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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The two youngest stars in "Slumdog Millionaire" will get "a substantial sum of money" that would "change their lives for the better" when they turn 18, but only if they stay in school, director Danny Boyle told CNN. Director Danny Boyle says the youngest actors in his film will get "substantial" money if they stay in school. Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, both 8, have been temporarily forced to stay away from school by the crush of journalists who have converged on the campus in Mumbai, Boyle said. "The press attention that's been focused on them is really sad at the moment and they've had to leave school temporarily because the press outside the school is disrupting the school," Boyle said. "So, we've withdrawn them from the school for a short while." Boyle, in a CNN interview Thursday, said the boys were paid "way over and above what you could pay," despite media reports to the contrary. The success of the moderately budgeted film, about an orphan seeking fame and love through the "Millionaire" game show, drew a spotlight to the slums of Mumbai, India, where it was filmed. A controversy erupted this week when the children's parents told reporters they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work. The Telegraph newspaper of London reported the children and their families still live in the same "tangle of makeshift shacks" in Mumbai where they lived when the casting director found them. Azharuddin's situation has gotten worse, the paper said, because "his family's illegal hut was demolished by the local authorities and he now sleeps under a sheet of plastic tarpaulin with his father, who suffers from tuberculosis." This public relations challenge began just as Oscar ballots were mailed to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Slumdog Millionaire" is nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and best director for Boyle. Boyle defended how his production company has treated the boys. "We thought long and hard about how best can we benefit them and we decided to put in place an education plan for them," Boyle said. "We put them in school, a very good school, which they're paid for to stay in until they're 18." "If they stay in school until they're 18, a substantial sum of money is released to them then, which will effectively change their lives for the better," Boyle said. The Telegraph quoted their parents saying Azharuddin was paid less than $2,500, and that Rubina got about $700. "The children were paid well," Boyle said. "The families were paid well for their work, over and above what you could pay, way over and above what you could pay." "Some of the figures that have been quoted have been very inaccurate," Boyle said. He said he would not quote the real numbers "because to do so makes them vulnerable within their own community. There are people who would take advantage of them immediately." Even the trust fund is a target of "gangsters," he said. "The money that would be released to them when they are older, that is the kind of thing that can be mortgaged off by gangsters," he said. Boyle said the film's financial backers have agreed that charitable groups that help children of the slums will also see "a slice of the profits." "We've all agreed that we will sit down and dedicate a slice of the profits of the film to be distributed amongst people like those who run the school and other organizations who make a big difference to children's lives there," he said. "We gained from the city, both from these two children and from the city, in general, and we'll make sure the film gives back some of the enormous success it's had," he said. -- CNN's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report.

The children's parents say they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work . The kids reportedly still live in the same "tangle of makeshift shacks" in Mumbai . Director says the boys were paid "way over and above what you could pay"

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- The only surviving suspect in last month's attacks in Mumbai has written a letter to the Pakistan High Commission, or embassy, seeking legal aid, CNN's sister network in India reported Saturday, quoting a Mumbai police official. Flames and smoke gush from the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, on November 27. Investigators said that Mohammad Ajmal Kasab is from Faridkot village in the Okara district of Pakistan's Punjab province and that the other nine attackers also are from Pakistan. Pakistani officials have denied that assertion, blaming instead "stateless actors." Rakesh Maria, Mumbai's joint police commissioner of crime, said Saturday that Kasab's three-page letter was written in Urdu. In the letter, Kasab confesses his role in the attacks, CNN-IBN said. The letter is to be delivered to the commission's New Delhi, India, office, possibly Monday, the network reported. Maria paraphrased parts of the letter at a news conference but did not release a copy to the media, CNN-IBN said. More than 160 people were killed in the three-day Mumbai siege that started November 26 and targeted 10 sites, including two luxury hotels, a train station and other landmarks. Of the 10 suspects, only 21-year-old Kasab survived, according to police. This week, Pakistani authorities banned a charity linked to the attacks and placed its leader under house arrest, Pakistan's information minister told CNN. The move came after the U.N. Security Council designated the charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, as a terrorist organization because of its links to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (known by the acronym LeT) and placed sanctions on the group. India has blamed LeT for training the attackers who carried out the Mumbai attacks.

Mohammad Ajmal Kasab is only surviving suspect in last month's attacks . He is from Pakistan's Punjab province, investigators say . Mumbai official says Kasab wrote to Pakistani embassy seeking legal aid . His letter also includes a confession, police official says .

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(CNN) -- The world has certainly changed since Michael Jackson last staged a concert tour in 1997 to promote the "HIStory" album. Fans clamor in London as Michael Jackson announces his return to performing. Since then, other performers have gained prominence -- some who have even been tagged as heir-apparents to Jackson, such as Usher and the currently legally troubled Chris Brown. Now the original is back. Jackson announced Thursday that he'll perform 10 concerts in London in July. But is the world ready to receive Jackson, who has had his share of financial and legal woes, with open arms? Watch Jackson make his announcement » . Publicist and writer Howard Bragman said it's up to the public. "He's playing off the fact that people have the wonderful ability to have short memories," Bragman said. It was only a few years ago that Jackson was acquitted of several charges, including child molestation, in a California trial. The case, coupled with the singer's eccentric behavior, had seriously damaged his reputation. See a timeline of Jackson's life » . Bragman said Jackson, who is slated to play the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena, is better off playing smaller venues rather than booking huge stadiums that may not sell out, an embarrassment a returning veteran can't afford to risk. "It's sort of like the political thing, how you always want to get a small room and make it look full," Bragman said. "Have reasonably priced tickets and do some of your classics. I certainly think that at one point there were tens of millions of Michael Jackson fans worldwide and I think there have to be still some Michael Jackson fans." Culture critic, filmmaker and former Billboard music editor Nelson George said British fans are much more forgiving of Jackson's troubles than are Americans, who expect celebrities to be "saints and heroes," George said. "The love for Michael Jackson in the UK is undiluted by any of the stuff that's been talked about here in the states," said George, whose soon-to-be-released book "City Kid: A Writer's Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success" offers some insight into the era in which Jackson's popularity exploded. "He's a huge star there still and he will sell out all of those shows," George added. George recently returned from London, where he witnessed firsthand the adoration that European fans have for the singer. While there, he said he attended "Thriller," a sold-out tribute to Jackson in London's West End. George points out that Jackson is pursing a similar path to the one the musical artist Prince took in 2007 when he played 21 nights at the O2 Arena. Given its London location, George observed the venue has the potential to attract fans from across Europe. Moreover, George said, the British have long been admirers of black music and culture. "It's the perfect place for [Jackson] to play," George said. "There will be fans there from all over the world, including the United States."

Jackson set to play O2 Arena in the United Kingdom . Renowned publicist says Jackson smart to tackle smaller venue . Former Billboard music critic: "He's a huge star there still"

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- From Capitol Hill to Springfield, Illinois, President Obama and Congress paid tribute Thursday to Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth. Visitors greet an Abraham Lincoln impersonator in Washington on Thursday. "It is an honor to be here: a place where Lincoln served, was inaugurated, and where the nation he saved bid him a last farewell," Obama said at the Capitol on Thursday. "As we mark the bicentennial of our 16th president's birth, I cannot claim to know as much about his life and works as many who are also speaking today, but I can say that I feel a special gratitude to this singular figure who in so many ways made my own story possible -- and who in so many ways made America's story possible." White House officials say Obama's speechwriter had several conversations with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in crafting the speech. "At a moment when we are far less divided than in Lincoln's day but when we are once again debating the critical issues of our time -- and debating them sometimes fiercely -- let us remember that we are doing so as servants of the same flag, as representatives of the same people and as stakeholders in a common future. That is the most fitting tribute we can pay and the most lasting monument we can build to that most remarkable of men, Abraham Lincoln," Obama said. Watch more on the Lincoln celebration taking place » . Obama will also speak later Thursday at an event in Springfield. Throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama -- a Democrat who hails from the Land of Lincoln -- reminded audiences from coast to coast about the similarities between himself and the beloved political leader. At his presidential acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois, on November 4, Obama used Lincoln as a guide for his ideology. "As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies but friends. ... Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection,' " Obama said. Watch a young student read one of Lincoln's speeches » . In Washington, a congressional tribute took place at the Capitol rotunda. Illinois senior Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, gave the keynote address. At the end, a wreath was placed at the Capitol. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield also opened its doors Thursday for a special celebration, featuring original documents including the Gettysburg Address. Watch CNN's Kyra Phillips take a tour » . Meanwhile, the Library of Congress marks the bicentennial Thursday by opening a special exhibit featuring Lincoln's handwritten speeches and artifacts, including the Bible used last month by Obama during his swearing-in. "This exhibit, in a little more than 200 items, presents Lincoln, the man and the politician," said John Sellers, curator of the exhibit, which runs through May 9. Lincoln successfully fought a proposal for legalized slavery as development spread to the Western United States, and he eventually brought an end to slavery throughout the country. Among the manuscripts on display is a letter he wrote in impassioned defense of his Emancipation Proclamation. Watch actor Sam Waterson's reading of Lincoln speeches » . The librarian of Congress, James Billington, acknowledges that the materials are available on the Internet in "digitized" form, but he said "there is something about seeing the original because, after all, Lincoln was a man of words, of rare eloquences." "His words changed history," Billington said. The exhibit at the Library of Congress -- on Capitol Hill next to the U.S. Supreme Court -- was in the works for Lincoln's bicentennial long before the presidential campaign in which voters elected Obama. Billington said the exhibition is all the more profound as visitors explore the links between the anti-slavery Lincoln and the African-American Obama. There are also grim reminders of Lincoln's assassination. An original "wanted" poster with large black letters reads: "$100,000 Reward. The murderer is still at large." The poster includes a photograph of John Wilkes Booth, who was on the run after being accused of firing the fatal shots at Ford's Theatre in Washington, where Lincoln was attending a play. "This is the autopsy report," Sellers noted during the preview. "Those are actual blood stains -- Lincoln's blood." Other, more lighthearted artifacts are also on display, including an 1860 letter from a girl urging presidential candidate Lincoln to grow a beard to help his prospects with voters. CNN's Paul Courson, Ed Hornick and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.

Obama says Lincoln "in so many ways made my own story possible" President Obama, Congress salute the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth . Library of Congress also opens an exhibit showcasing original items .

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(CNN) -- The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that both engines of the US Airways flight that ditched last month into the Hudson River contained bird remains. The feather found inside one of the engines of the plane that crashed into the Hudson River. The engines from US Airways Flight 1549 were sent to the manufacturer in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the NTSB directed the analysis, it said in a news release. The plane's flight data recorder "revealed no anomalies or malfunctions in either engine up to the point where the captain reported a bird strike, after which there was an uncommanded loss of thrust in both engines," the NTSB said. The NTSB also said that an "engine surge event" in the right engine on January 13, two days before the accident, was caused by a faulty temperature sensor, which had been replaced. Investigators said last month they found a single feather and evidence of "soft-body impact damage" on the aircraft. The find reinforces the pilot's report that the plane was brought down by a flock of birds. Pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, 58, told investigators his aircraft struck birds, disabling both engines, about 90 seconds after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York. The feather, found on a flap track on the wing, was also sent to identification experts at the Smithsonian Institution last month. The pilot ditched the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River and passengers tried to flee the aircraft almost immediately after it settled in the water and began to float along the river current. All 155 crew members and passengers on the plane survived the incident, which New York Gov. David Paterson dubbed a "miracle on the Hudson."

Engines sent to manufacturer in Ohio after crash . Last month single feather, evidence of "soft-body impact damage" found on aircraft . Pilot ditched plane in Hudson after he said aircraft hit flock of birds . All 155 crew and passengers survived what was called "miracle on the Hudson"

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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Court hearings began Friday for 11 people, including two Spanish professional football players and a Serb-French football agent, who were arrested this week on charges of cocaine smuggling, a police source told CNN. Spanish police allege the group smuggled the drugs in from Argentina. The 11 are accused of taking advantage of their football contacts in Latin America, and their trips to the region, to organize the drug trafficking. Spanish police made the arrests on Thursday, mainly in Madrid, and seized 600 kilos (1,320 pounds) of cocaine they alleged had been shipped from Argentina to Spain earlier this month. The suspected leader of the group was identified as Zoran Matijevic, a Serb-born football agent, the international football federation, who now holds French citizenship, according to a police statement and the police source. His aides in the alleged scheme included Pedrag Stankovic, a former player on the second-division Hercules team from Alicante in southeast Spain; Carlos de la Vega Diaz, a current player for the second-division Rayo Vallecano team in Madrid, and Pablo Acosta, a football agent, according to the statement and the police source. The investigation began in the middle of 2008 after police began to notice a group running drugs from South America to Spain. A container with 45 packages of cocaine -- linked to the suspects -- was hidden in wind farm machinery. It left an Argentine port in February, stopped in Tangiers, Morocco and then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, docking in the southern Spanish port of Algeciras. The cocaine container was finally driven by truck to Madrid, but before the suspects could get the cocaine and distribute it, the police moved in, arresting seven suspects in Madrid, three in the southeast port of Valencia and another in Alicante. The suspects include a Peruvian national, the police statement said. Authorities say Spain --- with its extensive coastline on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean -- is a major point of entry for drugs, for use in Spain or to be shipped elsewhere in the European Union.

Two professional footballers and agent among 11 accused of drug smuggling . Spanish police accuse group of bringing in cocaine from Argentina . Suspected leader of group was identified as Zoran Matijevic, a football agent .

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(CNN) -- An Internet auction to sell off the plaster cast that New Zealand Prime Minister John Key wore when he broke his right arm has raised close to NZ$ 20,000 for charity. John Key wears the cast during a TV interview on Friday. The online auction ended Sunday with a winning bid of NZ$18,500 (US$ 9,362), according to the New Zealand shopping Web site TradeMe, which conducted the bidding. The prime minister broke his arm in two places on January 17 when he tripped on some stairs at a Chinese New Year event in Auckland. Later, during a trip to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands for a Pacific Islands Forum meeting, several dignitaries -- including Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd -- signed Kay's blue cast. The money will benefit the Fred Hollows Foundation in blindness prevention programs in the Pacific. The TradeMe listing said the foundation estimates there are about 5,000 blind people in the Islands, mainly needing cataract surgery. Another 15,000 suffer from poor vision and need eyeglasses. "I am very surprised it got to that ... but I am delighted," New Zealand's national news agency quoted Key as saying about the winning bid. The cast, which was removed this weekend, is in "excellent condition," Key said. "Though I don't know whether is is $20,000 worth of condition." Bidders and curious clickers posed more than 180 questions during the auction period. "Does it come with the arm?" asked one. Another wanted to know if there was a chance of the the winner and Key "exchanging numbers and hanging out in the future if we hit it off?" A third asked: "If I was successful with this auction do I also have ownership and rights to any genetic material that may (have been) left inside the cast and the right to clone it if I choose to?" That person was told he or she would have to "negotiate with John's lawyers for that particular right." The winning bidder was a headstone maker from Wellington, according to NZPA, the news agency.

Auction to sell cast New Zealand's PM wore when he broke arm sold for charity . Online auction ended Sunday with winning bid of NZ$18,500 (US$ 9,362) John Key broke his arm in two places when he tripped on stairs in Auckland .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed a deployment order to move an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan next year, according to U.S. military officials. Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with its high mountain terrain. The troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade, the latest approved by Gates for the expected build-up of U.S. troops in Afghanistan throughout next year. Earlier this year, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, requested at least 20,000 additional troops be sent there to fight the increasing violence by the resurgent Taliban forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country. The officials could not say what units are being tapped to go because those units are now being told of their deployment and the announcement has not yet been made public. The aviation brigade will send a number of much-needed helicopters to the region. Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, where high mountain roads and passes make it difficult for large transport vehicles to move troops and supplies around the country. There are more than 30,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a Dutch soldier was killed Friday in southern Afghanistan, the NATO command confirmed. The soldier died in an improvised explosive device strike, according to a news release from NATO's International Security Assistance Force. "Our sincere condolences and sympathies are with the family and friends of this brave soldier, especially during this holiday season," said ISAF spokesman Capt. Mark Windsor Royal Navy. "This soldier's death is an irreplaceable loss to all of us who fight for the peace and stability of Afghanistan. ISAF will continue to fight for the cause for which this brave soldier gave his life." Eighteen Dutch troops have died in the Afghan conflict, according to a CNN count of casualty figures.

Troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade; transport helicopters to be sent . They are latest to be approved for expected build-up of U.S. troops next year . Dutch soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan, NATO confirms . Soldier died in an improved explosive device strike .

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(CNN) -- Troubled U.S. insurer AIG will end its shirt sponsorship deal with Premier League and European champions Manchester United next year. End of era: AIG will not renew its four-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United. It was widely believed that AIG would not renew their £19 million ($27 million) per year shirt deal when the four-year contract expired in 2010, due to the financial troubles the company has suffered. And, on Wednesday, the company confirmed this. "AIG's shirt sponsorship with Manchester United runs through May 2010. We have no plans to renew the deal," said a company statement. AIG is still restructuring after receiving a bail-out of $150 billion from the U.S. Government. They also have a £5 million ($6.8 million) per year deal to run MU Finance, but it is not clear what will happen with that contract. Despite the loss of AIG, a Manchester United spokesman told the UK Press Association that the Premier League giants hoped to better the current deal it had with the U.S. insurer. Have your say: Can football's giant salaries survive the financial crisis? "In line with industry practice, Manchester United is exploring the possibility of a shirt sponsor for the new 2010/11 season. "The club is in dialogue with a select number of top companies worldwide and has so far received sufficient interest to be confident it can improve on its current £19 million annual partnership with AIG." Michael Stirling, managing director of Global Sponsors, predicts United will be able to find a new sponsor who will match those figures. "I think they will do extremely well regardless of the crisis because they have done superbly in being the world club champions. There will be a lot of interest from major brands that want to be associated with the club, no matter the price," he told CNN. Massive Indian corporation Sahara are reported in the Indian media to be investigating the Red Devils' proposals, while Saudi Telecom is another company believed to be a potential new sponsor. World Club champions United also have strong links in both Malaysia and South Korea. Meanwhile, AIG have insisted they will honor their four-year agreement, leaving the Old Trafford club in a better position than when Vodafone gave just six months' notice before terminating their deal in 2006.

AIG confirm they will not renew its four-year contract with Manchester United . The Old Trafford club believes they can improve on the deal they had with AIG . India's Sahara and Saudi Telecom have been tipped as potential sponsors .

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(CNN) -- World number one golfer Tiger Woods has become a dad for the second time after wife Elin gave birth to a boy, Charlie Axel, on Sunday. Elin hands daughter Sam to Tiger after his victory at last year's U.S. Open. The couple already have a daughter Sam Alexis, who was born in June 2007, and proud dad Tiger announced news of the latest family addition on his official Web site on Monday. "Elin and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Charlie Axel Woods," said Woods who has been sidelined since knee surgery following his 14th major triumph at the U.S. Open last June. "Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and we want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts. "Sam is very excited to be a big sister and we feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. I also want to thank our doctors, nurses and the hospital staff for their personal and professional care. "We look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time, and again thanks from all of us for your kindness and support." The arrival of Charlie Axel comes as Woods prepares to return to the Tour with his earliest realistic comeback in three weeks at the Accenture World Match Play in Tucson where he would be the defending champion. However, reports suggest he may wait until the Tour comes to Florida, where he lives, next month. "I have no restrictions -- it's just a matter of getting my golf endurance up. I don't have my golf stamina back yet," he said on his Web site. "I am excited about returning to competition. Early on I didn't miss golf because I enjoyed staying home with Elin and Sam and I knew I wasn't physically able to play. "The truth is, I would have embarrassed myself. Now I'm getting my feel and practice back. It's just a matter of playing more on the course. "I'm working hard to get myself back into tournament shape and will return as soon as I'm ready." Woods position at the top of the world rankings -- he was 11 points clear at the time of surgery -- is currently under threat from Spanish star Sergio Garcia who has closed the gap to less than three points.

World number one golfer Tiger Woods has become a dad for the second time . Wife Elin gave birth to boy, Charlie Axel, on Sunday Woods says on Web site . Arrival of Charlie Axel comes as Woods prepares for Tour return after surgery .

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(CNN) -- Swedish car manufacturer Saab, a fully owned subsidiary of General Motors, announced Friday that it will "file for reorganization ... to create a fully independent business entity." The Swedish car maker says a formal reorganization is the best way to create an "entity that's ready for investment." Under the Swedish court system, an independent administrator will be appointed to work closely with the Saab management team to formulate a reorganization proposal, which will be presented to creditors within three weeks of the filing. Saab said it will continue to operate as usual and in accordance with the formal reorganization process, with the government providing some support during this period. "We explored and will continue to explore all available options for funding and/or selling Saab and it was determined a formal reorganization would be the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment," said Jan Ake Jonsson, managing director for Saab Automobile. "Saab has an excellent foundation for strong growth, assuming we can get the funding to complete engineering, tooling and manage launch costs. Reorganization will give us the time and means that help get these products to market, while minimizing the liquidity impact of Saab on GM." General Motors said this week that it plans shed tens of thousands of employees, close factories, cut product lines and wants billions of dollars in government funding to stave off bankruptcy. When all is said and done, GM said that by 2011 it could need a total of $30 billion, which includes the $13.4 billion in Treasury loans it has already received. In the near term, GM will most certainly need $9.1 billion in additional loans and could require an additional $7.5 billion in the next two years if auto sales don't improve.

Independent adminstrator appointed to form Saab reorganization plan . Auto maker says plan considered to be the best way to attract future funding . Saab is a fully owned subsidiary of ailing U.S. auto maker General Motors . GM is fighting to stave off bankruptcy with job cuts, U.S. Treasury loans .

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(CNN) -- Barack Obama's two daughters had another reason to high-five their dad's election to the presidency Tuesday night: they're getting a puppy. President Bush's dog Barney walks in the White House Rose Garden in 2007. "Sasha and Malia," Obama said in his victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park, "I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." The new White House pet will follow in the paw-steps of a menagerie of animals that have had the run of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the years. The Bush family shared their eight years at the White House with a cat, a feisty English springer spaniel and two Scottish terriers -- all of whom have their own pages on the president's Web site. The Clintons' Washington stay included a cat, Socks, who did not get along with their chocolate Labrador retriever, Buddy. And Millie the springer spaniel's canine view of life in the White House -- as "told to" then-first lady Barbara Bush -- became a best-seller that outsold the memoirs of President George H.W. Bush. While many presidents took to heart President Harry Truman's admonishment -- "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog" -- first pets have come in all shapes, sizes and species. Thomas Jefferson kept two grizzly bears in a cage on the White House lawn, while John Quincy Adams is said to have let his alligator use a bathtub inside. Calvin Coolidge walked his raccoons on a leash. Theodore Roosevelt's sons escorted their pet pony onto the White House elevator to cheer up a sick sibling. And perhaps the strangest of all: Martin Van Buren briefly owned two tiger cubs, a gift from the Sultan of Oman. Pets have sometimes been a boon to a president's image. But some have also taken a bite out of their popularity. Animal lovers howled in protest when Lyndon B. Johnson picked up his beagles, Him and Her, by the ears to provide photographers a better view. On the other hand, Richard Nixon -- running for vice president and accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions -- successfully defended himself in his famous "Checkers Speech." The only gift he ever accepted was "a little cocker spaniel dog" that his daughter named Checkers, Nixon said. "And I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it," he added. Come January, the Obamas will make history by becoming the first African-American family to move into the White House. But if Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, get what they've been promised, the new tenants will keep one long-standing tradition alive ... and wagging.

President-elect Obama promises his daughters a puppy . White House has a history of president pets -- from dogs to tiger cubs . President Bush had three dogs and cat, President Clinton a dog and cat .

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BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Bedraggled, hungry and dazed, the refugees arrived on the shores of Thailand after fleeing one of the most repressive governments in the world -- the hard-line military regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma. This picture provided to CNN is said to show refugees being towed out to sea by the Thai army. But a CNN investigation has uncovered evidence that for hundreds of Rohingya refugees -- members of a Muslim minority group -- abuse and abandonment at sea were what awaited them in Thailand, at the hands of Thai authorities. Extraordinary photos obtained by CNN from someone directly involved in the Thai operation show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose and abandoned. One photo shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea. Watch the backstory on the investigation » . For days, accusations have been carried in several regional papers that the Thai army has been systematically towing boat-loads of Rohingya refugees far out to sea and setting them adrift. The army denied it, and the Thai government has launched an inquiry. CNN's investigation -- based on accounts from tourists, sources in Thailand and a Rohingya refugee who said he was on a boat towed back out to sea -- helps to piece together a picture of survival thwarted by an organized effort not just to repel arriving refugees, but to hold them prisoner on shore, drag them in flimsy boats far out to sea and then abandon them. Watch CNN's investigation into reports of refugees being set adrift » . Three tourists recently voiced concern to CNN over what they had seen -- and in some cases photographed -- near Thailand's tourist areas. One tourist provided CNN with photos last week of refugees detained by Thai authorities on a beach near a tourist site, with the refugees prone on the sun-bleached sand while guards stood nearby. "Whenever someone raised their head or moved, they [guards] would strike them with a whip," said Australian tourist Andrew Catton. A CNN crew traveled to a remote stretch of the Thai coast four hours north of the tourist island of Phuket to investigate the growing reports that the Thai military was secretly detaining Rohingya refugees before towing them out to sea and setting them adrift. In an isolated beach area, debris including sandals and campfire remnants indicated that large numbers of people had been there but were nowhere to be seen. The crew then traveled to a nearby island, where residents reported that refugees who had escaped were living in the jungle. In one hamlet, villagers had captured a Rohingya man they believed had been living in the jungle for days. The refugee, who identified himself as Iqbal Hussain, told CNN he was on one of six boats in a makeshift refugee fleet that arrived in Thailand in December. He said all six boats with their refugee cargo were towed back out to sea in January, and five of the six boats sank. His boat made it back to shore, and he hid in the jungle for days until nearby villagers captured him. In broken English and using sign language and drawings, he described what happened to the other men on the boats: . "All men dead," he said, putting the number of dead at several hundred. The Rohingya, a persecuted minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing their country in rickety boats for years, in search of a better life. In Thailand, many instead have found deprivation and the possibility of desertion far off shore, according to the CNN investigation. The source who provided CNN with photos of refugees in a boat being towed out to sea stressed that the Thai army had given the refugees food and water, but he also confirmed that the boats had been pulled for more than two days into international waters before they were set adrift. His account directly contradicts briefings by senior Thai army sources who denied any such operation was undertaken. A source in the Thai military, after extensive questioning, did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. But the source defended it, insisting that each boatload of refugees was always given sufficient supplies of food and water. That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, and that they were accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them. CNN asked the government for comment and was told that an investigation was being launched and that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has plans to call an emergency meeting once the country's foreign minister returns from Cambodia. Panitan Wattanayagorn, a government spokesman, gave no timeline for the foreign minister's return or the emergency meeting. He did say the government is taking the matter very seriously.

CNN finds evidence hundreds of Rohingya refugees abandoned at sea by Thai army . Photos show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose . The army denies setting refugees adrift; Thai government has launched an inquiry . Rohingya have been fleeing persecution of the hard-line military regime in Myanmar .

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(CNN) -- A massive winter storm has left at least 17 people dead and more than a million homes across the Midwest without power, according to reports from several state emergency management agencies. A tree pulls on utility lines Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky, in a photo from iReporter Jacek Jasinski. Almost half those households are in Kentucky, where 45 shelters have been set up to help residents battling icy conditions, a spokesman for the governor's office said. "One of our biggest concerns is [providing] power generators, especially for nursing homes out in the western part of the state that are without power," Jay Blanton, spokesman for Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, said Wednesday. The storm dumped ice and snow on a region that extends from Texas to Kentucky and left "absolutely everything in northwest Arkansas ... at a standstill," an Arkansas police officer said. Watch ice damage trees in Arkansas » . "It's hard to walk, let alone drive," Fayetteville, Arkansas, police officer Dan Baker said. "It looks like tornado damage." He added, "Our officers are wearing metal cleats just so they can walk the streets." iReport.com: Send your wintry weather photos, videos . Northwest Arkansas has been hit hard, and schools and universities were closed throughout the state. See the impact of the storms » . "It's like a ghost town," Barbara Rademacher of Rogers, Arkansas, said Wednesday morning. "It's just white and ice," Rademacher said while looking out her kitchen window at a street devoid of traffic and littered with the ice-weighted branches of oak trees. "The roads are impassable, and there are shelters set up in every community because there are so many people with power out," she said. The storms were extending their reach into the New England states Wednesday. The National Weather Service issued freezing rain, ice and winter storm warnings from Texas up through the Ohio Valley and into New England. Watch how to have fun in the snow » . As of Wednesday, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported at least 27,621 homes and businesses affected by power outages across the state. The commission office was closed Wednesday because of the icy conditions. Heavy snow fell in many areas Tuesday into early Wednesday. Parts of Pennsylvania and Maryland were hit with 4 inches; parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana were struck with 6 inches; and areas of Ohio were covered with 12 inches of snow, forecasters said. Ice storms blast the heartland . Weather-related flight delays were reported at New York's LaGuardia and Washington Dulles International airports as well as in Dallas, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Newark, New Jersey, a Federal Aviation Administration Web site indicated. Check on your airport . For Dorenda Coks, assistant manager at City Bites in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the winter blast was a completely new experience. Watch the terrible driving conditions in Oklahoma and Arkansas » . The Jamaica native is experiencing her first winter in Oklahoma and wasn't prepared for the cold. "You just try to stay warm," Coks said. Oklahomans were due for some relief Wednesday as temperatures were expected to rise above freezing, according to meteorologist Andy Wallace of CNN affiliate KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. CNN's David Ariosto contributed to this report.

At least 17 deaths blamed on icy winter storm . Kentucky opens 45 shelters for thousands without power . "Everything in northwest Arkansas is at a standstill," police officer says . Storms drop ice, sleet and snow from Texas to Ohio Valley to New England .

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(CNN) -- The European Union on Monday removed the People's Mujajedeen of Iran from its list of terrorist organizations. Forty-seven groups remain on the EU's list. Iranian police guard French embassy in Tehran on January 25 during protest against EU decision. Here are some of the main ones. -- Aum Shinri Kyo: Doomsday cult in Japan. Responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attacks on the Toyko subway that killed 12 and wounded some 5,000. -- Real IRA: Separatists in Northern Ireland. Responsible for the Omagh bombing in 1998 that killed 28 people. -- Jemaah Islamiyah: Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in Indonesia and one of the largest terrorist organizations in the world. Carried out the Bali nightclub bombings in 2002 that killed more than 200 tourists, most of them Westerners. -- PKK, or Kurdish Workers' Party: Marxist group fighting for an independent state for Turkish Kurds. -- Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Militant group dedicated to the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state and the destruction of Israel. -- Hamas: Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization that rules Gaza. Its military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and the Israeli military. -- Tamil Tigers, or LTTE: Ethnic separatists fighting the Sri Lankan government. Responsible for fatal attacks against soldiers and civilians since conflict with the government began in 1983. -- ETA: Basque separatists in northern Spain. Blamed for more than 800 deaths and thousands of injuries during a 40-year campaign. -- FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia: Marxist insurgents who have been fighting the government since the 1960s. -- CNN's Tom Boltman contributed to this list.

