other vessels in the Mediterranean carrying migrants. The initial reports that two vessels capsized proved to be incorrect, Pandya said. Watch as migrants are feared drowned » . The vessels departed Sunday and were heading to southern Europe, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported Monday. The migrants were believed to be headed for the Italian island of Lampedusa, where 37,000 landed last year, according to IOM spokesman Jean-Philippe Chauzy, who said many African migrants converge on Libya en route to Europe. Italian coast guards said an Italian tugboat working for an offshore oil companies in the Libyan seas picked up 350 people on Sunday and carried them to Libya with the help of the Italian military. The U.N. refugee agency, aware of the reports, said they came at the "beginning of the smuggling season in the Mediterranean." The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said details remain sketchy about what happened, but one boat among several vessels leaving Libya for Italy went down and hundreds are reported missing. It said the mishap occurred near the Libyan coast. It said some Egyptian nationals were rescued and bodies were recovered and that those aboard included Africans from the northern and the sub-Saharan regions. High Commissioner Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that the tragedy reflects the desperation of people to escape poverty and persecution. "This tragic incident illustrates, once again, the dangers faced by people caught in mixed irregular movements of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean and elsewhere which every year cost thousands of lives," the U.N. agency said.

Hundreds feared dead after boat carrying African migrants capsized off Libya . Another boat with around 350 migrants was rescued. Migrants were believed to be heading for Italian island of Lampedusa . U.N.: Marks "beginning of the smuggling season in the Mediterranean"

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leading British Cabinet minister Jacqui Smith's political future is in doubt after her husband admitted to paying for adult movies with taxpayers' money. Jacqui Smith surrounded by media outside her sister's home, whom she lives with in London. The home secretary's husband, Richard Timney, has apologized for the "embarrassment" he caused his wife, while she has promised to repay the money spent, including the £10 ($14) charge for the two films, the British Press Association reported. According to British media reports, Smith had not seen the videos and was "mortified" that they had "mistakenly" been paid for using her MP's expense account. Timney, who Smith pays £40,000 ($56,000) a year to be her office manager, submitted an expense claim last June for a £67 ($95) Virgin Media bill for television services in the couple's family home in Redditch, Smith's constituency, The Guardian newspaper reported. It reported the bill included two adult films, at a cost of £5 ($7) each, as well as two viewings of the heist movie "Ocean's 13" and one of "Surf's Up," a children's film about a penguin. The revelations could not come at a worse time for Smith, who is already being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over her decision to claim at least £116,000 ($164,000) in second-home allowances for her family home since becoming an MP. She has claimed the second-home allowance for her family home while living with her sister in London. Smith designated her sister's house as her "main" residence, allowing her to claim the money for her family home. Conservative and opposition leader David Cameron described the latest news as "deeply embarrassing" for Smith. He said Smith had "questions to answer," PA reported. "I do not think this individual thing is the issue. I think she has got some questions to answer about the second home issue. It does seem to me pretty incredible to claim that the home where her family is, that is not her main home. "I think this goes to a deeper problem, which is the second home allowance for MPs. The prime minister has ordered a review but he has sort of kicked it into the long grass. "The review doesn't start until September, it is not going to report until after the next election. That is hopeless. We have got to get on with it." Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended Smith. "The home secretary is doing a great job and I do not think this issue should be allowed to detract from everything she is doing to ensure we protect the public and keep our neighborhoods safe," he said. "She has done the right thing by taking steps to rectify the mistake that was made as soon as she became aware of it. "This is very much a personal matter for Jacqui. She has made her apology, her husband has made clear that he has apologized." Last week Brown ordered a review of the complex and opaque system of MPs' pay and allowances. Do you think Smith should resign?

British Cabinet minister Jacqui Smith's political future is in doubt . Home minister's husband, Richard Timney, has apologized over porn purchases . Smith has promised to repay money spent on porn videos .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The BBC is refusing to broadcast a plea from leading British charities for aid to Gaza, saying the ad would compromise the public broadcaster's appearance of impartiality. Demonstrators protest at the BBC's central London offices Saturday against the broadcaster's decision. The decision prompted weekend protests in England and Scotland, with one group saying Sunday that 100 people had occupied the foyer of the BBC building in Glasgow, Scotland and would not leave until the BBC runs the ad. The Disasters Emergency Committee, which includes the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children and 10 other charities, plans to launch the ad on Monday. British broadcasters, led by the BBC, originally declined to air the appeal -- but in the face of criticism from government ministers and others, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 changed their minds. CNN was not approached to broadcast the ad, a DEC spokesman said. About 5,000 people demonstrated in front of the BBC's Broadcasting House in central London on Saturday over the broadcaster's stance. Seven people were arrested. Watch protest against BBC decision » . In Glasgow, the London-based Stop the War Coalition said Sunday its supporters had moved into the foyer of the BBC building in what the group described as a peaceful protest. The group did not plan to move beyond the foyer but intended to stay there until the BBC changes its decision, said Keith Boyd, a coalition member who called CNN on Sunday. "Primarily we are asking that the ad be shown," Boyd said. The BBC press office would not confirm whether its Glasgow office was being occupied or if protesters were even there. "We don't comment on individual demonstrations," a statement from the BBC press office said. The BBC is standing by its decision to not air the ad, director general Mark Thompson wrote in a blog post on the corporation's Web site. "We concluded that we could not broadcast a free-standing appeal, no matter how carefully constructed, without running the risk of reducing public confidence in the BBC's impartiality in its wider coverage of the story," he wrote Saturday. "Inevitably an appeal would use pictures which are the same or similar to those we would be using in our news programs but would do so with the objective of encouraging public donations. The danger for the BBC is that this could be interpreted as taking a political stance on an ongoing story," Thompson said. "Gaza remains a major ongoing news story, in which humanitarian issues -- the suffering and distress of civilians and combatants on both sides of the conflict, the debate about who is responsible for causing it and what should be done about it -- are both at the heart of the story and contentious," he added. The BBC, which is funded by an obligatory license fee paid by every British household with a television, is required by its charter to be impartial. It does not carry commercial advertising but does broadcast charity appeals. The DEC is "disappointed that the BBC declined to support the Gaza appeal," the spokesman told CNN. "It might limit the reach of our key message to the general public." The spokesman, who asked not to be named, said the BBC had to make its own decision about impartiality. "That is a decision they must make. We have no view on that subject," he said. Many readers of Thompson's blog post did have a view, however. The statement got hundreds of comments, most of them critical of the BBC. A commenter who signed in as "bully--baiter" said the BBC was taking a side, no matter what it did. "Sorry Mr. Thompson but you cannot have it both ways. If deciding to accede to the DEC request would be seen as political then deciding not to accede to it is also political. Don't insult me with your disingenuous attempts to suggest it is otherwise," the commenter wrote. Other commenters simply rejected Thompson's position out of hand. "I think the reasons for blocking help for a grave humanitarian disaster are simply astounding," "brit--proud" wrote. "How can simply bringing food, medicines and homes to hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians be seen as political impartiality? How stupid do the BBC think the British public are?" But the corporation had its defenders as well. "The last thing I want to do, is fund the BBC to broadcast propaganda," "SternG" wrote: "There's no way I will pay the BBC to air the DEC's politically-motivated 'appeal' for Gaza. Gaza is run by a government which is internationally recognized as a terrorist group, including by the EU. There is no doubt that some aid/fund will be 'procured' by Hamas. ... Good decision BBC." British broadcasters have refused to air some previous DEC appeals, the umbrella organization's spokesman said. A planned 2006 appeal for aid to victims of the war in Lebanon was scrapped because "there were genuine concerns, shared by the aid agencies, about the deliverability of aid." Thompson cited doubts about whether DEC members could get aid to Gaza as a secondary reason for declining to take the ad.

NEW: Protesters occupy part of BBC building in Scotland, group says . U.K. charity group Disasters Emergency Committee to launch appeal for Gaza aid . BBC refuses to broadcast ad, says would compromise appearance of impartiality . BBC, funded by obligatory license fee, is required by charter to be impartial .

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(CNN) -- Academy Award-winning composer Maurice Jarre, who scored movies including "Doctor Zhivago" and "Lawrence of Arabia" among others, died Sunday from cancer in Los Angeles. He was 84. Movie composer Maurice Jarre pictured at the Berlin International Film Festival last month. Jarre enjoyed an illustrious career, working with Hollywood directing legends including John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock and, most notably, David Lean. Fellow French composer Alexandre Desplat, who interviewed Jarre for The Screening Room at the Berlin International Film Festival last month, told CNN Monday: "Maurice was an immense artist, an incredible symphonist, a magician of the melody and a benevolent human being." Watch tribute to Maurice Jarre » . Jarre won Oscars in 1963 and 1966 for his collaborations on the Lean movies "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago" respectively. He then mustered a further six Oscar nominations but his third award came once again through a further collaboration with Lean on " A Passage to India" in 1984. He then swapped orchestral composition to become a pioneer of electronic scoring, working on the music for, among others, "Ghost," "Witness," "Dead Poet's Society" and "Fatal Attraction." At the same time his son Jean-Michel Jarre became one of the world's best known electronic musicians with global hits such as "Oxygene" and huge outdoor concerts. His final movie composition was for the 2000 film "I Dreamed of Africa." Jarre's career included symphonies, ballet and theatre but it was for his 150 film scores that he was presented with an honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival last month - almost half a century after producer Sam Spiegel hired him to work on "Lawrence of Arabia." Festival director Dieter Kosslick said in a statement late last year: "Film composers often are in the shadows of great directors and acting stars. It's different with Maurice Jarre; the music of 'Doctor Zhivago,' like much of his work, is world-famous and remains unforgotten in the history of cinema." Speaking in Berlin to double-Oscar nominee Desplat -- who himself scored "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Queen" -- Jarre said: "I never really had a 'bust-up' with a good director. A good director will always find an intellectual understanding. And that's what was great - I had an opportunity with all these people. I don't think I can say that I ever worked with a bad director." But Jarre also said that directing legends of the rank of Huston and Hitchock had disappeared and no longer existed, adding: "The only problem is now, there is more and more bad music that goes 'dang dang dang dang dang...' So...it's better to turn off the music, and listen to a concert of Mozart." Senior producer Neil Curry and associate producer Lidz-Ama Appiah contributed to this report.

Maurice Jarre won three Oscars during his career, all for scoring films by David Lean . During the 1980s, 1990s he scored music for "Ghost," "Witness," "Fatal Attraction" Career recognized most recently at the Berlin International Film Festival .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The latest 3-D animated movie involves the possible extinction of the human race and features a mad scientist with the head of a cockroach, a prehistoric half-ape/half-fish, a 50-foot-tall woman (OK, 49-foot-11), and a blue brainless blob named B.O.B. The Missing Link, Ginormica, the blue blob B.O.B. and Insectosaurus dominate "Monsters vs. Aliens." And they're the good guys. Reese Witherspoon leads the cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens," providing the voice of Susan, who is hit by a glowing meteorite on her wedding day. Before long she's grown into the biggest thing around. The short-statured Oscar winner relished the chance to play not only a giant, but also a role model. "I was walking with my son and my daughter the other day, and I was like 'Who's your favorite superhero?' " Witherspoon said. "And my son was like ... 'Batman, Superman, Spiderman,' and he could name 20 guy superheroes. "And so I said to my daughter, 'Who's your favorite superhero?' And she goes 'I don't know, the girl in the back of the Justice League? I can't remember her name.' " So the idea of showcasing a female superhero, Witherspoon said, has the actress "really excited." Kiefer Sutherland, who plays General W.R. Monger, sees the film as helping kids embrace their diversity. "I love the idea that they were gonna make a film that was going to tell young people that it's all right to be different," Sutherland said. His military veteran character captures Susan, renames her "Ginormica," and locks her up with the other "monsters" he's collected over half a century. "And not only is it all right to be different, that one thing that may make you feel awkward about being different might be your greatest asset." Those assets become apparent when an alien invader (voiced by Rainn Wilson of "The Office") decides he wants Earth, and the monsters -- Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach ("House" star Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett), and the gelatinous B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) -- are called upon to save the planet. The film, which also features the voices of Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd, opens Friday. Most of the cast had previous experience in animation voiceover -- last year, Rogen was featured in "Kung Fu Panda," and he and Arnett were heard in "Horton Hears A Who!" -- but it was the first time for Wilson. "They called me and they said 'They're interested in you for this, playing an evil alien warlord,' and I was like 'Where do I sign?' " he said with a chuckle. It was a welcome change of pace for Sutherland, who recorded his voice tracks for "Monsters" while he was filming the uber-intense "24." "So, for five days a week I'm very serious in the '24' world, and then for five hours on the weekend I got to be 5 years old and just play a cartoon character" -- a character he says he saw as a combination of R. Lee Ermey's intense gunnery sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket" and that 'toon terror, Yosemite Sam. "We combined these voices and the producers laughed, which is generally a pretty good sign," Sutherland said. Sutherland may have been inspired by the classics, but the 3-D aspect of "Monsters" is as modern as movie technology gets. Under the command of DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg (whom Witherspoon and Sutherland respectfully called "Mr. Katzenberg"), the film was conceived from the beginning as a 3-D project. One early scene uses the process to bounce a paddleball out at the audience, but for the most part, the effect is used immersively, to bring viewers into the "Monsters" world. "You really feel like you're there, like you're a part of this thing," said Arnett, "not in a way that's gratuitous and to just sort of show off, but really so that the viewer can be an active participant in the movie." While film technology continues to advance, some things never change. As Susan is still trying to get used to her new size and powers, she finds herself simultaneously battling an alien robot and trying to save dozens of people trapped in their cars on the Golden Gate Bridge while her male cohorts mostly just stand around. One tries to encourage her by calling "You're doing it!" to which Susan snaps back, "I'm doing everything!" "The quintessential cry!" Witherspoon said. "The female war cry! That's one of my favorite lines." iReport.com: Does 3-D make you more likely to see a movie? Of course, it's hardly a spoiler to reveal that -- eventually -- Susan not only bonds with the rest of her motley crew, but also gains the self-confidence to see the positives in her accidental enormousness. As Wilson, the film's villain, noted, "It's a coming-of-age tale -- for the monster inside of each one of us." And, perhaps, it will give some little girls a superhero to look up to.

"Monsters vs. Aliens" is about motley group of misfits who team up to defeat alien . Monsters are led by almost 50-foot woman, voiced by Reese Witherspoon . Witherspoon says she hopes character can be role model for girls . Other actors lending talents: Seth Rogen, Kiefer Sutherland, Will Arnett .

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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Prosecutors in Florida are taking a new look at the 2007 death of Anna Nicole Smith to see if recent evidence that California investigators gathered might cause them to open an inquiry. Prosecutors in Florida are reviewing evidence gathered in California for a probe into Anna Nicole Smith's death. Howard K. Stern -- Smith's longtime partner and attorney -- and two doctors were charged this month in California with conspiring to furnish drugs to Smith before her fatal overdose. "Our prosecutors have met with representatives of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office and the California Department of Justice and discussed the evidence they have turned up in their investigation," said Ron Ishoy, a spokesman for Broward County State Attorney Michael Satz. "We are now examining that evidence to see where it might lead in relation to Ms. Smith's death here in Broward County in 2007." The Broward County state attorney's office never opened a probe into Smith's death but assisted the Seminole police in its investigation in the days afterward. Smith, 39, was pronounced dead February 8, 2007, after being discovered unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood, Florida. A coroner said she died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Officials said both prescription and over-the-counter drugs were found in Smith's system, including three anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drugs. Human growth hormone and chloral hydrate, a sleep medication, also were found in toxicology tests, officials said. Stern and Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor were charged in California with several felonies, including conspiring to furnish controlled substances, unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 through January 2007 -- only weeks before Smith's death. Kapoor and Eroshevich also were charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by "fraud, deceit or misrepresentation." And each was charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address, prosecutors said. "Anna was the center of a cruel tabloid feeding frenzy," Eroshevich's attorney, Adam Braun, told CNN in a statement after his client was charged. "In the face of this, Dr. Eroshevich did her best to help the patient while protecting what little privacy Anna had left. Any actions were done with the patient's well-being in mind and were certainly not criminal." Watch allegations over photos and the doctor » . California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed "thousands of pills." The former Playboy playmate and reality TV star was drugged "almost to the point of stupefaction," Brown said. "The quantity of the drugs, the variety of the drugs, the combination at any given point, and her continuing to use that -- that, to a professional, is clear evidence of addiction," Brown said Friday. "These cocktails of methadone and anti-depressants and sleeping pills and Xanax, you put all that into a cocktail, it explodes and can cause death, injury and permanent morbidity and disability."

Broward County, Florida, prosecutors taking new look at death of Anna Nicole Smith . Ex-Playboy playmate found dead in Florida hotel room in February 2007 . Coroner: Smith died of accidental overdose of prescription drugs . Smith's boyfriend, two doctors charged recently in California drug case .

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(CNN) -- It's the season of brackets, beer and, of course, basketball. Duke Blue Devils fans cheer on their team at the ACC Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. Come mid-March, the country falls sick with college basketball fever, and the NCAA Tournament is all the talk. As men's college basketball comes to a close with the last game April 6, fans are anxiously watching to see who will claim victory in this year's national championship game. More than a century after James Naismith invented basketball at a YMCA training school in Massachusetts, the sport continues to captivate millions of fans. Over the years, college basketball has sparked great dedication among its fans, from those who camp out for three months for a ticket to those who attended games before they could read. CNN, with the help of experts at the NCAA, chose a handful of basketball towns filled with great fans, rich traditions and history that make these places worth a visit. 1. Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill . College basketball is deeply rooted in North Carolina culture, thanks to the success of the men's teams at the University of North Carolina and Duke University. The epic rivalry between Duke's Blue Devils and North Carolina's Tar Heels draws in so many fans that some sports experts say it is partly responsible for reviving the waning college basketball viewership in the first half of this decade. Visitors will find that Duke basketball fans don't shower their support only on game day. At Duke University -- seeded No. 2 in the East -- student fans, dubbed the Cameron Crazies, are so eager to snare one of the 1,200 first-come-first-serve spots in the Cameron Stadium student section that they camp out for up to three months for the infamous North Carolina-Duke matchup. The grassy tenting area outside the basketball arena, known as Krzyzewskiville, is named after Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has been named National Coach of the Year 12 times. "It's so easy to become enthralled with the culture of Duke basketball," said Joel Burrill, a senior who headed up the tenting efforts this year. Outside the stadium, visitors will discover plenty of Blue Devil spirit off-campus in Durham, a former tobacco town. Satisfaction Restaurant and Charlie's Pub & Grille are among the favorite hot spots where visitors will discover student and local fans watching the games. About a 20-minute drive from Durham is the historic town of Chapel Hill, home to the University of North Carolina, which was seeded No. 1 in the South this year. The school has a strong record of basketball success, appearing in more than 40 NCAA tournaments. It is also the college team of professional basketball legend Michael Jordan. Adam Lucas, publisher of Tar Heel Monthly, has been decked in baby blue Carolina gear since he was a child. He even skipped school so he could attend the games with his parents, both Tar Heel alums. "It's not just a sport," he explained. "It's the number one thing talked about during this part of the year. You'll have trouble holding a conversation in Chapel Hill in March if you don't know the basics of Carolina basketball." If visitors can't get one of the coveted tickets to watch the game in the Dean E. Smith Center, aka the Dean Dome, there is plenty to do in the quaint city of Chapel Hill. Visitors can walk to Franklin Street, the heart of town, where eateries, shops and sports bars are ready to embrace UNC fans. They can also visit the 8,000-square-foot Carolina Basketball Museum, located on campus, which holds more than 450 interactive displays, memorabilia and photos documenting a basketball program that began more than a century ago. 2. The University of Kansas in Lawrence . To understand the fan devotion for the defending national champions and a Midwest No. 3-seeded team this year, one must make a trip to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks' indoor arena is old-school -- smaller than most college basketball stadiums -- built in the 1950s and named in honor of revered former Coach Forrest C. "Phog" Allen. In 1952, "Phog" led the men's basketball team to its first NCAA victory. The energy from thousands of fans in Allen Field House is contagious. In addition to the "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" chant, KU students are famous for their clever antics against the other teams, particularly their longstanding rivals at the University of Missouri. But if you can't get a ticket during the regular season, check out the Booth Family Hall of Athletics, a 26,000-square-foot museum adjacent to the stadium. The museum, which opened about three years ago, houses artifacts and information about the history of KU athletics, including the men's basketball team. Visitors can head to colorful Massachusetts Street, the main drag in downtown Lawrence. The street is lined with plenty of restaurants and bars catering to Jayhawks followers on game day. When Kansas beat Memphis to clinch the national championship last year, more than 100,000 fans poured into the street, university officials say. "People who come [to Lawrence] never want to leave," said Jennifer Sanner, a 1981 alumna and editor of Kansas Alumni magazine. "And if you're a basketball fan, that's all the better." 3. Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana . Sure, the Hoosiers didn't have a stellar season after going 6-25, and they didn't make it to the NCAA Tournament. After Kelvin Sampson resigned as coach in February over allegations that he had violated NCAA recruiting standards, the team lost many of its top players. Despite this, college basketball in Bloomington, Indiana, remains sacred, devout Hoosiers fans say, and they believe that the men's team will be back in full force over the next few years. Indiana University has one of the top basketball programs in the country, winning five NCAA championships. The team was led for many years by hot-tempered but incredibly successful coach Bobby Knight. If you are lucky enough to get a ticket to see the Hoosiers play at their stadium, Assembly Hall, you will find droves of student fans. Assembly Hall holds one of the country's largest student sections, holding more than 8,000. Officials at Bloomington Indiana Visitors & Convention Bureau say basketball game days flood local restaurants and bars with students and local fans. The games tend to sell out, so be prepared to explore Bloomington. Most fans head to Kirkwood Avenue near campus and drop by Nick's English Hut, where the walls are covered with Hoosiers athletic photographs and gear, or Yogi's Grill and Bar to watch the game. "Basketball is a religion in this state," said Zach Osterman, the men's basketball columnist at the university's student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student. "It goes way back before Bobby Knight. It's what people do up here." 4. Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin . There is no football team at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That means students and alumni are even more dedicated to the men's basketball team, they say. Marquette may be a Jesuit university with just over 11,000 students, but it boasts one of the highest attendance rates at basketball games in the country. Students at Marquette don't pitch tents like at Duke, but the games are so popular, some will bring their sleeping bags 10 hours before the game to get the best seat in the house . "It's such a great feeling to know you can walk anywhere in the city when you have a Marquette shirt on a basketball day and people will talk to you about basketball," said Sarah Dembkowski, a sophomore at the university. "It gives this city a bonding feeling." Although the West region No. 6-seeded Golden Eagles lost to the University of Missouri in the tournament last week, a trip to the Bradley Center, where the Marquette men's basketball team plays (and where the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks play) is well worth the visit. Marquette students, called the Superfans, are famous for their peculiar behavior, dressing up in costumes to support their team and distracting opponents with oversized cutouts of celebrities' heads. On campus are several bars, including the Union Annex, that tout cheap beer pitchers and food specials for fans. Just several blocks from the university is downtown Milwaukee. On Water Street, where most of the fans crowd on game day, visitors can hang with the locals and enjoy a hub of sports bars, taverns and restaurants. 5. Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington . Gonzaga University officials call it the "Gonzaga Effect": This small private school in Spokane has qualified for the NCAA tournament for the 11th straight year. The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is an obscure team that seems to emerge from thin air each March. This year, the team entered the tournament seeded No. 4 in the South region. "There have been a lot of one-and-done schools, who make a splash and disappear, but we've been able to sustain it," said Dale Goodwin, a spokesman for the university. Fans in "the Kennel Club" at Gonzaga go wild for basketball despite the school's smaller size. For more than 17 years of the Kennel Club's existence, the Bulldogs have won more than 75 percent of their games, including over 90 percent during the past eight seasons, according to the Gonzaga athletic department. Visitors will be delighted to watch the games in the school's arena, the $25 million McCarthey Athletic Center, which opened in 2004. Before the opening, the basketball team was playing in a glorified high school gym, university officials said. On Hamilton Street near the university, visitors will want to head to Jack & Dan's Tavern, which belongs to John Stockton, a former NBA and Gonzaga player. The Bulldog, which claims to have the best burgers in town, is also a popular hangout during the games. Meanwhile, the school is preparing to host the NCAA first- and second-round men's basketball tournament next March. The town of Spokane, tucked into eastern Washington, is excited to welcome visitors. A single event will probably bring in $2.75 million, according to the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Men's college basketball will end with NCAA championship game April 6 . Some Duke students camp out for three months to get a game ticket . Last year, 100,000 fans poured into downtown Lawrence, Kansas, after KU's victory . Games at these basketball towns are so popular that they usually sell out .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Suspected Taliban militants blew up a government-run school Monday in Pakistan's violence-plagued Swat Valley, bringing to 183 the number of schools destroyed since fighting began in the area six months ago, officials said. Students gather outside a destroyed school on January 17 in Kundar in Pakistan's Swat Valley. A day earlier, radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah threatened to kill more than four dozen government officials if they did not appear before him for opposing the Taliban. Local newspapers on Monday printed the list of 50 government officials and tribal elders whom Fazlullah has threatened with death. The boy's high school that was destroyed was located in Mingora, the valley's main city, said Sher Afzal Khan, an education officer for Swat. The attack occurred early Monday and no one was wounded. Swat Valley, located in North West Frontier Province, was once Pakistan's biggest tourist destination. It is situated near the Afghanistan border and about 186 miles (300 km) from the capital city of Islamabad. The valley boasted the country's only ski resort and was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts until it was overrun by militants, led by Fazlullah. He has launched a violent and deadly campaign to enforce Taliban-style fundamentalist Islamic laws throughout the province. The militants want to require veils for women and beards for men, and to ban music and television. The central government has long exerted little control in the area, but it launched an intense military offensive in late July to flush out militants. As retaliation for the military presence, the Taliban has carried out a series of deadly bombings, and has said the attacks will continue until the troops pull out. Elsewhere in the North West Frontier Province, a blast killed five people and wounded 15 others Monday morning, officials said. The bomb, planted on a bicycle, went off in the town of Dera Ismail Khan, said Mohammad Riaz of the province's police force. It killed shopkeepers and pedestrians, added the town's police chief, Abdul Rashid. CNN's Zein Basravi contributed to this report.

Blast targets boy's high school in Mingora, Swat Valley . Monday attack marks 183rd school destroyed in past six months of fighting . Hundreds of people killed in wave of violence across North West Frontier Province .

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(CNN) -- They feature characters such as hat-wearing cats, very hungry caterpillars, nice girls named Madeline and naughty boys named Max. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle turns 40 this year, and 29 million copies of it have sold since 1969. Parents read them to their children, forming a powerful bond. Years later, those former children read these children's picture books to their children, and the thread between generations is extended yet again. "Children's books live a long time because you always have children growing into them," says Pat Scales, president of the Association for Library Service to Children and a retired school librarian. "And parents read [to their children] what was read to them." The making of a classic is a strange alchemy of skill -- a good story, strong illustrations -- and luck. It's not easy to appeal to three audiences: publishers, parents and -- oh, yes -- children. Dr. Seuss' first children's book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," was rejected by more than 25 publishers before Vanguard Press put it out in 1937. Maurice Sendak's legendary "Where the Wild Things Are" (1963), though recognized with the Caldecott Medal -- the highest honor for a picture book -- was controversial for its drawings of monsters and its mischievous hero, Max. But almost all classics share some characteristics, says Alida Allison, a San Diego State University English professor and member of that California school's National Center for the Study of Children's Literature. "Every one of them ... has the same reassuring pattern of 'home, away, home,' " she says. "The basic plot begins with a happy family situation. Then one extremely curious or transgressive child goes out on his or her own. And, no matter how 'bad' the child has been, he gets to come back home." The child is welcomed back to the family and often gets something to eat, she adds. (One exception: Seuss' "Mulberry," in which the adult condemns the child's sense of wonder -- but then, she adds, "Dr. Seuss is in a world of his own.") The plot isn't just reassuring to children, she points out, but also reinforces the lessons of good parenting. "If you think of all those stories, there's a loving parent ... allowing a transgressive kid a leash to investigate the world and come back," she says. And through the child's eyes, parents find their sense of wonder renewed, she adds. For children, it's all new -- the colors, the wordplay, even the plot -- and the more variety, the better. A child may be attracted by the rudimentary drawings of Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," the elasticity of Seuss' cats, Grinches and Oobleck, or the rich, almost otherworldly paintings of Chris Van Allsburg's "The Polar Express." And the language: Margaret Wise Brown's "Goodnight Moon" may seem to be nothing much, but it's as peaceful as a lullaby, Scales observes. And nothing succeeds like a book that has found its way into a child's heart. "We know that kids return to their favorite books over and over again," Scales says. And then, of course, the story starts from the beginning. Allison, a published author herself, read a variety of books to her children when they were growing up: Dorothy Kunhardt's "Pat the Bunny," Russell Hoban's "Frances" books. But at least one title earned its way into the rotation because of an older fan: Allison's husband. "One of my husband's favorites growing up was 'The Pokey Little Puppy,' " she says of the 1942 Little Golden Book by Janette Sebring Lowrey and Gustaf Tenggren. "So he read that to our sons."

