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(CNN) -- British author J.G. Ballard, whose boyhood experience in a World War II internment camp became the novel and film "Empire of the Sun," died Sunday at age 78, his literary agent said. He had suffered from cancer for several years. Ballard's semi-autobiographical "Empire of the Sun" was made into a movie by Steven Spielberg. "J.G. Ballard has been a giant on the world literary scene for more than 50 years," Margaret Hanbury said Monday. "His acute and visionary observation of contemporary life was distilled into a number of brilliant, powerful novels, which have been published all over the world." Ballard was born in a Western enclave in the Chinese city of Shanghai in 1930. The Japanese occupied the city in 1937, and Ballard and his family were placed in a civilian internment camp in 1943. He began writing science fiction in the 1950s, with his work taking on a strongly psychological, apocalyptic bent in later decades. But, "Empire of the Sun," his semi-autobiographical account of the war years, became his best-known work, and it was made into a film by director Steven Spielberg in 1988. Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg adapted another of Ballard's novels, "Crash," in 1996. Its plot -- people sexually aroused by car accidents -- drew the novel an initial reaction of "beyond psychiatric help" from his publisher and an adults-only rating for the film.

Celebrated author J.G. Ballard dies at age of 78 from cancer . Ballard began writing science fiction in 1950s . His semi-autobiographical novel "Empire of the Sun" was made into film .

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(CNN) -- Five Filipino soldiers were killed and 24 others wounded during an overnight gun battle with a faction of a Muslim separatist group in the Philippines' southern region, a military spokesman said. Filipino soldiers check weapons captured from Moro Islamic Liberation Front militants in November. The fighting in Basilan province broke out after ongoing peace negotiations with rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) hit an impasse, said Maj. Ramon Zagala. Early reports indicated the fighters were from a rogue faction of the front, but the military later identified them as members of the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to the al Qaeda terrorist network, Zagala said. Abu Sayyaf members were seeking refuge in MILF-controlled towns, drawing a military response, Zagala said. The militants retaliated Sunday with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, he said. The splinter group originally believed to have been involved in the firefight, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, issued a statement accusing Filipino troops of using artillery and "indiscriminately" launched airstrikes.The statement, posted Monday on a pro-Moro Website, included no report of casualties. The government of the Philippines has been involved in peace negotiations with Moro Islamic Liberation Front since 2003. CNN's Tess Eastment contributed to this report.

NEW: Abu Sayyaf members drew military response, military spokesman says . Filipino soldiers fight rogue faction of a Muslim separatist group . Fighting began after negotiations hit an impasse, military in Philippines says . Militants were trying to occupy part of a province, military says .

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(CNN) -- The pilot who made a treacherous crash-landing on New York's Hudson River look like a routine maneuver got a hero's welcome Saturday in his California hometown. Chesley B. Sullenberger was honored Saturday with a celebration in his hometown of Danville, California. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger put his US Airways jetliner down on the Hudson minutes after both engines failed, then walked the length of the drifting Airbus A320 twice to make certain that all 155 people on board got off safely. He was greeted by several thousand cheering people gathered around the town square in Danville, California, for a celebration in his honor. Mayor Newell Arnerich presented Sullenberger with a ceremonial key to the city, an upscale suburb near San Francisco. Sullenberger, who has avoided public comment since the January 15 incident, made very brief remarks. He thanked the crowd for an "incredible outpouring of support." "Circumstance determined that it was this experienced crew that was scheduled to fly on that particular flight on that particular day," Sullenberger said. "But I know I can speak for the entire crew when I tell you we were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do. Thank you." Watch Sullenberger address the crowd » . Sullenberger's wife, Lorrie, fought back tears as she spoke of her husband. "I have always known him to be an exemplary pilot. I knew what the outcome would be that day, because I knew my husband," she said. "Mostly for me, he's the man that makes my cup of tea every morning." Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board continue to piece together details from the double engine failure that hit the plane after it took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport for Charlotte, North Carolina. The jet's left engine, which apparently tore away from the plane on landing impact, was raised from the bottom of the Hudson on Friday. Sullenberger reported to air controllers that his plane had hit birds shortly before both engines shut down. On Saturday, the NTSB said a preliminary examination of the left engine found evidence of "soft body impact damage," the same kind of damage reported on the right engine. An NTSB spokesman said that there was no evidence of organic material such as a dead bird in the left engine but that was not surprising because the engine had been under water for a week. Although the NTSB has not officially confirmed reports of a bird strike, the agency's findings and statements have not done anything to discount the bird-strike reports. Both engines will be shipped to the manufacturer in Ohio, where NTSB investigators will tear them down completely for examination.

NEW: Left engine shows evidence of "soft body impact damage," NTSB says . Thousands greet US Airways pilot in Danville, California . "We were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do," he says . Investigators continue to piece together what happened .

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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Senior North Korean officials say the communist regime has "weaponized" its stockpile of plutonium, according to a U.S. scholar, in a move suggesting that North Korea may have significantly hardened its stance on nuclear negotiations. Selig Harrison said North Korean officials claimed to have enough plutonium for four or five warheads. Selig Harrison, one of the few U.S. scholars granted access to senior North Korean officials, said at a news conference in Beijing that the officials told him they had weaponized 30.8 kilograms of plutonium, enough for four or five warheads. The director of the Asia Program at the Center for International Policy, who just returned from a five-day visit to Pyongyang, said senior North Korean officials told him the warheads will not be open for inspection. If it is true, the news portends a gloomy outlook for the future of the six-party talks that began in 2003 with the goal of getting North Korea to end its nuclear program. "It does change the game," Harrison said. South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia are participating in the talks. A 2007 agreement calls for scrapping nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula in return for energy aid to the North, normalized relations between the North and the United States and Japan, and a formal peace pact. Watch a report on North Korea's nuclear negotiations » . The North Koreans told Harrison they want the rest of the fuel aid that Japan has promised them. North Korea had agreed to disable the reactor that had produced plutonium for nuclear weapons. But the United States and its allies have asked it to give up the plutonium it already has, an estimated 30 kilograms, as well as details of any other bomb-producing programs. Harrison said one possible reason for Pyongyang's tough new stance could be the declining health of leader Kim Jong Il, who reportedly suffered a stroke last year and may no longer be involved in day-to-day decisions. "People I talked to have many indications that some important things are submitted to him, but he is not working in the way he used to," Harrison said. He said military hard-liners have taken the lead in demanding from the United States a full declaration and verification of all nuclear weapons sent to South Korea between 1957 and 1991. The hard-liners also seek full normalization of relations with Washington before more talks about scrapping their nuclear arsenal. On Tuesday, during her Senate confirmation hearing for the secretary of state position, Sen. Hillary Clinton made it clear: de-nuclearization first, then diplomatic normalization. President-elect Barack Obama has stated his willingness to talk to the North Korean leader. Harrison also said the North demanded the completion of the light-water reactors as compensation for the dismantling of the Yongbyon nuclear reactor. The light-water reactor, which is not capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium, was promised to North Korea in the early 1990s for the North giving up its nuclear weapons. Its construction has been suspended. North Korea has long considered its nuclear program integral to its national security. North Korea tested a nuclear weapon in 2006. In June, it acknowledged producing about 40 kilograms of enriched plutonium. CNN's John Vause contributed to this report.

News may bode ill for future of talks to end North Korean nuclear program . North Korean officials tell U.S. scholar they want rest of promised fuel aid . One possible reason for tough stance could be declining health of leader Kim Jung Il . Military hard-liners seek normalization of relations with Washington before more talks .

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(CNN) -- Ukraine's Security Service launched a raid on the country's state-run gas company Wednesday, searching for documents related to a gas deal with Russia, a spokesman for the company said. Ukrainian security service agents let employees leave a room at Naftogaz's headquarters. A group of about 30 gunmen wearing masks and carrying machine guns entered the offices of Naftogaz and took control of every floor of the company's building in the capital of Kiev, Naftogaz spokesman Valentyn Zemlyansky said. Operatives from the security service then began a search for various company documents, including those pertaining to the Russia-Ukraine gas deal signed in January to end a weeks-long gas dispute, Zemlyansky told journalists, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. The Security Service opened a criminal case on Monday into alleged misappropriation of 6.3 billion cubic meters of transit gas worth over 7.4 billion hryvnia ($880 million) by a group of Naftogaz officers, Interfax reported. Taras Shepitko, a deputy chief of an Energy Regional Customs division under the State Customs Service, was detained as part of the case. Ukrainian Security Service operatives confirmed to Interfax that the operation was related to that criminal case. The armed troops were there simply to protect the investigators, the service told Interfax, citing attempts to hinder the investigation. Naftogaz called police when the armed men stormed in but the police retreated soon after they arrived, Zemlyansky said. CNN's Maxim Tkachenko in Moscow, Russia, contributed to this report.

Ukraine's Security Service raids country's state-run gas company . Naftogaz: Raid was to search for documents related to gas deal with Russia . Security Service investigating alleged theft of gas by Naftogaz officers .

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- An Indian paramilitary trooper shot dead six colleagues and fled his military camp with an AK-47 rifle in the remote northeastern state of Manipur, a spokesman for his unit said Thursday. Indian Assam Rifles paramilitary soldiers on duty in the eastern state of Manipur. "He shot dead one junior commissioned officer in a fit of rage after having an altercation with him and then turned the gun on five other troopers (who arrived at the scene)," said Shamsher Jung, the spokesman for the Assam Rifles. Authorities launched a manhunt for the trooper. The Assam Rifles are stationed in Manipur, on the India-Myanmar border, to combat some 30 active insurgent groups that are believed to be operating there. The rebels want a separate homeland and have accused the Indian government of exploiting the region's natural resources, while doing little in return to help the indigenous people who live there. In the last decade, thousands have died in separatist violence. -- CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report.

Trooper shot one junior commissioned officer in a fit of rage, spokesman said . He then turned his gun on five other troopers who arrived on the scene . Trooper part of Assam Rifles, stationed in Manipur on India-Myanmar border .

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(CNN) -- Every time her cell phone rings, Christy Harness thinks of her husband. More consumers download ringtones to their cell phones than full-length songs. The 34-year-old native of Jackson County, Georgia, set her ringtone to Sugarland's "All I Wanna Do," a song that, she says, perfectly expresses the way she feels about him. "I kind of put myself in [the singer's] place because ... she's in love with this guy. If he's not around, she misses him. Basically, I think the song relates to me and [my husband] and our relationship," Harness said. These days, ringtones do much more than alert mobile phone users of a call. Ringtones seem to have become vital fashion statements, a way for people to showcase their personalities and even their feelings about who is calling. According to a 2008 study by Ipsos MediaCT, a marketing research company, approximately one-third of mobile phone users download ringtones, and about 40 percent of users change their ringtones frequently. Ipsos research shows that ringtones are the most common type of mobile music content downloaded by users, compared to full-length songs and ringback tones, tones that replace the typical ringing signal heard by the caller. "I find regular ringtones kind of dull, so I wanted something exciting," said Gordy King, a 51-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah. King said he gets a kick out of annoying his mostly Republican co-workers with his Barack Obama ringtones, even playing them over the intercom at the electrical supply warehouse where he works. "It's fake news people saying 'Barack Obama has won the election,' " he said. "I really like Barack Obama. I think [my ringtone] probably says that I'm nonconventional and it says I lean a little more liberal. I don't know anyone else who has that ringtone." Using a ringtone creator application on Facebook, King said he also makes his own ringtones by downloading sound files onto his computer and editing them to be shorter and louder or softer. Donald Kaplan found a perfect fit with his ringtone choice. Kaplan, of New York, changed his ringtones often before finally settling on the theme song from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." "I'm thinking of sticking with it. I notice that when people hear my phone ring they get amused ... I think that people really connect with that movie," Kaplan said. But that's not always the case. Kaplan said one of his co-workers wasn't exactly pleased with the ringtone. The co-worker sent a mass e-mail to the office, telling everyone to keep their cell phones on silent. "The ringtone drove him crazy and he tried to be tactful but I knew that [the e-mail] was directed specifically to me," Kaplan said. "I could tell that this particular ringtone just drove him up the wall ... just the repetition of the sound." For some, one ringtone simply isn't enough. Many mobile phone users set specific tones to specific people so that the tones act as audible caller IDs. "I group people," said Natasha Khan, a 26-year-old from McLean, Virginia. "I group all my best girlfriends together, the people I don't want to talk to together, work contacts together, and family together." Khan said when her best friends call she hears "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," by Cyndi Lauper, and when she gets a call from people she doesn't particularly like, her phone rings "Bugaboo" by Destiny's Child. "Bugaboo," about a woman irritated by a male caller, contains such lines as, "It's not hot that you be callin' me." "The 'Bugaboo' ringtone has gotten me in trouble," Khan said with a laugh. "This guy -- I forgot that he was on that list and I told him I needed his number and he said, 'Oh, I'll call you' and he realized he was on the list." Customizing a phone with multiple ringtones can be expensive. Depending on the wireless carrier or the service plan, ringtones cost anywhere from $0.99 to $2.99. That may not deter cell phone users. Analysts at Screen Digest, a UK-based firm covering global media markets, predicted that mobile music sales will double from $1.6 billion in 2008 to $3.2 billion in 2012. But there are also free ways to get ringtones, like the ringtone creator application on Facebook -- one of several ringtone applications on the social-networking Web site -- that make setting ringtones all the more appealing. "The ringtone creator was fun," said King. "No matter how big or little the song or sound effect ... you could select a snippet and edit it." Many mobile phone users like to be creative and have fun with their ringtones, and their ringtone choice can reveal much about their personalities. Khan's default ringtone, she said, is typically an upbeat dance song like her current one, "Forever" by Chris Brown. "I think the day can be so mundane and work can bog you down, so I like any chance I can get to get some joy," Khan said. "It's just a break in the day to feel good randomly."

Ringtones are one way for people to showcase their personalities and feelings . One third of cell-phone users download ringtones; 40 percent change ringtones often . Virginia woman uses Destiny's Child's "Bugaboo" as ringtone for dreaded callers . Utah man customized a pro-Obama ringtone to annoy Republican co-workers .

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(CNN) -- Muzak, the company that put pop, string-filled arrangements of rock songs in your elevator, filed bankruptcy papers Tuesday after it missed a $105 million payment to creditors. The Muzak company is best known for background music piped into places such as elevators. The pipeline of easy listening will continue to flow as Muzak restructures its debt during the Chapter 11 process, the company said. "Muzak is a solid business with an outstanding customer base, but we are burdened with substantial debt obligations established over a decade ago," Muzak CEO Stephen Villa said. Muzak's cash flows doubled in the last three years, Villa said, "demonstrating that our business continues to perform well even in today's challenging environment." Along with its ubiquitous elevator offerings, Muzak and its 14 affiliates -- all privately owned -- produce on-hold messages and install sound systems, digital signs and drive-thru systems for retail businesses. Bankruptcy documents showed Muzak owes its largest creditor -- U.S. Bank, as indentured trustee -- about $370 million, nearly all of it due this year. Muzak spokeswoman Meaghan Repko said the filing was voluntary and in cooperation with the creditors. The weakened global economy was not a factor, she said, noting the company's profits have been rising in recent years. The Chapter 11 protections will allow Muzak time to restructure the debt, which was incurred a decade ago, she said.

Muzak creates musical material often called "elevator music" Company missed $105 million payment to creditors . Cash flow is up, says CEO, but company has "substantial debt obligations"

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(CNN) -- Jon Opsahl said he doesn't think domestic terrorist-turned-housewife Sara Jane Olson served nearly enough time for his mother's murder, but he's relieved the saga ended with Olson's Tuesday release from prison. Sara Jane Olson was released from a California prison Tuesday after serving seven years. Olson, a member of the self-styled revolutionary Symbionese Liberation Army -- perhaps best known for kidnapping Patricia Hearst -- was released from a California prison after serving seven years, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. She was released to her husband just after midnight and is expected to serve her yearlong parole term in Minnesota -- over the the objections of police unions and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Her sentence stems from her involvement in the 1975 attempted bombings of two police cars and the slaying of Myrna Opsahl during a bank robbery that same year. Back then, Olson went by her birth name, Kathleen Anne Soliah. After her 1976 indictment in the attempted bombings, she changed her name and started a new life in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was not apprehended until 1999. "I've really got nothing to say. She did her time, as minimal as that may have been," said Jon Opsahl, who was 15 when his mother was killed. "One of those years -- just one -- was for the murder of my mom and the bank robbery up in Carmichael." Myrna Opsahl, a mother of four, was depositing money at the Crocker National Bank for her church when she was shot by Olson's co-defendant Emily Montague Harris, according to court documents. Harris was sentenced to eight years; she served four and was released on parole in February 2007. Jon Opsahl, now 49, said he never understood why it took so long to bring his mother's killers to justice. While charges were filed in the bombings within months, no charges were brought in his mother's murder until 2002. "You expect thugs to do what thugs do, but you don't expect the district attorney to turn a blind eye to the murder of an upstanding citizen," Jon Opsahl said Monday. Olson's release Tuesday will cap an oft-strange storyline that spans more than three decades and which saw Olson wear the hats of college student, 1970s radical, housewife and philanthropist. Attorney Andy Dawkins met Olson, now 62, shortly after she moved to St. Paul through friends in the reggae band, Pressure Drop. Fred Peterson, Olson's husband, played trumpet in the band, Dawkins said. "She did good deeds everywhere. She raised three wonderful daughters. It was always a shock to all of us that the Sara we know had that past," Dawkins said. After attending the University of California, Santa Barbara, Olson moved to Berkeley in the early 1970s. There, she met Angela Atwood in 1972, and the two became best friends and roommates, Olson told L.A. Weekly in a 2002 interview shortly before she was imprisoned. After Atwood and five other SLA members were killed in a 1974 gunfight with the Los Angeles Police Department, Olson appeared at a memorial in Berkeley's Ho Chi Minh Park to eulogize her friend. "SLA soldiers, although I know it's not necessary to say, keep fighting. I'm with you, and we are with you," Olson told the crowd. Almost a year later, Olson took part in two bank robberies to help fund the SLA, according to court documents. During the Carmichael robbery, Olson "entered the bank with a firearm and kicked a nonresisting pregnant teller in the stomach. The teller miscarried after the robbery," the documents said. In August 1975, Los Angeles police found homemade bombs under two squad cars. They were designed to explode when the car moved, but neither device detonated. Authorities cast the attempted bombings as payback for the bloody shootout that left Atwood and other SLA members dead. A probe into the gunbattle helped police arrest Hearst, the granddaughter of publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst, who claimed she had been kidnapped, raped and brainwashed by the SLA. In her book "Every Secret Thing," Hearst put Olson at the center of the Carmichael robbery. Olson soon left California. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, "she evaded capture for 23 years, and in the meantime, became a doctor's wife, mother of three, community volunteer, veteran of charity work in Africa and practicing Methodist living in an upscale neighborhood in St. Paul." Though authorities said a 1999 "America's Most Wanted" episode marking the 25th anniversary of the L.A. shootout led to Olson's arrest, the show's Web site mentions neither Olson nor Soliah among its almost 1,100 "captures." Her Minnesota friends and neighbors were shocked, even incredulous, when she was arrested. They pleaded with a judge to grant her bail. The Sara Olson Defense Fund began selling cookbooks, titled, "Serving Time: America's Most Wanted Recipes." It would help that Olson was generous with her time. She was active in the church. She volunteered for political campaigns. Dawkins said he had a blind client to whom she used to read The New York Times. Olson's philanthropy, coupled with the connections of her husband, a respected emergency room doctor, made raising the $1 million bail relatively easy, said Dawkins, who remembers that some members of the community had so much faith in Olson they put up their children's college funds. On October 31, 2001, Olson pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to ignite a destructive device or explosive. She later tried to rescind the plea, saying "cowardice" prevented her from telling the truth. A superior court judge, however, denied her request and in January 2002 sentenced her to 20 years to life in prison, a sentence the parole board later reduced. Olson was charged with Opsahl's slaying that same week and pleaded guilty in 2003 to second-degree murder. Olson received a sentence of five years to life. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement that Olson's sentence was reduced for good behavior and for her work on a maintenance crew that cleaned the main yard of the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. Dawkins said "it's right" that Olson served time, but he is glad she is being released. He expects many hugs await her in St. Paul and that she will soon be back to her generous ways. "I really believe who we knew in St. Paul was the true Sara Olson," he said. The Los Angeles Police Protection League disagrees and has loudly opposed her early release. Sgt. Paul Weber, the league's chief, called her a sociopath who "never said she was sorry." He also lashed out at those who rush to defend her. "Enough with the BS that she was unfairly targeted by law enforcement for her youthful indiscretions -- she is a criminal," Weber said in a Monday statement. Corrections officials say it's important that she be reunited with her family during her parole -- it helps reduce recidivism -- but Minnesota legislators, the governor and the St. Paul Police Federation have asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to keep her in California over the next year. "Letting a domestic terrorist like Kathleen Soliah set the terms of her parole is an insult to the memory of Myrna Opsahl and all the men and women of LAPD past and present," the St. Paul union said in a letter last week. Jon Opsahl, however, just wants to put Olson out of his mind. "Get her out of here," he said. "I don't want to see or think about her again."

NEW: Governor, police unions oppose Olson serving parole in Minnesota . Olson evaded capture for more than 20 years living as Minnesota housewife . Olson was member of Symbionese Liberation Army, which nabbed Patricia Hearst . Court documents say Olson kicked pregnant teller during 1975 bank robbery .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Sky News, the British-based 24-hour news broadcaster, will not show a controversial appeal for aid for the people of Gaza, it announced Monday. Protesters demonstrate in London Sunday against the BBC's decision not to show Gaza aid appeal. Sky News joins the BBC in refusing to show the appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group of 13 leading British aid agencies. The BBC, Britain's public broadcaster, has been criticized by politicians and religious leaders for refusing to show the appeal, which launches Monday. There have been demonstrations against the decision at BBC buildings in England and Scotland. Sky News said airing the appeal would compromise its reputation for fairness. Do you agree with the decision? Send your comments . "Broadcasting an appeal for Gaza at this time is incompatible with our role in providing balanced and objective reporting of this continuing situation to our audiences in the UK and around the world," John Ryley, the head of Sky News, said Monday in a statement on the company's Web site. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) includes the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Save the Children and 10 other charities. British broadcasters, led by the BBC, originally declined to air the Gaza 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. About 50 people protested at its Glasgow headquarters Sunday. The corporation received about 1,000 phone calls and 10,000 e-mails of complaint in the three days after it announced its decision Thursday. But the BBC is sticking with its position, 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," he wrote. "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. The DEC is "disappointed that the BBC declined to support the Gaza appeal," a 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 received 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?" 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.

Sky News said airing the appeal would compromise its reputation for fairness . BBC refused to broadcast ad, saying it would compromise appearance of impartiality . Demonstrations against BBC decision took place in England and Scotland . UK charity group Disasters Emergency Committee to launch appeal for Gaza aid .

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GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israel bombed a Hamas government compound early Tuesday, leveling at least three structures, including the foreign ministry building, eyewitnesses and Hamas security sources told CNN. Relatives mourn three boys from the same family who were killed in an Israeli airstrike Monday in Gaza. A Gaza-based journalist, whose name was withheld for security reasons, told CNN he heard 18 blasts in the area and that two fires were burning at the compound early Tuesday. More bombs continued to drop over Gaza through the morning. With Tuesday's bombs, Israel appeared to extend its airstrike campaign in Gaza to a fourth day. The strikes -- which Israel says are aimed at stopping the firing of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel -- have killed more than 375 Palestinians, most of them Hamas militants, Palestinian medical sources said Tuesday. At least 60 civilians have been killed in Gaza, U.N. officials said. About 650 people have been wounded there, according to the Palestinian medical sources. Monday, Israel's defense minister said the nation was in an "all-out war" with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza. "We have stretched our hand in peace many times to the Palestinian people. We have nothing against the people of Gaza," Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Israel's parliament. "But this is an all-out war against Hamas and its branches." Israel continues to strike Hamas targets in Gaza, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told CNN. Mortar fire along the Gaza border late Monday killed one Israeli soldier and wounded four others, he said. Earlier Monday, columns of smoke rose over Gaza City as warplanes carried out strikes. Though there was no indication of an Israeli military ground operation in Gaza, Israeli tanks cruised along the territory's edges. Watch rocket fire force a reporter to take cover » . Iyad Nasr, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the streets of Gaza were largely empty during airstrikes Monday morning. Despite the airstrikes, militants fired more than 40 rockets and mortar shells into Israel on Monday, according to Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld. More than 150 rockets have been launched into Israeli territory since the campaign began, Israel Defense Forces said. Watch damage in Sderot » . Six Israelis have died over the past three days, five of them civilians. One of the rocket strikes killed an Israeli at a construction site in Ashkelon, 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of Gaza, and wounded eight others, a hospital spokeswoman said. Rocket strikes killed an Israeli and wounded two others at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, according to Israeli police and hospital spokespersons. Rocket attacks also wounded two people, one seriously, in Ashdod. One woman who was critically injured during the attack died later during an operation, according to Israeli medical sources. The White House on Monday called on Hamas to halt rocket fire against Israel, so calm can be restored in Gaza. Watch the White House blame Hamas » . Israel has struck more than 300 Hamas targets since Saturday, its military said. The Israeli air force carried out at least 20 airstrikes on Gaza on Monday, Israeli military sources said. Hamas security sources said the targets included the homes of two commanders of Hamas' military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in the Jabalya refugee camp just north of Gaza City. Neither commander was among the seven people killed in those strikes, the sources said. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on a report by Dr. Mu'awiya Hassanein that a strike near a mosque in Jabalya killed five children in a nearby home. The situation triggered protests in Iran, Greece, Britain and Lebanon, and the Iranian government declared a day of mourning for Palestinians in Gaza. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei urged the world's Muslim populations to unite against Israel's attacks on Hamas in Gaza. Watch a demonstration in London » . "All true believers in the world of Islam and Palestinian fighters are duty-bound to defend the defenseless women and children in Gaza Strip and those giving their lives in carrying out such a divine duty are 'martyrs,' " Khamenei said through Iran's official news agency IRNA. U.S. and Israeli officials told CNN that Hamas militants in Gaza have received support from Iran in the past in the form of weapons, training and cash. "We know of Hamas operatives, commandos and soldiers who were trained in Iran itself. We know that. So there is a close cooperation and exchange of know-how and activities," said Isaac Herzog, a member of the Israeli Security Cabinet. Iran denies any involvement with Hamas. But an Iranian official told CNN Iran has ties to Shiite groups such as Hezbollah, a political party in Lebanon with alleged terrorist roots. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Hamas for the rocket attacks, but also had strong words for Israel. "While recognizing Israel's right to defend itself, I have also condemned the excessive use of force by Israel in Gaza. The suffering caused to civilian populations as a result of the large-scale violence and destruction that have taken place over the past few days has saddened me profoundly," he said in a prepared statement. The U.N. Security Council called for both sides to immediately end the violence, but Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that the campaign could last "for some time," and his Cabinet voted to call up 7,000 reservists. So far, about 2,000 reservists have been activated, according to the government. Read analysis of what may happen next . Hamas pledges it will defend its land and people from what it calls continued Israeli aggression. Each side blames the other for violating an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire. The truce formally expired December 19, but it had been weakening for months. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian parliament member, flatly blamed the violence on the Israeli "occupation" of the Palestinian territories and dismissed Israeli claims that it is targeting only Hamas. Watch why one Palestinian lawmaker blames Israel » . "This is not a war on Hamas; it is a war on the Palestinian people," he said. "The Israeli politicians are using this bloodbath, which is the worst since 1967, for their election campaigns. This is insane." Watch Barghouti warn "violence breeds violence" » . Both Barak and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will be vying in February for the prime minister's post against Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Both Barak and Netanyahu have previously held the post. The ongoing assault and threat of Israeli military ground incursion caused panic in Gaza City, the territory's densely populated capital, a U.N. humanitarian official told CNN on Monday. "It's very bad, people are running in all directions because of the bombings that are happening everywhere," Karen AbuZayd said from Gaza City. AbuZayd is the commissioner-general of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, which provides assistance to about 80 percent of Gaza's 1.5 million residents. Israel allowed more than 50 trucks carrying relief aid into Gaza on Monday -- in addition to 40 on Sunday -- Israeli military sources said. The U.N. is expecting 100 trucks Monday, but a U.N. official said it will not be enough to alleviate the worsening humanitarian situation. In the West Bank, Saeb Erakat, adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, urged Israeli and Hamas leaders to put another cease-fire in place. The power base of Abbas' Fatah party is in the West Bank. The party is locked in a power struggle with Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in January 2006 and wrested Gaza from Fatah in violent clashes last year. Abbas, a U.S. ally, wields little influence in Gaza. Learn more about Gaza's political history » . CNN's Paula Hancocks and Shira Medding contributed to this report.

Israeli bombs level Hamas foreign ministry, two other buildings, source says . Barak: Israel in 'all-out war' with Hamas . Tehran declares day of mourning as protests erupt in Europe, Mideast . Israel, Hamas blame each other for violating Egyptian-brokered cease-fire .

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(CNN) -- Each year, Dr. Paul Dell and his wife, Ruthie, host Hand Camp, a refuge for children and teens with upper-limb abnormalities. Campers get to try arts and crafts, archery, and rope climbing in an environment away from teasing. The Dells, along with their staff of therapists and volunteers, work with the kids and their parents, offering advice and answering medical questions. More than 300 participated in this year's Hand Camp in Starke, Florida.

Many of the campers are patients of the camp's co-founder, Dr. Paul Dell . Parent sessions are held to give advice to families, especially about teasing . The camp is free and will hopefully stay free, co-founder Ruthie Dell says .

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(CNN) -- Actress Natasha Richardson was hospitalized after she fell on a ski slope at a Quebec resort, a resort spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday. Actress Natasha Richardson was transferred Tuesday to an undisclosed location in the United States. Richardson was taken to a hospital near Station Mont Tremblant before she was transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal following her fall on Monday, according to the statement. However, she was transferred Tuesday to an undisclosed location in the United States, according to Michelle Simard, spokeswoman for Hopital du Sacre-Coeur. Simard said she had no further details. Richardson fell on a beginners' trail Monday during a ski lesson at Station Mont Tremblant, said the statement from the resort, located about 80 miles northwest of Montreal. She was not wearing a helmet, the resort said. At the time, Richardson was accompanied by a veteran female ski instructor, who called the ski patrol, the statement said. The ski patrol members examined her and found no visible sign of injury, according to the statement. "As standard protocol, the ski patrol insisted that Ms. Richardson be transported to the base of the hill in a rescue toboggan," the resort statement said. Once at the base of the hill, staffers advised Richardson to seek additional medical attention, but she declined. Accompanied by the instructor, Richardson went to her hotel, where she was again advised to see a doctor, the resort said. As a precautionary measure, the instructor stayed with her, the statement said. The statement offered no details on Richardson's condition or injuries, but said resort staffers and police were providing support to Richardson's family and friends. Richardson, 45, has appeared in many television, film and stage roles, including the movies "Nell" and "The Parent Trap." She won a Tony award in 1998 for her performance as Sally Bowles in "Cabaret." She is married to actor Liam Neeson and is the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave. The Montreal Gazette reported that Richardson's two sons with Neeson were skiing with her at the time of her fall, and that Neeson flew to Montreal from a Toronto film set to be with her at the hospital.

Actress Natasha Richardson fell on a beginners' trail in Quebec, Canada . Actress had no "visible signs of injury," resort spokeswoman said . Ambulance was called after Richardson was "not feeling good" an hour after fall .

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(CNN) -- Cornelia Wallace, ex-wife of four-time Alabama Gov. George Wallace, has died, the governor's office announced. She was in her late 60s. The cause of death was not immediately known. "She served as first lady during a very turbulent time and our thoughts and prayers are with her family today," Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and wife Patsy said in a statement. Cornelia Wallace first met her husband at a party in the Alabama governor's mansion when her uncle, James Folsom, was governor and she was only eight years old, Time Magazine reported in 1972. She was 19 years younger than Wallace. At the time, Wallace was a state legislator married to his first wife, Lurleen, who also served as Alabama governor. The then Cornelia Ellis went to the semifinals of the Miss Alabama contest before becoming the star of the Cypress Gardens water ski show in Florida, Time reported. She married John Snively III, a millionaire whose family once owned the Gardens. The couple had two sons but divorced seven years later. After Lurleen Wallace died of cancer in 1968, George Wallace got back in touch with Cornelia Ellis Snively and they married in 1971. The following year, Cornelia Wallace was beside her husband when he was shot in a 1972 assassination attempt in a Maryland parking lot. George and Cornelia Wallace divorced after his failed bid for the U.S. presidency in 1976. George Wallace died in Montgomery on September 13, 1998.

Cornelia Wallace was in her late 60s . She was with Wallace when would-be assassin shot him in 1972 . "She served as first lady during a very turbulent time," Gov. Bob Riley says .

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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A heavy snowstorm caused chaos Friday at Madrid's Barajas Airport, where flights were suspended for hours before Europe's fourth-busiest airport reopened in the late afternoon. A woman enjoys the snow in Madrid, where the airport suspended flights because of the weather. Planes were flying again at 4:40 p.m. (10:40 am ET). "It's a huge snowstorm. You don't see this in Madrid often," an airport spokeswoman said. The airport has 1,205 daily inbound and outbound flights. But for the first time, the airport halted operations due to a weather problem, the spokeswoman said. The temporary shutdown began about noon (6 a.m. ET). Visibility was low, and the storm was so intense that the airport's snow clearing and de-icing equipment couldn't keep up, said the spokeswoman, who by custom is not identified. The first plane to depart when the airport reopened was a Finnair flight bound for Helsinki, a second spokeswoman said. The delays from the storm affected hundreds of travelers at the airport. Many others could not even reach the airport because of poor road conditions. Madrid is one of the highest capitals in Europe, at an elevation of 646 meters or 2,120 feet, but it does not often snow in the city itself, especially with the ferocity seen Friday. Watch snowy scenes from Madrid » . As children and even some adults gleefully tossed snowballs, city officials urged motorists to stay off the roads and use public transportation. Large traffic jams formed on the major highways leading from Madrid to Barcelona and other cities, and numerous vehicles ran off the roads and got stuck in the snow. iReport: Are you snowed in in Spain? Send us your photos, videos . Bus service was suspended in many areas, although subways and commuter trains were operating, with delays in some cases. Weather forecasters said the snow was expected to continue through Saturday morning, although diminishing in intensity.

Airport reopens after suspending flights for hours Friday . Madrid is one of the highest capitals in Europe, at an elevation of 646 meters . However, it rarely has heavy snowfall of the kind seen Friday .