PMoI, or Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, opposed Iran govt. for decades . EU delisted group because of an order by the European Court of Justice . Iran has accused the European Union of acting against international law .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Rapper Kanye West and his business manager face vandalism, battery and grand theft charges in connection with a scuffle with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport last September. Rapper Kanye West has been charged after an incident last year involving two photographers. The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file felony charges, but L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo decided to charge West, 31, and Don Crawley, 33, with misdemeanors Wednesday. Police arrested West on September 11, 2008, after an altercation with two paparazzi, airport police said. The incident, which took place near the airport's Terminal 4, occurred between the rap star and Crawley -- his road manager and bodyguard -- and a photographer and a cameraman who were taking their photos, airport police said. The cameras of the paparazzi were damaged in the altercation, police said. West was charged with one count of vandalism, one count of grand theft and one count of battery, according to Frank Mateljan, the spokesman for the city attorney. Crawley was charged with two counts of vandalism, two counts of grand theft and two counts of battery, Mateljan said. If convicted of all charges, West could face up to two years and six months in jail, while Crawley could face up to five years, he said. Their arraignment hearing is set for April 14 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse, he said. West, a 10-time Grammy winner, and Crawley were in the airport to catch a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii, police said. The pair were outside of passenger security screening when the incident occurred. CNN could not immediately reach the star's publicist for comment. The celebrity Web site TMZ posted a video of the incident shot by one of its reporters, who was also in the terminal when the altercation occurred. The video was short and chaotic, and the man whom TMZ identifies as West never shows his face, which is shrouded in the hood of a gray sweatshirt. According to the Web site, after West grabbed the camera from the photographer, Crawley took it from him, leaving the rap star with the lighting component. The video shows the man in the gray sweatshirt and another man in a red sweatshirt -- whom TMZ identifies as Crawley -- each smashing parts of a camera on the ground. Then the man in red approaches the camera as it is filming. He reaches out for the camera, and it appears a struggle ensues. As airport officials arrive, the man walks off. TMZ reported that after the incident with the first photographer, Crawley grabbed the TMZ reporter's camera and allegedly broke it. Police stopped West and Crawley as they tried to leave to go through security to board the plane, the Web site said. TMZ is partly owned by AOL, part of CNN's parent company, Time Warner. West quickly became a hip-hop star after his first album, "College Dropout," debuted in 2004, earning him a best rap album Grammy that year. He twice matched that feat with 2005's "Late Registration" and 2007's "Graduation." West also has won three best rap song Grammys for his hits "Jesus Walks," "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and "Good Life." His other four Grammys include two best rap solo performance awards, one for best rap performance by a duo or group, and one for best R&B song for his role in helping write "You Don't Know My Name," a song performed by Alicia Keys. The platinum rapper is also known for controversial outbursts, most notably in 2005, when he went off script during an NBC telethon for victims of Hurricane Katrina, saying, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Kanye West and his manager charged with vandalism, theft and battery . Pair alleged to have been in scuffle that damaged photography equipment . If convicted, the Grammy-winning rapper faces more than two years in jail . TMZ has video that it says is of the incident .

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(CNN) -- Seven French soldiers were killed when their military helicopter crashed off the coast of Gabon, the country's official news agency said Sunday. A French ship with investigators on board look for clues near the crash site area. Two French soldiers survived the Saturday night crash, the agency said. French Defense Minister Herve Morin arrived in Gabon's capital of Libreville on Sunday and met with President Omar Bongo to coordinate recovery efforts for the body of one of the seven soldiers whose remains had not been found. According to the French minister, "the cause of this tragedy remains unknown. It may be natural or human, or a combination of both." Divers were inspecting the helicopter, which was in water 35 meters (about 115 feet) deep, Morin said. French forces were in the former French colony for maritime security exercises with Gabonese soldiers when the incident happened.

Seven killed, but two French soldiers survive the Saturday night crash . Recovery efforts underway for body of one of the seven soldiers still missing . Divers inspecting helicopter, which was in water 35 meters (about 115 feet) deep .

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(CNN) -- Two former presidents reflected on their greatest regrets in office Monday, each looking back to issues that continue to plague the nation years later. Former presidents and political rivals Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush now share philanthropic efforts. Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared together at a question-and-answer forum before the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans, Louisiana. Asked his biggest regret after leaving office, Bush said he now wonders whether he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991. He told the gathering, "I've thought a lot about it, but at the end of Desert Storm, the question was should we have kind of kept going on that road to death and all this slaughter until Saddam Hussein showed up and laid his sword on the table, surrendered. And the common wisdom was he wouldn't do that." But he said a conversation with an FBI agent who interrogated Saddam after he was captured has made him reconsider. Bush recalled their talk, "I said, 'What if we just say he has to come to surrender, would he have done it?' And this guy said, 'I'm absolutely convinced he would have.' My experts tell me he wouldn't have." Bush said, "We ended it the way we said we would" as a military success, but noted a cleaner ending "would have been perfect." He added, "If we had tried to get Saddam Hussein to come and literally surrender and put his sword on the table, I think it might have been avoided some of the problems that we did have in the future from him." On a day that President Barack Obama dispatched George Mitchell to the Middle East as the latest U.S. envoy, Clinton discussed the failure to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians. "My No. 1 regret is that I was not able to persuade Yasser Arafat to accept the peace plan I offered at the end of my presidency that the Israelis accepted. "If he had done that ... we had had seven years of progress toward peace. We had one year in 1998, the only year in the history of Israel where not a single soul was killed in a terrorist act. The Palestinians had more control over West Bank then than they do today," Clinton said. "And if he had taken that deal, we would have a Palestinian state and we would have had, I think now, normal peaceful relations with Israel and all of its Arab neighbors." Clinton said a deal would have helped the U.S. handle other issues in the region, saying, "We'd be much better positioned to deal with the problem of Iran, and we would have taken away about half the arguments of terrorists around the world by giving the Palestinians their state and creating a cooperative, positive interdependence in the Middle East, not a negative one. And so, I think that would have done more good to save more lives and help more people, and I wish I had been able to do that. " Clinton also said he regretted not doing more to "stop the Rwandan genocide," and succeeding on a new health care plan. He said "presidents should share freely ... the mistakes they made" with historians, because it teaches lessons. He said he shared problems during the lunch with Obama and the four living presidents, saying, "You want each new president to make new mistakes, not the same ones." Clinton added, "all of us know if you make enough decisions, you're going to make a few of them aren't right."

Middle East leaves George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton with some regrets . Bush wonders whether he should have pressed harder for Saddam's surrender . Clinton looks back at Palestinian-Israeli peace process with some remorse . Presidents should share their mistakes as a learning tool, Clinton says .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British reality TV star Jade Goody married Sunday after being told by doctors last week that her cancer is terminal. Jade Goody, pictured with fiance Jack Tweed Saturday, before Sunday's wedding . Goody, 27 tied the knot with boyfriend Jack Tweed, 21, in Hatfield Heath, Essex, east of London, UK media reported. After the ceremony Max Clifford, the couple's publicist, told waiting reporters that there had been "lots of tears and smiles and laughter" and that the congregation gave the newlyweds a standing ovation after the signing of the register. Goody sprung to fame in "Big Brother" in 2002, going on to launch a range of her own products and host TV shows. But her return to the celebrity edition of the show in 2007 ended in international ignominy, after her taunting of Indian Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. Goody's behavior resulted in more than 40,000 complaints and sparked protests in India. Shetty said last week that she was unable to attend the wedding due to filming commitments but was praying for Goody. Read blog about how media covered wedding . In August 2008 Goody appeared on the Indian version of "Big Brother," only to fly home after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. News of Goody's condition has sparked massive interest in the UK, both from the media -- which bid for rights to her story -- and among the public, who have contacted charities for information about cervical cancer. Critics have attacked Goody's decision to sell rights to what may be her final weeks, although the star has told British media that she wants to leave her children by a previous relationship -- sons, Bobby, five, and Freddie, four -- financially secure. Watch Jade Goody's wedding preparations » . But Clifford told ITN: "Ironically, a big part of what she's doing now is to fund her children's education. To give them the education she never had." Charity Cancer Research UK said in a statement earlier this month that daily visits to its Web site had increased two- to three-fold since news of Goody's illness was announced. "The publicity around Jade's diagnosis has led many more people to ask questions and seek information about cervical cancer," spokeswoman Emma Gilgunn-Jones said. Shetty, writing on her blog earlier this week, said that Goody had invited her to the wedding but had been unable to attend due to filming commitments in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "Read an article on Jade Goody's deteriorating condition," wrote Shetty. "It disturbed me 'cause the last time I spoke to her, she seemed very positive and we were all expecting that the doctors would be able to curb the cancer from spreading. This piece of news came as a shock - so I called her hoping it was only a rumor but she confirmed it. Shetty added that she was praying for Goody and that she hoped God "gives her the strength to cope with this pain." "She wants the best for her kids," Shetty wrote. "I hope Jack makes a good father to them. I also hope for a miracle to happen for her children's sake." On Friday the UK's Ministry of Justice said it would allow Tweed, who was jailed in September 2008 for assault, to spend his wedding night with his bride, the Press Association reported. "We are absolutely thrilled," the agency reported Clifford as saying. "It will be the dream finish to her dream day, and it makes so much difference. Tweed, who was released early from jail in January, has to wear a tag and is subject to a 1900 GMT curfew. "We'll get married if I have to drag her wheelchair down the aisle," he told ITN last week. The wedding dress, which media reports say included a pouch to hold Goody's medication, was donated by Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed. Goody's bridesmaids were seen with the TV star Saturday, wearing plastic bald caps in a show of solidarity at the impact of her chemotherapy treatment.

Publicist: Couple receive standing ovation, lots of tears, laughter, smiles . British 'Big Brother' star fast-tracked plans to get married after cancer spread . Shetty says she was invited to ceremony but unable due to film commitments . Charities report marked increase in public seeking details about condition .

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(CNN) -- Manchester City have confirmed that absent Brazilian striker Robinho will be back in time for the Premier League side's return to training next week. Robinho had a reputation for partying prior to his British-record transfer to Manchester City last August. City manager Mark Hughes told the club's official Web site that Robinho, who cost mega-rich City a British record fee of £32.5 million ($45m) when he signed from Real Madrid in August, will be spoken to after not joining the rest of the squad in a Tenerife training camp this week -- choosing instead to fly to Brazil to attend to a family matter. Hughes told mcfc.co.uk: "Robbie left without permission, he felt that he had personal things that he needed to attend to. "He made the decision to leave the camp, and go back to Brazil. That was not with my permission, and the situation at the moment is not really practical to get him back here with time differences and length of flights, so he will be back at the weekend ready to train when we are back in Manchester at the first available opportunity. "Once he is back, I will sit down with him and explain my feelings, and decisions will be made after that. He has rung me, and he understands that we need to address this -- and we will. Then we will move on. Robinho's decision to fly to Brazil came on the same day that City announced they were pulling out of a world record transfer move for AC Milan star Kaka, a Brazilian team-mate of Robinho. However. Hughes has insisted that that two matters are completely unrelated. Robinho is no stranger to controversy and had a reputation as a party-goer prior to his move to Manchester last year. He was dropped by his former Madrid coach, and now England national coach, Fabio Capello, who questioned his attitude and Robinho's eventual departure from the Spanish club was acrimonious. In fact, in October 2007, Robinho failed to return to Madrid after appearing for Brazil in an international match, claiming he had missed his flight. Local newspapers later revealed that he had been seen partying in a popular Rio de Janeiro nightclub and he was subsequently fined and dropped by the club.

Robinho will return to Manchester City in time for return to training next week . City manager Mark Hughes reveals Robinho flew to Brazil without permission . However, Hughes says their failure to sign Kaka was not linked to his decision .

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(CNN) -- Pharmaceuticals giants Merck and Schering-Plough are planning to merge their operations under the name Merck in a deal worth $41.1 billion. Merck chairman and CEO Richard T. Clark will head the combined company. Under the terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders will receive just over half a Merck share and $10.50 in cash for each Schering-Plough share they own. Each Merck share will automatically become a share of the combined company. Merck shareholders are expected to own approximately 68 percent of the combined company, and Schering-Plough shareholders are expected to own approximately 32 percent. Merck Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Richard T. Clark will lead the combined company. "We are creating a strong, global healthcare leader built for sustainable growth and success," Clark said in a media statement Monday. "The combined company will benefit from a formidable research and development pipeline, a significantly broader portfolio of medicines and an expanded presence in key international markets, particularly in high-growth emerging markets. "We look forward to joining forces with an outstanding partner we know well and that shares our commitment to patients, employees and the communities where we work and live." Merck added that its 2009 outlook has not changed, and it is committed to keeping its annual dividend at its current level of $1.52 per share. Both drug-makers reported better-than-expected quarterly results in early February, but announced steep job cuts. On a conference call with investors on February 3, Clark said the drug-maker was open to a takeover of a large pharmaceutical company.

SP shareholders to get over half a Merck share and $10.50 in cash per share . Merck shareholders expected to own around 68 percent of combined company . Both drug-makers reported better-than-expected quarterly results in February .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- The National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating not only what went wrong, but also what went right Thursday when a US Airways flight ended in the Hudson River without any deaths or major injuries. The aircraft remains in the Hudson River on Friday. Workers hope to lift it out Saturday morning. "Having a successful ditching is a very rare event," Kitty Higgins of the NTSB said Friday. "We'll not only celebrate what worked here, but also learn what worked. So many times you're only focused on what went wrong. A lot of things went right yesterday." Divers struggled against strong currents and frigid water temperatures to retrieve critical pieces of the puzzle from the Hudson River, where US Airways flight 1549 ended up less than three minutes after it took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport Thursday afternoon. The flight data and cockpit voice recorders -- both critical to determining exactly what happened -- remained attached to the tail section of the aircraft, which was still partially submerged but secured to moorings. Watch a former pilot tell how to water-land a plane » . Workers will be at the site until midnight, rigging the aircraft so it can be lifted out Saturday morning, attached to a barge and moved to a secure location for investigation, Higgins said. Both engines from the Airbus A320 double-engine jet were on the river bottom, after the water landing's impact apparently detached them from the plane. Authorities are using side-scan sonar to locate the engines, Higgins said. iReport.com: Were you there? Send images . The engines also will be brought in as part of the investigation into what happened, including the possibility of bird strikes. "I don't want to characterize anything at this point about this particular accident because we are just at the beginning stages," Higgins said, adding that this accident would be the first "in a very long time" where possible bird strikes may have been a factor. Watch water wash over the plane » . Meanwhile, passengers, city officials and aviation experts heaped praise on pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger and his crew, as well as first responders who acted quickly to minimize passengers' injuries in below-freezing temperatures and frigid water. The White House said President Bush called Sullenberger to praise him for "his heroic efforts to ensure the safety of his passengers and the people in the area." New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sullenberger executed an "incredibly skillful emergency landing." The pilot and crew of the flight will receive the key to the city, he told reporters Friday. "We typically like you to land at our airports," he joked, but said the water landing worked out with the best possible outcome. Watch Bloomberg honor heroism » . "We saw a lot of heroism in the Hudson yesterday," Bloomberg said. The mayor also gave certificates of appreciation to first responders who scrambled to help passengers to safety. Shortly after the flight, bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, took off at 3:26 p.m. Thursday, passengers noticed quickly that something was awry. See a map of the plane's flight path » . A source familiar with the situation told CNN that Sullenberger reported a double bird strike, which was taken to mean that birds were sucked into both the jet's engines. The FAA said witnesses reported seeing the plane hit a flock of birds. Sullenberger was given clearance to return to LaGuardia for an emergency landing, a source said, but instead, he was forced to find someplace else to ditch the plane. In crowded New York City, the Hudson River provided the best option. Watch how the landing and rescue happened » . After the plane came to a stop, passengers quickly got out, standing on the partially submerged wings or on the emergency exit chutes, which also serve as life rafts. New York Waterway Capt. Vince Lombardi, operating a ferry in the Hudson, said he noticed something in the water as the boat pulled out of Pier 70. "I said to my deck hand, 'That's an odd-looking boat,' " he told reporters Friday. "He said, 'I think that's an airplane.' " The ferry headed straight for the plane, he said. "I was a little overwhelmed and scared for the people. The water is about 32 degrees. The outside air temp was in the 20s. We were worried if we didn't get them out right away, there would be casualties." As he arrived, he said, most passengers were calm, but some were cheering and crying. Some said, "Get me out of the water, please, I'm cold." Watch a Coast Guard lieutenant talk about rescuing passengers » . Detective Michael Delaney, an NYPD diver, recalled seeing a woman in the water clinging to the side of a ferry "in obvious distress" when he arrived. "We pretty much saw the distress that was in her face," he said. He and other divers pulled her off the side of the boat and swam her over to another boat and to safety, he said. The New York Waterway ferry reached the scene in less than four minutes, city officials said at a news conference on Friday. The first ambulance reached the shore in a minute and 12 seconds. Other boats arrived at the plane within seven minutes. About 25 people were treated at hospitals after the incident, but Bloomberg said Thursday there were no serious injures. Only a few people remained hospitalized Friday, according to the hospitals. They included a flight attendant with a deep laceration to her leg and a Coast Guard rescuer with a minor hematoma -- a localized swelling filled with blood. The flight attendant was in stable condition and the rescuer was in good condition. Most patients were treated and released, the hospitals said. With the air and water temperatures at the time of the incident, people could remain in the water only two to three minutes before the onset of hypothermia, said John Peruggia, chief of emergency medical services for FDNY. NTSB investigators planned to speak with Sullenberger and his co-pilot on Saturday, Higgins said. The agency wants to speak with Sullenberger before the media, so he has not been made available to reporters. NTSB investigators were interviewing other members of the flight crew Friday, Higgins said. CNN's Mike Brooks, Jeanne Meserve, Richard Davis and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

NEW: Agencies hope to learn from plane in Hudson, spokeswoman says . NEW: Currents, cold temperatures hamper efforts to retrieve engines, flight data . First responders receive certificates of appreciation from mayor . Mayor says he'll give key to the city to pilot and crew .

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(CNN) -- After deliberating for only 45 minutes, a jury convicted an Alabama man Thursday of throwing his four children off a Gulf Coast bridge in January 2008, according to prosecutors. Lam Luong, 38, admitted throwing the children, who ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months, off the Dauphin Island bridge south of Mobile, according to CNN affiliate WKRG. Charged with five counts of capital murder, he changed his plea to guilty last week. However, Alabama law requires that all capital cases go before a judge and jury, WKRG said. The sentencing phase of Luong's trial will begin Friday, the Mobile County District Attorney's office told CNN. Jurors will decide whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole. A judge is not bound by the jury's decision, however, and Alabama law requires an automatic appeal in capital cases. Luong and his wife were having marital difficulties, prosecutors said. WKRG reported that during opening arguments in the trial, prosecutors told jurors Luong threw the kids off the bridge so he could see the look on his wife's face. Luong was on crack at the time, and he told investigators they could charge him if they found the children's bodies before breaking into laughter, jurors were told. The defense called no witnesses, but told jurors Luong was intoxicated at the time and was incapable of forming the necessary intent to be convicted of a capital offense, asking them to convict him of manslaughter, WKRG said. During the trial, jurors heard about the search for the children's bodies and saw graphic video of the bodies floating in the water, the station reported. A commercial fisherman recording rough weather off the coast of Venice, Louisiana, found one body, while two duck hunters and a Mississippi marine officer found the other three, according to WKRG. Luong looked down, away from the overhead screens, when the photographs of the children's bodies were shown. CNN's Divina Mims contributed to this report.

Lam Luong, 38, admitted throwing the children off the Dauphin Island bridge . Prosecutors said Luong threw the kids so he could see the look on wife's face . The four children ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months . The sentencing phase of Luong's trial will begin Friday .

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(OPRAH.com) -- One of the original Kings of Comedy, Steve Harvey is the host of one of the most popular radio shows in the country, "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." His first book, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man," is shooting to the top of the best-seller lists, and Oprah Winfrey says she loves everything it has to say! Harvey says this book has a special meaning for him. "This is the first project that I didn't do for money," he says. "Other than my foundation -- mentoring programs -- everything I do is for money. I tell jokes for a check; I'm on TV for a check. ... But this [book] right here I did purely to empower women." In his book, Harvey says the way a man introduces you gives good insight into the status of your relationship. If a man introduces you as a friend or says your name with no title at all, Harvey says you have nothing. "We're very protective. We mark our territory. If a man loves you...he's willing to profess it. He'll give you a title after a while. You're going to be his lady, his woman, his fiancée, his wife, his baby's mama, something," he says. "If he's introducing you after six months, 'This is...Oprah,' you should be standing there going, 'This is going nowhere.'" Oprah.com: Read an excerpt from this best-selling book! Man with a plan . Another thing women need to understand, according to Harvey, is that every man has a plan. "Men don't come up to you to just talk. We come up to you with a plan," he says. "We're looking across the room at you, and we don't care about your hopes and dreams. We don't care about what your future holds. We saw something we wanted." When a man approaches a woman, Harvey says, he already knows what we wants from her, but he doesn't know what it will cost. "How much time do you want from me? What your standards? What are your requirements? Because we'll rise to the occasion no matter how high you set the bar if we want to," he says. "The problem is, women have stopped setting the bar high." Oprah.com: What's your love type? The cookie . Though a woman might want many things from a man, Harvey says men only need three things: support, loyalty and sex. Or as Harvey calls it, "the cookie." "We've got to have your support. Whatever adventure we're out on, whatever pursuit in life, we need your support. Then we need your loyalty. That's your love. We've got to know that you belong to us," he says. "And we've got to have a cookie. Everybody likes cookies. That's the thing about a cookie. I like oatmeal raisin...but if you've got vanilla cream, I'll eat that too." Kickin' it . In his book, Harvey tells the story of his father-in-law's first introduction to one of Harvey's daughter's boyfriends. "[My 26-year-old daughter] was dating this guy who was about 30. He had been over to the house about four, five times. And my father-in-law was visiting from Memphis," Harvey says. "He's in the kitchen and he's eating and [my daughter's] boyfriend is in there, and [my father-in-law] goes: 'So, son, sit down. Tell me, what's your plan for my granddaughter?'" After plenty of hemming and hawing, Harvey says the boyfriend finally said that the two were just "kickin' it." Harvey was pretty confident his daughter didn't have the same interpretation of the relationship, he says. "I said: 'Cool. Let's bring my daughter in there. Let's inform her that she's just being kicked...let's see if that's what she wants to do," he says. "They broke up the next day." Gone fishin' Harvey says men are like fishermen -- but women are actually the ones looking for a good catch. You won't be able to find one, though, until you up your standards. "You've got sports fishermen, and you've got guys out there fishing to eat. You've got guys that are fishing to keep the fish, and you've got guys that are fishing to catch them, unhook them and throw them back," Harvey says. "You've got to determine along the way which one of the fish you're going to be." Without ironclad standards, Harvey says you'll always end up back in the dating pool. "You've got to quit lowering your standards," he says. "Set your requirements up front so when a guy hooks you, he has to know this is business." And don't let the man set the pace of the relationship -- Harvey says it's always the woman who has total control. "With all that power, why do you suddenly relinquish this power just because you want a guy to accept you? That's stupid," he says. "Say: 'Look, if you want to be with me, this is what you got to do. This is what it takes to get to me.'" When should you sleep with your new boyfriend? As an auto plant worker, Harvey says he had to wait 90 days to receive benefits -- and says the same probation period should apply to dating. "In 90 days they checked me out. They determined if I was easy to work with, if I got along well with others, if I showed up when I said I was going to show up, if I was worthy." Women, Harvey says, hold the greatest benefit of all -- the cookie -- so there's no reason to give it away until you know your man deserves it. "Slow down, ladies," Harvey says. "Look, you cannot run us off." So what if you don't want to wait 90 days? Harvey says if you change the probation period, you do so at your own risk. "You all keep changing the rules. And men are aware of the fact that you are changing the rules. We're aware of the fact that you act desperate. We're aware of the fact that you think there's a good shortage of good men out there," he says. "We play on all of that. ... We created the term 'gold digger' so you won't ask us for nothing. We created the term 'nagging' so you can quit badgering us. These are terms that we created so you can require less of us." Mr. fix-it . Harvey says four little words can strike fear and dread into any man: We need to talk. "You just drove a nail in his forehead," Harvey says. Men are fixers, not talkers, Harvey says, so it's better to get to the point. "When you say, 'We need to talk,' we put up the barriers," he says. "I tell ladies, just sit down and strike up a conversation." Oprah.com: How to talk to a brick wall . Turn off the text . Social networking Web sites and text messages can be a great way to keep in touch with friends, but Harvey says it's not the best way to date. "You have nothing if you're texting a guy in a relationship," he says. "We can text six women a minute. We can text it and push 'reply all.' I mean, since we're lying, we might as well lie to everybody." If you want the relationship to be more, take it face-to-face. "Women talk about [how] chivalry's dead. Chivalry's not dead -- it's just not required anymore," he says. "You've got to get a guy in your face. Look in his eyes. ... God has given you all this incredible thing called intuition. You've got to use that." Safety first . You know you've got a keeper when your man wants to make sure you're always safe, Harvey says. Every man wants to protect his woman, and Harvey says this instinct kicks in when his wife, Marjorie, scuba dives. "I can't go home without her. We've got seven kids between us," Harvey says. "They need their mother. I'm not a good mother at all." Although Marjorie is a certified diver, Harvey isn't a swimmer. "I have a security guy who can swim," he says. "So [he puts] on the snorkeling gear and when she goes down, I tell him, 'You swim over and just keep an eye on my wife.'" Harvey also has instructions for everyone else on the boat. "I told all the dive masters on the boat: 'If she does not come out of that water in 30 minutes, everybody in the water. Everybody. We're doing a dive search right here,'" he says. "I don't care if nobody [else] on the boat goes home. She goes home." Oprah.com: How to read his body language . From The Oprah Winfrey Show . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Comedian Steve Harvey says women set the bar too low when dating . Harvey: Workers wait 90 days for benefits; women should date 90 days before sex . Texting is not dating, says Harvey, just easier way for men to tell more lies . Men use terms like "gold digger" and "nagging" as weapons against women .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Pakistani scientist who admitted leaking nuclear secrets to North Korea, Iran and Libya and then recanted his confession, has been released from house arrest after it was declared illegal by the Islamabad High Court, his attorney told CNN Friday. Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan meets the media outside his residence Friday. "What the court declared is that he is a free citizen which means effectively... the basic human rights are available to him like any other citizen," said attorney Syed Ali Zafar. The Pakistani government was slow to acknowledge the high court's ruling. A spokesman said the Interior Ministry hasn't received the official court ruling, but will comply with whatever decision was made. Government attorneys said they expected an official announcement to be made by Saturday. But evidence of the end of Khan's house arrest seemed clear outside his home in an upscale part of Islamabad. Where a government security detail previously stood guard with machine guns, cars were parked and reporters roamed the area scratching for details. Khan made a brief appearance, saying he was outside because of the court's ruling, but gave few other details. In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she is "very much concerned" about Khan's release. Separately, acting deputy State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said: "This man remains a serious proliferation risk.," he said. "The proliferation support that Khan and his associates provided to Iran and North Korea has had a harmful impact ... on international security and will for years to come." Khan is widely regarded as a hero in Pakistan for his part in helping the country to develop nuclear weapons. In 2004, Khan was placed under house arrest following his admission on Pakistan television that he had been involved in a clandestine international network selling nuclear weapons technology from Pakistan to a host of nations including Iran and North Korea. Pakistan has so far refused to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. access to Khan to quiz him on the extent of the nuclear secrets he sold. "Even if they had asked me I wouldn't have answered," he said last year. In May 2008, Khan denied his involvement with the spread of nuclear arms outside Pakistan. He explained in an interview with ABC News that the Pakistani government and then-President Pervez Musharraf forced him to be a "scapegoat" for the "national interest." He also denies ever traveling to Iran or Libya and said that North Korea's nuclear program was well advanced before his visit.

NEW: U.S. concerned at Abdul Qadeer Khan's release from house arrest . Pakistani nuclear scientist Khan was placed under house arrest in 2004 . Admitted selling nuclear weapons technology to Iran, N. Korea, Libya, then recanted . Khan is regarded as a hero in Pakistan for helping develop nuclear weapons .

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(CNN) -- Iran is to send a female skier to the Winter Olympics for the first time at next year's Games in Vancouver, Canada, the head of the Islamic Republic's ski federation told state media Monday. Fatemeh Kiadarbandsari, competing at last month's World Ski Championships, in France. The chosen competitor will ski in "full Islamic dress," Iran's National News Agency reported. Three women Fatemeh Kiadarbandsari, Mitra Kalhor and Marjan Kalhor are vying for the place on the national team alongside three male skiers, said Iranian Ski Federation head Isa Saveh-Shemshaki. Trials for the team will be held in December, two months ahead of the event. Iran has sent male athletes to every Winter Games since 1956. Skiing is hugely popular in Iran with some of the region's best slopes in the Zagros Mountains just a two-hour drive from the country's capital Tehran. At weekends during the seven-month ski season it is common to see long queues of traffic on routes to resorts. With a growing ski tourism industry, the price of the sport has steadily increased. But with fewer social restrictions on the pistes than in other areas of Iranian life, the sport remains a popular pursuit for the country's youth. Until recently, many slopes were strictly segregated with men and women skiing on different sides of the mountain. But while it is still illegal to travel in the same chair lift or gondola, the country's strict religious laws are visibly more lax at 3,000 meters. Iran took just three women among 53 athletes to last year's Beijing Olympics but the choice of 19-year-old female rower Homa Hosseini to carry the flag during the opening ceremony infuriated strict Islamists. Current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who faces an election this year, was forced to back down from an initiative ealry in his current term to encourage female participation in sport because of criticism from the country's religious leaders. One mullah reportedly said that women should not ski because the movement of their knees looked "more like dancing than sport."

Iran set to send female athlete to next year's Winter Olympics for the first time . One female skier, three male skiers will be selected for Iranian Olympic team . Skiing is hugely popular in Iran with resorts just a two-hour drive from Tehran . Male, female skiers allowed to share slopes though not chair lifts, gondolas .

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BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- The tribunal established to prosecute people allegedly responsible for the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others will officially convene at The Hague in Netherlands on Sunday. White wreaths with photos of Rafik Hariri at his tomb. The car bomb in Beirut in February 2005 transformed the turbulent nation's politics and sent shock waves across the Middle East and the world. "All the necessary measures have been taken for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to commence functioning," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in his latest report to the U.N. Security Council. Daniel Bellemare, a Canadian, will be the U.N. tribunal's prosecutor. The trial judges and appeals chambers will take on their responsibilities on a date determined by Ban and the tribunal's president. The United Nations says the case is expected to be ready for trial by 2010. At the time of Hariri's death, neighboring Syria had immense political influence Lebanon, where it had had a troop presence from the 1980s, after the fighting between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon. Hariri was admired for spearheading the rebuilding of Beirut after the country's civil war, from 1975 to 1990, and many Lebanese blamed Syria for the killing, citing Hariri's patriotism and strong sense of Lebanese independence. The killing sparked widespread protests that led to the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the election of an anti-Syrian bloc in parliament. The anti-Syrian movement is known as the March 14 Alliance, named after the day millions of supporters of Hariri took to the streets, and its actions have been dubbed the Cedar Revolution, for the nation's iconic cedar trees. Huge counterprotests also were staged by Lebanese supporters of Syria. Watch how Lebanon changed after Hariri's death » . Along the way, U.N. investigators tasked to probe the attack found links between Syria's government and Hariri's assassination. Three people detained for three years in connection with the case were released Wednesday by a Lebanese judge. Four Lebanese generals who have been held for nearly four years in connection with the attack remain in custody. The Lebanese hope the tribunal will settle the case, but there are also fears it could further divide the nation and open up older wounds in the country. Rami Khoury, a political analyst and a professor at the American University of Beirut, said the tribunal could serve as a political flashpoint, but he said the existence of the tribunal is important. "It's an extraordinary symbol of the whole world coming in here, to the Arab world, and saying this has to stop, we're going to find who did it and hold them accountable," he said. "So it's tremendously important, I think, in what it represents." The special tribunal takes over from the Beirut-based International Independent Investigation Commission, which looked into 20 other attacks and found elements linking some of them to a criminal network behind the Hariri killing, the United Nations said.

U.N. tribunal for killing of former Lebanon prime minister to convene Sunday . Rafik Hariri killed in car bomb in Beirut in February 2005 . U.N. says the case is expected to be ready for trial by 2010 . Death led to protests and reduction of Syrian influence in Lebanon .

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- The United Arab Emirates has refused to grant a visa to a female Israeli tennis player, preventing her from competing in the Sony Ericsson World Tennis Association Tour in Dubai, the WTA said in a statement Sunday. The UAE has refused to grant a visa allowing Shahar Peer to compete in Dubai. Shahar Peer would have been the first Israeli athlete to participate in a professional sporting event in the UAE, CNN Sports correspondent Pedro Pinto said. The UAE has no diplomatic ties with Israel. Peer told CNN on Sunday evening she was "very, very disappointed" to be denied access to the tournament. "Any player that qualifies should attend, and I was prevented," she said from Israel. "I'm glad the WTA support me. A red line was crossed for every athlete in the world -- politics should be kept separate from sports." The governing body of women's tennis said it was "deeply disappointed" that Peer was being denied entry to the country hosting the tournament, but it did not cancel the competition, which began Sunday. The move runs counter to WTA policy, which says no player should be barred from competing in a tournament for which she has qualified. Dubai could lose its membership in the WTA tour next year over the ban on Peer, according to WTA rules. That would mean professional players could compete only in exhibition matches in Dubai, the results of which would not count in pro rankings. Government officials in Dubai have not responded to CNN's request to comment over their refusal to allow Peer to compete in the event. "Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament, and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right," said Larry Scott, chairman and chief executive of the tour. Watch Scott express disappointment » . "Following various consultations, the tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the tour's board of directors." The patron of the Dubai Tennis Championships is Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Makhtoum. Two million dollars in prize money is on the line. Al-Makhtoum told CNN in 2004 that Dubai would accept Israeli students to a school dedicated to students from the Middle East who are talented at sports. In 2003, Dubai hosted World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings, which Israeli government officials attended. The Israeli flag -- among other member states' flags -- is still part of a globe monument in Dubai. Peer, 21, is ranked 48th in the world among female tennis players. She was allowed to compete at the Doha tournament in Qatar last year, where she received a warm welcome, according to Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz. Qatar, another Gulf Arab state, froze diplomatic ties with Israel after Israel's military offensive in Gaza last month. Peer downplayed the political undertones of her participation in last year's Doha tournament, telling Haaretz that she didn't come to Qatar "to help the politics of course." But she added that if her playing in the tournament "can help for peace or anything, I'd be really happy." Scott said the tour will "review appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer" as well as "appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament." Peer was advised Saturday by tournament and WTA officials of the denial of her visa while she was participating in a tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, according to a WTA statement. The Dubai Tennis Championships runs through February 28.