Parents often read to their children what was read to them when they were young . Children's books can reinforce good parenting . Professor describes "home, away, home" pattern among books . "Dr. Seuss is in a world of his own," professor says of story plots .

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(OPRAH.com) -- For all the majesty of the White House, the first lady has already infused it with a palpable ease; her presence makes the place feel open and approachable. When we sit down to talk, Michelle Obama seems as relaxed as she did when I first interviewed her and her husband in their Chicago apartment in 2004. "This room has the best light in the house," she tells me as we settle in, shoes off, on a comfortable sofa. "And there's pie here, too. The pie in the White House is dangerously good." -- Oprah Winfrey . Michelle Obama is the first person to join Oprah Winfrey on the cover of O magazine . Oprah Winfrey: How are you a different woman today than you were when Barack Obama announced his candidacy in 2007? Michelle Obama: I'm more optimistic. More hopeful. It comes from traveling all over America and connecting with so many different people. And this was long before anyone thought Barack had a chance. This was the kindness of strangers. I think we should all have to get to know one another around kitchen tables. It changed me. It's helped me to give other people the benefit of the doubt. Winfrey: What did you see that changed you? Obama: I saw our shared values. We fundamentally want the same things for ourselves and for each other. We want our kids to be safe and to grow up with some resources and aspire to a slightly better life than ours. No one's looking for a handout. People just want fairness and opportunity. Oprah.com:The heart and mind of Michelle Obama . Winfrey: That's so good to hear. Because you know what? We live in an "American Idol" culture where it seems like everyone just wants to be in the spotlight. Obama: That's not the America I saw. People value their communities. They're rooting for one another. Even in places where I thought people wouldn't accept or relate to me, I always walked out feeling like, "Wow -- that was fun." That changed me. And it helped prepare me for this. Because I think if you're going to be first lady, you have to believe in the possibility of what this country stands for. You have to see it in action and know what you're working toward. Oprah.com: How Michelle gets unstuck . Winfrey: That's so interesting -- and it all came from sitting around kitchen tables. Speaking of which, did you change your diet during the campaign? Obama: When we first started running, my big concern was making sure we ate well on the road. So we started looking at our diet, trying to eliminate junk, getting seasonal fruits and vegetables that were grown locally. We walked the kids through reading labels. We talked about why one juice might be better than another. Winfrey: That's right. In addition to eating well, do you work out? Obama: Yes. There's a small gym here that has everything we need. I work out about four or five days a week -- and Barack does six. He's a workout zealot. Winfrey: Well, you look better than ever -- despite the rumors that you've got a baby bump. Obama: [Laughter.] I know -- I was like, "Baby bump? As hard as I work on my abs?!" Winfrey: Okay, so that's settled. Back to exercise. You do treadmill? Obama: I do treadmill, I do weights . Winfrey: I think anyone who saw you on the cover of Vogue knows you do weights. Those arms! Obama: I also do some jump rope, some kickboxing -- and I'd like to take up Pilates, if I could figure out whether there's time. After I had Malia, I began to prioritize exercise because I realized that my happiness is tied to how I feel about myself. I want my girls to see a mother who takes care of herself, even if that means I have to get up at 4:30 so I can do a workout. Winfrey: When you first told me that a few years ago, I was like, "You get up at 4:30 to work out?" Obama: Well, I just started thinking, if I had to get up to go to work, I'd get up and go to work. If I had to get up to take care of my kids, I'd get up to do that. But when it comes to yourself, then it's suddenly, "Oh, I can't get up at 4:30." So I had to change that. If I don't exercise, I won't feel good. I'll get depressed. Of course, it's easier to do it here, because I have much more support now. But I always think about women who don't have support. That's why work-family balance isn't just a policy conversation; it's about changing the expectations of who we have to be as women and parents. Winfrey: What you mentioned earlier is key: We have to ask for help. You can't do it all. It's impossible. Obama: That's a conversation I'd love for us to have as a society. How do we set expectations that are attainable? Winfrey: So what do you know for sure, Michelle Obama? Obama: I know that all I can do is be the best me that I can. And live life with some gusto. Giving back is a big part of that. How am I going to share this experience with the American people? I'm always thinking about that. Oprah.com: Read the entire exclusive interview . By Oprah Winfrey from O, The Oprah Magazine, April 2009 . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Michelle Obama talks exercise and diet with Oprah Winfrey . First lady says she learned about people's shared values while campaigning . She exercises at 4:30 a.m. to feel good about herself . She taught her daughters to read food labels for healthy eating .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Madonna's planned adoption of a Malawian girl will apparently go forward, despite earlier opposition from the girl's family, a reporter for the ITN television network told CNN Sunday. The pop star arrived in Malawi on Sunday. Madonna holds her adopted Malawian son, David Banda, in 2007. "The family, I'm told, were admittedly reluctant to agree to this, but they've softened after learning more about this, the upbringing that Mercy will be given and they think perhaps it is in her best interest," ITN reporter Martin Geisler told CNN. The girl, who is about 4, is named Mercy James. Her uncle is scheduled to sign adoption agreement papers in a Malawian court on Monday, Geisler said. Geisler said Malawians' public opinion toward Madonna softened after she was interviewed by the Malawi Nation newspaper and released family photographs showing a happy David Banda -- a Malawian boy she adopted more than two years ago. "The sense, I'm told, in Malawi after that, was, 'Well, the little boy looks well, he looks happy, he looks well looked after. Perhaps we shouldn't be so hard on her,'" said Geisler. A British children's charity earlier asked the pop star to reconsider her reported plans to adopt a girl from the country. Save the Children spokesman Dominic Nutt said the child would be better off staying in Malawi than being raised by the recently divorced singer, who has three other children, including the adopted Malawian boy. "The best place for a child is in his or her family in their home community," he said. "Most children in orphanages have one parent still living, or have an extended family that can care for them in the absence of their parents." Critics of the singer had argued she should donate money to orphanages in Malawi, rather than adopt another child. The charity argued that foreign adoptions should happen only if a child does not have any relatives, and all other options have been considered. The 50-year-old performer is a big supporter of Malawi. She made a documentary, "I Am Because We Are," which highlighted poverty and AIDS and other diseases devastating Malawi's children. She also helps run a nonprofit group, Raising Malawi, which implements initiatives to help the needy in the southeastern Africa nation. On Sunday, Madonna toured the village of Chinkhota, assessing plans to build a school there and other possible Raising Malawi investments. CNN's Nesta Distin contributed to this report.

The superstar arrived in Malawi on Sunday . She reportedly wants to adopt a young girl named Mercy James . The child's family has reportedly consented to the adoption . Save the Children spokesman says Madonna should reconsider the move .

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WHITE OAK, Maryland (CNN) -- Seeking to remove unapproved drugs from the marketplace, the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday ordered nine companies to stop manufacturing narcotics whose therapeutic claims have not been proved. The FDA ordered nine companies to stop selling unapproved drugs marketed for pain relief. The FDA's warning letters notified the companies they may be subject to legal action if they do not stop manufacturing and distributing "prescription unapproved products" that include high-concentrate morphine sulfate oral solutions and immediate-release tablets containing morphine sulfate, hydromorphone or oxycodone. This action does not include oxycodone capsules. All of these drugs are used for pain relief and are forms of previously approved medications. The agency says this is not a recall, but is instead a warning to manufacturers. The companies have 60 days to pull these pain-relief drugs from the market. Distributors have 90 days to stop shipping them. If these drugs are not off the market by those deadlines, a company could face seizure of the narcotics and legal action. "We estimate there are several hundred unapproved drugs out there," said Deborah Autor, director of the office of compliance within the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "We will continue to take aggressive action against those firms that do not have the required FDA approval for their drugs. Today's warning letters are another demonstration of our commitment to remove illegal, unproved drugs from the market." Although the FDA does not know whether these drugs are unsafe, it has not approved them so cannot certify that the products are 100 percent safe and effective. "Consumers have a right to expect that their drugs meet the FDA's safety and effectiveness standards," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Doctors and patients are often unaware that not all drugs on the market are backed by FDA approval. It is a high priority for the FDA to remove these products from the market because they may be unsafe, ineffective, inappropriately labeled, or of poor quality." The FDA believes Americans have access to plenty of legal narcotics for pain relief and removing these unapproved drugs will not create a shortage. Consumers who may be concerned that they are taking any unapproved drug products should refer to the FDA's Unapproved Drugs Web page, which includes a list of manufacturers of these products. Those who find they are taking unapproved drugs should see their health care professionals for treatment options. Those companies receiving warning letters are Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane Inc., Columbus, Ohio; Cody Laboratories Inc., Cody, Wyoming; Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., Mahwah, New Jersey; Lannett Company Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Lehigh Valley Technologies Inc., Allentown, Pennsylvania; Mallinckrodt Inc. Pharmaceuticals Group, St. Louis, Missouri; Physicians Total Care Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma; Roxane Laboratories Inc., Columbus, Ohio; and Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc., Newport, Kentucky.

FDA warns manufacturers they have 60 days to pull unapproved drugs from market . Officials don't know if drugs are unsafe; they have never been approved . Removing unapproved drugs not expected to create a shortage of pain relievers .

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(CNN) -- Former Italian international striker Christian Vieri has left Serie A side Atalanta by mutual consent, blaming constant jeering from the club's fans for his decision to leave. Veteran striker Vieri scored twice in nine appearances for Atalanta this season . The 35-year-old, back at his third stint with the Bergamo-based side, has failed to make an impression this season, and has become the focus of fans' frustrations after scoring just two goals in nine appearances. "I want to thank Atalanta for the way they have dealt with me throughout the season and throughout my previous experiences wearing the black and blue shirt," said Vieri in a statement on the club's official Web site. Atalanta president Alessandro Ruggeri revealed the club had wanted the former Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan striker to stay but that his mind was made up. "I'm disappointed as I'm sure everyone who loves football is. I don't know what he will do now, whether or not he will continue to play after this experience with Atalanta," said Ruggeri. "I haven't spoken to him yet but my colleagues have and he was adamant, I don't think there was any way to make him stay." Vieri has changed clubs 13 times since beconing a professional in 1991, playing for Italy's three biggest teams as well as Atletico Madrid in Spain and Monaco in France. His best season was in 2002-03, when he scored 24 goals in 23 league appearances for Inter.

Former Italian international Christian Vieri leaves Atalanta will immediate effect . The 35-year-old striker blames fans' jeering for decision to cancel his contract . Vieri changed clubs a remarkable 13 times after his professional debut in 1991 .

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(CNN) -- Altovise Davis, the widow of entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., has died. She was 65. Altovise Davis, in a 2008 photo, married Sammy Davis Jr. in 1970. Davis died Saturday at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, said her publicist, Amy Malone. She had been admitted two days earlier after suffering a stroke. Davis, a dancer and actress from Brooklyn, New York, met Sammy Davis Jr. on the set of the musical "Golden Boy" in London in 1967. The couple married three years later. It was Sammy Davis Jr.'s third marriage. The couple remained together until he died of throat cancer in 1990. The couple had an adopted son. Funeral services will be held in Burbank, California, with the date and time to be announced later. Sammy Davis Jr., himself a musician, was famous for being part of the Rat Pack, which included Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. CNN's Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report.

Altovise Davis, 65, died Saturday at a Los Angeles hospital, her publicist says . She had been admitted two days earlier after suffering a stroke . Davis, a dancer and actress, married Sammy Davis Jr. in 1970 .

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(CNN) -- There is an old saying: Out of sight, out of mind. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, has mentored at-risk students as part of his community service. But when rap star T.I. disappears from the hip-hop scene to complete his one-year, one-day sentence in federal prison, several music experts say, that won't be the case. The self-proclaimed "King of the South" will be sticking around, thanks to the success of his most recent album -- the double-platinum, Grammy-nominated "Paper Trail," released last September -- his community service efforts and a reality show on MTV that has resonated with fans, they say. "I think that if anything, it will gain him more fans and actually support his fan base, because he's talked about making a mistake," said Emil Wilbekin, editor in chief of Giant Magazine, which focuses on urban music and lifestyle and featured T.I. on its November 2008 cover. "He's talked about taking care of the error of his ways." T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, was sentenced to prison in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, last week on weapons charges. He will be taken into custody no earlier than May 19. In addition to serving prison time, the court asked T.I., 28, to pay a $100,300 fine on weapons charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers. "I would like to say thank you to some and apologize to others," Harris said at his sentencing Friday. "In my life, I have been placed in the worst-case scenario and had to make the best of it." Though he had been in legal trouble before, Harris' current situation began when he was arrested just hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. The rapper had provided a bodyguard with $12,000 to buy weapons. Harris was not permitted to own any guns, however, because he was convicted in 1998 on felony drug charges -- possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute -- in Cobb County, in suburban Atlanta. After his arrest, he entered a plea agreement, which federal authorities called unique because it allowed the rapper to remain out of prison for a year while he performed community service. Harris has already left a strong mark on the hip-hop genre, music experts say, which should position his career well when he is released. Harris had been named to the Forbes list of top-earning rappers, making an estimated $16 million in 2006. His fan base has expanded in the last year, with some of the growth due to "Paper Trail," which has sold close to 2 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This year, Harris went on to star in the MTV reality show "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go," which chronicles his efforts to shave years off his sentence by completing his community service. The show features him talking to schools and community groups "about how to avoid the trouble he now finds himself in," according to the network's Web site. To keep Harris in the spotlight, Jason Geter, part owner of Harris' record label Grand Hustle Entertainment, said the company will release a remixed copy of "Paper Trail" with five new songs this summer. He says Harris is shooting music videos set to be released when he is in prison. "We come from a world if you don't work, you don't eat," Geter said. In addition to music, Harris' television production company Grand Hustle Productions, which produced the MTV reality show, is filming a second reality television series for MTV about celebrity racing. Also, in the heist film "Takers," produced by Screen Gems and set for release in January 2010, Harris will appear alongside actor Matt Dillon. And Grand Hustle Entertainment officials say Harris' clothing line for young men, AKOO, will continue to be available in stores. Geter said that even in prison, his partner Harris will stay focused on his career. "His [Harris'] music reflects his experiences," Geter said. "He makes himself vulnerable, and that's why people like him so much. And people always love to hear a good drama." Music experts say Harris' fans are an extremely dedicated group that will probably remain loyal until his release. They say that since fans have known for more than a year that their celebrity rapper would be facing jail time, they have had time to prepare for his departure and the decision doesn't come as a shock. Furthermore, experts say, one year is too short of a time to forget such a popular artist. "This will give him some time to do some great thinking and creating," said Gail Mitchell, senior correspondent for R&B and hip-hop at Billboard. "This time around, he is going to be OK." Stacey Richman, a New York-based attorney who has worked with hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule, said there is some threat that going to prison may cause a artist to burn out. But she adds that properly managed talent can help the artist survive. "It comes down to where he stands in his career," said Richman, who has been practicing law for nearly two decades. Prison time can, perhaps ironically, serve to raise the profile of some hip-hop stars. A handful have been able to resume their careers at an even higher level after concluding their sentences. One of the most infamous examples involved 2Pac, also known as Tupac Shakur, who entered prison in 1994 on a sex abuse conviction. In 1996, after his prison stint, he released his album "All Eyez on Me," which had sold 9 million copies by 1998, according to the Record Industry Association of America, a trade organization representing the U.S. recording industry. It was the first double-disc album of original material in hip-hop history, according to Billboard. More recently, Grammy-winning rapper Lil' Kim, also known as Kimberly Jones, is making her comeback on the popular ABC reality show "Dancing With the Stars." She served a year in prison after being convicted of perjury in a federal case involving her friends and a 2001 gunfight in New York City. She has not released an album since leaving prison. But incarceration doesn't promise success. Rapper Foxy Brown spent eight months in prison for violating her probation; her first post-incarceration album, "Brooklyn's Don Diva," was given mediocre reviews and floundered in sales. It has sold only about 30,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Hip-hop artist Jamaal "Shyne" Barrow, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for two counts of assault and a list of other charges for involvement in a much-publicized New York City nightclub shootout with Puff Daddy and Jennifer Lopez, released an album while incarcerated in 2004, "Godfather Buried Alive," that struggled to make a splash on the charts. Since his plea agreement, Harris has worked to differentiate his personal life from his rapper image. In multiple interviews with the media, he often mentioned that he is a father of five who lost a daughter to a miscarriage in 2008. His best friend died at a post-party shooting, which he says was the motivation for arming himself. "Most often, things I have learned have been from trial and error," Harris told CNN. "I knew no way to protect myself than to arm myself." Watch the rapper's interview with CNN's T.J. Holmes » . In Harris' latest single, "Dead and Gone" with Justin Timberlake, the lyrics indicate a changed Harris, trying to shed his previous image. He writes in the song that the "old me is dead and gone." The fan support for Harris continues to pour in since he received his sentence Friday. On Facebook.com, one fan, Hendrick Garner in Tupelo, Mississippi, wrote, "Like you said this [is your] defining moment, and I think we all have had that moment, but it only makes us stronger."

Rapper T.I. will be taken into custody no earlier than May 19 . Music experts say one year away is too short a time for fans to forget him . T.I.'s Grammy-nominated album "Paper Trail" has sold nearly 2 million copies . Other rappers like 2Pac and Lil' Kim have found success after prison .

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(CNN) -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was charged in Florida on Wednesday with killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade County state attorney's office said. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been charged with DUI manslaughter . Authorities charged Stallworth, 28, with DUI manslaughter in the death of Mario Reyes, spokesman Ed Griffith said. Stallworth is expected to surrender in court Thursday, Griffith said. The charge is a bondable offense, and bail is expected to be set at $200,000. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison. According to Griffith, Stallworth's blood-alcohol level after last month's accident was measured at 0.126 percent, higher than the state's legal limit of 0.08 percent. Stallworth was drinking at a Miami Beach, Florida, club early March 14, court documents say. He later left the club and went to a Miami residence for about 45 minutes before leaving in his black Bentley GT at 7:07 a.m. He was driving east on the MacArthur Causeway, which connects Miami to the South Beach area of Miami Beach, when he struck Reyes, prosecutors said. Reyes, a construction worker, was crossing the eastbound lanes of the causeway. CNN affiliate WSVN reported that he was heading to a bus stop after leaving work. Reyes, 59, was struck by the right front and fender of the car and suffered critical head, chest and abdominal injuries, according to an affidavit. He died a short time later at a hospital. Read the affidavit (PDF) Stallworth told the arriving officer, "I hit the man lying in the road," the affidavit said. He said he had time to honk his horn and flash his headlights to alert Reyes, according to the documents. Police smelled alcohol on his breath, the documents said, and Stallworth provided a blood sample at the scene. Stallworth released a statement four days after the incident saying he and his family were "grief-stricken." "My thoughts and prayers are with the Reyes family during this incredibly difficult time," he said. Among the expected conditions of Stallworth's bail are that he consume no alcohol or drugs, submit to random drug and alcohol testing, abide by a curfew between midnight and 6 a.m., surrender his passport and not drive, according to an agreement setting conditions of his release. He will be allowed to reside in Ohio and Florida as needed, but he must notify authorities 24 hours in advance when traveling. Stallworth and his attorney have been cooperating with authorities, Officer Deborah Doty, spokeswoman for Miami Beach police, said Wednesday. Stallworth, a former University of Tennessee player, has also played professionally for the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles. CNN's Rich Phillips contributed to this report .

NFL player is expected to surrender in court Thursday; bail expected to be $200,000. Donte Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was 0.126 percent; state's legal limit is 0.08 . If convicted, Stallworth could face up to 15 years in prison.

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UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Murder and justice have always been hallmarks of the "Law & Order" stable of TV shows, but never before have the fictional New York City crimes guided the show's detectives and attorneys to the United Nations -- until now. "Law & Order: SVU" co-star Christopher Meloni says the show's intent is to "shine light in the dark places." The U.N. recently opened the gates of its New York headquarters to the NBC Universal show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for the filming of an episode scheduled to air Tuesday. The taping marked the first time in its nearly 60-year history that the United Nations has allowed its iconic location to be used as a setting in a major network television production. Previously, the United Nations granted permission for the 2005 motion picture "The Interpreter" to film on location, making it the first feature film to shoot on the grounds of the U.N. Series stars Stephanie March, who plays Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, and Christopher Meloni, along with nearly 200 other cast and crew members, came to the U.N. on March 7 to film an episode revolving around child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court. "Law & Order: SVU" traditionally involves difficult subject matter such as kidnapping, rape and homicide. Emmy-nominated actor Meloni, who plays Detective Elliot Stabler on the show, explained that the intent behind the issues raised on the program has always been to "shine light in the dark places that no one wants to go or talk about because there's usually a lot of shame and denial about it." Meloni described how the U.N. episode "really does kind of revolve around child soldiers, how they've been brainwashed, the horrible journeys that they've had to endure and how they can be assimilated back and be productive. And I think in this particular episode, we're trying to carry on with whatever clout we may possess. We have the medium to shine the light out there and tell this story." Considering the "ripped-from-the-headlines" and complicated themes regarding conflict in Africa and the ICC, "Special Victims Unit" writers and actors relied on Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast as a consultant throughout the filming. The Enough Project is an advocacy group committed to preventing genocide, crimes against humanity and other atrocities in six historically tumultuous African nations. Prendergast explained that he perceived the episode as "one where reality dovetailed quite neatly with fiction, and hopefully more people will understand now what is happening in real life with President Bashir and Sudan, and then the accountability for war crimes because they saw it on 'Law & Order.' " On March 4, the International Criminal Court indicted Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, with war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was the first time such charges have been leveled against a sitting head of state. The "Special Victims Unit" filming was the first official project within Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's newly formed Creative Community Outreach Initiative. The intent of the program is to establish a relationship with international film and television industries to enhance the image of the United Nations and to "raise the profile of critical global issues," according to a U.N. representative. Eric Falt, director of the U.N.'s outreach initiative, elaborated: "We're starting a program where we're going to say to filmmakers, people who produce television series, that we are essentially open for business. You want to come to the U.N.? Talk to us. We'll make it happen." In addition to the "Law & Order" film shoot, the United Nations has hosted two other high-profile events in March through the initiative. Celebrities and recording artists including Akon, Phylicia Rashad, Peter Buffet and Whoopi Goldberg commemorated victims of the of the trans-Atlantic slave trade March 25 with a concert in the U.N. General Assembly Hall. The show was directed by celebrated musician Nile Rodgers and was the first such event held at the United Nations. Goldberg also moderated a discussion March 17 at U.N. headquarters stemming from the complex topics presented in the popular television show "Battlestar Galactica." The panel featured series stars Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, along with the series creators and assorted U.N. personnel speaking about a variety of subjects prevalent both in the show and in today's world. Topics included abortion, suicide bombings and post-conflict resolution. Goldberg summed up the purpose of the occasion, saying, "much like the fictional ships and planets in the 'BSG' universe, the U.N. is an imperfect place, but the fight for justice, equality and understanding remains fundamental to both." Despite the imperfections of the United Nations, "SVU's" March could not have been more thrilled with her experience filming at the U.N. When asked what she would like to be doing if she weren't putting away fictional bad guys as assistant DA Cabot, March said, "I would love to work for the United Nations. I have a great job, but really all I want to do is actually work in the U.N. I'm pretty excited to be here. It's been a lifelong dream to be a part of it in some way." The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" episode is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday on NBC.

TV show is the first to film at U.N.'s New York headquarters . Tuesday's episode centers on child soldiers . It's first project in U.N.'s Creative Community Outreach Initiative . "SVU" writers, cast relied on guidance from advocacy group .

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(CNN) -- Addie Polk, who became the national face of the foreclosure crisis last fall when she shot herself during an eviction, was a quiet woman who never asked for help. Polk, 91, who was a deaconess at her church, was remembered by friends and churchgoers for her stateliness. Fannie Mae foreclosed on the Akron, Ohio, home of Addie Polk, 91, after acquiring the mortgage in 2007. "She had runner's legs," said Joyce Smith, a longtime family friend of Polk's and fellow member of Antioch Baptist Church. "They were well-shaped, well-shaped calves, and she still wore her heels and didn't stumble," Smith said. "I used to ask her, 'Did you used to run?' She'd say 'I would run from trouble, that's about it,'" Smith said. "We always laughed at that." But Polk didn't run from the troubling eviction notices that were placed time and time again on her door in Akron, Ohio. She kept her business to herself. "She wasn't a really vocal person," Smith said. "She'd communicate, but you never knew what was going on. If it was anything negative you didn't know; if it was positive you didn't know. She was just quiet about her personal life." Polk, made news last fall when she shot herself during an eviction, died Monday at the Arbors at Fairlawn nursing home near Akron. She was 91. The Summit County Medical Examiner's office, when contacted Tuesday by CNN, said the cause of death has not been released but it was not related to the shooting. After Polk's ordeal last October sparked national outrage, Fannie Mae moved to halt the foreclosure process and "give her the house," company spokesman Brian Faith said at the time. "We're going to forgive whatever outstanding balance she had on the loan," Faith said. "Given the circumstances, we think it's appropriate." In 2004, Polk took out a 30-year, 6.375 percent mortgage for $45,620 with a Countrywide Home Loan office in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The same day, she also took out an $11,380 line of credit. Over the next couple of years, Polk missed payments on the 101-year-old home that she and her late husband purchased in 1970. In 2007, the mortgage was in the hands of Fannie Mae, which soon filed for foreclosure. Akron Sheriff's Deputy Donald Fatheree, in a telephone interview with CNN on Tuesday, said he'd personally been to Polk's door about six times to deliver eviction notices. "Never did reach her, but always left notes," Fatheree said. As part of the eviction process, authorities left writs of possession -- legal terms that informed the occupier of eviction -- on the front door of homes. Fatheree said each time he'd return the notes would be gone, and he'd leave another. Polk's two self-inflicted gunshots to the chest were heard around the United States as the lifelong homemaker became a symbol for struggling U.S. homeowners burdened down by debt and unrelenting mortgage companies. News of Polk's plight was so pervasive that U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, evoked her name on the House floor during debate over the Wall Street bailout just days after the shooting. "This bill does nothing for the Addie Polks of the world," Kucinich said. "This bill fails to address the fact that millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure, are facing the loss of their home. This bill will take care of Wall Street, and the market may go up for a few days, but democracy is going downhill." Sommerville Funeral Services in Akron will handle arrangements for Polk.

Addie Polk, 91, became symbol of American foreclosure crisis . Polk remembered as quiet, reserved woman who was fiercely independent . U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich mentioned her on Senate floor during bailout debate .

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PARIS, France (CNN) -- Hundreds of French workers, angry about proposed layoffs at a Caterpillar factory, were holding executives of the company hostage Tuesday, a spokesman for the workers said. Caterpillar's French staff say they are angry about a lack of negotiations over layoffs. It is at least the third time this month that French workers threatened with cutbacks have blockaded managers in their offices to demand negotiations. Executives were released unharmed in both previous situations. The latest incident started Tuesday morning at the office of the construction equipment company in the southeastern city of Grenoble. The workers were angry that Caterpillar had proposed cutting more than 700 jobs and would not negotiate, said Nicolas Benoit, a spokesman for the workers' union. They did not want to harm the Caterpillar executives, Benoit told CNN. One hostage was released Tuesday evening leaving workers with four captives inside the Caterpillar building. The released man was a human resources director identified only as Mr. Petit, because he has heart problems, union representative Bernard Patrick told CNN. Petit had a heart attack a few weeks ago, Patrick said. The four others still being held are Nicolas Polutnik, the head of operations; two other executives; and Petit's personal assistant, he said. About 500 employees were also outside the building protesting. A top Caterpillar executive called the hostage-taking unhelpful. "The actions that are taking place today, led by a small minority of individuals, are not helping as we work for a positive resolution of this situation," said Chris Schena, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for manufacturing operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, in a statement. "The best way to resolve this matter is to continue the negotiations through the Works Council to find a solution that's fair to our employees and allows Caterpillar to remain a leader in a rapidly changing global marketplace," Schena said, adding that the company was "concerned for the safety of our employees." Benoit said all the workers wanted to do was negotiate with Caterpillar and they were upset that the company did not show up to two earlier scheduled negotiating sessions. The employees being held in their office were being allowed to get food, Benoit added. Police arrived at the scene two hours after the incident began but it had not been settled. Employees at a French 3M factory held a manager hostage for more than 24 hours Wednesday and Thursday of last week over a dispute about terms for laid-off staff. Luc Rousselet, who was unharmed, was allowed to leave the plant in Pithiviers, central France, early on Thursday morning after talks between unions and officials from 3M France. Earlier this month, the boss of Sony France was held overnight before workers freed him after he agreed to reopen talks on compensation when the factory closed. France has been hit by nationwide strikes twice in the past two months.