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(CNN) -- The West African country of Guinea, reeling after the death of President Lansana Conte, is staring at the prospect of widespread political instability amid an apparent coup. Lansana Conte came to power in a military coup in 1984. Journalist Mohammed Kayta in Conakry said the Guinean military seized control of the capital city's streets in an apparent coup. He reported that the military was holding negotiations to determine who will succeed Conte, who ruled the country for nearly 25 years. The action followed an announcement on national radio Tuesday by army Capt. Foamed Dadis Camara that government and national institutions had been dissolved, according to Le Jour, a national newspaper, and the subsequent announcement by Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare that the government continued to function. Soldiers were out in force, including around the offices of the president and prime minister in Conakry, local journalist Barry Minkalou told CNN. The streets were calm, with no reports of injuries or violence, he said. Camara said Tuesday an "advisory council" of civilians and soldiers would be set up. The Foreign Office in Great Britain said it was "concerned by reports of a military coup. "We condemn any attempt to seize power by force, and call on all parties to ensure respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and to safeguard the well-being of their own citizens and foreign nationals in Guinea," the office said. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who issued a statement commending Conte and passing along condolences, urged "a peaceful and democratic transfer of power" and exhorted "the armed forces and all stakeholders to respect the democratic process." The United Nations told its personnel in Guinea to stay off the streets. "All U.N. staff have been encouraged to stay at home," the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' spokesman in Guinea, Faya Foko Millimouno, told CNN. "Only the military is in the street now." The U.S. Embassy in Conakry warned Americans in the country "to be particularly alert to their surroundings, and to be prepared for any eventuality." Aboubacar Sompare, president of the National Assembly, announced Conte's death. "We regret to announce to the people of Guinea the death of Gen. Lansana Conte after a long illness," Sompare said, according to Le Jour. Conte was 74. A 40-day period of national mourning has been declared. Conte came to power in a military coup on April 3, 1984. Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite its mineral wealth, according to the British charity Plan UK. The country hosts large refugee populations from neighboring Liberia and Ivory Coast.

Guinea President Lansana Conte dies; 40 days of mourning declared . Army captain says government institutions dissolved . Prime minister insists government is functioning . Conte's death was announced by president of the National Assembly .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A Georgia judge threw the book at Brian Nichols on Saturday, giving him four consecutive sentences of life without parole for a 2005 shooting rampage that started in an Atlanta courthouse. Brian Nichols tells the court Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia, "I will not bring dishonor to the decision to spare my life." "I'm giving you the maximum -- every day I could give you. If I could give you more, I would," Superior Court Judge James Bodiford told Nichols. Nichols, 37, was convicted last month of 54 counts for a deadly shooting rampage that began March 11, 2005, in the same courthouse where he stood trial. Nichols, who was being tried for rape, shot three people to death as he escaped from the downtown courthouse that day and a federal agent the next day in Atlanta's Buckhead district before being captured in neighboring Gwinnett County. "I know that the things that I've done caused a lot of pain, and I am sorry," Nichols, who remained seated, told the court before sentence was pronounced. "And I just wanted to say that I will not bring dishonor to the decision to spare my life." Watch victims' family members react to the sentence » . Nichols was spared a death sentence Friday after the jury deliberating his fate announced that it could not agree on a sentence. Bodiford gave Nichols the maximum sentence on all the non-murder charges, and ordered them to be served consecutively. Those terms ranged from five years for escape to life for armed robbery. Other charges included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery by force, theft by taking, hijacking a motor vehicle and false imprisonment. "It's a large number of years. It's many lifetimes," Bodiford said. Bodiford ordered that Nichols serve his time in the Georgia state penal system, forgoing the possibility of sending him to the federal maximum-security prison in Colorado. Bodiford implored Nichols' family and attorneys never to trust Nichols again. "There's ample evidence that trusting him will get you killed," he said in concluding the sentencing hearing. Jurors told Bodiford on Friday night that they were deadlocked, with nine in favor of death and three in favor of life without parole. Under Georgia law, the jurors must reach a unanimous decision in order to impose a death sentence. In the absence of a unanimous jury verdict, the decision fell in the hands of Bodiford. Defense lawyers said Nichols, who confessed to the killings, suffers from a mental disorder. The jurors unanimously found the necessary aggravating circumstances in the four murders, but they were split over the death penalty. After nine weeks of testimony, the jury found Nichols guilty of 54 counts, which included the four murders plus numerous aggravated assaults, carjackings and kidnappings. The shootings began in the Fulton County Courthouse, where Nichols was set to stand trial for rape. He overpowered a sheriff's deputy and took her gun before proceeding to the courtroom of Judge Rowland Barnes, killing him and court reporter Julie Ann Brandau. Sgt. Hoyt Teasley chased Nichols to outside the courthouse, where Nichols fatally shot him. Nichols killed off-duty U.S. Customs Agent David Wilhelm as he worked on a house in Buckhead the next day. He was captured later that day after a standoff with police in the apartment of a woman he had taken hostage in Gwinnett County. The case drew nationwide attention, in part because of the cost of Nichols' representation: about $2 million at last accounting. Nichols had attempted to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence, but the Fulton County District Attorney's Office would not take the death penalty off the table.

Judge: "I'm giving you the maximum -- every day I could give you" Brian Nichols was convicted of killing four people in 2005 shooting rampage . Nichols: "I know that the things that I've done caused a lot of pain, and I am sorry" Jury split 9-3 in favor of death, but decision must be unanimous .

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(CNN) -- Brazilian star Kaka has rejected a world record transfer move to Premier League Manchester City and decided to stay with AC Milan. Kaka opted to stay with AC Milan despite the riches on offer. The 2007 world player of the year was set to earn $750,000 per week with City, who were reported to be willing to pay a staggering $147 million to acquire his services. The devoutly religious Kaka explained his reasons on the club's television station. "I believe I have made the right choice. "To have gone to Manchester City could have been a great project but in the past few days I have prayed a lot to understand what the right team would be and in the end I have decided to remain here. "I don't want anything else, I just want to be well and be happy in the place where people love me." Italian prime minister and Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi originally broke the news that the devoted fans of the Rossoneri wanted to hear. Interviewed on Italian TV's Sky Italia late on Monday night, Berlusconi confirmed that Milan had offered Kaka the chance to "make himself a fortune, but said he has "higher values." Berlusconi continued: "He is staying with us, there are things which are more important than money: we are happy. "When I heard he would prefer to stay, that he didn't think he would be missing a great opportunity and he prefers the values of our flag, the values of closeness and friendship, the warmth and the affection that all the fans have shown him in these days, I said 'hooray' and we hugged. Kaka is staying at Milan." Fans of former European champions Milan had staged a series of protests since City's audacious move for Kaka became public late last week. They intensified after Kaka played in the 1-0 home win over Fiorentina which improved Milan's Serie A title chances as arch-rivals and league leaders Inter Milan slipped up. Have your say: Should Kaka have stayed at AC Milan or taken the money? City, who are being backed by Sheikh Mansour's Abu-Dhabi investment group, finally admitted defeat in a statement on their club Web site www.mfc.co.uk from executive chairman Gary Cook: . "Whilst Manchester City Football Club has an obvious interest in world-class players of the quality of Kaka, we owe it to our fans that such a transfer must work on every level; commercially, financially, in terms of results on the field and within Manchester City's broader community." Cook and a City delegation returned to Manchester without ever managing to meet 26-year-old Kaka face to face, dealing instead with Milan officials and his father Bosco Leite. Manager Mark Hughes, who completed the signing of striker Craig Bellamy from West Ham on Monday, will also be hoping to finalize a deal to acquire midfielder Nigel De Jong from Hamburg as he strengthens his squad in the January transfer window. City, who are struggling in 11th in the Premier League and out of the FA Cup, signed Kaka's Brazilian international teammate Robinho from Real Madrid shortly after their new Abu Dhabi owners took over last summer. Robinho has proved an immediate success with 12 goals, but City are aware of the need to attract more world class players to their ranks, hence the ulitmately fruitless attempt to sign Kaka. In a separate development, Robinho moved quickly to deny reports that he had stormed out of City's training camp in Tenerife because they had failed to sign his friend Kaka. "I had made Manchester City aware that I needed to return to Brazil because of a family matter," he told BBC Sport. "I will return to the club and hope to sort this out as soon as possible." He added: "I feel it is important to underline that I did not return to Brazil because of the Kaka deal. "He is one of my good friends and it would have been great to see him at Manchester City -- but it had nothing to do with his decision to stay in Milan. "I am committed to helping Manchester City become the force the owners assured me they will become."

AC Milan's Kaka turns down big-money transfer to Manchester City . Brazilian star Kaka was reportedly set to earn $750,000 per week at City . Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi said Kaka had "higher values" than money . Robinho denies reports he left City training camp after a row over Kaka .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Qatari man held for years in military custody in the United States was charged Friday in federal court with conspiracy "to provide material support and resources" to al Qaeda, prosecutors announced. Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri was a student at Bradley University in Illinois when he was arrested in 2001. The Supreme Court was to hear arguments in April on a challenge by the suspect, Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, to the principle that the president has the authority to detain suspected terrorists indefinitely and without charges. The Justice Department on Friday asked the high court to dismiss that pending appeal. "Because the military detention challenged by the petitioner has ended, no live controversy remains in this case," said Obama administration lawyers in their brief. Al-Marri's lawyers oppose such a move, saying the fundamental constitutional question of military detentions needs to be answered. The federal indictment means the case will be transferred to civilian courts for prosecution. Andy Savage, one of al-Marri's lawyers, visited him at the naval brig in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday to show him the indictment charging him with terrorism. "He denies it," Savage said. "I'm sure he'll enter a not guilty plea." Savage said he was disappointed in the information contained in what he called a brief indictment. "We'd like information about what he's supposed to have done," he said. "You'd think after 7½ years they'd have a little more to say. "The most important thing to him is he now has some definition of his future. Before, he didn't know if he'd be charged, be repatriated or held forever." The decision by the Obama administration to criminally charge al-Marri after he spent seven years in custody -- more than five years in South Carolina -- is the latest twist in the ongoing legal saga of the only remaining "enemy combatant" held in the United States. He had been accused of being an al Qaeda sleeper agent, but until this indictment he had never been charged with a criminal or terrorism-related offense. He will be transferred at some point to Peoria, Illinois, to face a criminal trial. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled April 27. A Justice Department official said the White House will release an official presidential order to transfer al-Marri into civilian custody. Al-Marri's lawyer applauded the move. "This indictment is an important step toward restoring the rule of law and is exactly what should happen when the government suspects an individual of terrorist acts. This case is now finally where it belongs: in a legitimate court that can fairly determine whether Mr. al-Marri is guilty of a crime," said Jonathan Hafetz, an ACLU attorney who is representing him in the pending high court appeal. President Obama last month ordered a prompt and thorough review of the "factual and legal basis" for the continued detention of al-Marri. Obama late Friday issued a presidential memorandum ordering Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to facilitate al-Marri's transfer, calling it "in the interest of the United States." Since his initial arrest on credit card fraud charges in December 2001, al-Marri, a 43-year-old legal resident of the United States, has remained in "virtual isolation in the brig," his attorneys said. They were suing the government to improve his jail conditions and are challenging the constitutionality of his detention. They said his cell at the brig in South Carolina is only 9 feet by 6 feet and he is allowed little contact with the outside world, including his family. Military officials deny mistreatment. The case posed a sticky legal dilemma for the high court and the current and previous administrations. President George W. Bush ordered al-Marri confined in military custody, and the Bush Justice Department had been filing the appeals opposing al-Marri's legal claims. At issue was whether the Authorization for Use of Military Force, passed by Congress after the September 11, 2001, attacks, gave the president the power to order the indefinite military detention of an accused terrorist seized on domestic soil. Al-Marri arrived in the United States the day before the 2001 terrorist attacks as a computer science graduate student at Bradley University in Peoria. He had earned an undergraduate degree there a decade earlier. Weeks later, he was arrested after authorities found hundreds of credit card numbers belonging to others in his home. At an early court hearing, a prosecutor said al-Marri was believed to be an associate of al Qaeda, the Islamic terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The case against al-Marri escalated when investigators further examined his computer and interrogated al Qaeda detainees, the government said. Although al-Marri was not charged with terrorism-related offenses, Bush in June 2003 issued a formal declaration naming him an "enemy combatant" and transferring him to military custody. That move sent him out of the normal criminal justice system into indefinite military detention. The declaration alleges al-Marri engaged in "hostile and warlike acts" working as an "al Qaeda sleeper agent" who was planning to "hack into the computer systems of U.S banks," for a possible follow-up to the 9/11 attacks. The Pentagon said he had trained at a terror camp in Afghanistan, met al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and "volunteered for a martyr mission," according to the government's filing with the high court. A lawyer for Jose Padilla, an American citizen detained as an enemy combatant, said the government's actions in the al-Marri case echo those in Padilla's, in which he says criminal charges were filed shortly before the case was to go to the Supreme Court. "This is deja vu all over again -- what the Bush administration did with Padilla, the Obama administration is trying to do with al-Marri," he said. "Transferring al-Marri out of the brig is the right thing to do. Moving to dismiss the case is not." The case is U.S. v. al-Marri (09-CR-10030). CNN's Carol Cratty and Pam Benson contributed to this report.

Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri charged with conspiracy to provide support to al Qaeda . The native of Qatar will be prosecuted in civilian courts . He was arrested weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks . Former President Bush declared him an "enemy combatant" in 2003 .

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(CNN) -- Author John Updike, regarded as one of the greatest and most prolific writers in modern American letters, died Tuesday, his publicist said. He was 76. John Updike won many literary awards. His books, such as "The Witches of Eastwick," were also best-sellers. Updike passed away Tuesday morning after battling lung cancer. He lived in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. "He was one of our greatest writers, and he will be sorely missed," said Nicholas Latimer, vice president of publicity at Updike's publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. Updike was a rarity among American writers: a much-esteemed, prize-winning author whose books -- including "Rabbit, Run" (1960), "Couples" (1968), "The Witches of Eastwick" (1984) and "Terrorist" (2006) -- were also best-sellers. Updike won the Pulitzer Prize twice: for "Rabbit Is Rich" (1981) and its successor, "Rabbit at Rest" (1991). iReport: Share your tributes to John Updike . The "Rabbit" series, about an angst-ridden car dealer in a town much like Updike's hometown of Shillington, Pennsylvania, spanned four novels, a novella and four decades. In the books -- which also included 1971's "Rabbit Redux" and a 2001 novella, "Rabbit Remembered" -- onetime basketball star Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom negotiates marriage, divorce, wealth and health problems, never quite understanding the larger forces shaping his life. "Rabbit is not a character calculated to inspire affection, but he is an unflinchingly authentic specimen of American manhood, and his boorishness makes his rare moments of vulnerability and empathy that much more heartbreaking," wrote Time's Lev Grossman in naming "Rabbit, Run" to Time's "All-Time 100 Novels" list. Updike was incredibly prolific, penning essays, reviews, short stories, poetry and memoirs. His works frequently appeared in The New Yorker, including a famed 1960 essay about Ted Williams' final game, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu." "No writer was more important to the soul of The New Yorker than John," said David Remnick, the editor of the magazine, in a statement. "Even though his literary career transcended any magazine -- he was obviously among the very best writers in the world -- he still loved writing for this weekly magazine, loved being part of an enterprise that he joined when he was so young. "We adored him," Remnick continued. "He was, for so long, the spirit of The New Yorker and it is very hard to imagine things without him." The magazine said that Updike had written 862 pieces for it over the years, including 327 book reviews, 170 short stories and 154 poems. He was well-regarded in his adopted home state of Massachusetts. "John Updike's place among America's literary greats is forever secure, as is his special place in every Red Sox fan's heart for his magnificent 'Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu,' " Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) said in a statement. "We honor his memory and his contributions, and Massachusetts today bids him a sad and wistful adieu of our own." Updike never won a Nobel Prize, but one of his characters, Henry Bech, received one in "Bech at Bay" (1998). His works, particularly given their sexual content, could be as divisive as they were poetic. Many critics accused him of misogyny, and others accused him of using his graceful prose to cover thin subject matter -- and Updike put out his prose by the ream. "It seems to be easier for John Updike to stifle a yawn than to refrain from writing a book," the literary critic James Wood wrote in the London Review of Books in 2001. But his frank discussion of sex also garnered him many readers, the cover of Time magazine (for 1968's "Couples") and a lifetime achievement Bad Sex in Writing award from Great Britain's Literary Review. He was criticized by Norman Mailer, hailed by fellow author (and Updike obsessive) Nicholson Baker in "U and I" and even appeared as an animated version of himself on a "Simpsons" episode as the ghostwriter of a Krusty the Klown book. "[I] was flattered to be asked to be one of the many voices that they worked into the endless saga of Springfield," Updike said, noting that the hardest part of his performance was "producing a chuckle." John Hoyer Updike was born March 18, 1932, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Shillington. From an early age he took to reading and writing, and earned a full scholarship to Harvard, where he headed the Harvard Lampoon. Upon graduation, he accepted a one-year fellowship to Oxford University in England. By the time he was 23, he had been offered a position at The New Yorker, which was to become his literary home over the next 50-plus years. Updike's first novel, "The Poorhouse Fair," came out in 1959. The next year, in "Rabbit, Run," he introduced Angstrom, who was to become one of the most famous characters in American fiction. When introduced, Rabbit is a man fleeing his pregnant wife, the songs on the car radio reflecting both the era and his life. Over the course of the "Rabbit" books, the character would routinely infuriate his spouse, mistresses and offspring, try to make things right, and never quite succeed. His attitude didn't help. "Men are all heart and women are all body. I don't know who has the brains. God maybe," the character said in "Rabbit, Run." "Rabbit, Run" was successful, as were Updike's other '60s books, including "The Centaur" (1963), which featured a teacher much like Updike's father, and the short story collection "The Music School" (1966). But it was "Couples" that made Updike a household name. The book, about a group of spouses engaging in the sexual revolution in suburban Massachusetts, became a No. 1 best-seller. Updike's interests ranged widely. He wrote about an African state in "The Coup" (1978). He discussed the relationship between science and religion in "Roger's Version" (1986). He revisited "Hamlet" in "Gertrude and Claudius" (2000). And he created a group of promiscuous witches in "The Witches of Eastwick" (1984), which became a hit movie in 1987 starring Jack Nicholson as the devil. Though Updike's work routinely sold well, he was painfully aware of the decline of what's come to be called "literary fiction." In a 2000 interview with Salon, he lamented its difficulties. "When I was a boy, the best-selling books were often the books that were on your piano teacher's shelf. I mean, Steinbeck, Hemingway, some Faulkner. Faulkner actually had, considering how hard he is to read and how drastic the experiments are, quite a middle-class readership," he said. "But certainly someone like Steinbeck was a best-seller as well as a Nobel Prize-winning author of high intent. You don't feel that now." And yet, Updike himself never lost his zest for the written word, and the pleasure brought by jotting, tuning, refining -- creating -- a new story, even as the years drifted by. "An aging writer has the not insignificant satisfaction of a shelf of books behind him that, as they wait for their ideal readers to discover them, will outlast him for a while," he wrote in AARP The Magazine late last year. "The pleasures, for him, of book-making ... remain, and retain creation's giddy bliss. Among those diminishing neurons there lurks the irrational hope that the last book might be the best." Updike's most recent novel, "The Widows of Eastwick," came out in 2008. A collection of stories, "My Father's Tears and Other Stories," is due out later this year.

John Updike, author of "Rabbit" books and "The Witches of Eastwick," dies . Updike, 76, had been suffering from lung cancer . Pulitzer Prize winner was titan of American letters .

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(CNN) -- The space shuttle Discovery is on pace for a Sunday launch after NASA engineers repaired a leaky gas venting system, officials said Saturday. Space shuttle Discovery readies for launch, which now appears on pace for Sunday. The leak had canceled a planned launch on Wednesday. NASA hopes the seven-member crew can take off around 7:40 p.m. Sunday on a mission to the international space station, where they will deliver supplies needed to expand the station's crew to six people. "The vehicle is looking real good ... ," lead shuttle flight director Mike Moses said. "Basically, I think I can sum this up by just saying we're good to go tomorrow and we're looking forward to getting the count going." A leak in a hydrogen gas vent line forced Wednesday's delay. Repairs went smoothly, Moses said. The line funnels flammable hydrogen away from the launch pad during takeoff. The shuttle crew will be delivering the final parts needed for an expanded solar energy power system that will allow the station to double its crew to six people. The crew also will be dropping off Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, who will replace NASA's Sandy Magnus on the space station. The shuttle also will carry a replacement for a failed unit in a system that converts urine to drinkable water, NASA said. Watch an explanation of why Wednesday's launch was scrubbed » . Kathy Winters, the mission's chief weather officer, said Sunday appears to offer only a 20 percent chance of weather that would scrub the launch. The crew, led by commander Lee Archambault, is expected to board Discovery at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Officials said the crew has been training and resting for the mission since Wednesday. Earlier this week, Magnus, station commander Michael Fincke and Russian engineer Yury Lonchakov had to take shelter in their Soyuz spacecraft -- a lifeboat of sorts -- when a piece of debris from an earlier mission hurtled uncomfortably close to the station. The debris, moving about 20,000 mph, came within three miles of the station but caused no damage. Wednesday's launch postponement was the latest in a series of delays for Discovery as it tries to make the 28th shuttle mission to the space station. The launch had been delayed previously to allow time to check a "flow-control valve in the shuttle's main engines," NASA said last week. That resulted from damage being found in a valve on the shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Three valves were cleared and installed on Discovery, it said. CNN's Kim Segal and John Zarella contributed to this report.

NEW: Repairs to leaky hydrogen gas vent line went well, NASA says . NASA hopes launch, scrubbed this week, will happen Sunday evening . Shuttle launch postponed Wednesday because of leak in a venting system . Shuttle to deliver supplies to the International Space Station .

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(RealSimple.com) -- Overwashing, overapplying, and product overkill won't improve your skin. Rein in your regimen to get real results. Want beautiful skin like model Megan Gale? Don't overdo it, experts say. Cleansing and exfoliating . You don't need to wash or scrub as often -- or as vigorously -- as you may think. "Many women go overboard here, figuring it will make their skin look better if they do both more frequently," says dermatologist Leslie Baumann. "But that only damages the skin's natural barrier and creates dryness and irritation." Combination skin . How often: Wash your face twice a day, and gently exfoliate once or twice a week; this is enough to keep skin balanced and encourage cell turnover, according to experts. What to look for: A mild cleanser that isn't too rich or too drying, says Mary Lupo, a dermatologist in New Orleans, Louisiana. Use an exfoliant that contains gentle particles or acids to remove dead cells without abrading your skin. Where to find it: Cleanser -- Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash, $6 at drugstores. Exfoliant -- St. Ives Elements Microdermabrasion Scrub, $7 at drugstores. Dry skin . How often: Cleanse skin at night, when it's dirtiest. Rinse with cool water in the morning to help maintain natural oils. If skin is flaky, exfoliate once a week, says Lisa Donofrio, a professor of dermatology at Yale University. What to look for: A cleansing oil or creamy wash that has moisturizing ingredients, such as glycerin. If you have sensitive skin to boot, avoid products that contain fragrances or alcohol, which can irritate. Where to find it: Cleanser -- Laura Mercier Purifying Oil, $40, www.sephora.com; or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $11.50 at drugstores. Exfoliant -- Your safest bet is to use a wet washcloth. Oily/acne-prone skin . How often: Lather up two to three times a day (as needed) but never more; overwashing kicks oil glands into overproduction. Exfoliate once or twice a week, but skip this if you have acne; the friction can make it worse. What to look for: An oil-free, non-comedogenic foaming cleanser that contains salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to prevent breakouts. The scrub should contain mild acids to keep the pores open and clean. Where to find it: Cleanser -- Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser, $7 at drugstores. Exfoliant -- Bioré Pore Unclogging Scrub, $6 at drugstores. Sensitive skin . How often: Wash once a day if your skin is irritated by nearly everything or if you have eczema or psoriasis; twice a day if your skin is dirty. Forget about exfoliating, as it's too abrasive for your skin type. What to look for: Hypoallergenic and fragrance- and soap-free cleansers. Calming ingredients, like green tea, chamomile, feverfew, and aloe, are a bonus. As a general rule, the fewer ingredients in a product, the better. Where to find it: Cleanser -- La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser ($19.50, www.laroche-posay.com). Apply with your fingers. "Think of the way you'd touch a newborn," says Barbara Reed, a Denver, Colorado, dermatologist. Portion control . • Use a quarter-size amount of cleanser on most skin types. • A dime-size dollop of scrub will do. • A pea-size dab of cleanser is plenty for sensitive skin. Real Simple: Best facial cleansers . Moisturizing and protecting . No matter what your skin type, moisture is important. "If your skin isn't hydrated, it can't protect itself from the free radicals that cause damage, discoloration, and wrinkles," says dermatologist Leslie Baumann. Year-round daily sun protection is also a must. Fortunately there are moisturizers with SPF available for every complexion. Combination skin . How often: Each morning, apply moisturizer with SPF after cleansing your skin. Reapply if you're spending more than 30 minutes outside, as sun-screens break down in sunlight over time. What to look for: A medium-weight lotion with skin-protective antioxidants, such as green tea, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin C, and broad-spectrum sun protection with an SPF of 15 or higher. Where to find it: L'Oréal Paris Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX SPF 15, $22 at drugstores; or Clinique Super-defense SPF 25 Age Defense Moisturizer Dry Combination, $43, www.clinique.com. Dry skin . How often: To help seal in water, apply moisturizer with SPF once a day, right after cleansing, while your skin is still damp. Reapply at midday if your skin begins to feel tight, and use a cream at night. What to look for: A rich cream that contains antioxidants, plus hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or ceramides. "Hyaluronic acid and glycerin bind in moisture, and ceramides prevent water loss from the skin," says Donofrio. Where to find it: Dove Pro Age Day Moisturizer SPF 15, $14 at drugstores; or Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15, $10.50 at drugstores. Oily/acne-prone skin . How often: Moisturize every morning. Oily skin needs the right type of moisture and lightweight, non-comedogenic sun protection. Reapply as needed, since blotting away shine can remove sunscreen. What to look for: An oil-free, featherweight lotion, serum, or gel with antioxidants. If you're acne-prone, avoid products with cocoa butter, cinnamon, or coconut oil, as they can trigger breakouts, says Baumann. Where to find it: DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew SPF 15, $38, www.ddfskincare.com; or Clean & Clear Soft Oil-Free Day Moisturizer SPF 15, $8.50 at drugstores. Sensitive skin . How often: In the morning, apply moisturizer to skin that has been dabbed dry. Ingredients penetrate wet skin more deeply, which is often a good thing, but this can irritate sensitive skin. What to look for: Fragrance-free lotions or creams that contain anti-inflammatories, such as chamomile, green tea, feverfew, and caffeine. Avoid lipoic acid, as it can be irritating. Where to find it: Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Moisture Lotion SPF 15, $14 at drugstores; or Dermalogica Super Sensitive Faceblock SPF 30, $45, www.dermalogica.com for locations. Portion control . Use a nickel-to quarter-size amount of moisturizer with SPF for face coverage. Real Simple: Seventeen affordable moisturizers . Treating and troubleshooting . Nighttime is best for targeting fine lines, blemishes, and discoloration. That's when the skin repairs itself, and the sun isn't around to degrade the active ingredients in the treatments. Careful and consistent use of effective products (most also provide moisture) will gradually yield great results. Combination skin . To keep it smooth: Four nights a week, use a cream with retinol, a potent, tried-and-true wrinkle reducer. Try: Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment, $45, www.philosophy.com. To clear it up: Use a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide or 2 percent salicylic acid gel nightly. Try: B. Kamins Medicated Acne Gel 5, $26, www.bkamins.com; or Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Gel, $8 at drugstores. To even tone: Retinol evens tone, but for darker spots, at night use a formula that also has skin-lightening licorice, kojic acid, soy, or vitamin C. Try: RoC Multi-Correxion Night Treatment, $25 at drugstores. Dry skin . To keep it smooth: As dry skin can be sensitive, apply gentle retinols every other night with a moisturizer. Try: Avène Rétrinal Cream .05, $56, www.skincarerx.com. Other nights, just moisturize. To clear it up: Heal blemishes using a moisturizing 2 percent salicylic acid treatment or a sulfur-based salve once or twice a week. Try: AcneWorx Gentle Moisturizing Clear Acne Treatment Gel, $20, www.amazon.com. To even tone: Slather on a rich cream that contains skin-brightening ingredients, like coffeeberry extract, each night. Try: RevaléSkin Night Cream, $99, www.skincarerx.com. Oily/acne-prone skin . To keep it smooth: Nightly use of a retinol gel or serum softens fine lines (skip it on nights you treat blemishes, as below). Try: Replenix Retinol Plus Smoothing Serum 3X, $56, www.skincarerx.com. To clear it up: Oily skin can take a 5 or 10 percent benzoyl peroxide gel twice a day, says Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, a dermatologist in Danville, California. Try: Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10, $5 at drugstores. To even tone: Each night smooth a thin layer of a lightweight vitamin C serum over your face to gradually lighten any discoloration. Try: Avon Anew Alternative Clearly C 10% Vitamin C Serum, $20, www.avon.com. Sensitive skin . To keep it smooth: Every third night, apply a mild retinol (see dry skin). Or use peptides nightly on lines. Try: Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Moisturizing Treatment, $18 at drugstores. To clear it up: Treat blemishes with a 2 percent salicylic acid treatment and follow with moisturizer. Try: Exuviance Blemish Treatment Gel, $16, www.exuviance.com. Avoid benzoyl peroxide, which can be irritating. To even tone: Consider a nightly application of a lotion with a gentle lightener, like a niacin derivative or vitamin C. Try: NIA 24 Intensive Recovery Complex, $110, www.skincarerx.com. Portion control . • A pea-size amount of a retinol cream is adequate. • A dime-size dollop of a skin brightener or moisturizer will do the trick. • A sunflower seed--size dot of an acne salve is all your spots require. Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Overwashing, overapplying and product overkill won't improve your skin . Which of these regimens should you be using for your type of skin? Dry skin types should apply moisturizer with SPF once a day . Sensitive skin should only apply a mild retinol every third night to fight aging .

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(CNN) -- The first person ever convicted in Idaho of knowingly spreading the HIV virus is facing new charges for the same offense, authorities said Thursday. An Ada County, Idaho, grand jury on Tuesday returned an indictment charging Kerry Thomas, 45, with seven counts of knowingly transferring the HIV virus, Jean Fisher, Ada County deputy prosecutor, told CNN. In 1990, Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission and two counts of statutory rape, Fisher said. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty only to the rape charges. According to Fisher, Thomas received a 12-year sentence and had to serve three years before being eligible for parole. He was later granted early release. In 1996, however, Thomas was again charged with one count of HIV transmission, and a jury convicted him, Fisher said. He received a 15-year sentence with a seven-year minimum. Now out on parole, Thomas faces possible life in prison on the new charges because prosecutors are seeking his designation as a "persistent violator." It was not immediately known whether Thomas was in custody Thursday. He was not listed online among the inmates in the Ada County Jail. Asked why Thomas would continue to spread the virus, which causes AIDS, Fisher said, "That's the $64,000 question, for a person who has been to prison twice."

Kerry Thomas was indicted for second time for knowingly transferring HIV virus . In 1990, Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission . If convicted, Thomas could face life in prison .

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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (CNN) -- A singer took center stage at a Nashville honky-tonk to promote his new album. He had the good looks and easy charm of a movie star. Kevin Costner is putting his energies into music. His new record is "Untold Truths." Only in this case, he was a movie star. Kevin Costner recently celebrated the release of "Untold Truths" -- his debut country record -- with a free show at The Stage on Broadway. He was backed by his band, Modern West, which also features guitarist John Coinman and bassist Blair Forward -- two men he met 20 years ago in an acting class. The three have been making music on and off since then, with Costner on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Back in the day, they called themselves Roving Boy. Truth be told, the 2008 incarnation -- Kevin Costner and Modern West -- does not sound like a movie star's vanity project. It's contemporary Americana set against a Western backdrop. Costner sings about freight trains, dusty avenues and broken dreams in a voice that's pleasant, if not terribly distinct. In faded jeans and a toffee-colored cashmere sweater, he commands the stage with the same understated sex appeal he has on the big screen. At 53, Costner is the soft-spoken, heroic everyman we've seen time and again in such movies as "Dances With Wolves," "The Bodyguard" and "Field of Dreams" -- except today he's wielding an acoustic guitar instead of a baseball bat. The mission statement from "Field of Dreams" seems to apply to his philosophy as a recording artist: "If you build it, they will come." Plenty of fans did come to his show that night, but earlier in the day, we caught up with the busy superstar during his rehearsal -- which he had opened up to a group of local college students in a Grammy-sponsored "SoundCheck" session. Listen to Costner kick it with his band » . CNN: Even though your album, "Untold Truths," is being marketed as a country album, your sound is really more rootsy than traditional country. Kevin Costner: Yeah. It's just music. CNN: What made you decide to put out an album? Costner: My wife said, "Look, you are the happiest by far when you are making music. Why don't you keep on making music?" CNN: People may not know this, but you've been making music for a long time. Costner: Yeah, for a long time. I have been doing a lot of things for a long time. (chuckles) It's not like we called up and said, "Hey, we have a garage band. Can we show up?" We have been working really hard at this for three years. All of it has been under the radar just because we have not felt like publicizing it. It has kind of happened in the way we wanted it to -- which was more of a grassroots situation, people discovering the band. CNN: When you were talking to the students, you spoke a lot about being fearless. Costner: Their choices are going to be questioned not only by their colleagues, but by their parents. You only get one shot at this life. They can go to college and learn a lot of things, but they should also be encouraged to try things, even if they don't succeed. I am trying -- even if I don't succeed. You know, failure is completely underrated in America. (smiles) CNN: With this new project, there's the possibility of having your head handed to you on a platter. Costner: Well, that will happen no matter what I do -- so I'm not worried about that. I have to get over my own bar on what I think is acceptable. CNN: And what is that? Costner: I don't know. It's just a moment when you feel you've given an honest effort. CNN: You have trouble stuffing everything you want into a three-hour movie, let alone condensing things into a three-minute song. How do you -- . Costner: I don't have that hard a time! CNN: Oh, come on! Costner: I make jokes about it a lot. You know, I make one-hour, 59-minute movies! But yeah -- telling the story, I don't believe in some conditional running length. I just believe in telling the story -- musicially or cinematically. CNN: You met John -- one of your guitar players -- in an acting class 20 years ago. Costner: Yeah, a long time ago. Blair (his bass player), the same. Like anybody with good sense, you keep people who have been really true and honest with you around you. CNN: Which is more cutthroat, the movie business or the music business? Costner: There is cutthroat stuff in everything -- these corporations going under, and people ducking for exits, pointing fingers. You know, it is a cycle of life. Then someone else will take that spot, some heavy hitter. Maybe it is good to take a lesson. You have to be a little humble because maybe one day, you are not that big, swinging dog you think you are. CNN: Do you ever feel like that in your own career? Costner: Well, I am aware that a career that takes chances isn't always going to ring a bell. It is not the greatest risk in the world to not be the most popular person, or the number one person, because that is a pretty fleeting thing to begin with. CNN: Do you read reviews? Costner: No. Sometimes they are read to me. "Look what he said!" I am like, "Please don't show me." CNN: Are you planning to make more albums? Costner: I will be making more music. We'll see where it lands. We made a record. We made it as good as we could make it, and now we let it go. And we go and write a better song. CNN: In the meantime, you have a show to put on. Costner: There is a moment for two hours when you are really burning, and that is a great feeling. Some people like to jog because that somehow does something for them. When you perform, for me, it's like filling up the gas tank.

Kevin Costner has band, Modern West; new album just out . Costner has actually played music for years, band happened organically . Costner not bothered by reviews, tries to do things because he loves them .