NEW: Shahar Peer, female Israeli tennis player, says she's "very, very disappointed" United Arab Emirates refuses to grant a visa to Peer . Peer needed the visa to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships . World Tennis Association unhappy, says move runs counter to its policy .

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(CNN) -- Liberia's president has declared a state of emergency after hordes of ravenous caterpillars infested the country. The African armyworm caterpillar is chewing its way through Liberia's food crops. Tens of millions of the worm-like larvae have appeared in the northern part of the country, where they are destroying green crops like cabbage and collard greens and contaminating the water supply, Liberian Information Minister Laurance Bropleh told CNN Wednesday from the capital of Monrovia. "I am not aware that they have been here before, ever, and certainly not in this great number," Bropleh told CNN. "That is why it was so overwhelming initially when we first discovered it." The state of emergency covers the three northern Liberian counties of Bong, Lofa, and Gbarpolu, Liberian officials said. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told legislators Monday that 350,000 people in 62 communities in those three counties may have been affected. There are also indications the bugs have spread to neighboring Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, Bropleh said. "This is indeed a crisis," the president said Monday. Johnson Sirleaf said she appointed a task force, including members of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to identify the species and commence spraying. Investigators suspect the caterpillars are African armyworms, the FAO said. The infestation is "quite alarming," said Winfred Hammond, the FAO representative in Liberia. Hammond said the caterpillars started showing up sometime during the week of January 12 but spread quickly. In just a week, he said, the caterpillars had spread to 50 villages. The pests multiply rapidly and adult moths are able to fly long distances at night, the FAO said. Worsening the situation, the area's water supply has been contaminated by the huge volume of feces dropped by the caterpillars, the FAO said. "The plague is being described as Liberia's worst in 30 years," the FAO said. "The last African armyworm outbreak in the sub-region occurred in Ghana in 2006."

Liberia declares emergency after hordes of ravenous caterpillars infest country . Tens of millions of the worm-like larvae have appeared in northern areas . Up to 350,000 people in 62 communities may have been affected .

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PARIS, France (CNN) -- Opposition lawmakers Tuesday ridiculed President Nicolas Sarkozy for taking France back into NATO's military command after more than 40 years, but were unable to stop the move when it came to a vote. French troops on patrol with the Afghan army as part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan. The National Assembly voted in favor of Sarkozy's plan, 329-238. Socialist Laurent Fabius, a former prime minister, told Prime Minister Francois Fillon: "You tell us this would mean more independence and more influence. It would probably mean less independence and less influence." The move did not technically require parliamentary approval, but the president's party scheduled the debate to give opponents a chance to voice their opinions -- and to show a majority backed it. Asking the National Assembly to vote on the issue also showed how sensitive the matter is in France. France was a founding member of the NATO alliance in 1949 but it left the military structure in 1966 amid friction with the United States. "To cooperate is to lose your independence," French President Charles de Gaulle said at the time. For the next 43 years, even though France selectively participated in NATO military operations, de Gaulle's principle remained the governing cornerstone of French foreign policy. If Paris took orders from NATO military commanders, it was reasoned, the nation would no longer have complete control of its destiny. Sarkozy, however, believes the opposite -- that cooperation in NATO is a guarantee of French independence. Rejoining NATO's military command, he argued, will give France a seat at the table for decision-making. From its earliest years, the organization's trans-Atlantic ties were strained because U.S. analysts warned that if the European allies failed to increase their contributions to the alliance, they risked losing the support of the United States, according to NATO. Meanwhile, the European nations felt the United States was trying to dominate the organization, according to NATO. De Gaulle's 1966 decision meant no French forces could be under permanent allied command and that France would have no participation in defense planning. In 1995, France rejoined NATO's military committee, which advises NATO's political authorities on military policy and strategy and provides guidance on military matters to NATO's strategic commanders. While France was still not a part of the military command, it contributed troops and funding to NATO activities, including actions in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Half of all French troops outside the country are assigned to NATO military operations. Opponents of Sarkozy's move -- who include some members of his party -- believe de Gaulle, not Sarkozy, had it right. They started a last-minute petition drive to stop his march back into NATO. "With this decision, France will return as a subordinate country and will lose its ability to represent another image in the world," said Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a member of the French National Assembly. The president's allies calculate Sarkozy's move will strengthen Europe's hand on defense issues. "There will be more European weight in the way decisions will be made," said Louis Giscard d'Estaing, a member of the National Assembly's U.S. Friendship Committee. "Therefore, the balance of power between the USA and Europe will be re-established within this French move." CNN's Sunaina Karkarey and Jim Bittermann contributed to this report .

French National Assembly backs president's plan to rejoin NATO . President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan is politically sensitive . France was a founding member of NATO but left in 1966 . President Charles de Gaulle said in 1966 membership meant losing independence .

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(CNN) -- A California jury Wednesday recommended the death penalty after convicting a man on murder and arson charges in the deaths of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters who died in a 2006 blaze outside Los Angeles. Smoke rises over a flag flying at half-staff for fallen firefighters October 27, 2006, in Banning, California. Raymond Lee Oyler of Beaumont, California, was convicted on five counts of first-degree murder, including two special circumstances -- that the murders were committed during an arson and that multiple murders were committed -- making him eligible for the death penalty. Oyler was also convicted of 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use of an incendiary device in those arsons. Sentencing is set for June 5. Firefighters Mark Loutzenhiser, 44; Jess McLean, 27; Jason McKay, 27; and Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, died October 26, 2006, during a blaze called the Esperanza fire when the wildfire, fueled by Santa Ana winds, enveloped their engine. The fifth firefighter, Pablo Cerda, 23, died October 31, 2006, at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where he had been taken after sustaining burns over 90 percent of his body. Days before being charged in Esperanza Fire, Oyler had been arrested and charged with two counts of arson in a June 2006 fire in the Banning Pass area. The 41,173-acre Esperanza fire outside Los Angeles destroyed 34 homes and 20 outbuildings, mainly in the Twin Pines and Poppet Flats areas, which had been under mandatory evacuations. The firefighters died trying to protect a partially built house in Twin Pines, a rural mountain community.

Jury convicts man on five counts of first-degree murder, 11 counts of arson . 2006 fire outside Los Angeles, California, killed five firefighters . Jury recommends death; sentencing set for June 5 .

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(CNN) -- Gunmen shot and killed a food monitor for the United Nations' World Food Program on Thursday, the second killing of a WFP humanitarian worker in Somalia in three days, a spokesman for the agency said Thursday. Mohamud Omar Moallim, a food monitor for the United Nations, was killed in Somalia on Thursday, the U.N. says. Peter Smerdon said Mohamud Omar Moallim, 49, was shot by unidentified gunmen while distributing food to displaced people at Daynile, 6 miles (10 kilometers) northwest of Mogadishu. The gunmen put Moallim's body in a WFP vehicle and drove away, then pushed the corpse from the vehicle and drove on, Smerdon said. Moallim joined WFP in 1993 and worked until 1995 as a logistics assistant. He rejoined the agency in May 2006 as a food monitor. He was abducted in September 2008 for 16 hours outside Mogadishu. He leaves two wives and 11 children. Colleagues said Moallim was calm, extremely hard-working and highly responsible and was often consulted for advice and support by other staff members. On Tuesday, three masked men shot and killed 44-year-old Somali national Ibrahim Hussein Duale while he was monitoring food distribution at a school in Yubsan village, near the Gedo regional capital of Garbahare, the WFP said. Witnesses say the gunmen approached Duale while he was seated, ordered him to stand up and then shot him, according to the account on the WFP Web site. Duale leaves a wife and five children. He joined WFP in 2006 as a food monitor in the Gedo region, which borders Kenya and Ethiopia.

U.N. aid worker shot by unidentified gunman while handing out food, U.N. says . Attackers threw body in car, drove off, then dumped body, says U.N. spokesman . Another aid worker shot on Tuesday while distributing food at a school, U.N. says . Both the slain humanitarian workers leave behind families .

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(Entertainment Weekly) -- The Disney family film update, "Race to Witch Mountain," won the weekend box office in fine fashion, grossing $25 million according to Sunday's estimates from Media by Numbers. "Race to Witch Mountain" won the weekend box office in fine fashion, grossing $25 million. That's the second best opening ever for a movie fronted by Dwayne Johnson alone, trailing only the first feature that starred the artist formerly known as The Rock, "The Scorpion King," which banked $36.1 million in its 2002 debut. "Race to Witch Mountain's" take was in line with expectations and garnered an okay CinemaScore grade of B+ from an audience that was 60 percent female. It should stay strong at the box office at least until "Monsters vs. Aliens" opens in two weeks. Also in "Race to Witch Mountain's" favor: weak competition from reigning champ "Watchmen" (No. 2), which dropped a hefty 67 percent from its big opening last weekend to gross $18.1 million. Zack Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore's landmark superhero saga is clearly slowing down, although it has grossed $86 million in 10 days. Freshman fright flick "The Last House on the Left" was next at No. 3, with an anticipated $14.7 million. That's a decent sum for a horror movie that had the added benefit of opening on "Friday the 13th;" indeed, it's in line with what most scary remakes tend to bring in on their first weekends. Thus, you can expect this film (which got a so-so B CinemaScore review) to fall off the map after this frame, since that's also what most horror movies do. "Taken" (No. 4 with $6.7 million) remained in the top five well into its second month at the multiplex. Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" came in at No. 5 with $5.1 million. And the weekend's other new wide release, the Playboy-centric comedy "Miss March," grossed an unsexy $2.3 million way down at No. 10. Meanwhile, the limited indie release "Sunshine Cleaning," starring Emily Blunt and Amy Adams, scored the highest opening-weekend per-theater average thus far in 2009, dusting up a stellar average of $53,500 in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. Overall, the box office was a little on the sluggish side, dropping nearly 17 percent from the same frame a year ago, when "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" was the big winner. Still, this is just the first "down" weekend in more than a month, which is comforting. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

This is the second best opening ever for a movie fronted by Dwayne Johnson . "Watchmen" dropped a hefty 67 percent from its big opening last weekend . "The Last House on the Left" came in at No. 3 with an anticipated $14.7 million . See what other movies made the box office top 10 .

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ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The Italian capital Rome was spared major damage Saturday as some of the heaviest flooding in the past century reached its peak without bursting the banks of the Tiber river. A rescue boat patrols the swollen River Tiber in central Rome early Friday. Italian Civil Protection officials said the river will take several days to return to normal levels but there was no longer a risk of flooding. Civil Protection teams were also coordinating the removal of two barges that crashed against bridges after breaking their moorings on Friday. Italian media report that last night a young man from Ireland fell in the Tiber, but his body has not been found yet. Hundreds of volunteers and officials had been deployed around Rome ahead of the flood's peak, while sandbags were lined up to contain any possible river overflow. Firefighters Thursday had to rescue dozens of motorists stranded in their cars. Because of the intense rain, the streets of some northern Rome neighborhoods were already flooded by water and covered in thick brown mud. One woman died near Rome early Thursday when her car was submerged by a wave of water and mud in an underpass. The body of a second victim was found in the southern region of Calabria after a bridge collapsed. Earlier this month, much of the Italian city of Venice was underwater as some of the heaviest floods for several decades burst the city's famed canal networks and inundated historic landmarks such as St. Mark's Square.

Flood waters subside in Rome . Italy has been hit by a wave of bad weather that has claimed two lives . One woman died near Rome when her car was submerged by a wave of water . Body of a second victim was found in Calabria region after a bridge collapsed .

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(CNN) -- Los Angeles police are searching for a serial killer dubbed the "Grim Sleeper," who is thought to have killed 11 people. Alicia Alexander was one of the Grim Sleeper's victims in the 1980s. The killer, who police say murdered from 1985 to 2007, was nicknamed the Grim Sleeper because he seemed to take a break between homicides, police said. Authorities this week released a 9-1-1 tape recorded shortly after a killing in 1987, in the hope of producing clues. "Yes ... I'd like to report a murder," an anonymous caller says on the tape. "The guy that dropped her off was driving a white and blue Dodge van. He threw her out. ... He threw a gas tank on top of her. All that you can see sticking out is her feet." Watch the hunt for a serial killer » . Police found the scene just as the caller described and found the van. But they are still searching for the caller and members of the now-defunct church that owned the van. The killer is wanted in 11 deaths and another homicide attempt, police say. Detectives say they have the Grim Sleeper's DNA, and a $500,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest and prosecution. The killer shot his victims, police said. Porter Alexander has waited two decades for the Grim Sleeper's arrest. His daughter Alicia Alexander became the Grim Sleeper's eighth victim in 1988, police say. "No one should have to face anything like this," he said. "To experience their daughters or sons taken away as early as she was." CNN's Kara Finnstrom contributed to this report.

L.A. police this week released old 9-1-1 call: "Yes ... I'd like to report a murder" Police have Grim Sleeper's DNA and are offering $500,000 reward for information . Nickname given because killer took a break between murders, police say .

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

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

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(CNN) -- The chief executive of American Airlines, which has grounded almost 2,500 flights over the past three days, accepted "full responsibility" Thursday for failing to meet government inspection standards. "I am profoundly sorry that we've gotten ourselves into this situation, and I thank our customers for their patience under very difficult circumstances," American CEO Gerard Arpey said Thursday afternoon. The airline canceled 933 flights on MD-80 jets Thursday and announced 570 would be scrapped Friday. Potential wiring hazards in wheel wells that could cause fires or problems with landing gear prompted the action. American canceled several hundred flights for the same reason about two weeks ago. Earlier Thursday, American said it expected all of its MD-80 jets to be flight-worthy by Saturday night. The airline has offered to make amends to travelers with refunds, vouchers and compensation for overnight stays. The cancellations have delayed and stranded more than 140,000 passengers. Roger Frizzell, an airline spokesman, said the inspections involve technical compliance as opposed to flight safety. Watch how air travelers deal with disruptions » . Although American was most affected by the inspections, the Federal Aviation Administration's orders for safety checks have also affected Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines and Midwest Airlines, which was the latest airline to ground planes: 13 on Thursday. The FAA launched its inspection campaign in March, after CNN obtained documents given to congressional investigators that showed more than 100 Southwest aircraft had not had mandatory safety inspections. At a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration's safety division, Nicholas Sabatini, was told that his agency's performance was woeful. "I think [it's] approaching losing the confidence of the American people and the Congress," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia. Lawmakers said the agency has become too close to the airline industry. Sabatini defended the FAA's record but said any lapse was cause for concern. "We found we had achieved 99 percent safety compliance," he told lawmakers. But, he added, "It's the other 1 percent that keeps me up at night." Passengers scheduled to fly on an American Airlines MD-80 between Tuesday and Friday can receive a full refund or apply the value of their ticket to a future flight, the airline said. People who stayed overnight as a result of a canceled flight can go to the company's Web site to inquire about receiving compensation. Arpey said that the MD-80 has been a great plane for American Airlines and that the inspection problems should have "no impact on our long-term fleet plan." "The FAA is stepping up their surveillance and doing their job," Arpey said. "In this case, we failed to get it right, and we're trying very hard to get it right." He said American plans to hire an independent consultant to examine the company's inspection system. Meanwhile, airports are doing their best to keep frustrated travelers happy. "Getting stuck at the airport is not like a day at the beach, but we sure are trying to make passengers as comfortable as possible," said Ken Capps, vice president of public affairs for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. Eateries were staying open all night, some provided free pastries and coffee, and some even handed out diapers. The situation at American's hub at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, "was what you might see on a normal Thursday morning," CNN's Susan Roesgen reported. American employees handing out free coffee and granola bars found few takers. Watch a report from O'Hare » . At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, American passengers reported frustration but complimented the carrier's efforts to get them to their destinations. "We were rerouted," said Chad Duncan of San Angelo, Texas, who was in Georgia to watch practice rounds of the Masters golf tournament. "They were very helpful and everything, but it's frustrating. Instead of having one stopover, we now have three." E-mail to a friend .

NEW: American Airlines says 570 flights will be canceled Friday . "I am profoundly sorry," chief executive of American Airlines says . American expects all of its MD-80 jets to be flight-worthy by Saturday night . Alaska Airlines, Midwest Airlines cancel flights Thursday for safety checks .

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S.-led forces captured two men believed to be senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including one suspected of planning the 2006 kidnapping of U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, a military statement said. Jill Carroll, seen here in an interview following her 2006 release, was held for nearly three months in Iraq. Coalition forces captured the suspects in Baghdad on August 11 and 17, according to the statement. The suspects were identified as Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri, also known as Abu Uthman, and Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al-Shammari, also known as Abu Tiba. Abu Uthman is suspected of masterminding Carroll's abduction, the statement said. Carroll, a freelance reporter for The Christian Science Monitor, was abducted in January 2006 and freed unharmed in March of that year. Both men are suspected of overseeing car or suicide bombings targeting Iraqis with the intent of inciting sectarian violence, the statement said. Abu Tiba is suspected to have been in charge of as many 15 al Qaeda in Iraq "attack cells," providing them with money, weapons and explosives, according to the statement. The men were also suspected of being connected to other kidnappings, the statement said. "The capture of Abu Tiba and Abu Uthman eliminates two of the few remaining experienced leaders in the AQI [al Qaeda in Iraq] network," the statement said.

Abu Uthman suspected of masterminding Jill Carroll's 2006 kidnapping . Uthman and another al Qaeda in Iraq suspect captured this month, military says . Carroll, a U.S. journalist, was abducted in 2006 but released unharmed weeks later .

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(CNN) -- An Austrian man who allegedly held his daughter as a sex slave for 24 years has been charged with murdering one of their children, prosecutors say. Josef Fritzl is accused of fathering seven children by his daughter during her 24-year captivity. Austrian State Prosecutor Gerhard Sedlacek told CNN Thursday that Josef Fritzl, 73, was charged with murder because one of the seven children died in infancy. The other six children survived. Fritzl, a retired electrician from Amstetten, 75 kilometers (46 miles) west of Vienna, was also charged with rape, incest, false imprisonment and slavery. The murder charge stems from the death of Fritzl's infant son, Michael Fritzl, who died from lack of medical care, the prosecutor said. Watch as Fritzl is charged with murder » . "Although he realized how life-threatening M.F.'s situation was after being born, Josef F. did not call out for help," Sedlacek said, explaining the charge. The trial is expected to begin early in 2009 and if convicted of murder Fritzl could face 10 to 20 years in prison. Austria, like other European countries, has no death penalty. Prosecutors say psychiatric tests show that Fritzl is mentally fit to stand trial but Sedlacek has asked that Fritzl be confined to a "mental asylum." Fritzl kept the daughter and all but three of the children in a cellar beneath his home in Amstetten, Austria, west of Vienna, officials say. Three of the children lived upstairs in the home Fritzl shared with his wife and several of their own children. Fritzl has been in custody since the case came to light in April, sparking worldwide attention. He had explained Elizabeth's disappearance in 1984 by saying the 18-year-old girl had run away from home, a story backed up by letters he forced Elisabeth to write, including one that begged her parents not to look for her. When Elizabeth gained her freedom, she told police her father began sexually abusing her at age 11. On August 8, 1984 -- weeks before she was reported missing -- her father enticed her into the basement, where he drugged her, put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room, she told police. For the next 24 years, she was constantly raped by her father, resulting in seven children, she said, according to the police statement. Fritzl's daughter and her children have since been receiving counseling although doctors warn that they will take years to recover. Members of the Fritzl family will also be offered the chance to adopt new identities in an effort to help them lead normal lives, officials said. Psychiatrist Max Friedrich, who treated the abducted Austrian teenager Natascha Kampusch, estimated it would take "between five and eight years" for the children to recover from their experiences.

Austrian man who allegedly held daughter for 24 years charged with murder . Prosecutors charge Josef Fritzl with murder because one of the 7 children died . Experts say infant might have survived if Fritzl had arranged for medical care .

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Efforts by government troops to secure control of a main highway that links mainland Sri Lanka to the northern Jaffna peninsula came a step closer Thursday when they re-captured Pallai, a palm-fringed village under rebel control. Sri Lankan army troops have had there most decisive victories against the Tamil Tigers in recent weeks. The village is located past Elephant Pass, described as a gateway to the Jaffna peninsula, which the army re-captured on Wednesday. Whilst a column of troops are moving northwards from this town, another column that advanced from the outer fringes of the government-controlled peninsula advanced southwards to recapture Pallai. "When the two columns meet we would have captured the entire A-9 highway," a senior army source told CNN. He spoke on grounds of anonymity since he is not authorized to talk to media. The A-9 highway links the hill city Kandy with Jaffna. The only stretch that remains to be recaptured is the area between Elephant Pass and Jaffna. Earlier this month, President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and end a quarter-century of civil war. Before he made that request government troops retook the separatists' former capital, Kilinochchi. Rajapaksa called the recapture of Kilinochchi "a victory against separatism." "The time is not far off when people of the north can breathe freedom again," Rajapaksa said. He invited the Tigers -- who have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983 -- to surrender as government troops closed in on their last remaining strongholds. The civil war has left more than 65,000 people dead. The U.S. State Department has designated the Tamil Tigers a terrorist organization.

Sri Lankan government troops continue advance into rebel territory . Troops capture village on main highway linking mainland to Jaffna peninsula . Civil war with Tamil Tigers has killed more than 65,000 .

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(CNN) -- An apartment left untouched since before the fall of the Berlin Wall has been discovered by a developer in the eastern German city of Leipzig, German media reports said Thursday. The fall of the Berlin Wall heralded the end of the communist regime in East Germany in 1989. The discovery, made by architect Mark Aretz, revealed a small one-bedroom apartment evidently abandoned quickly by its occupants as the Communist East German state disintegrated in 1989, Spiegel Online reported. A wall calendar showed August 1988, and the kitchen cupboard and drawers contained plastic crockery and aluminium cutlery along with communist-era food brands such as "Vita" Cola, "Marella" margarine, "Juwel" cigarettes and a bottle of "Kristall" vodka. "When we opened the door we felt like Howard Carter when he found the grave of Tutankhamen," Aretz told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. "Everything was a mess but it was like a historic treasure trove, a portal into an age long gone." According to Aretz -- a developer who renovates properties in eastern Germany -- the occupant appears to have been a 24-year-old man from Leipzig who had been in trouble with the authorities, judging by personal documents left behind. The most recent document was dated May, 1989 -- a police search warrant for a caravan. There was also a stamped and addressed postcard written by the occupant, but he had never sent it, Spiegel said.

Apartment found by developer in eastern German city of Leipzig . Occupant left in a hurry as East German state crumbled in 1989 . Communist-era food brands such as "Vita" Cola, "Marella" margarine found .

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GLEN BURNIE, Maryland (CNN) -- At his GM dealership in suburban Washington, Maury Wilkins exudes calm as he gears up for an enormous challenge: protecting his decades-old family business. Zero-percent financing is one way Maury Wilkins and other GM dealers are trying to lure new buyers. With General Motors teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Wilkins says luring customers back into his showroom boils down to two factors. "Everything is confidence and perception," Wilkins told CNN in a recent interview. Confidence in the beleaguered General Motors Corp. is exactly what President Obama hopes to restore. Even as he forced out GM's CEO Rick Wagoner in late March, the president also made an extraordinary pledge. "If you buy a car from Chrysler or General Motors, you will be able to get your car serviced and repaired, just like always," Obama announced from the White House a week ago. "Starting today, the United States government will stand behind your warranty," the president said. Some critics have blasted that promise as untenable. "That's pie-in-the-sky," says William Holstein, author of "Why GM Matters: Inside the Race to Transform an American Icon." "If General Motors goes away, how is the government ever going to maintain the network of suppliers?" asks Holstein. Noting there are "four or five thousand moving parts in a vehicle," Holstein wonders, "How is the government going to maintain this incredible infrastructure of suppliers to make sure that every part, every body panel is available for years after General Motors goes away?... It's impossible." GM dealer Wilkins sees the government's guarantee as a consumer confidence-builder. Still, he's concerned about slumping sales figures. Nationwide, auto sales dropped 37 percent in March compared with a year ago. Wilkins' business was not immune. Though he says he's not in crisis mode, he does have contingency plans. Watch report from CNN's Elaine Quijano on Wilkins » . "Our business model is 'what if, what if, what if,'" Wilkins said, adding, "if all these things are outside of our control, how do we make sure that we maintain our profitability?" That means extra attention to facets of his business besides new-car sales, including used-car sales, service and parts, and collision repair. Already, Wilkins believes car sales have turned a corner. He says February was one of his dealership's best months. It was the result, he believes, of business adjustments he made, including altering inventory stocks. Wilkins also says credit for car buyers is finally beginning to loosen. Potential customer Jim Lally says that's what drew him into the showroom the day CNN visited. "I heard about the zero-percent financing and the exceptional deals that are being offered right now," Lally said. While Lally hadn't decided on whether to buy a GM, his visit was another reason for Wilkins' cautious optimism, as his business tries to weather the economic storm.

Suburban Washington GM dealer Maury Wilkins trying to lure back customers . He supports Obama's guarantee: "Everything is confidence and perception" Wilkins focuses on used-car sales, collision repair, service and parts . Wilkins says adjustments started paying off in February, one of his best months .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- President Obama mixed jokes with serious discussion Thursday during an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." President Obama chats it up with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" on Thursday. While presidential candidates have used comedy shows for campaigning as far back as Richard Nixon's performance on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" in 1968, Obama became the first sitting president to appear before a late-night talk show studio audience. Obama complimented guitarist Kevin Eubanks on his suit, and he cracked jokes about the Secret Service and "American Idol" host Simon Cowell. Obama also remarked on his poor bowling skills, which were evident during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania. He told Leno that he bowled 129 in the White House bowling alley and said his bowling skills are "like Special Olympics or something." Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said the president's remarks were not meant to poke fun of the Special Olympics. "The president made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics," Burton said. "He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world." Obama later moved on to topical discussions of the economic crisis and the AIG bonus scandal. Watch some of Obama's appearance » . "The problem with AIG was that it owed so much and was tangled up with so many banks and institutions that if you had allowed it to just liquidate, to go into bankruptcy, it could have brought the whole financial system down. So it was the right thing to do to intervene in AIG," Obama said. Obama said earlier this week that he'll "take responsibility" for AIG executives receiving those controversial bonuses -- roughly $165 million -- while the company took $173 billion in government bailouts. Congress is looking for ways to recoup all or some of that money. "The larger problem is we've got to get back to an attitude where people know enough is enough, and people have a sense of responsibility and they understand that their actions are going to have an impact on everybody," he said. "If we can get back to those values that built America, then I think we're going to be OK." Obama also said he was confident in his embattled Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. "I think Geithner is doing an outstanding job. I think that we have a big mess on our hands," he said. "It's not going to be solved immediately, but it is going to get solved." Obama taped the show Thursday afternoon during a two-day swing through the Los Angeles area for town hall meetings focusing on the economy. iReport.com: Nice to see the "real" Obama . Obama also discussed the "life in the bubble," musing over how Secret Service agents would not let him walk 750 yards from Air Force One to the Costa Mesa fairgrounds, where some of the day's activities were to take place. Obama said flying in Air Force One is "pretty cool," especially because "they give you the jacket with the [presidential] seal on it," he said. The only time Leno appeared to stop Obama in his tracks was when he asked the president whether he thought people intentionally lose basketball games when they play with him. "I don't see why they would throw the game, except for all those Secret Service guys with guns around," he said. There's some political risk for Obama, according to Washington Post media columnist Howard Kurtz, who also hosts CNN's "Reliable Sources." AC360 blog: Laughing through the pain . "He has to be very careful about his tone, because if he yuks it up too much and seems to be having too good a time, it will be quite a contrast there with the pain the people are feeling with the crumbling economy," Kurtz said. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.

President compliments Kevin Eubanks' suit, pokes fun at Simon Cowell . Obama on more serious topic: "The problem with AIG is it owed so much" He says bonuses are problem, but larger issue is people feel lack of responsibility . President must be careful not to trivialize economic pain, media observer cautions .

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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Up to 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan next year, military officials said Saturday. Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with its high mountain terrain. Roughly 31,000 U.S. troops currently are in Afghanistan. Of the additional troops, 20,000 will comprise four ground/maneuvering brigades, said Col. Gregory Julian, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. That number is consistent with what Gen. David McKiernan, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, called for in October, he said. The additional 10,000 likely refers to support personnel, Julian said. McKiernan requested the additional 20,000 troops be sent to fight the increasing violence by the resurgent Taliban forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country. On Friday, military officials said Defense Secretary Robert Gates signed a deployment order to move an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan next year. Those troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade, the latest approved by Gates for the expected buildup of U.S. troops in the country in 2009. The brigade will send a number of much-needed helicopters to the region. Helicopters are the main mode of transportation for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, where high mountain roads and passes make it difficult for large transport vehicles to move troops and supplies. The additional troops would nearly double the level of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Troop levels are likely to be maintained at this increased level for three to four years, Julian said Saturday, as U.S. forces continue to try to "clear and hold" more parts of Afghanistan from insurgents and militants and train Afghan military and police to be self-sufficient.

20,000 in four ground/maneuvering brigades, said U.S. forces spokesman . The additional 10,000 likely refers to support personnel, said spokesman . On Friday, Defense Secretary ordered 3,000 troops to Afghanistan for next year .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II reflected Thursday on the economic and political crises sweeping the globe, acknowledging in her Christmas Day message their impact on holiday festivities. Queen Elizabeth II attends a Christmas Day service at Sandringham in Norfolk, England. "Christmas is a time for celebration, but this year it is a more somber occasion for many. Some of those things which could once have been taken for granted suddenly seem less certain, and naturally give rise to feelings of insecurity," she told Britons in a televised appearance from Buckingham Palace. "People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world -- whether it is the global economy or violence in a distant land, the effects can be keenly felt at home." In her nine-minute message, she encouraged Britons to look for happiness and courage through helping others, and singled out World War I veterans and current troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as examples of courage and sacrifice. Military veterans of the First World War recently commemorated the "service and enormous sacrifice of their own generation," the queen said. The families of soldiers now serving overseas carry an extra burden of worry while they are away, she added. "In such times as these, we can all learn some lessons from the past. We might begin to see things in a new perspective, and certainly we begin to ask ourselves where it is that we can find lasting happiness." Watch excerpts of the queen's address » . It appears, she noted, that people who seem most contented and fulfilled are "the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives -- the kind of people who are generous with their talents or their time ... those who use their prosperity or good fortune for the benefit of others." "When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat. Instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future," the queen said. "I think we have a huge amount to learn from individuals such as these." She expressed pride in her son, Prince Charles, who turned 60 last month and is one of the longest-serving heirs to the throne. He was baptized in the music room where the queen spoke, she said. Several clips -- including a few with the queen playing with Charles, as a toddler -- were shown throughout her comments. Charles has helped and supported young people through various charities, and his sons, princes William and Harry, are following his lead, the queen said. She closed her message with references to Jesus Christ, who she said lived an unselfish and sacrificial life, despite circumstances of great adversity. "He makes it clear that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving, more in serving than in being served. "We can surely be grateful that 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus, so many of us are able to draw inspiration from his life and message."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was giving her Christmas Day speech . Queen: Economic, political crises sweeping globe impacted on celebrations . She encouraged Britons to look for happiness and courage through helping others . Message was recorded from her Buckingham Palace residence .