NEW: Workers release one of five people being held hostage at Caterpillar factory . Workers angry that Caterpillar propose cutting more than 700 jobs . They did not want to harm the executives but get them to negotiate, official says . A senior Caterpillar executive called the hostage-taking "unhelpful"

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KUALA LAMPUR, Malaysia (CNN) -- Malaysia will swear in a new prime minister Friday -- one tasked with reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits. Outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, facing, hugs his successor, Najib Razak last week. Until now, Najib Razak had served as the Southeast Asian country's deputy prime minister. He succeeds Abdullah Badawi who turned in his resignation after five years as leader. Both are part of Malaysia's ruling party, the National Front Coalition, which has ruled the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957. But last year, a loose coalition of opposition parties won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections. It was only the second time in the country's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution. The election upset led to calls for Abdullah to step down. Various challenges await Najib: . In recent months, the country has seen riots with the country's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who accuse the government of passing laws that favor the Malay majority. Najib has said he will do more to address their concerns. The country, like other nations around the world, has been severely affected by the global economic downturn. Critics are demanding Malaysia diversify its technology-heavy economy. Last month, Najib unveiled a multi-billion dollar stimulus plan for new spending, according to published reports. Najib also brings with him a whiff of controversy. Two former bodyguards are facing charges in connection the murder of a Mongolian model. He has denied all links to the killing.

Najib Razak to become new prime minister for Malaysia on Friday . Abdullah Badawi to step down from PM post . Ruling party has failed to secure majority needed to amend constitution .

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(CNN) -- Academy Award-winning composer Maurice Jarre, who scored movies including "Doctor Zhivago" and "Lawrence of Arabia" among others, died Sunday from cancer in Los Angeles. He was 84. Movie composer Maurice Jarre pictured at the Berlin International Film Festival last month. Jarre enjoyed an illustrious career, working with Hollywood directing legends including John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock and, most notably, David Lean. Fellow French composer Alexandre Desplat, who interviewed Jarre for The Screening Room at the Berlin International Film Festival last month, told CNN Monday: "Maurice was an immense artist, an incredible symphonist, a magician of the melody and a benevolent human being." Watch tribute to Maurice Jarre » . Jarre won Oscars in 1963 and 1966 for his collaborations on the Lean movies "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago" respectively. He then mustered a further six Oscar nominations but his third award came once again through a further collaboration with Lean on " A Passage to India" in 1984. He then swapped orchestral composition to become a pioneer of electronic scoring, working on the music for, among others, "Ghost," "Witness," "Dead Poet's Society" and "Fatal Attraction." At the same time his son Jean-Michel Jarre became one of the world's best known electronic musicians with global hits such as "Oxygene" and huge outdoor concerts. His final movie composition was for the 2000 film "I Dreamed of Africa." Jarre's career included symphonies, ballet and theatre but it was for his 150 film scores that he was presented with an honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival last month - almost half a century after producer Sam Spiegel hired him to work on "Lawrence of Arabia." Festival director Dieter Kosslick said in a statement late last year: "Film composers often are in the shadows of great directors and acting stars. It's different with Maurice Jarre; the music of 'Doctor Zhivago,' like much of his work, is world-famous and remains unforgotten in the history of cinema." Speaking in Berlin to double-Oscar nominee Desplat -- who himself scored "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Queen" -- Jarre said: "I never really had a 'bust-up' with a good director. A good director will always find an intellectual understanding. And that's what was great - I had an opportunity with all these people. I don't think I can say that I ever worked with a bad director." But Jarre also said that directing legends of the rank of Huston and Hitchock had disappeared and no longer existed, adding: "The only problem is now, there is more and more bad music that goes 'dang dang dang dang dang...' So...it's better to turn off the music, and listen to a concert of Mozart." Senior producer Neil Curry and associate producer Lidz-Ama Appiah contributed to this report.

Maurice Jarre won three Oscars during his career, all for scoring films by David Lean . During the 1980s, 1990s he scored music for "Ghost," "Witness," "Fatal Attraction" Career recognized most recently at the Berlin International Film Festival .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leaders of the world's largest economies agreed on Thursday to a package worth more than $1 trillion to tackle the global economic crisis. Barack Obama: "The challenge is clear" for world leaders to tackle the economic crisis. U.S. President Barack Obama called the deal "a turning point in our pursuit of global economic recovery." The plan calls for reform of the international banking system and the injection of more than $1 trillion into the world financial system. The Group of 20 is taking "unprecedented steps" to attack the global economic downturn, stimulate growth and expand loans to troubled nations, Obama said at the close of the group's meeting in London. "The challenge is clear," the U.S. president said. "The global economy is contracting. Trade is shrinking. Unemployment is rising. The international financial system is nearly frozen." Watch Obama's speech » . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown heralded the emergence of a "new world order" Thursday following the release of what he called an "unprecedented" package of measures to tackle the crisis. The deal agreed by the leaders of the world's largest economies included reform of the international banking system and the injection of more than $1 trillion into the world financial system. Watch what was agreed to at the summit » . French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had voiced concerns prior to the summit about the wisdom of pumping further public money into economies already in recession, welcomed Thursday's agreement -- though hinted at unresolved disagreements behind the scenes. There had been concerns that a rift was opening up between the approach being championed by the U.S. and Britain -- more economic stimulus -- and that favored by France and Germany -- more banking regulations. Sarkozy said the agreement represented "great progress" on reform of financial institutions and said "a page had been turned." Merkel described the deal as "a very, very good, almost historic compromise." The six-point plan includes banking reform measures and more than $1 trillion to be spent on restoring credit, growth and jobs, as well as measures clamping down on tax havens and a commitment to build a green and sustainable economy. iReport: What's the economy like where you are? Much of the G-20 communique issued at the end of the London summit restated promises and goals that international leaders had made earlier, relying on language such as "we remain committed" and "we reaffirm our historic commitment." But Brown said: "Our message is clear and certain. We believe that in this new global age our prosperity is indivisible. We believe global problems require global solutions," Brown said. "I think a new world order is emerging and with it the foundations of a new and progressive era of international cooperation." Watch Brown's statement » . Brown said the new rescue package, which includes a commitment to treble the resources available to the International Monetary Fund to $750 billion, amounted to "the largest macro economic stimulus the world has ever seen." Along with existing national stimulus measures, Brown said efforts to bolster economies amounted to more than $5 trillion. The six-point consensus consisted of measures to: . Obama said: "We owe it to all of our citizens to act and to act with urgency. We have agreed upon a series of unprecedented steps to restore growth and prevent a crisis like this from happening again." "We have rejected the protectionism that could deepen this crisis. ... This cooperation between the world's leading economies signals our support for open markets," he said. "Second, we are committed to comprehensive reform of a failed regulatory system." Obama added: "We can rebuild our global prosperity if we act with the sense of common purpose, persistence, and optimism that our moment demands." Obama said the United States would also provide $448 million in additional aid to vulnerable nations which he described as "future drivers of world economic growth." Brown said the G-20 would meet again later in the year to review the success of its plans and said details of the summit would be announced over the next few days. Watch global impact of the downturn » . "Together with the measures we have each taken nationally, this constitutes a global plan for recovery on an unprecedented scale," the G-20 communique said. As expected, the communique included tough new measures to reform global financial institutions, citing "major failures" in regulation of the sector as "fundamental causes of the crisis." The G-20 members will also establish a new Financial Stability Board to provide "early warning of macroeconomic and financial risks," the summit's final communique said, but it was not clear if board would have regulatory powers. Brown said the final deal included agreement on tighter regulation of hedge funds, tax havens and the banking system. "We will implement new rules on pay and bonuses at a global level that reflect actual performance with no more rewards for failure," Brown said. "We want to encourage corporate responsibility in every part of the world." There were only a few protesters outside the summit when it started Thursday -- a marked difference from the thousands who gathered in central London 24 hours earlier. Watch more on the protests » . Police said they arrested nearly 90 people on Wednesday and were expecting more problems.

U.S. President Barack Obama: Unprecedented steps to restore growth . World leaders say the agreed measures will shorten the recession . More than $1 trillion will be injected into the world financial system . Six-point plan also strengthens regulations in the financial sector .

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TUOL SLENG, Cambodia (CNN) -- The trial of a former prison chief with the Khmer Rouge movement resumed inside a packed Cambodian courtroom Monday, with prosecutors painting a grim picture of inmates who were electrocuted, whipped and beaten to death. Duch ran a prison where people were tortured and killed under the Khmer Rouge. Kaing Guek Eav, a former math teacher and a born-again Christian, displayed no emotion as the U.N.-backed tribunal accused him not just of overseeing the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men, women and children three decades ago -- but of actively taking part in some of them. The trial of the 66-year-old man, better known as Duch, resumed Monday just outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Spectators, many of them survivors of the abuse, watched the proceedings from an auditorium separated from the courtroom by a large glass window. The proceedings began with Duch offering a basic introduction of himself. Court officials then read out the findings of their lengthy investigation. Prosecutors contend Duch ran S-21, a prison that had been converted from a school. Here, men, women and children were shackled to iron beds and tortured -- before they were beaten to death, prosecutors said. Many of the victims were military officials or Communist Party members targeted for not going along with the philosophy of the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge movement, prosecutors said. Duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and murder. He has admitted his role in the Khmer Rouge's genocidal reign. Watch why his trial is significant » . The movement swept to power in 1975. Three years, eight months and 20 days later, at least 1.7 million people -- nearly one-quarter of Cambodia's population -- were dead from execution, disease, starvation and overwork, according to the Documentation Center of Cambodia. The non-profit organization has been at the forefront of recording the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. S-21 was one of 189 similar institutions across Cambodia. Duch is the first former Khmer Rouge leader to stand trial. The tribunal, which is made up of Cambodian and international judges, does not have the power to impose the death penalty. If convicted, Duch faces from five years to life in prison. The trial is expected to last three or four months. "Probably the most important thing about this court is: even after 35 years, you are still not going to get away with it. That is the message," said Chief Prosecutor Robert Petit. Even though Duch was not a senior leader with the movement, many Cambodians were relieved that one of the regime's former leaders was facing justice, said Youk Chhang, head of the Documentation Center of Cambodia. "I think there is a feeling of, well you know, finally -- now it's finally happening after all these years of waiting -- hearing, fighting, negotiating," he told CNN last month. "People have that kind of sense of relief that it's now moving. When I ask people around the center today, people say, 'Oh, it's about time.'" Four of the regime's former leaders, also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, await trial before the tribunal. The regime's leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998. "It all seems so fresh," said Norng Champhal, who was a starving little boy when Vietnamese forces invaded the prison. He was separated from his mother after a night in the prison and never saw her again. "It's hard to control my feelings when I see this," he said, as he watched footage of the prison taken 30 years ago. "I wonder whether my parents were tortured like these people," he said. CNN's Dan Rivers contributed to this report.

NEW: Duch offers basic introduction of himself; court officials read probe's findings . Duch's trial is taking place outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh . Prison victims were military officials, Communist Party members . Duch, former prison chief, has admitted role in Khmer Rouge's reign .

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(CNN) -- Conjoined Egyptian twin boys Hassan and Mahmoud, who were successfully separated in Saudi Arabia Saturday, are recovering and are expected to lead normal lives, officials said. Conjoined twins Hassan, left, and Mahmud rest the day before separation surgery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "The twins' vital signs are good; they're doing excellent," said Sami Al-Shalan, spokesman for the King Abdulaziz Medical City facility in Riyadh where the surgery took place. "The twins still have about 24 hours before a progress report can be issued. The anesthesia consultants are happy with the progress of the children." The boys are less than a year old and were brought to the kingdom on February 10. The delicate surgery took a little more than 15 hours. "The twins' parents have visited them in the [pediatric intensive care unit], but they can't stay there long. They come and go," Al-Shalan said. Separating the boys' urinary system was a major challenge, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the Saudi minister of health, told CNN. So was separating the siblings' local veins and arteries, he said. "We had to identify the arteries and the blood veins between each baby," Al-Rabeeah said. Watch Al-Rabeeah explain the operation » . The procedure was the 21st of its kind to be performed in the kingdom. The surgeries are performed free as part of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's philanthropic initiative. CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.

Egyptian twin boys are less than a year old . 21st procedure of this type to be performed in the kingdom . 15-hour delicate surgery declared successful, surgeon says . Surgery free as part of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's philanthropic initiative .

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(CNN) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir asked Arab leaders meeting in Qatar on Monday to strongly reject an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Omar al-Bashir is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over allaged war crimes in Darfur. Al-Bashir landed in Qatar on Sunday and met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. On Monday, he expressed his gratitude to the Arab League Summit. "We appreciate your support for Sudan in many areas," al-Bashir said. "This support will, God willing, lead to issuing clear and unequivocal decisions -- rejecting the decision [the ICC arrest warrant]." U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also attended the meeting but avoided any confrontation with al-Bashir. The U.N. leader focused instead on efforts to have humanitarian aid workers allowed back into Sudan. Sudan expelled 13 international aid agencies from the Darfur region after the ICC issued the arrest warrant. The March 4 arrest warrant is the first issued for a sitting head of state by the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal, based at The Hague in the Netherlands. But the ICC has no arrest powers and depends on its 106 member states to take suspects into custody. Qatar, site of the summit, is not a member of the tribunal. Sudan refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the ICC, and has made no efforts to hand over two other officials indicted by the court. Al-Bashir has called the charges an attempt by Western powers to recolonize Sudan. The International Criminal Court accuses al-Bashir of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in his government's campaign against rebels in Darfur, in western Sudan. The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes because of the conflict. Qatar had been mediating talks between Sudanese officials and representatives of one of the rebel factions, who signed a confidence-building agreement in February. At the State Department, deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said leaders at the summit should deal with the situation in Darfur. "We would hope that while [al-Bashir] is in Doha that the Arab League would focus on the immediate and urgent needs of the people on the ground in Sudan and address the humanitarian situation in Darfur and meet the priorities of the comprehensive peace agreement," he said. "The discussions should be on how to stop the violence and support the people. "The presence of Bashir at this conference should be used as an opportunity to bring forth the international concern to what is happening in Darfur and southern Sudan." In another development, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi walked out of the summit after a dispute over whether he would be allowed to talk. "I am an international leader," Gadhafi said before leaving. "The dean of Arab rulers. The king of kings in Africa. The imam to Muslims. My international position does not allow me to be reduced. Thank you." State Department spokesman Duguid declined to comment. CNN's Stan Grant contributed to this report.

Sudanese president asks Arab League Summit to reject arrest warrant against him . Omar al-Bashir is charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court . Al-Bashir accused of crimes against humanity in his campaign against Darfur rebels . U.N. secretary general attends summit, but avoids any confrontation with al-Bashir .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- At least 43 civilians were killed Sunday when they were caught in the crossfire between Pakistani forces and Taliban militants, a Pakistani military official said. The official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the incident happened in Charbagh, a district of Swat Valley in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. The mountainous Swat Valley region used to be a popular destination for tourists and skiers, but today it is a Taliban stronghold. The Pakistani government and the army have come under criticism in recent weeks for allowing the security situation in Swat to deteriorate in the past few months. Islamabad has said there are plans for a new strategy to fight the Taliban, but they have yet to offer details. The Taliban are imposing their strict brand of Islamic law in the region -- banning music, forbidding men from shaving, and not allowing teenage girls to attend school. Watch a report on civilians killed in crossfire » . Government officials say the Taliban have torched and destroyed more than 180 schools in the Swat region. Many families have fled the area, and have been followed by many Pakistani police officers who are too scared to take on Taliban forces, a Pakistani army spokesman told CNN last week. The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 1996 -- harboring al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden -- and ruled it until they were ousted from power in 2001 after the September 11 attacks on the United States. Since then, the Taliban have regrouped and are currently battling U.S. and NATO-led forces. U.S. President Barack Obama has called Afghanistan the "central front" in the war on terror and has promised to make fighting extremism there, and in neighboring Pakistan, a foreign policy priority. He is expected to send as many as 30,000 additional U.S. troops to battle Taliban forces. Richard Holbrooke, the administration's new envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is scheduled to make his first trip to the region this week.

Swat Valley region used to be a popular destination for tourists and skiers . Taliban are imposing their strict brand of Islamic law in the region . Pakistan government criticized for allowing security in Swat to deteriorate .

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(CNN) -- Malaysia swore in a new prime minister on Friday, the country's state news agency reported. Malaysia's former PM Abdullah Badawi waves from a vehicle in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak became Malaysia's sixth prime minister after taking over for from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after leading the country for more than five years, according to the Bernama news agency. The new prime minister will immediately be tasked with reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits. Until now, Najib Razak had served as the Southeast Asian country's deputy prime minister. He is part of Malaysia's ruling party, the National Front Coalition, which has ruled the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957. But last year, a loose coalition of opposition parties won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections. It was only the second time in the country's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution. The election upset led to calls for Abdullah to step down. In recent months, the country has seen riots with the country's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who accuse the government of passing laws that favor the Malay majority. Najib has said he will do more to address their concerns. Malaysia has been severely affected by the global economic downturn. Critics are demanding Malaysia diversify its technology-heavy economy. Last month, Najib unveiled a multi-billion dollar stimulus plan for new spending, according to published reports. Watch what can be expected from the new Malaysian leader » . Najib also brings with him a whiff of controversy. Two former bodyguards are facing charges in connection the murder of a Mongolian model. He has denied all links to the killing.

Najib Razak sworn in as Asian nation's sixth prime minister . Outgoing PM Abdullah Badawi was in office for more than five years . Ruling party has failed to secure majority needed to amend constitution . New PM faces economic downturn, ethnic discord .

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(CNN) -- Amanda Mezyk had developed a close bond with her employers' children as their live-in nanny, which is why it was so painful when her bosses told her she was being laid off. Amanda Mezyk, 20, lost her live-in nanny job when the recession forced her employers to cut the family budget. "I started crying and they kept repeating, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,'" Mezyk, 20, said about the day last November when her employers -- a Miami, Florida, plastic surgeon and a part-time dermatologist -- delivered the bad news. "They sat me down in the living room -- where we usually would sit and talk about the kids -- and they told me that business was slow and they had to cut expenses." As Mezyk began to realize that life as a virtual member of her employers' family was ending, she thought about the little girl and boy -- Delaney, 6, and Landon, 4 -- with whom she had grown so close during the past 2½ years. Later, Landon found Mezyk crying in her bedroom and asked her what was wrong. "I told him I had to go away for a little while, and that I would come visit," she said. "I was sad because I had to let the kids go," she said. "I love them like they were mine. And I want to be a part of their lives for the long run." Her job as a live-in nanny at a lavish home in an upper-class, upscale private community came with many perks that suddenly had disappeared. The insured car provided by her employers for personal and professional use was gone. Without a steady income, Mezyk wondered how she would pay her mounting $8,000 credit card debt. There would be no more accompanying the family on all-expenses-paid vacations to the Bahamas, Italy and China. The layoff also put an end to Mezyk's annual paid weeklong vacations. To survive, Mezyk has moved in with a great-aunt and uncle until she can decide on her next move. iReport.com: Tell us what are you doing to survive bad economy? Industry leaders said Mezyk is just one of thousands of nannies who've been swallowed up by the shifting landscape in the U.S. child care industry, one that is affecting not just nannies, but baby sitters and day care centers as well. The economic booms during the late 1990s and from 2004 to 2007 made it possible for more middle-class and upper middle-class American families to employ nannies, said Genevieve Thiers, founder of Sittercity.com. "Now that we're back in recession, families are unfortunately having to cut back on their nannies' hours or unfortunately having to let go of their nannies, and it's not a good situation." In a poll of parents who use Sittercity.com, 17 percent said the economy is forcing them to end their time as a stay-at-home parent and return to work. Twenty-seven percent of the parents in the survey said the economy was forcing them to work more hours at their current jobs. "Business is down a good 45 percent," said Jennifer Winter, 37, owner of Nannies in Miami, a nanny placement agency. "The wealthy are still hanging on to their nannies, but the economy is forcing middle-class parents to make cuts." Annie Davis, who launched Annie's Nannies Household Staffing in Seattle, Washington, in 1984, described the current recession as "the weirdest time I think I've seen in my lifetime." She's seen about 10 percent of her active nanny roster laid off since last October. "There are nannies being laid off in families where both parents work and one parent has lost their job," said Candi Wingate of nannies4hire.com and babysitters4hire.com. Baby-sitting 'a godsend' in recession . The recession also is forcing more non-working parents in single-income families to take jobs outside the home. As a result, many formerly full-time nannies are taking what they can get -- which often are part-time child care positions, said Wingate. Katie Heath, 30, a self-employed health consultant and part-time baby sitter listed with Sitters to the Rescue in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been taking advantage of the increased demand to augment her income. "I'm baby-sitting more than I'm working my regular job," Heath said, adding that she's caring for children between 12 to 16 hours a week, while devoting five hours weekly to her business. "Baby-sitting is a godsend for me." During a recession, said Thiers -- a self-described 30-year-old "super-sitter" -- "everybody suddenly realizes, 'Wow, caregiving is a really great gig.' " "Increased numbers of recent college graduates are posting resumes on the Web site for jobs as nannies or baby sitters, because they're not finding full-time work in other fields," Thiers said. Not surprisingly, with a rising supply of available baby sitters, the pay rate is falling. The standard baby-sitting rate nationwide is $10 to $12 per hour, according to most agencies. This can drop by at least a dollar per hour in some markets, due to economic pressures. According to its survey, 26 percent of Sittercity.com's sitters and nannies said their pay has decreased from last summer. For full-time nannies, a typical Miami salary in past years was $700 per week, said Winter. "Now they're getting more like $400." In the two months since her layoff, Mezyk has been accepting baby-sitting jobs to survive -- working sporadically about 20 hours a week for various clients. "It's nowhere near what I'm used to making," said Mezyk. "Baby-sitting is not the same thing as being a nanny. It's not promised, it's not guaranteed. My goal is to have a steady income." Many parents who have laid off their child care helpers find themselves wracked with guilt because they're getting rid of nannies they love, said Thiers. "They're trying to move heaven and earth to get them a new position," she said, including using online chat rooms and message boards. Nanny sharing: Pros and cons . Agencies are touting the benefits of what's called nanny sharing, when two families share the talents of a single nanny. Nannies4hire.com, which boasts of helping more than 500,000 U.S. and Canadian families since 1987, said the addition of nanny sharing has boosted business by 15 percent. "One family has the nanny for two days, the other has the nanny for three days," said Wingate. Nanny sharing might save a family as much as 30 percent on what an exclusive nanny might charge, she said. Nanny sharing has its drawbacks, including logistical problems, said Winter. "What happens if the nanny gets sick? Different parents have different demands and both families suffer," she said. "Nannies think it's too stressful and a lot of them won't do it." Wingate agrees that nanny sharing can be complicated and said for this reason, good communication between the nanny and both families is critical. Faced with few employment options, Mezyk said she would consider a nanny-sharing situation, despite the idea of having more bosses. Her personal crisis has brought Mezyk's young career to a crossroads, as she considers pursuing a degree in pediatric nursing. Meanwhile, she still keeps in touch with her former employers and with little Landon and Delaney. "I know the kids really enjoy me," she said. "When the nanny leaves, it's really the kids that get hurt the most."

Painful layoff hits young Florida nanny -- in her heart and wallet . Experts: Middle-class layoffs resulting in out-of-work nannies . Demand down for nannies and up for baby sitters, experts say . Families are sharing services of one nanny to save money .

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CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Impeached former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was arrested in December on charges of conspiracy and fraud, was indicted Thursday on 16 felony counts by a federal grand jury, the U.S. attorney's office said. Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is facing such charges as racketeering, conspiracy and wire fraud. The 19-count indictment charges Blagojevich and some of his closest aides and advisers with a wide-ranging "scheme to deprive the people of Illinois of honest government," according to a statement by the attorney's office. Blagojevich, 52, faces charges including racketeering, conspiracy, wire fraud and making false statements to investigators, according to the release. Three counts in the indictment are against the aides and advisers. In a written statement, Blagojevich maintained his innocence -- as he has done throughout a political soap opera that captivated the nation. "I'm saddened and hurt but I am not surprised by the indictment," he said. "I am innocent. I now will fight in the courts to clear my name." Blagojevich was vacationing with his family in Florida on Thursday. In video shot at a Disney resort outside Orlando, Florida, by CNN affiliate WESH-TV, he declined to comment on his legal situation. He was filmed shortly before the indictments were handed down. In the WESH video, the ex-governor was sitting near a pool at the resort. "I'm enjoying Disney World with my kids and I don't think you're supposed to be here," said Blagojevich, after his wife attempted to shield him from the camera. "I'm happy to talk to you at the appropriate time." A man who identified himself only as "someone who knows who he is" then blocked the camera. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said he hoped the former governor wouldn't use the announcement as a reason to hit the media circuit again. "We can only hope the former governor will not view this indictment as a green light for another publicity tour," he said. "Rod Blagojevich deserves his day in court, but the people of Illinois deserve a break." Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested in December on federal corruption charges alleging that, among other things, they conspired to sell President Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat. Harris and Blagojevich's brother, Robert Blagojevich, were among the others indicted on Thursday. In early January, federal Judge James Holderman gave the attorney's office three additional months to decide whether to indict Blagojevich, who was impeached by the state legislature and resigned from office. That deadline ends Tuesday. On Thursday, current Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called the charges a reminder for political leaders in the state to help stamp out corruption, and he pledged to "work night and day to clean up our government." "Today, more than ever, I'm committed to making sure our government has fundamental reform from top to bottom," said Quinn, also a Democrat and the former lieutenant governor who was appointed governor in January. "We need to overhaul Illinois government to make sure everything is done right for the people." The charges are part of what investigators have dubbed "Operation Board Games," an ongoing investigation into political corruption in the state. Among the specific claims in the 75-page indictment are that Blagojevich schemed with others in 2002, even before he took office, to use his position to make money, which they would split after he left office. Blagojevich is accused of denying state business to companies that would not hire his wife, extorting campaign contributions from a children's hospital that was set to get state money and pressuring a racetrack executive to give political contributions before the governor signed a gambling bill. The indictment said that after Obama was elected president, Blagojevich began meeting with others to figure out a way he could make money from his position to appoint a replacement senator. It said Blagojevich asked others, including state employees, to contact people who may be interested in the seat, and that he believed an associate of someone referred to in the indictment as "Senate Candidate A" had offered $1.5 million in campaign contributions in exchange for the appointment. He had asked his brother to meet with an associate of "Senate Candidate A" and say that some of those contributions needed to come through before he made the appointment, but the meeting was canceled after a newspaper article reported that Blagojevich had been recorded talking about selling the seat. A lengthy FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps trying to profit from the Senate vacancy. The indictment said that Blagojevich communicated "directly and with the assistance of others" with people he believed were in contact with Obama, trying to gain political favor by possibly appointing someone the president-elect supported. He ultimately appointed a former state comptroller and attorney general, Roland Burris, who was seated in the Senate despite protests from the chamber's Democratic leaders. Those leaders said a special election should be called because of the controversy over the appointment. "The U.S. Attorney's indictment serves to confirm the public's long-standing distrust of former Gov. Blagojevich and his administration, and it underscores the culture of corruption that has afflicted our state for far too long," state Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a written statement. "While this is a terrible day in Illinois history, it is also a moment in which we can recognize an opportunity for real reform." Thursday's charges supersede the ones filed in December. The Illinois House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in January to impeach Blagojevich, accusing him of abusing his gubernatorial power. Blagojevich faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the 15 most serious charges in the indictment, and five years on a single indictment of making false statements. The government also charges that Blagojevich has bought property with money he got illegally, and is going after homes he owns in Chicago and Washington. "I would ask the good people of Illinois to wait for the trial and afford me the presumption of innocence that they would give to all their friends and neighbors," Blagojevich, who was vacationing with his family, said in the statement. In addition to the Blagojevich brothers and Harris, also charged in the indictments were businessman and fundraiser Christopher Kelly, 50; lobbyist and longtime Blagojevich associate Alonzo Monk, 50; and William F. Cellini Sr., 74, another businessman who raised money for Blagojevich.

NEW: Blagojevich declines comment, says "I'm enjoying Disney World with my kids" Blagojevich faces up to 20 years in prison for each of 15 most serious charges . Officials going after his home, saying he bought it with illegally-earned money . Charges against him include wire fraud, making false statements .