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(CNN) -- South African Giniel De Villiers is the new leader of the Dakar Rally after he won Thursday's 12th special stage and Spaniard Carlos Sainz was forced to pull out following a dramatic crash. The stricken Volkswagen of Carlos Sainz after he careered down a ravine on stage 12 of the Dakar Rally. De Villiers, who was claiming his third stage triumph, brought his Volkswagen across the line in four hours, six minutes and 43 seconds -- over 16 minutes ahead of team-mate Mark Miller, who lies second overall. American Robert Gordon (Hummer) was third on the stage, the same as his overall position. The route from Fiambala to La Rioja was reduced by 30 kilometers, leaving the special stage at 223km, as organizers accepted the Argentinian authorities' request to shorten it because of the archaeological discoveries made a month ago in the Fiambala region of Catamarca province. Two-time world rally champion Sainz, who was leading after six stage victories, had his dream of winning his first Dakar ended when, 79km into the stage, his Volkswagen crashed into a dry riverbed. His co-driver, Frenchman Michel Perin, suffered a shoulder injury and both had to be evacuated by helicopter for medical attention. Perin told PA Sport: "We had made a small mistake in the first part. We took the wrong direction at a Y crossing but it was not too bad because we did end up on the right trail. We were tailing Giniel De Villiers, who had started about 10 minutes after us, so it was still sort of okay. There was a hidden way-point indicated as 'danger' -- but it should have been indicated as 'extremely dangerous'. "The car behind us, Nani Roma's car, would have fallen in the same hole as we did if we had not been there already. I'm okay, I just have something broken in my arm, but I'm all right." De Villiers said: "It was really a tough stage. In places we would go around in circles for 15 minutes to find the right trail. It was very dangerous and the sand was really soft. "We stopped one time to deflate our tyres, then a second time in a huge canyon with tons of boulders. My co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz had to get out of the car to find a way out. It was really a tough day." Miller added: "I can tell you that this was a very demanding stage. I cannot even imagine how the amateurs will make it to the finish today. It was not just difficult, navigation was almost impossible. "It was a long series of horror situations from start to finish. "These were the longest 200km in my life. The sun and the sand were so bright that I could not see anything." He added: "It's not good news to know that Carlos had to withdraw. He has an important place in the team." In the motorcycle class, title holder Cyril Despres (KTM) kept his hopes of winning his third crown alive after taking his third stage in a time of 3:57:37 to climb into second spot in the overall standings. However, Despres' Spanish team-mate Marc Coma did not make things easy for the Frenchman as he crossed the line 1:23 behind, to remain out in front with a 1:29:48 advantage. The 12th stage has been the most difficult since the rally began on January 3 in Buenos Aires, with competitiors struggling through sand dunes and rain in western Argentina. Sainz had held a commanding lead in the overall standings at the start of the day, having won six of 10 previous stages.

Dakar leader Carlos Sainz crashes out of rally during Thursday's 12th stage . The Spaniard's Volkswagen careers into a ravine 79 kilometers into the stage . Sainz's retirement hands the race advantage to South African Giniel De Villiers .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Two hundred years after his birth in a log cabin in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln continues to fascinate. Abraham Lincoln is invoked by politicians of both parties, observes historian Ronald C. White Jr. His moral clarity, his extraordinary gifts with language, his decisive role in preserving the Union and what some consider his ultimate martyrdom combine to make of Lincoln a mythic figure with a firm hold on our collective imagination. In conjunction with the bicentennial of his birth, a slew of new books on the 16th U.S. president have appeared. Among the best-reviewed is the biography "A. Lincoln" (Random House) by historian Ronald C. White Jr., who drew on new research for his portrait. CNN talked with White about Lincoln's impact on the country, President Obama's affinity for him and what lessons Lincoln has to offer Americans of today. The following is an edited version of White's comments: . CNN: Thousands of books have been published about Lincoln. Why did you decide to write a new biography? Ronald C. White Jr.: Probably surprising to many is how many new discoveries have been made about Lincoln just in the last 15 to 20 years. For example, about 20 years ago, a professor in Illinois wondered if there were still Lincoln legal papers laying around in the almost 100 courthouses in Illinois. So he got together a group of students, and they began searching those courthouses, and they found [thousands] of Lincoln legal documents. ... I wanted to treat more of that part of Lincoln's life -- he spent nearly 24 years as a lawyer. This is just an example of what we have discovered only in recent years. See iReporters don stovepipe hats like Lincoln . CNN: More than 100 years after his death, why does Lincoln still fascinate us? White: I think for many he embodies the best of America. The fact that a man of such humble origins, with less than one year of formal education, could, in his term, have the "right to rise." He felt that America was a land where we should not put any shackles or weights upon people. One reason he hated slavery so much was that it puts weights upon people. ... I'm going to be speaking in Italy and Germany in April, and people there are fascinated with Lincoln for the same reason. Now, to be sure, Obama has shone a large spotlight on Abraham Lincoln. I think this is somewhat responsible for rediscovering this man at the beginning of the Lincoln bicentennial in the year 2009. CNN: Why do you think Barack Obama has made such a point of aligning himself with Lincoln? White: It's become commonplace for politicians of both parties to invoke Lincoln -- literally wrap themselves in the mantle of Lincoln -- especially at political conventions. But when I read "The Audacity of Hope" it came through to me that this is something quite genuine. As Obama is seeking to define his own vocation as a politician, he found in Lincoln -- Lincoln's inclusive spirit, Lincoln's humble demeanor, Lincoln's great gift with words -- he found here some of the very values that he wished to inculcate into his own life. ... I think he picked up on the symbolism of Lincoln, using the very same ceremonial Bible [for his swearing-in], picking as his theme a "new birth of freedom," re-enacting the final 137 miles of the train ride [Lincoln took to Washington for his first inaugural]. It's fascinating that here this African-American politician is finding a model and a mentor, and I think it is the values that Lincoln represents that Obama is finding. CNN: Some people have noted temperamental similarities between Lincoln and Obama. Is there any justification for that comparison? White: I think there is. Obama comes across as a person of kind of calm, reassuring demeanor. He is a person who likes to circle around questions and problems. He was as interested, as I've come to understand, when he taught law in Chicago, in asking questions as in coming up with answers. This is exactly the way Lincoln approached reality. They both have a real sense for oratory, how less is more; they have a compelling way of speaking. ... To be sure there are real differences. [Obama] had an education far beyond Lincoln's. It's yet to be determined how Obama will emulate Lincoln. I would argue that Lincoln had to teach himself to be president. He was very aware of his inadequacies, certainly in administration and military policy. And I think with all the fanfare for Obama I think he understands that he has to teach himself how to be president, too. iReport.com: Send your rendition of Lincoln's second inaugural speech . CNN: [Historian] Henry Louis Gates suggests Lincoln's attitudes on race were not as enlightened as some would like to think. In your book, you say it's important to consider the context in which Lincoln articulated his racial views. White: This is the difficulty ... with understanding the context. Lincoln's racial attitudes ... were left of center and moving in that direction, toward the left. ... Lincoln said in one of his debates with Stephen Douglas, "It's not that I'm about to marry a black woman, it's not that I think blacks should serve on juries." ... He then comes back and says, "But this black woman, in terms of her right to eat the bread she earns from her own hands is every bit my equal and the equal of every person here because if you're referring to the Declaration of Independence, all men are created equal." Even the most radical abolitionist would probably not have granted social equality [between blacks and whites]. CNN: What did you discover about the evolution of Lincoln's religious views? White: His religious odyssey comes to more of a full scope during his presidency. ... We see him re-appropriating elements of the Christian faith -- not his parents' tradition -- but a more rational, logical, thoughtful old-school Presbyterian tradition [after he became president]. This is a story that has not often been told, and I think it's an important part of understanding the moral core of Abraham Lincoln. It wasn't simply that he had an ethic, which he certainly did, but there was a theological kind of undergirding of that ethic that came to the forefront more in his years as president. CNN: Do you feel Lincoln is our greatest president? White: Well, there are a lot of great presidents. ... Certainly the times make the man. Lincoln led us through the greatest crisis of our nation's history -- an internal crisis -- even as Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of our greatest presidents, who led us through two other great crises -- the Great Depression and World War II. It's hard to compare people of different eras, but I think Lincoln sort of incarnates the best values of the American experience. CNN: What can we all learn from Lincoln? White: If there is an ultimate value in doing a biography of Lincoln, it is that Lincoln offers some wisdom for today. We don't have to be political leaders to catch the values -- his humility, the strength of his character and moral vision, the fact that words fiercely mattered to him and should matter to us. ... He said at the second inaugural, "With malice toward none, with charity for all." I was intrigued to find ... that people wore mourning badges right after his death that said, "With malice toward none, with charity for all." Lincoln didn't just speak these words, he had come to embody these words for the people who knew him and loved him. And so these values are not simply back there in the 19th century. They're values that we can embody and work with in the 21st century.

Ronald C. White Jr. is author of new Lincoln biography, "A. Lincoln" Lincoln "embodies the best of America," White says . Historian sees some comparisons with President Obama: demeanor, writing ability . Lincoln's character, moral vision still pertinent, White says .

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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) -- The often scathing critic Simon Cowell called Susan Boyle -- the breakout singing sensation from "Britain's Got Talent" -- a "little tiger." Judge Piers Morgan admits that he expected Susan Boyle's audition to be a joke before she began singing. On CNN's "Larry King Live," she showed she's no one-trick pony. During a taping of the show Friday, she nailed a verse of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" after King asked her to sing. "Amazing. That was just absolutely stunning," said "Britain's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan, who was also a guest. "To sing that with no musical backing is unbelievable. You have the voice of an angel, Susan." The 47-year-old Boyle's frumpy attire and awkward mannerisms drew snickers and eye-rolling from her audience before she belted out a pitch-perfect number from "Les Miserables" at an audition for the talent contest, making her an overnight sensation. Watch Boyle sing on Larry King » . An unemployed charity worker who lives alone with her cat in Scotland, Boyle has inspired millions with a performance that flies in the face of pop music's penchant for pre-processed princesses. A clip of her audition had more than 19 million views on YouTube by Friday evening. Boyle, who did a repeat performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" via satellite on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Thursday night, told King she was aware of the snickers her appearance prompted at the audition. "That doesn't bother me because I knew I had to get on with my act ... ," said Boyle, again speaking by satellite. "I wasn't sure how I would be received, so I just thought I'd give it a whirl." Watch Larry King interview Susan Boyle » . Morgan, too, acknowledged the laughter, including his own. "I sort of feel like apologizing to Susan," he said. "I'm sorry, because we did not give you anything like the respect we should have done when you first came out." He said the judges had been through a long day with "lots of terrible auditions." "And then you came out and we thought you were going to be a bit of a joke act, to be honest with you," he said. "And then I can remember ... that second when you had begun to sing, and I had never heard a more surprising, extraordinary voice coming out of somebody so unexpected." To win the show, which would give her the chance to sing in front of Queen Elizabeth II, Boyle must survive a live semifinal next month and then a final performance if she gets through that. Watch how things have changed in Boyle's hometown » . "She's the most odds-on favorite ever on 'Britain's Got Talent' at this stage of the competition," Morgan said. "But Susan knows there are two big hurdles left. Anything can happen in a live show." There's already been talk of a recording contract and world tours for Boyle. But she said she's staying focused on the competition for now. She said she has no plans to get a makeover or alter her wardrobe -- "Why should I? Why should I change?" -- but did predict one big lifestyle change. "I won't be lonely," she said. "I certainly won't be lonely anymore."

Susan Boyle sings Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" for Larry King . Asked if she's considering a makeover, Boyle says "Why should I change?" "Britain's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan apologizes for initial reactions . Boyle says she predicts one big change: "I certainly won't be lonely anymore"

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(CNN) -- Twenty-five years ago, America discovered "one of England's loudest bands," courtesy of documentarian Marty DiBergi and his film, "This Is Spinal Tap." Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will perform Spinal Tap and Folksmen songs on tour. It was all parody -- DiBergi was director Rob Reiner, and cohorts Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer played the heavy-metal musicians in Spinal Tap -- but for a fictional band, Spinal Tap has had a long afterlife. The film gave birth to several catchphrases, including one -- "up to 11" -- that's made it into the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. There are Web sites devoted to the Tap, including at least one, http://tap-albums.s5.com/, that offers a complete discography of the fictional band's nonexistent albums. And Guest, McKean and Shearer have never left their spandexed alter egos behind. The band reunited for a 1992 album, "Break Like the Wind," and again for a 2001 tour. For the latter, the opening act was another Guest-McKean-Shearer collaboration, the Folksmen from Guest's film "A Mighty Wind." Now Shearer, McKean and Guest are hitting the road again, but not as Spinal Tap or the Folksmen. They're playing ... themselves. "We're trying very hard to get across the idea that this is us, and only us," says Shearer in a phone interview discussing the trio's "Unwigged & Unplugged" 30-date acoustic tour, which kicks off Friday in Vancouver, British Columbia. "And because we don't often appear as ourselves -- because we most often appear as characters -- we're trying to dress it up as a treat, a rare treat, to see us as ourselves." The group will be performing both Spinal Tap and Folksmen songs, though, Shearer adds, "[we'll be] doing these songs kind of in a different way because we're approaching them as ourselves and not as these characters." Have no fear, however, Tap fans: A new album, "Back from the Dead," is due out in June. Shearer took some time out from tour preparations to talk about Spinal Tap's origins, the similarities between Tap and Metallica, and how "Start Me Up" became more closely identified with the Folksmen than the Rolling Stones. The following is an edited version of that interview. CNN: It's been 25 years since "This Is Spinal Tap," but it's been much longer since Spinal Tap came together. Do you remember what brought it about -- and who it's based on? Shearer: You know, I would like to make a little book composed of all the bands that people have guessed Spinal Tap actually is -- there would be a lot of bands in there. And in fact it is about a lot of bands -- it's never been about one band. When we did this, the Pythons had already done [the Beatles parody] the Rutles, so there had been a piece that ... was a really specific spoof of a really specific band. That was something we didn't want to do -- that had been done. Our notion was to ... sort of encapsulate everything we know about rock 'n' roll -- and everything we found funny or amusing about bands -- into one band. So it was a process of smooshing all that stuff into this fictional band. CNN: Are you familiar about this new movie called "Anvil"? [The documentary, about a real heavy-metal band, has been compared to "This Is Spinal Tap."] . Shearer: I've been reading about it and hearing about it a lot, but I haven't seen it. ... It sounds interesting. The last thing I've seen along that line was "Some Kind of Monster." ... Was that amazing. That was stupefying. ... I heard they had a therapist. But it wasn't really a therapist -- it was a life coach. Which is different -- and worse (laughs). Even more humiliating. It's one thing to have somebody who's a therapist, but ... did you ever see "Starting Over"? The daytime series on NBC? CNN: No. Shearer: Oh, four or five women in a house with two life coaches. Oh my God, it was just shocking. Well, "Some Kind of Monster" is in that vein. CNN: How do you guys go about writing songs? The songs on the first album were wonderful pastiches of various heavy metal-type things. On the second album you had more styles and brought in guest musicians, including [renowned session pianist] Nicky Hopkins for "Rainy Day Sun." Shearer: My God, yeah. Nicky had actually come in, I think, to audition for the movie but couldn't do the movie or something, but we'd always dreamed to work with Nicky. How we write the songs -- ... every one is a different experience. In the case of Tap, it's what seems like a funny idea sort of leads to a riff or some lyrics. In the case of the Folksmen, I think there was more -- at least the stuff Michael and I wrote together -- a sense these certain kinds of songs that became clichés in that era of folk music, and we sort of have to touch each of these bases. CNN: Like "Blood on the Coal," a combination of coal mining and train song. Shearer: Yeah! We saved you the time. It was a twofer. ... There were a lot of songs in that era that were kind of based loosely or less loosely on the Bible, so we wrote "The Good Book Song," and then of course the great cliché of folk music is the rambler or wandering song, so we wrote "Never Did No Wanderin'," about a guy who just stayed home. CNN: Since you're going to be performing as you, are you worried that people will show up wondering where the costumes are, or perhaps yell out, "Hey Harry, I want to hear Smithers," or "Hey Chris, do Harlan Pepper"? Shearer: Each seat will be [affixed] with Taser equipment to discourage that. ... Hopefully, we'll be so entrancing that they won't be even thinking of talking to us, except if we ask for questions. But as to what people are expecting, we're trying very hard to get across the idea that this is us, and only us, and because we don't often appear as ourselves -- because we most often appear as characters -- we're trying to dress it up as a treat, a rare treat, to see us as ourselves and doing these songs kind of in a different way, because we're approaching them as ourselves and not as these characters. CNN: Are you planning to do covers on the order of "Start Me Up"? [The Folksmen covered the Rolling Stones song on the "Mighty Wind" soundtrack.] . Shearer: "Start Me Up" is actually the only song that we didn't write that's in the show. I can't resist [it] -- none of us can -- but I have a personal affection for it. After the Super Bowl a few years ago in Detroit, where the Stones played halftime, a few weeks later I met somebody who said that "the soundtrack record of 'A Mighty Wind' is my 6-year-old son's favorite CD, and at the Super Bowl that day during halftime, I was in the kitchen making lunch for him and his sister, and the 6-year-old ran into the kitchen as excited as I'd ever seen him in his life and said, 'Daddy daddy daddy, they're doing a Folksmen song on the Super Bowl!' "

Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean performing as themselves . Trio has been Spinal Tap, the Folksmen in different movies . Shearer: "We're approaching [songs] as ourselves and not as these characters"

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(CNN) -- Don Henley, a founding member of "The Eagles," is suing a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, claiming the candidate is misusing two of his popular songs. Don Henley performs at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival on May 2, 2008. The suit filed Friday in federal court in California claims Charles DeVore is using Henley's hit songs "The Boys of Summer" and "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" without authorization. The suit comes from two campaign videos that DeVore posted on YouTube that used Henley's music, according to the lawsuit. In one of the videos, DeVore's campaign changed the words of "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" to lyrics that attacked Sen. Barbara Boxer, the lawsuit alleges. Mike Campbell, who co-wrote "Boys of Summer," is also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. "Don Henley and Mike Campbell brought this action to protect their song, 'The Boys of Summer,' which was taken and used without their permission," Henley's spokesman said. "The infringers have vowed to continue exploiting this and other copyrighted works, as it suits them, to further their own ambitions and agenda. It was necessary to file a lawsuit to stop them." DeVore, a member of the California State Assembly, is running against Boxer, a Democrat, in the 2010 election, according to his Web site. DeVore mentions Henley's legal actions on the Web site. "We're responding with a counter-claim, asserting our First Amendment right to political free speech," the site said. "While the legal issues play out, it's time to up the ante on Mr. Henley's liberal goon tactics. By popular request, I have penned the words to our new parody song." DeVore then posted the lyrics of a song he called "All She Wants to Do Is Tax." CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report.

Don Henley files lawsuit against Republican running for Senate seat . Henley claims Charles DeVore used his songs without permission . DeVore is running against California Sen. Barbara Boxer .

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In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. After a one-on-one interview with President Obama on Wednesday, CNN en Español's Juan Carlos López is traveling with Obama to Mexico City and to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón in Mexico City on Thursday. MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- It's the return of an American president to Mexico City. Although George W. Bush visited the country several times, he never made it to this city of more than 20 million people, and it is President Obama's first visit to Latin America. Obama's relationship with Mexico started on shaky ground, although the first foreign leader he met with as president-elect was Mexican President Felipe Calderón. Reports from the Pentagon and the CIA considered that Mexico was at risk of becoming a failed state, something that didn't sit well with the Calderón government. Washington corrected course and even admitted its own responsibility in Mexico's growing drug war, which killed 6,000 last year alone. Statements by Cabinet members and Obama himself calmed things down, but tensions arose again. Congress ended a pilot program that allowed Mexican trucks into U.S. territory, as contemplated in the North America Free Trade Agreement; Mexico, in line with the treaty, retaliated by imposing fees on 90 U.S. products. Even so, the bilateral relationship is at a high point and large-scale protests aren't expected when Obama visits the Mexican capital. But there are pending issues, such as immigration reform, trade and a pressing question in this capital: Who will the next U.S. ambassador be? Local media have been reporting that Carlos Pascual, a Cuban-American expert on Europe and a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, is Obama's choice, but the fact that he wrote a report for the Brookings Institute on Iraq and the importance of reconstructing a failed state wasn't well received in political and government circles. Obama and Calderón have a lot to sort out in this one-day visit. Then comes the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, where Obama will face 33 heads of state, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who called Obama ignorant on Latin-American issues, and other leaders who want Cuba, a member of the Organization of American States suspended since 1962, to be reinstated. Although Obama lifted some restrictions on travel and remittances to the island by Cuban-Americans, many in the region want more, including the lifting of the decades-old embargo, something Obama says he is not considering. It is not clear if Obama will be welcomed in the same way he was by Europe two weeks ago, but so far the signs are positive -- to have a U.S. president saying he is willing to listen to and treat Latin American neighbors as equals is something the region isn't used to.

Lopez: Obama's relationship with Mexico started on shaky ground . But now, the bilateral relationship is at a high point, he says . Lopez: Pending issues, such as immigration reform, trade . There also is high interest in who will be U.S. ambassador to Mexico, he says .

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(CNN) -- More than 5,000 patients of a South Dakota urology clinic may have been exposed to hepatitis and HIV when the facility reused single-use medical products, state health officials said Friday. Clinic workers told inspectors they've been reusing products since the clinic opened its doors in 2002. The Siouxland Urology Center in Dakota Dunes has been ordered to contact nearly 5,700 former patients treated there since 2002. A routine inspection found the facility was reusing sterile saline bags, tubing and other medical supplies from cystoscopies -- a diagnostic procedure that looks at the lower urinary tract. "We witnessed the practice while we were in the facility," during a January inspection, said Barb Buhler of the South Dakota Health Department. Siouxland Urology has since been put under a provisional license and has been very cooperative, according to state officials. "Siouxland Urology Center informed certain of its patients by U.S. mail that a prior cystoscopy procedure could have potentially exposed them to an infectious disease," the facility's Web site said. It added that "the risk of infection from our past procedure is very minimal and we are unaware of any blood infections in our patients caused by the cystoscopy practice." The clinic, which primarily serves clients from South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska, is offering free blood tests to those possibly affected to rule out the presence of viruses .Watch more on the possible exposure of urology patients » . On January 21, South Dakota Department of Health inspectors entered an examining room where a cystoscopy was about to take place, and noticed that a saline bag, which was hanging on a pole, was dated January 19, said Bob Stahl, of the South Dakota Department of Health. The inspectors, who are registered nurses, questioned the clinic staff. The clinic staff said they routinely reused saline bags and tubing, although both are clearly marked "for single use only," Stahl said. "They used the bags and tubing on multiple patients," Stahl said. He said the workers at the clinic told the inspectors they'd been reusing bags and tubing since the clinic opened in 2002. They said they didn't see anything wrong with the practice, Stahl said. "It was their standard operating procedure," Stahl said. "They told the inspectors that this was a common practice all over the country. We disagreed and told them this was not a common practice." He said that the clinic had been inspected seven times since it opened, and no one had noticed that the clinic was reusing equipment. "It was just by chance that this saline bag was hanging there. We run across these things by luck at times," Stahl said. "We're fortunate that the team was able to identify this." Fluids from patients can retreat into saline bags and tubing while the equipment is used, and reusing the tubing or saline bags could put patients at risk for contacting diseases from previous patients. A 1-liter bag of saline and tubing costs about $4, according to Mary Jo Lallis, account manager for PSS World Medical, Inc., a medical supply company. CNN's Greg Morrison and Elizabeth Cohen contributed to this report.

Thousands of patients of a urology clinic possibly exposed to hepatitis and HIV . Clinic routinely reused single-use saline bags and tubing . Staff told inspectors it was "common practice" everywhere; inspectors disagreed . Nearly 5,700 former patients will be contacted, offered free blood tests .

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(CNN) -- Pirates captured a Belgian ship and said they were taking it to the coast of Somalia after the vessel was reported missing early Saturday, NATO and pirate sources told CNN. The Dutch frigate De Zeven Provincien tracked seven pirates Saturday back to their mother ship. The Pompei, a Belgian-registered ship believed to have a mostly Belgian and Croatian crew, was one of two vessels that came under attack near the Indian Ocean island nation of Seychelles on Saturday, the sources said. The second ship escaped the attack after a brief exchange of gunfire with pirate vessels, the pirate source added. Meanwhile, Dutch naval forces captured seven pirates and freed 20 captive fishermen after tracking the pirates to their "mother ship" in the western Gulf of Aden on Saturday, a NATO maritime spokesman said. The Belgian government tried to communicate with the Pompei "without success" before the ship was confirmed to have been hijacked, according to an official. See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa » . "This morning we received two different channels, a silent alert, that there was a problem on the boat, which is a Belgian boat on its way to Seychelles," Belgium Government Crisis Center spokesman Peter Martens told reporters. "We tried to have a contact with the ship but without success until now." The archipelago where the attack occurred is roughly 800 miles off the Somali coastline. "Somali pirates are getting wilder and out of control," pirate spokesman Ali Sugulle said on April 11. "They go too far away from the Somali [coast] and go to the Kenyan coast even." The European Union, NATO and the United States have been patrolling the waters off Somalia since an upsurge in piracy in the region last year. No NATO vessels were in the region at the time of the attack, said Cmdr. Chris Davies from NATO's Maritime Component Command Headquarters in Northwood, England. Meanwhile, the Dutch rescue operation happened after pirates launched an unsuccessful attack on petroleum tanker MT Handytankers Magic, NATO Cmdr. Chris Davies told CNN. The Dutch frigate De Zeven Provincien was with the NATO fleet patrolling the region. After the Dutch disarmed the pirates, they released them, Shona Lowe, a spokeswoman from the maritime headquarters, told CNN. Because the crew was on a NATO mission, they lacked the jurisdiction to hold them, according to reports. The MT Handytankers Magic is part of a fleet belonging to Handytankers, a company that distributes petroleum products in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the United States, according to the company's Web site. Last week pirates attacked a U.S.-flagged ship, the Maersk Alabama, off the Somali coast. The crew regained control of the ship but the captain was taken hostage and held for five days on a lifeboat. The crisis ended when U.S. Navy sharpshooters shot and killed three of the pirates who were holding the captain. Journalist Mohammed Amiin contributed to this report.

NEW: The Pompei, a Belgian-registered ship, was one of two vessels attacked . NEW: Islands where attack occurred are roughly 800 miles off Somali coast . Dutch naval forces captured seven pirates and freed 20 captive fishermen . Pirates were disarmed and freed because crew lacked jurisdiction to hold them .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama on Tuesday left open the possibility of criminal prosecution for Bush administration officials who drew up the legal basis for interrogation techniques that many view as torture. President Obama says any congressional investigation should be conducted in a bipartisan fashion. Obama said it will be up to Attorney General Eric Holder to decide whether or not to prosecute the former officials. "With respect to those who formulated those legal decisions, I would say that is going to be more a decision for the attorney general within the parameter of various laws, and I don't want to prejudge that," Obama said during a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House. "There's a host of very complicated issues involved there. As a general deal, I think we should be looking forward and not backward. "I do worry about this getting so politicized that we cannot function effectively, and it hampers our ability to carry out critical national security operations." Watch as Obama says U.S. can be protected and live up to its ideals » . The president added that any congressional "accounting of what took place" should be done "in a bipartisan fashion outside of the typical hearing process that can sometimes break down ... entirely along party lines." It is important, he said, for the "American people to feel as if this is not being dealt with to provide one side or another political advantage." Obama's remarks came five days after the administration released four Bush-era memos detailing the use of terror interrogations such as waterboarding, a technique used to simulate drowning. One memo showed that CIA interrogators used waterboarding -- which Obama has called torture -- at least 266 times on two top al Qaeda suspects. Obama reiterated his belief that he did not think it is appropriate to prosecute those CIA officials and others who carried out the interrogations in question. "This has been a difficult chapter in our history and one of [my] tougher decisions," he added. The techniques listed in memos "reflected ... us losing our moral bearings." The president's apparent willingness to leave the door open to a prosecution of Bush officials seemed to contradict White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who indicated Sunday that the administration was opposed to such an action. Obama believes "that's not the place that we [should] go," Emanuel said on ABC's "This Week." "It's not a time to use our energy ... looking back [with] any sense of anger and retribution." On Monday, Obama asserted during a visit to CIA headquarters that he had released the documents primarily because of the "exceptional circumstances that surrounded these memos, particularly the fact that so much of the information was [already] public. ... The covert nature of the information had been compromised."

President: It's up to attorney general to decide about prosecution on interrogations . President Obama repeats belief that CIA officers shouldn't be prosecuted . "I do worry about this getting so politicized," president says . Administration has released Bush-era memos detailing use of terror interrogations .

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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A Fort Lauderdale official said that only one person was on a plane that slammed into a vacant house Friday, a crash called "not survivable" by a fire official. Bystanders watch the flames after the plane crash Friday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The twin-engine Cessna crashed about 11:15 a.m. in a neighborhood not far from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, from which it took off, the city official said. Video from the scene showed a small house virtually cut in two as firefighters poured water on smoking debris. Chaz Adams -- spokesman for the city of Fort Lauderdale, which owns the airport -- said that there was only one person aboard and that a previous report of four passengers was incorrect. The Federal Aviation Administration also said the flight plan listed one person on board, and witnesses at the airport have told the FAA that only one person boarded the aircraft. Adams said three people live in the house that was hit, but "the house was vacant when the plane down." He said the plane was headed to Fernandina Beach, north of Jacksonville, Florida. Seconds after takeoff, the pilot reported trouble. "The tower cleared it to come back and try to land at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. The plane crashed attempting to return to the airport," Adams said. Watch an iReporter describe the crash » . Donald Widing, chief of fire rescue for Oakland Park, said, "the crash was not survivable." "The fire is under control. The emergency is contained," he said a little more than an hour after the crash. "What we're doing now is making sure that the scene is safe enough to introduce our first responders to do a complete primary and secondary search of the aircraft wreckage itself and the occupancy." He added, "we are concerned with the plane's fuel tanks and have to save the house and the scene before we can conduct any further search-and-rescue operations." Watch firefighters tackle the blaze » . Asked whether more than one home in the area was impacted, Widing said, "we're still assessing the damage." He said "the majority of the fire" was "contained on the property that was affected." However, he said, there may be minor fire damage and some heat damage elsewhere. Nation Transportation Safety Board officials were going to the scene. CNN's Rich Phillips contributed to this report .

NEW: City spokesman, FAA say one person aboard small plane . Home where plane crashed appears empty, chief says . Pilot reported trouble after takeoff from executive airport . Twin-engine Cessna was bound for Fernandina Beach .

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BELLINGHAM, Washington (CNN) -- After 11 years of living illegally in the United States, it was not until Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez was nearly deported that he finally received permission to work here. No longer illegal: Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez holds up the card authorizing his employment in the United States. Arreola was one of 28 illegal immigrant workers arrested in February after agents from U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement raided a car engine repair business. According to the immigrants, a small army of federal agents surrounded Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham Washington, and began searching for workers who could not show they had authorization to work in the United States. "My blood ran cold," Arreola said in Spanish. "We went to the back door, but they were waiting for us. There was a bus already there, and they put us on it." As he was being taken to an immigration detention center, Arreola said he thought of his wife and the five children they have had while living here and who are U.S. citizens by birth. He expected to be deported back to Mexico, Arreola said, and he was doubtful about when he would see his family again. "I would have been there and they would have been here," he said. "I would have had to come back. I couldn't take them there. My children don't know anything about Mexico. They go to school here." Watch Arreola and others discuss the raid » . Typically, cases like Arreola's end in deportation. According to ICE, some 5,173 people were arrested last year in similar worksite raids. However, the Bellingham raid was the first of its kind to take place during the Obama administration. During the presidential campaign, then-candidate Obama's criticism of government immigration policies that split up families had given some people in immigrant communities hope that the raids would end if he were elected. "Under the Obama administration, we didn't expect it to happen that people would be dragged out in handcuffs," said Rosalinda Guillen, a Bellingham immigrant rights advocate. Many in the area strongly opposed the raid, Guillen said. "This is a really heavy Obama-supporting county," she said. "So a lot of folks here had been in involved in the election." Immediately after the raid, she said, "the calls, the e-mails started and networks were activated." Guillen said the controversy over the raid was featured heavily on Hispanic radio stations and that a charity called Los Niños Fund was created to help the children of the jailed immigrants. During a hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security the day after the Bellingham raid, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano distanced herself from the action. Worksite enforcements, she said, should focus "on employers who intentionally and knowingly exploit the illegal labor market." Napolitano promised lawmakers that she would "get to the bottom" of what happened in Bellingham. Napolitano's comments turned the heat up on the already boiling debate over how immigration policies should be reformed. "Get to the bottom of what? Law enforcement officers enforcing the law?" asked Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a nonprofit group that advocates more border security and decreasing the number of illegal immigrants entering the country. "The message is if you are hiring illegal aliens, 'no problem.' If you are in the country illegally, unless you commit a serious felony we are not going to bother you, so it's a de facto amnesty," Mehlman said. "Even if the administration cannot get an amnesty through Congress this year, what they are going to do is through administrative decisions allow everybody to remain here and send the signal that more people are welcome." Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said there was no policy shift and that other worksite immigration inspections had taken place since the Bellingham raid. But Rosalinda Guillen said people in the pro-immigrant rights community were heartened by the fact that shortly after Napolitano ordered a review of the Bellingham case the immigrant workers who were still in immigration detention were released. "I was just flabbergasted," Guillen said. And the same immigration agents who had arrested the workers, she said, now promised them visas that would allow them to work temporarily in the U.S. "Homeland Security drove them to the place where they had to go to fill out the paperwork for the work permits," she said "That is totally unheard of." A spokeswoman for the ICE Seattle office declined to comment on the case because the raid is under review and the investigation into the company where the immigrants worked is still ongoing. Several days after the workers' release, ICE agents again searched Yamato Engine Specialists. The company did not respond to repeated CNN requests for comment, but a statement posted on its Web site reads: "It has been and continues to be Yamato's policy to hire people only if they meet the legal requirements for employment." Several of the workers who were arrested said immigration agents have asked if they suffered any abuse while working for Yamato. Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez said the company did not mistreat him during the months he worked there soldering car engines. But Yamato did not verify his immigration status when he first arrived at the company, Arreola said. "I filled out my application and did the interview. They asked if my papers were good," Arreola said. "You say 'yes,' otherwise you don't get the job."

Immigration raid led to detention of 28 people in Washington state . Raid was first of its kind under the new Obama administration . Homeland security chief says she was unaware of raid, ordered investigation . Foes of illegal immigration angry about "de facto amnesty" for freed detainees .