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(CNN) -- Radical Islamist fighters seized control of the seat of Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government Monday, raiding the parliament building and demanding that several lawmakers publicly surrender, according to a journalist who witnessed the spectacle. Members of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament are meeting in the neighboring country of Djibouti. Al-Shabab fighters took over the parliament building and the presidential palace in Baidoa, in the southwestern part of the country, a day after the Ethiopian troops who had backed up the transitional government left the country. The insurgents captured five members of parliament and paraded them through the city streets, with hundreds of residents looking on, the reporter said. The five were released after publicly surrendering. The situation left Somali lawmakers stranded in the neighboring country of Djibouti, where they often convene and where talks on forming a new government are under way. "We have nowhere to return to," Parliament Speaker Aden Mohamed Nur told fellow lawmakers there. Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government took office after Ethiopian troops invaded the country at its request in December 2006. The Ethiopian invasion ousted the Islamic Courts Union, an Islamist movement that had claimed control of the capital Mogadishu earlier that year. Ethiopia's invasion had the blessing of the United States, which accused the Islamic Courts Union of harboring fugitives from al Qaeda. But various Islamist groups -- including the hard-line Al-Shabab, which the United States has designated a terror organization -- rejected the presence of Ethiopian forces and mounted an insurgent campaign against the Ethiopians and the transitional government. Ethiopia announced on Sunday that all its forces have left Somalia. Last week, as Ethiopian troops began pulling out of the Somali capital, forces from different Islamist groups -- including Al-Shabab -- took control of bases the Ethiopians abandoned around Mogadishu. The transitional government maintained very little control outside of Baidoa, even with the support of the Ethiopian forces. It has also been wracked by an internal power struggle between Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who resigned in December. In Washington, the State Department said U.S. officials are working to independently confirm the reports from Baidoa. But State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said members of one of the major Islamic factions, which signed a peace agreement in October in Djibouti, are already joining the transitional government. Duguid said the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia, another offshoot of the ICU, will choose up to 200 new members of the transitional parliament. Another 75 members will be drawn from other opposition groups, and the expanded parliament is expected to elect a new president soon. "We remain deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in southern Somalia, which continues to claim innocent lives," Duguid said. "Lasting peace and stability in Somalia can only be established through the reconciliation process underway through the Djibouti Agreement and rejection of extremism." With Monday's takeover of Baidoa, the transitional government only has control of the presidential palace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and the road to the airport in the capital city, which it holds with the help of African Union forces. CNN's Ben Brumfield and journalists Mohamed Amiin Adow and Omar Faruk Osman contributed to this report.

Islamist fighters seize control of Baidoa, Somalia . Baidoa is headquarters of Somalia's U.N.-backed government . Town's seizure leaves country's lawmakers stranded in nation of Djibouti .

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(CNN) -- The World Bank cut China's economic growth forecast in 2009 to 6.5 percent Wednesday, down a full percentage point from November's projection. Workers assemble toys on a production line at a factory in Shantou, in China's Guangdong province. Despite the downgrade, "China is a relative bright spot in an otherwise gloomy global economy," said the World Bank's David Dollar. Last week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reiterated projections that the nation's economy will grow by 8 percent in 2009, despite doubts expressed by domestic and international economic analysts. Some have forecast growth as low as 5 percent. "I will admit it will be a difficult job [to reach 8 percent]. This being said, I also believe with considerable efforts it's possible for us to obtain this goal," Wen said at a news conference following the annual session of the country's rubber-stamp legislature. China has seen a sharp decline in demand for its exports since November as other major economies have struggled. In February, Chinese exports plunged 25.7 percent compared with the previous year's, Beijing reported last week. Even with the slowdown, China's economy -- the third largest in the world -- has gone from white-hot to merely robust. In 2007, China's gross domestic product grew at 13 percent. The two largest economies -- the United States and Japan -- are in recession. "So a lot of things will go down in 2009 globally," Dollar said. "But we see China's contribution as being very positive in keeping many markets from going down as far as they would otherwise." The World Bank expects China's economy to outgrow most others in 2009. In November, China announced plans to inject $586 billion (4 trillion yuan) into its economy to offset declines in industrial and export growth. That economic stimulus plan included the loosening of credit restrictions, tax cuts and massive infrastructure spending.

World Bank cuts China's economic growth forecast in 2009 to 6.5 percent . Reduction is down a full percentage point from November's projection . Last week, Chinese Premier projected nation's economy would grow by 8% in 2009 . China has seen a sharp decline in demand for its exports since November .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Playing the Nintendo Wii Fit could improve balance and help avoid falls in seniors, researchers taking part in a new study suggest. Researchers in Aberdeen think playing Wii Fit may improve the elderly's balance and lower risks of falling. The University of Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) have embarked on a four month study on people over 70 to observe any changes in balance after regular use of the Wii Fit. The video game has different activities including yoga poses, push ups, strength, balance and aerobic exercises. The Wii Fit includes a balance board that records movements and gives feedback on performance. Dr Marie Fraser, a specialist registrar at Woodend Hospital in Scotland, UK, is carrying out the research. She told CNN: "Falls are the most common cause of accidental injury in older people and the most common cause of accidental deaths in 75-year-olds and over." It is hoped that using the Wii Fit's balance board can improve elderly people's balance and confidence. Dr Alison Stewart, who devised the study said she came up with the idea while working in the Osteoporosis department at the University of Aberdeen, after seeing a large number of fractures in old people who had fallen. Stewart, a commercial research manager with the NHS, said she then decided to research how to improve older people's balance. She told CNN: "There exists a medical fitness device that improves balance, but it is expensive and I could not get the funding. "That's when I looked up the Wii and discovered it is very similar to the other equipment, but less expensive. "What is great about the Wii is it also has an entertainment value. The fact that it is enjoyable also makes the compliance rate higher." The latest study comes as another pilot study at Southern Cross University, Australia looked at the benefits of using the Wii to help Parkinson's sufferers. A group of seven older people with and without the degenerative condition took part in the pilot project, and were put through an almost daily regime of playing the Nintendo Wii. Associate Professor Rick van der Zwan who led the research said initial results were "positive." They ultimately hope to determine the effectiveness of computer games in developing muscle strength and co-ordination and reducing the risk of falls for people with Parkinson's. "People generally start to develop the disease in their 50s or 60s. It leads to inertia and people become unstable on their feet," said Van der Zwan in a media statement. "What we are trying to do is reduce the risk of serious harm. These people are nine times more likely to fall over than someone without the disease and falls in this older age group can be very serious." Van der Zwan now wants to recruit 15 more research participants to broaden the study. Since its launch in 2006 the Nintendo Wii has seen a huge rise in the number of elderly players. At one senior citizen home in north-east England, staff introduced the popular games console at Christmas in all five of its homes. "Everyone loves it and we noticed it has improved the physical fitness of residents who play," Rachel Todd of McArdle Care told CNN. Todd believes the device's entertainment value not only improves residents' fitness levels, but also their mental fitness. Among the Wii Fit fans at the home are 74-year-old Ian Fisher and 86-year-old Betty Dennis. "I always loved sports, particularly football" Dennis told CNN. "But I had a stroke six months ago and am now in a wheelchair." "Since the Wii I really feel movement in my right arm has improved, which is all I need to play skittles." Her bowling partner Fisher told CNN he recently played the boxing game on Wii Fit with his four-year-old great-grandson. "It really spans all ages, although my great-grandson knocked me out twice," the former bricklayer said.

Researchers study whether Wii Fit can can improve older people's balance . Residents in English nursing home feel the physical and mental benefits of Wii . Falls are the most common cause of accidental deaths in elderly, says researcher .

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(CNN) -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford declared a state of emergency Thursday for a coastal county where a wildfire has consumed thousands of acres and destroyed dozens of homes. Scott Vereen sprays water on his family's home Thursday near Conway, South Carolina. "This has already proved to be a devastating event for Horry County, and it isn't over," Sanford said in a written statement. The county includes some of the state's most popular tourist spots, including the Myrtle Beach area. By late afternoon, however, officials in North Myrtle Beach said the fire there was mostly contained. "The fire is very contained on our end right now," said the city's director of public safety, William Bailey. "We have hot spots. I would say we're about 75 to 80 percent [contained]." But as he gestured toward the dark clouds behind him, he told people who had been evacuated: "As you see with the smoke and activity behind us, we still got some issues that we're concerned about. We're doing everything we can to get you home." Authorities began alerting people in the city's Barefoot Resort area early Thursday after the fire jumped a highway and began consuming some houses. As of about 6 p.m. ET Thursday, the fire had consumed 15,500 acres, destroyed 69 homes and damaged 100 others, according to the Horry County Emergency Operations Center. While no fatalities or injuries were reported, some 2,500 people have been evacuated, officials said. About 440 people were in two shelters at the House of Blues and at the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic Center, the operations center said. Both the Barefoot Resort and the Pelican Bay subdivisions had been evacuated. In addition, three schools were evacuated because of heavy smoke. Eight vehicles had been destroyed as of Thursday afternoon, said Mayor Marilyn Hatley. Watch footage of coastal areas in flames » . Bailey said authorities were hopeful the weather would continue to cooperate. Low humidity had persisted for most of the day. "We have the resources, we just need to get a weather break," he said. Authorities said the fire has been unpredictable. "When we got our last report [Wednesday], we had no idea that it would be crossing over into the Barefoot Resort area," Hatley said at the morning news conference. "The fire kind of created its own weather, and it just started the wind spinning." Nick Gentile, 64, told The Myrtle Beach Sun News that he left his Barefoot Resort home around 2 a.m. Thursday. "They came around with a police car with a loudspeaker," he told the newspaper, still wearing his blue-plaid pajamas. "You always read about stuff like this, but you never know when you are going to be in it." Helicopters were conducting water drops over portions of the area, Hatley said. The National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory for the county until 3 a.m. Friday. Thick plumes billowed high above buildings, prompting North Myrtle Beach school officials to close school Thursday, CNN affiliate WPDE-TV reported. Officials have not determined a cause for the fire, which began about noon Wednesday in Conway. CNN's Samuel Gardner contributed to this report.

Wildfire has consumed 15,500 acres in Horry County, South Carolina . Area is home to popular tourist spots, including Myrtle Beach . South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford declares state of emergency in county . No injuries are reported, but fire damages dozens of homes .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Shortly after midnight on January 24, a 16-year old boy from Powder Springs, Georgia, crashed his car into an oncoming vehicle. Garrett Reed, a star football player at Harrison High School, died instantly. Police believe he had been drinking. Kecia Evangela Whitfield, 43, is charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor and reckless conduct. According to police, the investigation revealed that a classmate's mother served alcohol to Reed. Police charged 43-year-old Kecia Evangela Whitfield with furnishing alcohol to a minor and reckless conduct, both misdemeanors. Whitfield was released on a $10,000 bond and awaits a court date in April. Records on file with the Cobb County solicitor general's office indictate she has not yet entered a plea or obtained a lawyer. She did not return CNN's phone calls. If convicted, she could receive up to a year in jail and fines totaling thousands of dollars. Toxicology reports for Reed will be released in six weeks, officials said. His death stunned the small community of Powder Springs and sounded an alarm for parents. "What we have to realize is that our kids do think they are invincible," said Patti Agatston, a mother of another Harrison High School teenager who lives in Reed's neighborhood. "We can't be enablers. We've got to be adults and say 'no.' " At least ten states including Virginia, Minnesota and New Mexico-and Georgia, where Garrett's accident occurred, allow parents to give their own child alcohol, according to the Alcohol Policy Information System, a federal website that tracks alcohol laws. The alcohol can typically be given to the minor in the guardian's home or a private setting and there are no age limits, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. However, nowhere is it legal to give alcohol to other people's children. Officials say teen binge drinking is reaching epidemic proportions, and states and municipalities are scrambling to implement "social hosting" laws that carry stiff fines for parents whose homes are used for drinking parties, whether they know about them or not. At least 24 states have enacted social hosting laws that fine parents several thousand dollars for each offense, said Jim Mosher, an expert tracking alcohol policies at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The fines, he said, are an effective deterrent. A 2005 study conducted by the American Medical Association reported that about one-third of teens said it was "easy to obtain alcohol" from their parents. That figure jumps to 40 percent when it comes to getting alcohol from a friend's parent. One out of four teens said they had attended a party where minors were drinking in front of parents. Some communities are using their zoning powers to create local social hosting laws. These laws usually result in misdemeanor charges and jail time is rare. Prosecutors' offices are often busy with other cases and don't bother to charge unless there is a serious incident or accident, policy experts said. "It's very difficult for us to knock on a random door and say 'are you drinking?' " said Sgt. Dana Pierce of the Cobb County Police Department, the agency responsible for investigating Reed's case. "We usually have to respond to some kind of nuisance call." In Massachusetts in January, a court sentenced a mother to jail for serving alcohol to minors at a party in her home. A teenage boy died in an auto accident after leaving her party. In Charlottesville, Virginia, two adults served jail time in 2007 for providing alcohol at their son's 16th birthday party. Some parents consider giving a teenager a drink a rite of passage -- and that contributes to high teenage drinking rates, said Richard Yoast, director of the Department of Healthy Lifestyles and Primary Prevention at the American Medical Association. "It's a myth that adults and children are buying into, and it creates pressure on the child to drink," Yoast said. "The biggest problem to overcome is the fact that parents feel like they are helping their kids," said Denise Thames, director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Georgia, "They often forget they are in fact breaking the law." The affluent suburbs near Powder Springs, where Reed's accident took place, are not immune. Police say there were several teenagers hanging out with Reed the night he died, including Whitfield's stepson. Several of Reed's close friends at Harrison High School said alcohol is easy to get in their community and students can find a drinking party each weekend if they want to. It is easier to get alcohol from older friends and relatives or parents than buying it with a fake ID, they said. "As long as you have money, you can get it," said Eric Stallworth, a senior at Harrison High School, who was close friends with Reed. He described his friend as a charismatic and popular boy, who was fiercely competitive when it came to sports and dreamed of playing college football. While there is no county or city ordinance on social hosting in Powder Springs, or in Georgia, some parents are fighting back. The Cobb Alcohol Task Force, which also serves Powder Springs, is a volunteer group working to reduce teens' access to alcohol. The group launched a campaign called "Adults Who Host Lose the Most" to educate the public about the dangers of illegally providing teens with liquor. Surveys in Cobb County show the campaigns are working slowly, said Cathy Finck, Cobb Alcohol Task Force coordinator. In 2007, 68 percent of 10th grade students said obtaining alcohol was easy, a decrease from 73 percent the previous year. But that may not be enough to stop a fatal accident such as Reed's. "Unless you get everyone to do it, kids will find out one place where they can get alcohol and you will have these kinds of incidences," Finck said. "Everyone has to get on board." Ultimately, parents need to step up and take responsibility, said Shawna Snapp of Blue River, Oregon. Her son, Ryan Snapp, nicknamed "Snapper," died two years ago in a car accident. He was 17 and the teenage driver had been drinking alcohol obtained from an adult. "We're not here as parents to be their best friends," Snapp said. "We are here to guide them for life."

Star football player dies in crash that followed night of drinking . Classmate's mother is charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor . AMA: A third of teens say it's "easy to obtain alcohol" from parents . At least 24 states have enacted social hosting laws carrying stiff fines .

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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- The photograph is a jarring image that shows Nazi Party members, shovels in hand, digging up graves of American soldiers held as slaves by Nazi Germany during World War II. Members of the Nazi Party are forced to dig up mass graves of U.S. soldiers while American GIs look on. While the men dig up the site, U.S. soldiers investigating war crimes stand over them. Two crosses with helmets placed atop them -- the sign of a fallen soldier -- are visible. Two Germans are knee deep in mud. Another, with a handlebar mustache, has the look of a defeated man. The bodies of 22 American soldiers were found in at least seven graves, according to the photographer. On the back of the photo is written, "Nazi Party members digging up American bodies at Berga." Berga an der Elster was a slave labor camp where 350 U.S. soldiers were beaten, starved, and forced to work in tunnels for the German government. The soldiers were singled out for "looking like Jews" or "sounding like Jews," or dubbed as undesirables, according to survivors. More than 100 soldiers perished at the camp or on a forced death march. It was on this day six decades ago, April 23, 1945, when most of the slave labor camp soldiers were liberated by advancing U.S. troops. The emaciated soldiers, many weighing just 80 pounds, had been forced by Nazi commanders to march more than 150 miles before their rescue. Watch survivor break down in tears over liberation » . The new photograph was likely taken in May or June 1945 when U.S. war crimes investigators combed Berga. It was donated earlier this month to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum by Jim Martin and his family, whose father, Elmore "Bud" Martin, is believed to have snapped the picture as part of the war crimes investigation team. The photo and dozens of others sat for years in Jim Martin's closet. Some of the photos, including graphic images of American corpses, were placed on record at the National Archives years ago. See shocking photos of the slave camp » . But the image of Nazi Party members digging up graves doesn't appear to be part of that collection. Martin said he was proud to hand over the photos. "People have to see these. This is something that's history and it belongs with something that's historical to tell that story. It doesn't belong in my closet." "To be honest, I'm kind of sorry I haven't done it sooner. We didn't realize what it was." Elmore Martin, who won a Silver Star for his valor in capturing images during the war, was 28 when he shot the photographs. Before the war, he worked as a photographer for the St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press. Martin's son said his dad, who died several years ago, struggled to keep a job when he returned home. "I now see where it all started," he said. What Elmore Martin and the war crimes soldiers seen in the photo couldn't have known that day was how the case would evolve. The two Berga commanders -- Erwin Metz and his superior, Hauptmann Ludwig Merz -- were tried for war crimes and initially sentenced to die by hanging. But the U.S. government commuted their death sentences in 1948, and both men were eventually released in the 1950s. One other Berga commander, Lt. Willy Hack, was executed, but not by the United States. He died by hanging, justice carried out by the Soviets. Jim Martin said his father would have been upset at the freeing of the Berga commanders after the atrocities he documented. "He knew it happened and to see that these people were released would be pretty devastating." Efraim Zuroff, who has spent nearly 30 years hunting Nazis responsible for the Holocaust, said the U.S. government commuted the sentences and freed hundreds of war criminals like those at Berga after the war, as the Cold War began to intensify. "They were more concerned about keeping out Communists than admitting victims of the Nazis," he said. "The realities out there were very conducive of letting these people off the hook." How should Americans feel six decades later that the government freed the Nazi commanders responsible for atrocities against U.S. soldiers? "We're supposed to feel very pissed off about that, to be perfectly honest, and that feeling is very justified," Zuroff said. The German government has since made reparations to the soldiers held at Berga. Zuroff said now it's time for the U.S. government to do "the right thing." "To apologize," he said. The Army said it is trying to figure out the best way to honor the Berga soldiers. There are about 20 known survivors still living. "The U.S. Army honors the service and sacrifice of all veterans who have fought our nation's wars. The Army is working to identify the most dignified and personal way to honor the soldiers held at the Nazi slave camp, known as Berga," Army spokesman Lt. Col. Willie Harris said in a written statement. The Army refused to answer further questions about the Berga case. Listen in as an elderly man learns about his brother's death at the camp » . Survivors have long wanted to know why the sentences of the commanders were commuted. In a letter dated June 11, 1948, to an attorney whose nephew died at Berga, the U.S. War Department said the sentences of Metz and Merz were commuted because they were "underlings." The letter goes on to say that Metz "though guilty of a generally cruel course of conduct toward prisoners was not directly responsible for the death of any prisoners, except one who was killed during the course of an attempt to escape." That soldier was Morton Goldstein. Survivors say Goldstein tried to escape but was captured. They say Metz stood him against a wall, walked up to him and shot him, execution-style, through the head. As his body lay on the ground, guards riddled him with bullets, according to survivors. The soldiers who survived were not called to testify at the war crimes trial against Metz and Merz, instead prosecutors relied on about a dozen soldiers' statements gathered through the course of the investigation. At the trial, Metz blamed any deaths at the camp on U.S. medics. "They bore the sole responsibility for the medical care," Metz told the court, according to the book "Given Up for Dead," by Flint Whitlock, citing trial transcripts. "I ask you: Who must bear the responsibility? The answer is obvious: The U.S. medics." Those comments don't sit well with Berga survivors. "He was terrible, absolutely terrible. He lied," said Tony Acevedo, a U.S. medic who catalogued the deaths in a diary at the camp. "Everybody hated his guts." "Even the German guards were scared of him." Flip through Acevedo's diary from the slave camp » . Berga survivors say they await any recognition from the Army that may come, especially after all these years. Morton Brooks, 83, said he constantly thinks about the day he was liberated. He was rail thin and had walked by political prisoners shot in the head during the forced death march. In the final hours before his rescue, his attitude was, "Let them kill us," he said. "I think all the time that I'm a survivor of this and I'm still around," said Brooks. "To me, it just amazes me. I don't know how I got through." Jim Martin said he's still trying to process his father's role as a forgotten American war hero, armed not with a gun, but a camera. "The worst part is I'm just finding it out," he said.

New photo surfaces of Nazi slave labor camp where U.S. soldiers held during WWII . Photo donated to U.S. Holocaust museum by family of U.S. war crimes photographer . "People have to see these. This is something that's history," Jim Martin says . Today marks the anniversary of the liberation of the soldiers held at the camp .

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(AOL Autos) -- The little two-passenger smart fortwo is the most fuel-efficient car (not counting hybrids) in the U.S. market, with EPA fuel economy ratings of 33 mpg city, 41 highway. For high-mileage frugality, it appears to beat the five-passenger Toyota Yaris and its 29/35-mpg ratings by a long shot. Look at the inside of your car's fuel door to find out whether you're required to use a certain octane gasoline. But wait! Premium fuel -- which cost about 12 percent more than regular at U.S. pumps last month -- is required for the fortwo. Suddenly the gap closes and the Smart no longer looks like as strong of a fuel-budget buster. And with the requirement, they mean it: smart says you'll lose your warranty coverage if you don't ante up. With premium fuel averaging about 24 cents more per gallon than regular, your choices at the pump can add up very quickly. If you drive a 20-mpg vehicle 15,000 miles a year, that's an extra $180, each year, toward those extra few octane points. If you have a thirstier truck or SUV or cover more mileage, it could amount to hundreds of dollars a year. New-car buyers, take notice. Add fuel requirements to your shopping checklist, because it will impact your wallet with every visit to the gas station, for years of ownership. The expensive stuff is typically recommended -- though not always required -- for luxury and high-performance cars, while less-expensive sedans, coupes, and SUVs only require 87-octane. But there are plenty of exceptions. Alan Hall, a spokesman for Ford, says that the automaker no longer has any models that require premium grade and only a few for which it's recommended. Regular unleaded is fine across all the models of Ford's Lincoln luxury brand, says Hall, so "as a luxury car buyer you don't have that added premium of premium fuel." Ford now does all of its engine development and vehicle testing on 87-octane, regular-grade fuel. "We don't want to give you a product that will have durability issues," explains Hall, if premium-grade isn't available everywhere. Another exception in the luxury-car realm is Hyundai; the automaker chose to tune the new high-performance V-8 engine in its Genesis sedan for premium fuel, but it also certified it for regular-grade. The automaker is the first to list power figures both with premium (375 hp) and regular (368 hp), letting owners opt for either top performance or a substantial savings at the pump. For the record, there's no measurable difference in fuel economy between the two grades, or any greater potential for damage, according to Hyundai. "We wanted to give customers the choice," explained Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson. "If you want a few extra horsepower, go ahead and spend a little more at the pump." Along with several European automakers, the BMW Group recommends premium fuel for all of its vehicles -- including the economical MINI Cooper -- yet Ford doesn't even recommend premium for its sporty, V-8-powered Mustang GT. The high-performance, 540-hp Shelby GT500 is the only new Ford vehicle to carry the recommendation for premium ... and Hall concedes the engine will get a "slight boost" from premium. Throwing money away? You might have been led to believe at some point that your vehicle will do better with premium, but with most newer vehicles, that's simply not true. Provided yours just calls for 87-octane, chances are you won't notice the difference, according to a number of experts, and you're essentially throwing the money away. The best way to tell, advises John Nielsen, director of AAA's Auto Repair and Buying Network, is to simply look at the inside of the fuel door; if it says, "use premium fuel only," and specifies a higher octane number (regular is typically 87, premium is 91 or higher), then the expensive stuff is actually required for the vehicle. But for people with vehicles only requiring 87-octane, Nielsen advises, "Don't do it; it's a waste of money." Don't let the filthy images get to you either. If you've seen commercials for gasoline, you've likely heard that premium-grade will keep maintain your vehicle's full power and smoothness, and otherwise your valves and injectors will become clogged with 'gunk,' and you'll have to shoulder premature repairs. Typically, within the same brand of gasoline, between regular and premium, "the difference is really just octane," confirms Prentiss Searles, Marketing Issues Manager at the American Petroleum Institute. To call a fuel regular, midgrade, or premium, Searles explains, only relates to octane; there's no other requirement that assures greater purity, more detergents, or better additives. Nielsen says that the emphasis on detergents and additives for premium fuels is also misleading because in most fuels you have plenty of detergents to keep modern computer-controlled engines clean. "Unleaded is just fine," he insists. More drivers are discovering that. Last year, as gasoline prices crept past four dollars a gallon for regular grade and approached five dollars in some places for premium, many motorists with rapidly emptying wallets broke the premium habit and filled up their vehicle with regular for the first time. The market share of premium gas has been on a downward trend for many years -- going from 16.6 percent percent of U.S. sales in 1997 to just 9.5 percent in 2007, according to the Energy Information Administration -- and although 2008 data hasn't yet been released, it's anticipated that last year even more turned to the less-expensive nozzle. Pinging is a thing of the past . For cars made several decades ago, it was up to you to listen for deadly knocking or pinging sounds -- a sign that the fuel was prematurely detonating and could quickly cause damage to engine components. But since the 1980s, most vehicles have had knock sensors. These little microphones listen for the telltale 'ping' of early detonation and your car's electronics automatically retard ignition timing to smooth it out. You don't even need to worry that your knock sensors have broken, Nielsen says, because it would set off the 'check engine' light. The actual heat energy in gasoline is typically the same whether it's regular or premium, but the higher octane rating means it can burn in a more controlled fashion -- useful only if the engine can take advantage of it. "Higher-octane gasoline doesn't make any more power, but it enables higher compression, or enables the turbochargers to produce more boost," says Nielsen. For vehicles that only require 87-octane, using a higher-octane fuel won't yield any noticeable difference from the driver's seat. It's a bit more complicated when premium is recommended. Look at the language in your owner's manual first, and if it mentions that regular is acceptable there will still likely be cautions of compromised performance; if it cautions against the regular use of regular you might be compromising your warranty. Honda spokesman Chris Martin advises against using regular for any vehicle for which premium is recommended. "There could be some short-term knocking or pinging, but nothing lasting," he says. "I wouldn't recommend it for the long term." Nielsen, of AAA, adds that drivers of high-performance or luxury vehicles for which 91-octane is recommended might actually negate their savings with regular depending on their driving style, seeing lower fuel economy. In a lot of cases, Nielsen sums, the fuel specs are simply an engineering issue; the engine was designed and tested with premium fuel, and they didn't design it to run on premium -- although it might do just fine. If your car wasn't built with an appetite for premium, save yourself the money.

Fuel octane requirements can be found on inside of car's fuel door . Using a higher-than-required octane won't make car run better, experts say . Ford says it does all vehicle development on regular-grade fuel now . Check the gas requirements for new fuel-efficient car to maximize savings .

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(CNN) -- An estimated one percent of adults have active epilepsy, and many of them are getting insufficient treatment, according to a 19-state survey released Thursday. "This is the first time that we actually have data from multiple states," said Rosemarie Kobau, lead author of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, in a telephone interview. "What we learned is that, among adults with active epilepsy, more than a third of them reported not seeing a specialist for their epilepsy, and that's really unacceptable." A follow-up survey is planned to determine why so many people with seizure disorders said they had not seen a specialist in the past year, Kobau said. "This is a highly specialized field," said Eric Hargis, the president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation, which collaborated with the authors of the study. "It's not possible to get state-of-the-art care" for the disorder from primary care doctors. One in six (16.1 percent) adults with active epilepsy with recent seizures said they were not taking their medication and two-thirds (65.1 percent) said they had had more than one seizure during the prior month. More than a fifth (20.4 percent) said cost was a barrier to seeking care from their doctor. Access to high-quality care is key to quality of life, Kobau said. People with recurrent seizures face substantial impairments in their daily activities; many are not allowed to drive and, as a result, depend on public transportation. In some areas, particularly rural ones, that can present a barrier to full participation in life, she said. That's not all. In addition to carrying stigma, people with epilepsy were more likely to live in households with the lowest annual incomes and to report being unemployed and unable to work. According to the 2005 findings, 1.65 percent of the population said they had been told by a doctor that they had epilepsy or a seizure disorder, the report said. Half of that group (0.84 percent) said they had active epilepsy -- defined as having had one or more seizures during the prior three months or currently taking medication. If the findings translate to the general population, that means a stadium filled with 60,000 people would contain 480 people with active epilepsy, Kobau noted, adding, "Epilepsy is not rare." But that view was disputed by Dr. James King, a family physician in Selmer, Tennessee, and president of the American Association of Family Physicians. "There are patients that can be managed fairly simply with seizure disorder," he said in a telephone interview. "In my own personal practice, I'd say that I can manage at least half, if not more, of the patients that have seizure disorder." Many of the others are able to get by with just a one-time visit to a neurologist, said King, whose practice is 50 miles from the nearest neurologist, and 100 miles from the nearest neurologist who accepts Medicaid, the government program for the poor. "There's only a handful of patients that are managed in my area by the neurologist." He said financial barriers -- from insurance to the cost of anti-seizure medication -- are a bigger problem. "If you can't afford to buy it -- which is what I run into with a lot of the seizure medicine -- it doesn't really matter" if patients see a neurologist or a family physician, he said. Many patients, forced to choose between paying their light bill or taking their anti-seizure medication, choose the former, King said. Epilepsy is a condition in which the normal activity of the brain malfunctions, causing recurrent seizures -- electrical storms in the brain -- that can be characterized by a range of symptoms, including sudden change in awareness, movement or sensation. Each year, about 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease, as was Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts after he suffered a seizure last year at his Maine vacation home. "Many people with epilepsy do lead normal, productive lives despite the hardship of having this disorder," Kobau said. The study, conducted by the federal government and published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, estimates that 2.7 million people in the United States have epilepsy, and that it costs some $15.5 billion in medical care and lost or reduced earnings or productivity each year. Hargis said the incidence of the disorder is expected to climb among veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, where head injuries are common. "When you have a head injury, it's common for epilepsy to develop after a gestational period -- it could be a couple of months or it could be years," he said. And the aging population is also expected to boost the incidence of epilepsy. Conditions of aging, such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease, are also associated with a higher incidence of epilepsy. The study was based on data from more than 120,000 adults in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

One in six adults with epilepsy who had recent seizures were not on medication . Epilepsy is a condition in which the normal activity of the brain malfunctions . Study says about 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease .

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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- It's no secret that "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell often shows no mercy toward aspiring singers. Quirky, tattooed contestant Megan Joy Corkrey discovered that Wednesday night during the elimination round on the popular singing competition. Megan Joy said she and Simon Cowell remain on good terms. Megan Joy, who dropped her last name, told Cowell that she "didn't really care" about his criticisms of her Tuesday night performance of Bob Marley's "Turn The Lights Down Low," which he described as "boring, indulgent and monotonous." Those comments sealed the 23-year-old single mother's fate. Host Ryan Seacrest asked Cowell if he would be using the "save" rule in Megan's case. Cowell demurred: "Megan, with the greatest respect, when you said that you don't care -- nor do we. So I'm not going to pretend that we're even going to contemplate saving you," replied Cowell. "I don't care that Simon didn't like that song," Joy said in an interview with CNN on Friday. "I truly didn't and I still don't. I still loved it, I sang it the way I wanted to." Watch what CNN's Michelle Wright said about Megan Joy » . Despite all the bickering, Joy says that she and Cowell remain on good terms. After Wednesday's program, she says they both laughed and he told her that he enjoyed watching her. Watch what CNN's Lisa Respers France thought of performance » . Furthermore, the self-described "dork" says her "American Idol" experience has opened new doors to her future. "Before all this competition, I thought I was just going to be a stay-at-home mom," Joy said. "Now, I am interested to see all sorts of different things I could possibly try and dabble. ... I'm excited to just see what's out there." And those bizarre moments onstage Wednesday when she flapped her arms and squawked like a bird? Joy says that's just her personality. "I do a lot of sound effects all the time, bird noises, animal noises," she said. "Wednesday, I kind of had a feeling it was going to be me ... so I decided that I'm just going to be myself and be silly out there."

Megan Joy dropped from "American Idol" on Wednesday night . She had dismissed judge Simon Cowell's criticism; Cowell dismissed her . Joy says "Idol" has opened up new worlds for her .