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(CNN) -- Two months before dying, a Virginia woman confessed to killing two women nearly 42 years ago, authorities said Friday, telling police she shot the women because they had taunted her for being a lesbian. Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, was shot to death at an ice cream shop where she worked in 1967. Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, 60, confessed in a November 28 interview to shooting the women at a Staunton ice cream store in 1967, authorities said. "I was just pushed so far," Smith said, according to a transcript of a police interview. Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, and Hevener's 20-year-old sister-in-law, Carolyn Hevener Perry, according to CNN affiliate WVIR. But health problems forced a postponement of a December court date, WVIR said, and Smith, who had heart and kidney problems, died January 19. Authorities on Friday said they consider Smith the guilty party and are working toward closing the case. In a transcript of the police interview, Smith told police she and the women worked at High's Ice Cream. The night of the shooting, she went to the store to tell the women she could not work the next day and took her .25-caliber pistol with her. "I was just going to tell them that I couldn't work and one thing led to another." She acknowledged that teasing "about my lifestyle" had gone on for a while. Asked how the victims knew about it, she said, "How do kids find out about anything? I mean, it was really unusual back then." She also said her stepfather had sexually abused her, but refused to elaborate on whether that played a role in the shootings or helped push her "over the edge." "I don't know. I'm not trying to psychoanalyze it," she said. In other interviews with police, Smith said that she got into a physical altercation with Hevener at the store, which was consistent with evidence at the crime scene, Commonwealth Attorney Raymond Robertson said. Bruises on Hevener's body were inconsistent with injuries that would have resulted from a fall after being shot, he told reporters. "She expressed shame in herself. I never saw any tears. She expressed her concern for the family members [of the victims], as to bringing closure to this case," police investigator Mike King said. Smith told police she acted alone, authorities said. But Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams said questions about the case remain. "There will likely be questions surrounding this case we will never be able to answer," he said. One of those questions was the whereabouts of the murder weapon, but a late development Friday may have solved that mystery. In the November interview, Smith told police she gave the weapon to a detective on the police force in 1967, David Bocock, and that he buried it. "He just said that it was sort of dangerous to have a gun, you could hurt somebody," Smith said, according to the transcript. "He said, 'I'll fix it for you if you want.' I figured it was the best thing to do." It was unclear whether Bocock, who died in 2006, knew of Smith's involvement in the murders. The two knew each other, as Bocock taught Smith to shoot, but authorities said they were still investigating the relationship and whether Bocock was trying to cover for Smith. Later Friday, the Staunton News-Leader newspaper reported its circulation manager had turned over to police a .25-caliber automatic handgun. Kathy Myers told the newspaper that Bocock gave the gun to her now-deceased husband, a former Staunton police officer, in 1981, telling him, "Don't let anybody know I gave this to you." Myers said she forgot she had the gun until she saw the police news conference Friday, and turned it over to authorities. Myers told the News-Leader that King said the gun matches the description Smith gave police.

Woman said she shot co-workers who taunted her for being a lesbian, police say . "I was just pushed so far," Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, 60, told police . Smith was charged with first-murder before she died January 19 . Constance Smootz Hevener and Carolyn Hevener Perry were shot in ice cream shop .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Suspected terrorists and foreign fighters held by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have the right to challenge their detention in federal court, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday. A prefabricated court complex has been erected at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to try terrorism suspects. The decision marks another legal blow to the Bush administration's war on terrorism policies. The 5-4 vote reflects the divide over how much legal autonomy the U.S. military should have to prosecute about 270 prisoners, some of whom have been held for more than six years without charges. Fourteen of them are alleged to be top al Qaeda figures. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said, "the laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times. Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system reconciled within the framework of the law." Kennedy, the court's swing vote, was supported by Justices John Paul Stevens, David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, generally considered the liberal contingent. At issue was the rights of detainees to contest their imprisonment and challenge the rules set up to try them. Watch how the 5-4 ruling is a major blow for the Bush administration » . A congressional law passed in 2006 would limit court jurisdiction to hear so-called habeas corpus challenges to detention. It is a legal question the justices have tackled three times since 2004, including Thursday's ruling. Each time, the justices have ruled against the government's claim that it has the authority to hold people it considers "enemy combatants." Preliminary hearings have begun in Guantanamo for some of the accused. A military panel this month arraigned five suspected senior al Qaeda detainees, including the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was transferred to the prison camp in 2006. The Bush administration has urged the high court not to get involved in the broader appeals, saying the federal judiciary has no authority to hear such matters. Four justices agreed. In a sharp dissent, read in part from the bench, Justice Antonin Scalia said the majority "warps our Constitution." The "nation will live to regret what the court has done today," Scalia said. He was supported by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. President Bush, who is traveling in Europe, said he disagreed with the Guantanamo ruling but promised to abide by it. "Congress and the administration worked very carefully on a piece of legislation that set the appropriate procedures in place as to how to deal with the detainees," he said. "We'll study this opinion, and we'll do so with this in mind to determine whether or not additional legislation might be appropriate so that we can safely say, truly say to the American people, 'we are doing everything we can to protect you.' " The Pentagon declined to comment, and the Justice Department said it was reviewing the decision and was expected to comment later Thursday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, welcomed the ruling, saying the Supreme Court upheld the Constitution. "I have long been an advocate of closing Guantanamo, so I would hope this is in furtherance of taking that action," Pelosi said. The appeals involve noncitizens. Sixteen lawsuits filed on behalf of about 200 prisoners were put on hold pending a ruling last year by a federal appeals court upholding the government's right to detain and prosecute suspected terrorists and war criminals. An attorney for one of the detainees, Salim Ahmed Hamdan -- Osama bin Laden's alleged driver and bodyguard -- said he would file an appeal asking that charges be dropped against the Yemeni native. "The clearest immediate impact of this ruling is to remove the remaining barriers for closing Guantanamo Bay. It means, in legal terms, Guantanamo Bay is no different than Kansas," attorney Charles Swift said. Now the ruling has been issued, a flood of similar appeals can be expected. The lead plaintiffs are Lakhdar Boumediene, a Bosnian, and Fawzi al-Odah of Kuwait. They question the constitutionality of the Military Commissions Act, passed by Congress in October 2006. The law addresses how suspected foreign terrorists and fighters can be tried and sentenced under U.S. military law. Under the system, those facing trial would have a limited right to appeal any conviction, reducing the jurisdiction of federal courts. The suspects also must prove to a three-person panel of military officers they are not a terror risk. But defendants would have access to evidence normally given to a jury, and CIA agents were given more guidance in how far they can go in interrogating prisoners. The law was a direct response to a June 2006 Supreme Court ruling striking down the Bush administration's plan to try detainees before military commissions. In 2004, the justices also affirmed the right of prisoners to challenge their detention in federal court. Congress and the administration have sought to restrict such access. The Justice Department wanted the high court to pass on these appeals, at least until the first wave of tribunals had a chance to work. Administration officials also argued the prisoners have plenty of legal safeguards. The White House has said it is considering whether to close the Guantanamo prison, suggesting some high-level al Qaeda detainees could be transferred to the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, and to a military brig in North Charleston, South Carolina. Most of the dozens of pending cases have been handled in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, which in February 2007 upheld the Military Commissions Act's provision stripping courts of jurisdiction to hear "habeas" challenges to the prisoners' confinement. But a three-judge panel of the same circuit expressed concern about why the U.S. military continues to limit attorney access to the Guantanamo men. The detainees' legal team alleges the government is unfairly restricting access to potentially exculpatory evidence, including documents they may not know exist before pretrial hearings. Legal and terrorism analysts said the issues presented in these latest sets of appeals are unlike those the justices have delved into previously. "The difference in this case is that they have a congressional enactment cutting back on habeas corpus that they have to wrestle with," said Edward Lazarus, a leading appellate attorney and author of a book on the high court, "Closed Chambers: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Modern Supreme Court." "And that, from a constitutional point of view, is really a different question." In a separate decision, the court refused to intervene in the case of two American citizens convicted in Iraqi courts but held by the U.S. military. The high court rejected lawyers' arguments that Mohammad Munaf and Shawqi Ahmad Omar should be released, saying that U.S. courts are not allowed to intervene in foreign courts.

NEW: President Bush says he disagrees with ruling but he'll abide by it . NEW: Court says separately it won't rule on case of U.S. citizens convicted in Iraq . Justice Scalia: U.S. "will live to regret what the court has done today" Justice Kennedy: Constitution should "remain in force, in extraordinary times"

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(CNN) -- Andrew Wyeth, the American painter perhaps best known for his painting of a young woman in a field, "Christina's World," has died, according to an official with the Brandywine River Museum in Pennsylvania. Andrew Wyeth received the National Medal of Arts from President Bush in November 2007. Wyeth, 91, died in his sleep Thursday night at his home near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to Lora Englehart, public relations coordinator for the museum. The acclaimed artist painted landscapes and figure subjects and worked mostly in tempera and watercolor. He was widely celebrated inside and outside of the art world. Wyeth received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, and President Nixon sponsored an exhibition of Wyeth's paintings at the White House. In 2007, President Bush awarded Wyeth the National Medal of Arts in recognition of his lifetime achievement and contribution to American arts and culture. Two years earlier, Wyeth and his wife, Betsy, presented to the White House his painting "Jupiter," which is displayed in the residence's family sitting room. Bush issued a statement Friday saying that he and first lady Laura Bush "deeply mourn" the death of Wyatt. "Mr. Wyeth captured America in his paintings of his native Pennsylvania and Maine," Bush said. "On behalf of the American people, Laura and I offer our sincere condolences to Betsy and the Wyeth family." Wyeth, who lived in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and Maine, "has been enormously popular and critically acclaimed since his first one-man show in 1937," according to a biography in InfoPlease. His main subjects were the places and people of Chadds Ford and Cushing, Maine. "Christina's World," painted in 1948, shows a disabled Maine neighbor who drags herself through a field toward her house in the distance. The painting, displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, has been regarded as Wyeth's most popular. "His 'Helga' pictures, a large group of intimate portraits of a neighbor, painted over many years, were first shown publicly in 1986," the InfoPlease biography says. Those were painted in Pennsylvania. Wyeth, the youngest child of painter N.C. Wyeth, formally studied art with his father as a teen, "drawing in charcoal and painting in oils, the media of choice for N.C. Wyeth. It was during the family's annual summer vacations in Port Clyde, Maine, that Andrew was able to experiment with other media to find his own artistic voice," according to a biography in the Farnsworth Art Museum in Maine.

NEW: Bush says Wyeth's work "captured America" Wyeth died in his sleep at home in Pennsylvania at 91 . His most famous painting is that of a young girl in a field . His "Helga" portraits were first shown in 1986 .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department called the expulsion of the second U.S. diplomat from Ecuador in just over a week "unjustified," rejecting charges the diplomats meddled in Ecuador's internal affairs. First Secretary Mark Sullivan has been given 48 hours to leave the U.S. embassy in Quito, Ecuador. On Wednesday, the Ecuadorian government expelled First Secretary Mark Sullivan, whom it accused of meddling in the government's internal police policies, giving him 48 hours to leave the country. On February 7, the government expelled Armando Astorga, an attaché with the Department of Homeland Security working in the U.S. Embassy. Acting Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid said the expulsions stem from the fact that certain Ecuadorian police were banned from taking part in U.S. counternarcotics training programs, but rejected "any suggestion of wrongdoing by embassy staff." "Despite the government of Ecuador's unjustified actions, we remain committed to working collaboratively with Ecuador to confront narcotics trafficking," Duguid said. Asked whether the State Department would reciprocate the expulsions by kicking out Ecuadorian diplomats from the United States, Duguid would say only, "We will respond as appropriate." A senior State Department official suggested the police in Ecuador police did not meet the criteria to take part in the training, noting, "The United States does have procedures that require it to vet candidates for U.S.-funded training." The official added, "In some countries this is seen as onerous. However, it is part of the legal accountability measures we must follow."

Government gives First Secretary Mark Sullivan 48 hours to leave the country . Sullivan is accused of meddling in internal police policies . The State Department calls the action 'unjustified' He's the second U.S. diplomat Ecuador has expelled in just over a week .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- White House spokeswoman Dana Perino on Friday said she would do the job again -- but only if she could work for her current boss. Dana Perino said goodbye to the White House press corps at her last briefing as White House spokeswoman Friday. "I wouldn't do it for anybody but President Bush," Perino said as she briefed reporters for the last time Friday. "If given the chance to do it over again, would I? Yes," Perino said. "But would I ever come back and do this? No. ... I think it's good to get off the stage." Perino also thanked the White House press corps. "We all have difficult jobs, we all work long and tough hours, and it's been an exciting challenge," said Perino, 36. "I know I had some big shoes to fill when I got here -- and I still only wear a size six." Watch Bush's farewell address » . And she wished President-elect Barack Obama's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, "all the very best." "Please go easy on him -- for a week," Perino joked with reporters. In the 80-year history of official White House press secretaries, only two women have been named to the job: Dee Dee Myers, who served former President Bill Clinton, and Perino. It's been 15 months since Bush named Perino to succeed Tony Snow, who later died of colon cancer, as White House press secretary. View key moments in the Bush presidency » . "It was about two weeks into the job when I realized that I am never going to be like Tony Snow," Perino said. Her first goal was to make briefings less heated. She still pushed back, but chose her confrontations carefully. "If I was testy all the time as a woman in this position, I can only imagine what people would have said about me, so there is a delicate balance, I think, in this position." During her time behind the White House podium, Perino sparred almost daily with the media on a number of contentious issues, including the president's decision to "surge" troops into Iraq. Perino said there are some things that she would have done differently. "I'm sure that I'll have lots," she said Friday when asked if she had any regrets. "I'm going to go on a six-week trip with my husband, and I'm sure there will be long-enough flights for me to think about all the things we could have done better. View iconic images from Bush's time in the White House » . "Any press secretary always wants to be more proactive, but news happens all over the world," Perino said. "And now with the 24/7 news cycle, in many ways, sometimes, you feel like you're just trying to keep up with that." "That's not a regret or a disappointment. It's just a fact of life," she added. As she begins to look beyond her years in the West Wing, Perino, a native of Wyoming who was raised in Colorado, says she is looking forward to spending more time in her own neighborhood in Washington with her husband, Peter McMahon, and their dog, a Hungarian Vizsla named Henry. Watch Perino prepare for life after the White House » . She is also looking forward to sleeping in. When asked what she will miss the least from her time in the White House, Perino said, "Absolutely has to be getting up at 4 o'clock in the morning. "I don't mind working long hours, I don't mind working hard, but getting up when the four is still on the clock is something I hope I never have to do again unless I'm catching a flight to some exotic location," she said. After January 20, Perino does plan to take a vacation -- which she says will include volunteer work for President Bush's HIV/AIDS relief program in Africa. CNN's Elaine Quijano and Scott J. Anderson contributed to this report.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino gave last news briefing Friday . Perino, 36, succeeded Tony Snow, is only second woman to hold post . Perino plans six-week vacation, will volunteer with HIV/AIDS relief program in Africa .

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(CNN) -- Pop star Madonna and her adopted son met with the young boy's biological father in Malawi as the singer awaited a court decision on whether she could adopt a girl from the same country, her publicist said Tuesday. Madonna holds her adopted Malawian son, David Banda, in 2007. Liz Rosenberg said in a statement that Madonna and her son David met Monday with David's birth father, Yohanne Banda, for the first time since the young boy was adopted in 2006. "Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with David's Malawian roots," Rosenberg said. The publicist also confirmed, in the first public acknowledgment of what has been reported for weeks, that Madonna has filed an application "to adopt Mercy James, a 3-year-old girl Madonna met two years ago in an orphanage that she visited." A spokeswoman for Malawi's attorney general told CNN that the singer appeared Monday in court in that country, one of the poorest nations in the world, for a hearing on whether she would be allowed to adopt the girl. Madonna is to return to court Friday to hear the judge's decision in the matter, spokeswoman Zione Ntaba said. The child's family will have to give their permission for the adoption to proceed, according to Martin Geissler, a reporter for the ITN television network who is in Malawi. Madonna has been involved with Malawi for several years. She made a documentary, "I Am Because We Are," which highlighted poverty, AIDS and other diseases devastating that country's children. She also helps run a nonprofit, Raising Malawi, which implements initiatives to help the needy in the southeastern African nation.

David Banda reunited with dad for first time since his adoption . Publicist confirms singer's application to adopt Mercy James . Judge will rule on whether adoption can go forward Friday .

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(CNN) -- Fifteen employees were fired for improperly accessing medical records of Nadya Suleman, the mother of octuplets, a Kaiser Permanente spokesman said Monday. Nadya Suleman has been the subject of much curiosity since she gave birth to octuplets. "We always provide training on the importance of patient privacy and confidentiality," said Jim Anderson, the hospital spokesman. "We knew from the time she (Nadya Suleman) was admitted to the hospital in December, this case would attract attention. "Numerous training sessions were held to remind people of the need to keep the information confidential." Eight other employees of the Bellflower, California hospital were disciplined for accessing Suleman's files, Anderson said. Anderson said there's no indication that any of the information was distributed outside the hospital to the media. Suleman, a resident La Habra, California, and already a single mother with six young children, gave birth to the octuplets through in-vitro fertilization, fueling controversy. News of her collecting public assistance for some of her children also outraged many taxpayers.

Eight other employees disciplined for accessing Nadya Suleman's files . Kaiser Permanente says training was given emphasizing privacy issues . Spokesman: There's no indication any information was distributed outside hospital . Suleman was mother of six when she gave birth to octuplets .

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(CNN) -- A mass grave unearthed Tuesday in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, is believed to contain bodies from an epidemic of yellow fever that swept the city in the 1870s, police said. Two buildings from the 1940s were torn down at the site, and maintenance workers grading the land in preparation for the construction of a new building uncovered the remains, said Montgomery police spokesman Maj. Huey Thornton. The site is adjacent to a cemetery, he said, and "based on the information we have from historical documents kept by the actual cemetery ... it does appear that it may be remains from a yellow fever epidemic in the 1870s." Officials from the Alabama Archaeological Society and the Alabama Historical Association were at the site and are expected to be able to confirm that, he said. It was not immediately known how many bodies might be buried at the site, Thornton said, but authorities are reassuring the public there is no cause for concern. The remains are clearly too old to suggest any recent activity, he said. According to an article posted online by the Mississippi Project of the American Local History Network, an extensive outbreak of yellow fever occurred in 1878, spreading across eight states but particularly affecting Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Some 16,000 people died from the disease that year alone, according to the article.

The mass grave was unearthed Tuesday in downtown Montgomery, Alabama . Workers preparing land for construction of a new building uncovered the remains . Historical records indicate bodies could be from yellow fever outbreak . It was not immediately known how many bodies might be buried at the site .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Key members of Congress from both parties want NASA's internal watchdog fired, arguing he can't be trusted to oversee the $1 billion in additional money the space agency is getting under the Obama administration's economic stimulus package. Lawmakers say NASA's inspector general cannot be trusted and must go. Government reports dating back to 2006 have accused NASA Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb of ineffectiveness, of profanely berating employees and being too close to the agency's leadership. Calls for his ouster have intensified in the past month, since NASA is getting additional stimulus money for space exploration, research, and aeronautics. "Apparently, Mr. Cobb thought he was supposed to be the lap dog, rather than the watchdog, of NASA," Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tennessee, told CNN. Gordon, chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, has asked President Obama to remove Cobb. In a letter co-authored by Rep. Brad Miller, D-North Carolina, who leads the House Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, the lawmakers argue that "NASA cannot afford another four years with an ineffective inspector general." Watch NASA watchdog under fire » . "It's incredibly ironic for members of Congress who have scolded the inspector general for lousy oversight to dump a billion dollars into the agency," said Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog group that monitors government spending. "The first thing you do when you're digging a hole is to stop digging. Congress doesn't seem to get that message." Cobb declined two requests from CNN to respond to the complaints. In December 2008, the Government Accountability Office released a report that criticized how Cobb was running the inspector general's office. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, "found that Mr. Cobb is one of the least productive IGs in the federal government," Gordon and Miller wrote. "His monetary accomplishments reflect a return of just 36 cents for every dollar budgeted for his office. This compares with an average of $9.49 returned for every dollar spent on other IGs' offices. The main reason for this failure is that NASA's audit operation is not working." Gordon told CNN that Cobb's "own peers said he wasn't doing his job, that he didn't understand the audit process and that he was not carrying out the investigation process. As a matter of fact, he was slowing it down, or even stopping it." And Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, agreed that Cobb must be replaced. "Inspectors general are the first line of defense against the waste of taxpayers' money," Grassley told CNN. "And, if he's not doing his job, and you stick another billion dollars into it, then you just know there's another billion dollars that there could be a lot of waste of it." A 2006 investigation by a presidential integrity council found Cobb "engaged in abuse of authority" and had a "close relationship" with former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe that "compromised" his independence. The two played golf together and took official trips together on NASA aircraft. Read investigative integrity report (Warning: Report contains explicit language) The committee also found that Cobb "engaged in an abuse of authority" through his "habitual use of profanity," and recommended disciplinary action "up to and including removal," Gordon and Miller wrote. Cobb defended himself at a 2007 congressional hearing, arguing that he had upheld his oath of office. "At NASA, I have taken the responsibilities of office under the Inspector General Act seriously and without compromise to root out and prevent fraud, waste and abuse, and to promote the economy and efficiency of the agency," he said. "I've worked with NASA management in the manner contemplated by the Inspector General Act." But former staffers told the committee that Cobb created a disturbing work environment. "One of my early experiences with Mr. Cobb was so disturbing that I considered leaving the OIG almost immediately afterwards," said Debra Herzog, former deputy assistant inspector-general for investigations. "At a scheduled weekly meeting, Mr. Cobb, in front of his deputy and my supervisor, berated me concerning a word in a letter. In an ensuing monologue, loudly peppered with profanities, Mr. Cobb insulted and ridiculed me," Herzog recounted. Lance Carrington, the former assistant inspector general for investigations, told the panel that "in many investigative cases, Mr. Cobb appeared to have a lack of independence when NASA officials were subjects, or if arrest/search warrants were obtained for NASA facilities. Mr. Cobb would question every aspect of the cases and gave the appearance he wanted to derail them before agents were given adequate time to investigate the allegations." Gordon told CNN it's time for Cobb to go. "President Obama needs to replace Mr. Cobb as quickly as possible with someone who can do the job," he said.

Lawmakers say NASA watchdog can't be trusted to oversee $1B in stimulus funds . Government reports say NASA inspector general is too closely tied to the agency . IG Robert Cobb "thought he was supposed to be the lap dog," congressman says . Cobb declined two requests to speak with CNN for this report .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska has been "cleared" by the Justice Department's request to dismiss his federal corruption convictions and drop all charges against him, his lawyer said Wednesday. Former Sen. Ted Stevens, 85, of Alaska lost his re-election bid in November. Prosecutors accused Stevens of failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of "freebies" from an oilfield services company on Senate ethics forms. But in December, an unnamed FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense, and the Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss the charges against Stevens on Wednesday. "His name is cleared," Stevens' lawyer, Brendan Sullivan, told reporters. "He is innocent of the charges, as if they'd never been brought." Stevens, 85, lost his bid for a seventh full term in November after his conviction on seven counts of lying on Senate ethics forms. Sullivan said the Justice Department was forced to request the dismissal because of "extraordinary evidence of government corruption." Watch more on the dismissal of the case » . "Not only did the government fail to provide evidence to the defense that the law requires them to provide, but they created false testimony that they gave us and actually presented false testimony in the courtroom," he said. And one of Stevens' longtime friends, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, said Wednesday that Stevens was "screwed by our own Justice Department." In a statement issued Wednesday morning, Stevens thanked the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder for requesting that the charges be dropped. "I always knew that there would be a day when the cloud that surrounded me would be removed," Stevens said. "That day has finally come." U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has set a Tuesday hearing on the Justice Department's request to dismiss the case. Sullivan, who is not related to Stevens' lawyer, excoriated prosecutors during the trial and held the prosecution in contempt at one point. In December, two months after the guilty verdicts, the FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense and reported that someone with the government had had an inappropriate relationship with Bill Allen, an oil industry executive who was the government's key witness. In the motion it filed Wednesday, the Justice Department acknowledged that Stevens was not given access to notes taken by prosecutors during an April 2008 interview with Allen, the former chairman of an oilfield services company at the center of a corruption probe in Alaska. The notes show that responses by Allen, the prosecution's star witness, were inconsistent with testimony he gave against Stevens, and that information from the interview could have benefited Stevens at trial, the motion says. "In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said in a written statement. Hatch, a senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he called Stevens in Alaska on Wednesday and the former senator sounded "elated, as anyone would." "Here's a guy who gave better than 60 years' service to the country and was screwed -- screwed by our own Justice Department," Hatch said. But he praised Holder for "standing up and fixing this foul situation." "I think he's more than shown integrity and decency in this matter, and it's not an easy thing for him to do that," Hatch said. "He has, in looking at it, realized now what people like myself have been saying is 100 percent right." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, also commented on the Justice Department's request, saying, "Ted Stevens is 85 years old. He's already been punished enough. I'm satisfied." And in a statement Wednesday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said that Stevens "deserves to be very happy today. What a horrible thing he has endured. The blatant attempts by adversaries to destroy one's reputation, career and finances are an abuse of our well-guarded process and violate our God-given rights afforded in the Constitution. "It is a frightening thing to contemplate what we may be witnessing here -- the undermining of the political process through unscrupulous ploys and professional misconduct. Senator Stevens ... never gave up hope. It is unfortunate that, as a result of the questionable proceedings which led to Senator Stevens' conviction days before the election, Alaskans lost an esteemed statesman on Capitol Hill. His presence is missed." The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility will review the prosecution team's conduct in Stevens' case, Holder said. Asked whether the prosecutors should be charged themselves, Sullivan told reporters, "That is not my job. I'm a defense lawyer." During the trial, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich said Stevens hid "hundreds of thousands of dollars of freebies" he received from Allen's company, VECO, and from Allen himself. Many of the allegedly free services were given as part of the renovation of Stevens' Alaska home, prosecutors said. CNN's Terry Frieden, Paul Courson, Ted Barrett and Deb Krajnak contributed to this report.

NEW: Senate majority leader, Alaska governor back Justice Department action . Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch says Stevens was mistreated, praises attorney general . Defense attorney cites "extraordinary misconduct of government prosecutors" Ted Stevens: "I always knew that there would be a day" when justice would come .

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(CNN) -- If you happen to browse upon a news story that's too odd to be true Wednesday, hold your outrage and check the calendar. A Lebanese newspaper ran a caricature last year of two opposition leaders hugging in light of April Fools' Day. It's April Fools' Day -- when media outlets around the world take a break from the serious business of delivering news and play fast and furious with the facts. No one quite knows when the practice began, but any journalist will point to what is undoubtedly the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled: A 1957 BBC report that said, thanks to a mild winter and the elimination of the spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. The segment was accompanied by pictures of farmers pulling strands of spaghetti from trees -- and prompted hundreds of viewers to call in, wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. While not as elaborate, the pranks that media outlets harvested this year have been quite rich: . The Guardian in London ran a story Wednesday announcing that, after 188 years as a print publication, it will become the first newspaper to deliver news exclusively via Twitter. Twitter, a micro-blogging site, allows users to post updates that are 140 characters long. In keeping with the limitation, the newspaper said it had undertaken a mammoth project to retool the newspaper's entire archive. For example, Charles Lindbergh's 1927 flight from New York to Paris, France, was condensed to: "OMG first successful transatlantic air flight wow, pretty cool! Boring day otherwise ... sigh." The news isn't always black and white. The Taipei Times, one of three English-language dailies in Taiwan, fooled many readers with a report that two pandas donated by China to the Taipei Zoo were, in fact, brown forest bears dyed black and white. To render a whiff of authenticity to the story, editors made a reference to China's tainted-milk scandal that sickened 300,000 people last year. But the story contained enough outrageous lines to clue in readers. Among them, a quote from a souvenir stand operator who worried the panda deception would affect sales of her "stuffed panda toys, panda T-shirts, panda pens and notepads, remote-controlled pandas on wheels, caps with panda ears on top, panda fans, panda flashlights, panda mugs, panda eyeglass cases, panda face masks, panda slippers, panda wallet and panda purses." Sometimes, of course, the pranks backfire. In Australia, the Herald Sun newspaper drew hundreds of angry comments Wednesday after a story on its Web site said a Chinese construction firm wanted to buy naming rights to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Many readers did not realize the story was a hoax -- despite a quote from a spokeswoman named April Fulton. iReport.com: Share your best April Fools' office pranks and jokes . Geoffrey Davies, the head of the journalism department at London's University of Westminster, said such pranks do not particularly affect the credibility of a news organization. "They are done in a way that you know it's a joke," he said. "In the Guardian story, for example, the clue is in the name of the journalist [Rio Palof] -- which is an anagram for April Fool. People look out for them really, and therefore, you kind of open the paper trying to spot the spoof story." Of course, news outlets aren't the only ones who hoodwink readers on April 1. The town of Rotorua, a popular tourist stop in New Zealand, said a rotten egg smell that permeates the town is such an aphrodisiac that Playboy founder Hugh Hefner wants to build a mansion there. Microsoft Corp. said it is releasing a new Xbox 360 video game, "Alpine Legend," which will do for fans of yodeling what "Guitar Hero" did for rock music. And car manufacturer BMW announced in ads in British newspapers that it had developed "Magnetic Tow Technology." "BMW Magnetic Tow Technology is an ingenious new system that locks on to the car in front via an enhanced magnetic beam," the ad said. "Once your BMW is attached you are free to release your foot from the accelerator and turn off your engine." Steve Price, features editor of the Taipei Times, said such hoaxes are not only good for a laugh but serve a purpose. "It highlights an important aspect of media that readers and viewers should keep a critical mind when they read stories or watch TV," he said. "I think that is especially true with the advent of the Internet and the proliferation of blogging." The origins of pulling pranks on April Fools' Day is unclear. Some believe it dates back to the time when the Gregorian calendar was first adopted, changing the beginning of the year to January 1 from April 1. Those who still held on to the Julian calendar were referred to as "April Fools." Traditionally, the pranks are pulled before noon on this day. But a wildly successful prank this year was conceived and executed much earlier. Millions of Web users fell for a video that claimed to be the first flying five-star hotel in a converted Soviet-era helicopter. The 37-second clip, which was posted online Thursday, was an elaborate computer-generated hoax by the airport hotel chain Yotel. If you were one of the many who fell for the prank, hold your disappointment. You can still reserve rooms on the moon through Hotels.com or book flights to Mars through Expedia.com for $99. But hurry. The offers end Wednesday.