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(CNN) -- President Obama, visiting CIA headquarters Monday, defended his decision to release Bush-era memos on interrogation tactics, saying the country will ultimately be stronger as a result. President Obama met with CIA workers and Director Leon Panetta, left, in Virginia on Monday. The president's remarks came in the wake of criticism from a former CIA chief and others that his decision compromised national security and encouraged terrorist groups such as al Qaeda. Obama also met with CIA Director Leon Panetta, Deputy Director Stephen Kappes and other officials, and talked to employees about the importance of the agency's mission to national security. The president asserted that he had released the documents primarily because of the "exceptional circumstances that surrounded these memos, particularly the fact that so much of the information was [already] public. ... The covert nature of the information had been compromised." Watch Obama talk about "exceptional circumstances" » . Obama added that he ended the controversial interrogation techniques mentioned in the memos because the United States "is stronger and more secure" when it can deploy both power and the "power of our values, including the rule of law." "What makes the United States special ... is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it's hard, not just when it's easy, even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it's expedient to do so," he said. Watch Obama talk about the importance of values » . Although abiding by the rule of law can make battling groups such as al Qaeda more difficult, he added, it is ultimately why "we'll defeat our enemies. We're on the better side of history." Panetta, while introducing the president, promised that the CIA would abide by the president's order barring controversial enhanced interrogation techniques. He also agreed that it was possible to protect the country and its values at the same time. Obama's visit to the CIA's Langley, Virginia, headquarters came a day after former CIA Director Michael Hayden said the decision to release the four memos undermined the work the agency is doing. Hayden, President George W. Bush's CIA director from 2006 to 2009, said the release of the memos emboldens terrorist groups such as al Qaeda. "What we have described for our enemies in the midst of a war are the outer limits that any American would ever go to in terms of interrogating an al Qaeda terrorist. That's very valuable information," Hayden said on "Fox News Sunday." "By taking techniques off the table, we have made it more difficult in a whole host of circumstances I can imagine, more difficult for CIA officers to defend the nation." He added, "if you look at what this really comprises, if you look at the documents that have been made public, it says 'top secret' at the top. The definition of top secret is information which, if revealed, would cause grave harm to U.S. security." Obama said last week that withholding the memos "would only serve to deny facts that have been in the public domain for some time." "This could contribute to an inaccurate accounting of the past and fuel erroneous and inflammatory assumptions about actions taken by the United States," he said in a statement. The memos include details on terrorist suspect interrogations such as waterboarding, a technique used to simulate drowning. Obama has called the method torture. One memo showed that CIA interrogators used waterboarding at least 266 times on two top al Qaeda suspects. The administration also has come under criticism from human rights organizations after announcing that CIA officials would not be prosecuted for past waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics. Watch for details on the interrogation techniques » . Obama believes "that's not the place that we go," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "It's not a time to use our energy ... looking back [with] any sense of anger and retribution." Attorney General Eric Holder has promised that officials who used such interrogation tactics would be in the clear if their actions were consistent with Justice Department legal advice under which they were operating at the time. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Sunday that the release of the memos is consistent with how Obama conducts government. "It's about transparency. It's about accountability. And he released them. And on the other hand, he said to those CIA employees who were following what the Department of Justice told them they could do, they would not be subject to further prosecution, because it's also about closing this chapter so we can move on to the future," Napolitano said.

Release has been criticized as damaging to national security . "We're on the better side of history," he tells CIA workers . CIA chief says it's possible to protect country, values at same time . Ex-CIA chief under Bush says Obama emboldening terrorist groups .

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(CNN) -- Jennifer Muzquiz was "goth" in high school. She had, and still has, multicolored hair, a "face full of piercings," and an all-black wardrobe, even though she no longer identifies with the goth subculture. And while her style had always earned her her fair share of strange glances, she says everything changed for the worse after the Columbine school shootings on April 20, 1999. Jennifer Muzquiz, in all black, decided to study at home after feeling shunned as a goth after Columbine. It was on that day that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and teachers in a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The massacre was one of the deadliest school shootings in history, and it had a profound effect on students and teachers across the country. As the media and the public groped for meaning behind the incident, there were plenty of theories about the motive behind the massacre. One of these was that Harris and Klebold were members of the goth subculture, or "trench-coat mafia" as they were known at Columbine, and thus had been outcasts. This theory has been widely refuted, but for goth students around the country, the damage was done. "As a result [of Columbine], the public were afraid of the 'goths' and 'punks' and 'metalheads' at school," says Muzquiz, who was a high school senior at the time. "Parents, often successfully, lobbied to get trench coats and all-black attire banned in their local schools. School administrators started considering these groups to be gangs and harassment of students was rampant, with unwarranted backpack searches, detainment in the hallways by security guards, and being called into the administrative offices for questioning." Rumors ran rampant about kids who "looked like they were going to bring a gun to school," and Muzquiz says her classmates quickly learned if they wanted to cause trouble for a student, all they had to do was report that student had a list of enemies. "They could simply report to administrators that the person had an 'enemies list' and the school would quickly swoop in to rectify the situation, even when it wasn't the truth. ... The accused would forever be known as 'the kid with the list' and ostracized," she says. Because of this and the new dress code restrictions, her goth friends "were afraid to go to school." Muzquiz herself caught so much flak for her appearance that she went into home studies. And though she was no longer in school, discrimination couldn't be avoided. People in town would cross to the other side of the street to avoid her and her friends, she says. iReport.com: 'Sadly, teens still tend to shun those who are different than they are' Muzquiz was even interviewed by the national media about her experiences after Columbine. At first she regretted it and feared backlash. "I had already gotten enough crap since Columbine about wearing all black," she says. But she was glad she did it after receiving e-mails from other students who identified with her and thanked her for the interviews, including one girl who was suicidal until reading an article about her. "One girl even had e-mailed me and said [she] was coming home to write a suicide note ... and kill herself after school. She read the article about me and it made her think twice," says Muzquiz. "In the article, I said it's not worth letting these people get to you. It's not up to them to tell you that you're wrong. She thanked me." "[To have] a 14-year-old e-mail me ... it was just, like, whoa, I don't care who says anything bad ... I helped someone," says Muzquiz. "To this day that just sticks with me. Anything I do in my life -- nothing's going to measure to that, the fact that I helped someone realize that there's more to life." Things changed for teachers after Columbine, too. Many say they realized they weren't just responsible for their students' knowledge, but for their overall well-being. "Life was never the same after that day," says Barbara Rademacher, a veteran teacher from Rogers, Arkansas. Schools across the country instituted new security measures such as see-through backpacks and metal detectors, and teachers were trained to deal with violent behavior. But more than that, says Rademacher, "teachers and students are always just a little afraid." "What Columbine said to me as an educator was that we in the education community hold people's lives in our hands. ... We as educators have a much higher duty, a much higher call, than just to teach our subject areas. ... Columbine was to education what 9/11 was to the United States: a shattering wake-up call, a disaster so profound, it permanently changed our world view." iReport.com: 'Education is literally a matter of life and death' Kym Godwin remembers a similar wake-up call after the shooting. She was a first-year teacher in Ilwaco, Washington, at the time. "I think most people who go into teaching have the desire to go out there and change the world and enlighten kids and bring them to this great level of knowledge," she says. "I remember when it happened, all of a sudden, it was like: 'How can I give them all of this knowledge if I can't keep them safe?' I realized at that moment that my job wasn't just giving them academic learning, it was also about protecting them and making them feel like they're in a safe place." This realization hit home for her when her school had a lockdown. Teenagers from another part of town had entered the school, allegedly looking for a student there. A school security guard apprehended them right outside the door to Godwin's classroom. "I remember thinking, what would happen if somebody actually walked in the door? ... And that's when it hit me, that the kids have to be able to trust me as their teacher to protect them regardless of who walks through that door. I told the kids, this is real, and I am the one in control and I will protect you. ... And I found out afterward that virtually every teacher in the building did the exact same thing. The kids looked to us and knew we were there to keep them safe." Godwin also means "safe" in a different way. It includes protecting her students from physical harm, yes, but also protecting them from bullying or social stigmas that could potentially lead to violent behavior. Some investigators have said there is evidence to suggest the Columbine shooters were victims of bullying or ostracism, and Godwin says this is a nationwide problem. "What happened at Columbine could happen virtually anywhere. Kids get picked on, and it could get to a point where they snap. They're human beings," she says. iReport.com: 'My students are my kids'

Columbine shootings forever changed atmosphere in schools nationwide . Jennifer Muzquiz says she was discriminated against as a "goth" Teachers became concerned with protecting students from physical, emotional harm . iReport.com: How did Columbine affect your life?

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(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan army launched an operation against Tamil rebels in the country's north early Monday, the military said, claiming to have rescued thousands of civilians trapped in a government safe zone. The Sri Lankan army has relaunched its attacks on Tamil rebels in the country's north. A rebel Web site, TamilNet, said government forces were engaged in a fresh ground offensive. A TamilNet correspondent in Vanni reported heavy shelling, rocket fire and gunfire. Thirty civilians died in shelling Sunday, rebels said. The government of Sri Lanka has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels in a civil conflict that has lasted nearly 25 years. "Thousands of civilians who had been forcibly held by the LTTE terrorists in the government declared No Fire Zone (NFZ) were rescued early hours this morning, 20 April, as the troops engaged in a massive scale rescue mission, were able to open a safe passage for the civilians," the Ministry of Defense Web site said. More than 10,000 civilians are trying to seek refuge with soldiers, the military said. The upsurge in hostilities follows a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. The U.S. State Department on Thursday called for a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to escape the fighting. "We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka, and the Tamil Tigers, to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict area are safely out," acting spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement. "Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men, women and children trapped by the fighting." Watch the heavy toll of fighting on civilians » . A brief cessation of hostilities announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 allowed the United Nations and its partners to bring in aid, but a renewed government offensive has left civilians trapped in a war zone. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his humanitarian chief John Holmes called the brief halt in fighting inadequate and have pushed for a longer humanitarian pause in fighting. The most pressing concern now, according to Holmes, is the fact that more than 100,000 people are crowded in a "very small pocket of land" that is about five square miles, or about twice the size of New York's Central Park. "It is a very small area indeed for what we believe is a very large number of people," Holmes told reporters Wednesday. Overcrowding is also a problem in camps housing displaced people, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). As of Monday, some 65,000 displaced people were crammed into camps in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Mannar, with 35,000 more expected to arrive within 48 hours, the organization said in a statement. ' UNICEF said it feared for children trapped in the escalating fighting and is worried that the worst is yet to come. The group appealed for donations to help cover "the most immediate needs of the affected population in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and education." The crowded population, primarily comprised of Tamil civilians, is subject to the continuing Sri Lankan government assaults. The British and French foreign ministers released a joint statement as well on Wednesday, saying that the Tamil Tigers are using Tamil civilians as human shields. The Tigers have been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States and the European Union. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict officially began in 1983. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that it has helped evacuate more than 10,000 sick and injured patients, and their caregivers, from Putumattalan in rebel-held territory since February. "These evacuations have saved many lives," said Morven Murchinson, the Red Cross medical coordinator in Sri Lanka. "It is vital that they continue, because more sick and wounded people are arriving every day at the makeshift medical facilities in Putumattalan." The Red Cross says there's an acute shortage of medical supplies in the region, which it is trying to rectify.

NEW: Fears voiced by UNICEF for children trapped in the escalating fighting . Upsurge in hostilities follows cessation for New Year . U.N. humanitarian chief: Large number of people crowded in very small area . Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka government locked in conflict lasting nearly 25 years .

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ABUSIR, Egypt (CNN) -- Today, I met Cleopatra's lawyer. Well, not her lawyer but someone who is determined to defend the legendary queen against centuries of bad publicity. Kathleen Martinez, an archaeologist from the Dominican Republic, wants to mend Cleopatra's tattered reputation. Kathleen Martinez is a young archaeologist from the Dominican Republic who has toiled for three years on a barren hillside overlooking the coastal highway linking Alexandria with the Libyan border. According to the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, it's here, at a spot known as Abusir, that the tomb of Marc Antony and Cleopatra might be located. I met Martinez in a dusty tomb full of bones at the excavation site. She recounted to me that, as a young girl, she listened in on a scholarly discussion in her father's library about Cleopatra. "They were speaking very badly about her and about her image," she recalled. "I got very upset. I said I didn't believe what they are saying, that I needed to study more about her." Martinez went on to earn a law degree but continued to be fascinated by the saga of Cleopatra. Four years ago, she managed to convince Zahi Hawass, the untiring director of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, to allow her to start excavating at Abusir. Her fascination with -- and admiration for -- Cleopatra is intense. The last queen of Ancient Egypt, she told me, "spoke nine languages, she was a philosopher, she was a poet, she was a politician, she was a goddess, and she was a warrior." In short, Martinez believes, Cleopatra was a woman way ahead of her times. And given that history is written by the victors -- in Cleopatra's case, the Romans -- her press was somewhat less than complimentary. It was "bad propaganda," in Martinez's words. For that reason, she told me, "I want to be Cleopatra's lawyer." With Hawass, Martinez is now working on a book about Cleopatra to repair all that damage. The tale of Antony and Cleopatra has fueled the popular imagination for centuries. Ill-fated lovers were a favorite theme for William Shakespeare, and the Roman noble and the Egyptian queen certainly fit the bill. Marc Antony was a no less fascinating character than Cleopatra. In his youth, he led a life of heavy drinking and womanizing. According to the Roman historian Plutarch, Antony accumulated debts of 250 talents, the equivalent of $5 million, before reaching 20. To escape his creditors in Rome, he fled to Greece, where he studied with the philosophers of Athens, before being called to join the Roman legions in the east, then serving under Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, Marc Antony became embroiled in a series of power struggles and eventually ended up in Egypt. Egypt was the enemy of his former ally, Octavian, who would go on to become the Emperor Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Octavian defeated Antony's forces at the battle of Actium in 30 B.C. Shortly afterward, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide, he by his own sword, she by a poisonous asp. Octavian, according to Plutarch, allowed them to be buried together "in splendid and regal fashion." But no one knows where. The sudden focus on Antony and Cleopatra has also reignited an old debate over the latter's looks. Was Cleopatra a stunning beauty a la Elizabeth Taylor, or somewhat less spectacular? Researchers from Newcastle University in England claimed in 2007 that, based upon coins found from the period, she was quite homely, with "a shallow forehead, long, pointed nose, narrow lips and a sharply pointed chin." See gallery of tomb that might be Cleopatra's » . The same researchers didn't have a very flattering assessment of Marc Antony either, saying he had "bulging eyes, a large hooked nose and a thick neck." No Richard Burton. This does contradict Plutarch's description of Marc Antony as having "a noble dignity of form; and a shapely beard, a broad forehead, and an aquiline nose [that] were thought to show the virile qualities peculiar to the portraits and statues of Hercules"? Hawass hasn't had much to say in defense of Marc Antony, but he claims the coins found in Abusir show Cleopatra was "beautiful." At Abusir, he showed me one of the coins with Cleopatra's likeness. "The only thing you can see here is her nose is a bit big." That's because, Hawass insisted, "when you draw a face on a coin you cannot draw the beauty of a queen, and therefore I think that the lady who captured the hearts of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony cannot have been ugly." Egyptians, who are intensely proud of their country and its ancient heritage, may be forgiven for their insistence on this point. I tend to take the middle ground on this one. Beauty is more than skin deep, and what seems to have captivated Julius Caesar and Marc Antony was not physical but rather inner beauty. Watch report from CNN's Ben Wedeman on Cleopatra » . Plutarch wrote in his "Life of Antony" that "for her beauty was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her." In other words, she was plain. Plutarch goes on to write, however, that she was intelligent, charming and has "sweetness in the tones of her voice." The mystery of what Cleopatra really looked like may never be solved. In any event, it's just one of many mysteries in Egypt. Others include the obvious ones: How were the pyramids built? Who built them? Why were they built? How old is the Sphinx? Hawass dismisses with lusty contempt the people who espouse the more fantastic theories (that aliens built the pyramids, that the Sphinx is more than 10,000 years old), labeling them "pyramidiots." But there are other historical mysteries out there that have yet to be answered. Some archaeologists are trying to find the tomb of Alexander the Great (who died in Babylon but, according to some ancient historians, was buried in Egypt). Others are searching for the remains of the lost army of Cambyses -- 50,000 soldiers dispatched on a mission by the Persian Emperor to attack the Oracle of Amon (today's Siwa Oasis in western Egypt) only to disappear during a sandstorm in the Sahara Desert. There has been plenty of excitement in the past few days over reports that Martinez and her team are about to find the long-lost tomb of Antony and Cleopatra. Alas, the enthusiasts are going to have to be patient. The summer residence of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is just down the road from the site. For security reasons, no one is allowed on the hillside where the excavations are taking place from May through November. So unless Mubarak decides to overrule his security detail, the solving of this mystery will have to be put on hold for at least another five months. We've waited 2,000 years. I guess we can wait a few more months.

Kathleen Martinez has toiled for three years in Egypt looking for Cleopatra's tomb . Martinez says the Egyptian queen has gotten an unfair reputation over the centuries . Cleopatra spoke nine languages and was a philosopher and poet, Martinez says . So was Marc Antony's lover beautiful or plain or ugly? That debate rages on .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- For 65 years, Elisabeth Mann has carried with her the pain only a Holocaust survivor can know. Elisabeth Mann, the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust, sits with her children, Nancy and Thomas. The only one in her Hungarian Jewish family to make it out of the Nazi death camps, life for a long time felt like punishment. Branded in her mind are the images of, for example, a pile of babies set ablaze, snarling dogs and the laughter of an SS officer pointing to the black smoke of incinerated bodies that filled the sky. And on her heavy heart is the anguish, including the blame she feels for her brother Laci's death. He was 13 and not feeling well when the family arrived by cattle car at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Watch Mann describe the brutal trip to the camp » . "I told him to go with my mother because mothers are the people who take care of sick children," she cried, while sitting in her Los Angeles, California, home. "I didn't know that with my advice I killed my brother because all the mothers and all the children were taken to the gas chamber right away." Given the horrors she's lived and witnessed, one might think Mann, now in her 80s, would be among those demanding that Nazi war criminals be brought to justice. And yet she's uncomfortable with the ongoing attempts to deport to Germany for trial John Demjanjuk, an 89-year-old Cleveland, Ohio, man allegedly linked to mass killings at Sobibor, a death camp in Poland. Demjanjuk insists it wasn't him. The pursuit of him -- and of suspects like him -- isn't one Mann supports. She said she never wanted revenge, because "I did not want to be like them." Mann doesn't think going after war criminals now is worth the cost and energy, nor does she think the legal process will make a difference to such men who've already lived a full life. Watch Mann explain why money is wasted in the hunt » . "What is punishment for a person who is capable to do such horror, such horrible things to living people?" Mann, an artist, wondered aloud. "I cannot imagine that that person has a soul or conscience or heart. ... He simply wouldn't feel it. ... What kind of punishment could you give to a person like that?" Her argument doesn't work for Efraim Zuroff, who has spent nearly 30 years hunting Nazis responsible for the Holocaust, a systematic effort that wiped out 6 million Jews, or two-thirds of European Jewry. "It has to be clear to everybody that the Holocaust was not a natural disaster. ... It was created by man, against man," he said from Jerusalem, Israel, where he coordinates Nazi war crimes research for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization. "When responsibility can be determined, people have to be held accountable." On Monday, the day before Holocaust Remembrance Day, the center released its latest status report on Nazi war criminal investigations and prosecutions. Demjanjuk tops the list of the 10 most wanted. Others on the list include Sandor Kepiro, a former Hungarian officer who allegedly helped kill 1,200 people in Novi Sad, Serbia, as well as Milivoj Asner, a onetime Croatian police chief, now believed to be living in Austria, who allegedly persecuted and deported to the Nazi camps hundreds of Jews, Serbs and Gypsies. In a written statement about the report, Zuroff said that since the start of 2001, there have been 76 convictions, at least 48 indictments, and hundreds of investigations have been launched. Central to these actions has been a project Zuroff has helped oversee called Operation: Last Chance, a push -- started in 2002 -- to support worldwide government efforts to pursue aging Nazi war crime suspects. While some countries have stepped up, including the U.S., Germany, Serbia and Spain, others, such as Australia, Austria and Ukraine, have shown a "lack of political will" and have failed to act, the statement says. "The easiest thing in the world is to just forget," Zuroff, 60, said by phone. "The passage of time in no way diminishes the guilt of the murderers. ... We don't think people deserve a prize for reaching an old age." Mann's own children couldn't agree more. Like Zuroff, they think pursuing Nazi war criminals is the least that can be done to honor victims. "I'm definitely in favor of going after these folks, regardless of their age," said Mann's daughter, Nancy. "A lot of people suffered, and are still suffering, because of the crimes that were done in the past." Watch daughter explain that 'murder is murder' » . Thomas, Mann's son, said that going after Nazi war criminals "sends a message to our society and the world that it's not OK to do these things," and that it helps bring awareness "to people who don't know about the Holocaust, and there are lots of them." Watch son on why punishment falls short » . He told the story of a college freshman in Southern California who stood up during a presentation his mother was giving and said she'd never heard of the Holocaust. "That really brings it home," Thomas said. By pursuing suspected Nazi criminals, the process "reminds people that this did happen" and shows that "people do care that this happened."

A Holocaust survivor isn't convinced Nazi hunting is worth it . Her children, and a decades-long Nazi hunter, say justice must be served . Meantime, the deportation case of alleged Nazi criminal, John Demjanjuk, continues . Tuesday marks Holocaust Remembrance Day .

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(CNN) -- Walking into the Khatmul Nabeen Masjid (mosque), you can for a moment forget that you're in Afghanistan. Beautiful buildings, walkways, flowerbeds and even a grass soccer pitch. Mohammed Asif Mohseni is said to be behind the law. Young men and women, dressed in Muslim attire, walk around freely and with smiles. Smiles are a bit of a rarity in today's Kabul, a polluted city of survival and despair, so this was both shocking and refreshing to me. We didn't have an appointment but we were hoping to interview Mohammed Asif Mohseni, a conservative Shia cleric. He is said to be the man behind the controversial Shia state law, a law critics say strips Afghan Shia women of many rights. While security was checking our bags, one guard said that Mohseni had been waiting for us. I tried explaining that we did not have an appointment. Nonetheless, we were sent back to where Mohseni was waiting. Before entering the room I was cautioned by a guard to make sure none of my hair was showing below my headscarf. They were apologetic; one even asked me to zip up my sweater higher because too much of my neck was exposed. I complied, tucking in my hair and zipping my sweater as high as it could go. Now paranoid about the design holes in my scarf that exposed parts of my hair, I took off my shoes to enter. As we walked in, Mohseni, an older man with a white beard wearing a Shia-style turban called a "dulband" was sitting on a brown couch. He looked at the two men who brought us in and said, "These aren't the two I was waiting for." I explained that we just showed up for an interview because we did not have a number to reach him. He smiled and said, "I guess you are in luck." Mohseni welcomed us and asked me to translate his warm welcome to our Scottish cameraman. As the interview started, I noticed that Mohseni avoided my eyes. I wondered if it was because I was female. I was also prepared for verbal attacks; a journalist friend told me that when he brought a western journalist to interview Mohseni a few days ago, the journalist ended up having more questions thrown at him than he was able to ask. But it didn't take long for Mohseni to warm up and explain why Shia state law is just and a part of Islam. Those who don't agree don't understand it, he said. "The law ... which I created I see as correct for both men and women," he said. "We have given rights to both men and women, even better than rights given to women in the West. We give women more in this law." I asked him about reports that if a woman does not comply in having sexual relations with her husband, then the husband can refuse to feed her. "Yes, I said that," Mohseni said looking me in the eye. "When a couple marries, sex is a part of marriage, and they agree to that." He went on to explain that a woman isn't obliged to have sexual relations every single night or if she is told by her doctor to refrain. But otherwise it is her obligation and something she signed up for when she got married. He calls it the wife's duty. Mohseni added that a wife wearing makeup "prevents a man from thinking about other women on the streets and he can just think of his wife." He continued: "It is natural that women (wear makeup). Don't they in the West? Their women wear it on the streets and in shops. Women should put make-up on for their husbands as it will increase the love and attraction between the two." The cleric also explained that a woman is not required to ask the permission of a man to leave the house if she has a job and needs to go to work. But they do need to get permission if they are leaving for other reasons. More importantly, he said, a couple needs to make clear the day they marry whether or not she will need permission to leave the home. If they disagree then they should not get married. "Like, you are working for CNN," he said. "If your boss tells you, you'll be working for 8 hours a day, then you're responsible for that. It's the same here. They both have to agree on it." According to Mohseni, the West is imposing its beliefs on the Muslim world because they don't understand. However, it's not just people in the West who are opposed to this law. Many Afghans, men and women, have vehemently resisted it. They fear it will set women back after the progress that has been made in the last seven years. Sima Samar, head of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, has been working for a year now, trying to amend certain articles within the law. "I feel discriminated. Clear-cut. I don't feel equal in this country," she told us. Samar said the law does not represent Islam. It blatantly contradicts the constitution of Afghanistan, which states that men and women are equal. Critics have labeled the law as "Talibanistic," but Samar says even many of the Taliban's actions were not enshrined in law. She admitted that a law for Shias is necessary but that it should be what is stated in Sharia or Islamic Law. "One of the very important pillars in Islam is justice, there is no justice in this law," she said. Samar also pointed out the absurdities in the law, such as the edict on makeup. "If she doesn't (put on make-up), will the husband go complain to the police that she didn't put (on) the lipstick? Or, 'I like red but she put on pink.'" However, Samar didn't blame the clerics alone for creating the new law; she blamed various parts of the government for allowing it to pass. "I think they -- all of them -- took the whole issue very superficially. And none of the state institutions, ministry of justice, parliament, senate and the office of the president, really didn't look at the law as serious as they should," she said.

Mohammed Asif Mohseni is said to be man behind Shia State Law . Critics say the law strips Afghan Shia women of rights . Mohseni: "Law ... which I created I see as correct for both men and women" Afghan human rights campaigner says law does not represent Islam .

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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Police think it started with a dispute over an ex-girlfriend. Threats were made on social networking sites and via text messages. The suspects, clockwise from top left are: Lernio Colin, Angel Cruz, Peter MacDonald and Christopher Harter. A murder plot was hatched and, police say, in the early hours of last Saturday morning, a Florida man was gunned down in his car. But the suspects apparently killed the wrong man. Now four men are in custody, and will face charges of first degree premeditated murder and two counts of attempted murder. The four are Angel Cruz, 23; his brother from Oregon, Christopher Harter, 29; Peter MacDonald, 18; and Lernio Colin, 20. They have all appeared before a judge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They have not entered pleas and are being held without bond, according to state prosecutors. Detectives are executing search warrants today, and much about the case is still not known. "The victim was with two other males, in the vehicle," said Mike Jachles of the Broward Sheriff's Office. "One of those men was the intended target," Jachles told CNN. Witnesses said multiple shots were fired, according to police. Henry Mancilla, 24 was sitting in the driver's seat of a gold Mitsubishi Galant at an intersection in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. "They were exiting the vehicle when shots were fired, striking Mancilla," said Jachles. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Mancilla was with two other men in their early 20s, Tony Santana and Nick Pappas. One of them was the intended victim, but police are not saying who. "The four men acted in unison in planning and executing this murder. Mancilla was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he ended up the victim," said Mike Jachles. The three victims said they had been "jumped" earlier in the evening by the same four men and fled the scene in a red Chevy Impala, according to a sheriff's detective affidavit released Monday afternoon. Later, a blue Chevy Silverado pickup truck belonging to the defendant Cruz drove up to the three men, according to the affidavit. The victims say they armed themselves with a baseball bat and a walking cane, when the truck turned around and drove towards them. That's when the shots were fired. Christopher Harter told police he was in the vehicle at the scene, but said he left the vehicle and then heard four or five gunshots, according to the affidavit. Harter also told police he saw his brother, Angel Cruz, in possession of a semi-automatic pistol three weeks prior to the incident. "It could have been a case of mistaken identity, but our investigation will determine that," Jachles told CNN. Threats were posted on social networking sites and sent via cellular text messages by the suspects to the intended victim, said police. Police said they have not subpoenaed those records and are not releasing the names of those Internet sites. The Broward County State Attorney's office could seek the death penalty.

Henry Mancilla, 24, shot to death as he sat in his car with two others . One of the other men was the target, police say . Threats exchanged over the Internet, and murder plot was hatched, police say . Four men in custody; police executing search warrants .

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(CNN) -- Much has been made of the electric car driving to the rescue of ailing automobile manufacturers and saving the planet at the same time. But what if that eco-savior came on two wheels instead of four? Lean, green electric machine: KLD is hoping to kickstart the electric scooter industry with its new engine. A high price tag, a limited range, sluggish performance and the tendency not to work when they get wet, have meant that electric scooters are a rare sight on the roads. However, KLD Energy Technologies, an electric engine company based in Texas, believes that its new electric motor can overcome all these problems and kick-start the sector. It's teaming up with Vietnamese motorbike manufacturer Sufat to produce an affordable electric-powered scooter that has a performance just as good as a normal petrol-powered bike. "We chose Vietnam [to launch the bike] because there are 22 million scooters in a country of 85 million people. That's a lot of people riding scooters in a contained area and the pollution is a concern. All governments in southeast Asia are looking for solutions [to pollution problems], but so far there hasn't been one. We believe that we've found that solution," Christian Okonsky, founder of KLD Energy Technologies told CNN. Rather than looking at making batteries more efficient, KLD has improved the performance of the engine itself. The company has built an engine using nano-crystalline composite materials, which it believes is 10 times more efficient than traditional iron core motors, giving an output of 2500 hertz. Together with a computerized motor control, the KLD engine is compatible with any type of battery. Top speed of the KLD scooter is about 55 mph, which is almost double that of many electric scooters and delivers twice as much torque, accelerating from 0 to 50 mph in ten seconds. The engine also doesn't require a transmission. The range on a full charge depends on the type of battery used, although in tests KLD says that its motor system extends the distance a battery can go before a charge is required by 40 percent. Cost-efficiency of components and years of technological development have created the engine KLD has the sole license to produce. "The nano-crystalline material was developed 20 years ago, but it was incredibly expensive and people couldn't figure out how to use it in a motor. Even 10 years ago a computer, to run this kind of high frequency engine, would have been more like the size of a desk top computer. The magnets we use today that cost 20 cents 10 years ago would have cost $4 to $5," said Okonsky. Vectrix Electrics is another company that has been developing electric scooters, so far selling only in North America and Europe. While the performance of its scooters is comparable to KLD's, their models sell at a much higher price tag around $11,000. Earlier this month Vectrix reported financial difficulties and has been forced to make staff cuts. Okonsky, however, remains positive that the KLD scooter engine will be successful and that there is a market for electric-powered scooters. By the end of the year KLD is aiming for 2,000 scooters a month to be produced by Sufat with its electric engine. The projected retail price is around $1500, only slightly more than Sufat's existing bikes that sell in Vietnam for between $800 and $1250. "Among two-wheelers a scooter is the best for electric drive," auto industry analyst John Wormald of Autopolis told CNN. "A motorcycle is too performance-driven, so it's not really suitable, but a scooter would be. For many electric bikes with very limited battery capacity, the power is just an assist and the battery can be heavy which isn't great, if you're cycling." Yet the market for electric bikes -- the pedal variety with a battery pack -- has been booming, particularly in China. According to the China Bicycle Association, sales of electric bikes in China stood at 58,000 in 1998, compared with the 20 million recorded just a decade later in 2008. Watch the report on electric bikes ». However, rather than replacing cars, the majority of electric bikes are affordable substitutions for bicycles, as Chinese cities continue to grow and daily commutes get longer. Their impact in reducing pollution then is open to question, as car sales in the country continue to rise. Ultimately the real eco-credentials of electric vehicles depends on how the electricity is generated, but for helping to relieve vehicle exhaust-filled streets, especially in Asia's two-wheel dominated city centers, electric mopeds could go a long way. As the idea of electric vehicles as viable substitutions for petrol-powered ones becomes more widely accepted, Okonsky's bigger challenge will be convincing skeptics that the old problems of electric scooters have been overcome. "I'm always asked, 'What happens if I go through a puddle, will it still work?' The answer is yes," Okonsky said. In fact, Okonsky says that they've tested their engine underwater and it still works. Expect a video of the trial on KLD's Web site soon.

Electric scooter developed with same price and performance as petrol models . Engine's developers say it is much more effectual than other electric motors . Huge scope for electric scooters, primarily in Asian cities, if made affordable .

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(CNN) -- From the world's biggest manufacturer of mobile phone batteries to a car company with global pretensions, BYD is a Chinese company that has roared onto the international stage energized by its workaholic founder Wang Chuanfu. Building his own dreams: Wang Chuanfu has turned BYD into an international company in less than 15 years. Wang's hands-on approach to running a business with 130,000 employees -- he still eats in the company canteen and lives in a BYD-owned housing complex -- isn't too far removed from how he built the company from scratch in 1995 when he was 29 years old. Wang trained as an engineer and studied the patents of other companies' mobile phone batteries, even taking them apart to see how they were made. He raised some start-up capital from a relative to create his own mobile phone battery-making business in Shenzhen, the special economic zone just north of Hong Kong. BYD's business approach differed from the likes of Sony and Sanyo by substituting an automated system for one of China's biggest resources, physical labor. Employing thousands of people was cheaper than installing expensive robotic assembly lines, and by 2000 BYD had become the biggest mobile phone battery maker in the world. Wang bought a failing Chinese car company in 2003 to enter the automobile market, and BYD now has a number of models available in China, including a plug-hybrid car cheaper than the market-leading Toyota Prius. The success of BYD has attracted plenty of attention from industry analysts and investors from the West, including Warren Buffet. The billionaire American has invested $250 million in BYD, making even more people in the West sit up and take note of the company. Wang isn't content to just compete in the hybrid and electric car market in China; he aims to keep BYD's meteoric rise going and make it the world's biggest car maker by 2025. "It is a big ambition. In January and February 2009 China was the world's biggest automobile consuming market for those months. So based on this, China can sell more than 10 million automobiles this year. So maybe China can exceed the USA and become the biggest market in the world," Wang told CNN. BYD stands for "Build Your Dreams" and Wang is trying to fulfill the aspiration among many in China of creating a national champion; a brand with international respect and reputation of quality. Wang believes the electric car can be that product, and BYD the company to do it. "For new energy vehicles...China is on the same level or even leading other countries. In the field of new energy cars, China hopes that Chinese companies can catch up with the rest of the world and catch up with the pace," said Wang. But the term "Made in China" still has a stigma attached to it. The scandals of tainted milk and toys that had to be recalled rocked China in 2008 and diminished the reputation of Chinese products abroad. "This kind of 'Made in China' is different from other types of 'Made in China.' Our products have never been recalled, unlike many of our competitors. Judging from that, products made in China are sometimes better that those made elsewhere. As long as there are high-standards, Chinese manufacturing companies can definitely meet those standards," said Wang. China also has acute environmental problems. It is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and Wang is aware that being an entrepreneur also means having an eye on the environmental impact of his business. "As an entrepreneur, I think I have to consider both aspects. One part is the creation of a new business mode, or the revelation of new business competition. The other is that it's for social responsibility, making our Earth bluer. "Urban pollution, reliance on petroleum and emission of carbon dioxide are three problems that entrepreneurs have to consider for basic social responsibility," said Wang.