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(CNN) -- The bodies of seven of eight snowmobilers missing after Sunday's avalanches in southeastern British Columbia have been found, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Monday. Authorities found seven bodies a day after avalanches in British Columbia, Canada. One man still was missing, but rescue personnel suspended their search near Fernie, British Columbia, at mid-afternoon Monday because of heavy snowfall and dense low clouds, the RCMP said. The search will resume Tuesday morning, authorities said. All eight men -- and three others who escaped -- faced two avalanches Sunday afternoon about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) east of Fernie, a town in the Canadian Rockies about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southwest of Calgary, Alberta. The three survivors suffered minor injuries, and one of them was hospitalized overnight. The men had been in an area called Harvey Pass, which police called a popular backcountry snowmobile destination. Officials said an avalanche buried part of the group, and a second buried the rest as they tried to assist. "Two of the buried riders managed to self-rescue within about 20 minutes. These two used their avalanche beacons to locate a third buried victim who they rescued after an additional 20 minutes of digging," police said. iReport.com: Wyoming avalanche training covers pulling people out of snow . A search command post was set up Sunday, but darkness and avalanche hazards prompted authorities to postpone the search until Monday. On Monday morning, before the bodies were found, authorities said searchers and police dogs were being dispatched to the rugged, snowy area, and crews would dig into any sites where searchers thought they might find any of the missing men. The snowmobilers resided in Sparwood, a small town just north of Fernie. Sparwood's mayor, David Wilks, said Monday morning that "it certainly doesn't look good" for the missing. "Reality tells us if you're stuck in the snow for about 24 hours, bad things can happen," he said. The region has had previous coal mine disasters, "but in recent memory, this is the largest single tragic event to hit this community," Wilks said. iReport.com: Are you there? Share photos, video . He said the snowmobilers are men in their mid- to late 20s and described them as upstanding citizens, most of them working in coal mines or as businessmen. "All were well aware of the dangers involved in snowmobiling. All are very cautious with what was going on," Wilks said. The mayor said temperatures had been as low as minus-30 degrees Fahrenheit in recent weeks, but the air had warmed up in the last two or three days to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. CNN's Nick Valencia contributed to this report.

NEW: Seven found dead a day after Canadian avalanches . NEW: Search for eighth missing snowmobiler to resume Tuesday . Group had been snowmobiling in southeastern British Columbia, Canada . Two of 11 buried riders managed to rescue themselves, find third victim .

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- South Africans waited on election results Thursday in a ballot that the ruling African National Congress party appeared on course to win in a landslide. ANC leader Jacob Zuma is expected to be South Africa's next president. South African media reported Thursday that the ANC had won around 65 percent of the vote with one third of ballots counted. Reports suggested the opposition Democratic Alliance could be on course to claim control of Western Cape province -- but the ANC was ahead in the country's eight other provinces. "This party is an elephant. You cannot actually topple an elephant," presidential candidate Jacob Zuma told thousands of supporters at ANC headquarters in central Johannesburg, according to Reuters.com. Zuma, who danced and sang his trademark "Bring me my machine gun" anti-apartheid anthem, stressed the ANC was "not yet celebrating victory." Final results are not expected until Saturday. All counting is done by hand in the country, which has 23 million registered voters. Members of parliament will elect the country's president next month. The Independent Electoral Commission said the number of people voting on Wednesday created long lines and a shortage of ballot boxes and papers in some districts and voting stations. Watch as South Africa waits for a winner » . "We thank voters for their enthusiasm and patience as they waited to exercise their democratic right to vote," commission Chairwoman Brigalia Bam said Wednesday. Although the ANC is widely expected to win, it remains to be seen how much ground the two main opposition parties -- the Democratic Alliance and the Congress of the People -- will gain, and whether the ANC will be able to hold onto its two-thirds parliamentary majority. The ANC has gained votes in every election since 1994, when the country held its first democratic election. But the Congress of the People -- a breakaway faction of the ANC -- threatens the ruling party's grip on power. Voter shares feelings about ANC and new rival » . The ANC has been dogged by allegations of corruption and has been accused of failing to deliver services to the poor. And Zuma until recently faced fraud and corruption charges. The country's prosecuting authority dropped the charges two weeks before the elections, citing alleged political interference in the case. That decision sparked widespread outrage, with opposition parties accusing prosecutors of buckling under political pressure. Twenty-six parties vied in Wednesday's election. They included Islamic and Christian parties, and right-wing Afrikaaner and socialist groups. Learn more about some of South Africa's political parties . More than 5,000 domestic and international observers are monitoring the election, according to the electoral commission. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report.

African National Congress on course for landslide, South African media reports . Reports says ANC has 65 percent of vote; official results expected Saturday . Opposition Democratic Alliance could claim control of Western Cape province . Controversial ANC leader Jacob Zuma expected to become president .

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UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday he does not regret expelling the U.S. ambassador last year, maintaining again that the envoy was plotting with opposition politicians. Bolivian President Evo Morales maintains the U.S. ambassador was plotting against Morales' government. Bolivia declared U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg persona non grata in September and ordered him to leave. Goldberg denied that he encouraged anti-government demonstrators to commit violent acts. "I don't regret having expelled the ambassador, Mr. Goldberg," Morales said in an exclusive interview Wednesday with CNN en Español. "And now, with the events we are seeing and we are finding, it is confirmed that he was conspiring against the government, conspiring against the national territory. He is an expert in dividing countries, with external groups and in Bolivia." Morales also expelled a lower-level U.S. diplomat last month, accusing him of contacting opposition groups. Morales indicated Wednesday, however, that he is open to reviewing the issue since President Obama is in office. "With the new times," he said, "we expect to improve diplomatic relations. So we have to revise our politics. You can't conspire against us nor blackmail us. But if there's mutual respect, welcome." Morales also said an assassination plot against him and other government officials that he alleged last week was real. Three gunmen were killed and two others were arrested Thursday after a 30-minute firefight in the city of Santa Cruz. At least two of the gunmen were foreigners, Bolivian authorities said. Morales said last week he had been aware of the assassination plot, which was verified after the arrest of the gunmen. Opposition politicians expressed doubt about the plot, saying Morales had made similar allegations in the past based on flimsy evidence. The gunmen, he said Wednesday, wanted "to take power violently and also undemocratically. But also, if they could not take power, divide a region of the country. ... And for that, they had to take lives." Morales did not mention who might want to divide the country, but five resource-rich eastern regions and the eastern province of Gran Chaco have been seeking greater autonomy. Earlier Wednesday, Morales addressed the United Nations in observance of Earth Day. He called for the nations of the world to accept a set of principles that would protect the planet's resources and "right to life." Morales, the first indigenous president in Bolivia's history, told the U.N. General Assembly that people cannot put their interests above those of the Earth. "Not just human beings have rights, but the planet has rights," he said. "What's happening with climate change is that the rights of Mother Earth are not being respected." Telling the U.N. delegates that "we have the challenge to agree on a universal declaration for the rights of Mother Earth," Morales outlined four principles that he asked them to consider: . Morales pointed out how indigenous people in Bolivia have rites and rituals to honor the Earth. "We now must begin to realize that the Earth does not belong to us," he said. "It's the other way around. We belong to the Earth." Earth Day was started in 1970 in the United States as a way to bring awareness to the ecological problems plaguing the planet. It is celebrated in many parts of the world.

NEW: Bolivia's Evo Morales says ordering ambassador to leave was right move . NEW: Morales open to reviewing stances now that Barack Obama is president . Morales speaking on Earth Day: People can't put their interests above Earth . With climate change, "rights of Mother Earth are not being respected," Morales says .

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(CNN) -- President Obama said in an interview aired Sunday that the hardest decision he's made since taking office was to send more troops to Afghanistan. In a "60 Minutes" interview, President Obama said, "I fundamentally disagree with Dick Cheney." Also in the interview on CBS' "60 Minutes," Obama defended his decision to shut down the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and he countered criticism from former vice president Dick Cheney. "I fundamentally disagree with Dick Cheney -- not surprisingly," Obama said. "I think that Vice President Cheney has been at the head of a movement whose notion is somehow that we can't reconcile our core values, our Constitution, our belief that we don't torture, with our national security interests. I think he's drawing the wrong lesson from history." Obama was responding to comments Cheney made to CNN's "State of the Union" on March 15, when he said the president is making the nation less safe by closing the Guantanamo prison and ending interrogation practices that Bush administration critics consider torture for terror suspects. Just a month into office, Obama ordered 17,000 troops to Afghanistan, the original front in the "war on terrorism" sparked by the September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. "I think it's the right thing to do. But it's a weighty decision because we actually had to make the decision prior to the completion of the strategic review that we were conducting," Obama said. Coming off a tumultuous week over the millions in bonuses paid out to employees of AIG, Obama said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's job is secure despite critics calling for his resignation. Obama joked that even if Geithner were to tender his resignation, the president would tell him, "Sorry buddy, you've still got the job." Geithner has come under fire over the $165 million in bonuses AIG paid its top executives after the insurance giant received more than $170 billion in federal bailout money. A loophole in the recently approved economic stimulus bill, included at the behest of the Treasury, allowed AIG to pay the bonuses. "It's going to take a little bit more time than we would like to make sure that we get this plan just right," Obama said. The president also stressed that his administration won't endorse a House bill that would levy a 90 percent tax on bonuses paid out by companies that receive bailout money. "As a general proposition, you don't want to be passing laws that are just targeting a handful of individuals," Obama said. "You want to pass laws that have some broad applicability ... you certainly don't want to use the tax code to punish people."

Dick Cheney has drawn 'the wrong lesson from history,' president said . Obama said his hardest decision so far is sending more troops to Afghanistan . He wouldn't accept resignation from Treasury Secretary Geithner, Obama said . Obama said he wouldn't endorse a 90 percent tax on bonuses, targeting just a few .

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(CNN) -- Stop, speed racers, stop. Police say the cars were pulled over on a dangerous stretch of Highway 18 near Grand Ronde, Oregon. So said Oregon State Senior Trooper David Petersen after he was able to catch up with six exotic sports cars on a stretch of Highway 18 near Grand Ronde on Thursday, according to a news release. Perhaps a more amazing feat was that he stopped all the cars simultaneously. "They just were all good little soldiers and pulled right over," Oregon State Police spokesman Lt. Gregg Hastings told CNN. One of the drivers was later cited again on a different highway. The drivers of the cars -- consisting of Ferraris, a Lamborghini and an Acura NSX -- told Petersen they were part of a group of 20 similar cars making an annual road trip, the news release said. They were all cordial and cooperative, and were cited with speed racing, a class A traffic violation that can command a fine of $627, Hastings said. After receiving reports Thursday morning that several sports cars were speeding and passing in no-pass zones west of Grand Ronde, Petersen set up east of the casino town, near McMinnville, and waited. Five of the cars soon blew past him, running about 100 mph in a 55-mph zone, Hastings said. As Petersen pulled onto Highway 18 in pursuit, a sixth car passed him. "I guess when you're going too fast, you're in a rock and a hard place," Hastings said. Highway 18 runs from Dayton, Oregon, in the Willamette Valley to the Pacific coast. The stretch where the cars were cited is considered particularly dangerous and the Oregon Department of Transportation provides additional funding to enforce traffic laws there, Hastings said. About two hours after the incident, another trooper pulled over the Lamborghini from the group in Multnomah Falls, about 90 miles east. The driver of the car, which bore the the license plate "BADBUL," was cited for driving 90 in a 65-mph zone, according to a news release.

Police: 6 exotic sport cars, mostly Ferraris, pulled over "like good little soldiers" Polite drivers reportedly told police they were making annual road trip . Fine for speed racing is $627, police say . Lamborghini with tag "BADBUL" pulled over again later in day, police say .

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(CNN) -- Michigan authorities are investigating whether foul play led to the death of a 9-year-old quadriplegic girl whose body was found inside a public storage facility. Shylea Thomas, 9, of Flint, Michigan, was quadriplegic and used a feeding tube. "This is a very sad and tragic case that hurts all of us involved in the ongoing investigation," Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton said at a news conference Wednesday. Shylea Myza Thomas of Flint, Michigan, hadn't been seen in six weeks, and relatives reported her missing Tuesday, Leyton's office said. Her adoptive mother, who is also her aunt, is in custody as a suspect, special assistant prosecuting attorney John Potbury told CNN. No charges have been filed pending the results of the autopsy, he said. Because of her physical disabilities, Shylea used a feeding tube. She suffered from quadriplegia because of a "suffocation issue" in her crib at 3 weeks of age, Leyton said. On Wednesday, Flint police found her body stuffed inside a garbage bag in a public storage facility in Vienna Township, near Flint, Leyton said. The bag was covered in mothballs "in an apparent attempt to mask odors from the dead body," his office said in a news release. "For her to have to live like that, and then to die and be stuffed into a bag and plastic bin in a storage facility, just breaks my heart," the prosecutor said. CNN affiliate WJRT reported that the suspect could face charges including murder, first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud. The station also reported that investigators are trying to determine why the girl's disappearance wasn't reported until six weeks after she went missing. Relatives told WJRT that they remember Shylea as a happy child, who loved music and whose smile was infectious. Watch a family in shock » . "The last memory I actually have of Shylea is seeing her when she was in my care," said her second cousin, Josette Thomas. "She was on the bed listening to the radio and smiling. Those are actually the memories I want to keep in my head. I don't want that memory to leave me."

NEW: Child's adoptive mother is in custody as a suspect, official says . Relatives told police they hadn't seen Shylea Thomas in weeks . Child had "suffocation issue" in crib at 3 weeks of age, was quadriplegic . Body was found stuffed in trash bag, covered with mothballs .

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(CNET) -- Compact-camera manufacturers have begun testing the waters with a wealth of high-end features as they search for new ways to gain revenue, market share, and recognition. A prototype of Olympus' Micro Four Thirds model, one of several small cameras with big features. In earlier digital photography days, a camera with an extra megapixel of resolution, face recognition, or image stabilization could stand apart from the herd. But now that herd has grown larger, most folks who'll buy a digital camera already have done so, the economy has put consumer spending on ice--and camera makers are making some bolder bets with high-end features. Among them: Nikon's built-in GPS support to record where a photo was taken, Casio's high-speed video, and the Micro Four Thirds camera system from Panasonic and Olympus. Premium features aren't an easy sell. They tend to appeal to market niches rather than the mainstream. Early implementations are often rough around the edges. And it's hard enough to convince people to buy a new camera, much less one with the higher price of premium features. But winning those customers can have a good payoff with better profit margins. And that's critical in this day and age. Market research firm IDC expects that after years of growth, the shipments of digital cameras will decline in 2009. "It's crowded, and it's getting crowdeder," IDC analyst Ron Glaz said of the digital camera market. "We're anticipating that with the slowdown in economy and disposable income, we'll start seeing consolidation of the vendors." In other words, even though something in the neighborhood of 38 million digital cameras are sold annually, some companies will throw in the towel. Even as the compact-digital market saturated in recent years, digital SLRs showed strong market growth. Some high-end compact models are geared for those thinking of buying an SLR, but who want something less bulky and complicated. Another type: SLR owners who need something they can slip into a pocket or easily take on a trip. Dethroning Canon . The company to dethrone here is Canon, the leader of the compact camera market. Not only does it have seemingly innumerable cameras for every variation of consumer, but it also has long offered its G series for enthusiasts who are willing to pay a premium for high-end features. The current PowerShot G10 offers 14.7 megapixels of resolution, full manual controls, support for raw image format, a durable body, and a relatively fast lens. "There have always been competitive products for the G-series. However, the range of competitors has expanded recently. Now, not only high-end point-and-shoot, but also low-end DSLR products are priced about the same as the G10," Canon said in a statement. The company has offered a new G-series model each year since 2006, and Canon believes the G10 to be the leading high-end compact camera in the United States. Canon shares dominance in the SLR market with Nikon, and in the compact market, Nikon's Coolpix P6000 is aimed straight at Canon's G10. The P6000's chief distinguishing feature is its built-in GPS receiver, which enables the camera to know where it is when a photo is taken. That location data is written into the image file through a process called geotagging that lets people sort their photos not just by when they were taken or by what folder on a computer they were stuffed into, but also by where they were taken. "Having GPS in the camera makes all the sense in the world to me," Glaz said. "People are now capturing thousands of pictures a year. There are only a few things they remember about them--I was in Paris, it was around the holidays." So location data is important, especially as software arrives that can convert a photo's latitude-longitude information into a place name. That will let people search for photos by typing in text, not just by looking at image thumbnails on a map. The Micro Four Thirds contenders . The P6000 and G10 are self-contained, one-off cameras. If you don't like them, you can wait a couple years and buy the next model in the category. But Olympus and Panasonic are trying something much more ambitious in the market: the Micro Four Thirds standard. The two companies already sell SLRs that use the earlier Four Thirds standard, which governs the sensor size along with the interchangeable lenses mounting system and communication with the camera body. Micro Four Thirds is a smaller variation that employs the same size sensor but smaller lenses, and cameras forsake SLRs' space-consuming flip-up mirror. "We're looking at (Micro Four Thirds) as the ability to offer a high-end interchangeable lens camera in an extremely small, compact body at an affordable price that would appeal to individuals coming up from the point-ad-shoot space, looking for a more sophisticated camera system they could grow with," said Sally Smith Clemens, product manager for Olympus Imaging America. It's for the person who demands high image quality but wants to be able to fit a camera and three lenses in a small fanny pack. Casio's EX-FH20 camera can shoot slow-motion video. This one slows down time by a factor of 14 but has a native resolution of only 224x168 pixels. At 1000 frames per second, it's a 224x56 strip. So far, Olympus has only shown a slim Micro Four Thirds concept model, and despite some speculation to the contrary, that's all it'll show at the Photo Marketing Show in March, Smith Clemens added. But Panasonic already has its first first Micro Four Thirds model for sale, the $670 Lumix DMC-G1. While Olympus' Micro Four Thirds effort is steered initially toward small models resembling the rangefinder cameras from the film era, Panasonic's G1 is relatively expensive and bulky, smaller than an SLR but not something that fits into a pocket easily. Some wags have called the G1 a "Barbie SLR." But it shows what can be done with Micro Four Thirds, leading Popular Photography magazine to name the G1 camera of the year. DxO Labs has found the G1's sensor quality to be superior to that of Canon's G10, boding well for Micro Four Thirds models. Sensor size has a lot to do with image quality--and price--and Micro Four Thirds sensors, at 17.3mm by 13mm are vastly larger that those used in compact cameras. That's important when shooting in dim conditions and when trying to get the best range of colors and tones. Panasonic's ambition . Panasonic, which hasn't had much success with its Four Thirds SLR line against giants Canon and Nikon, is eagerly pursuing the Micro Four Thirds direction. Along with the G1 and two lenses, a 14-45mm model and a 45-200mm model (the equivalent of 28-90mm and 90-400mm in 35mm camera terms), Panasonic plans to release three more lenses this year: a 7-14mm f4, a fast 20mm f1.7, and an image-stabilized 14-140mm f4-5.6. "I do see this being a big part of our future," said David Briganti, Panasonic's national marketing manager for imaging. "The only people having extreme success in the true digital SLR world are Canon and Nikon. Sony is a huge player in the digital compact camera space, but even Sony has struggled despite the huge efforts with their Alpha line. We'll still have Four Thirds models, and there will be potential for new models in the future, but we feel there's a huge opportunity that's been missed by camera manufacturers today," the step-up from ordinary compact cameras. Panasonic believes there are 23 million people in the market who are willing to buy digital SLRs, but only 7 million have done so, and Micro Four Thirds is aimed at the other 16 million. Micro Four Thirds, though, is a hybrid technology that remains unproven in the market, Glaz said. "Nobody knows if people will buy them. The G1 is kind of in a no-man's land at this point," he said. Why not make things even easier by skipping the interchangeable lenses altogether and shipping an model with a big zoom range? In short, physics constraints preclude ultrazoom cameras with large image sensors, Briganti said. In general, the larger the sensor, the larger the lenses to support it must be. There is room for improvement, though. The G1 can't shoot video--despite not being encumbered by the mirror that makes video in SLRs so difficult. But Panasonic plans a new model this year that will support high-definition video, Briganti said. Casio's need for speed . Casio has long had a niche with its very slim compact cameras, but in 2008 it started offering a new selling point: super-high-speed video. Most digital cameras shoot video at 30 frames per second, but Casio's $1,000 EX-F1 can shoot much faster: 512x384-pixel resolution at 300 frames per second or 336x96 at 1,200 frames per second, for example. Later came the EX-FH20, which at $600 isn't as expensive, then at the Consumer Electronics Show, the still cheaper EX-FS10 and EX-FC100. These cameras also will take a high-speed burst of full-resolution still images, making it easier at least in theory to capture that exact moment when the your son's bat hits the baseball. "The megapixel wars have peaked out," said Bill Heuer, head of Casio's digital camera division. "We challenged R&D to come up with something to use technology to do things that haven't been done before...Our goal is to establish categories that are profitable to us and to the retailer." With the camera industry now operating at the breakneck speed of computing technology, it's certain other camera makers will try to stake their claims with high-end options. Fujifilm's $400 F200EXR has a sensor designed to work better in low-light conditions. But it's not just a research and development challenge. The industry now has to convince budget-constrained consumers that the new high-end features aren't just gimmicks but are actually advances worth spending money on. © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

Compact-camera makers are testing the waters with high-end features like GPS . Premium features like high-speed video aren't an easy sell in a tough economy . After years of growth, shipments of digital cameras are expected to decline in 2009 . The company to dethrone here is Canon, leader of the compact camera market .

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(CNN) -- The fourteenth suspicious fire in a month's time hit a small community near Philadelphia before dawn Sunday. A huge fire spread through more than a dozen homes Sunday outside Philadelphia, authorities said. The seven-alarm fire in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, damaged more than a dozen homes and caused nearly $2 million in damage, according to city spokeswoman Kristin Geiger. No residents were injured, she said. It took 150 firefighters three hours to bring the blaze under control, and one firefighter broke his ankle, CNN affiliate WPVI reported. Watch a town fearful of what's next » . Authorities in the city announced a state of emergency on Sunday. In a statement, Coatesville City Manager Harry Walker said the declaration would allow him to "promulgate whatever special rules and regulations necessary to protect" citizens. It would also let him request assistance from other municipalities and "enter into contracts, employ temporary personnel, rent equipment, purchase supplies without regard to the normal procedures and formalities prescribed by law," Walker wrote. Authorities have been imploring residents to remove anything flammable from outside their homes -- including porch furniture and trash. Standing outside the latest blaze early Sunday, resident Janet Jackson said it had broken out just behind her house. "I woke up and everything was in flames," she said, adding, "It's really scary. ... I mean we're all afraid to even be in our houses right now." Francis Dorsheimer said he had just arrived home when his family told him they needed to leave right away because a neighbor's house was on fire. He ran outside and saw flames "shooting off the roof." "Must have been like 15-foot flames or higher," he said. "It was just unbelievable. All the smoke in the air -- you could hardly breathe." Watch the flames eat away at homes » . Beverly Rivera watched firefighters put out the blaze at the home that she had recently moved out of. She still had possessions inside. "Whoever's doing this, this is just absolutely ludicrous," she said. Referring to suggestions that the fires may be the result of gang activity, Rivera said, "If it's a gang, please stop, and find something else to do. Because this is, this is terrible. This is absolutely unreal." "I never thought Coatesville would be on the map for something like this," she added. "It's just awful. Just awful." Thirteen previous suspected arsons have occurred since the start of the year in Coatesville. Fifteen suspected arsons happened in 2008 -- including one that killed an 83-year-old woman, Geiger said. The fires do not appear to follow a clear pattern, she said. Three suspects were arrested in December, and confessed to some of the fires, said Geiger. The suspects -- two adults and one juvenile -- are still in custody, she said. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to whomever has been setting the latest fires. Federal officials have joined the investigation, WPVI reported. Two homes were first spotted in flames at 11:30 p.m. The blazes spread and burned 15 homes, causing damage estimated at about $120,000 per home or a total of $1.8 million. City officials expect a huge turnout at a city council meeting Monday when the fires will be discussed. Coatesville, about 45 miles west of Philadelphia, has about 11,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

NEW: Authorities in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, declare state of emergency . Since start of year, 14 suspicious fires have happened in a town near Philadelphia . WPVI: Federal investigators are now part of a probe into the possible arsons . No residents were injured in a fire Sunday that damaged 15 homes, authorities said .

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(CNN) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were dancing their way through 10 official inaugural balls after a day of pomp and circumstance that saw his first presidential address and excitement about her inaugural dress. Michelle Obama, dressed in Jason Wu, and President Obama at the Home State Ball Tuesday night. The Obamas were serenaded by Beyoncé during their first dance at the Neighborhood Ball Tuesday night. Beyoncé sang Etta James' "At Last," from her role in the movie "Cadillac Records" as the couple laughed and took their first spin around the dance floor. Before the dance, Obama addressed the crowd, which erupted in applause when he entered the room. "First of all, how good-looking is my wife?" Obama joked. Watch the Obamas at the first ball of the night » . All eyes certainly were on Michelle Obama, who had kept her choice of a designer and dress style a secret until the moment she entered the dance floor. The first lady was clad in a long white gown designed by up-and-coming designer Jason Wu, 26. The gown made especially for the first lady is made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery, according to one of Wu's publicists. Wu told CNN he didn't know that she had chosen his gown until her first ball appearance Tuesday night. "It's thrilling. ... For a young designer, I couldn't ask for any more than this," said Wu, whose design style combines modern lifestyle dressing and haute couture, according to his Web site. He designed and delivered the dress at the request of Michelle Obama's aides in December, according to fashion expert Mary Alice Stephenson, contributing editor at Harper's Bazaar. Wu -- who has been in the business for three years, according to InStyle.com fashion director Joe Berean -- said he intended the gown to stand for everything that she and President Obama are about. Listen to Berean critique Michelle Obama's inauguration outfits » . "It's about hope. It's about newness," he said. "It's all a little dreamlike, and we're making history, and I wanted to really reflect that." The Neighborhood Ball, a first of its kind and one of the balls open to the public, was the first of 10 official balls that the Obamas were scheduled to attend. For the new president, the first was particularly important. "I cut my teeth doing neighborhood work and this campaign was organized neighborhood by neighborhood," he said. For that reason "this ball is the one that captures best the spirit of this campaign," Obama said. The Obamas then moved to their second ball -- the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii -- at the Convention Center. After greeting the crowd by saying "Aloha," the president thanked many in the crowd who he said were old friends who had been part of the couple's lives for awhile. "This is a special ball because it represents our roots," he said. The couple laughed and embraced as they danced. President Obama even let loose after his long day, twirling his wife around in a circle -- a move the crowd cheered. Time: See the glamour of past balls . Next, the Obamas made their way to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, attended by many members of the military, including wounded veterans. "It is wonderful to be surrounded by some of the very best and bravest Americans," Obama said. "Your courage, your grace and your patriotism inspire us all." Obama told the crowd that there is "no greater honor or responsibility than serving as your commander in chief." Watch the Obamas as the Commander-in-Chief Ball » . Obama then introduced members of the military from Illinois stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. After thanking them, Obama took time for lighter banter, polling the members of the military about whether they were Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox baseball fans. "Terrible!" quipped Obama, known to be a huge White Sox fan, as most said they were Cubs fans. Then Obama introduced his wife, who took a moment to emerge from backstage. "I may have been stood up," he joked, before she came out for their next dance. Next, the Obamas turned their attention to the Youth Inaugural Ball, where people between the ages of 18 and 35 gathered. "When you look at the history of this campaign, what started out as an improbable journey -- when nobody gave us a chance -- was carried forward, was inspired by, was driven by, was energized by, young people all across America," Obama said. The president thanked the young people who came out to vote in dramatically high numbers, especially compared to past elections. He said a new generation inspired an older generation, and "that's how change happens in America." Afterward, the Obamas moved to the Home State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania, honoring Vice President Joe Biden. "We are grateful to you, not only for the trust you bestowed, but also for a guy named Joe Biden," Obama said. Biden was born in Pennsylvania and later moved to Delaware, which he represented in the U.S. Senate. The Obamas then visited the rest of the parties earlier than scheduled and in quick succession, spending about five minutes each at the Mid-Atlantic, Western, Midwest, Southern and Eastern regional balls. At the Western Ball, singer Marc Anthony helped entertain about 11,500 guests, including film director Ron Howard and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress Cheryl Hines. When the Obamas arrived, someone shouted "I love you" to the president. "I love you back," Obama responded. "Michelle loves you, too." Before the couple's dance at the Midwest Ball, the president introduced the first lady by saying he'd "like to dance with the one who brung me, and who does everything I do except ... in high heels." The first couple's last dance of the night -- at the Eastern Ball -- happened shortly after 12:35 a.m. Wednesday. Melanie Roussell, a spokeswoman for the committee, said that in keeping with tradition, the Obamas and Biden and his wife, Jill, would make appearances at each of the official balls. Quiz: First ladies gowns . There was more than chips and dip for the new president and his fellow partygoers. "We will have a little more than light fare," said Roussell, who listed such menu items as penne Italiano and chilled chicken roulades with tomatoes, artichokes and pine nuts. The balls also featured plenty of music to suit just about everyone's taste. In addition to Beyoncé, the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center included recording artists Jay-Z, Faith Hill, Shakira and Alicia Keys. iReport.com: Are you in Washington? Share your story . Those not lucky enough to score a ticket or an invitation could watch on television. "We are trying to make this the most accessible inauguration in history," Roussell said. "We are encouraging people to plan parties in their own neighborhoods, and they can tune in and celebrate along with the president." CNN's Lisa Respers France, Mallory Simon and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.

Obama thanks youth for helping inspire, energize "improbable journey" Obama says at military ball there is "no greater honor" than being commander . Michelle Obama wears silk chiffon Jason Wu gown with crystal rhinestones . Celebrities attending include Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Faith Hill .

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(CNN) -- A woman in rural Papua New Guinea was bound and gagged, tied to a log and set ablaze on a pile of tires this week, possibly because villagers suspected her of being a witch, police said Thursday. Her death adds to a growing list of men and women who have been accused of sorcery and then tortured or killed in the South Pacific island nation, where traditional beliefs hold sway in many regions. The victims are often scapegoats for someone else's unexplained death, and bands of tribesmen collude to mete out justice to them for their supposed magical powers, police said. "We have had difficulties in a number of previous incidents convincing people to come forward with information," said Simon Kauba, assistant commissioner of police and commander of the Highlands region, where the killing occurred. "We are trying to persuade them to help. Somebody lost their mother or daughter or sister Tuesday morning." Early Tuesday, a group of people dragged the woman, believed to be in her late teens to early 20s, to a dumping ground outside the city of Mount Hagen. They stripped her naked, bound her hands and legs, stuffed a cloth in her mouth, tied her to a log and set her on fire, Kauba said. "When the people living nearby went to the dump site to investigate what caused the fire, they found a human being burning in the flames," he said. "It was ugly." The country's Post-Courier newspaper reported Thursday that more than 50 people were killed in two Highlands provinces last year for allegedly practicing sorcery. In a well-publicized case last year, a pregnant woman gave birth to a baby girl while struggling to free herself from a tree. Villagers had dragged the woman from her house and hung her from the tree, accusing her of sorcery after her neighbor suddenly died. She and the baby survived, according to media reports. The killing of witches, or sangumas, is not a new phenomenon in rural areas of the country. Emory University anthropology professor Bruce Knauft, who lived in a village in the western province of Papua New Guinea in the early 1980s, traced family histories for 42 years and found that one in three adult deaths were homicides -- "the bulk of these being collective killings of suspected sorcerers," he wrote in his book, "From Primitive to Postcolonial in Melanesia and Anthropology." In recent years, as AIDS has taken a toll in the nation of 6.7 million people, villagers have blamed suspected witches -- and not the virus -- for the deaths. According to the United Nations, Papua New Guinea accounts for 90 percent of the Pacific region's HIV cases and is one of four Asia-Pacific countries with an epidemic. "We've had a number of cases where people were killed because they were accused of spreading HIV or AIDS," Kauba said. While there is plenty of speculation why Tuesday's victim was killed, police said they are focused more on who committed the crime. "If it is phobias about alleged HIV/AIDS or claims of a sexual affair, we must urge the police and judiciary to throw the book at the offenders," the Post-Courier wrote in an editorial. "There are remedies far, far better than to torture and immolate a young woman before she can be judged by a lawful system."

Woman suspected to be witch in Papua New Guinea burned alive . Death adds to growing list of people accused of sorcery tortured or killed . Victims are often scapegoats for someone else's unexplained death .