If a news item seems especially outrageous on April 1, it just may be a hoax . Among the good ones already: The Guardian reportedly switches to Twitter format . Taipei Times editor says, "Readers and viewers should keep a critical mind"

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(CNN) -- There is one holiday destination that should shake the faith of even the most vehement climate change skeptic: the Carteret Islands, part of Papua New Guinea, located northeast of Bougainville. The Carteret Islands are just one of a number of places already feeling the effects of climate change. The palm trees sway gently under a balmy sun, the beaches are perfect, and stretched out as far as the eye can see is the wide blue of the Pacific Ocean. The only problem with this idyllic scene is that the water is getting closer; slowly but surely, as global warming bites and sea levels rise, the islands are being swallowed up, leaving the few hundred inhabitants pondering an uncertain future. "King tides and sea surges are floodling the island to a knee high and it is difficult for the salt water to dry up," says Ursula Rakova, a Carteret islander and campaigner. "Fruit trees and nut trees have lost their leaves and only skeleton branches are left standing. The only greenery is from coconut and sago palms... People have no garden food to feed on... We have lost more than 60 percent of our land already." The problem is that on the Carteret Islands, a horseshoe shaped scatter of small islands around a central lagoon, nowhere is more than 1.2 meters above sea level. If anywhere was the canary in the mine forewarning us of the disaster predicted in low lying areas of the world if runaway climate change takes hold, it's right here. Rakova says there is a growing dependency culture on the island as people rely on international aid for food, which is destroying the social and cultural fabric of the Carterets. "This is a state of emergency," she says. "Why are the rich nations ignoring the fate of the Carterets Islanders? Are the rich nations waiting for the islanders to float before they can act and put money where their mouths are in terms of human rights?" It's a cruel irony that the people with some of the lowest carbon footprints are already paying the price for the emissions of far richer countries, and are forced to leave their homes for an uncertain future. But the Carteret Islanders aren't alone. Environmentalists point to Inuit communities threatened by melting ice in Greenland, and those living around the fast-shrinking Lake Chad in Africa, as among many already feeling the effects. Watch the effects of warming temperatures on Arctic ice » . "The issue of environmental refugees promises to rank as one of the foremost human crises or our time," says British environmentalist and Oxford University professor Norman Myers, who has published extensively on the subject. A report by Friends of the Earth in 2007 identified communities all over the world, from Brazil and Honduras, to Malaysia, Mali, Peru and even the UK, that were directly under threat from a mix of drought, rising sea levels, other extreme weather and disease. Climate refugees: Causing controversy . As much of the primary research on our future climate looks increasingly gloomy -- and privately some scientists will make far blacker predictions than they publish - the world seems faced with a growing challenge. Experts at the climate change conference in Copenhagen in March issued a stark warning when they revised up the scale of projected sea level rises, saying many coastal areas around the world could be completely inundated by 2100. "It is now clear that there are going to be massive flooding disasters around the globe," said Dr David Vaughan, of the British Antarctic Survey, in Copenhagen. As well as low-lying areas of Bangladesh and the Maldives, the scientists warned that the Netherlands could face catastrophic floods, and large areas of Florida and the UK, including the Thames Estuary, may disappear under the waves. But despite the threat of widespread future problems -- and the reality of life for the Carteret Islanders now - the term "environmental refugees" remains controversial. Some NGOs, such as Greenpeace, have spoken in terms of 150 million displaced people being driven from their homes by 2050 as climate change makes their lives impossible. Their figures are backed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Other groups, notably the Norwegian Refugee Council, have urged caution and said such quantities are impossible to verify, even suggesting that they could play into the hands of right wing groups keen to create a fear of a tide of immigration. "Because one cannot completely isolate climate change as a cause however, it is difficult, if not impossible to stipulate any numbers," the NRC writes in the 2008 report, Future Flood of Refugees. But while the controversy rages, some experts warn the needs of people such as the Carteret Islanders are being ignored. As the numbers of similar soon-to-be refugees looks likely to grow exponentially, the world needs to wake up to the problem and decide fast how to deal with it. "There is no legal recognition of people displaced by environmental causes and no international treaty protecting them," says Stephanie Long, Climate Coordinator at Friends of the Earth International. Meanwhile back on the Carteret Islanders time is running out and an entire cultural group needs relocating because of rising seas. By 2015 Friends of the Earth International estimate the islands will be largely uninhabitable. Islanders have tried to fight the sea by planting mangroves and building walls, but storm surges and high tides continue to destroy homes and crops, and contaminate fresh water. Since 2007 the slow process of evacuation has been ongoing. Not for the first time, a quiet, remote group of people seem to be slipping through the fingers of the global community. It is unlikely they will be the last. "I wish that the people causing the melting of the icecaps would do something to help us stay in our homes," says John Sailik from Han Island, Carterets. "Because we love living on our little island."

Carteret Islands of Papua New Guinea losing land to rising sea levels . Evacuation of islanders planned; number of environmental refugees predicted to rise . From Greenland to Lake Chad many areas feeling negative effects of climate change . Many groups warn of caution when using term 'climate refugee'

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(CNN) -- North Korea accused the United States and South Korea of sending spy planes on about 200 missions near the isolated communist nation ahead of a North Korea rocket launch scheduled for early April. Pyongyang claims reconnaissance aircraft, including the high-altitude U-2 spy plane, have flown spy missions. "The U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppet military warmongers perpetrated intensive aerial espionage against the DPRK (North Korea) in March by massively mobilizing strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes with various missions," a military source said, according to a report from North Korea's state-run news service, KCNA, on Tuesday. Pyongyang said the United States committed 110 cases of "aerial espionage and the South Korean puppet forces at least 80 cases," during March, KCNA reported. The source said the missions utilized six types of reconnaissance aircraft, including the high-altitude U-2 spy plane. "The U.S. imperialist warmongers had better bear in mind that ... spy planes perpetrating espionage against the DPRK are within the range of its strikes." The Pentagon was not immediately available to comment on the story. The North Korean government says it will launch a commercial satellite atop a rocket sometime between April 4 and April 8. Satellite imagery taken on Sunday appears to show a rocket at the Musudan-ri launch site in northeastern North Korea. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday there is little doubt that the planned rocket launch is designed to bolster North Korea's military capability. He also indicated that the U.S. military could be prepared to shoot down a North Korean missile if the rogue regime develops the capability to reach Hawaii or the western continental United States in a future launch. Watch analysis of Pyongyang's planned rocket launch » . Both the United States and Japan have mobilized missile defense systems ahead of the launch. North Korea has threatened to start a war if Japan were to shoot down its rocket. Tokyo said the move is aimed at shooting down any debris from the launch that might fall into Japanese territory. U.S. Navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles have been moved to the Sea of Japan, a Navy spokesman said. The United States generally has a number of ships equipped with powerful Aegis radar in the Sea of Japan because of North Korean threats to launch rockets. The ships are designed to track and, if needed, shoot down ballistic missiles. The United States has no plans to shoot down the North Korean rocket, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week, but will raise the issue with the U.N. Security Council if Pyongyang carries out a launch.

North Korea claims it detected about 200 spy plane missions near it . Claim comes ahead of North Korea's launch of a rocket scheduled for early April . Pyongyang warned that spy planes are within the range of its strikes . U.S. has little doubt rocket launch is designed to bolster N. Korea's military capability .

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(CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI refused Wednesday to soften the Vatican's ban on condom use as he arrived in Africa for his first visit to the continent as pope. Cameroonian President Paul Biya, left, walks with Pope Benedict XVI at the airport in Yaounde, Tuesday. He landed in Cameroon, the first stop on a trip that will also take him to Angola. Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by AIDS and HIV than any other region of the world, according to the United Nations and World Health Organization. There has been fierce debate between those who advocate the use of condoms to help stop the spread of the epidemic and those who oppose it. The pontiff reiterated the Vatican's policy on condom use as he flew from Rome to Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, CNN Vatican analyst John Allen said. Pope Benedict has always made it clear he intends to uphold the traditional Catholic teaching on artificial contraception -- a "clear moral prohibition" -- Allen said. But his remarks Tuesday were among the first times he stated the policy explicitly since he became pope nearly four years ago. He has, however, assembled a panel of scientists and theologians to consider the narrow question of whether to allow condoms for married couples, one of whom has HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. It is still not clear how the pope will rule on the matter, said Allen, who is also a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. The Catholic Church has long been on the front line of HIV care, he said, adding that it is probably the largest private provider of HIV care in the world. More than 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV, according to a 2008 UNAIDS/WHO report. Nine out of 10 children with HIV in the world live in the region, which has 11.4 million orphans because of AIDS, the report said, and 1.5 million people there died of the disease in 2007.

Pope Benedict XVI refuses to soften the Vatican's ban on condom use . He made comments as he arrived in Africa for his first visit to the continent as pope . He is visiting Cameroon, the first stop on a trip that will also take him to Angola . Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by AIDS and HIV than any other region .

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(CNN) -- A baby ape born in the UK is settling into a new life in a German zoo after flying from Birmingham to Frankfurt -- monkey business class. Bili the bonobo is to be fostered by an ape at Frankfurt Zoo. The three-month old male bonobo -- who is to be fostered by a family of German apes after being rejected by his natural mother -- was considered too young and too fragile to travel cargo class, a spokeswoman for the UK's Twycross Zoo told CNN. Instead, the tiny ape named Bili checked in for the Lufthansa flight with special travel documents -- including a fake passport in the name of "Bili the Bonobo" -- before taking a seat in the cabin alongside a handler from Frankfurt Zoo, who had flown over to accompany him on his unusual journey. "He was with his keeper all the way to make him feel more comfortable and relaxed, rather than being in a crate," said spokeswoman Kim Riley. "I just wish I'd been there to see the other passengers' faces." Bonobos, which originate from the Democratic Republic of Congo, are considered particularly intelligent primates. They are the human species' closest relation in the animal world, sharing 99.6 percent of our DNA. Bili was rejected by his mother after falling ill shortly after his birth and has required extensive nursing and medical care. Zookeepers in Frankfurt hope he can bond with an adult female bonobo which has been trained to assist with hand rearing babies. The zoo's bonobo community will also play and interact with Bili, helping him to acquire social skills. Bili will spend 30 days in quarantine at the zoo before being introduced to his new family, Riley said.

Baby bonobo ape takes flight from UK to Germany to start new life in Frankfurt . Three-month-old was rejected by natural mother after falling ill following birth . Frankfurt Zoo has an adult female bonobo trained to assist with rearing babies . Bili will spend 30 days in quarantine before meeting new family .

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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- North Korea, formally called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is also known as the Hermit Kingdom for a good reason. Chinese border guards patrol in Jilin province across from the North Korean border on March 21, 2009. For decades, it has been shrouded by a veil of secrecy that has prevented us from better understanding this important nation. As journalists we seek out the realities of life there, beyond the myths and hype, but that is difficult because the DPRK is generally inaccessible to journalists. The gap between reality and illusion remains profound. Journalists, such as the two Americans being detained in North Korea, do travel to the border between China and North Korea to get a sense of what life is like in the isolated nation of 22 million people. The circumstances surrounding the journalists' arrest are still unclear. "North Korea is such a difficult country to enter for a foreign reporter that the temptation to slip across the frozen river border is considerable," said former CNN correspondent Mike Chinoy, author of "Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis." "If that's what they did, however, it was extremely foolhardy and really pushing their luck." China and North Korea share a 1,415-kilometer (880-mile) border that mainly follows two rivers. The Yalu River defines the border on the northwest, the Tumen River on the northeast. By land, the two countries are linked by seven road crossings and four railway points. Over the years, I have visited three towns on the Chinese side of the border. From a narrow river crossing at the border town of Tumen, Koreans cross on foot and in trucks. Those going back into North Korea carry bags full of food and household wares, even bicycles. Some of those coming into China ferry logs and minerals. From across the Yalu River in China's Dandong City in October of 2006, I had a glimpse of Sinuiju, a North Korean border town of some 350,000 people. Using a long camera lens, I saw school children learn to roller skate, and residents celebrating what looked like a wedding. Still the city's decrepit appearance hinted at stagnation and isolation. It was a stark contrast from the Chinese city, which was ablaze in neon lights and a bustling commerce and trade. North Korea's public face is one of smiling children, clean streets, manicured gardens, spectacular scenery and a stoic people united under the aegis of Kim Jong Il, known among Koreans as the "Dear Leader." I saw it up close twice, in 1996 and 2002, when I had the chance to visit the most reclusive nation on earth. We were typically greeted by polite officials and smiling children and invited to watch spectacular performances with a cast of thousands. North Korea, however, remains isolated, diplomatically and economically, led by an erratic leadership that behaves out of fear and insecurity. Diplomatic sources in Beijing suggest that China is getting fed up with North Korea's inability to preserve social stability and with its erratic behavior in the multi-national efforts to deal with North Korea's nuclear program. Publicly, however, China sticks to the official line, often calling the two nations' ties as close as "lips and teeth" -- one cannot function without the other. In my two visits to North Korea, I have detected conflicting signs -- one, of social instability and another of a tentative desire to experiment with reforms. In 2002, the government tolerated some quasi-private businesses, raised civil servants' salaries and deregulated prices of some commodities. But much of these tentative efforts to change seem to have been aborted and the country remains isolated and poor. What emerges is a nation, now considered a nuclear threat, desperately seeking respect and economic aid. That picture is now intertwined with the two detained U.S. journalists, Chinoy said. "It will be interesting to see how the case is handled. North Korea has been in a generally more bellicose mood lately," said Chinoy, who is currently a senior fellow at the Pacific Council on International Policy. "The concern is that this incident could get caught up in the bigger picture of heightened tension between the north and the U.S. and the north and south. If it is not swiftly resolved, it will add to the complexity of the situation facing [U.S. President Barack] Obama, where he is under pressure from Seoul, Tokyo and some in Washington to get tough, while trying to find a way to get diplomacy with the North going again." In recent years, waves of North Korean refugees have fled into China seeking food, jobs and freedom. In the border cities of Tumen, Yanji and Dandong, these refugees tell of misery and persecution. They live under the protection of relatives, friends and human rights activists. Here, people speak of a Korean "underground railways" -- a network that smuggles desperate people across the border and eventually out of China. China is struggling to keep out the hundreds of North Korean immigrants and refugees, but stopping the exodus remains a tall order. A fundamental solution, analysts suggest, lies not in China but in North Korea, where many people are running away from humanitarian disasters and political persecution.

Secretive and closed off for decades, North Korea is known as the Hermit Kingdom . By land, China and North Korea are linked by 7 road crossings and 4 railway points . In recent years, N. Korean refugees have fled into China seeking food, jobs, freedom . Tentative reforms have been aborted and North Korea remains isolated and poor .

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(CNN) -- Venice has suffered its worst flooding in 22 years, leaving some parts of the historic Italian city neck-deep in water, reports said Monday. A woman wades through high waters in Venice's Piazza San Marco. Water burst the banks of the coastal city's famed canals, leaving the landmark Piazza San Marco -- St Mark's Square -- under almost a meter of water at one point, news agency ANSA reported. Strong winds pushed waters to a high of 1.56 meters (5 feet 2 inches) at 10:45 a.m. local time, prompting the city government to issue warnings to the public, the agency said. The flood level began to drop soon afterwards, prompted by a change in the direction of the wind. Previous highs include 1.58 meters in 1986 and 1.66 meters in 1979, the news agency said. Watch more about the flooding » . Photographs showed people wading through inundated piazzas and waves lapping over waterside cafe tables. Venice, built around a network of canals and small islands, has for years been trying to tackle the problem of floods that have regularly blighted the city. In 2007, the United Nations cultural organization UNESCO warned Venice -- a designated World Heritage Site -- is under threat from rising sea levels caused by climate change. See pictures of Venetians wading through flood waters. » . It said that unless the problem is tackled, Venice could be flooded daily and water levels would permanently rise by 54 centimeters in the city by the year 2100.

Venice reportedly suffering one of its worst floods in 22 years . Landmark Piazza San Marco under almost a meter of water at one point . UNESCO has warned Venice at risk of high waters caused by climate change .

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(CNN) -- Donna Zovko will have to wait to travel to Falluja to see where her son died in one of the Iraq war's most infamous attacks. Clockwise from upper left: Wesley Batalona, Mike Teague, Scott Helvenston, Jerry Zovko . "My dream was to go for the fifth anniversary, and that didn't come true," Zovko said this week while visiting friends in Boston, Massachusetts. "It's not that I'm afraid for me. But people with me on the trip would be in more danger." Tuesday marks five years since her son Jerry Zovko and three other civilian employees of the Blackwater private security firm were ambushed in Falluja on March 31, 2004. Gunmen attacked vehicles holding Zovko, Mike Teague, Wesley Batalona and Scott Helvenston and set the vehicles on fire. Shocking images beamed around the world showed Iraqis celebrating in front of charred bodies strung up on a bridge over the Euphrates River. The remains were dragged through the streets. Donna Zovko honors her son » . "I didn't realize until way after the incident that he had been decapitated," said Helvenston's mother, Katy Helvenston-Wettengel, from her Florida home. "They cut his heart out. How can anybody be that hateful?" To identify his body, she said, investigators had to gather DNA samples from her son's children. A half-decade after the notorious attack, memories of the gruesome images have faded somewhat from the public eye, as the United States plans to reduce troop numbers in Iraq and a wrongful death suit brought by the four families heads to court-ordered arbitration. The families accuse Blackwater of failing to prepare the men for their mission that day. A 2007 House oversight committee report concluded that Blackwater "ignored multiple warnings about the dangers" and failed to supply armored vehicles, machine guns, sufficient intelligence or even a map. Blackwater responded by saying the experienced military veterans on the team "had all of the resources they needed" and were victims of a "well-planned ambush." In the days after the attack, Blackwater was largely silent beyond a statement that said, "We grieve today for the loss of our colleagues and we pray for their families." But the families said they ran into a stone wall trying to get details of what happened in Falluja. "For the next three months, they never returned my calls," Helvenston's mother said. "Our families were destroyed. We will never be the same." For Zovko, the suit is not about money or punishment. "I want to hear the truth," she said. "I want to know what my Jerry was doing before the mission. Why they didn't they have the maps? I want to know who he spoke to last." What makes this anniversary different from past years, she said, was an encounter this month in Boston with an Iraqi who claimed that he was at the scene of the attack shortly after the massacre. He offered Zovko new alleged details of the attack, which she says brought her comfort. The Iraqi man, whom she wouldn't identify, told her that the attackers did not appear to be targeting the motorcade containing her son and his three comrades. "We used to think maybe the attack was done on purpose," she said. The news made her feel like "I was lifted into the air," she said. "For me, it was good. I miss my Jerry more today than yesterday." The gruesome attack put the little-known North Carolina-based security company into the American lexicon and on the world stage. It also changed the course of the war. The House report called it a "turning point in public opinion about the war," which led to the first major U.S. offensive in Falluja. The fighting lasted three weeks, killing 36 U.S. service members, about 200 insurgents and an estimated 600 Iraqi civilians, according to the report. In the ensuing years, Blackwater and other private security firms in Iraq received hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. government contracts. Tactics used by the private security firms sometimes created ill will among Iraqis and Blackwater in particular was criticized, even by some in the U.S. military, for its allegedly reckless use of deadly force. Erik Prince, Blackwater's founder and former CEO, dismissed such allegations as "baseless" after his company was criticized by the Iraqi government for an incident in which its guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians and wounded others while protecting a U.S. State Department convoy in Baghdad on September 16, 2007. "To the extent there was the loss of innocent life, let me be clear that I consider that tragic," Prince said, adding that the Blackwater team "acted appropriately while operating in a very complex war zone" that day. Five ex-Blackwater security guards pleaded not guilty in January to charges of voluntary manslaughter stemming from their involvement in the shootings. A sixth pleaded guilty to voluntary and attempted manslaughter. That same month, the Iraqi government refused to grant the firm an operating license, and the U.S. State Department announced that it will not renew its contract. In the two months since the exit of the Bush administration, Prince has stepped down as CEO and brought in a new leadership team. The company has changed its name to Xe, but Prince is still chairman. "I think Blackwater's been punished enough," Zovko said, "but they will be punished more. It's time our government makes some rules and regulations about what civilian contractors can do in their wars." This week, Xe released a brief statement to CNN about the Falluja killings, saying the "sacrifices of these brave men have not been forgotten. On the five-year anniversary of their death, the company continues to mourn their loss. Our thoughts remain with their families and loved ones." Prince's promise . Both mothers seem to be making a conscious effort to control their anger five years on. "I refuse to hate, but if I were gonna hate anybody, it would be Blackwater and Erik Prince," Helvenston-Wettengel said. "I want Blackwater exposed for who they are, and I want them out of business." Zovko said she relies on her Catholic faith to control her anger. In 2007, Prince told CNN he would be willing to meet with Zovko, but 16 months later, no such meeting has taken place. "He hasn't honored his promise, but I believe he will," Zovko said. "Sometimes I think he doesn't have a heart, but he really does." Zovko said she wants to ask Prince, "Where are my Jerry's three suitcases with personal things that I have never received?" Also, she said Prince promised to invite Zovko to Blackwater's headquarters in North Carolina to see memorial stones and trees that were planted honoring the victims. "That hasn't happened," Zovko said. Helvenston-Wettengel also said she'd like to meet with Prince. "I'd like to look him in the eye, yeah. I'd say, 'How can you live with yourself?' " CNN sought a response from Prince about his promised meeting with Zovko. Company spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said Prince had tried to meet with Zovko in early 2008 but was unable to "due to scheduling conflicts." Both mothers' sons went to Iraq after careers in the U.S. military. Jerry Zovko, a former Army Ranger, had gone as a security contractor to train Iraqi soldiers. When that contract ended in late 2003, he signed on with a different company, Blackwater, according to his mother. For Scott Helvenston, Iraq was just the final chapter of a colorful career for the former Navy SEAL, a life that included a job as a stuntman and consultant for Hollywood films. On the set of 1997's "G.I. Jane," shot in Jacksonville, Florida, Helvenston put Demi Moore through a rigorous training program, his mother said, even managing to grab a small role as an extra. A divorced father of two, Helvenston told his mother he would return from Iraq in two months, she said. "He was going to go over there and make a bunch of money and come back and give it to his ex-wife," she said. Zovko and Helvenston-Wettengel have become close friends in the years since the tragedy, but on this anniversary, the two mothers will not be together to share their support and grief with each other. "Traveling is getting to be troublesome for us both," said Zovko, who plans to remain near her home in Bratenahl, Ohio, to attend morning and evening masses at Cleveland's St. Paul Croatian Church. Helvenston-Wettengel also said she plans to attend church Tuesday in her hometown of Leesburg, Florida. Legal setbacks . As for the families' wrongful death lawsuit against Blackwater, a federal judge in 2007 ordered that the case be taken out of the courts to be decided by a three-member arbitration panel. Senior U.S. District Judge James Fox sent the case to arbitration based on Blackwater's argument that the four victims had signed an agreement not to sue the company. A hearing is set for June 23. In court, Blackwater had argued that it was immune to such a lawsuit because, as an extension of the military, it cannot be held responsible for deaths in a war zone. At this point, Zovko said, both sides are losers. "I lost my son, and Blackwater lost the dignity of the company they thought they were." Helvenston said she wants the whole thing to just end, but events keep dragging it out. "They won't let me let it go." CNN's Wayne Drash contributed to this report.

It's been five years since killings of four U.S. contractors in Falluja . Victim's mom: "I want Blackwater exposed and out of business" Blackwater, renamed Xe, says it "continues to mourn" the loss of the four men . Another mom: Both sides are losers in Blackwater suit .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has given a girl's parents the go-ahead to sue a Massachusetts school district over alleged sexual harassment by another student. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling allows a couple two avenues to pursue claims against their daughter's school district. The justices, in a unanimous ruling, allowed the plaintiffs two avenues to make their claims -- a 1972 law banning gender bias in education and a separate civil rights law enacted 138 years ago. Lisa and Robert Fitzgerald said their then-kindergartner daughter was forced by an older male student to lift her skirt or pull down her underwear. The parents alleged school officials ignored their concerns and refused to discipline the boy. Federal courts had been split over whether the newer law -- known as Title IX -- displaced any claims made under part of the 1871 civil rights law, called "Section 1983." The Fitzgeralds lost their initial Title IX claims and an appeals court blocked them from pursuing the other legal strategy. The ruling from the justices now gives the Fitzgeralds the right to continue their lawsuit against school officials. "We hold that Section 1983 suits based on the Equal Protection Clause remain available to plaintiffs alleging unconstitutional gender discrimination in schools," Justice Samuel Alito wrote. The plaintiffs allege the incidents happened on a school bus in Barnstable, Massachusetts, in the 2000-01 academic year. The child had told her parents that whenever she wore a dress, a third-grader would make her do things she did not want to do. After the mother complained to school officials, the boy denied the allegations. The principal, after interviewing other students and the bus driver, concluded she could not corroborate the girl's version of events. The principal suggested the girl be transferred to another bus as a possible solution. The Fitzgeralds said that amounted to punishing their daughter and said the boy was the one who should be transferred. The local police department also looked into the case but concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the boy. The parents began driving the girl to school and filed a lawsuit, claiming the schools system's response was inadequate. School officials denied wrongdoing and tried to limit the case to Title IX, which applies to public or private schools receiving federal aid. The law is credited, among other things, with helping bring equality in sports participation and funding for college women. "Our concern was that the school district just didn't take things as seriously as they should," said Charles Rothfeld, attorney for the Fitzgeralds. "They were frustrated by what they perceived as indifference by the school." Rothfeld said the school's behavior was "pretty egregious." Barnstable school officials did not respond to a request for comment. The case is Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Cmte. (07-1125).

Parents allege older boy sexually harassed daughter on school bus . Parents: School district ignored our concerns, refused to discipline the boy . U.S. Supreme Court: Parents can sue school district .

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(CNN) -- He performed to a watching audience of millions at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, but conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra has been the most nerve-wracking thing the American-Chinese pop star Wang Leehom has undertaken for some time. From the Olympics to holding the baton himself, Leehom has tackled a variety of projects. "I think I always throw myself in these impossible situations and then see if I can scramble out of them and gain something from these experiences," he told CNN during rehearsals for the December performances. "Standing in front of the orchestra was intimidating at times, but I think we got through it, and I think we made some exciting waves in town. We definitely got the crowd excited about it." Leehom has certainly made waves with his Mandarin-language pop music, having sold around 15 million records, but as his recent foray in classical music confirms, he's more than just another voice with an interesting haircut. Growing up in the U.S. to a family of doctors, he excelled at school but decided to take a different path to his parents. After shunning the opportunity to study at an Ivy League university, he spent some time at Williams College of liberal arts before getting his big break in pop in Taiwan in 1995. At that time he admits he knew nothing about Chinese music and didn't speak Mandarin. Learning Mandarin was just another challenge Leehom rose to meet and he believes that having Chinese as a second language has been to his advantage, and his interest in the linguistics of the language has led to some of his more innovative work. "I always think for artists to take their shortcomings and turn them around and make them into what define them as an artist is a real trick," he told CNN. "I think it's a wonderful thing for people to understand how language can be transformed and mutilated for musical reasons and actually bring out something special orally," he said. Musically he's often been put in the same box as Mando-pop sensation Jay Chou, and has similarly has been the subject of rumor about ever aspect of his life, from his school grades to his sexuality. Watch Wang Leehom talk about his rivalry with Jay Chou ». Adding his face to a number of endorsements, the pressures of being in the public eye have made him become increasingly protective of his privacy. "It's definitely changed me. It's like some defense mechanism I guess, to just be private, to keep things to myself, to protect myself or my loved ones. I am the same person, but just a different way of life," he said. However it hasn't stopped him from branching out and taking on an acting career. He made his big screen debut in 2000 in the Hong Kong action flick "China Strike", but it was his role in Ang Lee's international success "Lust, Caution" that brought him wider international attention. As for taking on new projects in the future, be they film, singing or even holding the baton once again, Leehom will stay true to his policy of challenging himself with different ventures. "Sometimes it gives me a lot of trouble, sometimes it ends up launching a career which has been very good for me," he said.