Founder of car and battery company BYD that aims to be world leader . Wang Chuanfu started the company in 1995 when he was 29 years old . Made mobile phone batteries then expanded into car manufacturing . Billionaire Warren Buffet has invested $250 million in the company .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A former police officer tearfully apologized Monday for his role in an elderly Atlanta woman's shooting death during a botched drug raid, and another told a judge he prays daily for the victim. "I used to think I was a good person," ex-cop Gregg Junnier said before breaking down on the witness stand during a sentencing hearing in a federal courtroom in Atlanta, CNN affiliate WXIA reported. Junnier and two other ex-officers, Arthur Tesler and Jason Smith, face prison in connection with the November 2006 drug raid that left 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston dead in a hail of gunfire. Investigators later determined the raid was based on falsified paperwork stating that illegal drugs were present in the home. The killing prompted a major overhaul of the Atlanta police drug unit. Smith, like Junnier, apologized during Monday's sentencing hearing. The proceedings were expected to resume Tuesday. "I pray daily for Ms. Johnston. I also pray other officers in Atlanta will have the moral fortitude I didn't have," Smith testified Monday, according to WXIA. Smith, Junnier and Tesler pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death. Smith and Junnier also pleaded guilty to state charges of voluntary manslaughter and making false statements, and Smith admitted to planting bags of marijuana in Johnston's house after her death. Tesler was convicted on one state count of making false statements for filling out an affidavit stating that an informant had purchased crack cocaine at Johnston's home in a crime-plagued neighborhood near downtown Atlanta. The informant denied having been to Johnston's home, leading to investigations by local authorities and the FBI, and the breakup and reorganization of the Atlanta police narcotics unit. Police said Johnston fired at them with an old pistol during the raid, and they shot back in self-defense. Johnston's one shot went through her front door and over the officers' heads; they responded with 39 shots, hitting Johnston five times. "Her death was the foreseeable culmination of a long-standing conspiracy in which the officers violated their oaths of office," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon-Peter Kelly said, according to CNN affiliate WSB. The officers "regularly swore falsely" to get warrants and make cases, he said. Federal prosecutors said officers cut corners to make more time for lucrative side jobs providing additional security to businesses, often while on duty and for cash payments. Johnston's family was not in court Monday. But U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes heard a letter from Johnston's niece during the hearing, and family spokesman Markel Hutchins told WXIA he hopes an FBI report of the case can be used to prompt additional charges at the local level. "The real culprit in this is the culture within the Atlanta Police Department and the higher-ups that laid the foundation. Why aren't they being held accountable?" Hutchins asked. The probe also led to guilty pleas by the police sergeant in charge of the narcotics unit and another officer who admitted to extortion, federal prosecutors said.

Sentencing hearing begins for three former Atlanta police officers . Kathryn Johnston, 92, killed in her home during botched drug raid in November 2006 . The officers pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to violate civil rights . Officers "regularly swore falsely" to get warrants, assistant U.S. attorney says .

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(CNN) -- Actress Jessica Lange took a tumble in her Minnesota vacation cabin Tuesday, but a publicist said her injuries were not serious. Lange, who turns 60 next month, suffered bruised ribs, a broken collarbone and a small cut on her forehead, spokeswoman Leslee Dart said Wednesday. "She will be completely fine and expects to be released from the hospital imminently," Dart said. Lange began her movie career in 1976 playing King Kong's love interest in the 1976 version of "King Kong" but later was nominated for six Oscars -- two of which she won. She won best supporting actress for her role in "Tootsie" in 1982 and best leading actress for "Blue Sky" in 1994. Lange owns a lakeside cabin not far from Cloquet, Minnesota, where she was born in 1949.

Jessica Lange hurt in fall at Minnesota vacation home . Lange suffered bruised ribs, a broken collarbone and a small cut . Actress, 60, expected to be "completely fine," says publicist .

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OSWIECIM, Poland (CNN) -- Israel's vice prime minister compared Iran to Nazi Germany on Tuesday at the site of one of World War II's most notorious death camps. Israel's vice prime minister Silvan Shalom said Tuesday "Israel can never live with" a nuclear Iran. The Islamic republic's alleged efforts to acquire nuclear weapons are "not far away, not at all, to what Hitler did to the Jewish people just 65 years ago," Silvan Shalom said at the former Auschwitz camp. "Israel can never live with the idea that Iran will hold a nuclear bomb," Shalom added, reiterating long-standing Israeli policy. He was speaking as Israel observes its Holocaust memorial day, remembering the roughly 6 million Jews who were killed by the Nazi regime during World War II simply for being Jewish. A day earlier, Iran's president caused an uproar at a United Nations anti-racism conference by accusing Israel of having a racist government and committing genocide. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the West made "an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering ... in order to establish a totally racist government in occupied Palestine." Dozens of European diplomats walked out of the speech, but a majority of the conference delegates stayed, and there was some cheering. Iran denies its nuclear program is aimed at building bombs, but Israel and the United States do not believe it. CNN's Diana Magnay contributed to this report.

Iran's nuclear effort compared to Nazi Germany's killing of Jews . Israel's vice prime minister speaks on Holocaust remembrance day . Iran denies nuclear program has military purposes .

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(CNN) -- A 22-year-old college student in Boston, Massachusetts, has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a woman who may have been contacted through a Craigslist ad, police said. Police found Julissa Brisman, 26, unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds on April 14. She later died. Philip Markoff, a pre-med student at Boston University with no criminal record, also was charged with the armed robbery and kidnapping of another victim, Police Commissioner Ed Davis announced Monday evening. Markoff, who was under police surveillance, was arrested earlier in the afternoon after a traffic stop south of the city, police said. Markoff is suspected in the death of New York City resident Julissa Brisman, 26, who was found unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds at Boston's Copley Marriott Hotel on April 14. She was transferred to Boston Medical Center, where she died from her injuries shortly afterward. Police said that Brisman, a model, offered massages via Craigslist, a popular online classified ads service. The confrontation between Brisman and her killer seems to have begun as an attempted robbery, police said. "It appears that there was a struggle between the victim and the suspect in the threshold of the hotel room immediately prior to the shooting," the Boston Police Department said in a statement posted on its Web site. Surveillance videos from the hotel where Brisman was murdered showed a tall, clean-cut young blonde man in a black windbreaker leaving the property, said the Boston Police Department, which had asked for the public's help in identifying the man. Police did not release a photo of Markoff on Monday. Four days before Brisman's killing, Markoff allegedly robbed a 29-year-old woman at gunpoint at a Westin Hotel in Boston, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said. A police spokesman would not disclose the details of her Craigslist ad but said she and Brisman were "involved in similar professions." "This is a compelling case with a myriad of evidence -- with computer evidence being a part of it," Conley said, adding that additional search warrants would be executed this week. Markoff's arraignment was set for Tuesday morning at the Boston Municipal Court. It was not immediately clear if he had retained defense counsel. Davis and Conley warned there may be other victims that come forward in the case. "We would like to make one final pitch to those out there who may have been a victim of robbery at the hands of Philip Markoff, especially those who may have used Craigslist in the manner in which the victim used Craigslist," he said. Authorities received more than 150 leads in the case, which Davis credited to the popularity of the Web site. "The public came forth, they were fascinated by this crime," he said, adding, "I wish we had this level of cooperation in every homicide that occurred." Davis said Boston investigators were working with police in Warwick, Rhode Island, in what could be a related case. On April 16 at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick, Rhode Island, a man tied up and demanded money from a 26-year-old dancer who had posted a Craigslist advertisement, according to Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen McCartney. The robbery was interrupted when the woman's husband entered the room. After pointing his gun at the husband, the suspect fled, according to McCartney. He said no conclusions could be made, but allowed that the incident "may be related to similar crimes occurring in the Boston area." Watch police say assailant is perusing Craigslist ads » . Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said the company was "horrified and deeply saddened that our community services have been associated in any way whatsoever with a crime of violence." He promised that Craigslist would evaluate the incident to see if additional measures could be introduced to further protect users. CNN's Jason Kessler contributed to this report.

NEW: Police make public plea to "those who may have been a victim" on site . Police charge 22-year-old Phil Markoff in woman's slaying . Suspect also charged in kidnapping, armed robbery of another victim . Woman found with gunshot wounds was model who advertised on Craigslist .

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(CNN) -- Authorities in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, have arrested a man whom they accused of having terrorized students, their parents and the administration of a grade school for three months. Alberto Enrique Hernandez Magallanes, 62, is accused of making phone and written threats asking for money. "There have been threats against several schools, but this is the first time we have been able to make an arrest," said Arturo Sandoval, Chihuahua State Ministerial Police spokesman, after police acted Tuesday. Alberto Enrique Hernandez Magallanes, 62, is accused of making phone and written threats asking for money in exchange for not hurting the children. Police said he sent school administrators notes in packages that included bullets. Citing security concerns, police asked that the name of the school not be divulged. The spokeswoman for Chihuahua's state prosecutor, Daniela Gonzalez, described it as a private school with a student body drawn primarily from middle- to upper-class families. "School administrators were anxious and afraid," Gonzalez said. "The letters were escalating in demands until they reached the $50,000 figure. They feared for their safety and the safety of the children." Gonzalez said police helped her negotiate with Hernandez, who agreed to accept $10,000 and a sport utility vehicle. After he collected the money, Hernandez ran to his home, half a block from the school, where he was arrested, Gonzalez said. Police said they confiscated rifles, guns and ammunition. Sandoval said investigators don't think Hernandez is linked to Mexico's drug cartels that have laid siege to Ciudad Juarez, which is across the border from El Paso, Texas. "He is a person that, because of the current insecurity climate in the city, has taken advantage of the situation," the police spokesman said.

Police say suspect sent school administrators notes in packages with bullets . Authorities in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, arrest Alberto Enrique Hernandez Magallanes . Spokesman: Letters escalated "in demands until they reached the $50,000 figure" Police won't release name of private school, citing security concerns .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a time of economic turmoil, most Americans are being frugal with their money, but one freshman congressman is taking cost-cutting to a new level. Rep. Jason Chaffetz unfolds the cot that fits into a closet in his office. Newly elected Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, opted out of renting an apartment in Washington, instead deciding on a cot in his office every night. "I will save $1,500 a month doing this," Chaffetz said. "I get paid a very handsome salary, no doubt about it, but you know, I've got expenses and a future for my kids and my family, too. " In a stroke of luck, Chaffetz was one of the few freshmen members of Congress to have the chance at an office with a window when he drew number six out of 55 in the office lottery. His office in the Longworth House Building comes with a half-bathroom, a closet that fits a cot, and what he calls his "breakfast nook" where he stores Fig Newtons, granola bars and mixed nuts. Watch more on the thrifty congressman » . The building also has a gym with a shower room, where Chaffetz starts his day about 5:45 each morning. "My home is in Utah. My wife and kids are there," he said. "I'm here to work." Cutting out travel to and from the office allows Chaffetz more time to serve his constituents and return more of their e-mail and phone calls, he said. The savings are certainly a plus for the congressman, who has three children to provide for, car payments and a mortgage to pay. But Chaffetz said his decision had a larger meaning. "We are now $10 trillion in debt. $10 trillion. Those are expenses that have to be paid at some point," he said. If he can tighten his belt in these tough economic times, Chaffetz said, Congress should be able to as well. "Our country has to learn to do more with less," he added. Although he is a relatively unknown freshman in the House, word of Chaffetz's sleeping arrangement is spreading. Republican Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois, whose office is adjacent to Chaffetz's, said he isn't the first to sleep in his office, and he won't be the last. "This is a job that you have to have, really, two homes. One in your district where you're there on the weekends and then one here during the week, and it's expensive," Rep. Biggert said. "I'm really glad we have a neighbor here to make sure that the neighborhood is safe at night when we're not here," she joked, adding that Chaffetz is actually projecting the right image of the Republican Party by being a "fiscal conservative." Chaffetz said he is finally getting used to sleeping on his not-so-comfortable cot, but that doesn't mean he rests easy at night. "My biggest challenge is what goes on in the hallway at night," Chaffetz said. "There's this cleaning machine that comes down the hall at night. And it's got that obnoxious beep, beep, beep." Despite the din, Chaffetz has no plans to search for another form of housing -- unless his back gives out. "I've got to keep my back in check, but so far, so good," Chaffetz joked. "But look, our troops are sleeping on a lot worse than this."

Jason Chaffetz says he'll save $1,500 a month by choosing cot over apartment . If he is tightening his belt, Congress should also be able to, he says . Chaffetz, R-Utah, is a freshman congressman . Chaffetz says noises in the hallway can make it difficult to sleep at night .

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(CNN) -- A Sudanese plane that was hijacked shortly after taking off from Nyala in the country's Darfur region, presumably by rebels, has landed in Kufra, Libya, said Sudan's ambassador to the United States. "I believe since it started in the sovereign state of Darfur. ... It is more likely something to do with the rebels in that area," John Ukec said. About 87 passengers and 10 crew members are thought to be on board, Ukec said. It was unclear how many hijackers were on board. The hijacker or hijackers wanted to land the plane in Egypt, but the Egyptian government refused them permission, Ukec said. However, an Egyptian civil aviation official disputed that. "The hijacked plane never entered Egyptian airspace," said Capt. Shirbeeni, the head of Egypt's civil aviation control. "It never requested to land on Egyptian soil. ... We understand that it had a tank that would allow it to fly for four hours. It flew directly toward Kufra." A reporter from Al-Shuruq, a Dubai-based Sudanese network funded by Sudan's government, said passengers on the plane include some officials from the interim government of Darfur, Sudan's war-torn region. Libya's state-run Jamahirya television, citing civil aviation sources, reported that the hijacked plane landed in Kufra, in eastern Libya. "We are in contact with Libyan officials because of this dangerous event," Murtada Hassam Jumaa, an official with Sun Air airlines, told Al-Shuruq. "We want to resolve this situation as soon as we can in a way where we can guarantee the safety of all our passengers." Asked whether the airline received any threat before the flight took off, he said, "There were no signs of any terrorist or criminal activity on the plane. We checked the plane like we do with all other planes. We followed the regular security checkup. We still don't have any information on what type of weapons were used." Jumaa also said 87 passengers were on board the plane. The hijacking follows a Monday attack involving Sudanese government troops at the Kalma refugee camp, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from Nyala. It was unclear whether the incidents are related. The United Nations African Mission in Darfur said the government of Sudan reported that its military and police forces were granted a search warrant for drugs and weapons and raided the camp in executing the warrants. UNAMID said 60 government vehicles surrounded the camp. The refugees resisted the government's attempts to enter the camp, however, and "the situation escalated into confrontation and exchange of gunfire, with no indication as to who started it." The gunfire lasted about two hours, UNAMID said. "On the basis of information provided to the UNAMID team while on site, the casualty toll amounted to 64 killed and 117 wounded, of which 49 were evacuated by UNAMID to the Nyala hospital," the organization said in a written statement. Sudanese military and police were heavily armed, the organization said, but the refugees had only sticks, knives and spears. Sudanese security forces reported that they were met by a human shield of women and children, with gunfire coming from behind them, prompting them to return fire. "UNAMID strongly condemns the excessive, disproportionate use of lethal force by the [government] security forces against civilians, which violated their human rights and resulted in unacceptable casualties," the UNAMID statement said. CNN's Hosam Ahmed in Cairo, Egypt, contributed to this report.

Passengers include officials from Darfur's interim government, reporter says . Sudanese plane hijacked shortly after taking off from Darfur region . Almost 100 passengers and crew were aboard plane . It isn't known whether hijacking is related to government gunfight with refugees .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Jon Hamm has a confession to make: He hates his hair. Jon Hamm poses with his partner, Jennifer Westfeldt, at the premiere of "The Day the Earth Stood Still." That may come as a surprise to fans of the actor, whose slick-backed hair is part of his signature look on "Mad Men" -- the show that just earned him another Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a TV drama. In the new movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still," Hamm sports a slightly different 'do, with his bangs combed rakishly over one eye. It was in the context of promoting the sci-fi remake that Hamm revealed his tonsorial frustration. "It's the bane of my existence. Goofy hair," he said in a self-deprecating interview with CNN. "It never looks good ... It's a pain." Hamm says he's always worn his hair long, but had to cut it for AMC's TV series, in which he plays a 1960s Madison Avenue ad executive. He says stylists on the show, armed with hair spray and blow dryers, mold his coiffure into a hard shell. Helmet hair has come in handy at work. "I've had a piece of the set fall on my head and my hair didn't move," he said. "I had seven stitches in my head and my hair didn't move. That's impressive." Whether it's his hair, good looks, acting chops or a combination thereof, Hamm's star is on the rise in Hollywood. Apart from his co-starring role in "The Day the Earth Stood Still," Hamm recently completed work on the murder mystery "The Boy in the Box." He hosted "Saturday Night Live" this fall, he's due to play Tina Fey's love interest on "30 Rock" and he continues to receive accolades for his work on "Mad Men" (nominations for an Emmy and a Golden Globe so far). How does that make Hamm feel? "Exciting is the right way to say it. It's been a good year. It's very exciting," he said. "I get to read a lot more scripts. I get to meet interesting people. I get to work with interesting people ... It's fun to be sort of invited to the party."

"Mad Men" star Jon Hamm earned another Golden Globe nomination . Hamm says hair is a pain -- especially short and lacquered for "Mad Men" Actor currently appearing in "The Day the Earth Stood Still"

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(CNN) -- Canadian ski resort gondola cars that were left dangling and swaying with terrified skiers inside failed because ice buildup snapped a supporting tower, the resort said Thursday. One gondola car is suspended above an icy creek at a ski resort near Whistler, British Columbia. In a rare occurrence called ice-jacking, water seeped into the lower section of the lift tower and turned to ice Tuesday at Whistler Blackcomb resort, 177 kilometers (110 miles) north of Vancouver, a resort official said in a press release Thursday. The lift hangs from a tower that is spliced into two parts. Extremely cold temperatures caused the ice buildup that exerted 800 tons of pressure between the two parts that hold the tower together, causing them to rupture, according to Whistler Blackcomb. The section of the lift affected by the accident had 15 cars going up the mountain and 15 coming down at the time, but they weren't carrying a lot of passengers, according to Doug Forseth, senior vice president of the resort. He said 53 passengers had been rescued from the stranded cars. No skiers at the Whistler, British Columbia, resort were seriously injured. "The towers are not normally designed to allow for any water penetration and so this failure is a very unusual situation," said Warren Sparks, senior vice president of Doppelmayr Canada, the engineering firm that investigated the accident. They are trying to figure out what caused the water to pool. He said independent structural engineers are examining the tower from Vancouver-based CVMM Consulting Engineers. "The evidence so far indicates a sudden rupture rather than a fatigue failure over an extended period," Sparks said. At least two gondola cars broke away and hit the ground, both from relatively low heights near the tower that split, and caused the system's heavy cable line to slacken, according to Tyler Noble, a reporter for CNNRadio affiliate CKNW in Vancouver. "One hit a bus stop and the other hit a house," Noble said Wednesday. "Another one was suspended over a creek, but everyone is out of that car." The broken Excaliber Gondola was not operating Thursday. Whistler engineers checked eight similar towers across the two mountains of the resort. All passed those inspections, and are open Thursday, the release said. The British Columbia Authority says it does not expect to rescind operating permits on any lifts at the resort, other than the Excaliber Gondola. Jeff Colburn, general manager of Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, said a lift tower at his resort was similarly damaged by ice in December 2006. The damage was discovered in the morning before the slopes opened, so no one was endangered, he said. The damaged tower was replaced in about three weeks, Colburn said, and the resort's business was not significantly disrupted. "We check our towers in the summer now, and we also check before we open up for ski season as well just to make sure they don't have any water in them, and we've worked with the manufacturers," he said. Holes have been drilled in the bases of towers so that water can drain out, Colburn said. CNN's Ashley Fantz and Jim Kavanagh contributed to this report.

"Ice-jacking" caused a lift at a Canadian ski resort to fail, Whistler resort says . Water in supporting tower caused it to rupture . Two gondola cars broke away and hit the ground, one dangled over frozen creek . Lift tower at Idaho resort suffered similar damage in December 2006 .

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(CNN) -- Game show host and comedian Howie Mandel's irregular heartbeat scare is over, his publicist said Tuesday. Howie Mandel had an irregular heartbeat, but he did not have a heart attack, his publicist said. "Howie has been released from the hospital and will be back at work tomorrow," said Lewis Kay. "He appreciates everyone's concern." Mandel, 53, checked into a Toronto hospital Monday so doctors could monitor his condition, Kay said. He was in Toronto, filming segments for a new show "Howie Do It." The hour-long prank show debuted on NBC Friday. Mandel is the host of the American version of the game show "Deal or No Deal," which has brought huge ratings for NBC.

NEW: Howie Mandel released from Toronto hospital . Host of "Deal or No Deal" had been admitted with irregular heartbeat . Comedian was in Toronto, Canada, filming segments for a new show, "Howie Do It"

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(CNN) -- When travel author Beth Whitman was in Vietnam, she witnessed a group of young American male travelers rough-housing in the streets outside of the Rex Hotel. Americans traveling to sites around the world like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul should be respectful. In their youthful, loud exuberance, they ended up ripping each other's shirts as they horsed around. "I thought to myself that those shirts probably cost maybe 20, 30, 40 dollars apiece, and here you are in a culture where the people may not be even making that much on a monthly basis. "It's that sort of thing, just not being aware how off-putting that can be to the local culture." Such behavior, while seemingly harmless, can help to cement the moniker of "the ugly American," which came to refer to loud, rude and thoughtless behavior of U.S. citizens abroad. The term came about as a result of the book "The Ugly American," and more than 50 years after its publication, those from the United States continue to battle an image of arrogance and nationalism. Written by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, the novel chronicled American foreign policy and diplomacy failures in a fictitious developing nation. In the book, the American ambassador to the country is portrayed as crude and inept. That enduring legacy has not been easy to shake, and even the U.S. president knows the score. During a recent trek to Turkey, President Obama said in his remarks at the Tophane Cultural Center in Istanbul that he knows the "stereotypes of the United States are out there." "Sometimes it suggests that America has become selfish and crass, or that we don't care about the world beyond us," he said. "And I'm here to tell you that that's not the country that I know and it's not the country that I love." Whitman, the author of the "Wanderlust and Lipstick" guides and publisher of "Traveling with Kids," often gives lectures and workshops -- many geared toward female travelers -- and speaks on the importance of Americans being stellar representatives of their homeland while abroad. "It's about being respectful of the country and the culture, treating the people respectfully and not flashing around your money and your material possessions," Whitman said. "It's up to every individual to be that ambassador and portray their country well." Author Ann Hulbert wrote a piece for The New York Times Magazine a few years ago about her desire not to be mistaken for an ugly American when her family traveled to Istanbul and the Turkish coast. Hulbert took the step of vetoing one of her teenage son's T-shirts, worried that the message on it, "The Fighting Quakers. Beat them 'til they reach consensus," might be misunderstood in the Muslim country. "I think that when you are a big and powerful country, it's easy for the rest of the world to feel that you don't deal with the kind of consideration and humility that other people do," said Hulbert, who researches the areas she visits prior to her trips. iReport.com: Ever been to the Netherlands? Share your travel pics . Christopher P. Baker, who is a Cuba travel expert and award-winning author of the best-selling guidebook "Moon Cuba," said he has concerns about what will happen if and when travel restrictions are completely lifted from that country. He recalled two years ago when he was reviewing one of Havana's first five-star hotels that had just opened. Standing in the lobby with one of the hotel's executives, he witnessed a man, dripping wet from the pool and wrapped in a towel, emerge from the elevator. The man walked through the bar, down the stairs and into the marble lobby just as the staff tried to intercept him, Baker said. "I heard them say, 'We don't allow guests in the lobby dressed this way,' and the man said, 'Yeah, I know' in this deep American brogue," Baker said. "Behavior like that is not necessarily common to Americans, but it's the type of thing that can give Americans a bad name." Manners and lifestyle expert Thomas P. Farley runs the site What Manners Most and said Americans tend to be seen as free-spirited and not nearly as guarded as natives of some of the other countries -- as evidenced most recently by first lady Michelle Obama putting her arm around Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. "That's something that maybe sent shivers up the spine of a lot Britons, but in the final analysis, people really looked at that as a nice gesture and something very American to do," said Farley, who added that travelers should be as respectful in other countries as they would be if they were in someone else's home. The Obamas may actually be aiding in changing the perception themselves. Travel writer Beth Whitman said the mere election of President Obama has helped to improve America's reputation worldwide. "It helped to change how we are viewed, but the real key is the behavior once a person arrives in a country," Whitman said. "Some of [the ugly American perception] will exist no matter who is in office, and that's why everyone has to take responsibility for being the very best representative of their country that they can."

Decades after the publication of "The Ugly American," the perception persists . President Obama spoke of perception of Americans as "selfish and crass" Travel expert urges visitors to be "respectful of the country and the culture" Election of Obama may be helping change America's reputation abroad .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The day I interviewed Neil Diamond, he was sitting in a little room to the side of a studio, and a makeup artist was smacking him in the face with a powder puff. He was wearing a white wife-beater T-shirt and looked like he wanted to flee. Neil Diamond is riding high with a huge world tour, a successful album and a humanitarian award. It was November, and Diamond had just come off the first two legs of his biggest world tour yet -- with 64 shows in 50 cities and nine countries already under his belt. In a moment, he would step in front of a camera to begin a round of 70 or so interviews -- beamed via satellite to local television stations -- to talk up the remaining 20 dates, where he'd thrill diehard fans with such nuggets as "Cherry Cherry," "Song Sung Blue" and "Sweet Caroline." Ours was the only in-person interview he -- or someone in his camp -- had agreed to do. The singer-songwriter (who turned 68 on January 24) stepped into the studio, a man ready for his close-up. He had slipped a black button-down shirt over his T-shirt, and suddenly he looked like Neil Diamond -- the same Neil Diamond who next week will be feted by The Recording Academy as its "2009 MusiCares Person of the Year," joining an elite club that includes Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Sting, Bono and Quincy Jones. He's working on a follow-up to last year's CD, the Rick Rubin-produced "Home Before Dark" -- which earned Diamond his first-ever No. 1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. That album came after 2005's "12 Songs," also produced by Rubin, which re-invigorated his recording career. As for live performance, he's rarely had problems filling arenas -- but he remembers when he did. Watch Diamond talk about giving back » . CNN: The man in black. This has become quite the trademark. Neil Diamond: Yeah. I still wear black, but I got sparkly somewhere along the way -- especially if you are playing in an 18,000-seat arena, you like to be seen by somebody in the back. CNN: I've been to a Neil Diamond concert, and everybody stands up, and they sing every word to every song. Don't you ever want to tell them, "I'm singing -- listen!" Diamond: No, I don't -- but I did in the very beginning when I first realized on my first few records that people were singing along. I thought, "You shouldn't be singing. That's my job. Let me sing and you listen." But then I realized that it's a compliment. They knew the music, they loved it and they wanted to sing. So I said, "All right, let's sing together." [chuckles] . CNN: Whenever you hit the road, you're one of the year's top ticket draws and play to more than a million fans per tour. [Diamond had the fifth highest-grossing tour of 2008, taking in $60 million in ticket sales.] . Diamond: It's truly not until the last leg that you finally get the show down. You are relaxed with it, you are not worried about the intricacies of the show, and the last shows are always the best and the most fun. CNN: After 40 years in the business, do you still get nervous? Diamond: I don't know if it's nerves. I get excited. I want things to go right. I want the audience to love the show. CNN: For this tour, you've donated all the proceeds from merchandise sales [T-shirts, programs and other souvenir items] to the victims of Hurricane Ike in Texas. We're talking about a figure that's somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars. Diamond: Hurricane Ike hit southern Texas so fiercely [in September 2008, while Diamond was on tour], and has been forgotten about by the rest of the country -- but these people are still in desperate straits, and are in dire need of our help. And I saw what was going on. The mayor of Houston took me around, and he told me about it and introduced me to some people. The next day, I drove down to some of the hardest-hit areas, and I just felt that I had to do something, and I felt that maybe my audience would help me out with it. So we just say the merchandise and whatever you buy goes down to those people to rebuild their homes. They are still living in tents and cars down there. So to all the people down in Oak Island, Galveston, Galveston Bay and Houston, help is on the way -- and that's the message that I want to bring and spread around. The Eagles just made a substantial donation to this fund. CNN: Has that inspired new songwriting for you? Diamond: I don't know if it has inspired new songwriting -- I don't do a lot of writing when I am out touring -- but it has inspired a reality in me of what's going on. You tend to live in a bubble when you are traveling and touring. I missed the election completely. I actually worked and performed election night. The wonderful people of Green Bay, Wisconsin, came and filled the place, and I said to them, "I appreciate you coming down, because there is something really good on television." I missed the election completely. I got off the stage and tuned into the concession speech. But I heard it was very dramatic, and I'm happy with the outcome. You tend to miss things when you're on the road. CNN: Right before the Grammys, you're being honored by The Recording Academy as its "2009 MusiCares Person of the Year." Diamond: Well, it's a wonderful honor any time the Grammys extend an honor to you. [Diamond has received 12 nominations over his career, but has only won one award.] But the real satisfaction I get from that benefit -- that big dinner -- is that the money will be going to musicians who are facing very difficult times. It's not the most secure job in the world, and there are musicians who are facing medical emergencies and financial difficulties who will benefit from the money that is being generated. It's a cause that's very close to my heart. I have been very fortunate, and I have been successful. CNN: When you tour, you sell out 20,000-seat arenas -- but do you ever worry about a day when you might walk out on stage and there are only two or three people in the audience? Diamond: Well, that did happen to me very early in my career. So yeah, that has occurred to me. I'm always a little amazed that people show up, and I don't know where they came from -- but I'm thrilled that they are there. CNN: Do you ever wonder what you would have done had this all not worked out? Diamond: I do, and I don't like any of the choices that I would have made, or any of the places that I would have been. CNN: I hear you earned a fencing scholarship to NYU. Diamond: Yeah, I did. But you can't make a living as a fencer these days. CNN: So this is definitely much better. Diamond: Yes, this is a lot better. I love singing. I have been singing since I was a little boy, so to make a life in music as a writer and as a singer -- I think I have the best job in the world. CNN: At the end of the tour, you're only taking two days off, and then you begin working on your next album. Don't you believe in vacations? Diamond: I'm not the kind of guy that's good at laying on the beach for too long. If I'm laying on the beach, it's with a guitar and a legal pad, and I'm thinking about music.

Neil Diamond to receive Recording Academy's Person of the Year honor . Diamond continues to sell out arenas, recently had No. 1 album . Money from merchandise sales on tour going to Hurricane Ike victims .

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(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan military claimed it has struck a decisive blow against Tamil rebels in the taking of a rebel naval base at Chalai. Troops at Elephant Pass, the isthmus connecting the Jaffna peninsula to the rest of Sri Lanka. The "capture of Chalai by army troops several hours ago drove a decisive blow to the entire Tiger organization, now in its death throes with the loss of the biggest Sea Tiger base in the eastern coastal belt," said a statement posted on the military's Web site. The military also said it had killed at least four rebel leaders and 10 other rebels in the fighting Thursday evening in Chalai, a community known for its bazaars. Government troops and Tamil rebels are locked in a battle for the remaining rebel strongholds in the north of Sri Lanka, where the the country's ethnic Tamil minority has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1983. Watch a report on risks facing journalists in Sri Lanka » . Humanitarian groups say as many as 250,000 unprotected civilians are trapped in the area where the fighting is taking place, and the onslaught has intensified as government forces have closed in on the rebels. The aid agencies have asked for increased access to northern Sri Lanka, calling it a nightmarish situation. Earlier this week, the conflict forced the closure of Pudukkudiyiruppu hospital in the Vanni region, the last functioning medical facility in the area of fighting. Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse rejected calls Wednesday for a negotiated end to the fighting. He said there would be no political solution, the online edition of The Island reported. Some in the international community have suggested negotiations to give the rebels an opportunity to surrender.

Military says it killed at least 14 rebels in the fighting . Government troops, rebels battling for remaining rebel strongholds in north . Aid groups say as many as 250,000 civilians are trapped in the area . Ethnic Tamil minority fighting for an independent homeland since 1983 .

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KARACHI, Pakistan (CNN) -- Police in Pakistan arrested lawyers holding a public protest to demand that the government immediately restore judges the previous president had ousted, Karachi's police chief told CNN Thursday. Lawyers shout slogans Thursday in Karachi on the eve of a march to Islamabad. Among those detained were Muira Malik, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and leader of the Karachi lawyers movement, and retired high court justice Rasheed Razvi, police Chief Wasim Ahmed said. The lawyers were arrested under an order that outlaws public gatherings. The police chief also said authorities had credible information that there was a terror threat against the march and he had warned the lawyers before they started that it would be a public danger. Up to 500 lawyers in the Karachi group planned to join thousands of other demonstrators heading to the capital, Islamabad, as part of a four-day "Long March." The demonstrators plan a massive sit-in at the parliament building Monday. "Our movement is a peaceful movement," organizer Razvi, president of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, said before his arrest. "When we protested the last time, there were hundreds of thousands of people and not one grass was broken, not one leaf was broken." The demonstrators began walking from the gates of the Sindh High Court, heading to a dozen buses that waited to ferry them to their next stop: the city of Hyderabad. "The rule of baton and bullets cannot last," the protesters chanted. They want President Asif Ali Zardari to live up to a promise to reinstate judges sacked by then-President Pervez Musharraf. Among the dismissed judges was the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. After sweeping into power in parliamentary elections last year, Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party promised to reinstate the judges within 30 days of taking office. The deadline came and went. The government responded to the recent intensification of protests by banning political demonstrations in two of the country's biggest provinces -- Punjab and Sindh. It also detained several hundred activists Wednesday. But the protesters said they will not be deterred. Their movement now, they said, isn't so much about reinstating Chaudhry as it is about restoring the office of the chief justice. "We will start the long march from the province as we have promised the nation," Razvi said. The country's largest opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), is backing the lawyers -- but for reasons of its own. Party head Nawaz Sharif accuses Zardari of being behind a February Supreme Court decision that bars Sharif from holding public office. The court also stripped Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, of his post as chief minister of Punjab -- the Sharif party's power center. Supporters of PML-N have responded by holding massive rallies, some of which have turned violent in recent days. CNN's Thomas Evans and Zein Basravi contributed to this report .

NEW: Lawyers arrested at start of 'Long March' protest to the capital, Islamabad . Protesters heading to Islamabad to take their case to parliament . They want judges removed by previous president be restored to office . President Zardari's party had vowed to reinstate judges after winning election .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Pfizer is near a deal to buy rival drugmaker Wyeth for $68 billion, according to news reports late Sunday citing people familiar with the deal. Pfizer's world headquarters is in New York. A deal was imminent and likely to be announced Monday, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported. "It is our policy not to comment on rumor or speculation," said Michael Lampe, a Wyeth representative. Pfizer was not immediately available for comment. Pfizer, the world's leading drugmaker in terms of sales, has been in talks to buy Wyeth. Pfizer's stock slipped 1 percent on the news Friday, while Wyeth gained about 8 percent. On January 13 Pfizer said it was cutting up to 8 percent of its R&D staff, about 800 jobs. Spokesman Raymond Kerins said that was to "raise productivity." But analysts say Pfizer is clearly trying to beef up its drug pipeline through an acquisition, adding that the company seems to have given up on its own R&D staff coming up with a blockbuster to replace Lipitor. This cholesterol-cutting drug peaked in 2006 with nearly $13 billion in annual sales but will lose its patent protection in 2011, when generic versions will become available. Les Funtleyder, pharma analyst for Miller Tabak, said Pfizer is "not feeling that they're getting the efficiency out of their R&D unit." He said Pfizer would probably rather do a deal with Wyeth over other competitors, because there is less overlap in the companies' pipelines. Funtleyder said Pfizer already has a diabetes franchise, which would overlap with Eli Lilly & Co. and Bristol-Myers Squibb, both of which also focus on diabetes treatments. Pfizer probably has its eyes on Wyeth's Alzheimer's drug pipeline, he said. But he cautions that a merger won't be a success unless Wyeth's pipeline is successful, which remains to be seen, he said. "If Wyeth comes out with an Alzheimer's drug that works, then the deal works," he said. Pfizer is probably also focused on Wyeth's blockbuster children's vaccine Prevnar, as well as its experimental biotech drugs, said Michael Krensavage of Krensavage Asset Management. Sales of Prevnar, which combats meningitis and blood infections, jumped 12 percent in the first nine months of 2008 compared with the same period the prior year, to $2.1 billion. If a deal does go through, Funtleyder warns, Wyeth staffers should brace for layoffs. "I can say with pretty good confidence that this is going to lead to some head count reduction," he said.