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(CNN) -- The U.S. Navy has captured seven suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the first arrests by a U.S.-led task force set up to curb rampant piracy off the Horn of Africa, a Navy spokesman said Wednesday. Seven men suspected of trying to pirate a tanker raise their hands before their arrest in the Gulf of Aden. Sailors from the cruiser USS Vella Gulf arrested the men Wednesday in the western Gulf of Aden -- a waterway between Africa and the Middle East -- after a distress call from the 420-foot (128-meter) tanker Polaris. The tanker reported that men aboard a small skiff were attempting to board the ship using ladders, but its crew removed them before the would-be hijackers could get aboard, the Navy said. The Vella Gulf found and boarded the skiff, and the tanker's crew identified the men aboard the skiff as their would-be hijackers. The skiff's men were taken aboard the Vella Gulf, the flagship of the task force now patrolling the western Gulf of Aden, and eventually will be transferred to Kenya for trial, said Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. 5th Fleet. Piracy has become a chronic problem off the Horn of Africa in recent years, with some pirates operating from largely lawless Somalia. Pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 in the waters off the coast of Somalia in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau. The task force led by the Vella Gulf was set up in January in an effort to clamp down on the attacks in the region, the southern approach to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Seven men captured after failed attack on ship, U.S. Navy says . Men tried to board tanker from skiff, but crew removed ladders, Navy says . Navy cruiser found skiff after tanker made distress call . Cruiser was patrolling Gulf of Aden as part of U.S.-led, antipiracy task force .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- After a lifetime of playing characters past-their-prime, Clint Eastwood appears to still be enjoying his own. Clint Eastwood stars as inspector Harry Callahan in "Dirty Harry" (1971). Just last week the 78-year-old actor, best-known for his portrayal of "tough guys" like "Dirty Harry," was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival. The American film-maker accepted the Palme d'Or (only the second they've ever given for lifetime achievement), while he was in town promoting his new film "Gran Torino." What is your favorite Clint Eastwood movie? Tell us below in the SoundOff box. Eastwood both directs and co-stars in "Gran Torino," as a prejudiced Korean war veteran who comes to the rescue of troubled Asian teens who live next door. For Eastwood the honor caps a 40 year career acting, directing, producing and composing. During this time, he has won five Academy Awards, five Golden Globes and received many more nominations. The Hollywood veteran earned perhaps most acclaim for two films: "Unforgiven" (1992) and "Million Dollar Baby" (2004). For each of these films he was awarded both Best Director and Best Picture Oscars, as well as being nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Eastwood got his break in 1959, landing the role of Rowdy Yates in the television series "Rawhide." A successful seven-year run helped turn Eastwood into a household name and landed him several other roles in so-called Spaghetti Western films, including the hit "A Fist Full of Dollars" (1964), directed by Sergio Leone. Leone then re-hired Eastwood for two more successful films: "For a Few More Dollars" (1965) and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966). The trilogy earned Eastwood greater fame and a reputation for playing tough-guy, gun-slinging cowboys. Eastwood found another friend in director Don Siegel who gave him perhaps his most iconic role, starring in "Dirty Harry" (1971) as no-nonsense, "loose-cannon" cop Harry Callahan. The film was such a hit that it four spin off sequels were made: "Magnum Force" (1973), "The Enforcer" (1976), "Sudden Impact" (1983) (the highest grossing film of the series), and "The Dead Pool" (1988). In the 1990s Eastwood returned to westerns -- this time as director as well as star -- earning critical acclaim and a monumental nine Oscar nominations for "Unforgiven" (1992). Throughout the decade he also had considerable success helming blockbuster projects, like "In the Line of Fire" (1993), "Bridges of Madison County" (1995) and "True Crime" (1999). In 2000 Eastwood co-starred in the box-office hit "Space Cowboys." In 2004, he put employed his entire array of movie skills directing, producing, scoring and co-starring alongside Hillary Swank in boxing drama "Million Dollar Baby." Until his most recent return to the screen in "Gran Torino," Eastwood had been concentrating on directing, releasing two films about World War II in 2006, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" and directing Angelina Jolie to BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar nominations this year in "Changeling." Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is the only other film-maker to have received the Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement from the Cannes Film Festival.

Clint Eastwood wins a Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement . Ingmar Berman is the only other filmmaker to have received this honor . Eastwood directs and stars in his new film "Gran Torino" "Dirty Harry" star still enjoys playing gun-slinging "tough guys"

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UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Rapes targeting girls as young as seven are on the increase in Afghanistan where conditions for women are little better than under the Taliban, the U.N. and rights groups say. Conditions for women are little better than they were under the hardline Taliban regime, the U.N. says. In its annual report on human rights, the U.N. warned conditions were deteriorating in the war-ravaged country despite U.S.-led efforts after the 2001 removal from power of the hardline militia. "Violence is tolerated or condoned within the family and community, within traditional and religious leadership circles, as well as the formal and informal justice system," said Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights. The "Afghan government has failed to adequately protect the rights of women despite constitutional guarantees." With a resurgent Taliban targeting NATO forces, government security forces and civilians, violence has been on the increase in Afghanistan.. The number of civilian casualties in 2008 totaled 2,118 -- the highest number recorded since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001, the U.N. said, urging greater protecting for ordinary Afghans. Violence against women comes in the form of rape, "honor killings," early and forced marriages, sexual abuse and slavery, the report says. "The security is the big issue," said Suraya Pakzad, founder of the Voice of Women Organization, which promotes education and awareness of women's rights and protects women and girls at risk in Afghanistan. "Because of security we, unfortunately, day by day, we have to pull out of areas where last year we operated, we have our operations. We were able to work with the women, but this year we cannot," she said. "We have to leave the area because security is getting worse day by day." "Rapes in the country have been growing tremendously, particularly child rapes within the ages of 9, 8, 7, even lesser than that," said Wazhma Frogh, director of Global Rights Afghanistan. "So these are the issues that are all born by this lack of security where women have no place in ... security decisions." Domestic violence against child brides is widespread, said Suraya Pakzad, the founder of the Voice of Women organization, who was married at age 14 and has six children. She said girls as young as 10 face "violation" by husbands 40 years their senior. "By the end ... women, or girls, run away." But women without husbands, especially widows, may have it even worse in Afghanistan, the report says. Without a spouse, the women are reduced to begging to feed their children. Options outside the home are limited where the Taliban holds sway in Afghanistan. The Taliban's interpretation of strict Islamic law, or sharia, has included banning girls from school and the workplace. Even in areas not overrun by the Taliban, women face risks outside the home. "The assassination of the most prominent national female senior police officer, in Kandahar in September 2008, underscores the tremendous risks faced by women in public life," the report says.

Afghan women's rights are little better than under Taliban, report says . Rights group says girls as young as seven are regularly raped . United Nations calls for better protection for civilians .

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Editor's note: Jeffrey D. Sachs is director of the Earth Institute and a professor at Columbia University. He also serves as special advisor to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. From 2002 to 2006, he was director of the U.N. Millennium Project. He is president and co-founder of Millennium Promise, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending extreme global poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. He has twice been named among the 100 most influential leaders in the world by Time magazine and is the author of the bestsellers "Common Wealth" and "The End of Poverty." Jeff Sachs says the G-20 countries must take steps to cushion the poor from the financial crisis. (CNN) -- The G-20 meeting in London, England, on April 2 will be watched by the entire world with urgency and with a yearning for hope, vision and programmatic clarity. The preparatory work is not adequate. The G-20 discussions do not move sufficiently beyond financial regulation. I would like to suggest the following main points for G-20 leadership in the global recovery. The G-20 needs to combine stimulus, economic development and sustainability: stimulus to get the world recession reversed, development to ensure that all of the world (not merely the rich countries or the G-20) shares in the benefits, and sustainability to address the world's grave risks of climate change, water stress and loss of biodiversity. The world's 3 billion poor, especially the 1 billion poorest of the poor, are suffering powerful and destabilizing blows from the crisis, and these will get worse and threaten global security unless there is specific attention and action. The G-20 cannot limit its focus to regulating the financial sector, reforming the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, avoiding protectionism and reciting the measures that individual countries are taking. This would leave the world gasping for direction and hope. The G-20 must offer a vision that is big enough to quell global fears and action bold enough to protect the desperately poor while guiding the cooperative decision-making of the world's economic authorities. The G-20 must push forward based on real policy coordination. The world does not have a system of effective cooperation. The United States, for example, does not engage in comprehensive and deep coordination with other countries. The poor countries, with half the world's population, and the poorest countries, with roughly one-fifth of the world's population, have not been brought into the equation. The G-20 package for stimulus should include: . First, fulfillment by all countries of stimulus measures already announced and a commitment to undertake new joint stimulus measures, especially priority public outlays on infrastructure, the social safety net and sustainable energy, as may be needed during the coming years. Second, establishment of a high-level G-20 coordination group, backed especially by China, the European Union, Japan and the United States, to work full-time on coordinating monetary, fiscal and financial policies for stimulus and long-term recovery. Such cooperative macroeconomic programming does not now exist. Third, increased currency support extended from the world's five major central banks (the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan and the People's Bank of China) for emerging market economies facing the loss of loans from international banks (e.g. Eastern Europe). The Fed's currency swap lines to Brazil, Mexico, Korea and Singapore last fall played an important stabilizing role. The other central banks can and should do more, as can the Fed vis-à-vis other countries. Fourth, a G-20 commitment to gradual and orderly currency readjustments to help rebalance the world's financial and trade flows. The Asian currencies should gradually appreciate against the euro, which in turn should appreciate gradually against the dollar. Squabbling about bilateral rates between the dollar and Chinese renmenbi should be put to rest. G-20 actions for the poor should include: . First, establishment of an urgent special food security program, which would make grants to low-income, food-deficit countries (including Africa, Haiti, Afghanistan and elsewhere) to ensure that impoverished farmers can get the basic input they need (such as fertilizer and high-yield seeds) to grow more food. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero have joined to propose this new program and have mobilized backing from about a dozen countries. The United States' contribution should be at least $200 million per year over five years ($1 billion total), matching Spain, the largest donor country, and sending a powerful message of solidarity from the United States to the world. The hunger crisis is now afflicting 1 billion people and contributing to the deaths of millions of children each year. Second, full funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is facing a critical and potentially devastating cash shortfall during 2009-11. An incremental U.S. contribution of $350 million in 2009 would close the most urgent cash-flow gap and put the United States in the clear lead of protecting the Global Fund and championing the fight against the three pandemic diseases. Third, special urgent long-term financing of clean energy investments in the poor countries, especially solar, geothermal, wind and hydro, as a direct stimulus to the supplier countries (including the United States), a development boost for the recipient countries (notably in Africa and Central Asia) and a major spur to climate control and success in negotiations this year. Fourth, accelerated distribution by the World Bank and the regional development banks of their unused financing capacities, directed at infrastructure and the Millennium Development Goals. The G-20 would commit to accelerate the replenishment of those funds on an expedited and as-needed basis. Fifth, urgently completing the pending injection of capital for regional development banks to bolster their lending and grants. (The Asian Development Bank, for example, is in the process of a recapitalization, which should be strongly supported by the United States and the rest of the G-20.) Sixth, an urgent easing of the conditions the IMF sets on its grants and loans to poor countries. This will ensure that those countries can receive and utilize greatly increased IMF financial backing to preserve trade finance and to have the room to undertake needed stimulus measures. Seventh, an explicit commitment by all parties to take the steps needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the world's internationally agreed goals to fight extreme poverty, hunger and disease. (See http://www.milleniumpromise.org for details and ways to achieve them.) All parties should underscore their commitments to the goals, and the United States should emphasize its resolve to increase aid markedly by 2015. G-20 actions for sustainability should include: . First, a determination to "green" the stimulus in each country and to expand the development financing for sustainable infrastructure in the developing world, including solar power and efficient water use in sub-Saharan Africa. Second, a commitment to reach a climate agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark, which will steer large-scale investments in sustainable energy, next-generation automobiles, green buildings and so forth as a key plank of global recovery. Follow-up . I recommend that the United States offer to host the next G-20 meeting in September in advance of the U.N. General Assembly. China would be a logical host for the fourth G-20 meeting during early 2010. To enhance global coverage and legitimacy, the G-20 should be enlarged to be the G-22, to include representation of East and West Africa. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey Sachs.

Jeffrey Sachs: When G-20 meets, it must do more than just financial regulation . He says the world's 3 billion poor are suffering from global economic crisis . Sachs: World needs food security plan for poor nations with aid from U.S., others . He says health and clean energy should be key priorities for the G-20 .

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(CNN) -- The risk of being jolted by 1,500 volts of electricity hasn't scared them off. Neither have fears of falling off the speeding electric trains. Thousands of passengers ride on overloaded trains in Jakarta every day. So Indonesian railway officials on Monday will unleash a new weapon on commuters who squat on top of railway cars: spray them with colored dye, a local newspaper reported. The state transit agency told the English-language newspaper Jakarta Post that it hopes the "unique approach" will deter passengers riding illegally on rooftops. Trains are the cheapest and fastest form of transportation for office workers commuting between the capital city Jakarta and neighboring towns. Throngs of thousands cram the trains during the morning and evening rush hours, making it impossible for everyone to snag space inside packed cars. Under the new plan, security officials at each station will "mark" roof riders with dye as trains depart. When the passengers disembark at their destination, officials can then easily identify them. "We will confiscate their IDs and give them a ticket," Akhmand Sujadi, regional spokesman for the transit agency Kerata Api, told the newspaper. "We will send a copy of the ticket to their family, their local neighborhood unit head, their employer, or, if they're students, their headmasters." The offenders can reclaim their ID cards once they write a letter "regarding their behavior, to be signed by the person who received their ticket." More than 320,000 passengers rode trains to and from work every day last year, the newspaper reported. The crush of passengers meant revenues of 248 billion Rupiahs ($26.8 million) for the system. But many commuters prefer to ride on top of passenger cars -- either due to a lack of space inside or because they can't afford the ticket, which start at 1,000 Rupiahs ($0.11) At least 53 rooftop riders died in the last two years, the newspaper reported. E-mail to a friend .

Commuters who squat on train roofs in Indonesia targeted with colored dye . Officials hope "unique approach" will deter passengers riding illegally . Security officials at stations will "mark" roof riders with dye as trains depart . When passengers disembark at destination, officials can easily identify them .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama is planning to issue three executive orders Thursday, including one demanding the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year, according to a senior administration official and a congressional aide. A guard keeps watch from a tower at the military facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A second executive order will formally ban torture by requiring the Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations, essentially ending the Bush administration's CIA program of enhanced interrogation methods. A third executive order, according to the officials, will order a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and a review of all individual cases. The officials said new White House Counsel Greg Craig was briefing congressional Republicans Wednesday afternoon about the three executive orders. "We've always said the process would include consultation," the senior administration official said of the closed-door meeting informing Republicans of the moves. The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay became a lightning rod for critics who charged that the Bush administration had used torture on terror detainees. President George W. Bush and other senior officials repeatedly denied that the U.S. government had used torture to extract intelligence from terror suspects. Obama's move will set off a fierce legal struggle over where the prison's detainees will go next. Watch experts debate the Gitmo dilemma » . "The key question is where do you put these terrorists," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement issued Wednesday. "Do you bring them inside our borders? Do you release them back into the battlefield?" The meeting with Craig did not address how the administration plans to handle Guantanamo detainees, said Rep. Bill Young of Florida, the top Republican on the Defense Appropriations Committee. The executive orders "will leave some wiggle room for the administration," he said. Young said he has "quite a bit of anxiety" about transferring detainees to United States facilities. "Number one, they're dangerous," he said. "Secondly, once they become present in the United States, what is their legal status? What is their constitutional status? I worry about that, because I don't want them to have the same constitutional rights that you and I have. They're our enemy." Watch what may happen to Gitmo's inmates » . He said he asked Craig what the government plans to do with two recently built facilities at Guantanamo, which he said cost $500 million. He said Craig had no answer, but pledged to discuss the issue further. Young said he suggested reopening Alcatraz, the closed federal prison on an island outside San Francisco, California -- in Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's district. "Put them in Alcatraz, where supposedly they can't escape from," Young said, but added the suggestion "didn't go over well." The revelation coincided with a judge's decision on Wednesday to halt the September 11 terrorism cases at the behest of President Obama. On Tuesday, he directed Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ask prosecutors to seek stays for 120 days so terrorism cases at the facility can be reviewed, according to a military official close to the proceedings. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Laurie Ure contributed to this report.

NEW: Obama to issue 3 orders Thursday that break from Bush administration . NEW: Order 2 will ban torture by requiring use of Army field manual for interrogations . NEW: 3rd order will mandate review of detention policies and procedures . Military judge grants Obama's request to stay cases for 120 days .

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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Suspected Maoist rebels in eastern India who held up a train carrying 300 passengers Wednesday ended their siege after a four-hour standoff, officials said. An election official in Maharashtra Wednesday. Maoist rebels seized the train as India continued to vote. No one was hurt, said A.K. Chandra of India's east-central railway. The suspected rebels seized the train, apparently to protest that some former comrades are taking part in general elections that are under way in the country. The Maoists didn't want the former rebels "to join the mainstream and, therefore, stopped this train," said Sarvendu Tathagat, deputy commission of the Latehar district in the state of Jharkhand. Jharkhand is a mineral-rich state where rebels -- known as the Naxalites -- claim to be fighting for the rights of the poor and the dispossessed who have not benefited from the state's resources. About 300 men, apparently unarmed, boarded the train, disabling its braking system as it passed through a dense forest. The hijackers released the train after "persuasion" by area villagers and railway officials, Chandra said. "They wanted your (media) presence," he said of the hijackers' possible motive. Jharkhand has seen stepped-up deadly attacks by rebels while the country is in the midst of month-long general elections. The second round of the elections begin Thursday. On April 16, when the voting began, suspected rebels triggered an explosion that forced a bus carrying border security troops to stop in the same Latehar district. When the troops stepped out, the attackers killed at least six in a three-hour gun battle. And in neighboring Bihar state, suspected Maoists, who had called for a general strike, set eight trucks on fire, shot dead a driver, and blew up a government office on Wednesday, police said. The Maoist insurgency has claimed more than 6,000 lives since the late 1960s. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the rebels India's biggest security threat. The elections, covering more than 3 million square kilometers of the planet, will run until next month in several stages of scattered polling. Then, elections officials will count the vote electronically in a single day -- on May 16, three days after the last round of polling. It is an exercise that India undertakes every five years for its 1 billion-plus population. This year, the country is voting in 543 boroughs of the Lok Sabha, or the lower house of the Indian parliament. In the elections this year, 714 million registered voters are eligible to cast ballots. The number is up 43 million from the last vote.

300 suspected Maoist rebels stop train as it passed through a forest in Jharkhand . Official: Train was "stopped," not hijacked in region that has seen rebel attacks . Maoist insurgency has claimed more than 6,000 lives since the late 1960s . Incident comes as India is in the midst of month-long general elections .

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Editor's note: This is the first in a series of planned collaborations between CNN and the online investigative journalism organization, ProPublica.org. Silver State Bank grew impressively under CEO Tod Little. He says he was forced out for favoring slow growth. LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Sitting back in his leather chair, working as a consultant for a small Las Vegas bank, Tod Little is sure of one thing: Practically anyone, he says, could have made money as a banker in the go-go days of real estate in Nevada. Go-go days that lasted until the fall of 2008. "It didn't take a rocket scientist to run a bank in this town for the past 10 years," Little told CNN. CNN's Special Investigations Unit and the online investigative journalism organization ProPublica.org got a brief look inside the collapse of a regional bank. What the two organizations learned was both old and new: bankers giving themselves large salaries and generous bonuses, at the same time they are lending millions of dollars on what, according to one lawsuit, were essentially parcels of bare dirt with little potential of big income. Silver State Bank had been in business in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson for 10 years when Little, the bank's founder and CEO left. The bank had grown impressively under his guidance, but Little said his managers wanted more and he was forced out. "They wanted bigger salaries, bigger lifestyle, fancier offices. Whatever. However you want to view that," Little told CNN. One of those managers was new bank president Corey Johnson, who declined to answer any questions. Three other managers declined comment to CNN, as well. Silver State and others loaned money on the promise of Las Vegas' commercial real estate boom with the belief that undeveloped land would be turned into shopping centers, hotels and offices. Records show that land and houses were being "flipped" or resold over and over at huge profits. Bill Martin, a Las Vegas banker who once worked as a regulator for the Comptroller of the Currency in Washington, said what was happening to Silver State was clear. "They were over-advancing on construction, you know, more liberal advances on construction," Martin said. "It all worked last year [and] the year before and the year before. So they just kept doing it." Banking regulators issued repeated so-called "mild" warnings to banks concerned they were amassing large amounts of commercial development loans and lowering lending standards. But Martin says those warnings -- delivered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation personnel often on a quarterly or semi-annual basis in their field visits to Silver State -- were ignored. One Silver State loan that turned out to be especially poor was to a Las Vegas developer who had been a longtime customer of the bank. According to bank records, a developer named Thomas Jurbala, received almost $100 million from Silver State during a 10-year period. In 2008, Jurbala came calling again and the bank approved a $24 million loan for a piece of ground in North Las Vegas far from the Last Vegas strip, supposedly valued at $48 million. It was a so-called "interest reserve loan" in which the bank not only loaned the principle amount but the interest, as well. Then, according to bank records, it booked the interest as revenue. Regulators say those sorts of deals are not uncommon in construction loans. But this particular piece of land was undeveloped with only a permit to build a casino there one day. It is near the Las Vegas Speedway and in court papers the developer said he hoped a casino could be built. However, the entire project was scrapped before a spade was ever turned, and the land sits empty surrounded by a fence. The project was scrapped because Silver State went under. Doug French, the man who made that loan, reluctantly agreed to sit down with CNN for a taped interview. He is now vice president at a Libertarian think tank in Auburn, Alabama. French told CNN that at "the time" he believed the land was "very valuable." But when it all went up in smoke, he says, "It's very humbling, believe me." French says mistakes at Silver State Bank were "preventable," but according to a lawsuit filed by the developer, the loans were part of a series of loans, each one preceding the other -- to different corporations. At the time French left Silver State Bank, the bank told reporters he had resigned for "personal reasons." But French told CNN he was fired from Silver State. According to Securities and Exchange Commission documents, he sold $1.8 million in Silver State stock from November 2007 through February 2008. That was on top of his $650,000 in salary and bonuses, according to bank records. He left the bank in March 2008. In September 2008, when Silver State Bank collapsed, a group of elderly Las Vegas deaf residents was especially hurt. The local chapter of the Deaf Seniors Association put an estimated $400,000 into certificates of deposit sold by Silver State. That money was to be used to help fund the group's annual national convention in Las Vegas in 2009. The group lost half of its money. The FDIC said after it seized Silver State that it did not have enough capital to cover business activities. "I just can't believe it happened," one woman told CNN through a sign language interpreter. "We're just so frustrated." The group is trying to raise funds in a more traditional manner by making quilts. They have a very long road ahead, its members say. Silver State Bank was the 25th bank to fail in the United States in 2008. As a result, the FDIC was left to cover more than a half-billion dollars in Silver State liabilities. Already this year, three U.S. banks have collapsed and experts predict many more will tumble as the economy continues to suffer.

Bank CEO says he was forced out for favoring slow growth, not being powerhouse . Former regulator: Silver State ignored repeated warnings from banking regulators . Silver State one of 27 that failed in 2008; many bankers believe 2009 will be worse .

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(CNN) -- The nation's new "first dog" has heightened interest in its breed -- Portuguese water dog -- but not necessarily a thorough understanding of the dogs' needs, a pair of owners and breeders told CNN. Bo the Portuguese water dog meets the camera. Bo was a gift to the Obama girls from Sen. Ted Kennedy. The dog, Bo, has triggered "the most publicity the breed has ever had since its introduction into the U.S. in the late 1960s," the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America said in a news release. President Obama and his family welcomed Bo into the White House this week. Shortly afterward, the club's Web site was receiving a million hits an hour, said Susan Teasley, a club member. Jane Harding, a fellow member of the club, said she has "received about a 10 percent increase in calls" since Tuesday, and some of the other breeders she knows also have reported more calls. "Thankfully, people want to know more about the breed," Teasley said. "But water dogs are not for everybody, and it would be sad to see people getting the dog without doing the proper research." Portuguese water dogs are "active athletes," far from couch potatoes, she explained. In fact, they are more likely to rip a couch into pieces than lounge on it, Harding said, recalling a friend who had lost a sofa that way. Watch more water dog fun » . Portuguese water dogs can be miserable and destructive when alone, Teasley said. And don't think you can close the door and keep them out. "They want to be with you at all times -- even if it's in the bathroom or your bed," she said. Teasley and her husband breed Portuguese water dogs and often allow them to run free on the two and a half acres of land they own. They are "not apartment dogs," she said. Harding agreed. "They aren't for people who want a tie-out dog or an apartment dog. For people like that," she joked, "we recommend a stuffed dog." Portuguese water dogs love the outdoors, particularly if they have a garden to eat from, Teasley said as she wrestled to keep 7-month-old Misty Morning from eating the family's flowers. Harding said she believes the first family will be successful with their new dog because "they have access to the best trainers, and they want to make this work." For other Americans thinking about following suit, she cautioned, "Buyers beware. Do your homework and first read the information on the breed." Teasley wants people to understand the breed to help avoid what she called the "Dalmatian syndrome." After the movie "101 Dalmatians" came out in 1996, "thousands of people rushed to get the dog, and thousands of dogs ended up in rescue kennels," Teasley said. What those who followed the Dalmatian trend may not have known is that Dalmatians shed profusely and they develop hearing problems, making it hard to train and call them, she said. Both Teasley and Harding advised owners to get a mentor, as they expect Sen. Ted Kennedy to be to the Obama family. Kennedy owns Portuguese water dogs himself and recommended the breed to the Obamas. Watch Obamas introduce dog » . "For the first six to seven months of the puppy's life, they need training," Harding said. She has diligently trained 8-year-old champion Bessie, who she said "produces phenomenal litters ... and has multiple titles" from the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America. Such organizations provide guidance to first-time dog owners. But it takes time to get a membership, Teasley said. Prospective members must apply for a one-year associate membership before they can receive a permanent one, she explained. That provides a cushion while they decide whether the dog is the right fit. "It sounds like I'm trying to discourage people from getting (a Portuguese water dog)," Teasley said, "But I'm not. We just don't want dogs to come back because owners don't know what they are doing."

Breeders fear too many people will try to get dog like the Obamas' Bo . Breeder: Portuguese water dogs are "active athletes," not couch potatoes . They are more likely to rip up couch than to lounge on it . Dogs bond quickly with family and want to be with them all the time .

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(CNN) -- Rioting has flared near Belfast on Saturday after the arrests of three men in the killings of two soldiers in Northern Ireland last week, police said. Two people in masks prepare to throw petrol bombs Saturday in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. Petrol bombs have been hurled at police in Lurgan, a town in County Armagh, 20 miles west of Belfast, police in Northern Ireland said. There are gangs of youths on the streets, authorities said, but there have been no arrests or injuries. Police announced the arrests on Saturday and said the three men have been taken to the police service's Serious Crime Suite in County Antrim. One of them, a dissident republican named Colin Duffy, is from Lurgan. They are the first arrests in connection with the March 7 shootings, which were the first fatal attack on British troops in the province for more than 12 years. The two British soldiers were shot dead at a base in Massereene, in Antrim, as they were preparing to ship out for duty in Afghanistan. The soldiers, Cengiz "Pat" Azimkar, 21, and Mark Quinsey, 23, had already packed their bags and changed into desert uniforms, authorities said. Two masked gunmen with automatic rifles shot them as the soldiers picked up a pizza delivery at the barracks, authorities said. Two other soldiers and the two pizza delivery men were seriously wounded. The shooting has sparked fears of a return to the sectarian violence that Northern Ireland suffered until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, a period known as The Troubles. A militant splinter group, the Real IRA, reportedly claimed it had carried out the attack on the soldiers. Two days after the soldiers were killed, a police officer was killed in a shooting southwest of Belfast. Constable Stephen Carroll was one of four officers who were responding to call in Craigavon when his vehicle came under fire and he was killed. Three people have been arrested in connection with the police officer's death. The Continuity IRA, a republican splinter group that does not accept the Good Friday Agreement, said it had killed Carroll, Britain's Press Association reported. Politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned the killings, with Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness calling the killers "traitors to the island of Ireland." Sinn Fein is a predominantly Catholic party that wants Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and become part of the Republic of Ireland. The party is widely thought to be linked to the Irish Republican Army. Danny Kennedy, deputy leader of the loyalist Ulster Unionist Party, which wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, also condemned the attack as "wicked and murderous."

NEW: Petrol bombs hurled at police after arrests in connection with soldiers' killings . Three arrested over slayings of two soldiers in Northern Ireland last week . Three men also being held in Monday's killing of police officer . Two republican groups have reportedly claimed responsibility for the killings .

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TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Don Stratton says he's just a good ol' boy. He's simple and plainspoken. But he has a painful past he can't leave behind. When he talks about it, the old emotions surface. Don Stratton says he and others were abused at the Florida School for Boys during the 1960s. Stratton attended a Florida reform school as a teenager in the early 1960s. Nearly half a century later, he's telling a chilling tale of alleged beatings, sexual abuse and violent death at the hands of reform school workers. He said he believes the bodies of slain boys are buried in unnamed graves on the grounds of the former reform school in Marianna, Florida. "These men are animals and need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," Stratton told CNN in an interview at his attorney's office in Tampa. Stratton wore a black cowboy hat with a Harley Davidson logo. Despite his tough exterior, he fought back tears as he recounted how he was physically and sexually assaulted. Stratton is among a group of men, now in their 60s, who are suing state agencies in Florida as well as two former reform school workers over alleged abuse they received as teenagers. The suit was filed this month. "At 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, you'd hear a boy crying," Stratton told CNN. "And then the door would open and you'd see these guys come in and come up to somebody they liked, and they'd just tell you, 'Come on with me, you're mine for tonight. You're my boy for tonight.' And they would take you and do what they wanted to do with you." "They would take a leather strap, six inches wide and three feet long," he added, swinging his arm in a downward motion. "It's like a shotgun going off. And they beat you until you're bloody." Stratton's attorneys said they've interviewed 80 former students who say they were abused. Stratton and the other alleged abuse victims who spoke with CNN all said the beatings took place in a small white cement building they called "the white house." Gov. Charlie Crist has ordered an investigation into the alleged abuse. He has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to uncover records, interview students and find former administrators. The agency also was asked to determine who, if anyone, is buried beneath the 31 rusting white crosses on the school grounds. "Whatever is below those crosses is crying out -- and it's screaming for us to bring justice," Stratton said. The truth of what happened at the Florida School for Boys may ultimately be lost to time. But investigators said they're making progress. "There are challenges due to the length of time that has passed," said Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokeswoman Heather Smith. "We are confident that we can conduct a thorough and methodical investigation and establish, as much as we can, what happened here and what lies beneath in those grave sites." Smith said it was much too early in the investigation to say whether there would be an exhumation. Investigators said that, so far, the search for records from 50 years ago has been productive. They also have met with many of the men who have come forward. When they meet with Stratton, they will hear his claim that he witnessed the violent death of one boy who exposed himself to reform school workers on a dare. The boy was taken to "the white house." Stratton said that later, while he was working in the kitchen, he saw a brown 1949 Ford pull up. "They opened the back door and they carried him out and threw him in the back of the car," said Stratton, fighting tears. "They took him out there and buried him in the woods," he said. "I know they buried him somewhere, 'cause he never showed up again." Investigators will also hear Stratton's claim that he and many of the other boys were sexually assaulted. His story is so graphic that it cannot be repeated. He tearfully apologized to CNN. "I don't pull no punches, but it's hard doing this on camera. See what I'm saying? This is tough, fellas," he said. "We're all men here, know what I mean? I'm not ashamed of it, but I was 13 years old and I had no choice ... and it haunts me today." CNN has tried to find many of the men who are alleged to have committed the beatings and sexual assaults. Some have died. The lawsuit names former worker Troy Tidwell, a one-armed man who still lives near the reform school grounds in Marianna. It alleges he participated in physical assaults and failed to report the abuse. Tidwell refused to meet with CNN in December to respond to the allegations, but he recently told the Miami Herald that the boys were "spanked" but not injured. ''Kids that were chronic cases, getting in trouble all the time, running away and what have you, they used that as a last resort,'' Tidwell told the Herald. "We would take them to a little building near the dining room and spank the boys there when we felt it was necessary." Tidwell, in his 80s, has hired a law firm to represent him in the lawsuit. In court filings, his lawyers are trying to get the suit thrown out. His attorney did not return CNN's calls for comment. "You've got to realize what these guys did," Stratton said. "They mentally abused us, and they beat us. Is that something you should say: 'I'm sorry fellas. You're an old man now, live out the rest of your life in a rocking chair.' Well, no way."