Wang Leehom is a multi-million-album selling American-Chinese pop star . Sings in Mandarin despite it being his second language . Has a successful acting career, appearing in Ang Lee's "Lust, caution" Web exclusive: Watch Wang Leehom talk about his rivalry with Jay Chou .

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BARCELONA, Spain (CNN) -- Cell phone makers Tuesday pledged to end one of modern life's chief frustrations --- and introduce a universal charger for handsets by 2012. An estimated 1.2 billion cell phones were sold in 2008, at least half of which were replacement handsets. The GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association), which represents more than 750 of the world's cell phone operators, made the announcement at its annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Tuesday. Under the scheme, phone makers have pledged that a majority of new handset models will include the universal charger by January 1 2012. The planned device will use a micro USB plug. Aside from bringing relief to drawers stuffed full of redundant chargers, the GSMA stressed that the new device would reduce raw materials. "The mobile industry has a pivotal role to play in tackling environmental issues and this programme is an important step that could lead to huge savings in resources, not to mention convenience for consumers," said Rob Conway, CEO and member of the board of the GSMA in a statement. Last year an estimated 1.2 billion cell phones were sold, according to University of Southern Queensland data reported by the GSMA, of which handsets accounted for between 50 and 80 per cent. That equates to between 51,000 and 82,000 tonnes of chargers. The GSMA hopes the initiative will slash the greenhouse gases that result from the manufacture and transport of chargers by 13.6 and 21.8 million tonnes each year. "There is enormous potential in mobile to help people live and work in an eco-friendly way and with the backing of some or the biggest names in the industry, this initiative will lead the way," Conway added. The GSMA says that companies which have signed up to the plan include 3 Group, AT&T, KTF, LG, mobilkom austria, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

The GSMA represents more than 750 of the world's cell-phone operators . Plan is that majority of new models will have micro-USB charger by January 2012 . An estimated 1.2 billion cell phones sold in 2008, at least half replacement handsets .

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(CNN) -- Those who were in AC Milan's San Siro stadium Saturday night for the Italian club's Serie A clash with Fiorentina say the atmosphere felt like a long "good bye." Kaka waves to supporters during Milan's match with Fiorentina on Saturday. As Kaka entered the pitch he took a long look around and then beat his fist on his chest -- a gesture commonly used by footballers to display their loyalty to supporters. Was he saying Milan will always be in his heart? Or was he simply giving everyone a heartfelt "saludo"? Kaka, Milan's Brazilian superstar and a former world footballer of the year, is reported to be the subject of a $150 million bid from super-rich English club Manchester City that would smash football's transfer word record. Milan's supporters are on Kaka's side, because they believe it is club officials who want to sell him. Silvio Berlusconi, no longer the club's president but the man in charge when it comes to make major decisions, said this week that it was difficult to ask someone who earns 10 million euros a year to turn down an offer of 15 million euros, adding "It's a difficult offer to refuse." Berlusconi is counting his own money. Italy's prime minister is also the country's richest man and he remains businessman at heart. He purchased Kaka in 2003 for $7.5 million (roughly 8 million euros at the time). Selling him on would generate a massive profit on his investment -- in cash and paid up front. Privately, most Milan supporters would probably agree with Berlusconi's reasoning. After all, when so much money is at stake, your head as much as your heart must decide, and the ball at this point is with Kaka rather than club officials. Still supporters displayed a mix of anger and sarcasm on Saturday evening. "Hands off Kaka" read one banner, while another said: "I thought the devil could not sell its soul, but I was wrong," referring to Milan's devil's head logo. "Berlusconi, Interista" read another one, referring to Inter, the city's other top team and AC Milan's archrivals. In a choreographed protest 30 minutes into Saturday's match, hundreds of supporters occupying a section of the central stand waved 50-euro notes towards AC Milan President Adriano Galliani, sitting just above them. Galliani didn't react, but perhaps thought to himself that the money wasn't even enough to pay Kaka's wages for a day. The 26-year-old will reportedly earn around $500,000 a week at Manchester City. Likewise, the 5,000 supporters who signed a petition to keep the Brazilian star in Milan would have to pay $100 a week each to match the offer. A single banner criticized the player. "I belong to money" it read, referring to the "I belong to Jesus" t-shirt Kaka has displayed occasionally after scoring a goal. The banner stayed up only a few minutes but then mysteriously disappeared. Even on this emotional evening at the San Siro there was no room for criticism of the fans' Brazilian hero. At the end of the game Kaka's teammates hugged him and he waved again towards the supporters. Was he saying goodbye to them -- or to a $150 million move to Manchester?

Milan fans express anger over Kaka's rumored $150M move to Manchester City . Fans wave banknotes at club officials, display "Hands off Kaka" banners . Brazilian waved to fans, beat chest with fist, at start and end of match . Milan have admitted 26-year-old could leave club in a world record deal .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama addressed Congress shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, but a casual viewer might have believed it was actually morning in America. President Obama takes a page from Ronald Reagan's playbook in his speech to Congress. "Morning in America" was the theme of Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign, and it was front and center in Obama's most critical event since Inauguration Day. The president who has pledged to reverse much of Reagan's economic revolution took a page from the 40th president's playbook in his 52-minute speech, striking a defiantly optimistic tone that belied the nation's sour mood and rebutted critics who have accused him of intentionally talking down the economy for short-term political gain. "Though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before," Obama declared to a thunderous round of applause from a packed House chamber. See video highlights of the speech, issue by issue » . Delivered against a backdrop of dismal economic news and with polls showing overwhelming majorities of Americans believing the country is on the wrong track, Obama's first speech to Congress amounted to a political tour de force. He proposed what many claim is a complete overhaul of the country's economic foundation while ripping his conservative predecessors for transferring "wealth to the wealthy" and gutting regulations "for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market." And he did it while employing some of Reagan's favorite rhetorical tools. Obama stuck to a fairly short list of priorities while invoking traditional American values of responsibility, hard work and thrift to pound home a back-to-basics message. iReport.com: 'Obama just replaced Reagan' "A generosity, a resilience, a decency and a determination that perseveres; a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity ... Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure," he said. It is time, he declared, to "summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit." Ideological differences aside, the nation's 44th president has made no secret of his admiration for his Republican predecessor. "Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not, and a way that Bill Clinton did not," Obama argued at the start of last year's Democratic primaries. Reagan, Obama said, knew that Americans "want clarity. We want optimism. We want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that [has] been missing." Tuesday night's speech featured all of those elements. "The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist ... in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth," Obama said. What did you think of the speech? Rate it through our CNN report card » . The president's agenda as defined in his address to Congress may have been the most ambitious in a generation or even two, but it was also easily boiled down to a few bullet points: restore financial stability, strengthen education and promote energy independence and health care reform. It was, in many ways, the mirror image of 1981, when a newly inaugurated Reagan used the combination of stagnating economic growth and skyrocketing inflation to promote an equally ambitious, simple agenda: cut taxes, shrink government and build up the defense budget. "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said shortly after the election in November. In fact, Obama's team believes that their boss has already trumped both the Great Communicator and Obama's immediate Democratic predecessor. Reagan didn't get his economic agenda passed until summer 1981, a senior White House official noted before the speech Tuesday. And when then-President Bill Clinton delivered his first speech to a joint session of Congress in 1993, he had only passed the Family and Medical Leave Act and was struggling politically because of the gays-in-the-military flap. In contrast, Obama has already signed into law a sweeping $787 billion economic plan, an expansion of children's health insurance coverage and pay equity legislation. The senior official boasted that Obama has "gotten more done in 30 days ... than any modern president." When he took office in 1981, Reagan said, "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Obama's response came Tuesday night: "I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves, that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity." It is morning in America again. A new day has clearly dawned.

Like Reagan, Obama takes a defiantly optimistic tone in speech to Congress . Obama employs some of Reagan's favorite rhetorical tools . But Obama rejects Reagan view that government has no role in prosperity .

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(CNN) -- Just like some U.S. officials looking into the mystery, the man who captured video of an apparent fireball plunging from the sky over Texas on Sunday is perplexed about what it was. Video captured in Austin, Texas, shows a meteor-like object in the sky Sunday morning. "I don't know what I saw in the sky. It was something burning and falling really fast," Eddie Garcia, a videographer for News 8 Austin, told CNN Monday. "I'm looking in the viewfinder and I see, just, something flying through the sky. And it kind of looks like it could be dust, it could be something, and then I look up and, no, it was something burning in the sky," he said. "And you know, this is something that you see at night clearly during a meteor shower or something like that, but you don't see something like that during the day." Authorities in Texas said there were reports of sonic booms in the area Sunday as well. Watch video of meteor-like fireball » . Early speculation was that it might have been debris from two satellites -- one American, one Russian -- that rammed into each other in space a week ago. But the U.S. Strategic Command, which tracks satellite debris, said it was not. "There is no correlation between those reports and any of that debris from the collision," command spokeswoman Maj. Regina Winchester told CNN Monday. So what was it? "I don't know," she responded. "It's possible it was some kind of natural phenomenon, maybe a meteor." Meteor fireballs bright enough to be seen in the daytime are rare but not unheard of. Two of the most recent fell in October in the Alice Springs region of Australia and last June just west of Salt Lake City, Utah. The one over Australia was unique because the asteroid that caused it was discovered and tracked before it reached Earth's atmosphere, according to the Sydney Observatory's Web site. It says the asteroid was about 6.5 feet wide. A sonic boom also was heard in connection with that event, the Australian observatory says. On Friday, the National Weather Service reported that its office in Jackson, Kentucky, had received calls about "possible explosions" or "earthquakes" in that area. "The Federal Aviation Administration has reported to local law enforcement that these events are being caused by falling satellite debris," the service said Friday. "These pieces of debris have been causing sonic booms, resulting in the vibrations being felt by some residents, as well as flashes of light across the sky. The cloud of debris is likely the result of the recent in-orbit collision of two satellites on Tuesday February 10, when Kosmos 2251 crashed into Iridium 33." CNN's call Monday to NASA to get its take on the fireball over Texas was not immediately returned. Garcia said he had been told NASA may have called him. The FAA had asked pilots Saturday to keep an eye out for "falling space debris," warning that "a potential hazard may occur due to re-entry of satellite debris into the Earth's atmosphere." FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said Sunday there had been no reports of ground strikes or interference with aircraft in flight. He said the FAA had received no reports from pilots in the air of any sightings, but had gotten "numerous" calls from people on the ground in Texas, from Dallas south to Austin. As of Monday morning, Herwig said his agency had no information about what the fireball was. iReport.com: Did you see the fireball? Send photos, video . He also said the FAA had rescinded its warning to pilots to look out for space debris. Garcia, the videographer, was out covering a marathon race Sunday morning when he caught a glimpse of the blaze. In the video, it appear as a meteor-like white fireball blazing across the clear sky. "I remember shooting it and wondering what I shot, and then looking around and seeing if anyone saw it with me, and everyone was just focused on that marathon that we were shooting at the time," he told CNN Newsroom. Whatever it was, Garcia said he's "just grateful I got a shot of it. And, hopefully, that'll help" people figure out what it was.

Video shot in Austin, Texas, shows meteor-like object in sky Sunday morning . Fireball sightings, reports of sonic booms come days after satellite collision in space . FAA told U.S. pilots to watch for "falling space debris"

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Once upon a time, the iconic lead singer of Led Zeppelin and the golden girl of bluegrass would never have been mentioned in the same sentence. Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's "Raising Sand" was an unlikely collaboration that won five Grammys. But since they won five Grammy awards -- including album of the year for their surprising collaboration, "Raising Sand" -- their names have been inextricably linked: RobertPlantandAlisonKrauss. If they were 20 years old and ran in Hollywood circles, tabloids might be calling them Robekrauss or Aliplant. Plant, however, is 60 -- in fantastic shape, and with a full head of the golden ringlets that became his trademark during the 1970s. At 37, Krauss is elegant and ethereal. And while both are dead serious when talking about their craft, the rest of the time, they're like two silly junior high kids -- he, the charming prankster with a secret crush, and she, the beautiful prom queen who pretends not to be amused. Clearly, they're both having the time of their lives, and are excited about their current musical journey -- which pushes each out of their respective comfort zones and into new territory. Now, he's a little bit country and she's a little bit rock 'n' roll. Watch Plant and Krauss rib each other » . I compliment Krauss on her hair as a stylist touches her up. "It's not mine," she whispers. Two feet away, Plant clears his throat loudly and points to his own golden locks. "Why, your hair looks lovely, too, Robert," I say. "Well, you know who I am," he replies. We are in Coldplay's vacated dressing room, two nights before Plant and Krauss swept the evening at the 51st annual Grammy Awards. This is an excerpt from our conversation in the basement of Staples Center in Los Angeles the night of their rehearsal. CNN: First of all, this is the screwiest collaboration I had ever heard of. How did this happen? Robert Plant: It's just sheer luck, really. I never sang with anybody before, you know -- only once ever in my life, on "Led Zep IV" with Sandy Denny [the late English folk singer, in 1971]. So this is a whole new thing. I've also been coming to the United States for 40 years -- you wouldn't believe it looking at me -- and I've never worked with Americans! This is all brand new for me. Alison Krauss: Were we both nervous? We both were. We thought, "What are we going to do in there?" We went into the studio originally saying, "We'll give it three days and see what it's like." Plant: Alison's reputation is 24 karat, and I'm an old rock 'n' roll singer. Even the band was kind of going, "Oh wow, how is this going to work?" It was great when we kicked in together, and I could just feel the room -- I don't want to say it, but the room lifted! CNN: Musically, you're polar opposites. How did you blend your different perspectives? Plant: As we got started, it was Alison's world. She knew how she wanted to proceed, and we exchanged a lot of ideas musically. And then we both agreed that because we both produced records ourselves, that we needed an intermediary to guide -- somebody to separate us, or to make the journey more clear. And Alison knew T Bone Burnett from "O Brother, Where Art Thou," and he kindly enlisted for the gig, and he brought a lot of great songs to the show. CNN: You challenged one another to sing in different ways than you're used to. Plant: When she goes up for these wailing notes on stage, that's where I want her to go with this new project -- occasionally visit these places where she lets rip, and just lets it really come out. Krauss (melodramatically): It's just reckless abandon! It's just crazy! Plant: I don't know why I'm being so serious. She just kicks ass and nobody knew it! CNN: Now this is all making sense. With Alison, it's letting go, and with you, Robert, it's kind of containing things. Plant: I'm being bullied, basically. Pushed around. CNN: But you like it. Admit it, you love it. Plant: Oh, I do! I haven't even gotten off to being bullied enough yet. CNN: Did you have this much fun working with Zeppelin? Plant: I can't remember. Honestly, I haven't got a clue. I was a totally different guy then. It was 28 years ago. I didn't look as good as I do now, and I didn't share the couch with another Leo. CNN: Alison, did you listen to Led Zeppelin growing up? Krauss: We all have, yeah. (Plant is shaking his head and mouthing the word "No.") My brother was and is such a huge fan of the band, and I remember growing up and he would be in his bedroom yelling about the records and how great they were. CNN: Robert, were you familiar with Alison's work? Plant: Yeah, to some degree, but not as intensely as I became. And also, I didn't understand the history of where Alison's from [bluegrass], and has been since she was a child. In fact, both of us can sit there talking about music, and neither of us can recognize the artists we're referring to. It's amazing. I mean, all the rock 'n' roll, and black Mississippi and Chicago stuff that I go raving on about, she's going, "Hmm." Krauss: I didn't grow up on that, yeah. CNN: Has he made you listen to his music collection? Plant: We share. Krauss: I bring bluegrass. It's the same people. Same blue-collar people. Just one was south of the Delta, and one was Virginia and Tennessee and North Carolina. So we've got lots in common -- but it's the presentation and the whole musicality of it that's different. CNN: Your collaboration has worked out so well that you're back in the studio in Nashville, working on a second album together. Plant: We'd like to keep it going. CNN: Do you think there's going to be an album No. 3, and an album No. 4? Plant: I'd have to move to Nashville, wouldn't I? CNN: Or she moves to England. Plant (to Krauss): Could you stand the climate? Krauss: I'll get a heating pad. Plant: And a season ticket for Wolverhampton Wanderers football club. That's important. CNN: You gained a lot of fans with this project, but there are those Led Zeppelin diehards who've been holding their breath for a reunion tour -- especially since you reunited for the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at Wembley in 2007. Plant: Well, we had a really good night, and we had great rehearsals, and it was very emotional -- and if you like, quite elevating. But it was the right thing to do to do it that way. There's no bandwagon. We've already been around the world, and did what we did when we were young men. CNN: That sounds like a man who's looking forward, and not back. Plant: Only last week, I was being grilled again by Alison to get into shape and get it right. And that's fantastic! I really want that. I don't want to go around, everybody thinking, "That's what he did." Because this is what I do, and every day, it should be more interesting. CNN: And in the meantime, you've been recognized by the Grammys. Plant: We've already won by doing this. We've brought our gifts, and we've shared them, and the whole surrounding musically is so beautiful, that that's our reward. The fact that it worked. The fact that it wasn't some embarrassing moment of two people trying something out, and saying goodbye, and then meeting at a party years later and saying, "Oh, Christ, there's Alison Krauss! Oh, no!"

Robert Plant, Alison Krauss collaborated on "Raising Sand" Duo confesses they were nervous working together, but it worked . Album won album of the year at Grammys . Plant on Led Zeppelin reunion: 2007 show was "emotional," but that's probably it .

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(CNN) -- Police in Allendale, South Carolina, are investigating whether a funeral home fit a 6-foot, 5-inch man into his coffin by severing his legs. The wife of James Hines reportedly said the funeral home told her that her husband's coffin was long enough. A former Cave Funeral Services employee has alleged since James Hines' death from skin cancer in 2004 that Hines was too tall for his coffin and that the funeral home took extreme measures to make him fit, Allendale County Coroner Hayzen Black told CNN. Officials exhumed Hines' body Tuesday, Black said, and a fair amount of "undesirable evidence" was found, although he could not comment further. The coroner's office handed the case over to law enforcement officials for a criminal investigation, he said. Allendale Police Detective Donnie Hutto told CNN affiliate WJBF-TV that he could not comment on the condition of the body. A Cave Funeral Services employee had no comment when asked about the matter. But Ruth Hines, widow of the dead man, told WJBF that the allegations and exhumation of Hines' body are difficult for her. "I'm just going through quite a bit," she said. "It's like starting all over again, and it's left me with hurt and numbness." "According to the measurements on the casket, and the funeral director, we asked him, 'Was this suitable for his length?' and he said, 'Yes that will be perfect,'" Ruth Hines said. Hines told WJBF that her family has used Cave Funeral Services for a number of years, and she isn't sure what the family will do in the future if the allegations are true.

At 6'5'', former employee says James Hines was too tall for coffin after death in 2004 . Employee told authorities that funeral home took extreme measures to make him fit . Officials exhume body Tuesday, find "undesirable evidence," county coroner says . Cave Funeral Services employee would not comment .

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(CNN) -- A Virginia Military Institute cadet has been charged with rape and sodomy after a female cadet reported she was the victim of sexual assault. Stephen J. Lloyd, 21, is being held in the Rockbridge Regional Jail in Lexington, Virginia, according to a spokesman for the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office. The alleged assault took place over the weekend, VMI superintendent retired Gen. J.H. Binford Peay said in a statement, and Lloyd was arrested by VMI police on Tuesday. "After the female cadet made her report, the systems and procedures that are in place to address the safety of all cadets and to provide support were immediately placed into operation," Peay said in the statement. The case has been referred to the Virginia Commonwealth's Attorney and the state's criminal justice system, Peay said. Of VMI's 1,428 cadets, 111 are women, school spokesman Lt. Col. Stewart MacInnis told CNN affiliate WSLS-TV.

Accused cadet is being held in the Rockbridge Regional Jail in Lexington, Virginia . The alleged assault took place over the weekend . Case has been referred to the Virginia Commonwealth's Attorney .

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(CNN) -- A receptionist with a gunshot wound in her stomach played dead under her desk and called 911 on Friday after a shooting massacre in a Binghamton, New York, immigration center. Zhanar Tokhtabayeba, who was taking an English class at the center, says she hid in a closet during the rampage. It is unclear how much time passed from the moment the woman and her colleague were shot until she placed the 911 call, police said. But by the time law enforcement arrived at the American Civic Association, about two minutes after the 10:31 a.m. call to 911, the shootings had ceased and 14 people were dead in the center, including the suspected gunman, law enforcement officials said. Four more people were wounded in the attack, in what the city's mayor has called the "most tragic day in Binghamton's history." The incident has sent shockwaves through Binghamton, a city of about 50,000 about 140 miles northwest of New York City, as police work to confirm the gunman's identity. A senior law enforcement source with detailed knowledge of the investigation identified the suspect as Jiverly Wong, who is believed to be in his early 40s. Authorities executed a search warrant at Wong's home in Johnson City, near Binghamton, and spoke to the suspect's mother, the source said. Binghamton police Chief Joseph Zikuski said Wong, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was unemployed at the time of the shooting. He told CNN's Susan Candiotti that Wong had recently worked in a vacuum repair shop. Christine Guy said she worked with Wong a few years a go at Endicott Interconnect Technologies, a high-tech electronics company in Endicott, New York, where he was an engineer. He went by the name "Vaughn," which is what co-workers called him, she said. View photos from the scene in Binghamton » . "He was quiet -- not a violent person," said Guy, who now lives in Wellington, Colorado. "I can't believe he would do something like this. Police are still investigating motives but said the use of a car to block the back door of the building suggested premeditation. "It is our understanding he had ties to the civic association," Zikuski said. Watch Zikuski give a timeline of the shooting » . The shooter, who was carrying a satchel of ammunition, was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot to the head, Zikuski said. In all, law enforcement removed 14 bodies from the building and 37 survivors, Zikuski said. Watch Binghamton's mayor extend his condolences » . Two semi-automatic handguns -- a .45-caliber and a 9-millimeter -- were found at the center, where immigrants were believed to be taking citizenship and language classes. Most of those who managed to survive the incident hid in a boiler room and storage closets during the rampage. "I heard shootings, very long time, about five minutes, and I was thinking when it will be stopped, but it was continued. No screaming, yelling, just silence, shooting, silence, shooting, silence," said Zhanar Tokhtabayeba, who was taking an English class. "It's free English class and it's very good, but now I'm scared to go," she said. Others in the building also reportedly described lulls between the gunshots. "They told me they tried to be quiet and run away," Than Huynh, 45, a high school teacher who translated for some of the Vietnamese survivors during police interviews, told the New York Times. At 10:31 a.m., authorities received a 911 call from the receptionist, who said she'd been shot in the stomach, Zikuski said. View a timeline of recent U.S. shootings » . She told police that a man with a handgun also shot and killed another receptionist before proceeding to a nearby classroom, where he gunned down more victims, Zikuski said. While the gunman continued to fire, 26 others in the center hid in a boiler room downstairs, where law enforcement found them. It took another two hours or so for officers to clear the building. Some men who were led out of the building in plastic handcuffs were not considered suspects, the chief said. Wilson Medical Center spokeswoman Christina Boyd said the Binghamton hospital was treating two females and one male for gunshot wounds. Another victim, a male Binghamton University student, was treated and is in stable condition at Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital in Binghamton, hospital spokeswoman Kathy Cramer said. Watch store owner describe police 'flooding the streets' » . One man who owns a business across the street said he didn't realize anything was wrong until police cars came rushing to the scene. "We were thinking that there's some sort of dispute, some disagreement," Richard Griffis told CNN. "But then it became obvious it was more than a disgreement, there must be some sort of gun involved because of the way they were surrounding the building." President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama offered their condolences to the grieving community. Are you there? See submitted images, send your own . "Michelle and I were shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the act of senseless violence in Binghamton, New York, today," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and the people of Binghamton." Vice President Joe Biden, who was in New York on unrelated business, also condemned the acts and called on Americans to stop the cycle of violence. "I'd ask you to keep all those folks in your prayers," he said. "I think it's time that, we gotta figure a way to deal with this senseless, senseless violence." Watch Biden call shootings 'senseless' » . Nearby apartments were evacuated, and Binghamton High School was locked down for most of the afternoon. The American Civic Association helps immigrants and refugees with a number of issues, including personal counseling, resettlement, citizenship and reunification, and provides interpreters and translators, according to the United Way of Broome County, which is affiliated with the association. Rashidun Haque, who owns a nearby convenience store, said police had him and his four customers stay inside and away from the windows. "I'm really shaky, because this kind of thing -- it's a small city, it's a beautiful city, but nothing goes down serious like this," Haque said. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Marylynn Ryan and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.

NEW: Survivor didn't hear screams, just "shooting, silence, shooting, silence" NEW: Former co-worker describes shooting suspect as "quiet," not violent . Law enforcement finds 14 dead in immigration center, 37 survivors . Shootings occurred at American Civic Association, which helps immigrants, refugees .

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(CNN) -- Eight-year-old Sandra Cantu came home from school, kissed her mother, and left to color and play with a friend who lived a couple of houses down. Sandra Cantu, 8, disappeared on Friday, according to police in Tracy, California. That was at 3 p.m. Friday. By Tuesday -- despite an intense search by hundreds of search-and-rescue personnel and volunteers over three days -- the little girl in the pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings had yet to be found. The mysterious disappearance of Sandra from the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park in Tracy, California -- about 60 miles east of San Francisco -- has baffled law enforcement officials. A dozen different agencies are looking for her. Watch Nancy Grace on the case » . "The entire weekend was filled with just a massive search effort -- a manhunt involving multiple freeways, agents checking cars, volunteers going door-to-door," said Sebastian Kunz, a reporter with KNEW-AM radio in San Francisco, who is covering the case. "A lot of people are pulling for this little girl." On Monday night, Tracy police and FBI agents searched six locations, some in the mobile home park and some in Tracy, and all of them connected to two men. Authorities did not call the men suspects, and did not name them publicly. They said both live in the mobile home park but did not say how or if they are related to Sandra. "We're looking for evidence that will lead to the discovery of Sandra's whereabouts," Tracy Police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters Monday night. "We operate on the assumption she is alive and well." Sandra came home from school about 3 p.m. Friday. She asked to go play with a friend who lived a few houses down in the same mobile home park. "I told her it was OK," Sandra's mother, Maria Chavez, told CNN's Nancy Grace, dabbing tears. "And that was the last time I saw her." Surveillance camera footage recorded the girl playing in the park. But her parents reported her missing about 8 p.m. Friday, when she was supposed to be visiting a second friend. "We just know that she had gone to the first house, and played for just a very short time. And then she was on her way to another friend's house," said Lisa Encarnacion, the spokeswoman for Sandra's family. "And we don't know, we can't confirm that she was there or she was not." The mobile home park has less than 100 units. There are about 80 registered sex offenders living in a five-mile radius around it. The family has not looked at the list of offenders to see if they may know any of them, Encarnacion told Nancy Grace. And so the search continues. A reward fund set up for information leading to Sandra's return grew to $7,000 Monday. More than 150 tips poured in, police said. But, at least for now, none has yielded information on the 4-foot-tall, brown-haired, brown-eyed girl.

Tracy, California, police, FBI, volunteers search for girl missing since Friday . Some search sites are linked to two men who have not been named as suspects . Sandra Cantu played with one friend on Friday, left for a second friend's house . It's not clear whether she ever got to the second house, distraught family says .