"It is our policy not to comment on rumor or speculation," Wyeth rep says . Pfizer was not immediately available for comment . Pfizer said this month it was cutting up to 8 percent, or 800 jobs, of its R&D staff .

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(CNN) -- Singer and actress Eartha Kitt has died, her publicist, Patty Freedman, told CNN on Thursday. Actress Eartha Kitt, shown at a benefit for the Actors Fund in 2003, performed almost until the end of her life. Kitt, 81, died in New York, where she was being treated for colon cancer, Freedman said. Her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, was by her side. She was performing almost until the end, taping a PBS special six weeks ago in Chicago, Illinois. The show is set to air in February. The ringtone version of her recording of the saucy Christmas song "Santa Baby" was certified gold earlier this month. Kitt was well known for her distinctive voice and made a name for herself in her portrayal of Catwoman in the television series "Batman." That role produced Kitt's recognizable sultry cat growl. She worked in film, theater, cabaret, music and on television during her lengthy career. According to Kitt's official Web site, she was nominated for a Tony three times, a Grammy and Emmy twice. According to the biography on that site, Kitt lived in Connecticut near her daughter and four grandchildren. Kitt was ostracized at an early age because of her mixed-race heritage, the biography says. At age 8, she was sent from the cotton fields of South Carolina by her mother to live with her aunt in New York City's Harlem neighborhood, the site said. As a teen, she auditioned for the famed Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe, was hired as a featured dancer and vocalist, and toured worldwide with the company. This launched Kitt into a life of roles in the entertainment field. According to the book "Contemporary Black Biography," she was adored in Europe in the 1950s as a cabaret singer. In the United States, her dance career led to a critically acclaimed stint on Broadway, including the play "New Faces of 1952," which was later made into a movie. Broadway stardom landed Kitt a recording deal that led to a string of best-selling records, including "Love for Sale," "I Want to Be Evil," "Santa Baby" and "Folk Tales of the Tribes of Africa." She recorded more than 20 albums, worked in hundreds of television and movie roles, and was invited as a guest to the White House several times. CNN's David Daniel contributed to this report.

Kitt died in New York, where she was being treated for colon cancer . Her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, was by her side . Her recording of saucy Christmas song "Santa Baby" was certified gold last week . Kitt made a name for herself in as Catwoman in "Batman" TV series .

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(CNN) -- A convicted sex offender who was sentenced to death for killing a 9-year-old Idaho boy is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges related to the killing of a 10-year-old California boy. Joseph Edward Duncan III will answer charges in the 1997 abduction and murder of Anthony Martinez. Joseph Edward Duncan III is expected to appear in court in Riverside County, California, to answer to charges in the 1997 abduction and murder of Anthony Martinez, said a spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's office. Investigators have charged Duncan with murder in Anthony's death. Law-enforcement officials also are investigating whether Duncan, who committed his first sexual offense at the age of 12, can be tied to other crimes, according to CNN affiliate KTLA in Los Angeles, California. Martinez was kidnapped on April 4, 1997 from an alley near his home in the city of Beaumont, the station reported; the boy's naked body was discovered a little over two weeks later. Duncan has confessed to killing Martinez and crushing the boy's head with a rock, KTLA reported, citing court documents. Authorities reportedly discovered the boy's body by following vultures to a remote section of a nearby canyon. The body was partially buried under a pile of rocks and bound with duct tape, according to KTLA. Duncan, a high school dropout and drifter, was sentenced to death last August for the torture and murder of Dylan Groene, a 9-year-old Idaho boy. He was convicted of kidnapping Dylan and his then 8-year-old sister before torturing them at a remote campsite and fatally bludgeoning members of their family. In 2007, Duncan pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping counts in state court for the hammer-attack murders of three other Groene family members. If convicted of murdering Martinez, Duncan can be sentenced to death again.

Joseph Duncan committed his first sexual offense at the age of 12 . He was sentenced to death last August for the murder a 9-year-old boy . Duncan could be sentenced to death a second time if convicted again .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Stop brooding over the financial crisis, and start packing. Some tour operators are offering packages to Hawaii at prices lower than a year ago. The economic downturn has dealt a heavy blow to the global travel industry as travelers have tightened their grasp on their wallets. But there is a silver lining to the meltdown. The turmoil has roiled currency markets, making some once-pricey trips more affordable. Other popular spots are rolling out deals and special packages in a bid to lure travelers. Whether you're paying in dollars, pounds or euros, there's a travel deal out there for you. Here's a look at four of them. Cool as ice . Iceland was once prohibitively expensive for many people, but now the tiny island nation is rebranding itself as a budget destination. Iceland's economy was booming a few years ago, fueled by the availability of cheap credit. But the collapse of the country's financial system has reversed its fortunes. The government has nationalized the banking system and the Icelandic currency -- the krona -- went into freefall. Now the Icelandic Tourist Board is wooing travelers by highlighting the favorable exchange rate. Icelandair is offering a Christmas special for travelers from the U.S. The package - which includes airfare, a three-night hotel stay, a visit to the Blue Lagoon and airport transfers - starts at $699 a person for a double room. For European visitors, it's promoting a number of three-night city breaks (flights and hotel included). Packages from London start at £249. See photos of Iceland and other places you can catch a bargain » . Surf's up . The downturn in the U.S. has hit Hawaii tourism hard. Visitor arrivals are expected to tumble nine percent this year, making it the biggest annual drop since 2001, according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Hawaii has suffered from a sharp decline in flights from the mainland. Aloha Airlines and ATA accounted for roughly 20 percent of flights to the Big Island from North America before going out of business earlier this year. In response to slumping visitor arrivals, Hawaii's Visitors and Convention Bureau has teamed up with a variety of travel wholesalers to offer air-hotel packages. "The savings being offered mean the cost of a Hawaii vacation can now be less than a year ago," John Monahan, the bureau's chief, said in a statement. Liberty Travel is offering free nights at several hotels. Classic Vacations is offering an air credit of up to $500 for stays of five nights or longer booked through the end of the year. London calling . While a trip to London still can't be called cheap, the British pound's recent decline means costs are falling dramatically for foreign visitors, particularly Americans. Concerns of a deep recession in the UK have sparked the pound's decline. In the last three months, the pound -- which traded near $2 in August -- has lost roughly 20 percent of its value against the dollar. Aside from the falling pound, some hotels are offering special promotions. The Hoxton Urban Lounge, a stylish boutique hotel located near London's financial district, routinely sells rooms for £1 a night. But travelers should be warned: Snagging one of the rooms can be tough. The last time the hotel offered the promotion, the rooms -- which normally cost from £59 to £199 -- sold out in 26 minutes. The next sale is scheduled for January. Into the wild . If you fancy a walk on the wild side, now's the time to net yourself a bargain. Amid the financial market meltdown, investors have been flocking to safe-haven investments. The aversion to risk has hit the currencies of several emerging market economies, including the South African rand. The rand touched a record low against the euro and a six-year low against the dollar last month. The drop in the rand means adventure trips like safaris are becoming more affordable for foreign tourists. Several luxury safari lodges have recently cropped in and around South Africa's Kruger National Park -- an ideal perch for viewing the wildlife that roams the unspoiled landscape. A luxury tent at Tanda Tula Safari Camp currently runs around 4,250 rand per person per night. At the current exchange rate, that comes to about $430 -- or roughly $160 less than you would have paid in early August. Have some useful travel tips? Share them in the SoundOff below.

Travel deals to popular destinations are a silver lining of the financial meltdown . Weak currencies make countries like Iceland and South Africa more affordable . Discounts are being rolled out to lure budget-conscious travelers .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British singer Amy Winehouse has been charged with "common assault" in connection with an incident last September, and will appear in court later this month, Scotland Yard said Friday. Amy Winehouse performs at last year's V Festival in Chelmsford, England. In the incident, on September 26, the singer allegedly hit a fan at a charity ball, British media reported. A spokesman for the 25-year-old Winehouse said in a statement that she "voluntarily attended a police station in London yesterday morning. "She was questioned by appointment in relation to an accusation made after the Berkeley Ball last year. "She was charged with common assault and will attend a court hearing in the coming weeks." Winehouse is facing the possibility of another potentially damaging court case after husband Blake Fielder-Civil last month asked his lawyer "to commence divorce proceedings on the grounds of Amy's adultery," his lawyer, Henri Brandman, said. That came after Fielder-Civil saw photos of her cavorting with another man during her recent holiday in the Caribbean, while he sat in a British jail.

Winehouse allegedly hit a fan at a charity ball in September . She will appear in court later this month . Troubled singer also facing divorce proceedings from jailed husband .

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

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

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(CNN) -- Legendary singer/songwriter Aretha Franklin sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the inauguration Tuesday. Aretha Franklin says cold weather affected her voice during her performance at the inauguration on Tuesday. CNN's Larry King talks with "The Queen of Soul" about the reality of the nation's first black president, singing at the inauguration and the much-talked-about hat she wore. Larry King: Where'd you get that hat? Aretha Franklin: Well, I bought it at a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit. King: What was that like for you (Tuesday)? Franklin: Oh. What a tremendous, mammoth morning, evening, the ball, everything, from one event to the other, was just too much. King: How did you find out you were singing? Franklin: My agent called me and he told me that he had received an invitation and a telephone call, asking for my presence and performance at the swearing-in and the inauguration. King: Did you choose the song? Franklin: Yes, I did. King: Is that a tough song to sing? Franklin: No, not at all, but (Tuesday) it was. Mainly because of the temperature outside. I don't have to tell you, it was freezing, if you were there. Some singers it doesn't bother, and others it does. I don't care for it. It affected my voice. Watch Franklin sing at inauguration » . King: You sang at Martin Luther King's funeral. What do you remember about that? Franklin: There were very, very long lines, of course. I recall walking in the street behind the bier, somewhere maybe about 200, 300 feet from the bier, I think. I recall Leontyne Price being there, as well as Eartha Kitt. They shuttled us from one point to the other. The passing of a great man was at hand. King: How did you feel yesterday about seeing a young black man elected president? Franklin: Oh boy, how do you put it into words? There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack. I think it's the age of Barack. People have just fallen head over heels in love with him. His ascent to the presidency was miraculous. But we have to remember that he's not going to work miracles right off the top. It's going to take time. Watch Franklin discuss joy of seeing nation's first black president » . (There's) a lot of problems, and there's a plethora of things to deal with for he and his administration. King: One thing, with your magnificent voice, is it hard to sing outdoors? Franklin: It depends on the temperature. Yesterday, Mother Nature was not very kind to me. I'm going to deal with her when I get home. It, by no means, was my standard. I was not happy with it, but I just feel blessed because it could have been five above zero or five below zero like it is in Detroit. I was still blessed to be able to pretty much just sing the melody, but I wasn't happy with it, of course. King: It was great to listen to. Franklin: I was delighted and thrilled to be there. That was the most important thing, not so much the performance, but just to be there and to see this great man go into office -- the promise of tomorrow coming to pass.

Aretha Franklin: Cold weather affected rendition of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" Franklin on Obama presidency: "It's the age of Barack" Franklin says she bought much-talked-about inauguration hat at Detroit millinery .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" films, has revealed he is suffering from prostate cancer but is still feeling "fantastic." David Prowse signs autographs during the opening day of "Star Wars Celabration IV" in Los Angeles in 2007. Prowse, who wore the black suit and helmet to play the Dark Lord of the Sith, told a British radio station he had been undergoing radiotherapy at a hospital in south London and was helping its fundraising appeal. "I'm involved with the Royal Marsden Hospital appeal because I'm undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, would you believe," he told Absolute Radio. "I'm having my very last treatment this morning." "I've had two months' radiotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden. It's the most fantastic hospital you could ever wish to go to." James Earl Jones did the voice for Vader, Luke Skywalker's father, (and also for CNN promotional links) in the films as Prowse's western English accent was thought to be unsuitable for the part. Prowse, 73, added he was fighting the disease. "The only thing I've had is hot flushes and my wife tells me I'm going menopausal," he said. "It's amazing what can be done so long as you catch it early." "Every man over the age of 50 should have a PSA test (a blood test for prostate cancer) and that just gives you some indication of whether you have prostate problems."

David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in "Star Wars," has prostate cancer . Prowse says he is undergoing radiotherapy at hospital in south London . Actor said every man over 50 should have a blood test for prostate cancer .

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MOGADISHU, Somalia (CNN) -- Gunmen attacked a convoy Sunday in Somalia and took several hostages, including two foreign aid workers from the group Doctors Without Borders. Medecins San Frontieres workers, shown here, were abducted and released in March in Sudan. Local staff said a three-car convoy was traveling from Rabbure to Hudur in southwestern Somalia, escorted by local bodyguards, when gunmen seized the group. The district commissioner of Rabbure said the only people released were elders accompanying the staff, with the local and international staff kept as hostages. Doctors Without Borders, widely known by its French name Medecins Sans Frontieres, did not immediately release the identities or nationalities of the hostages. MSF is an international medical group that works in more than 60 countries. It says it helps people "threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe." Michel Peremans, international coordinator for operational communications for MSF Belgium, which operates in the region, confirmed that the organization had lost contact with two of its staff in Somalia. Rabbure is in the Bakole region, which is under the control of the group al-Shabaab, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Al-Shabaab was once the armed wing of the Islamic Courts Union, which took over most of southern Somalia in the second half of 2006. The United States says the group is affiliated with the al Qaeda terrorist network, and the U.S. backed an Ethiopian invasion that drove the ICU from power in 2006. The ICU's former leader, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, became president after Ethiopian troops withdrew in January. Al-Shabaab rejected the peace agreement that led to the Ethiopian withdrawal and is now fighting Sheikh Ahmed's government. Attacks on aid workers in the region are common, and U.N. staff came under attack this year. In Sudan, on the other side of Ethiopia, four workers from Medecins Sans Frontieres were abducted in March and released a few days later. All four -- an Italian doctor, a Canadian nurse, a French coordinator and a Sudanese guard -- worked for the Belgian section of the humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres. Sudan last month ordered 13 major aid groups to leave the country after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity. CNN's Mohammed Amin and Carol Jordan contributed to this report.

Gunman seized convoy in southwestern Somalia, let elders go, abducted workers . Doctors without Borders has not yet released the names of those abducted . Attacks on aid workers are common in the region .

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(CNN) -- She's being hailed as the "face of the economic crisis," and now Henrietta Hughes has become something of a media star after reaching out to President Obama in an emotional plea for help. President Obama talks to Henrietta Hughes at a town hall rally in Fort Myers, Florida, on Tuesday. Her message: My son and I are homeless, and we need immediate help. "I have an urgent need, unemployment and homelessness, a very small vehicle for my family and I to live in," Hughes told Obama Tuesday at a town hall rally in Fort Myers, Florida, as he pushed for passage of his stimulus plan in the Senate. "The housing authority has two years waiting lists, and we need something more than the vehicle and the parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom. Please help." Hughes said she had been homeless after her son lost his job and, subsequently, their home. Although her son has been looking for work, Hughes says, so far, no luck. The Fort Myers-Cape Coral area -- in heavily Republican Lee County, which went for GOP presidential nominee John McCain in the 2008 election -- has seen record housing foreclosure rates. Watch CNN's Ed Hornick discuss the story » . According to the White House, the area had the highest foreclosure rate in the nation last year, with 12 percent of housing units receiving a foreclosure-related notice. Median housing prices in the Fort Myers metropolitan area have plummeted from $322,000 in December 2005 to less than $107,000 in December 2008, the Obama administration notes. And nearly 12,000 jobs have been lost in Fort Myers in the past year. The president offered Hughes a kiss on the cheek and a promise: "We're going to do everything we can to help you, but there are a lot of people like you." Watch more of Hughes' emotional plea to Obama » . Some questioned the circumstances of Hughes' appearance at the event. Blogger Michelle Malkin, in a story on the conservative Web site TownHall.com on Wednesday, said that if Hughes "had more time, she probably would have remembered to ask Obama to fill up her gas tank, too." "The soul-fixer dutifully asked her name, gave her a hug and ordered his staff to meet with her. Supporters cried, 'Amen!' and 'Yes!' " she added. One reader questioned Hughes' motives and asked how the homeless woman got to the rally at all. "How does a 61-year-old homeless woman who's living in a pickup truck with her son JUST HAPPEN to get a ticket so she can VERY PUBLICALLY ask Prez. Obama for a HOUSE? Anyone? Who pushes her up on stage? She's right at the front of the crowd. Did she just happen to get a seat there?" asked reader Erik E. In Fort Myers, a city of about 60,000, people began lining up for tickets to the Obama event over the weekend. Many camped out overnight, with tents and sleeping bags springing up near the front door, and all tickets were given away in less than an hour. White House spokesman Joshua Earnest said Wednesday that after she spoke, the administration connected Hughes -- who did not vote in the 2008 election because she didn't have a home -- with local housing officials, who happened to be in the crowd. On Wednesday, the head of the local housing authority, Marcus Goodson, said he met with Hughes. He said he's working on finding her a housing unit with a shorter waiting time and that he's emailed a White House staff member with the update. But it wasn't just officials reaching out. Chene Thompson -- the wife of state Rep. Nicholas Thompson, R-Fort Myers -- offered Hughes and her son a house in nearby La Belle rent-free, according to a spokeswoman, and she is interested in taking it. "Basically, I offered Ms. Hughes and her son the opportunity to stay in my home rent-free for as long as they need to," Thompson told WBBH-TV in Fort Myers. "I'm not a millionaire, I'm not rich, but this is what I can do for someone if they need it." Hughes will check out the house in the coming days, according to Thompson's office. In the meantime, she has set up shop in the district office where she gave media interviews. And help for the woman whose story touched the president keeps pouring in. A Web site, HenriettaHughes.com, was set up featuring video clips of the homeless woman at the rally and information about her plight. The site hails her as "the face of the economic crisis." The owner of the site said Hughes has "brought to [light] the homeless [an] unemployment problem we have in the United States." "As a local southwest Florida resident, I have seen countless stories like Henrietta's. I wanted to take this opportunity to promote awareness of our plight on a national level. If you as equally concerned as I am, please bookmark this site and sign up for updates," the owner wrote on the site. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on the stimulus package . And Fort Myers Mayor Jim Humphrey, a Republican, said Wednesday that his "community has responded" to Hughes' story. "I even received a phone call from a lady in Ocala wanting to offer her $50 a month, so what we're seeing is, this should be a nonpartisan issue," he said. Watch Humphrey discuss Hughes' story » . Linda Bergthold, a health policy expert, wrote on the liberal blog HuffingtonPost.com that it was a touching moment that highlighted a community coming together. "It would have been interesting had Obama turned to the crowd and asked anyone who had a solution for Henrietta to step forward afterwards. But he didn't have to. People came forward anyway," she wrote Wednesday. "The dilemma Ms. Hughes described is not limited to her. ... Her request was a compelling one and it only highlights issues of homelessness that will surely get worse as the economic downturn deepens." CNN's Mary Snow contributed to this report.

President Obama discussed economy in hard-hit Fort Myers, Florida . Henrietta Hughes, a homeless woman, issued an emotional plea for help . White House and local housing officials offered her assistance . Conservatives question how she got to the rally in the first place .

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Editor's note: Frances Fragos Townsend, a CNN contributor on national security issues, formerly served as President George W. Bush's chief anti-terrorism and homeland security adviser. Townsend has spent more than two decades in the fields of intelligence and criminal justice and has served during the past three administrations. Townsend is currently a consultant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a member of President Bush's Intelligence Advisory Board, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Program. Frances Townsend says the director of the CIA is not a post for on-the-job training. (CNN) -- Leon Panetta is an impressive man with many laudable achievements to his credit. Mr. Panetta served eight terms in Congress and worked in the Clinton White House as chief of staff to the president and director of the Office of Management and Budget. But his impressive credentials are insufficient to allay the well-founded concerns of senior Democrats and Republicans that he is the wrong man to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Panetta is a seasoned political operative and a proven manager -- both of which would be useful to him as CIA director -- but more is required. Accurate and actionable intelligence is among our most effective tools in fighting against terror threats. The nation has gone more than seven years without a terrorist attack and much of the credit for that lies with the men and women of the intelligence community: in the CIA, FBI, and Defense and Homeland Security departments, among others. Career intelligence officials need a leader they can count on to protect their mission from inappropriate political interference and who would be willing to defend their efforts when, as is often the case, they are attacked based on less than accurate or complete facts. Because of the critical role the intelligence community plays in protecting our nation, the director of the CIA is not a position for on-the-job training. President-elect Barack Obama had a competent, qualified career intelligence official to nominate. John Brennan served for decades at the CIA under numerous directors and in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Just prior to his retirement, Mr. Brennan served as the director of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, the predecessor to the current National Counterterrorism Center. John Brennan had no loyalty to the policies of the Bush administration and in fact at times voiced his disagreement. Mr. Brennan's loyalty was to the mission and role of the intelligence community in protecting our nation. Unfortunately, the incoming administration permitted the vicissitudes of party politics and special interests to derail this nomination. [In a letter to Obama obtained by CNN in early December, Brennan said he was dropping out of consideration for the job because of strong criticism by people who associated his work at the CIA with controversial Bush administration policies on interrogation techniques and the pre-emptive war in Iraq.] . The next CIA director has many important issues to confront. He or she must continue to ensure adequate resources for the intelligence community and continue to build our human and technical intelligence capabilities. The new director will necessarily review detention, interrogation and rendition policies. And at the same time, the CIA director must seek new ways to gain the intelligence advantage on crucial priorities such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and a host of regional issues in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Regardless of who becomes the next CIA director, the nation is fortunate that from the deputy director on down, the CIA is run by career officials who will continue to do the nation's business. But they will continue to require the tools necessary to do the job. Before abrogating Bush Administration policies on interrogation and detention, the new CIA director must learn: what is legal; what is effective; and how have these policies been implemented. A new administration may choose to make more limited use of these tools or add additional procedural safeguards. But any decision must be made with caution. Tools that the Justice Department deem legal and the intelligence community determines are effective must not be taken away because they are politically unpopular. The nation and the intelligence community deserve better and must be led with the same courage that they have displayed. President-elect Obama is off to a strong start, taking daily intelligence briefings and asking probing questions. If Mr. Panetta is to be the next CIA director, he will need to earn the trust, confidence and respect of career intelligence officials. Mr. Panetta will need these career intelligence officers to best advise the new president on the CIA capabilities at his disposal to support critical foreign policy and national security objectives. The most important objective will remain protecting American lives. Mr. Panetta is smart and no doubt a quick study. Let's pray if he is confirmed that he is up to the difficult job ahead of him. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frances Townsend.

Frances Townsend: Leon Panetta has had a fine career in government . She says his lack of intelligence experience is raising questions . Townsend: CIA crucial to U.S. security and needs leader who will back staff up . She says CIA director is too important for on-the-job training .

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(CNN) -- Jenny's phone number is for sale, but not for a song. "867-5309/Jenny" originally appeared on Tommy Tutone's "Tommy Tutone 2" album. Bids for a New Jersey version of the number, stuck in the minds of millions since Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny" hit the Top 10 in 1982, had reached $5,100 on eBay as of Monday morning. The song is about a guy who finds Jenny's name and number scribbled on a bathroom wall. "This is really, in my opinion, one of the last cultural remnants of the '80s pop culture era ... other than the mullet," said Spencer Potter, a 28-year-old DJ who is selling the number he got for free five years ago. While Potter is overlooking the fact that "867-5309" is an active phone number in dozens of other area codes, it does get called a lot by curious people. Potter said he has gotten about 40 calls a day since he got the area code 201 version for his Weehawken, New Jersey, DJ business. "The minute we plugged the phone jack into the wall, it began ringing," Potter said. Mostly, Potter said, the callers are "a lot of '80s fanatics" and he lets the calls ring through to his voice mail. When he did answer a call three years ago, Potter found his own Jenny on the line. "She had been using my number to give out to guys that she didn't like at bars," he said. "It was a bum phone number." The young lady from Hoboken, New Jersey, told Potter she was just curious about who might be getting the calls. Potter ended up asking her out. "I figured if she was having to give out a bum number that often then she was probably pretty cute," he said. "We ended up meeting for drinks. We dated for awhile and it was actually a great friendship." Potter recently moved from Weehawken and decided to try to make money off the infamous digits with an eBay auction. Potter's DJ business goes with the number, a necessary provision to get around phone company rules against selling telephone numbers, he said. Phone companies technically own the numbers, not the customers. Potter said Vonage, the company that assigned the number, gave him permission to transfer it as part of the sale of his business. EBay halted a 2004 auction by the purported holder of the 212 area code version of the number, The New York Times reported. A Philadelphia-area resident who holds the toll-free versions -- both 800 and 888 -- said he values his numbers in the millions. Jeffrey Steinberg said his best offer so far, rejected several years ago, was for $1 million from a national weight-loss company. He acquired the numbers in the early 1990s for a pizza delivery campaign and has licensed them for other advertisers in the years since. Potter said when his auction ends next Monday, February 9, he hopes to make at least $40,000. He said he would use the money to take a Caribbean vacation -- away from his ringing phone. . CNN's Laurie Segall and CNN Radio's April Williams contributed to this report.

Man selling his "867-5309" phone number on eBay . Digits made famous by 1982 Tommy Tutone hit song . Along with phone number, auction winner will get DJ business .

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(CNN) -- North Korea said Saturday any sanctions or pressure applied against it following its rocket launch earlier this month will be considered a "declaration of war." A North Korean soldier looks into South Korea from the demilitarized zone on April 9. In an announcement on state-run television, the country said it was ready to step up efforts to develop nuclear weapons and poised for a military response to any moves against it. "The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK are always keeping themselves fully ready to go into action any moment to mercilessly punish anyone who encroaches upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK even a bit," it said. On Monday the United Nations condemned North Korea -- which refers to itself as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK -- for launching a rocket. The United States called the launch a "provocative act" that violated a 2006 Security Council resolution prohibiting Pyongyang from conducting ballistic missile launches. Pyongyang insists the April 5 launch was a successful mission to place a communications satellite into orbit. The United States says the rocket's payload did not reach orbit. The U.N. statement says the rocket launch was "in contravention" to a 2006 Security Council resolution that demanded that North Korea not launch any ballistic missiles. The 15-member council also voted unanimously for a statement by the council's president demanding the country make no more launches. "The Korean People's Army will consider sanctions to be applied against the DPRK under various names over its satellite launch or any pressure to be put upon it through 'total participation' in the PSI (Proliferation Security Initiative) as a declaration of undisguised confrontation and a declaration of a war against the DPRK," the announcement on state TV said. "Now that the group officially declared confrontation and war against the DPRK, its revolutionary armed forces will opt for increasing the nation's defense capability including nuclear deterrent in every way, without being bound to the agreement adopted at the six-party talks," it continued, apparently referring to the Security Council. Referring to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, the statement added, "The Lee group of traitors should never forget that Seoul is just 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from the Military Demarcation Line." That line was established by the 1953 Armistice Agreement between the two Koreas -- which are still technically at war. A Friday report North Korea's official KCNA news agency, seemed to blame the "war hysteria" on the United States and South Korea after the two countries carried out a combined air force operation in South Korea. The "'South Korea-U.S. military alliance' oft-repeated by them is, in essence, nothing but a 'war alliance' and 'alliance for aggression' aimed at invading the DPRK," the report said. "When a nuclear war will break out due to the war chariot of the 'South Korea-U.S. military alliance' is a matter of time," it said. "The U.S. and South Korean warmongers would be well advised to stop acting rashly, properly understanding who their rival is."

North Korea says sanctions applied against it will be "declaration of war" Pyongyang ready to "mercilessly punish anyone" who applies pressure . U.N. has condemned North Korean rocket launch .

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(CNN) -- Three people were killed and 10 wounded when a hospital treating victims of Sri Lanka's civil war was shelled for a fourth time in two days, the International Committee of the Red Cross told CNN Tuesday. A civilian, injured during fighting in rebel territory, lies on a bed at a hospital in Vavuniya on January 16, 2009. Artillery shells slammed into the hospital in the northern district of Mullaittivu on Monday evening. Strikes on the hospital on Sunday -- including one that hit the pediatric ward -- left 11 people dead, including some children, according to an aid worker who spoke to witnesses. Government forces and Tamil rebels are locked in a battle for the remaining rebel strongholds in northern Sri Lanka, where the the country's ethnic Tamil minority has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1983. Humanitarian groups say as many as 250,000 unprotected civilians are trapped in the area. The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead. International humanitarian aid agencies have asked for increased access to the region, calling conditions in northern Sri Lanka a "nightmarish situation." Sarah Crowe of UNICEF told CNN Monday that aid from the United Nations was getting into the war zone only every few days. Watch video an aid group says shows civilians suffering » . "We need open access," she said. "These children and families need to be protected and they need to get out fast." Hundreds of civilians, including children, have been wounding in fighting since the end of last week. Government officials have accused aid organizations and foreign media of sensationalizing civilian casualties. "It looks as if it's convenient for certain agencies to exaggerate the numbers so that this can be converted to a humanitarian crisis in the public eye, " Secretary of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohona told CNN. Over the weekend, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to "continue with the military offensive until we liberate the remaining area under LTTE (the rebel group's) control," according to Sri Lanka's state-run news agency. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has promised to allow safe passage to trapped civilians and urged the Tamil Tigers, as the rebels are commonly known, to promise the same. A handful of U.N. staff are working round the clock to save a growing number of children caught in the crossfire, a U.N. spokesman said Saturday. Children as young as 4 months old were being treated in area hospitals for shrapnel injuries and other wounds of war, spokesman James Elder told CNN. "There is just intense fighting in a small area where children and other civilians are," Elder said. "The space [where conflict is taking place] is shrinking and the fighting is augmenting." Last Thursday, U.N. aid workers rescued 50 critically injured children and 105 adults, he said. "We are trying to get as many people out of there as we can," Elder said. CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this report.

3 dead as hospital treating Sri Lanka's civil war victims shelled for fourth time . Government forces, Tamil rebels locked in battle for last rebel strongholds . Humanitarian aid agencies call for increased access to northern Sri Lanka . More than 200 civilians injured in past 3 days of fighting, says relief worker .

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(CNN) -- After nearly 150 years in business, the Rocky Mountain News published its final edition Friday, the victim of a bad economy and the Internet generation. The Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado, published its last edition Friday after 150 years. The final front-page headline simply says: "Goodbye, Colorado." "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to you today. Our time chronicling the life of Denver and Colorado, the nation and the world, is over." The Rocky Mountain News' owner, E.W. Scripps Co., made the announcement to the newsroom at noon Thursday, ending three months of speculation and drama over its fate. The News had been put up for sale in December. The Rocky Mountain News was the latest victim in an era of shutdowns, layoffs and cutbacks plaguing the newspaper industry. "It's in a free fall and nobody knows where the bottom is. It's kind of like water in the toilet swirling around and nobody knows what's left when you're done flushing," media critic Eric Alterman said. Watch how the economy and Internet are taking a toll on the industry » . Newspapers across the country are under pressure as readership declines, along with advertising revenue, while more and more Americans get their information online. "All newspapers are under great pressure. They'll survive, but they'll survive in different forms, their costs base will have to be dramatically lowered," said Mort Zuckerman, publisher of the New York Daily News, which has the seventh highest circulation in the country. The dramatic decline in advertising dollars in a brutal economy has forced newspapers to cut costs by firing cartoonists, columnists and others, leaving them searching for jobs in a struggling industry. Pia Catton lost her job as arts editor of the New York Sun five months ago, when the newspaper closed. She has taken a short-term job editing a book, but she thinks she may need to look at different careers soon. "There will always be a market for news, you will always need to know immediately what's happening. Will there be a market for newspapers? That's another question," she said. The Rocky Mountain News had more than 200 editorial employees, according to the Columbia Journalism Review's Web site. Rich Boehne, chief executive officer of Scripps, told employees the newspaper was the victim of a terrible economy, an upheaval in the newspaper industry and multimillion-dollar annual losses. "Denver can't support two newspapers any longer," Boehne said. "It's certainly not good news for you, and it's certainly not good news for Denver." The News has been in a joint operating agreement with The Denver Post since 2001, which combined the papers' business operations in an effort to save money, but left the editorial departments separate. The News' closure leaves Denver with one major newspaper, like most American cities. "We've been, sort of, hanging on the edge for so long," said Mel Pompanio, a presentation editor for the paper. "What a huge loss for Colorado today." This week, the San Francisco Chronicle announced it was in danger of being sold or closed if it doesn't stop losing millions. Officials from the Hearst Corp., owners of the Chronicle, said the paper lost $50 million in 2008 and is on pace to lose more this year. "It's difficult. It's hard," Lynn Bartels, a political reporter and 26-year employee for Scripps, said of the News' closing. "I haven't returned any phone calls yet, because I don't need to be reporting and crying at the same time. I've done that enough." Long faces dominated the newsroom in video posted on the paper's Web site. A few sobs could be heard, too, as the announcement of the closing began to sink in among employees. "I could say stupid things like 'I know how you feel.' I don't," Boehne said. "We are just deeply sorry. I hope you will accept that." CNN's Richard Roth contributed to this report.

NEW: "It's in a free fall and nobody knows where the bottom is," media critic says . NEW: As readers shift to online news, newspapers get by with layoffs, cutbacks . Rocky Mountain News' closure leaves Denver with one major paper, The Denver Post . Scripps exec tells newsroom the economy, industry turmoil sealed paper's fate .