Lawsuit alleges abuse at Florida reform school during 1960s . Attorneys say they have spoken to more than 80 former residents . Former resident Don Stratton says he was beaten, saw boy carried away . Governor has ordered investigation of what lies beneath 31 white crosses .

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(CNN) -- Earth Day may fall later this week, but as far as former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell and other UFO enthusiasts are concerned, the real story is happening elsewhere. Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, shown after his Apollo mission in 1971, claims there "is no doubt we are being visited." Mitchell, who was part of the 1971 Apollo 14 moon mission, asserted Monday that extraterrestrial life exists, and that the truth is being concealed by the U.S. and other governments. He delivered his remarks during an appearance at the National Press Club following the conclusion of the fifth annual X-Conference, a meeting of UFO activists and researchers studying the possibility of alien life forms. Mankind has long wondered if we're "alone in the universe. [But] only in our period do we really have evidence. No, we're not alone," Mitchell said. "Our destiny, in my opinion, and we might as well get started with it, is [to] become a part of the planetary community. ... We should be ready to reach out beyond our planet and beyond our solar system to find out what is really going on out there." Mitchell grew up in Roswell, New Mexico, which some UFO believers maintain was the site of a UFO crash in 1947. He said residents of his hometown "had been hushed and told not to talk about their experience by military authorities." They had been warned of "dire consequences" if they did so. But, he claimed, they "didn't want to go to the grave with their story. They wanted to tell somebody reliable. And being a local boy and having been to the moon, they considered me reliable enough to whisper in my ear their particular story." Roughly 10 years ago, Mitchell claimed, he was finally given an appointment at Pentagon to discuss what he had been told. An unnamed admiral working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff promised to uncover the truth behind the Roswell story, Mitchell said. The stories of a UFO crash "were confirmed," but the admiral was then denied access when he "tried to get into the inner workings of that process." The same admiral, Mitchell claimed, now denies the story. "I urge those who are doubtful: Read the books, read the lore, start to understand what has really been going on. Because there really is no doubt we are being visited," he said. "The universe that we live in is much more wondrous, exciting, complex and far-reaching than we were ever able to know up to this point in time." A NASA spokesman denied any cover-up. "NASA does not track UFOs. NASA is not involved in any sort of cover-up about alien life on this planet or anywhere else -- period," Michael Cabbage said Monday. Debates have continued about what happened at Roswell. The U.S. Air Force said in 1994 that wreckage recovered there in 1947 was most likely from a balloon-launched classified government project. Stephen Bassett, head of the Paradigm Research Group (PRG), which hosted the X-Conference, said that the truth about extraterrestrial life is being suppressed because it is politically explosive. "There is a third rail [in American politics], and that is the UFO question. It is many magnitudes more radioactive than Social Security ever dreamed to be," Bassett said.

He says governments are concealing evidence that extraterrestrials exist . The astronaut is from Roswell, New Mexico, the site of an alleged UFO crash . Mitchell: Roswell residents "told not to talk about their experience" by military .

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SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has been making the the rounds of major industrial facilities in the country's north, state-run media reported Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il meets people at a library in the country's north. It was the second time in as many days that state media reported Kim's activities. State media reported Wednesday that Kim had visited a steel company and expressed "great satisfaction" with workers' efforts. The steel factory tour generated no pictures, but his stops at a library and an electronics research facility in Jagang Province the day before did. Kim was shown bundled up in a parka with matching thick gloves. He was also wearing a fur hat and his signature dark sunglasses. The photos showed Kim engaged in conversation and active. South Korean media noted it was the first time since Kim reappeared in public October 4 -- after a hiatus of nearly 60 days -- that his activities have been reported two days in a row. Kim's disappearance during that period raised speculation about the North Korean leader's health. South Korean analysts said they believe the new reports are an attempt by the North Korean leadership to show Kim is healthy and in control. Last week, Francois-Xavier Roux, a French neurosurgeon at Saint-Anne Hospital in Paris, told a French newspaper that Kim had suffered a stroke, but is now better. The doctor said he last treated Kim in late October. The North has denied its leader was ever ill and state media has issued a series of reports portraying Kim as healthy and active.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has appeared in public again . Pictures show Kim healthy and active at library, research facility . Surgeon claimed he treated Kim for a stroke, North Korea denies any illness .

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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A pedestrian was struck twice by vehicles in Queens and dragged for 17 miles by the second vehicle before police found him dead in Brooklyn, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters Wednesday. Surveillance video shows a body in the middle of the street. The badly mangled body was discovered under a van after several passing motorists motioned the driver to pull over, Kelly said. Police had not identified the victim Wednesday evening, he said. The first driver called 911 to report he thought he had struck a pedestrian but did not see anyone. It turned out the second driver, in a van, had driven over the man, whose body became lodged under its chassis, according to police. Kelly said the van driver stopped at one point during the drive on New York City's highways and roads because he noticed the vehicle was not driving properly. But he failed to find anything unusual, Kelly said. Police are retracing the route the van drove in an attempt to find body parts, he said. No charges have been filed, Kelly told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

Pedestrian struck twice, dragged 17 miles by second vehicle, New York police say . Man struck in Queens, van stopped in Brooklyn, police say . Body was lodged under van's chassis, according to police . Police retrace van's route, seeking body parts .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of visitors lined Constitution Avenue in Washington on Saturday morning for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. The annual two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival runs through April 12. "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek served as the parade's grand marshal, waving to crowds from the back of a convertible. "American Idol" finalist Kimberly Locke, the cast of the musical "Chicago" and D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton were among the parade's stars. The cherry blossom trees were a gift of friendship to the U.S. government from Japan in 1912, according to the National Park Service. Their blooming has come to represent the definitive beginning of springtime in the nation's capital. The parade is part of the annual two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival, which is timed around the projected peak bloom period of the famous trees. This year, the trees reached their peak bloom this week, according to the park service. Many high school groups and marching bands also participated in the parade. Near the National Mall, large crowds mingled under the branches of the blossoming trees that line the Tidal Basin. On an unusually blustery day, the delicate pink and white blossoms blew from their branches like snowflakes. "It's like being in a fairy tale," said Maria Podonyi, a visiting professor from Hungary. Podonyi brought her parents, who are visiting the United States from Hungary, to the festival. "They haven't seen anything like this before," she said. "It's wonderful. The festival is scheduled to run through April 12.

"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek serves as parade's grand marshal . Cherry blossom trees were a gift to U.S. government from Japan in 1912 . National Cherry Blossom Festival marks the arrival of spring .

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(CNN) -- An Iranian human-rights activist and Nobel laureate has joined the legal team of an Iranian-American journalist convicted of spying and jailed in Iran. Shirin Ebadi, a civil rights leader in Iran, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Shirin Ebadi, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, took up the case of Roxana Saberi at the request of Saberi's family, her father, Reza Saberi, told CNN Wednesday. Ebadi heads the Center for Defenders of Human Rights in Iran. Saberi, 31, was sentenced Saturday to eight years in prison after a one-day trial that was closed to the public. President Obama, as well as other U.S. and international officials sharply denounced the decision. The Rev. Jesse Jackson has offered to travel to Iran to help seek Saberi's release. "If our voices are heard in Iran today, I would be anxious to travel with a delegation to Iran, if we are permitted, and make an appeal for her freedom," said the longtime civil rights activist, according to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Jackson, 67, spoke Tuesday at a peace conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "Whenever we've brought people out of captivity, whether in Syria, Cuba, Iraq or Yugoslavia, or Liberia, it's always opened a diplomatic door to reduce tensions," he said. Saberi's attorneys said they will appeal her conviction. Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi ordered the head of Tehran's Justice Department to make sure the appeals process is quick and fair. Jackson has offered in the past to help release American hostages, most recently in 2005. At that time, he said he was willing to use his role as a religious leader to help secure the release of Roy Hallums, who was kidnapped along with five others in Baghdad in November 2004. Hallums was freed in September 2005 when U.S. troops raided the farmhouse where he being held outside Baghdad. In 1984, Jackson secured the release of a Navy pilot held in Syria. In 1991, he helped secure the release of 500 "international guests" held in Iraq. And in 1999, he persuaded Yugoslavia to release three U.S. soldiers held there during the Kosovo conflict. Obama has called for Saberi's release, saying he is "gravely concerned with her safety and well-being." Watch how U.S.-Iranian relations are complicated » . "We are working to make sure that she is properly treated, and to get more information about the disposition of her case," Obama said Sunday. "She is an American citizen, and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any sort of espionage." Iranian officials initially said Saberi was held for buying a bottle of wine. The Foreign Ministry later said she was detained for reporting without proper credentials. Saberi, who comes from North Dakota, has been living in Iran since 2003, said the Committee to Protect Journalists, a journalists' advocacy group. She has freelanced for National Public Radio and other news organizations, and was writing a book about Iranian culture. Iranian authorities revoked her press credentials in 2006, but Saberi continued to file short news items without permission, the journalists' group said. Saberi was detained in January, although no formal charges were disclosed. On April 9, word emerged that Saberi had been charged with espionage. "Without press credentials and under the name of being a reporter, she was carrying out espionage activities," Hassan Haddad, a deputy public prosecutor, told the Iranian Students News Agency. Authorities also said Saberi had confessed. Her father said he thinks she was coerced into making damaging statements. CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report.

2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi offers to help in Iran . Ebadi heads the Center for Defenders of Human Rights in Iran . Journalist Roxana Saberi worked for NPR, was writing a book, accused of spying . Rev. Jesse Jackson offers to go to Iran to help negotiate Saberi's release .

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(OPRAH.COM) -- Here's a little fact of life that took me by surprise: Roughly 23 million women in this country are 40 to 49 years of age and about 6,000 of us turn 50 every single day. We are a thoroughly undefined constituency. Some of us are what the wonderful Wendy Wasserstein used to call "bachelor girls," some of us are married, and a lot of us have had trial separations that seemed to go just fine...at least for the husband (with the struggling rock band), who went on to become the ex-husband (with the thriving law practice). Many of us have demanding kids or aging parents or a little of each. We juggle jobs, mortgages, student loans, and cancer treatments with low-fat diets, low-impact aerobics, low-grade depressions, a strong sense of irony, a dark sense of humor, and a full-bodied cabernet. We are tired. We are very tired -- we've thought seriously about penciling in a nervous breakdown for ourselves, but we've been through everything the world has to throw at us so many times that it's damn near impossible to get nervous about much of anything. Despite (or perhaps because of) all the coulda, woulda, shoulda moments that have come and gone, we've learned how to have a good laugh, an impromptu party, and an impure thought (or two) on a semiregular basis. We consider our options, our alternatives, our exit strategies. We take notes, we plan ahead, but we always leave room for serendipity. We are an entire generation of women who are making up our lives as we go along. Oprah.com: What Oprah has learned though the years . I know that it's human nature to want to glorify the past and preserve it in a delicious, if often inaccurate, cotton-candied haze. But the truth is that part of me (that would be the part of me that now needs an underwire bra and a pair of Spanx) really does miss my 20s. I still had that new car smell. I still thought terrorism would stay confined to the other side of the world. On the home front, I still kept standing up for brides (as if they needed my assistance to stand) while waiting politely for it to be my turn. And because it never occurred to me that my turn wouldn't come, I devoted an inordinate amount of time to trying to decide whether my wedding gown should be white or ecru -- by the time I hit 35, I'd have been okay with paisley. The Web had not gone mainstream when I was in my 20s, so any surfing I did (and coming from Detroit, that wasn't much) was in the ocean. And I grant you, my rearview mirror might be a little bit rose-tinted, but if memory serves, those oceans were fairly clean. Come to think of it, the glaciers were glacial, the bees were alive and well, a can of tuna didn't require a warning from the surgeon general, and the climate wasn't making any sudden moves. Color me crazy, but I've always been a sucker for a nice solid layer of ozone parking itself between me and a death ray. I'm also a great believer in time off for good behavior. I crave solitude. I like being unreachable once in a while, and in those days it was no big deal if somebody couldn't track you down for half an hour. You see, in the 1980s, we didn't know from e-mail or cell phones or Facebook or GPS, and a BlackBerry was nothing more complicated than a healthy treat that was high in antioxidants -- only guess what? Nobody had ever heard of antioxidants. I didn't need a baby aspirin every night or a Lipitor every morning. And I swear to God (that's another thing, God was still around when I was in my 20s), the closest anybody seemed to come to a genuine eating disorder was picking at a mixed green salad on a blind date until it was okay to go home and scarf down the contents of your refrigerator. But before I start turning into my great-uncle Saul, who never fails to tell me how he could've bought the entire Upper East Side of Manhattan for $225 back in 1936 ("when an ear of corn still tasted like an ear of corn"), let me say this: As much as I miss those days, I'm delighted and relieved to be done with being young. One quick glance in the mirror is all I need to know that time is most definitely a thief. Wait, strike that: One glance and I usually think I'm holding up pretty well -- it's upon closer inspection, that moment when I take a deep breath, put on my glasses, and turn up the dimmer switch, that I'm reminded gravity is not my friend. But if time has robbed me of a little elasticity and a lot of naïveté, it's left a few things in their place. Thanks to nearly 48 years at the big dance, a million mistakes, and one extraordinary psychiatrist, I've finally achieved the occasional touch of clarity. I'm getting to be resourceful. I'm getting to be resilient, and I hope that on my better days, I'm getting to be a little more calm, a little more contemplative, a little more compassionate. Oprah.com: How to make your midlife matter . Sometimes I think being middle-aged isn't about learning a lot of new lessons so much as learning the same old ones again and again. Here are a few of the lessons I keep learning: . • It is never a good thing when a shrinking portion of the population controls a growing portion of the money. It tends to make incredibly decent, hardworking, middle-class people sort of jumpy, and the next thing you know Kirsten Dunst is playing Marie Antoinette in a Sofia Coppola extravaganza. • Anyone who looks okay in ochre will look even better not in ochre. • War and famine bad, James Franco and spaghetti carbonara good. • What doesn't kill me does not make me stronger. It makes me anxious, bitchy, and vulnerable...but nobody wants to see that embroidered on a pillow. • This isn't exactly an old lesson I keep learning, but given that I'm lucky enough to have my own column, I'd like to use it to set right an unfortunate mistake. Remember a few years ago when we all got together and decided that sleep was the new sex? I've come to believe that we were dead wrong. What do you say we make actual ouch-you're-on-my-hair, did-you-hear-the-baby, jeez-that-was-my-eye, messy, intimate, life-affirming, really, really fun sex the new sex?! Because here's the thing: Between the economy, the environment, and the powder keg that is Pakistan, nobody's getting any sleep anyway -- so as long as we're all lying there wide awake... • Dorothy Parker was a genius. She wrote a gem of a poem called "Indian Summer." It's very short, but I'm low on space, so I'll just cut to the end: . But now I know the things I know, . And do the things I do; . And if you do not like me so, . To hell, my love, with you! Bravo, Ms. Parker. And, finally, deep into my 40s, I couldn't agree with you more. By Lisa Kogan from O, The Oprah Magazine, February 2009 . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Columnist Lisa Kogan heads toward 50s with fond look back at younger years . Back then, she still had her "new car smell" and could enjoy solitude . Says women in her generation are tired, considering scheduling a breakdown . But since no one is sleeping these days, she'd like life-affirming, really fun sex .

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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- Carlotta Walls LaNier points out the only two African-Americans in her senior class as she flips through her high school yearbook. She pauses when she sees the picture on a page dedicated to "Integration." Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other members of the Little Rock Nine are invited to Obama's inauguration. It's been nearly five decades since LaNier graduated from Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. "It shows how the 101st were on the grounds of the school," says LaNier. In 1957, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, an elite Army unit, escorted LaNier and eight other African-American students into the all-white public high school. The students, who became known as the Little Rock Nine, were taunted and threatened by an angry mob. "We knew we could not participate in extracurricular activities," recalls LaNier. "There was one who could have been in the band, one who could have been on track. I was the one who played basketball ... I couldn't do that." Back then, LaNier thought once the doors of equality were open it wouldn't be long before an African-American became president. "I had hoped to see something like that in the next 10 or 15 years when I was in high school but that didn't happen," says LaNier. What has happened is a new generation of students walks the halls at Central High. Even though the exterior looks the same as it did during integration -- the interior would be almost unrecognizable to LaNier and the other Little Rock Nine. Student: I can't believe it happened here, but I'm glad it did » . Today, the sea of mostly white faces has disappeared. The hallways are now filled with a more racially diverse student body. Students take a class to learn about the school's history and many say it's given them a greater appreciation for racial tolerance. "Now it's definitely hard to imagine -- you walk into the halls and you see people of all different races are in the hallway. And in addition, the majority of our school is African-American now," points out Afshar Sanati, student body president. "It is hard for me to walk inside the school every day and see how this place could have been such a hostile environment for nine African-American students." LaNier is still humble when she reflects on her experience. "We all knew that we were giving up something for a bigger cause and [we were] happy that we did it," says LaNier. "Because it has been 51 years, I think they were baby steps now. But they were big steps then." The steps taken by the Little Rock Nine were so big, in fact, they received personal invitations to attend President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. "I think the Little Rock Nine set the foundation," says student Sarah Karney. "I don't think [Obama's election] could have happened without them." Today, many students at Central High see themselves as the beneficiaries of an Obama presidency. "Him being president means there actually is a chance for anyone to do what they want to do if they work hard enough," says Helena Liu, who says she doesn't see race when she looks at Obama. "It doesn't depend on your race -- it depends on who you are, the quality of your character," says DeIvory Howard. "[We've] got to get past just the color of our skins being newsworthy. It's really about all the things we knew we could do for this country and now we have the opportunity to show it and it's going to come through his leadership," says LaNier. "And, we're looking forward to that." Senior Chris Bell couldn't agree more. "This election proves that this America is just not the old America. It shows that America is ready for something different," says Bell. "I just think ... that's amazing."

Carlotta Walls LaNier, eight others integrated Little Rock Central High School . In 1957 school was all-white; today it's predominantly African-American . "Little Rock Nine set the foundation" student says of Obama presidency . LaNier hopes Americans will focus on a person's ability; not their race .

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(CNN) -- A polar bear falls through thin Arctic ice while searching for food for his family. A humpback whale guides her calf on a perilous 4,000-mile journey. A herd of African elephants in search of water battles a sandstorm in the Kalahari Desert. "Earth," a documentary in theaters Wednesday, follows families of polar bears and other animals. These dramatic scenes await viewers in "Earth," a feature-length documentary hitting theaters Wednesday for Earth Day. For British filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, surveying the whole planet for Earth's most exotic species and magnificent landscapes was a daunting task. "We wanted to tell an epic story about the whole planet," co-director Fothergill told CNN in an interview. "We spent a record 2,000 days in the field. We filmed in 46 countries worldwide, on every continent." Fothergill and Linfield shot the footage for the film while making "Planet Earth," the Emmy-award-winning nature series that aired on the BBC and the Discovery Channel in 2007. See photos from "Planet Earth" » . But the filmmakers say "Earth" is not just a remix of the previous project. "The movie has over 40 percent original footage. It has a very distinctly different story line than the TV series," said Fothergill, who believes small TV screens don't do justice to the images he and Linfield captured. Watch directors give behind-the-scenes look at 'Earth' » . "It's very hard [on TV] to give people a true sense of what it's like to be there," he said. "What we think is very special about the movie is its surround sound. When the lions roar, you get a real feeling for being there." "Earth" is the first of a series of movies set to be released under the newly branded Disneynature label -- a spin-off of "True-Life Adventure," Disney's first nature documentary series of the '40s and '50s. Nature movies have made a big impression on national and international audiences in recent years. The 2005 documentary "March of the Penguins" cost roughly $3 million to make and sold over $127.4 million in tickets worldwide. Disney plans to release one feature-length film a year. The next one is "Oceans" in 2010 followed by "Big Cats" and "Chimpanzees." In honor of Earth Day 2009, Disney promised to plant a tree for each person who goes to see the movie on its opening weekend. "Earth" examines the resilience of life in the face of ever-present danger through three stories of mothers and their young: polar bears in the Arctic, elephants in Africa's Kalahari Desert and humpback whales in the tropical oceans. Thirty-nine other exotic species from all corners of the world get supporting roles. The film is narrated by James Earl Jones, and George Fenton composed the score, which is performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. iReport.com: Tell us about nature and environmental issues near you . Over the course of five years, the filmmakers collected video footage from some of the most remote places on the planet, including the Aurora Australis in Antarctica, the peaks of the Himalayas, and the tropical birds of Papua New Guinea, to reveal the earth's intrinsic beauty and harsh realities. Central to the movie's storyline is the constant tug-of-war between the animal "actors" and their ever-changing environment. See iReporters' photos and video of local ecological issues » . "Although the elephants and the humpback whales and polar bears are the animal stars, the other big star of the movie is the earth -- the planet itself," said Fothergill. "Really the one thing that unites all of our planet and all the animals that live on it is the seasonality of it." Without the earth's 23.5-degree tilt to the sun there would be no seasons, no variation in daylight and darkness, said Fothergill. Fothergill and Linfield used state-of-the-art camera technology to capture nature's predator-prey interplay from great distances without disrupting the hunt. Aerial shots of the elephant herd, for example, were shot using a gyro-stabilized Cineflex aerial camera system mounted to the bottom of a helicopter. "A lot of the breathtaking cinematography in the movie was only achieved through this special camera system," Fothergill said. "We were ... almost a mile away from our action and we could still get all the close-ups we needed." The filmmakers used this technology to film a sequence of a wolf chasing a herd of caribou. "Wolves are very shy animals and they run very fast. If you are on the ground, you can never keep up with the action. We filmed the whole hunt from our helicopters and because we were flying so high, the wolves could hardly hear us," added Fothergill. The filmmakers also used infrared cameras to film a dramatic nighttime sequence of 30 lions in Botswana joining forces to attack an elephant. Fothergill and Linfield couldn't use lights or normal cameras because they would have frightened away the animals. "Probably the most dangerous single situation was filming the lions at night attacking the elephant," Fothergill said. "Apart from the woman who was looking through an infrared sensitive camera, nobody else could see anything. We were right in the middle of the action and there was a constant concern that the elephants would come charging through our vehicle. That was pretty hairy." Another high-speed, high-definition camera, originally developed to film car crash tests, was used to capture an eye-popping scene of a Great White shark leaping out of the water to devour a seal in midair. The camera was able to film shots at 1,000 frames per second, slowing shots by as much as 40 times their original speed. The images were captured directly onto a computer allowing for an endless stream of video while maintaining the detail and clarity of the shot. "In normal speeds it's gone in seconds, but in slow motion, when you see it lasting 40 seconds to a minute, you get a real sense of the beauty, the scale and the size and power of that shot which is exactly what we wanted," Fothergill said. Not a single image in the film was computer generated, Fothergill said. Time-lapse camera technology allowed the filmmakers to condense a year's worth of seasonal changes into a seamless 30-second shot. Fothergill says his formula for movie-making success is simple: "A lot of waiting around, a lot of patience and a lot of failure." The filmmaker believes those failures -- missed opportunities, days of waiting for animals to appear -- paid off in the end. He hopes audiences will be entertained while escaping into the wonders of a world they don't often see. "We wanted to give people this wonderful journey and say, 'Look, it's a really beautiful planet and it's still ... worth preserving."

"Earth," a movie about animals and their dramatic journeys, hits theaters Earth Day . The documentary was shot by the same filmmakers who made "Planet Earth" The movie is the first released under Disney's newly branded Disneynature label . Disney vowed to plant a tree for everyone who sees the film opening week .

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(CNET) -- Well, here's what we've all been waiting for. Apple put out a couple of announcements on Tuesday related to its desktop computers. Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor. The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor, a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine, and updated iMacs that include the lowest price point yet for the consumer desktops. Let's look at the new Mac Pro first: priced at $2,499 for the quad-core version and $3,299 for the eight-core version, those Intel "Nehalem" Xeon processors run at 2.93 GHz, and the interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier. On the green front, it meets the new Energy Star 5.0 requirements that will go into effect later this year. The new iMac desktop is a 24" machine that is priced at $1,499, the cost of Apple's previous 20" iMac. The 20-inch is now $1,199. The 20" is powered by a 2.66 GHz processor; the 24" has processor speed options of 2.66 GHz, 2.93 GHz (for $1,799), or 3.02 GHz (for $2,199). The 24" comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB; the 20" comes with a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB. "Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499," Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook, currently standing in at the helm of the company in place of iconic CEO Steve Jobs, said in a release. "The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it's also the world's most energy efficient desktop computer." As for the new Mac Mini, the big upgrade is NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics that Apple says will improve its graphics performance as much as fivefold. The monitor-free machine costs either $599 for a lower-end edition (1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive) or $799 for the higher-end (2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive). All these machines, like the new Mac Pro, meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements. Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider. © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop . Powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor, they're priced at $2,499 and $3,299 . Apple also unveilved a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine . Updated 24-inch iMacs have twice the memory and twice the storage .

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HOLLYWOOD, California (CNN) -- Director Antoine Fuqua, the force behind films such as "Training Day" and "Shooter," turned his focus to creating CNN's exclusive short film "From MLK to Today," which airs at 7 p.m. ET Monday. Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, 43, says he didn't believe he would see an African-American president in his lifetime. Before flying off to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere his latest action-thriller, "Brooklyn's Finest," starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle, Fuqua, 43, stopped by the CNN newsroom in Hollywood to discuss the making of this film. He outlined his vision for the piece, which chronicles America's civil rights journey from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama. CNN: As a filmmaker, you work with people like Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington. Why are you sitting here in our edit bay doing this project? Antoine Fuqua: Because it's Martin Luther King, and because it's Barack Obama's story. And because it's CNN. It's important to be a part of history, and a part of inspiring people today. I think this is one of the biggest times in my life -- besides my children. So why wouldn't I be here? What else would I be doing except flying to Sundance to promote my movie! [Laughs] Watch a clip from "From MLK to Today" » . CNN: You were born in the '60s, so you were very young during the civil rights movement. You were barely out of diapers when Martin Luther King was assassinated. Fuqua: I am familiar with the history because I love history. African-Americans -- I feel we cannot ever forget our past. Not in an angry or negative way -- just to know where we come from, so we get a better sense of where we're going, and how to get there, and what not to do. I don't think you can ever forget Martin Luther King and many other people who sacrificed, whose names we don't even know. CNN: What do you remember from your childhood? Fuqua: I remember being afraid at times. I remember the Black Panthers. When I was a little boy, the men that were around me were part of a movement. There was a lot of tension. There were a lot of weapons around. There was talk of FBI. I was a little kid, you know -- 6, 5 years old. I didn't really know what it meant. But there was a lot of fear -- a lot of fear of police, or of leaving your neighborhood. CNN: Did you experience much racism growing up in Pittsburgh? Fuqua: I remember a lot of racism. I mean, we used to get beat up by the police. We used to go to certain areas, and cops would slap you around, and grab you by your collar and treat you a certain way. I remember getting on a bus and drivers would treat us disrespectfully, assuming we were going to misbehave. And we were just going to school. I got into fights at school. ... No real reason, except for color of the skin. I don't think they even understood really. CNN: Did you understand? Fuqua: Not really. I didn't really understand it. I was used to it. I had an understanding of it at that age, which was I was black and they were white, and I was poor and they had money. CNN: Did you think there were certain things you couldn't accomplish because you were black? What about being a director? Fuqua: When I was a little kid, I used to sleep in my grandmother's basement, and I would read magazines, and books and things -- and I would dream of places I would go. I remember thinking, "Well, if it's just a matter of money to leave my neighborhood, then I have to make money." Then I read something about craftsmanship -- which is not a word you used often in that time in the ghettos. If you learn a craft, then you can make a living for the rest of your life. So I went to school to be an electrical engineer. And when I was in school, I took a Baroque art class. They were talking about Caravaggio, who was a Baroque painter. Now he was from the streets in Italy, and he used to paint these very provocative paintings of people he lived with on the streets -- beggars, and prostitutes and things. It reminded me of my world -- in the sense of being a young kid on the streets, growing up, seeing a lot of provocative images that I was probably too young to see -- and I would express them, and I would do little illustrations or I would paint on a wall. Then I started to study [Akira] Kurosawa, who was a painter as well as a director. I saw his movies -- "The Seven Samurai" and all that -- and I thought, "Wow, that's even more interesting, because it's a moving picture and you get to tell a story." CNN: And now you're telling the story of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama. Did you ever think you'd see an African-American president of the United States? Fuqua: Never. Never. Not in my time. I thought somewhere down the line it would happen, but not in my time -- because I still deal with racial situations. Sometimes people don't do it blatantly. They'll say something, or they'll behave a certain way when I know they don't normally behave that way. As a director, you run into walls where they say, "Well, it doesn't translate well overseas. You know, you need to have a white movie star in it." There's some truth to that. So if Hollywood's not ready to embrace more stories about African-Americans -- and that's based on the money that the movies make -- then would the country really be ready to embrace a president? You know, the CEO of the country? And obviously, we are. We are ready. CNN: As a director, you have this story about an unbelievable presidential election, where a first-term senator wins. Would you have cast Barack Obama in that role? Fuqua: In a heartbeat, in a heartbeat. He's like a movie star. Look at the guy. He's dashing, he's charming, he's got a little swagger about him. He reminds me of Denzel in their way. [Fuqua directed Washington in the 2001 action-thriller "Training Day."] I was with Denzel over Christmas, and they're very similar -- their mannerisms at times. CNN: In the short film you're directing for us, you've drawn the parallel between Obama and Martin Luther King. Fuqua: It is the passing of the torch between Martin Luther King and Barack Obama. I think Barack Obama is the "dream." I mean, we're all the dream. I think it's a bigger picture than one man. CNN: What's the message you want to convey with your short film? Fuqua: Hope. A sense of the past. But more than anything, I would love people to walk away feeling like we've just begun.

Director Antoine Fuqua is filmmaker behind CNN's "From MLK to Today" Fuqua discusses life, experiences with racism and the hope Barack Obama brings . Fuqua, director of "Training Day," compares Obama with Denzel Washington . Fuqua's latest feature-length project, "Brooklyn's Finest," screened at Sundance fest .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- A Russian naval ship rescued a Dutch container vessel under attack by suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the head of the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday. The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Sirius Star was recently released by pirates off Somalia. Two or three pirate speedboats were chasing the Dutch ship, with the goal of boarding it, when the Russians intervened, said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau in London. He said the pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship, but no injuries were reported. The incident occurred about midday Tuesday. The Russians chased one of the speedboats but the pirates got away, Mukundan said. He said he did not know where the Dutch ship was headed. "It is important that the naval vessels continue to respond robustly to these pirates," he said. Watch how attacks peaked in 2008 » . Hijackings off the coast of East Africa have become a growing international concern, prompting a number of foreign navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas. The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near Somalia each year. Most of the attacks are blamed on pirates based in largely lawless Somalia, a country racked by poverty and conflict. Watch CNN's exclusive interview with a pirate . According to the United Nations, there were 115 reported pirate attacks off the Somali coast in 2008, including 46 successful hijackings. Read blog on how CNN contacted a pirate . The troubling rise in Somali piracy has led the United Nations to step up efforts to tackle the crime. The first U.N. group to address piracy met Wednesday in New York. Mark Kimmitt, U.S. assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs chaired the "contact group" of two dozen nations and five multi-national organizations. He said the group was formed to "establish a counter-piracy coordination mechanism," and the members believe more can be done to halt piracy. Still, Kimmitt noted that less than one percent of manifests off the Somali coast are attacked by pirates and only 50 percent of those have crew and passengers taken hostage. The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution in December expanding counter-piracy measures off the Horn of Africa, including a stipulation that allows national and regional military forces to chase pirates onshore in Somalia when in "hot pursuit."

NEW: First United Nations group to address piracy meets in New York . Two or three speedboats were chasing the Dutch container ship, IMB says . IMB: The pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship . Hijackings off East Africa have led international navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden .

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(CNN) -- A court has lifted a ban on identifying a man charged with one of a number of deadly wildfires that scorched southeastern Australia this month. A dirt track runs through the burnt out forest in the Kinglake region of Victoria state. The man, 39-year-old Brendan Sokaluk, did not appear in Monday's hearing in Melbourne Magistrates' Court, the Australian Associated Press reported. An order banning the publishing of Sokaluk's street address or his image remains in place. Public passions are running high in the aftermath of the fires that have killed scores of people. One T-shirt says, "The bastards who lit Victoria's fires should: Burn in hell." Sokaluk is suspected of lighting a fire on February 7. He was charged with arson causing death, intentionally or recklessly lighting a bush fire, and possessing child pornography, Victoria state police said last week. The fire Sokaluk is accused of setting killed at least 21 people in Gippsland. See map of fire-hit areas » . Sokaluk's identity had already been revealed on social networking sites before the court lifted the suppression order on his name. There were 12 Facebook groups carrying details about Sokaluk, with one attracting more than 3,600 members. Watch more on arrest » . Robbie Shenton, who has joined one such group, told CNN: "The judicial system had no right to suppress his name or photograph." Melbourne's Age newspaper reported Police had contacted Facebook seeking removal of Sokaluk's details. The death toll in a string of fires across Victoria climbed to 189 on Monday, police reported. The number of fires burning had dropped to six, from about a peak of about three dozen, the Country Fire Authority said. Watch a survivor tell his story » . Meanwhile, more than 150 detectives were working on the arson investigation, authorities said. The fires have destroyed more than 1,800 homes and displaced about 7,000 people. Priyanka Deladia contributed to this report.