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NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia (CNN) -- Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick will go to work for a construction company in Newport News, Virginia, after he leaves federal prison for bankrolling a dogfighting operation, his lawyer said Thursday. Football player Michael Vick listens as his lawyers make the case for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The details emerged in a Chapter 11 confirmation hearing in Virginia Eastern Bankruptcy Court to determine how Vick, 28, will work his way out of bankruptcy. Vick's lawyer, Michael Blumenthal, told the court that the embattled footballer will take the stand first thing Friday and explain how he intends to turn over a new leaf after spending nearly two years in prison on a federal conspiracy charge. Vick's 23-month sentence ends in July, but he is expected to be released from the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, in May and serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement, most likely in Virginia. He is a native of Newport News. The sports agent who landed Vick's landmark 10-year, $140 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons also testified that he expects Vick will be back in the game as soon as September -- if the NFL reinstates him. Vick is in great shape and could once again command millions of dollars if he returns to football, Joel Segal told the court. The decision to reinstate Vick rests with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, with whom Segal said he had consulted. Vick was suspended from the NFL after his conviction but remains under contract with the Falcons, Segal said, though he does not expect the Falcons to retain Vick's rights if he is reinstated. Vick and many of his creditors are depending on a return to football as his main source of income. But Segal admitted that he has no way of knowing whether Vick will be reinstated, because the decision lies with Goodell. In the meantime, Vick is ready to "get back in the community in a positive light" and demonstrate remorse for his actions, Segal said. He has agreed to participate in a documentary about him that will net him $600,000, Segal said. He will also work 40 hours a week for W.M. Jordan, a construction company based in Newport News. The employment is not part of the official 61-page agreement tentatively worked out between's Vick's lawyers and numerous creditors. The parties involved in the hearing will continue to present evidence and testimony in an effort to convince the judge that Vick qualifies for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Attorneys and representatives from the creditors, including Bank of America, the Atlanta Falcons and the City of Newport News, to name a few, packed the courtroom Thursday as the hearing got under way. Vick's mother sat in the gallery with his fiancée, who blew him a kiss during one break in the proceedings. Among the terms included in Vick's plan of reorganization: . • Vick will retain the first $750,000 of his income. • A percentage of his income above $750,000 will go to a trust fund. CNN's Eric Fiegel contributed to this report.

NEW: Agent Joe Segal expects Vick to return to football as soon as September . NEW: Vick is ready to return to community in "positive light," show remorse . Suspended player is seeking Chapter 11 confirmation from Virginia judge . Vick will work 40 hours a week for Virginia-based W.M. Jordan, lawyer says .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If you have a stash of pistachios in your house, pistachio ice cream in your freezer or trail mix in your backpack, don't eat any of it. The FDA says it and the California Department of Public Health are taking "a proactive approach." Wait until an inquiry into possible salmonella contamination is further along, advises FDA Associate Commissioner David Acheson. Kraft Foods Inc. notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last Tuesday that it found salmonella in roasted pistachios during routine testing. The nuts were traced to Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California, about 75 miles south of Fresno. Setton announced a recall, Kraft removed its Back To Nature Trail Mix from store shelves, and Kroger -- a grocery chain with stores in 31 states -- recalled Private Selection shelled pistachios from its retail stores. See the FDA's complete recall list . "Ultimately, the question is what should consumers do, and our advice to consumers is that they avoid eating pistachio products and keep checking the FDA Web site for the latest information," Acheson said. Watch why it's important not to eat the nuts » . An investigation is under way into how the pistachios came to carry the bacteria. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Acheson stressed at a news conference Monday that the potential problems with pistachios were unrelated to this year's recall of peanut products, including peanut butter. The pistachio investigation also involves the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Setton Farms told the FDA that it anticipates recalling about 1 million pounds of products nationally in the next few days, which covers its crop output last year. Several people have told the FDA that they suffered gastrointestinal illnesses after eating pistachios, and the CDC was doing a genetic analysis, looking for any link between the people and salmonella strains, Acheson said. He said there could be some results by the end of the week. He said the FDA is "ahead of the curve" in the current investigation. "I want to emphasize that this recall was not triggered because of an outbreak, in contrast to some of the previous situations, for example, like the peanuts where people were getting sick and it was determined that peanuts, peanut butter was the likely cause," Acheson said. "This is a situation that the recall is being triggered because of ... action taken on the part of the food industry," he added. "What we're doing here is getting out ahead of the curve. It's a proactive approach by the FDA and the California Department of Health." Jeff Cronin, spokesman for the advocacy organization Center for Science in the Public Interest, had a mixed reaction to Acheson's comments. "I think it's partly the case," Cronin said. "It's good that the FDA is proactively issuing advice to consumers." But "this still begets the question of 'how did this contamination happen in the first place?' Is this an isolated problem, or are we going to be hearing the same kind of horror stories that we heard about ... the company that produced the peanuts?" He said he wondered when was the last time the FDA visited Setton Farms and whether it had known of problems there. In February, the Texas Department of State Health Services ordered the recall of all products shipped from the Peanut Corporation of America's plant in Plainview, Texas, after discovering dead rodents, rodent excrement and bird feathers in the plant. The company's peanut butter and peanut paste products produced at its plant in Blakely, Georgia, were linked to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning that affected 600 people, nine of whom died. According to state health officials and many experts, the deadly outbreak of salmonella was fueled by poor oversight by food safety regulators and a slow response by federal agencies. The first problem is that almost nothing can stop companies from shipping contaminated food, William Hubbard, a former FDA associate commissioner, told a U.S. Senate committee in February. He also said there are not enough federal inspections. Other critics said the FDA stepped in too late in the peanut case to prevent a bigger problem. Food safety experts say the underlying cause of the problem is that the century-old system of regulation is broken. In the peanut case, the experts say, the federal government failed to oversee the safety of products coming out of the Blakely plant and was slow to identify it as the source of the salmonella.

FDA: Don't eat pistachios until possible salmonella contamination is investigated . Kraft Foods notified FDA of salmonella found during routine testing . The tainted nuts were traced to Setton Farms in Terra Bella, California . Setton Farms announced a recall of 1 million pounds of pistachio products .

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(CNN) -- Guitarist Carlos Santana signed on as the first rock 'n' roll resident artist at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino's new concert hall, The Joint. Santana will not play any other shows west of the Mississippi River over the next two years. The two-year deal calls for Santana to play 36 shows a year, starting May 27, the hotel said. The Joint, which holds 4,000, opens next month with Paul McCartney in a show that sold out earlier this month in just seven seconds. Santana said his show -- "Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits" -- will "mix up a little practical spirituality with a rebel-from-the-street vibe, and with lots of incredible music." "My wish is for it to be a night that will move you to dance, to cry, to laugh and to feel the totality and fullness of being alive," Santana said. Santana, who has sold 90 million records over the past 40 years, is credited with blending American rock with Latin jazz. Santana's deal is exclusive, meaning he will play no other shows west of the Mississippi River over the next two years, according to the news release announcing it. Santana's residency is produced by AEG Live, the same company that brought Celine Dion, Elton John, Bette Midler and Cher to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. "Now we are setting the standard for rock 'n' roll residencies with this new deal," said John Meglen, AEG Live president.

Guitar player Santana to play 36 shows a year, starting May 27 . Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino's new concert hall holds 4,000 seats . AEG Live president: "Now we are setting the standard for rock 'n' roll residencies"

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- The venerable CBS soap opera "Guiding Light" will go dark in September after 72 years and 16,000 episodes, the network announced Wednesday. Gina Tognoni is one of many performers who have appeared on "Guiding Light" over the years. The daytime drama's declining viewership led to the decision, according to a CBS spokeswoman. The show, which the Guinness Book of World Records lists as the longest-running television drama, first aired on NBC radio in 1937 as a 15-minute serial, the spokeswoman said. It moved to television on the CBS network in 1952 as 15-minute drama. It later went to 30 minutes, and on November 7, 1977, it expanded to one hour and introduced the wealthy Spaulding family as foils to the show's middle-class Bauers, who were a mainstay of the show for much of its run. In 1979, the show did a groundbreaking storyline when the character of Roger Thorpe (played by the late Michael Zaslow) raped his wife, Holly (Maureen Garrett). The marital-rape story line reflected a significant real-life case in 1978 -- the state of Oregon v. John J. Rideout. It was the first time in modern U.S. history that a man was charged with raping his wife and then put on trial. It prompted national debate about whether a man had absolute sexual rights with his spouse. Rideout was acquitted. Among the actors who went on to greater fame after roles on the show: Kevin Bacon, James Earl Jones and Taye Diggs. The last episode is set to air on September 18, the spokeswoman said. The show is produced in New York.

"Guiding Light" originally was radio serial on NBC, debuted in 1937 . Show moved to CBS, which put it on TV in 1952 . Last episode of show to air September 18 . Kevin Bacon among the stars who got their start on show .

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(CNN) -- Diego Maradona's Argentina side have suffered their worst-ever World Cup defeat -- and heaviest loss in over 60 years -- going down 6-1 to Bolivia at La Paz's high-altitude Hernando Siles' stadium. Bolivia players celebrate another goal as they humiliated Argentina 6-1 in La Paz. Marcelo Martins opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute but Argentina levelled 13 minutes later when a long-range shot from Luiz Gonzalez bounced in after deceiving goalkeeper Carlos Arias. Joaquin Botero, who helped himself to a hat-trick, netted his first in the 34th minute from the penalty spot and Alex Da Rosa added a third just before the interval. Botero headed home the fourth five minutes into the second-half, before Argentina's night got even worse when they had substitute Angel Di Maria sent off. Botero celebrated his treble soon after Di Maria's dismissal and Didi Torrico completed the rout from long range with three minutes remaining. The last time Argentina have lost by a five-goal margin was 5-0 to Colombia in 1993 and the home media made their feelings about the result perfectly clear. "A historic humiliation," said sports newspaper Ole on its Web site, adding: "This is our worst defeat in the qualifiers. What now.?" The result leaves Argentina in the fourth and final South American World Cup qualification place, five points behind leaders Paraguay, who scored an injury-time equalizer to draw 1-1 in Ecuador. Meanwhile, Brazil are up to second in the table, two points behind Paraguay, after a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Peru at Porto Alegre. Luis Fabiano scored twice with Felipe Melo adding the other goal. Chile are third in the table after a 0-0 home draw with Uruguay, who lie in the play-off fifth position.

Argentina crushed 6-1 by Bolivia in their heaviest defeat for more than 60 years . Joaquin Botero scores a hat-trick for the hosts in match played at high altitude . Brazil up to second place in South American qualifying after 3-0 win over Peru .

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(CNN) -- World champion Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from last weekend's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne after presenting "misleading" evidence to stewards. Hamilton has been disqualified from the Australian GP after presenting "misleading" evidence to stewards. The McLaren driver and Toyota's Jarno Trulli were called to an FIA hearing in Malaysia -- the site of this weekend's grand prix -- on Thursday to discuss an incident during Sunday's race. Trulli finished third at Melbourne's Albert Park, only to later be handed a 25-second penalty by race stewards which relegated him to 12th position and saw Hamilton lifted into third. However, following Thursday's hearing, Trulli has been reinstated in third position. McLaren had complained that veteran Italian Trulli had illegally passed Hamilton under yellow flags following an accident late on involving Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica in his BMW Sauber -- who were running second and third at the time. Trulli had decided not to appeal the original decision but the FIA, the sport's governing body, said it had received new information and pressed ahead with a second hearing. "The stewards, having considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Grand Prix, consider that Lewis Hamilton, and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the stewards at the hearing on Sunday 29th March 2009," the FIA said in a statement. It said Hamilton and McLaren had violated its rules and retrospectively disqualified him from the race. Meanwhile, Trulli believes justice has been served after Thursday's decision. "I am happy because I wanted some justice and I got it," he told PA Sport. "I am happy for myself and the team and I have to thank the FIA because it does not happen very often they reconsider something. "It must have been really hard for them, but they had common sense to really try and understand what was going on. I have always been honest and it has paid off."

World champion Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from the Australian GP . Stewards say Hamilton and McLaren team presented "misleading" evidence . Hamilton was involved in incident with Toyota driver Jarno Trulli in Melbourne .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah, wore an outfit from designer Britt Lintner to greet President Obama and his wife, Michelle, while Michelle Obama wore J.Crew, according to spokeswomen for both sides. Sarah Brown, left, wears a dress from an American designer. Michelle Obama wears J.Crew. Both women later changed and wore other designer outfits for the formal pre-G-20 summit dinner at 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister's official residence. Wednesday morning, Sarah Brown wore a one-of-a-kind navy dress with red lining by the American-born Lintner, a spokeswoman for 10 Downing Street said. The designer specially made the dress in navy for Brown, but retails the garment in black for $720, Lintner said. Michelle Obama's outfit included a $158 green skirt and $298 bead and rhinestone cardigan from J.Crew, the store's Web site showed. Brown also wore a pair of Astley Clarke earrings, according to a spokeswoman from 10 Downing Street. The Astley Clarke Web site sells earrings from less than $100 to more than $10,000. The first ladies' choices of outfits during this summit are being closely watched by the world's media, both in terms of style and comparative cost. Both women pay for all of their clothes themselves and receive no clothing allowance, according to spokeswomen for both sides. Lintner first designed a dress for Brown for the British Fashion Council Awards in November 2007, Lintner said. She sells to clients only through her West London studio and said she started her company out of frustration over the selection of workwear available for women. Although the clothes are expensive, she said, they are made to last. This is not the first time Michelle Obama has chosen an "off the rack" outfit. She has worn J.Crew before, including in American Vogue. When appearing on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, she wore a J.Crew ensemble, on which she commented, "You get some good stuff online." After the photo call, Obama and Brown visited Maggie's Cancer Caring Center, where Brown is a patron. The spouses of the G-20 leaders have several events scheduled during their stay in London. On Tuesday, Brown will be host of a dinner for G-20 spouses. The dinner will take place at No. 11 Downing Street, the London residence of the chancellor of the exchequer, while the G-20 leaders take a working dinner next door at No. 10. As well as the spouses of the G-20 leaders, prominent women in British sport, arts, fashion, charity and business are also expected to attend. Downing Street has said those invited are "all intended to show off British talent." Those invited include "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, supermodel Naomi Campbell and Olympic gold medal runner Kelly Holmes. Downing Street sources said Michelle Obama will be seated between Holmes and Rowling. The spouses also will visit the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. They are expected to watch some short performances of opera and ballet, the Prime Minister's Press Office said.

Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah, greets dignitaries in American designer's outfit . Michelle Obama wears J.Crew at London, England, summit . Both women pay for all of their clothes themselves .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah, wore an outfit from designer Britt Lintner to greet President Obama and his wife, Michelle, while Michelle Obama wore J.Crew, according to spokeswomen for both sides. Sarah Brown, left, wears a dress from an American designer. Michelle Obama wears J.Crew. Both women later changed and wore other designer outfits for the formal pre-G-20 summit dinner at 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister's official residence. Wednesday morning, Sarah Brown wore a one-of-a-kind navy dress with red lining by the American-born Lintner, a spokeswoman for 10 Downing Street said. The designer specially made the dress in navy for Brown, but retails the garment in black for $720, Lintner said. Michelle Obama's outfit included a $158 green skirt and $298 bead and rhinestone cardigan from J.Crew, the store's Web site showed. Brown also wore a pair of Astley Clarke earrings, according to a spokeswoman from 10 Downing Street. The Astley Clarke Web site sells earrings from less than $100 to more than $10,000. The first ladies' choices of outfits during this summit are being closely watched by the world's media, both in terms of style and comparative cost. Both women pay for all of their clothes themselves and receive no clothing allowance, according to spokeswomen for both sides. Lintner first designed a dress for Brown for the British Fashion Council Awards in November 2007, Lintner said. She sells to clients only through her West London studio and said she started her company out of frustration over the selection of workwear available for women. Although the clothes are expensive, she said, they are made to last. This is not the first time Michelle Obama has chosen an "off the rack" outfit. She has worn J.Crew before, including in American Vogue. When appearing on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, she wore a J.Crew ensemble, on which she commented, "You get some good stuff online." After the photo call, Obama and Brown visited Maggie's Cancer Caring Center, where Brown is a patron. The spouses of the G-20 leaders have several events scheduled during their stay in London. On Tuesday, Brown will be host of a dinner for G-20 spouses. The dinner will take place at No. 11 Downing Street, the London residence of the chancellor of the exchequer, while the G-20 leaders take a working dinner next door at No. 10. As well as the spouses of the G-20 leaders, prominent women in British sport, arts, fashion, charity and business are also expected to attend. Downing Street has said those invited are "all intended to show off British talent." Those invited include "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, supermodel Naomi Campbell and Olympic gold medal runner Kelly Holmes. Downing Street sources said Michelle Obama will be seated between Holmes and Rowling. The spouses also will visit the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. They are expected to watch some short performances of opera and ballet, the Prime Minister's Press Office said.

Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah, greets dignitaries in American designer's outfit . Michelle Obama wears J.Crew at London, England, summit . Both women pay for all of their clothes themselves .

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(CNN) -- Singer Natalie Cole told CNN's Larry King she is searching for a kidney after an illness caused both of her kidneys to fail. Singer Natalie Cole continues to tour, despite being on dialysis three times a week. Before she finished telling King Tuesday night about her battles with drugs, illnesses and her search for a kidney, dozens of e-mails flooded the CNN studio. They were all offers from people saying they would get tested to see whether their kidney could be donated. King handed a thick stack of paper to Cole. "These are all e-mails from dozens -- dozens of people offering to be tested to see if they can match, who want to give you a kidney," King said. Cole stared at the papers for a moment. "There are some great human beings out there. That's all I can say," Cole said. Watch Natalie Cole's interview with Larry King » . "I'm on a very long list, which is why we are looking to donors," said Cole, the daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole. Cole said her kidney troubles date back to February 2008 when she was diagnosed with hepatitis C. Cole said she attributes the hepatitis C from her well-publicized struggles to stop using cocaine and heroin. Cole said she has been sober for some time now after two stints in a rehabilitation clinic. Cole said she underwent chemotherapy in an aggressive way to fight the virus. Within four months of getting chemotherapy, both of Cole's kidneys failed. "I couldn't breathe. I -- I went into -- literally, my kidneys stopped functioning. They stopped, you know, processing the fluid that was starting to build up in my body." Since then, Cole has been on dialysis three days a week and has been searching for a kidney, she told King in one of the first public interviews about the issue. Cole won six Grammy awards for her 1991 critically acclaimed album "Unforgettable ... With Love ," a jazzy tribute to her father. She won a Grammy this year for her new album "Still Unforgettable" and another Grammy for her work on another album. Cole said that she has still been able to tour this year even with her kidney ailment. "I have been on dialysis in Istanbul, Milan, Indonesia, Manila, London. It's -- it's amazing," Cole said.

During "Live King Live," dozens e-mail offering to see whether they are a match . Singer to Larry King: "I'm on a very long list, which is why we are looking to donors" Natalie Cole says she was diagnosed with hepatitis C in February 2008 . She links the illness to her struggles to stop using cocaine and heroin .

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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- If money is power, China is now in a powerful position to play a critical role at the Group of 20 summit in London. U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao in London on April 1. So powerful, in fact, that some analysts speak of a "G-2", referring to the first meeting between the new U.S. president and his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the G-20. What matters most in the G-20, some say, is Barack Obama and Hu Jintao's meeting on the eve of the summit. "This is a summit of symbolism, where the meeting itself is the message," said China analyst Victor Gao. To be sure, the closest U.S. allies are Great Britain in Europe and Japan in Asia. But with its growing economic and military clout, China is now a major player at the G-20. China "appears to be actively setting the agenda," said Glenn Maguire, economist at the investment bank Societe Generale. China is awash with cash, its economy is still growing and its banking system is solvent. It is seeking a bigger role as global powers seek to reshape the economic and financial framework. The global economic crisis has shown just how codependent the U.S. has become with China. Watch how China is throwing its weight around before the summit » . For years, China has exported far more than it has imported, racking up a huge trade surplus and accumulating nearly US$2 trillion in foreign currency reserves. More than half of that money has gone to buying U.S. government debt. It's partly those Chinese dollars that have enabled the United States to keep its interest rates, including home mortgages, so low, helping create the housing bubble that burst late last year. As America's biggest creditor, Beijing is now worried about its over-investment in U.S. Treasury debts. "We have lent a huge amount of money to the U.S.," Premier Wen Jiabao said last month. "Of course, we are concerned about the safety of our assets." He called on the Obama administration to "maintain its good credit, honor its promises and guarantee the safety of China's assets." Washington has tried to reassure Beijing. "Not just the Chinese government, but every investor can have absolute confidence in the soundness of investments in the United States," President Obama said in response to Wen's worries. Still, Victor Gao said, "China is concerned that the massive printing of money by the United States will lead to massive inflation, which will decimate the underlying value of China's massive dollar holdings. Each dollar China holds now is hard-earned money mostly from the exports." Watch Gao relate China's perspective at the summit » . With some 40 percent of its growth reliant on the exports of its products, China's economy has been hit hard since late 2008, as U.S. and Western markets for Chinese goods shrank. Annual economic growth dropped from nearly 12 percent in 2007 to 9 percent last year. This year's growth rate could slump to 8 percent or lower -- potentially leading to even more factory closures and widespread job layoffs. To cope with this downturn, Beijing in November announced its own $586 billion stimulus package. It aims to encourage spending by Chinese consumers and businesses and create millions of jobs. But analysts say China cannot do it alone. "It's almost impossible for China to engineer enough of an increase in domestic consumption to make up for the contraction in demand that we're seeing in Europe and the United States," said Michael Pettis, who teaches economics at Peking University. Put simply, Hu Jintao needs President Obama to succeed with his economic prescriptions -- and vice versa. Such a congruence of goals is viewed positively in Beijing. "The degree of close U.S.-China cooperation in the process of coping with the global financial crisis will directly affect how fast the global economy can extricate from the difficult time," said a commentary in Global Times, a state-run Chinese newspaper. Before the G-20 meeting, China's central bank chief, Zhou Xiaochuan, floated the idea of dumping the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency, replacing it with a super-sovereign international reserve currency. Zhou's proposal has received extensive support from other countries, according to political analyst Gao, who's also a key player in the private equity business in China. Gao said: "It shows that the defects in using the U.S. dollar as the main reserve currency in the world are becoming more and more obvious, and more countries in the world are becoming more and more unhappy with the United States in its irresponsible way of handling its financial and budgetary matters, often at the expense of other countries." But Peking University professor Zha Daojiong cautions against "over-interpreting" what Zhou seems to be saying. Instead of reducing the role of the U.S. dollar, Zhou may be asking for a greater role of the Chinese currency in "special drawing rights" (SDRs), an international type of reserve currency established in 1969 by the International Monetary Fund. SDRs operate as supplements to the existing reserves of IMF member nations. "Rather than alluding to a goodbye to the U.S. dollar, Zhou may as well be making a case -- implicitly -- for including the (Chinese) renminbi into the list of currencies when the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank work on the SDR in the future," Zha explained. Meanwhile, China hopes the G-20 meeting will reach a consensus on how to deal with the global crisis. Said Victor Gao: "It is equally important to identify the root causes, and make fundamental changes to the international financial system, including cross-border financial regulation, increasing transparency, bringing the hedge funds into the regulatory framework, enhancing risk management, and preventing countries from excessive and irresponsible financial and budgetary activities," Gao said. Pointing the finger squarely at the United States, he said China hopes the U.S. will learn from its mistakes to avoid a repeat of the crisis. Before leaving Beijing for London, President Hu Jintao remained circumspect. "We will continue our contribution to international economic development," he said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency. He called for efforts to resist trade protectionism while also calling for a revamp of the international financial system.

Some say meeting of U.S., Chinese leaders on summit's eve is of most importance . With its growing economic and military clout, China is a major player at the G-20 . China is dependent on exports to the West, so there is a congruence of goals . The degree of U.S.-China cooperation will directly affect global economic recovery .

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(CNN) -- Arctic reindeer herders in northern Scandinavia are getting a view from space to help them look after their herds as the region copes with climate change. Snow worries: Satellite maps of snow coverage and melt can help reindeer herders. Using satellite-based snow melt maps supplied by the European Space Agency (ESA) backed program Polar View, herders are able to view the depth of snow and judge where the best foraging spots are to take their reindeer. "Snow is of paramount importance for reindeer herding, because its quality determines whether reindeer are able to access the pastures that lie beneath it for much of the year," Anders Oskal, the Director of the International Center for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) told the ESA. "Detailed circumpolar snow information is, thus, becoming increasingly important following the recent changes in the Arctic climate." Oskal is working with Sámi reindeer herders in Finnmark, Norway, to help them maintain and develop sustainable reindeer husbandry. According to Oskal, Finnmark is the area of Norway that is predicted to experience the largest temperature increases, raising concerns about whether ice layers will form over pastures preventing reindeer from foraging. Under the Polar View initiative, Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) have been providing snow melt maps for Norway and Sweden, as well as snow cover maps for Eurasia, for the last 18 months. The ICR partnered with Polar View in a trial of the maps to examine how satellite observations could help by gathering information on snow change in a timely manner for such vast circumpolar regions. "The experience so far has definitely been positive, and the reindeer herders are extremely interested in the future utilization of Polar View products that can relate important information about local snow conditions," said Oskal. "These products could have important consequences for herders' decisions regarding winter pasture quality and potential migration routes." In addition to climate change, reindeer herders also have to face a loss of pastures because of infrastructure development, such as roads, hydroelectric power dams and cabin resorts. The same technology would help the ICR to monitor the different forms of land-use change over time.

Sámi herders using satellite-based maps of snow to judge best areas . Climate change has made it harder to find foraging spots for reindeer herds . Technology could also be used to monitor land-use change over time .

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(CNN) -- Former President John F. Kennedy saw a proposed ban on above-ground nuclear tests as a way to thaw U.S.-Soviet relations after the Cuban Missile Crisis, according to recordings released Thursday. President John F. Kennedy expresses a desire to thaw U.S.-Soviet relatations, on newly released recordings. "If it does represent a possibility of avoiding the kind of collision that we had last fall in Cuba, which was quite close, and Berlin in 1961, we should seize the chance," Kennedy said in a July 1963 meeting with top government scientists. He signed a treaty with the Soviets and the British the following month that banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater or in space. Kennedy's presidential library in Boston, Massachusetts, released the four-minute recording of the meeting, held just four months before his assassination. The scientists taking part included John Foster and Norris Bradbury, the directors of two of the top U.S. nuclear laboratories; Glenn Seaborg, then-head of the Atomic Energy Commission; and a member of the commission, John Palfrey. Kennedy expressed hope that the treaty could produce "the possibility of a detente" between Washington and Moscow, "which may not come to anything but which quite possibly could come to something." The meeting took place just nine months after the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba brought the world's major nuclear powers to the brink of war. Kennedy said the Soviets were having "domestic, internal economic problems" and he was worried about the rise of China after a major diplomatic split in 1960. "I don't think anybody can say with any precision, but there isn't any doubt that the dispute with China is certainly a factor," Kennedy said, adding, "They want to avoid a nuclear struggle or ... they want to lessen the chances of conflict with us." But he said the rising nuclear ambitions of China, which would conduct its first tests the following year, could force the United States to resume its own tests. "It may be that the Chinese test in the next year, 18 months, 2 years, and we would then make the judgment to see if we should go back to testing," he said.

Kennedy's presidential library released four-minute recording of the meeting . Meeting held just four months before his assassination . Kennedy on recording: "We should seize the chance" Kennedy hoped for "possibility of a detente" between Washington and Moscow .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Wearing a plaid green A-line spring skirt from her new fashion line, paired with a black patent leather belt and black leather gladiator sandal stilettos, "Sex and the City" actress Kristin Davis is the perfect combination of sweet and fierce when we meet up after her fashion show at the Belk department store in Atlanta, Georgia. Kristin Davis surrounded by models and Belk store official Arlene Goldstein. It's a look that totally says her character, Charlotte, with a little bit of screen pal Carrie. Davis is so much like her character, adorable and upbeat, I expect Carrie or Samantha to drop in on our conversation and say something to shock her. As any true fan knows ... OK ... as every woman knows, watching "Sex and the City" was like being front row at a fashion show with a plot. TV show and movie costume designer Patricia Field dressed the characters in haute couture as they skipped down the streets of New York City in $600 stilettos. But is this reality? Most sane women wouldn't choose to walk even one city block in high heels. And most women certainly can't spend a month's rent on a belt or bag, even if they have a truly fabulous party to wear it to. So, what about us, the fashionistas on a budget? Are we to be ignored, forced to wear boring clothing and practical shoes? Luckily, no; designers are catching on. Target features affordable lines from high-end designers like Alexander McQueen and Isaac Mizrahi. All of the pieces in Sarah Jessica Parker's clothing line Bitten cost less than $20 before the clothing store that carried them went under. Davis is the latest celebrity to jump on the clothing label bandwagon, designing a line for Belk department stores. Will she meet the same fate as Parker? Davis has the following to be successful. Although her character was by far the most conservatively dressed (Carrie strolling through town in just a bra top, anyone?), she had the most wearable wardrobe, and Davis became a fashion icon along with the rest of the ladies. Her favorite piece from her line? "I can't decide, impossible to choose!" she says. So I choose for her: definitely the gladiator heels. "It's important for women to have a strong shoe," she says. "Then you can wear anything on top. With a strong shoe on, you're good to go." She admits she didn't have a defined style before meeting Field, who bluntly told her that "Sexy Secretary" was going to be her look. Davis' philosophy is a good one: Stick with what works. She takes the look that Field defined for her "Sex and the City" character. Original it's not, but everything coming down the runway is something the stylish Charlotte York would definitely wear. Davis is in touch with all of us real women out there, saying, "I don't want to make clothing that only skinny actresses could wear." Her solution? Dresses, shoes and swimsuits worthy of a "Sex and the City" episode that you don't need Park Avenue pockets to afford. It's versatile enough to look good on every body type. "Everyone has body issues. I really wanted to create pieces that looked good on different kinds of bodies. I had all of my family members trying on the outfits!" she says with a laugh. Davis won't spill any secrets from the scripts of the "Sex and the City" movie sequel, which comes out in May 2010, but she admits it's a "happy" movie. She does hint that our famous foursome might have to cut back a little on their clothing expenses as art imitates life. And she's willing to share some fashion tips: How to look like you stepped out of the wardrobe room on the set of the next "Sex and the City" movie? Green. "It's THE color" she says. And hey, who doesn't need to save some green? It all works out perfectly. I left the meeting with Davis to check out her displays. Then I skipped out into the streets of Atlanta, in a pair of her new gladiator stiletto sandals. That I got on sale, of course.