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(CNN) -- Online and on the air, talking about sports has almost always been a guy thing. Former athletes and coaches banter on a more-or-less equal footing with other guys who've never played a down or never hiked a ball but have a head full of stats and an encyclopedic knowledge of the manly arts. Meshall Shuman zooms in on Hattie Lemon at a recent taping of "Ladies in the Locker Room" It's almost insulting to say the obvious, but there are plenty of women who know their sports, too. And they have their own sports show, one that offers an alternative to the "testosterone ceiling" of the guys' club. It's called "Ladies in the Locker Room," and TV subscribers in the Atlanta, Georgia, area have been tuning in to its unique brand of sports commentary, analysis and trivia since 2004. Watch the 'Ladies in the Locker Room' » . The show is the brainchild of Hattie Lemon, a prolific writer, director, producer and actor whose independent crime series "Atlanta Homicide" is featured on the CoLours TV network. "Ladies in the locker room are not women who think they know everything about sports; they just know the men who do," Lemon said. It's one of the catchphrases she uses to describe the show that immediately disarms most critics who otherwise wouldn't respect an all-female sports show. "It's all women, all sports, all sexy," Lemon said. "It's a combination of my love of sports and my love of media." Each year for the past five years, Lemon has recruited a new group of personalities and production crew members to punch out about a half-dozen shows. The show is captured live at sports clubs and restaurants across the Atlanta metro area, with additional time in the studio to create produced segments to add to the mix. Photo gallery: Making 'Ladies in the Locker Room' » . And for the second time in the show's history, Lemon is traveling to the Super Bowl with a handful of her ladies and a production crew to create a version of the show featuring interviews with the celebrities and stars flocking to football's big game. Soma Balber, a self-professed superfan of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and one of the show's commentators for the 2008-09 season, first got to know Lemon when she began playing a recurring role in "Atlanta Homicide." They got to talking about sports, and Balber was asked to be a part of the show. "It's kind of nice to show the audience that women can have fun watching sports," Balber said. "And we want to educate women about sports as well." Lemon, who describes herself as a huge fan of professional football, says she hopes her show will lead more men to understand that women love sports, too. "When women talk about sports, sometimes men look at us as groupies," Lemon said. "Men don't think women understand sports." As for men who have never played sports but still know all the stats? They get the "man pass." It's not fair, she says, but "it is what it is. I just hope we get more women talking about sports."

Hattie Lemon created show to merge loves of sports and media . "Ladies" offers commentary, analysis and trivia . Lemon and her crew are traveling to the Super Bowl next week .

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(CNN) -- Three crew members died in a fiery Navy helicopter crash near Corpus Christi, Texas, a military spokesman said, and a fourth is hospitalized in critical condition. The Navy MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopter crashed in a field about four miles south of Corpus Christi on Wednesday just after 8 p.m. It caught fire after impact, said Ed Mackley with the Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command. Copter wreckage came to rest near guide wires of a 1,000-foot TV tower for Public Broadcasting System affiliate KEDT, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Authorities refused to tell The Associate Press whether the Sea Dragon collided with the tower. A witness reported a huge fireball and booming noise shortly after the crash. Rescuers found bodies of three crew members about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, Mackley said. Watch smoke and flames after the crash » . Witness J.D. Batten told the Caller-Times he was walking on his property about two miles from the crash site when he heard a helicopter overhead. "I saw a red-glowing fireball shoot hundreds of feet up into the air," he told the paper. "I heard a giant boom a second later. It was then dead silent, and I couldn't hear the helicopter anymore." A fourth crew member was in critical condition at Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, Mackley said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families," Mackley said. Authorities did not immediately identify the victims. The aircraft was part of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 out of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, a military spokesman told the Caller-Times. The Caller-Times quoted a Navy spokesman who said the aircraft was on a training mission and the crash occurred during heavy fog. A military investigation will try to determine what caused the crash, Mackley said. First responders to the crash site were hindered by downed power lines, according to the Caller-Times report. The paper said firefighters and a busload of military personnel searched the muddy area surrounding the crash site for hours. E-mail to a friend .

NEW: Chopper reportedly went down near 1,000-foot TV tower . Crash took place during heavy fog, reports Caller-Times newspaper . Fourth victim in critical condition at Texas hospital, military says . Three killed when MH-53 Sea Dragon crashed in field near Corpus Christi .

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DOHA, Qatar (CNN) -- If there's anything in which Qatar takes pride -- aside from a massive construction boom -- it is providing its Qatari minority and the hundreds of thousands of expatriates working and living here with plenty of shopping opportunities. City Center Mall booked "Freestyle Football" artist Iya Traore, from Guinea, to help draw more crowds in Doha . You can nary drive a kilometer in Doha -- few Qataris actually walk the streets -- without passing a shopping mall. And few of those malls are lacking hordes of people strolling from store to store. From the pricey jewel-adorned head scarf fashions to budget-conscious it-could-be-rat-leather shoes, food courts to suit Eastern and Western tastes, to perfume shops selling essences for more per ounce than many people earn in a month -- shoppers in Doha are spoiled for choice. I'm lucky to have a few Qatari national friends in Doha. Each time I visit, I'm treated to a familiar, and always entertaining, routine ... passing time at a succession of shopping centers. Yes, many of you may think this pastime -- especially in America -- is for the kiddies. You are right. And yes, my friends and I are in our 30s. But there's a more sophisticated, Arab cultural aspect to "hanging out" at a Starbucks at Landmark Shopping Center or drinking mint tea at one of the restaurants in the renovated Souq Waqif. For many "shoppers" -- male and female -- these centers are an opportunity catch up with friends, and discretely flirt and mingle ... even if only by exchanging messages via Bluetooth on the cellphone. And unlike many teenyboppers cruising the malls of America, most of the adults here are a shop owner's dream: high-end, impulse purchasing consumers with a lot of money to spend -- and a lot of time to kill. Little surprise then, that shopping mall developers and management have taken to providing more entertainment options to pull in the crowds: The obligatory movie theater, for example. One mall's basement is host to a skating rink. At a recent stop at City Center-Doha Mall, thumping hip-hop beats had kids dropping their McDonald's ice cream cones and running to the center atrium to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out there's this athlete literally center stage of the mall, kicking and balancing a soccer ball -- OK, football -- about his head, shoulders, legs and back with such skill he might put Ronaldo to shame -- and doing this to the beat of hip-hop African tunes for what seemed more than just a few minutes. Guinean native Iya Traore's "freestyle soccer" routine mesmerized the crowd. Ironically, it distracted them from shopping -- but kept shoppers in the Mall longer and gave people something new to talk about. Apparently his athletic tricks have landed him television and live performances in Japan, Turkey, Mali, Germany, France and, increasingly, in the Arab world. Africa would seem a long way to book an act to attract more shoppers. But then again, the stakes are high in an increasingly competitive shopping mall-packed Qatar. As long as the mall remains an outlet to spend petro-dollars -- and Doha's main, all-access social networking scene -- mall developers will have to step up their game to keep consumers happy. E-mail to a friend .

CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh hangs out at a shopping mall in Doha, Qatar . Spending time in shopping malls is a popular pastime for local residents . Mall managers hire entertainers to attract customers and their dirhams . "These centers are an opportunity catch up with friends and discretely flirt"

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(CNN) -- State officials said Monday that they suspect a drug reaction or toxins killed 21 horses as they were prepared to compete in a Sunday polo match in Wellington, Florida. Blue tarps obstruct the view of horses that died at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Florida. State officials and local law enforcement also announced Monday that they are launching investigations into the deaths as scientists work to pinpoint what exactly killed the horses. Officials believe that the "very rapid onset of sickness and death" points to toxins or a drug reaction and also allows them to rule out other possibilities. "At this time, there is no evidence that these horses were affected with an infectious or contagious disease, as there are no other horses affected at this time," according to Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesman Terence McElroy. Officials are continuing to conduct tests, and Florida agriculture scientists are performing necropsies on the animals. "We'll be testing blood and tissue to see what the common denominator was here: Was it something injected? Was it bad water? And so forth," McElroy said. John Walsh, the Lechuza Caracas polo club president, said he was told that there was no contagious virus airborne or disease and that the incident was an "isolated" one. Watch Walsh talk about the devastating deaths » . "This was a mistake of a combination of something, and whether the mistake was at the barn, whether the mistake was at the feed company, whether the mistake was at the vitamin company," Scott Swerdlin of the Palm Beach Equine Clinic, who treated some of the horses, told CNN affiliate WPTV. "We don't know, but we're going to find out." James Belden, a veterinarian at the Left Bank Equine Clinic who also treated some of the horses, told WPTV that he and others don't suspect foul play. "I think this is an accident," he told WPTV. "A terrible accident." McElroy said that despite the early indications, he does not want to jump to conclusions about what happened. "Obviously, this is a tragic situation, and we are working hard to determine what happened," he said. "But it would be irresponsible to speculate on what may have killed the horses. We will wait until the facts are in before making any specific comments on the case." Officials in the state Agriculture and Consumer Services Department will investigate the case with the help of the department's Division of Animal Industry, the department's Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies. The horses were part of the Venezuela-based Lechuza Caracas team and were being kept at the team's trailers on the grounds of the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Fifteen horses that seemed disoriented died before Sunday's match, said McElroy, and their bodies were sent to the state-run Kissimmee Diagnostic Laboratories near Orlando, Florida. Luis Escobar, a player on the opposing Team Blackwatch, was on the grounds when the horses began to fall ill. "I thought it was something temporary, and I saw a veterinarian and thought maybe it was one or two horses, and the vet was going to give something to help them out, and it was going to be done," he said. "But it wasn't." Two horses initially collapsed, and as veterinarians and team officials scrambled to revive them, five others became dizzy, Tim O'Connor, spokesman for the polo club, said Sunday. Watch as vets search for clues » . Escobar said soon things got worse, and other horses started to get sick. Peter Rizzo, executive director of the United States Polo Association, was at the match and saw the horses drop. "It was surreal," he said, calling the deaths "unprecedented." "It is a horrible tragedy," he said. Some of the 15 horses died immediately, but some lingered for about 45 minutes, Swerdlin said Sunday, according to a report in the Sun-Sentinel newspaper. The clinic is the International Polo Club's consulting veterinarian group, the newspaper said. Six of the 21 horses were kept overnight in the same trailer in Wellington, said McElroy, and died sometime between Sunday and Monday. Their bodies have not been taken to the Kissimmee lab. Escobar said he's never seen anything like the scenario that unfolded Sunday night. He says the players and trainers do "everything possible" to keep the horses in optimum condition, saying "they are babied every single day, all day long." The U.S. Polo Association, the sport's governing body, is opening their own investigation. Celeste Kunz, chief examining veterinarian at the New York Racing Association and a 19-year veterinarian, said Monday that she suspected a tainted substance was injected into the horses. "[It was] something that was administered for it to work in a short amount of time and have an animal succumb that quickly," Kunz said. "My thought is that something was injected, because it would have to affect the central nervous system." Escobar, from his experience with the animals, agreed. "When something like this happens, if there was disease or illness or virus, other horses would already be coming out," he said. "Anything that would come whether it's something like this or a small stomachache, we see it, because we are there with them all the time." Anabolic steroids are not likely to have caused the deaths, either, Kunz said. "It takes at least five days for [anabolic steroids] to really work, and the effects aren't real obvious at first," she said. "Most of the time, [anabolic steroids] are used to build up their muscularity." Each team brings between 40 to 60 horses for matches. The ponies are continuously switched out throughout a match to keep them from overexerting themselves, O'Connor said. The horses were between 10 and 11 years old and were valued at about $100,000 each, club spokesman O'Connor said, according to the Sun-Sentinel. CNN's Kimberly Segal and John Zarrella contributed to this report.

21 thoroughbred horses died at International Polo Club Palm Beach . Officials say they have ruled out infectious or contagious disease . Veterinarians say a mistake was made; they don't suspect foul play . State and local officials are investigating .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The plastic surgeon who operated on hip-hop star Kanye West's mother the day before she died abruptly walked off the set of CNN's "Larry King Live" Tuesday, saying he was honoring a request from her family. "I think I'm taking up your air time," Dr. Jan Adams tells CNN's Larry King before walking off. "I want to thank you for this opportunity," Dr. Jan Adams told King. "Basically, I had come here to talk about things in the press that aren't accurate about me. "But I have a tremendous amount of love and respect for the West family. They asked me not to go on. And I've said from the very beginning, I don't have a side in this," Adams said. "They are my side, and I'm going to respect their wishes. I'm going to apologize to you because I think I'm taking up your air time, but I will not be on the show and I'm not going to discuss any of that. I'm going to honor their wishes." When King asked Adams if he would ever answer questions regarding the West case, he said, "I will talk with them," meaning her family. "When they are comfortable, then I will be comfortable. If they are never comfortable, then I will never be comfortable. They are what's important to me," Adams said. Asked whether he wanted to speak out, Adams said he did not, removed his earpiece and left the set. Watch Adams walk off » . Earlier, as the show began, King said Adams had received a letter from West's family, saying that if Adams discussed West's case on the show, the family would ask the Medical Board of California to decertify him. Adams' brief appearance and walkout followed discussions with his attorney and "Larry King Live" producers. "To the extent there are issues about even why he's here, why this is in the media, it relates to the relationship he had with his patient," Alan Tenenbaum, one of West's attorneys, told King. Watch CNN's Lola Ogunnaike describe the backstage drama » . "So until he gets clearance from the family, I don't think it would be fair or right for him to talk about these things." The letter from West family attorneys asking Adams not to go on the show was faxed to one of Adams' attorneys in California, Tenenbaum said. Watch Larry King discuss the strange scene » . West, 58, died November 10 after she was found unresponsive and in respiratory distress at her home, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office said. Her funeral was held Tuesday in Spencer, Oklahoma. An autopsy was inconclusive pending the results of toxicology tests, coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said last week. But preliminary reports indicate West may have died from complications of cosmetic surgery, which was performed by Adams the day before, he said. Adams told TMZ.com that he performed a tummy tuck and breast reduction on West and that her death was unforeseen. But another Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon said he had recently refused to perform a procedure on West until she had medical clearance for a condition he feared could lead to a heart attack. "The preliminary information we had indicated that she had several minor medical issues, but I can't comment on those," Winter said. West was taking some medications, Winter added, but could not say which ones and in what dosages pending the toxicology reports. West was in good condition before the surgery, Winter said. Investigators are talking with Adams about the surgery. Adams told TMZ.com that West's death could have been caused by a heart attack, pulmonary embolism or massive vomiting. He said he consulted with her for months and she changed her mind several times about going forward with the surgery, TMZ.com said. TMZ.com, like CNN, is owned by Time Warner. Legal documents filed in California show that Adams faces disciplinary action from the state Medical Board for multiple DUI convictions and that he has paid nearly $500,000 in at least two malpractice lawsuits. Last week, Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon Andre Aboolian said through his publicist that Donda West consulted him in June about a procedure. Publicist Jo-Ann Geffen said West contacted Aboolian again two weeks ago to say she was ready to go forward, but Aboolian said he needed a medical clearance before he would perform the surgery. "I always insist on a medical clearance for women over 40, and in this instance it was particularly important because of a condition she had that I felt could have led to a heart attack," Aboolian said, according to Geffen's statement. West was scheduled to see an internist for the appropriate tests, but did not keep the appointment, Geffen said. Donda West was a major influence on her son's life, as the music producer-singer-songwriter has often said -- including in lyrics to some of his songs. She regularly attended her son's concerts and was at his performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September. E-mail to a friend .

Dr. Jan Adams says family of Kanye West's mother "asked me not to go on" Adams says he does not want to speak, removes his earpiece and leaves the set . Donda West died November 10, a day after cosmetic surgery . Preliminary reports: West may have died from complications from the surgery .

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(CNN) -- Billy Powell, keyboardist with the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died of a heart ailment at his condo in the Jacksonville, Florida, suburb of Orange Park, police said Thursday. He was 56. Billy Powell, center, poses with other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2006. Powell, who died early Wednesday, had survived the band's October 1977 plane crash in Mississippi that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; Gaines's sister, vocalist Cassie Gaines; an assistant road manager; and the pilot and copilot. Powell was seriously injured in the crash. More than 40 fans left messages on a fan Web site. "Billy, you are truely free now. Rock on with Ronnie and the gang. You also will be forever missed," read a note signed by traceyspruill. "I cannot believe the hurt that I have felt from being a Skynyrd fan, but I realize that it only hurts so much because I love the members of this band like my own family. We will always miss you, Billy. I can hear your fingertips rolling off those ivory keys right now. Thanks for being you. Rest in peace and may God bless you," another fan wrote. According to Orange Park Police Lt. Mark Cornett, Powell called 911 around midnight Tuesday from his condo at the Club Continental, complaining about chest pains. "When paramedics and police arrived, they found him unresponsive on the bed," Cornett said. Powell was pronounced dead at the scene, and his cardiologist signed the death certificate at 1:52 a.m. ET Wednesday. According to the officer, Powell missed an appointment with the same doctor on Tuesday. Powell joined the original Skynyrd band in 1972, but he worked for the Jacksonville, Florida-based band for several years before that as a crew member. Among the Southern rock band's acclaimed songs are "What's Your Name," "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama," all released in the 1970s. "Sweet Home Alabama" reached the top 10 in 1974. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Two years after the plane crash, Powell, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Leon Wilkeson formed the Rossington-Collins Band. It broke up in 1982. A new Lynyrd Skynyrd band formed in 1987 and included Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie's brother. It began a tour in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where the plane was headed when it crashed. The band's last album, "Vicious Cycle," came out in 2003.

Billy Powell called 911 Tuesday night complaining of chest pains, police say . Paramedics found him unresponsive and he was pronounced dead at the scene . Powell, 56, survived 1977 plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and 5 others . "Thanks for being you," one mourning fan writes on Lynyrd Skynyrd Web site .

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HONOLULU, Hawaii (CNN) -- Battered by the current economic recession, Hawaii's economy could get a strong boost from two key sporting events. The Pro Bowl this year was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. It will return there in 2011. The National Football League's Pro Bowl Game will return to Honolulu in 2011 -- an event that is expected to bring millions of dollars in revenue. Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is also hoping to lure the 31st Summer Olympic Games -- but not to his city. He's actively supporting Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Games. "How does that play out for Hawaii? Well, obviously if we get the Olympics -- that is (the) USA -- we benefit from a Discover America campaign that we'd like to see with visitors coming prior to Chicago to Hawaii or after, and visiting other parts of our country," the mayor said. "What I really want to do is promote Hawaii as a great place for some of these teams to come and do a little R&R (rest and relaxation) or training before they go on to the Olympics in Chicago." Hannemann will head to Chicago, Illinois, this weekend to court International Olympics Committee members, who are in the Windy City to evaluate its plan to host the Games. On October 2, the IOC will choose among Chicago; Madrid, Spain; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; or Tokyo, Japan, as the 2016 host city. Hannemann co-chairs the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Olympic Task Force, along with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, which he said aims "to bring the Olympics to America in 2016." Hawaii's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, and the economic recession means fewer people are visiting the island state. With three-quarters of the state's population living in Honolulu, Hannemann said, workers are especially hit hard in the capital city. "The slowdown in tourism has resulted in shorter hours, in some cases even a decrease in their wages, and hopefully a last resort is some of them are being laid off as a result of some of these businesses going out of business," he said. "So our job is just to continue to do what we can to work with private industry to shore up the tourism industry. It is our No. 1 industry, nothing comes close." Tourism accounts for between $10 billion and $12 billion each year compared to Hawaii's second-largest industry, which is military spending, according to Hannemann. That accounts for between $3 billion and $4 billion annually, the mayor said. Last month, the Hawaii Tourism Authority voted to allow the NFL's Pro Bowl game to return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012. The game has been held the week after the Super Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu since 1980, and has sold out every time. Next year, it will take place in Miami, Florida, before the Super Bowl -- raising concerns that it will not be as much of a draw because no Super Bowl players will participate in the game. Hawaii authorities agreed to allow the game to return to the state under the condition that the NFL would consider returning the Pro Bowl to the Sunday after the Super Bowl "depending on the success, or failure, of the 2010 game in Miami," according to the NFL. Hannemann said the tens of thousands of people who attend the game annually have then spent "at least $30 million" across the state of Hawaii. Losing the game would not only be an economic loss for the state, but a "major downer" for residents, he said. "People (have) said, 'Oh, my goodness, now we lost the Pro Bowl. We've had it here for over 20 years, it's been a sell-out. What's going on here? ... Everything's going to go out of Hawaii,' " Hannemann said. "So I got involved, I went and talked to some of the commissioners there, I changed their votes, and we're able to keep the Pro Bowl here." But hosting the Pro Bowl will come at a cost. Hawaii will have to pay $4 million each year it hosts the game. In a recent commentary in the East Oahu Sun newspaper, writer Joe Edwards questioned whether the cost of hosting the game would come at the expense of projects more vital to residents -- such as a long-awaited rail transit project. "Don't get me wrong: I like the Pro Bowl. I've been to several. It's a great show. But our own citizens, and our own football team, should come well before the NFL," Edwards wrote. Hannemann insists that despite the recession, he will be able to deliver on his campaign promise of a public rail system in Honolulu, which is scheduled to break ground this year. "Even under the rubric of a stimulus package, we're going to get some monies there to push this out," Hannemann said, noting that Hawaii's senior U.S. senator, Daniel Inouye, is the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also said the measure is supported by President Barack Obama, who was born and grew up in Hawaii. "These are tough times, but if there's a necessary project -- what I call a need-to-have versus a nice-to-have -- I'm going to make all the justification in the world and then we're going to do it," he said.

NFL's Pro Bowl will return to Hawaii in 2011 . Mayor hopes Chicago gets the Olympics -- and that attendees stop off in Hawaii . Hawaii's economy is heavily dependent on tourism . One writer questions the cost of hosting the Pro Bowl .

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BUFFALO, New York (CNN) -- One person credits bad weather and the other a long line. An investigator works the scene of the plane crash Friday outside Buffalo, New York. Those are the reasons two would-be passengers did not fly on Continental Connection Flight 3407, which crashed Thursday outside Buffalo, killing all 49 people aboard and one on the ground. "It could have been me," David Becony said from his home in Springville, New York, as he watched television reports on the crash and its fiery aftermath. "My wife would have been with all those families" who had loved ones on the plane. Becony missed the flight from Newark-Liberty International Airport to Buffalo Niagara International Airport because bad weather had delayed his earlier flight from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Newark. Unable to get another flight and unable to find a hotel room near the airport, the supervisor for a demolition company decided to camp out on a seat in the terminal. Watch how airlines have reacted to crash » . When he found out the plane he was to have taken had crashed, he called his wife, Marti, at their home outside Buffalo. "He broke down, and I broke down," she said. "We just couldn't believe it." Becony spent a sleepless night in Newark and then returned Friday morning to Buffalo -- on another Continental Connection flight. It wasn't a smooth ride, Becony said of his Friday flight. "It was weird, shaky, knowing it was the same type of aircraft." That type of aircraft was a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, operated by Colgan Air for Continental Connection's regional service. "I'm still in shock, really," said 49-year-old Becony, a Catholic. "God was looking over me." Becony is keeping his unused ticket for Flight 3407 as a reminder of how close he came. His wife said friends and family called all morning to check on his safety. "It is wow," she said. "It's been unbelievable. We're happy. We're sad for everybody else." Asked how her husband's close call would affect the family, which includes two children and two grandchildren, she said, "I think we'll probably appreciate each other a lot more." Susan Reinhardt, 49, a marketer for Verizon, had a confirmed seat on a 4:30 p.m. flight from Newark to Buffalo, but it was delayed for four hours because of bad weather, and she was looking for alternatives. Using her Blackberry to search Continental's Web site, she noted that the 7 p.m. flight was delayed by only about 20 minutes, so she asked the gate agent whether she could get on the standby list for that flight. "He said, 'It's pretty open ... easy eight standby seats. You won't have a problem getting on it,' she said . "I said, 'Can you put me on standby?' He said, 'No, you've got to go on the customer service line.' " But that line "was a gazillion deep because of all the delays," enough to dissuade her from making the switch. "I said, ehhh." When she heard about the crash, Reinhardt was happy for her good fortune but shaken nevertheless. "The heart-wrenching piece for me was, I was at the gate talking to this gate agent, and a young woman came up and she wanted to know: Should she stay on the 7 o'clock flight because of all the delays? Did the gate agent think the 4:30 was going to get out before the 7? "He said, 'No, you will still get in before the 4:30,' and she said, 'OK, I'm going to stay on the 7 o'clock; I'm calling my boyfriend.' And she did." For a while, the two women stood together at the gate, both of them using their Blackberries to study the flight information. Then, they went their separate ways. "I said, 'Good for you. Have a nice trip.' That's the killer for me." Reinhardt said her flight was uneventful. She and the other passengers landed at the airport in Buffalo shortly before 11 p.m., oblivious to what had happened just minutes before and a few miles away. "I walked out, and I saw all these people standing there, and I'm thinking, 'It's Thursday at 11 at night. Why are all these people in Buffalo? Who are they waiting for?' Watch witnesses describe fiery crash » . "They were waiting for that plane that didn't come in. Of course, I didn't know that until I got to my car, and then my phone starts ringing." Reinhardt said the close call has made her "a little more philosophical where, if it wasn't my time, OK, it wasn't my time. What is the meaning of my life now? What am I supposed to do because it wasn't my time? I've had several people say, you know, sometimes you can't ask why. It just is the way it is." Reinhardt said she plans to go to one of the memorial services. "I think I need to do that for some kind of closure." CNN's Tom Watkins contributed to this report.

David Becony misses flight due to bad weather that delayed previous flight . Susan Reinhardt says line to switch flights was "a gazillion deep" Close call has made both of them more reflective, they say .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- NYPD officers on counter-terrorism patrol helped deliver a baby during morning rush hour in the middle of New York's bustling Penn Station Wednesday. Caesar Penn Boothe was delivered under the Penn Station departures sign at 7:20 a.m. Wednesday. "Forget the ambulance, forget everything else -- I'm going to have the baby right here," new mother Marie Boothe recalled at a news conference later in the day. Three members of the police department's counter-terrorism patrol team who were in the station and an Amtrak police officer stepped in to help deliver the seven-pound baby boy under the departures sign at 7:20 a.m. The newborn was greeted by fellow commuters in typical New York City fashion. "They started yelling, 'Name him Penn, after Penn Station!'" said Marie Medina, one of the NYPD officers who aided in the special delivery. Caesar Penn Boothe, whose middle name reflects his birthplace, was taken to Bellevue Hospital along with his mother, and the two were reported to be doing well.

"Forget the ambulance ... I'm going to have the baby right here," said mother . Baby named Caesar Penn Boothe; middle name reflects his birthplace . Three counter-terrorism patrol officers and Amtrak police officer helped deliver baby .

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(CNN) -- Buy a $175,000 package to attend the Oscars and you might buy yourself trouble, lawyers for the Academy Awards warn. The 81st annual Academy Awards will be held on February 22 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. The advertising of such packages -- including four tickets to the upcoming 81st annual Academy Awards and a hotel stay in Los Angeles, California -- has prompted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to sue an Arizona-based company. The Academy accused the company Experience 6 of selling "black-market" tickets, because tickets to the lavish movie awards show cannot be transferred or sold. Selling tickets could become a security issue that could bring celebrity stalkers or terrorists to the star-studded event, says the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in the Central District of California. "Security experts have advised the Academy that it must not offer tickets to members of the public and must know identities of the event attendees," the lawsuit says. "In offering such black-market tickets, defendants are misleading the public and the ticket buyers into thinking that purchasers will be welcomed guests, rather than as trespassers, when they arrive for the ceremony." Experience 6 did not return calls from CNN for comment. On Tuesday morning, tickets to the event were still being advertised on the company's Web site. The Oscars will be presented February 22 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. The Academy Awards broadcast will air on ABC. Hugh Jackman is scheduled to host.

Academy sues Arizona-based company over sales of Oscar packages . Tickets to lavish movie awards show cannot be transferred or sold, Academy says . Package includes four tickets to 81st annual Academy Awards, L.A. hotel stay . Selling tickets could become a security issue, according to lawsuit .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Supermodel and television host Tyra Banks said Sunday she's "concerned" about Saturday's melee at an "America's Next Top Model" audition at a New York hotel but said she didn't know what caused the disturbance. Supermodel Tyra Banks, who hosts "America's Next Top Model," says she's not certain what triggered the fight. "We are concerned by the events that occurred Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of the New York City casting call for the next cycle of 'America's Next Top Model,' " Banks, who hosts and produces the show, said in a joint statement with executive producer Ken Mok. "At this time, we still don't know all the details of what happened or what triggered the incident. We appreciate the efforts of the NYPD and will assist them in any way possible in this matter," the statement said. It remained unclear Sunday what happened in the crowd waiting for the audition at the Park Central New York Hotel in Manhattan. Three people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and inciting a riot, police said. Six people were injured and two of them sought treatment at a hospital, authorities said. Watch police try to control the screaming crowd » . The audition was shut down after the incident, authorities said. Calls to Park Central management were not immediately returned Saturday. The "Top Model" competition, aired by the CW network, is in its 12th cycle.

Police: 3 people were arrested Saturday after melee at a TV show audition . "America's Next Top Model" audition was held at a New York hotel, police say . Tyra Banks, show's host, says she doesn't know what triggered the melee . Authorities: Six people were injured; two sought treatment at a hospital .

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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Letters containing white powder were mailed to 16 U.S. embassies across Europe, according to the State Department on Wednesday. Emergency services surround U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain. The substance has proved to be harmless in 15 locations with results still pending for the final embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said. He said the list of U.S. embassies where the powder was received includes Berlin, Germany; Bern, Switzerland; Brussels, Belgium; Bucharest, Romania; Copenhagen, Denmark; Dublin, Ireland; Luxembourg; Madrid, Spain; Oslo, Norway; Paris, France; Reykjavik, Iceland; Riga, Latvia; Rome, Italy; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; and The Hague. An envelope, containing what testing revealed to be white flour, prompted the U.S. Embassy in Madrid to close the staff entrance on Wednesday, a U.S. embassy official told CNN. Mail at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid is received near the front entrance and was closed amid security concerns, he said, though most employees remained at work. "We know where the package is coming from," the official said, but declined to elaborate. The official spoke on coindition on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. He described the incident as "very serious" but went on to say there is probably "more commotion" outside the embassy, where local media reported police and ambulances had gathered. A similar letter was mailed to the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen on Tuesday, embassy spokeswoman Melissa Ford said Wednesday. She said the contents of that envelope "still aren't in," contrary to Wood's statement. "It usually takes more than 24 hours (for the cultures), so perhaps we'll know later today or early tomorrow," Ford told CNN. CNN's Elise Labott and Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman contributed to this report.

Sixteen U.S. embassies in Europe receive mail containing white powder . Tests show powder harmless in 15 cases; results pending in 16th case . U.S. embassy official in Madrid: "We know where the package is coming from"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- -- Federal officials have fined Exxon Mobil more than $6 million after it violated a three-year-old agreement to decrease air pollution at four of its refineries. Exxon Mobil's refinery in Baytown, Texas, is one of four that the EPA said had high sulfur emissions. The Justice Department announced Wednesday that the oil giant agreed to pay $6.1 million after Environmental Protection Agency officials determined the company had not sufficiently reduced sulfur emissions in its refineries in Baytown and Beaumont, Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Torrance, California. Exxon Mobil had paid a $7.7 million fine in its original 2005 agreement with the government and promised to install new emissions controls at the refineries. The petroleum company said after the latest settlement its refineries now meet the required EPA standards on sulfur emissions. The company's role in environmental pollution has been in the spotlight ever since the 1989 Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska, the worst oil spill in U.S. history. This past summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the company to pay $507 million in punitive damages from the incident, down from an original $2.5 billion judgment.

EPA says company had not sufficiently reduced sulfur emissions at four refineries . The facilities in question are in Texas, Louisiana and California . Exxon Mobil says refineries now meet EPA standards on sulfur emissions .

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Editor's note: Jeffrey A. Miron is senior lecturer in economics at Harvard University . Economist Jeffrey Miron says the stimulus guideline should be -- first, do no harm. CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- When libertarians question the merit of President Obama's stimulus package, a frequent rejoinder is, "Well, we have to do something." This is hardly a persuasive response. If the cure is worse than the disease, it is better to live with the disease. In any case, libertarians do not argue for doing nothing; rather, they advocate eliminating or adjusting policies that are bad for the economy independent of the recession. Here is a stimulus package that libertarians can endorse: . Repeal the Corporate Income Tax: Repeal would spur investment, improve the transparency of corporate accounting, slash compliance costs, and avoid the distortions caused by the special-interest provisions in the tax code. Repeal can work fast, by raising companies' share prices, increasing cash flow, and allowing corporations to lessen their need for bank lending. Thus repeal provides short-run stimulus and enhances long-run efficiency. Recent estimates suggest that tax cuts are at least as effective as spending increases in raising GDP. The adverse impact on the deficit is likely to be less than the $300-$350 billion in revenue the corporate tax takes in per year, since repeal spurs growth and therefore the revenue from other taxes. Increase Carbon Taxes While Lowering Marginal Tax Rates: Reasonable people disagree about how much the U.S. should reduce its use of fossil fuels, but crowded highways, air pollution, and global warming all suggest that some reduction is desirable. The effective way to accomplish this is higher gasoline or other carbon taxes, not the messy, complicated green spending in the Obama plan that will morph into pork in many cases. If higher carbon taxes are combined with lower marginal tax rates, the private sector faces better incentives on both counts. This approach avoids the higher deficits implied by Obama's green initiatives. Moderate the Growth of Entitlements: The elephant in the room amidst the stimulus debate is the impending imbalance in Social Security and Medicare as the baby boom generation moves into retirement. Without reductions in benefits, taxes will have to increase substantially, generating a major drag on the U.S. economy. A reasonable response is to raise the age of eligibility for Social Security and Medicare, consistent with the increases in life expectancy and health that have occurred in past decades. This restructuring would reassure markets about the U.S.'s long-run fiscal balance. This means foreigners will continue to be willing to hold U.S. debt, so U.S. borrowing costs will remain moderate. Eliminate Wasteful Spending: Most discussion of the stimulus focuses on areas where, according to proponents, government spending should be higher. Much current expenditure, however, is wasteful. Examples include agricultural subsidies, bloated transportation projects like the Big Dig in Boston, misguided infrastructure projects like the New Orleans levees (why encourage people to live below sea level?), ineffective weapons systems, pork barrel spending, and subsidies for Amtrak and the Post Office (buses are more efficient than railways, and Fedex is more efficient than the Post Office). Everyone knows the U.S.'s long-run deficit picture is dismal. We should address this by cutting inefficient spending now. Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan: President Obama plans to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq over the next eighteen months, while expanding U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. It is hard to see, however, that any good arises from dragging out our Iraq exit or from staying in Afghanistan. The government should move toward faster withdrawal, and from both countries. The U.S. can redeploy these troops where useful, or release the resources to civilian uses. Limit Union Power: Later this year, Congress is likely to vote on the card check bill, a new law that facilitates unionization. The law eliminates the presumption of a secret ballot, which means union organizers can pressure employees into accepting representation. Laws that protect unions are problematic. Unions raise wages above market levels, increasing unemployment. Thus the Obama administration can signal American business that it cares about efficiency, not just redistribution of wealth, by opposing the card check bill. Better yet, it can repeal the Davis-Bacon Act, which inflates labor costs in federal contracts. Renew the U.S. Commitment to Free Trade: One crucial danger in the current environment is that the U.S. and other countries will embrace protectionist policies. The U.S. enacted prohibitive tariffs during the Great Depression, and many trading partners retaliated. World trade plummeted, contributing to the economic misery. The Obama fiscal stimulus risks reviving this insanity, since both the House and Senate bills require that certain stimulus-funded projects use U.S. equipment and goods. The administration should oppose these provisions. More generally, President Obama and his economic advisors should state -- no, scream -- that America is unambiguously committed to free trade. Expand Legal Immigration: Radical changes in immigration policy seem unlikely in the near future, but one specific change is compelling: an increased quota for H-1B visas, which go to workers with technical skills seeking employment in U.S. industry. The annual quota for such visas was 195,000 as recently as 2000, but it now stands at only 65,000. A major increase in this quota would be a boon to American scientific and engineering productivity. More broadly, expanding immigration is the most effective method the U.S. has for aiding poor citizens of foreign countries and for influencing repressive governments. Stop Bailing out Businesses that Took on Too Much Risk: Popular opinion blames deregulation and private sector greed for the financial meltdown, but the reality is more subtle. Existing regulation was ineffective at preventing excessive risk-taking, and the private sector did its best to profit from the incentives that were in place. The extreme increase in risk-taking, however, would not have occurred absent policies that encouraged such risk (e.g., Fannie Mae or the Fed's reassurances about housing bubbles) or past bailouts that cushioned the losses from private risk-taking. One crucial response to any crisis is learning to avoid the next one. The lesson this time is that rewarding risk generates more risk. The U.S. should therefore stop bailing out banks, automakers, homeowners, or anyone else. The libertarian view, then, is that many desirable policy changes involve less government, not more. Even changes that are inconsistent with the Keynesian stimulus framework, such as reductions in military spending, make sense when the spending is wasteful. It is tempting to believe that every problem has a solution, but the reality is not so nice. It is possible, even likely, that the best we can do is fix things we know how to fix, and then get out of the way. This may not ameliorate the current situation, but it avoids making things worse. In economics as in medicine -- first, do no harm. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey Miron.