"Sex and the City" actress Kristin Davis says women need strong shoes . The actress says her new fashion line fits different types of bodies . She says "Sex" movie sequel will have characters spending less . Green will be the hot color in the latest movie, Davis says .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PES) has a tough task on its hands. Not only does FIFA look good, it plays well too -- and gameplay was always the area where PES had the edge. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is the cover star of Pro Evolution Soccer 2009. If you've played a PES game before you'll know what to expect, which is both a plus and a minus, depending on your point of view. The ball pings around nicely, the weight of pass remains just about right and long passes are much improved. It mostly feels like a game of computer football should. The game plays fast and given shots from distance almost never fly in, scoring is still a challenge and goals still get you punching the air. For a series that's always short on official team and league licenses -- leading to silly-sounding approximations of players' names (Ryan Gills anyone?) and daft team titles -- PES gains the UEFA Champions League, which is a small coup. Read our FIFA 09 review here. Game modes are much the same as before, including the venerable Master League, but the new addition of Be A Legend, where you try to take one player to the top, does not feel finished. The graphics are serviceable, with some player likenesses uncanny and others way off. The sound is no better than average and the commentary remains hit and miss. And it's not unfair to say the game menus and their annoying and repetitive music are badly in need of a revamp. Online play is not great and given the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are built for broadband multiplayer, PES is lagging -- literally. You might say the game needs revolution rather than evolution and for next season's release publishers Konami must up their game. Nevertheless, PES' reputation is built on a fun offline two-player experience and nothing has changed there. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 might not be cutting-edge in its presentation and options, but you still can't beat a 10-minute match with a mate beside on you on the sofa.

CNN Football Fanzone reviews Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 . PES 2009 is little changed from previous incarnations in the series . Reviewer: While flawed, PES 2009 is still good fun in offline two-player mode .

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PAU, France (CNN) -- Take a pen, start with the nib at the bottom left corner of the page. Gently drag the pen diagonally from bottom left to top right and you have a quick and easy graphic representation of the price differential between the standard BMW 3-series and its habañero cousin the M3 coupe over the last four generations (and 20 years). Quad exhaust pipes and M-badging distinguish the M3 from standard 3-series coupes . The car in my hands is, supposedly, a 3-series. You know the 3-series. You may well own one. You almost certainly know someone who owns one. It is the ubiquity of the 3-series that has seen BMW become a more mainstream player (without making an obvious lurch down-market) while the mainstream has made an obvious lurch up-market to plug the gap. Ford's new Mondeo couldn't be clearer in its 3-series aspiration. But this latest M3 has substantially less in common with the vanilla 3-series than I have with a gorilla (98.4 per cent shared DNA). Eighty per cent of the M3's body panels are brand new, from the aluminum hood to the composite fenders and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic roof. And let's get back to that graph. This UK-specification car costs £50,000 (€74,000). With the options as tested (including the gorgeous 19" alloy wheels, one of which I pranged on a curb while rectifying a going-the-wrong-way-down-a-one-way-street maneuver -- I'm blaming the co-driver for this navigational error, and so should you) we're talking close to £55,000 (€81,000). It looks good. It looks purposeful and aggressive and more -- what's the word -- obvious than its M3 predecessors, with the engorged dome on the hood to accommodate the 4-liter V8 and the Aston-like side air-intakes with integrated side-light repeaters and M3 badging. But it still looks like a pumped-up family car rather than a purpose-built sports car (though it sits between Porsche's Cayman S and 911 Carrera in price). It may just be possible to buy one and pretend to one's spouse that it's a sensible family car -- providing, that is, that the 22.8 mpg (12.4 liters per 100 km) combined fuel economy (and the regularity of trips to the gas station this necessitates) doesn't give the game away. Inside it's typical BMW -- leather seats that adjust to accommodate any driver (including those such as me who are short of body but long of leg) and a chunky leather steering wheel stitched with the cyan, blue and scarlet colors of BMW's M division. On the road the M3 is -- simply -- lovely. Over 20 years BMW's M cars have evolved from homologation specials (road car versions of track racers) to sedate luxury saloons that can transfer themselves into sporting monsters. Some earlier enthusiastic driving from my co-driver made it necessary to drive slowly, in sixth gear, behind the slipstream of a motor home to conserve fuel while on a desperate hunt for a gas station. In some sports cars this would require skill and dedication. Not so in the M3, it drives however you want to drive. It can pootle as competently as it can hustle. And boy can it hustle. When questioned later that day, a BMW spokesman denied any knowledge of the cars having had their limiters disabled. But I can state that I was passenger in a car that supposedly tops out at 155 mph (200 km/h) at a staggering 176 mph (283 km/h). The question of whether this delimited limiter is an "undocumented feature" or a manufacturer's attempt to woo motoring journalists with a set-up that isn't representative of the sale car, will only be resolved once the first customers take delivery of their new M3s. There is, of course, more to the M3 than flat-out speed on the straight. It's a car that allows drivers a turn of speed on twisty roads with confidence and sure-footedness. You can take corners faster, without fear of picking gorse from your teeth. Take a corner a little over enthusiastically and there's a comforting orange light on the dash to tell you that the DSC (dynamic stability control) has kicked in. When the DSC is engaged flatters the abilities of average drivers. Disengaged it allows skillful drivers an awful lot of wheel-spinning sideways action, as I discovered while given a few hectic laps of the Pau-Arnos circuit in the hands of a pro. What's wrong with it? In common with the M5 and M6 there's the frustrating short indicator stalk that ALWAYS clicks three times, even if you try and cancel it (and in an effort of trying to switch the right indicator off you inevitably find yourself signaling left and vice versa). There seems to be no substantial difference between fifth and six gears. You engage the clutch, throw the lever and -- well, nothing much. But then you really start struggling to find fault. The cup holders don't have an elegant glide and the driver's one isn't as accessible as it could be. While the electric thingum that extends telescopically to hand you the seat belt looks cheap. Harsh criticism. Cup holder aficionados and those who demand milled-aluminum electric hand-me-my-belt thingums may have to look elsewhere. Incidentally, BMW do have a name for the electric thingums. I prefer my own. Just as I prefer the term "paddle shifts" to "SMG" -- another minor grumble -- paddles shifts would be a welcome option, and one that BMW assured the assembled press would be added as an option in the future. BMW estimates that M3 buyers will be predominantly male and aged 31-50. They will own a number of high performance cars but use the M3 as their everyday conveyance. In the light of this market research, the most obvious criticism of the new M3 -- its price -- is something of an irrelevance. E-mail to a friend .

Fourth generation BMW M3 coupe . Power from 420bhp V8 engine . Target market 31-50 year old males in multi-automobile households .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Actress Keira Knightley released a violent commercial Thursday highlighting the problem of domestic violence. In the two-minute film, Knightley is beaten by an abusive boyfriend after she arrives home from a day of filming. Actress Keira Knightley's public service spot was directed by Joe Wright of "Atonement." The commercial, made for the charity Women's Aid, was launched online. It will be shown on television and in movie theaters, the group said. The film, called "CUT," was directed by Joe Wright, who directed Knightley in "Atonement." At the end, the words "Isn't it time someone called cut?" appear on screen. According to the Web site for Women's Aid, two women are killed by a current or former partner in the United Kingdom in an average week. In a statement on the charity's Web site, Knightley said, "I wanted to take part in this advert for Women's Aid because while domestic violence exists in every section of society, we rarely hear about it." "We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening," she said.

Two-minute ad shown in U.K. depicts actress being beaten by boyfriend . Charity's spot will be on television and in movie theaters . Women's Aid says two women in U.K. killed by current or ex-partner each week .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- "Why do I find it hard to write the next line?" If you recognize the lyric then brace yourself for some good news. Spandau Ballet, pictured aboard HMS Belfast, on Wednesday. Twenty years since their acrimonious split, Spandau Ballet -- the pin-up boys who helped shaped the sound of 1980s glam pop -- have announced the first dates of what band members say will be a full world tour. The Tony Hadley-fronted band, who enjoyed worldwide success with hits such as "True" and "Gold," will launch their comeback in Dublin, Ireland, on October 13 before playing seven dates across the UK. Wednesday's announcement took place onboard HMS Belfast, a retired Royal Navy moored in the Thames that was the scene of a key early gig by the band in 1980 that launched them on the road to global stardom. "It is impossible to stress too highly how achingly fashionable Spandau Ballet were in the winter of 1979 and the summer of 1980," GQ magazine editor Dylan Jones writes in a biography of the band. Formed at a London school in 1979, Spandau Ballet went on to sell 25 million records worldwide, emerging out of the post-punk "New Romantic" music scene. Along with fellow British band Duran Duran, their sound, style and attitude came to define an era dominated by ostentatious glamour, gold lame suits and big hair. "Not only did their albums sell by the millions, but their look and style impacted on the fashion world and beyond," said a press release, summing up the band's influence on the decade. "They created their own style, combining creativity with entrepreneurship and the 'can do' spirit of early 80s youth at a time of crisis and upheaval eerily reminiscent of 2009. Spandau Ballet are both commercially and culturally enormous." Following the band's split in 1989, several members including Hadley unsuccessfully sued main songwriter Gary Kemp for a larger share of songwriting royalties. Since then, Hadley has appeared in the London production of the hit musical "Chicago" and also won an 80s revivalist reality TV show "Reborn in the USA." Several other members of the band have carved out moderately successful acting careers.

Iconic 1980s glam pop band Spandau Ballet to reform for world tour . Band will play together for first time in 20 years in Dublin on October 13 . Spandau Ballet's sound, style and attitude came to define the 1980s . Band split in 1989; several members unsuccessfully sued songwriter Gary Kemp .

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(CNN) -- Insurance giant AIG will have to return to the Treasury Department the $165 million it just paid out in executive bonuses, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday in a letter to congressional leaders. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said AIG will have to return $165 million in bonuses for executives. "We will impose on AIG a contractual commitment to pay the treasury from the operations of the company the amount of the retention awards just paid," Geithner wrote. "In addition, we will deduct from the $30 billion in assistance an amount equal to the amount of those payments." That would be a double payment, essentially a $165 million penalty on AIG for issuing the bonuses. The move comes after New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo confirmed in a letter to Congress that this year, after receiving federal bailout money, AIG paid 73 employees bonuses of more than $1 million each. Watch congressional reaction to AIG bonuses » . Cuomo also wrote that 11 of the employees no longer work for the company. The largest bonus paid was $6.4 million; seven other people also received more than $4 million each. AIG is under fire for awarding the bonuses while being kept afloat by more than $170 billion from the U.S. government's financial bailout. On Tuesday, two key senators also announced a plan to impose a hefty tax on retention bonuses paid to executives of companies that received federal bailout money or in which the United States has an equity interest. Sens. Max Baucus, D-Montana, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, are the chairman and top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, respectively. They said companies would not be allowed to restructure the payments to those executives through deferred compensation to avoid the tax. Grassley and Baucus said all retention bonuses would be subject to a 35 percent excise tax for excessive compensation to be paid by the company and an additional 35 percent tax to be paid by the individual. "Millions of Americans are losing their jobs -- millions. And to some degree, they're losing their jobs because of actions taken by some of these firms," Baucus said. "At the same time, they're giving themselves bonuses. I mean, give me a break. What are these people thinking? That's part of the problem. They're not thinking." All other nonretention bonuses of more than $50,000 would be subject to the same tax, the senators said. "We're trying to address what I think taxpayers would say is salt in their wounds," Grassley said. "The taxpayers are bearing a great deal to get this economy going, help get these corporations turned around, and I think taxpayers are willing to help. "But when they see the lack of sensitivity on the part of corporate directors -- by giving these bonuses and doing other outrageous things -- there's just so much that the taxpayers of this country are going to stand for." The provisions would apply to bonuses paid out after January 1, 2009, so it would affect the AIG bonuses in question. "We should not be here. We should not be in this position," Baucus said. "AIG should not have promised those payments to retain those employees, and the Treasury should have blocked the issuance of the checks. It did not. And employees themselves should not have cashed them in. We should not be here, but unfortunately we are." Senior Finance Committee aides said the senators had not yet worked out whether individuals would pay income tax on the bonuses as well as the proposed excise tax, or if a combination of the two would be used. Watch why Americans are angry » . "You'll have to wait to see when we introduce the legislation," one of the aides said. "If our bosses had made a decision, we'd tell you what it was," said another. See a snapshot of facts, attitudes and analysis on the recession » . On Monday, President Obama said he planned to attempt to block bonuses to executives at ailing insurance giant AIG, payments he described as an "outrage." Obama said he asked Geithner to "pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole." Obama said he would work with Congress to change the laws so that such a situation cannot happen again. Watch Obama say he's outraged by bonuses » . The president spared AIG CEO Edward Liddy from criticism, saying he got the job "after the contracts that led to these bonuses were agreed to last year." But he said the impropriety of the bonuses goes beyond economics. "It's about our fundamental values," he said. iReport.com: Sound off on AIG . Under pressure from the Treasury, AIG scaled back the bonus plans and pledged to reduce 2009 bonuses -- or "retention payments" -- by at least 30 percent. That has done little to temper outrage over the initial plan, however. Who's insured by AIG? » . Liddy will face intense questioning about the bonuses when he testifies Wednesday before the House Financial Services subcommittee on capital markets. CNN's Ted Barrett, Dana Bash and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report.

NEW: AIG will have to return bonuses given to executives, Treasury secretary says . AIG paid 73 people bonuses of $1 million or more each, New York AG reports . New plan proposes retention bonuses would be subject to a 35 percent excise tax . Grassley: Plan would address taxpayer feeling of "salt in their wounds"

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A series of major international sporting events, a weak currency and its perennially sunny perch on the tip of South Africa are making Cape Town one of the hottest sailing destinations of 2009. Lucky strike: The port city of Cape Town is set to benefit from several major sporting events . The Indian Premier League cricket tournament was recently relocated to South Africa because of security concerns, and now Cape Town is slated to host the opening match on April 18. Both the Lions Tour rugby and the FIFA Confederations Cup football will follow the cricket tournament, heading down to South Africa later this year. Combined with the arrival of the World Cup in 2010, South Africa has suddenly become the ultimate holiday spot for sports fans. Calvyn Gilfellan, chief executive of Cape Town Routes Unlimited -- the region's tourism board -- told CNN the boost to the region had arrived at a crucial time. "When the financial crisis started people went into gloom and doom but these events are helping a lot to restore confidence in the industry. "The fact that we have a positive exchange rate also helps us a lot as a destination," he said. But South Africa's government is so focused on ensuring the success of the upcoming games that it recently denied a visa to The Dalai Lama. Critics contend that South Africa bowed to pressure from the Chinese government in refusing Tibet's spiritual leader entry to attend a peace conference that was partially intended to help promote the World Cup. As the focus strengthens on these international events, the Cape Town region looks set to benefit more than many from the expected surge in tourism. Gilfellan says this is largely due to the city's location. "We are lucky to be in such a wonderful spot. A lot of these events revolve around the marine industry and revolve around the harbor." This weekend harbor will play host to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival -- one of many upcoming festivals in the area. Cape Town's picturesque Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, has become South Africa's most visited tourist attraction. Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) John Martin, told CNN the Cape Town port was used widely for business, leisure and sports. As well as being the country's second biggest functioning port for trade, the port played host to racing yachts in events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and the Clipper Round-the-world Challenge. "We have several major yachting events that stop here and we are very proud of that." Martin said the popularity of the port means water space is "at a premium," but there are hopes a new harbor and breakwater will be constructed in the next few years. Still, Cape Town has the capacity to cater for foreign visitors on super-yachts and international cruise-liners. "Cape Town is a real focal point for refueling and repairs and it's also quite cheap here so people tend to stay for a while," he said. Gilfellan said she felt the surge of massive sporting events would undoubtedly have spin-off benefits for the marine industry. The Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket, which starts this month, had been tipped to go to England, but ultimately South Africa was chosen for its sunny weather. The tournament, which will feature 59 matches across six venues, will run from 18 April to 24 May . The 2009 British and Irish Lions tour officially kicks off on May 30 in Rustenberg. Matches will be held in Cape Town on June 13 and June 23. The eight-team Confederations Cup runs from June 14-28, and will take place across four cities. The event marks the first time an African nation will host an international FIFA tournament. The landmark event foreshadows the much-anticipated World Cup football tournament in June 2010, for which qualifying matches are currently being held. Although that's still a year away -- there are signs that the excitement in South Africa is already palpable. A new television commercial that began airing last month features Spain and Liverpool star, Fernando Torres, and Brazilian icon Kaka showing off their football skills. The advertisement ends with Torres saying "Ke Nako", which in South Africa's Sotho language means "it's time." It seems for Cape Town and the whole country -- this could not be more true. Mike Steere contributed to this report.

MainSail's 'Port of the Month' is Cape Town, South Africa . The area is one of South Africa's most popular tourist destinations . Cape Town is set to benefit from major international sporting events . The port is the country's second biggest and hosts major yacht races .

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(CNN) -- Asia's economic growth will tumble to the slowest pace since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report released Tuesday. Customers buy vegetables at a market in Quezon City in suburban Manila, Philippines, on September 16. "The short term outlook for the region is bleak as the full impact of the severe recession in industrialized economies is transmitted to emerging markets," said Jong-Wha Lee, acting chief economist for the ADB. The Asian Development Outlook 2009 forecasts that economic growth in developing Asia will slip to 3.4 percent in 2009, down from 6.3 percent last year and 9.5 percent in 2007. Growth could improve to 6 percent in 2010, if the global economy experiences a mild recovery next year, the report says. "The concern for the region, and especially for the region's poor, is that it is not yet clear that the [United States], European Union and Japan will recover as soon as next year," Lee said. The slowdown should prompt Asian countries to expand their economic base and not be as dependent on exports, according to the report. Despite the downturn, the report says Asia is in a much better position to cope with the current crisis than it was in the late 1990s. "Large foreign currency reserves and steadily declining inflation rates will provide policymakers with the necessary tools to nurse their economies through the hard times ahead," the report said. A number of Asian governments, including China, Japan and South Korea, have already responded quickly to the global financial crisis with stimulus packages and changes in monetary policy, helping to stem some of the downturn. In November, China announced plans to inject $586 billion (4 trillion yuan) into its economy to offset declines in industrial and export growth. That economic stimulus plan included the loosening of credit restrictions, tax cuts and massive infrastructure spending.

Economic growth in developing Asia forecast to slip to 3.4 percent in 2009 . Growth could improve to 6 percent in 2010, report says . Report: Slowdown could prompt Asian nations to not be as dependent on exports .

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(CNN) -- U.S. President Barack Obama met with his NATO allies in Strasbourg, France on Friday to talk about his plans for the war in Afghanistan, his "front line in the war on terror." Protesters outside the White House in February have a simple idea for the controversial prison. But the U.S. war on terror has some dark secrets and Obama hasn't really wanted to talk about them. In Spain, a crusading judge named Baltasar Garzon is reviewing the case of several men who say they were tortured at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In Washington, Senator Patrick Leahy has been asking similar questions that people around the world want answered: . Did the U.S. really torture prisoners, did it secretly transfer some to other countries specifically to be tortured and did senior officials authorize it? Leahy says: "We can't turn the page unless we first read the page." There are ample grounds to believe crimes were committed. Individual prisoners have described being tortured in U.S. custody or being dispatched to other nations with the same terrible result. An investigation by the International Committee of the Red Cross also reported evidence of it. While he was in office, George W. Bush said flatly "the United States does not torture." But the Bush administration defined 'torture' so narrowly that its use of the word has been contested as well. The effort to find out just what happened has been moving slowly, both inside and outside the United States. The Obama administration hasn't encouraged it. Obama said recently that "generally speaking, I'm more interested in looking forward than looking backwards." That's easy to understand. Millions of Americans are grateful to America's ex-president and his aides, as well as U.S. soldiers and spies, for keeping the country safe after 9/11. Any investigations or potential prosecutions could set off a national debate complicating everything else Obama wants to accomplish. But the U.S. has signed international treaties on torture and war crimes, suggesting it's legally obligated to prosecute any cases that come to light. Countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas have found a way to face their secret crimes. The United States has to decide if it wants to take its own turn.

Leading figures in U.S., Europe want the U.S. to answer torture allegations . Claims come from prisoners and the Red Cross . So far, President Obama has not encouraged inquiries . Other countries faced up to secret crimes, now U.S. needs to decide what to do .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Suits were swapped for jeans and sneakers throughout London's financial district today, as bankers heeded warnings to dress down to avoid the potential wrath of G-20 protestors. Bankers in London head to work in casual attire. Many city workers have been urged to dress down to avoid attention from protesters. "Only about 20 percent of people probably just refused to dress down. Everybody else is in jeans," said Jesse Feldman, a banker at French investment bank, Société Générale. All week banks and investment firms located in London's City neighborhood have been advising employees to not dress in regular business attire. "Staff are permitted to wear casual clothing -- jeans/trainers -- commencing March 30. Avoid briefcases/branded bags/computer cases: Put materials in rucksacks or carrier bags where possible," U.S. bank, J.P. Morgan told employees in an email statement last week quoted on City news Web site Hereisthecity.com. Employees at Rothschild investment bank in London were told simply not to bother coming into work at all today. Among those who did commute to the office, bystanders said that the bankers are still easy to spot, conspicuously reading UK newspaper The Financial Times or dressing in a uniform business casual look. "On the tube this morning I thought it was ridiculous because all these bankers couldn't have looked more like bankers trying to dress down," Feldman told CNN. Instead of jackets, ties and Oxford shoes, polo shirts, khakis and loafers now fill the streets around the City and much of central London. "I saw two bankers wearing matching baby blue sweaters, tight jeans and Church's -- ridiculous," Feldman added, referring to the up-scale brand of traditional English shoes. One Web site that covers news and gossip in the City has been tracking the banker backlash to the warnings. "It's a mixture: people are falling into two types. The banks and the funds are certainly encouraging the staff to wear casual dress, but some are determined they won't cower to protestors and are still showing up in suits," said Vic Daniels, publisher of HereistheCity.com. On Monday, Bloomberg quoted one City professional, Graham Williams, 66, who said: "We're not pansies ... most of us have played rugby or boxed. "If any of those guys do get violent against us individually because we are wearing a suit, we will take action." The site also offers humorous advice for bankers to respond to protestors by dumping "large blocks of ice" to "render them harmless," and encouraging bankers to "find your inner G20 [sic] spot." Despite the jokes, precautions proved valuable Wednesday as thousands of angry anti-capitalist protestors converged on the City for demonstrations to coincide with the G-20 summit. By midday protestors had started smashing windows at a branch The Royal Bank of Scotland. Earlier in the day 11 people were arrested after being stopped in an armored personnel carrier. Thousands of police are continuing to patrol the streets in anti-riot gear.

Fearing protesters bankers dressed down for work in London today . Banks and businesses in the City warned employees not to wear suits . Some said bankers remained conspicuous despite attempts to dress casually . "We are not pansies," said one defiant City worker, still wearing a suit .

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ESTERO, Florida (CNN) -- Alana and Joe Consolo should have had the excitement of a young couple enjoying their first house, but the South Florida pair was walking through it recently with a healthy dose of fear. Alana and Joe Consolo tour their Florida house after it was gutted because of concerns about the drywall. They've been caught in a maelstrom of headline news events that would make your head spin. Both were laid off as the economy soured. The nation's housing crisis cut their Florida house's value in half. And now their home's interior is being rebuilt because it contained Chinese-made drywall that they say has made them sick. The Consolos are among homeowners in several states who allege Chinese drywall has emitted corrosive gases they believe have given them headaches and upper respiratory problems and caused household systems such as air-conditioning units to fail. "I'm holding back tears," Alana Consolo said as she walked through the house, which is in the middle of the reconstruction project. "I have chills and I'm angry -- really, really angry -- and really sad, too." The Consolos moved into the home in Estero, near Fort Myers, less than three years ago. But they moved out six weeks ago, and even though it's being rebuilt, they doubt they'll return there to live because they've yet to be convinced they'd be healthy. "The last time that we saw the house in this condition," Alana said, looking at the gutted interior, "we came in excited, holding our hands, planning on where we were going to put our [baby] room for our new family." Watch the Consolos tour the gutted home » . Concerns about Chinese-made drywall emerged in Florida last year but by now have spread to other states. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said it's investigating complaints in Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, Washington and North Carolina. And class-action lawsuits are lining up against Chinese manufacturers as well as suppliers and builders. The Florida Department of Health said complaints it received -- more than 180 as of Thursday -- generally involve homes built between 2004 and 2007, around the time that a building boom and post-hurricane reconstruction caused a U.S. drywall shortage and spurred imports from China. A study done for the Florida department by private laboratory Unified Engineering Inc. found that samples of certain Chinese drywall gave off a sulfurous odor from "volatile sulfur compounds" when exposed to extreme heat and moisture. It also found that vapors "in the residential atmosphere created a corrosive environment in the presence of moisture," according to Unified's report. But state and federal officials said they're still testing to determine whether the drywall poses health risks. The Consolos, who now have a 4-month-old daughter, said they first noticed a problem in December when their smoke detectors kept going off inexplicably. An inspection revealed that copper wiring inside the house had turned black. And the couple said they suffered from headaches and upper respiratory problems while living in the house. So they moved out. Now the house, which had Chinese-made drywall, has been stripped. The builder, Lennar Homes, is footing the bill for the reconstruction and a nearby rental house for the Consolos. Moving out came at a trying time for the family. Both were laid off about a year ago by Countrywide Bank, where they were mortgage loan originators. Joe Consolo is now a restaurant manager. Also, the nation's housing crisis hit their home. Purchased for $528,000, it has recently been appraised for $280,000. Trying to get out from under a bad investment, they went to their bank to do a short sale. "The value had decreased so much, we were throwing money out the window," Alana Consolo said. Two offers for $250,000 and $255,000 were rejected. So, they made a business decision: They stopped paying their mortgage and declared bankruptcy. The Consolos are now three months behind in their payments. They're not sure yet if foreclosure is in their future, but they don't think it will be easy to sell a house that's had drywall issues. The Gypsum Association said that enough drywall was imported from China since 2006 to build 30,000 complete homes. Most of the Chinese drywall, it said, ended up in southwest Florida during the housing boom. As for the Consolos' health problems, Alana said her headaches stopped after they moved out of the house. Joe said he's been hospitalized twice for pneumonia, and he's been diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease of the blood. The Consolos said they believe drywall was the cause. Lennar Homes, the Consolos' builder, said it has identified at least 80 homes it built with Chinese drywall. It is offering to gut and rebuild those homes for free. "They're doing what's responsible, we believe," Alana Consolo said. "We're repairing the homes by removing every piece of drywall from the home and replacing all affected copper," said Chris Marlin, a vice president for Lennar Homes. Lennar also is suing Chinese manufacturers and their U.S. suppliers. But while the Consolos' home is being rebuilt, their lives still are filled with stress and unanswered questions. They said they think foreclosure may be the best way to get away from a house that they think has made them sick and that they don't believe they could sell because of the housing crisis and drywall issues. "There's the fear, 'Are they taking everything out?' " Alana Consolo said. "We want to have more children, and Joe has an autoimmune disorder. [Going back is] just a risk I'm not willing to take." She added, "The economy started it. The Chinese drywall cemented it for us."

Florida couple's house being revamped; they say Chinese drywall made them sick . Drywall concerns came after layoffs, home devaluation . Family living in different home at builder's expense while theirs is fixed . Homeowner says she's "really, really angry"

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