Jeffrey Miron: Key rule of stimulus plan should be: first, do no harm . He says plan should repeal the corporate income tax, raise retirement age . Miron says "buy American" rules should be avoided and free trade backed . Miron: Government shouldn't make it easier for unions to organize .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Natasha Richardson, a film star, Tony-winning stage actress and member of the famed Redgrave acting family, died Wednesday after suffering injuries in a ski accident, according to a family statement. She was 45. Natasha Richardson fell on a beginners' slope in Canada. Richardson, wife of actor Liam Neeson, was injured Monday in a fall on a ski slope at a Quebec resort about 80 miles northwest of Montreal. Richardson's family released a statement saying, "Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time." According to a statement from Mont Tremblant Ski Resort, Richardson fell during a lesson on a beginners' trail. Watch a report on Richardson's life » . "She did not show any visible sign of injury, but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor," the statement said. Richardson, accompanied by her instructor, returned to her hotel, but about an hour after the fall was "not feeling good," the statement said. An ambulance was called, and Richardson was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal. From there she was transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Friends and colleagues were saddened by her death. "Natasha was brilliant, beautiful, funny, talented beyond measure, as emotionally raw as she was razor sharp," said Jodie Foster, who worked with Richardson in "Nell," in a statement. "Tasha loved fiercely and that love continues in all of us who knew her. May Liam, her beautiful boys and her loving family hold her close as they move through this tragic moment." "Natasha combined the best of [her parents, Vanessa] Redgrave and [Tony] Richardson: the enormous depth and emotional force of a great actor on the one hand, and the intelligence and objectivity of a great director on the other. She was a one-of-a-kind, a magnificent actress," said director Sam Mendes in a statement. Mendes directed Richardson in her Tony-winning "Cabaret" performance. Richardson was practically born to perform. Her grandfather, Sir Michael Redgrave, was a famed British actor. Her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, is an Oscar-winning actress, and her father, the late director Tony Richardson, helmed such films as "Look Back in Anger," "The Entertainer" and the Oscar-winning "Tom Jones." Natasha Richardson's uncle Corin Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, and sister Joely Richardson are also noted performers. But being part of a family of actors wasn't always easy for Richardson. Her parents divorced when she was 4 and her mother, involved in controversial political causes, gave away a lot of money, putting the family in financial straits, according to the BBC. Then there was the family heritage, of which Richardson once said, "Though my name opened doors it didn't get me work, and a lot of pressure comes from having a mother who is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation," the BBC reported. In 2007, Richardson worked with her mother in the film "Evening." Richardson said she made one point to director Lajos Koltai about the relatives working together. "This is a unique opportunity," she said she told him. "This is the one time my mother and I are going to play mother and daughter on screen, so you've got to take advantage of it." Watch Richardson talk about working with her mom » . Richardson's first film role was a bit part in her father's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1968), made when she was 4. After a handful of roles through her teens and early 20s, she broke through as Mary Shelley in Ken Russell's film "Gothic," and followed that up as Patty Hearst in Paul Schrader's 1988 film of the same name. iReport.com: Share memories of Richardson . Richardson's other notable films included "The Handmaid's Tale" (1990); the TV movie "Zelda" (1993); "Nell" (1994), alongside Neeson, whom she married in 1994; the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap"; and "Wild Child" (2008). Watch Larry King and his panel talk about Richardson's career and death » . But some of Richardson's greatest successes were on the stage. At 22, she played opposite her mother and Jonathan Pryce in a London production of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull"; the performance earned her the London Drama Critics' most promising newcomer award. She won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 revival of "Cabaret" and earned raves for her Blanche DuBois in a 2005 production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." She was scheduled to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" this year, following a January benefit performance of the show. She and Neeson have two children, Michael and Daniel. Richardson was married to Robert Fox from 1990 to 1994.

Actress Natasha Richardson fell Monday while skiing . Richardson appeared fine, but became ill soon after . Actress, 45, was daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, wife of Liam Neeson . Family says they are "shocked and devastated," thank all for support .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen married National Football League star Tom Brady Thursday in an "intimate" sunset ceremony, US Weekly magazine reported on its Web site. Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen attend a Metropolitan Museum of Art gala May 5, 2008, in New York City. The couple wed at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, in front of mostly immediate family members, the entertainment magazine reported. The two had dated since 2006. The bride wore a Dolce & Gabbana gown. Her three dogs, which attended the ceremony, wore matching Dolce & Gabbana floral lace collars, the Web site said. Bundchen, 28, is the highest-paid model in the world, the business Web site Forbes.com reported last year. New England Patriots quarterback Brady has gone to the Super Bowl four times, winning three of those games.

Couple weds at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, US Weekly reports . Bride wears a Dolce & Gabbana gown; her three dogs attend the ceremony . She's world's highest-paid model; he's gone to the Super Bowl four times .

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(CNN) -- Rescuers have found the body of a man who was one of six people aboard a small airplane that crashed Sunday evening near the northern shore of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The Cessna 206 single-engine aircraft went down about a half mile off the coast of Quebradillas. The man's body was found Monday less than 150 feet from shore, Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said. The Coast Guard launched two more search missions Tuesday morning for four men and one woman still missing. Authorities have not released their identities, nor the name of the man found Monday. "The Coast Guard will continue to search as long as there is the possibility of finding any survivors," Castrodad said. Eighteen divers will conduct searches Tuesday in the area where the body was found, the Coast Guard spokesman said. Volunteer divers from Arecibo found the body Monday, said Jose Daniel Echeverria, spokesman for the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency, which also is involved in the search. As of Tuesday, the Coast Guard will have conducted 12 search operations, eight done by four HH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen and four by the Cutter Matinicus, Castrodad said. The search is complicated, he said, by the roughness of the area. "It's like a cliff," he said. "The surf is very rough. It's hard to get in that area." Smaller boats from the emergency management agency and the Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces for Rapid Action are being used because they can reach areas that the Coast Guard cutter cannot, Castrodad said. The private plane, chartered by Tropical Aviation Corp., took off from the Dominican Republic and was on its way to an airport in Puerto Rico when it went down Sunday evening, officials said. The four males and one female onboard were returning to Puerto Rico after spending the weekend in the Dominican Republic, said Noemi Corporan, service manager for Tropical Aviation. The passengers were San Juan residents and had flown to the Dominican Republic on Friday, she said. The airplane took off from Casa de Campo International Airport in the Dominican Republic and was supposed to land at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Carolina to clear U.S. customs before going on to the Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, the Coast Guard said. A 911 emergency operator notified the Coast Guard at 6:51 p.m. Sunday that an aircraft had crashed into the waters off Quebradillas. Searchers found a debris field in the area late Sunday. In the Dominican Republic, meanwhile, a man who said he spent the weekend with the missing passengers said he urged them not to leave Sunday night because of severe weather. Retired businessman Manuel "Manolin" Lecaroz, 64, told El Nuevo Dia newspaper that the group left because one of them had business to conduct Monday morning. He did not have a premonition, Lecaroz said. "It's just that you can't fly when the weather is bad." The winds and heavy rains that were still being felt in Puerto Rico on Monday had ruined the group's chances to spend the weekend fishing and playing golf in the Dominican Republic, which is 79 miles (127 kilometers) away. "It rained every day," Lecaroz told the Puerto Rican newspaper. "The wind was blowing very hard, so much that we couldn't go out in the boat any day." As they left Sunday night, group members hugged Lecaroz and talked about returning later this month to fish and golf, he said.

Coast Guard launches search missions for five still missing after plane went down . Divers find man's body near shore of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico . Search complicated by the roughness of the area, U.S. Coast Guard official says . Six onboard private plane returning to Puerto Rico from Dominican Republic .

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HOLLYWOOD, California (CNN) -- Reality television featuring law enforcement officers on the beat is nothing new. A show featuring a lawman who makes jailed inmates wear pink underwear and uses actors to trick suspects, however, is a new twist. Maricopa Co. Sheriff Joe Arpaio now has his own TV show, "Smile: You're Under Arrest." Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- whose showy brand of justice has raised charges of discrimination and civil-rights abuses while making him a hero among fans of his tough-on-crime attitudes -- will star in "Smile: You're Under Arrest." The show, which premiers this weekend on Fox Reality Channel, features Arpaio and other officers using elaborate ploys crafted by comedy writers and carried out by professional actors to arrest suspects with outstanding warrants. In one, a suspect is invited to a fake fashion shoot and told he's going to become a supermodel, according to Fox Reality's Web site. In another, a suspect is tricked into what he thinks is a job as a movie extra and, after a staged argument between the film's "director" and another actor, gets promoted to the starring role. "It's kind of fun to show how stupid they are and, as I say, the looks on their face," Arpaio, 76, said of the suspects wanted for DUIs, drug charges, missed court dates and other offenses. Watch Arpaio explain his methods » . But Arpaio's critics aren't amused. They say they fear the show will give the controversial sheriff positive publicity, ignoring what they call a darker side to his 16-year tenure as top lawman in the county that includes Phoenix. "It's going to celebrate a sheriff that's frankly scaring this community, a sheriff that has seen violent crime increase significantly in his county, a sheriff that is racially profiling the Latino community, and I doubt that the show is going to reflect that," said Paco Fabian, spokesman for the immigrant-rights group America's Voice. In a statement on the group's Web site, Fabian calls Arpaio a "modern day Bull Connor," comparing him to the public safety commissioner in 1960s Birmingham, Alabama, whose use of attack dogs and firehoses on civil rights demonstrators made him a symbol of racial intolerance. Dubbed "America's Toughest Sheriff," Arpaio makes many of his county's 10,000 or so inmates live in tents. He reinstituted chain gangs -- including crews for women and juveniles -- banned smoking, coffee and movies in his jails and, most recently, moved to require all inmates with money in their jail accounts to pay for their own meals. And then, of course, there's the pink underwear. "They were stealing the white underwear, smuggling the underwear out of the jail," Arpaio told CNN. "So you know what? Give them pink. The other reason is they hate pink. Why would you give the 10,000 inmates the color they like?" Earlier this year, the mayor of Phoenix wrote a letter to the U.S. attorney general's office, asking the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division to investigate Arpaio's aggressive illegal immigration crackdowns. Mayor Phil Brown wrote that Arpaio's sweeps show "a pattern and practice of conduct that includes discriminatory harassment, improper stops, searches and arrests." The letter came after Arpaio, who had already been the target of hundreds of lawsuits, launched a series of what he calls crime-suppression patrols in largely Latino neighborhoods. Critics say the patrols use racial profiling to unfairly target Hispanic drivers and pedestrians, while Arpaio says they have resulted in the deportation of hundreds of illegal immigrants, including some with criminal records. "We are the only ones cracking down on the state's human smuggling law," Arpaio said. Fabian said America's Voice is considering putting pressure on companies that advertise during Arpaio's show. Either way, the series offers another moment in the spotlight for a lawman who has never shied away from it. "I'm not going to brag," Arpaio said, "but there isn't anybody in the world who doesn't know who this sheriff is." CNN's Brooke Anderson and Doug Gross contributed to this report.

Maricopa Co., Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio now has own TV show . Arpaio proud of sometimes unorthodox methods, has been criticized for them . Show, "Smile: You're Under Arrest," gets people with outstanding warrants .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Gul Bibi and her three children fled the Taliban's bloody interpretation of Islamic law in Pakistan's Swat Valley, hoping one day to return. A pro-Taliban delegation attends a meeting with government officials in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday. But now that the Pakistani government has recognized Taliban rule in the region in exchange for a temporary cease-fire, she said those hopes have been dashed. She warned that the government's deal with the Taliban will have worldwide implications. "The whole point is, if it's not contained to Swat, it's going to spill all over in Pakistan and the West also doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation," Bibi said. "Probably your next 9/11 is going to be from Swat." Watch Gul Bibi talk about Taliban threat » . The chief minister of North West Frontier Province announced on Monday that the Pakistani government will recognize the Taliban's interpretation of strict Islamic law, or sharia. The Taliban's interpretation of sharia has included banning girls from school, forcing women inside and outlawing forms of entertainment. This form of Islamic law is already in effect in parts of North West Frontier Province where the Taliban have control -- including Swat, which is located about 100 miles northwest of Islamabad. Provincial minister Amir Haider Hoti said the people of the region want sharia which fills the "vacuum" left by a lack of access to Pakistan's judicial system. He said he hoped it would bring peace to the region, where Pakistani forces have battled militants aligned with the Taliban. It is difficult to gauge the concerns of residents in Swat, because the government does not allow journalists into the area due to the ongoing military operation. Also, residents risk their lives if they openly criticize Taliban rule. Bibi -- who used a false name to protect her identity -- told CNN that people in Swat do not support the Taliban's version of Islamic law. A strict Muslim herself, Bibi said she observes the teachings of the Quran, and the Taliban's interpretation of sharia has nothing to do with the Muslim religion. "They are killing people, they are beheading people, there is no accounting for what they are doing," Bibi said. Their oppression is also focused on women. The Taliban have destroyed dozens of girls' schools in the region. Bibi is living in a house in Islamabad with other women who have fled Taliban rule in Swat. "For God's sake, in the West you must realize this: no education for women," she said. "You are going to destroy an entire generation." She dismissed the government's peace deal as a concession to the Taliban. But she remains hopeful that she can return to the picturesque Swat Valley with her three children. "I want peace more than anyone else," Bibi said. "It's my home, it's where I want my children to go back to, it's where I want to live. "I love Swat. It's because of my love and my passion for Swat that I am speaking."

"Probably your next 9/11 is going to be from Swat," says woman who fled the town . Pakistani government agreed Monday to let Taliban rule the area . "They are killing people, they are beheading people" the woman says . She says Taliban's anti-women moves will "destroy an entire generation"

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(CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the leaders of Madagascar to resolve their differences after an anti-government rally a day earlier turned violent and left more than two dozen people dead. Protesters rally Saturday before violence broke out near the Presidential Palace. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban deplored the violence and called Sunday on authorities "to urgently initiate a fair process by which those responsible will be brought to justice." Ban also blamed the "tragedy" on a "lack of restraint on all sides." "The Secretary-General calls upon all concerned parties to resolve their differences through peaceful and democratic means and through the exercise of responsible leadership," according to the statement. A police official said the death toll from Saturday's violence outside the Presidential Palace in the capital city of Antananarivo had risen to 26. More than 80 were injured during the demonstration, officials said. The capital city was quiet as mourners attended a public ceremony for the dead. The violence stemmed from an ongoing dispute over who is in charge of the government. Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of Antananarivo, took to the streets one week ago, declaring himself the Indian Ocean island nation's leader after a week of violence and looting that killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 300. Watch an iReport on the Madagascar violence » . But President Marc Ravalomanana has fired him and put someone else in the mayoral job. Rajoelina had called the rally to unveil his new government at the May 13th Plaza, according to Brittany Martin, an American citizen who is a Harvard Fellow and lives in Antananarivo. Martin said the rally was peaceful in the morning hours of Saturday, until gunshots rang out in the afternoon after the protesters marched from the plaza to the palace. She said it was unclear where the shots were coming from. Some media reports blamed foreign mercenaries for the shootings; others said army guards were responsible or that the army was firing at the mercenaries to protect the crowd. Violence in Madagascar began January 26, when protesters stormed state-run television and radio stations in Antananarivo. Hours earlier, the government had shut down a radio station owned by Rajoelina and, weeks ago, had similarly shut down Rajoelina's television station after it aired an interview with ex-President Didier Ratsiraka. See pictures from last week's upheaval » . Ravalomanana took power in 2001 after ousting Ratsiraka in a tense, hotly contested election. Ratsiraka fled to France afterward. Loyalists blame Ratsiraka's family members for inciting the recent trouble. Anger has risen in Madagascar, where the World Bank says the average person earns about $320 a year, over reports that Ravalomanana recently bought a $60 million airplane. Rajoelina has urged supporters to demand the resignation of Ravalomanana and said he planned to take charge until a transition government could be established in the nation off Africa's southeastern coast. Map » . "What we've been pushing for is dialogue the whole time," said Rodney Ford, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy. He said he had received reports that palace guards used tear gas and shot into the air to try and disperse the crowd. Journalist Dregoire Pourtier in Antananarivo, Madagascar, contributed to this report.

Ban blames the "tragedy" on a "lack of restraint on all sides" 26 dead, more than 80 wounded during an anti-government rally on Saturday . Violence stems from a dispute over who is in charge of the government . Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of Antananarivo, declares himself Madagascar's leader .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq will not grant an operating license to security firm Blackwater Worldwide, an Interior Ministry official said Thursday. Heavily armed Blackwater guards scan downtown Baghdad, Iraq, from a helicopter in 2003. Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said the ministry denied the request mainly because of a September 2007 shooting incident in which security guards employed by Blackwater fired on a crowd and killed 17 Iraqis, according to the government. A U.S. Embassy official in Baghdad, who asked not to be named, confirmed the report. "We have been informed that Blackwater's ... operating license will not be granted," the official said. "We don't have specifics about dates. We are working with the government of Iraq and our contractors to address the implications of this decision." Blackwater has one of the biggest security contracts in Iraq. The U.S. State Department, which contracted the company to protect American diplomats and other employees, is also "looking at the implications" of the decision, said Robert Wood, the department's acting spokesman. Wood didn't say what specific plans the State Department has to protect its employees, but he told reporters that State will encourage contractors to abide by Iraqi law, as required under the recently approved U.S.-Iraqi security agreement, and will make sure its personnel are protected. "We're formulating how to go forward," he said. Watch report on Iraq's refusal to grant license to Blackwater » . Wood refused to say whether two other security companies working in Iraq, Triple Canopy and Dyncorp, would take over security operations, but did say those options were being considered. Earlier this month, five former Blackwater security guards pleaded not guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and other serious crimes stemming from their involvement in the September 16, 2007, shootings in a Baghdad square. A sixth former security guard has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. Blackwater says its employees were returning fire after they were attacked by armed insurgents, but an Iraqi investigation concluded that the guards randomly fired at civilians without provocation. The company does not face any charges. But the Baghdad incident exacerbated the feelings of many Iraqis that private American security contractors have operated since 2003 with little regard for Iraqi law or life. The indictment of the five men represents the first prosecution of non-Defense Department contractors under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA). The act was amended in 2004 to allow the Justice Department to prosecute such personnel providing services "in support of the mission of the Department of Defense overseas." A security agreement approved in December 2008 specifies U.S. civilian contractors will no longer be immune from Iraqi prosecution for crimes committed in Iraq. Iraq has required the licensing of private security companies since 2004, but the provision was not strictly enforced. Last year, the State Department renewed Blackwater's contract over strong objections from the Iraqi government. Starting January 1, the Iraqi government has mandated that all contractors obtain licenses to operate. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.

NEW: State Department looking at options for protection of diplomats . American security contractor loses right to operate in Iraq . 2007 shooting of 17 civilians led to decision, Interior Ministry spokesman says . Five ex-Blackwater guards have pleaded not guilty to charges related to incident .

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(CNN) -- Didier Drogba muscled his way through for a late winner to put Chelsea into the FA Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday. A bare-chested Drogba is congratulated by Salomon Kalou after scoring the winner at Wembley. The all-London clash rarely hit the heights on a difficult pitch, but Drogba's 84th minute strike gave Guus Hiddink's men a deserved victory and leaves them in contention for three trophies. Dutchman Hiddink, who took temporary charge of the Blues in February and has lost only one match, said Drogba had proved his worth again. "He is proving already he is so dangerous, very strong and physically fit," he told Press Association. "We respect each other very much but also challenge each other without thinking this is a big name." Arsenal went ahead in the 18th minute as Theo Walcott's volley deflected past Petr Cech, but Florent Malouda equalized for Chelsea just after the half hour mark. Chelsea looked the stronger against an Arsenal team missing key defenders and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and it came as no surprise when Ivory Coast star Drogba scored a typical winner. He latched on to Frank Lampard's hopeful volleyed through ball, shrugged off Mikael Silvestre before rounding Lukasz Fabianksi to roll the ball into an empty net. Ivory Coast international Drogba scored the winning goal against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup final and may get the chance to repeat the trick. Quintuple chasing United play Everton in the second semifinal, also at Wembley, on Sunday. Chelsea, who are a still challenging third in the Premier League and semifinals of the Champions League, showed their character after falling behind to Walcott's strike. The England international winger connected with a chipped cross from Kieran Gibbs and his effort took a cruel deflection off Ashley Cole's arm to beat Cech. Arsenal had made a fine start, but without injured central defender William Gallas and with Fabianski showing a lack of authority in goal, Chelsea came back strongly into the game. Malouda went close with a cross shot which eluded Fabianski, but he was not be denied soon afterwards as picked out by Lampard he cut inside Emmanuel Eboue and beat Fabianski at his near post. More slack defending from Denilson allowed Nicolas Anelka time to shoot and his shot hit the post with Fabianski beaten. Walcott looked occasionally dangerous on the flank and twice sent in crosses which might have been converted, but Chelsea looked the more threatening and the teams were spared extra time when Drogba powered through to score. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left to rue their defensive errors and the performance of his 20-year-old Polish goalkeeper. "He's a great goalkeeper but it was not his greatest day," Wenger said. "Inexperience, yes. It was a game when any mistake could be costly."

Didier Droba winner ends Arsenal's long unbeaten run and puts Chelsea in final . Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead before Florent Malouda equalized . Manchester United and Everton play in second FA Cup semifinal on Sunday .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- After a long apprenticeship, it's been an astonishingly fast rise for R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan. Jazmine Sullivan is up for five Grammys next month, including best new artist. Before she was in her teens, Sullivan sang on "It's Showtime at the Apollo." At 13, she met Stevie Wonder. Soon she was performing regularly at the jam sessions called Black Lily in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She went to that city's performing arts high school and was signed to a contract by Jive Records, where she was paired with producers such as Timbaland and Cool & Dre. It didn't work out -- then. But soon, Sullivan signed with Clive Davis' J Records, and suddenly she was everywhere. Her debut single, "Need U Bad," hit No. 1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and her album "Fearless" hit the Top 10 on Billboard's album chart. Now she's up for five Grammys on February 8, including best R&B performance (for "Bust Your Windows") and best new artist. CNN's KJ Matthews talked with Sullivan about her inspirations, who she's bringing to the Grammys and the mysterious person behind "Bust Your Windows." The following is an edited version of that interview. CNN: How would you describe your sound? Jazmine Sullivan: I can't really describe it; that's the whole thing. Once you hear the CD, you'll hear that one sound doesn't sound like the next. You know, I've been influenced by so many different styles and different genres of music that I felt like that should be represented on my first album, so when you get it, you get a taste of gospel, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, reggae, pop ... everything is on there, there's something for everybody to enjoy. I didn't want to exclude anybody from the album. CNN: Let me ask you this: When you saw or heard the other nominees in the best new artist category who happen to be a little bit more well-known, was it intimidating? I mean, you got the Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Adele ... Sullivan: Yeah, the Jonas Brothers, specifically. I didn't even know they were new artists because they are so huge, so, you know, so after, when my name was called after theirs, I thought, "Wow, they're new artists, too?" I got a little scared, I tell you that. But I'm just so honored to be mentioned to be in the same categories with such wonderful artists, so I'm looking forward to February and the Grammys and just being in that atmosphere. CNN: I was looking at your background, and I didn't know that you're a protegee of Missy Elliott. I was thinking to myself, you would think that you would do rap, but you're this big voice, this soulful voice. You might not equate that with Missy. Sullivan: Yeah, and a lot of people don't know that Missy Elliott ... grew up in the church, and she's really into vocalists. When I met her, was I was about 13 or 14, [and] she was ecstatic about me. When nobody else was there to support me, Missy was there, so she's a good friend of mine, and I'm happy to have her by my side. She's definitely taught me a lot of things. CNN: So everybody wants to know, the guy behind "Bust Your Windows" -- is there one? Sullivan: We won't talk about that on camera -- that's an off-camera conversation -- but it's definitely a song that relates to a lot of women especially. You know, even if they really haven't busted windows out of anybody's car, they have wanted to. A lot of women have been through that, so I'm glad that my music is touching those people . CNN: "Need U Bad" is rising as well. What's the thought process behind that one? Sullivan: "Need U Bad" ... a lot of men actually pointed out to me that women don't come out and admit that they made mistakes and say that they actually need the male, so I think that was kind of cool. I haven't thought of it like that when I was writing it. So, you know, it's a song for the fellas, saying that we appreciate them and we need you as much as you need us. But on the flip side, I do a song like "Bust Your Windows," so on the album you have a lot of different perceptions and everything. CNN: How old are you? You look like you're 10. Sullivan: I'm 21 years old. CNN: Success that early, that's sometimes tough for people. Sullivan: Well, I've been in this industry for a very long time. I started out when I was 12; I got signed when I was 16, so it wasn't an overnight success story at all. I put a lot of hard work into it, and this is just a byproduct of all of that. CNN: It's great that you write your own music too, because a lot of people don't do that. You have a lot more creative control. Sullivan: Most definitely, and I've dealt with not having that control when I was younger and I was signed. I wasn't writing at all, and so I've been through all of that. So now to be in a position where I write my music, and I have that control -- it feels so much better. CNN: All right, the big question: Grammy night. What are you wearing? Who are you bringing? What are you going to be doing? Sullivan: I'm bringing my mother. She's been my rock and my support ever since I was a baby. She was my first huge fan, that what she is. I don't know what I'm wearing. I'm trying not to think about that. I want to perform. Hopefully I can get on stage and I can show everybody who I am and what I'm about. But I haven't thought about the dress or the shoes or the hair or anything about that. CNN: You're just trying to enjoy the moment. Sullivan: Enjoy, yes.

R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan is up for five awards next month . Sullivan's hits include "Need U Bad" and "Bust Your Windows" Singer is a protegee of Missy Elliott's .

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(CNN) -- Singer Kelly Osbourne, the daughter of rocker Ozzy Osbourne, checked herself into "a medical facility to address some personal issues," her London publicist confirmed Friday. Kelly Osbourne is struggling with "some personal issues," according to her spokeswoman. The British Press Association cited an unnamed source saying Osbourne, 24, is being treated at the Hazelden retreat in Oregon. "Kelly Osbourne has voluntarily entered a medical facility to address some personal issues," spokeswoman Caroline Barrett said in a statement e-mailed to CNN. "Her family stands by and supports her." Osbourne was jailed in London in January on a charge of assaulting a British newspaper gossip columnist at a London nightclub last summer. She was freed on bail. She's been absent in recent weeks from a British radio talk show in which she dispenses life advice to young people. Her father, who rose to fame with the heavy metal group Black Sabbath, and mother Sharon revealed nearly five years ago that Kelly Osbourne entered the Promises rehab facility in Malibu, California, for treatment of a painkiller addiction. Their revelation came in an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live" in May 2004. "We just had to take evasive action very quickly, because the amount of pills that was found in her bag was astounding," Ozzy Osbourne told Larry King. Kelly Osbourne gained fame as a teenager when her family opened up their lives to cameras for an MTV reality show "The Osbournes." She used the exposure to launch her own music career.

Kelly Osbourne in "medical facility to address some personal issues" Daughter of Ozzy Osbourne had been doing radio advice show . Kelly Osbourne first became known from MTV's "The Osbournes"

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(CNN) -- Don't believe the hype. Billy Crudup plays Dr. Manhattan in "Watchmen," the film version of the popular graphic novel. "Visionary" director Zack Snyder, as the marketing would have it, has filmed Alan Moore's "unfilmable" graphic novel by treating the comic book panels as his storyboard and his Bible. Doesn't it bother anyone that this is about as far from the definition of "visionary" as it's possible to get? The visionary sees what others do not see. Snyder -- whose previous films were a remake ("Dawn of the Dead") and another scrupulously faithful comic book adaptation ("300") -- is more in the line of a fancy photocopier, duplicating other artists' imagery with a forger's intensity. A visionary transforms the world. Snyder slavishly transcribes what's set down 5 inches in front of his face. Alan Moore, who has refused to have his name on the movie (ditto its Moore-based predecessors, "V for Vendetta" and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") and who has declined all reimbursement to protest the entertainment industry's fundamental lack of respect for intellectual property, counts as a bona fide visionary. His 1986 comic book is a landmark in the history of the form, a masterpiece of pop cultural angst, filtering Cold War nihilism and disillusionment through the inspired pulp idiom of mundane masked crimefighters and one genuine, possibly radioactive, superhero. In Moore's alternative 1985, Nixon is still president, the U.S. having won in Vietnam. The Soviets are effectively neutered by America's not-so-secret weapon, Dr. Manhattan, a kind of quantum ghost in the machine capable of reconstituting matter (and nuclear warheads) at will. Watch the stars at the premiere » . Moore's meta-comic switched back and forth in time with the same facility as Dr. Manhattan morphed between New Jersey and Mars, cutting between a doomsday conspiracy threatening to engulf the Earth and flashbacks relating the biographies of half-a-dozen "watchmen," a generation of intrepid masked avengers forced to hang up their capes and Spandex when public opinion turned on them in the late 1970s. (It's easy to discern the book's influence on subsequent films "The Incredibles" and "Mystery Men.") With its parallel stories and virtuoso zooming and panning visual tropes, Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons' "Watchmen" always felt cinematic. You could sense Martin Scorsese and "Taxi Driver's" Travis Bickle in Moore's squalid New York and vigilante anti-hero Rorschach, but proposed movies by Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass failed to materialize, foundering on the comic book's sophisticated narrative chicanery. The solution proposed by Snyder and screenwriters David Hayter and Alex Tse is simply to ignore the problem and stick to the text. In fairness, this strategy has proved wildly popular in adaptations of the "Harry Potter" books, for instance, "Twilight" and "300." The fans seem to demand it -- just as there is now a common assumption that a longer, unexpurgated DVD edition is inherently superior to the shorter, tighter theatrical version. "Watchmen" the movie provides ample evidence that more is more, but less might have been closer to Moore in spirit (that is, anarchic, witty and compelling). Clocking in at an exhausting 163 minutes even without some of the book's various subplots, the film forfeits momentum and suspense for a jerky succession of expository dialogue scenes, interspersed with occasional flashes of grotesque ultra-violence. It's all invariably filmed in Snyder's spasmodic, stop-go trademark style and accompanied by a jukebox score that ranges from Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen to Nena's "99 Luftballoons." On the few occasions where the filmmakers do exercise their imaginations -- in a credit montage relating the glory days of the crimefighters Weegee-style, and in a neat improvement on Moore's climax -- the results are actually ingenious and sharp. iReport.com: Fan underwhelmed by "Watchmen" But too many key scenes ring hollow, undermined by flat staging and tone-deaf treatment. One of them is the ridiculous moment when Dr. Manhattan's faith in humanity is restored by the revelation of ... Well, see it for yourself, and then compare with the infinitely more nuanced passage in the graphic novel. The considerable limitations of Swedish-Canadian actress Malin Akerman are cruelly exposed as Laurie, aka Silk Spectre II, and if Matthew Goode (playing Adrian Veidt) is the smartest man in the world, then we're really in trouble. Jackie Earle Haley and his "Little Children" co-star Patrick Wilson fare better as, respectively, the angry reactionary Rorschach and mildly conflicted Dan Dreiberg, while it's hard to take your eyes off Billy Crudup's naked blue avatar, Dr. Manhattan -- for various reasons. I guess an honest reproduction of a great comic book is better than the trivialization that often passes for adaptation, and in this case the material is so ingrained with audacious ideas the movie can't be counted a complete cop-out. But if it was really going to honor the original, "Watchmen" had to put the fear of God in us, to rekindle that prospect of imminent nuclear annihilation that haunted the Cold War world. And it had to remind us these rather sorry comic book characters were, as Moore insisted, more human than super. iReport.com: "Watchmen" very good, but not for kids . Snyder flunks that test. Yes it will hit the box office like a tidal wave, but ultimately the numb, enervating "Watchmen" is living on borrowed time. No smiley face here. "Watchmen" runs 162 minutes and is rated R. For Entertainment Weekly's take, click here.

"Watchmen" is so devoted to the comic book it misses vision, says Tom Charity . Film is based on renowned graphic novel about misfit crimefighters . A few good performances, but overall the film feels lifeless .

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(CNN) -- Pakistan cricketers have been told they will not be allowed to appear in the highly-lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) this coming season because of fears over security. Danish Kaneria, in action against India last December, was hoping to play in the Indian Premier League. Stars from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and, for the first time, England will be competing in the action that starts on April 10. Several Pakistan stars had also signed for IPL franchises while another five, including leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, were scheduled to appear at a players' auction to be held in Goa, India, on Thursday. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said players would not be allowed to play in the IPL this coming season on government advice. "We have informed the IPL and Indian board that our players can't take part in the IPL this year," PCB chief operating officer Saleem Altaf told Reuters.com. The decision follows concerns for players' safety because of the tense relations between Pakistan and India after the Mumbai militant attacks in November. Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, who plays for Delhi, said the players would abide by the directives of the government and PCB. Meanwhile, another former captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq is among several top Pakistan players who have successfully challenged a domestic ban imposed following appearances in the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL). Provincial Sindh High Court on Monday suspended the 2007 action taken by the PCB which must appear in court later this month to explain their action. Players affected by the 2007 ruling also include Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Sami and Azhar Mahmood who along with Inzamam, played for Lahore Badshahs. Last year, the Badshahs named after a Pakistani city and with a number of Pakistani players won the ICL 20s Indian championship. "The honorable court has suspended this relevant clause of the PCB rules and allowed the players to appear in domestic cricket with immediate effect," Zahid Fakhruddin Ibrahim, the legal counsel for the players, told Reuters.com. Lahore coach Moin Khan, a former Pakistan captain, said the suspension of the ban was good for Pakistani cricket. "Some of the ICL players can still play for Pakistan and when they play in domestic cricket, youngsters will learn from them," Khan commented. "The ban had hurt the players financially as well as cricket-wise, so it's a great decision."

Pakistan cricketers miss IPL season over security fears . Pakistan players not competing on government advice . England stars making debuts in the league starting in April .

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