Court lifts ban on identifying man charged with starting deadly wildfire . Brendan Sokaluk, 39, did not appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court . Order banning publishing of Sokaluk's address or image remains in place .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The death of actress Natasha Richardson, who sustained a fatal head injury while skiing, has reignited the perennial debate around the safety of the sport. Head injuries are the most common cause of death among skiers . The 45 year-old died Wednesday, two days after falling on a beginners slope while having a private lesson at Canada's Mont Tremblant resort. While full details of the circumstances surrounding Richardson's death are not yet known, head injuries are the most common cause of fatalities among skiers worldwide. "A typical death is a high speed collision with a static object after losing control -- a tree or a person," Dr Mike Langran a GP who works in Aviemore, Scotland and runs Ski-injury.com told CNN. "Most ski deaths involve multi-trauma, but a head injury is by far the most common reason. "There might be injuries to the abdomen or the chest or the neck but there nearly always is a head trauma as well." However, Langran, along with many other industry experts, maintains that skiing is a relatively safe sport. "I don't regard skiing and snowboarding as a dangerous sport," he said. "It's like many activities in life -- there are people who do silly things but in general these sports are safe." There are an estimated 200 million skiers in the world, and in the U.S. (one of the few countries to keep reliable data on skiers and ski injuries) an estimated 55 million people ski. Each year there are 39 deaths, which equates to about 2 deaths per million skiers. While children and beginners are most at risk of being injured while skiing, it's those more experienced on the slopes who are most likely to be involved in a fatal accident. "When you look at fatalities it does tend to be younger males and often of better skiing ability who are maybe pushing limits a little bit harder, traveling a little bit faster," Langran said. In Austria, earlier this year a huge debate over the safety of skiing was sparked by a high-profile incident on the slopes, which involved a German politician. Deiter Althaus, minister-president of Thuringia state was charged with manslaughter after colliding with another skier, Beata Christandl, a 41 year-old Slovakian mother of four, who later died from multiple head injuries. He was accused by Austrian prosecutors of entering onto a slope against the direction of traffic while skiing at high speed. Althaus was left with a fractured skull and has no recollection of the accident. Althaus' accident may be typical of the kind that cause deaths in skiers but, The Austria Ski Federation says Althaus' case is very unusual. Each year, an estimated 10 million people ski in Austria's resorts and there are between 10 and 50 deaths during this time, according to Thomas Woldrich, Head of Leisure Skiing at the federation. "There's a minimal risk to get hurt when skiing," Woldrich told CNN. "When you're skiing approximately 14 days a year, the risk of having an injury is one in 55 years." Even so, a law was recently passed in Austria making it compulsory for children to wear helmets on Austrian ski slopes. "We do have an extraordinary trend towards wearing helmets," said Woldrich. "We have, especially among children, almost 100 percent of skiers wearing helmets on Austrian ski slopes." Whether or not skiers should be forced by law to wear helmets is a debate that continues energetically in many countries. The big question is do they make skiers safer. Langran says that while there is evidence to suggest that helmets will provide a moderate degree of protection for low speed impacts, there is no evidence for high speed collisions. "As far as I'm aware there is no evidence that for high speed impacts -- you're talking about 30 mph plus impacts, which sounds a lot but that's the average speed of a good intermediate skier on the slopes -- there's no evidence that if you hit a tree at that kind of speed a helmet will protect you against a fatality." Indeed, there is evidence that wearing a helmet can give some skiers a feeling of invincibility, which can make them ski faster and more recklessly. So, what can skiers do to make themselves safer? It's all about knowing the risks and making informed choices, according to Sean Langmuir, a trained ski instructor who has coached both the Canadian National Ski Team and the British National Ski Team. "People need to be better informed but they need to seek out that information for themselves," said Langmuir who is also Training Manager for British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI). "A lot of people go on ski holidays and they can't ski very well and they won't go for a lesson immediately. It can help so much to get all that basic information." It is also important to have properly fitting equipment, according to Langmuir. "It's not just a helmet, it can be the skis or the snowboard that you use can make a big difference to how you manage to control yourself. It's quite important to gain information from professionals before you go out about what equipment you will need." Skiers can also refer to the the International Ski Federation (FIS) Rules of Conduct as a guide for safety on the slopes. "The single most important piece of advice is to ski or snowboard within limits of your ability," Langran told CNN. "Don't go faster than you are able to and don't try slopes you shouldn't." FIS Rules of Conduct . 1. Respect for others A skier or snowboarder must behave in such a way that does not endanger or prejudice others. 2. Control of speed and skiing or snowboarding A skier or snowboarder must move in control -- adapt speed and manner of skiing or snowboarding to personal ability and to the prevailing conditions of terrain, snow and weather as well as to the density of traffic. 3. Choice of route A skier or snowboarder coming from behind must choose a route in such a way to not endanger skiers or snowboarders ahead. 4. Overtaking A skier or snowboarder may overtake another skier or snowboarder above or below and to the right or to the left provided enough space is available for the overtaken skier or snowboarder to make any voluntary or involuntary movement. 5. Entering, starting and moving upwards A skier or snowboarder entering a marked run, starting again after stopping or moving upwards on the slopes must look up and down the slopes to ensure no one is put at risk. 6. Stopping on the piste Unless absolutely necessary, a skier or snowboarder must avoid stopping on the piste in narrow places or where visibility is restricted. After a fall in such a place, a skier or snowboarder must move clear of the piste as soon as possible. 7. Climbing and descending on foot A skier or snowboarder either climbing or descending on foot must keep to the side of the piste. 8. Respect for signs and markings A skier or snowboarder must respect all signs and markings. 9. Assistance At accidents, every skier or snowboarder is duty bound to assist. 10. Identification Every skier or snowboarder and witness, whether a responsible party or not, must exchange names and addresses following an accident. Additional reporting by Hilary Whiteman .

The death of Natasha Richardson on the slopes has reignited skiing safety debate . Head injuries are the most common cause of deaths among skiers . Industry experts maintain that skiing is a relatively safe sport . Awareness, good training and well-fitted equipment can help keep skiers safer .

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(CNN) -- Nine Hutu tribal fighters and several Rwandan and Congolese troops were killed in fighting in eastern Congo, a United Nations spokesman said, as the two governments continued an unprecedented partnership to combat ethnic violence. Laurent Nkunda, seen here in November 2008, was reportedly arrested last week in Rwanda. The fighting against the Hutus in the Lubero region came a day after Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda, of the rival Tutsi ethnic group, was arrested by Rwandan authorities. U.N. spokesman Jean Paul Deitrich told CNN on Saturday that no further details about the fighting were immediately available. Lubero is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) northeast of Goma, the regional capital. Nkunda's arrest early Friday raised hopes for peace in the war-ravaged region. International observers hope it will lead the roughly 1,500 fighters that follow him to join with government forces. Hear how Nkunda tried to flee capture » . Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have traditionally been on different sides of the conflict in eastern Congo -- which pits ethnic Tutsis, supported by Rwanda, against Congo-backed Hutus. The fighting is effectively an extension of the Rwandan genocide of the early 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were killed in ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu. A United Nations report last month accused Rwanda and Congo of fighting a proxy war in the region, using the ethnic groups. It said both sides had used child soldiers, and committed executions and rape, in the conflict. CNN's Katy Byron contributed to this report.

Fighting comes day after Rwanda arrests Tutsi rebel leader, Laurent Nkunda . Neighboring nations have been on different sides of the conflict in east Congo . Struggle pits Tutsis, supported by Rwanda, against the Congo-backed Hutu . The conflict is effectively an extension of the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s .

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's fired chief justice was reinstated in a flag-raising ceremony at his house Sunday after the government bowed to protesters' demands following days of massive demonstrations. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will not renew his oath of office. The flag-raising was ceremonial. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will not renew his oath of office because his firing by former President Pervez Musharraf was deemed illegal. About 100 people gathered outside Chaudhry's residence, some dancing, some beating drums in a boisterous celebration. A growing protest movement had demanded that Chaudhry and other judges that Musharraf fired be re-seated. Buckling under pressure, the government of current President Asif Ali Zardari agreed. Along with Chaudhry, most of the sixty others who had been fired have also returned to their posts. Watch people cheer after Chaudhry is reinstated » . Two unresolved matters will immediately test Chaudhry on his return to office: . Some experts have surmised that one reason Zardari delayed acting on Chaudhry's return is because the Supreme Court wanted to look into the amnesty. Both Zardari and his late wife, one-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, had been granted amnesty by Musharraf so they could return from exile in 2007 and participate in elections. The couple faced numerous charges of corruption. Bhutto was assassinated during a campaign rally. Her husband became head of her party and the new president of Pakistan. Zardari promised to reinstate the judges within 30 days of taking office. The deadline came and went. The political turmoil in Pakistan came just a year after the country celebrated a return to democracy. It has forced the government's attention away from a deadly fundamentalist insurgency in its tribal areas and an economy that is on the verge of collapse. The Obama administration Monday praised the Pakistani government's decision to reinstate Chaudhry, with the State Department saying the move "brought Pakistan back from the brink." CNN's Reza Sayah and Zein Basravi contributed to this report.

Celebrations outside chief justice's home mark reinstatement . All judges fired by Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf to get jobs back . U.S. said the move "brought Pakistan back from the brink"

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(CNN) -- Emergency crews called off a search in Texas for the wreckage of a C-17 transport plane after reports Monday of a possible crash proved unfounded. Callers to the Olney Police Department said they saw a low-flying plane, and a spokesman for Sheppard AFB initially reported a crash, but then retracted the report. Air Force officials said an Air Force C-17 had been flying at low altitude near Olney, but the plane returned safely to Altus Air Force Base in southwest Oklahoma. CNN's Mike Mount and Adam Levine contributed to this story.

Emergency crews call off search for C-17 transport plane . Initial Air Force reports of a crash were incorrect, Air Force spokesman says . Police reported that callers said a plane was flying low to ground, then crashed .

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(CNN) -- According to a Russian proverb, God makes the priests. Jesters come from the devil. Heath Ledger dominates as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" in a performance already garnering raves. You won't have any trouble believing that aphorism when you see Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated and often brilliantly executed follow-up to "Batman Begins." His face caked in cracked white greasepaint, his smile a grotesque red lipstick scar, kohl rimming his eyes, the Joker is a cruel kind of clown, the kind that is only interested in the last laugh. Slouched in his purple suit, Ledger gives him a lopsided shuffle, a permanently craning neck and an insinuating, deceptively neighborly voice. But there's something reptilian about the way his tongue flicks through his pursed lips like a pickpocket. He's hungry for trouble, a maniac for mayhem -- and in Gotham City, where crime is still running wild, he can make himself right at home. Ledger dominates this movie as a living presence, a live wire, dangerous and unpredictable. It's an astonishing performance, as extravagant and free ("deranged" might be a better word) as his Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" was inhibited and tongue-tied. See how Ledger made the Joker his own » . And "The Dark Knight" takes him -- and its world -- very seriously. Even more than Batman himself, the Joker would usually scream "camp" (and has in the TV series and other movies) but Nolan refuses to go there. His Gotham is cement and glass, a "real" city not so different from what we might find in any contemporary action thriller. (Chicago doubles for Batman's metropolis.) Unlike Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher, who directed previous Batman films, Nolan favors location work over studio artifice, and he seems determined to keep the computer-generated imagery within the bounds of gravity. Even the fetishistic attention to Batman's toys -- his suit, his weaponry and transport -- emphasizes utility and design; this is not a superhero in the supernatural sense. (He may not be a hero, either, according to the serious-to-a-fault script by Nolan and his brother Jonathan.) "Batman Begins," which came out in 2005, was about the politics of fear, the power of nightmares. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) overcame his own phobia to turn fear back on the fear mongers and restore hope to Gotham. In "The Dark Knight" (Nolan must have been tempted to add "of the Soul" to the title), the Joker might be his shadow or his evil twin. In some sick way, they need each other. "You complete me," the Joker lisps to Batman, mimicking (mocking?) "Jerry Maguire." Watch co-stars defend Ledger » . The word is nowhere stated, but this Joker is unmistakably a terrorist -- he blows up hospitals, rigs bombs to commuter ferries, burns his own ill-gotten gains. (He even manages to put Gotham's crime syndicates under his thumb.) That makes Batman a kind of one-man Department of Homeland Security. And if he has to ride roughshod over civil liberties to get the job done -- eavesdropping on the entire city's cell phone data, for example -- then so be it. To their credit, neither Nolan nor Bruce Wayne is comfortable with this glorified vigilante figure. However, the only legitimate alternative turns out to be a civic crusader, District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Dent, who carries around a double-headed coin, may seem honorable, but he was once known as "Two-Faced Harvey." With whom will he cast his lot? That's the movie's ultimate ideological battleground. iReport.com: Lining up for 'Batman?' Send photos, video . Unfortunately, if Dent gives the movie a classic character arc, Eckhart's disappointingly bland performance fails to nail the narcissism that must be the flip side to his zeal, making his ultimate about-face hard to accept. That's the film's most obvious flaw. Whenever the Joker and Batman are in the vicinity, the movie hums with finely tuned dread and anticipation. But the longer it goes on (and yes, it does go on too long), Dent triangulates the equation, ultimately pulling it out of whack. Still, for the most part, "The Dark Knight" is an exceptionally smart, brooding picture with some terrific performances. In a summer when action overwhelms intelligence (and even good sense), here's a movie that works on many levels. It even features the single most awesome truck stunt I've ever seen. And though Ledger's tragic death in January can't help but cast a morbid pall over the proceedings -- and that's saying something, given some of the film's plot points -- when he's on the screen the movie lights up. It's a bravura turn. I'll be surprised if Ledger doesn't get a posthumous Oscar for it. "The Dark Knight" runs 152 minutes and is rated PG-13. For Entertainment Weekly's take, click here.

CNN.com reviewer: "Dark Knight" is an exceptional follow-up to "Batman Begins" Heath Ledger is brilliant as the Joker in Oscar-worthy performance, reviewer says . Film pits Batman against the Joker, who's come to wreak chaos .

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(AOL Autos) -- As long as people have been making cars, other people have been figuring out ways to evaluate what they're worth. Kelley Blue Book offers one of the best online resources to find out how and why your car is worth X amount. In the case of Kelley Blue Book, they've vehemently pursued vehicle values for over 80 years and offer one of the best online resources for companies and private individuals to understand how and why their cars are worth X amount of dollars. We talked with Jack Nerad, the executive editorial director and executive market analyst for KBB.com, to explain some of the best ways that you can evaluate your vehicle's worth. Don't fool yourself . Surprisingly, one of the problems in properly evaluating a vehicle's worth has nothing to do with the vehicle. Think of the computer phrase IT guys like to use, "It's a PICNIC error." Which stands for "Problem-In-Chair-Not-In-Computer," meaning that nothing is really wrong with the computer, the real issue is the person using it. Nerad says that some people trick themselves into thinking their vehicle is worth more than it actually is. "Where we get into difficulty is when people start fooling themselves about the condition of their car -- that they believe it is in excellent or pristine condition when actually if it has two or three years on it, it's going to have some miles on it, some wear and tear." AOL Autos: 2009 cars with best blue book values . You may have yelled at your family and friends every time they even considered bringing a coffee cup into the car, but it's still a used vehicle, uh, I mean pre-owned vehicle. "Even if you've taken wonderful care of it, it's not going to be as fresh as it was when it left the showroom -- that's something people are going to have to keep in mind." Know the true condition . Although you have to be honest with yourself about how your car compares with others on the road, taking good care of it can pay off when selling. "When you have a used car, condition, condition, condition are the three most important things," Nerad explained. AOL Autos: Best-selling sedans . "So actually assessing your car's condition is crucial to getting the right value, understanding the right value and arriving at the right value. The good news is that at our Web site we give you a checklist that you can essentially go through and it includes things like mileage, equipment levels and also an assessment of condition, which helps you arrive at the appropriate value." Nerad said that the values KBB gives are estimated ranges of what the vehicle is worth rather than an exact dollar amount because they are factored remotely. Still, an estimate from the Web site is one of the best and simplest ways to calculate your car's worth. AOL Autos: 10 best cars of 2009 . Body shops can help, but a wash and wax might be better . "Most often, it's been our experience that you're better off giving an honest discloser of the car's condition and selling it as is opposed to doing things like cosmetic changes, which can be pretty expensive and are kind of in the eye of the beholder," Nerad said. AOL Autos: Cars with the worst values . He mentioned that the person purchasing your vehicle might not care as much about some of the minor cosmetic flaws and would rather hold onto their money than pay for a car in pristine condition. "I don't think too many people who are buying used cars, especially over a few years old, are expecting a car to be in perfect condition or even nearly pristine condition. I think they're expecting to buy something that has a few miles on it in all senses of that term." AOL Autos: Car cleaning tips . There is a difference between taking your car to the body shop and taking your car to have a wash and wax job done, however. Appearance is still one of your car's best selling points, and you should do everything you can, short of spending more than your car's worth, to make it look good. "I think the thing that most helps is appearance. It's kind of like the curb value of your home. Appearance is going to catch people's eyes, and it's going to give off the impression that the car was taken care of. If the car is dirty and there are scratches on it, inside and out, if it doesn't appear to be taken care of, that's going to have a negative effect on what you're liable to get for it," Nerad explained. "The good news on that cosmetic stuff, washing the car, giving it a wax job, cleaning the tires, those kind of things are pretty inexpensive to do. Even cleaning the interior out helps the added value. It's certainly worth doing to put your best foot forward that way." Understand the resale game . Since Kelley Blue Book released its 2008 resale value guide not too long ago, I asked Nerad about the assessment of car values. He explained that cars can have high resale values based on their actual resale value, their perceived resale value or simply their demand. The better you understand where your car fits into this system, the easier it will be to understand why your car is worth what is and how to sell it. "For instance, a Honda, BMW or Volkswagen has a reputation for resale value in the marketplace, so it helps them to have good resale value," he said. Although not necessarily true for the brands just mentioned, Nerad notes that sometimes brand equity, the popularity of a particular brand, can override its current level of reliability, although it's not common. "What we've found though, is there are really no major swings in this, there are changes, year to year changes and we adjust our site year to year, but they don't really move in a volatile way," he said. "It's something that has a degree of predictability about it." Keep in mind that your car's resale value is public information; anyone can go online and look it up in 2 minutes. If you let the online experts do their job in evaluating your vehicle's worth, you're likely to sell the vehicle a lot faster than if you overprice it or exaggerate its condition. Keep it clean and happy selling.

Expert for Kelley Blue Book explains how to evaluate your car's worth . People often fool themselves about the condition of the car, expert says . Appearance is one of your car's best selling points so make sure to wash it . Resale values based on actual/perceived resale value or simply demand .

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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Two satellites, one Russian and one American, have collided some 800 kilometers (500 miles) above Siberia, the Russian and U.S. space agencies, said Thursday. Debris from the collision poses no threat to the International Space Station. The collision on Tuesday produced two large debris clouds, NASA said. The satellites collided at 10 kilometers (6 miles) per second, producing 500-600 new pieces of space debris, the U.S. Strategic Command said. That debris is not believed to pose a threat to the International Space Station as long as the clouds continue moving in a lower orbit, according to NASA and the Russian federal space agency, Roscosmos. "There is some elevated risk, but it is considered to be very small to the ISS and to the other satellites that NASA has in orbit," NASA spokeswoman Beth Dickey told CNN. She said experts were still assessing the effects of the debris. Mikhail Martirosov, from Russian mission control center, told Interfax news agency that the real threat from the debris will become obvious next week, once experts can calculate the trajectory of the fragments' descent. "We have not received a warning of the possible danger to the ISS. The fragments may descend to the ISS orbit in several years, although I do not rule out that some fragments may go down within several days," Martirosov said. The Russian satellite was launched in 1993 and had been out of service at the time of the collision, Roscosmos said. The U.S. satellite was part of the Iridium global mobile communications system and is owned by a consortium headed by Motorola, the space agency said. It was launched in 1997. Iridium said in a statement Wednesday it "expects to implement a network solution by Friday," and will "move one of its in-orbit spare satellites into the network constellation to permanently replace the lost satellite" within the next 30 days. CNN is "one of the larger non-government users" of Iridium, said Arnie Christianson, operations manager for CNN Satellites and Transmission. "We do rely on it for communication in high-risk areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, and other remote locations," he said. "Because of this collision, there may be a slightly longer hole in the coverage from one satellite to the next, but only in a very small area and for a very small amount of time. This is a collision, not an internal failure of the satellite or the system." The satellite crash may result in "brief, occasional outages" that may slightly disrupt service, Iridium said in the statement, adding "this event is not the result of a failure on the part of Iridium or its technology." Christianson questioned how U.S. government, which tracks all space junk larger than a football, didn't see this coming. But he said the system will continue to work without any noticeable problems. A representative of Iridium could not immediately be reached for comment. NASA's Dickey said a collision like this one is very rare. "This is the first impact between two intact satellites traveling at hypervelocity," she said. "There have been some other occasions when things have accidentally collided in space, but they have been parts of rockets or parts of satellites and (produced) a very small cloud." Major Regina Winchester, of the U.S. Strategic Command, said: "Space is getting pretty crowded. The fact that this hasn't happened before -- maybe we were getting a little bit lucky." Winchester said Strategic Command tracks more than 18,000 pieces of manmade objects in space every day. "Any time there's an event that creates more debris, it's a concern," she said. "All countries who have assets in space are going to be concerned simply because when there's more debris, there's a higher chance it's going to hit something." CNN's Yuri Pushkin in Moscow and Melissa Gray in London contributed to this report .

One Russian and one U.S. satellite collide at 10 km per second . Collision is believed to be the first of its kind . NASA spokesman quoted as saying crash produced massive debris cloud . Wreckage from collision expected to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere .

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(CNN) -- Shahid Afridi claimed six victims to pave the way for Pakistan to claim victory by four wickets in their opening one-day international against Australia in Dubai. Career-best figures from Shahid Afridi helped steer Pakistan to victory in the first one-dayer against Australia. The all-rounder secured career-best figures of six for 38 as Australia could only manage a paltry 168 in an innings that lasted just 38.5 overs. The world champions again lost their way in the middle overs, losing eight for 27 at one stage as they wilted against Afridi's spin. It could have been worse for the Australians who relied on a last-wicket stand of 46 runs between James Hopes (48 not out) and Ben Hilfenhaus (four) to give their score some respectability. Pakistan's reply always looked on track with Kamran Akmal hitting 48 at the top of the order before Misbah-ul-Haq anchored the innings with an unbeaten 30 from 68 balls. A near-capacity crowd filled the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium as the venue hosted international cricket for the first time. The postponed series, which was originally due to be played last year, had been moved from Pakistan to neutral turf because of security concerns. Meanwhile, a superb half-century from Adam Gilchrist set Deccan Chargers on their way to a 24-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in Cape Town. The Australian smashed a quickfire 71 and Rohit Sharma contributed 52 as Deccan reached 184 for six from their 20 overs. Bangalore's reply never really got going with captain Kevin Pietersen managing just 11 before he fell to a teasing delivery from Pragyan Ojha and a smart stumping from Gilchrist. Rahul Dravid gave them hope with a thumping 48 before holing out, and Virat Kohli posted 50, but with precious little support from their team-mates their efforts proved in vain.

Shahid Afridi claims six victims to pave the way for Pakistan to beat Australia . Pakistan reach required target to win first one-dayer in Dubai by four wickets . Adam Gilchrist half-century helps Deccan Chargers beat Bangalore in the IPL .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Defense Department will release "a substantial number" of photographs showing abuse of prisoners at prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Aggressive techniques to interrogate terror suspects are making headlines again. The release will be in response to an open-records lawsuit filed by the ACLU, the group said in a written statement. The statement released late Thursday said the photos were taken at facilities other than Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. "These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib," Amrit Singh, an ACLU attorney, said in the release. The photos are to be released by May 28, the ACLU said. The Department of Defense announced in a letter addressed to the federal court on Thursday that it would release the photos. In a copy of the letter posted on the ACLU's Web site, acting U.S. Attorney Lev L. Dassin said that 21 photographs would be released and that the government "also is processing for release a substantial number of other images." The lawsuit was filed in 2004 after the Bush administration denied a 2003 open-records request by the ACLU. The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled last year that the photos should be released. The Defense Department will not appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Dassin said in the letter. Attempts by CNN to reach the White House and Department of Defense for comment were not immediately successful.

Photos showing abuse of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan to be released, ACLU says . ACLU filed lawsuit in 2004 against Bush administration for access to photos . Defense Department says it will not appeal court ruling, will release pictures . ACLU: Pictures, taken at facilities other than Abu Ghraib, to be released by May 28 .

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is keeping a close eye on Pakistan after this week's Taliban surge into the Buner district brought them just 60 miles from the capital, Islamabad. A Taliban fighter in the district of Buner, which is only 96 kilometers from Islamabad. A Pakistani government official said Friday that the insurgents had completely withdrawn from the district by the end of the week, but a human rights group said people in Buner were reporting that local Taliban remained in the district. And senior U.S. officials cautioned that any withdrawal by the Taliban was likely meaningless and that the fundamentalist group now holds large areas of the country with the government seemingly unable to stop them. "We're certainly moving closer to the tipping point," Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said on NBC's "Today" show Friday. In the interview from Afghanistan, Mullen said he was "extremely concerned" about indications the Taliban is moving closer to Pakistan's capital of Islamabad. Syed Mohammed Javed, commissioner of the Malakand Division that includes Buner, said the Taliban withdrew on Friday without any conditions. Earlier in the day, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told CNN that the militants would pull back from the district. Pakistani Express TV showed live footage of armed and masked Taliban militants in Buner, loading pickup trucks and driving away. Sufi Muhammed, an Islamist fundamentalist leader who has been negotiating on behalf of the Taliban, was on scene overseeing the withdrawal, police said. U.S. military commander Gen. David Petraeus credited about 300 Pakistan's Frontier Corps with driving Taliban militants out of Buner. The U.S. Central Command chief spoke to CNN on Friday after testifying before a Congressional panel about the need for the United States to boost its support for Pakistani counterinsurgency troops such as the Frontier Corps. But Amnesty International's regional chief said people in Buner are reporting a different situation. "What we're hearing from people in Buner ... is that the Taliban that have moved out are the non-local ones," Sam Zarifi, Amnesty's Asia Pacific director, told CNN. "So the local branch of the Taliban are still in place in Buner." Amnesty International is concerned that those local Taliban will continue to enforce the Taliban's "abusive and repressive" control of Buner. Girls over the age of 7 are forced to wear a burka, a head-to-toe covering that the Taliban say is required of Muslims under its radical interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia. "I think we're going to see those harsh edicts stay," Zarifi said. The Taliban installed strict Islamic law when it took over Afghanistan after a two-year fight with warlords, many of whom surrendered without a fight. They fought with a coalition of some of those warlords known as the Northern Alliance from 1996 until U.S. forces, seeking the leadership of al Qaeda after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, added bombing raids to Northern Alliance ground operations and successfully drove the Taliban out of most of Afghanistan. iReport: Should the U.S. intercede in Pakistan? But the Taliban regrouped in 2004, launching a guerrilla war against the Afghan government while operating from the tribal areas of that country and Pakistan. Meanwhile, senior U.S. officials said that the "retreat" was likely meaningless. Control was the impetus behind the Taliban move into Buner, and the fundamentalist group now controls large areas of Pakistan, they said. The officials said, however, that they did not believe the Taliban's goal was to take over the government of Pakistan but rather to create instability by taking advantage of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's apparent inability to cope with the situation. Zardari, they said, does not understand the gravity of the situation, remains distracted by domestic politics and appears unable to make critical decisions to deploy the army to stabilize the country. State Department envoy Richard Holbrooke has been on the phone "nonstop" with officials in Islamabad and Washington, the officials said, providing frequent information to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama. Holbrooke's read on the situation, officials familiar with the conversation said, is that the Pakistani government does not know how to handle the situation and is looking to the United States for direction. A senior military official, however, presented a more dire case. Pakistan is "rapidly deteriorating," he said. He said that he could not rule out the possibility of a military takeover in Islamabad, although he added that such a prospect was not in the immediate future. As for Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, he said the weapons "are safe for now" but that the United States is monitoring the safety systems in place. Administration officials said that the Pakistani military had assured the United States it would not act without an express order from the civilian leadership. Earlier this week, Clinton warned that nuclear-armed Pakistan was in danger of falling into terrorist hands. Before the Taliban's apparent withdrawal Friday, a local Pakistani official expressed doubt about whether the militants would leave, as they pledged to local elders on Thursday. "Nobody can trust them," Sardar Hussain Babik, the provincial education minister, said by phone from Buner. The Taliban have broken promises before and probably would do so again, he said. Militants who swarmed into Buner subsequently locked up courthouses, seized court documents and battled Pakistani troops who were sent to protect residents. The militants said they took control of the district to ensure that Islamic law was properly imposed. The Pakistani government called the land grab a breach of a recent peace agreement. CNN's Barbara Starr, Elise Labott, Ivan Watson, Tricia Escobedo and Samson Desta contributed to this report.

NEW: Pakistan situation "rapidly deteriorating," says senior U.S. military official . NEW: U.S. officials: Any Taliban withdrawal from Pakistani territory likely meaningless . NEW: Fundamentalists hold large areas of the country, military officials say . Pakistan had reported Taliban withdrawal from captured district 60 miles from capital .

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The British government announced Friday that more than 4,000 former Gurkha soldiers are entitled to settle in Britain, but Gurkha supporters quickly denounced the measure as meaningless. Former Gurkha solider Tulbahadur Pun was awarded Britain's highest honor for bravery, the Victoria Cross. Supporters have fought for years for more rights for the Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers who have been part of the British Army for nearly 200 years. Gurkhas have fought alongside the British Armed Forces in every conflict in that period, including both world wars, and are known for their ferocity and pride. Despite their centuries of service, Gurkhas were not given the right to settle in the United Kingdom until 2004. And even then the order applied only to those discharged after the British handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, when the Gurkhas Brigade moved from Hong Kong to Britain. The government's announcement Friday applies to all Gurkhas, including those who left the army before 1997, if they meet one of five criteria. It also says around 6,000 of the Gurkhas' dependents may be able to apply for settlement in Britain as well. "The guidance honors the service, commitment, and gallantry of those who served with the Gurkhas Brigade," Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said in a written statement. The Gurkha Justice Campaign, however, said the government's criteria for the Gurkhas' resettlement are unrealistic and too difficult for many of the soldiers to meet. "Only a tiny fraction of the Gurkhas who retired before 1997 will win settlement rights under the new policy," the campaign said. "The campaign for full Gurkha justice will now be taken back into Parliament and the courts. The government needs to know they will have a huge campaign against them who will commit to righting this wrong." The High Court ruled last September that the 1997 cut-off date was fair, but added that caseworkers needed revised guidance on deciding the cases of Gurkhas discharged before that date. Under the guidance, Gurkhas discharged before 1997 must meet one of five criteria to be considered for resettlement in Britain: . • Have three years' continuous residence in Britain, before or after service; • Have close family settled in the United Kingdom; • Have an award for gallantry, leadership, or bravery while in the brigade; • Have a chronic medical condition attributable to or made worse by army service; • Have served for 20 or more years. Actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served in the Gurkhas while she was a girl, has been an outspoken campaigner for their rights. She said the new criteria are harsher than she expected. "They've given five bullet points which virtually cannot be met by the ordinary Gurkha soldier," Lumley told reporters Friday. "This one page of criteria has taken the government four months to come up with. It has made me ashamed of our administration." She said most Gurkhas are allowed to stay in the United Kingdom for only two years, so three years of continuous residence is not possible. Most Gurkhas, she said, also have not been allowed to settle in Britain with their families. The requirement for having won an award discriminates against the ordinary soldier who has no award, she said. "This sends out not only to the Gurkha soldiers, but to our own men fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the most appalling message: that unless you have been awarded a medal for gallantry, you're not a real soldier," Lumley said. Only officers are allowed to serve 20 or more years, she said, so most riflemen will not qualify for the service requirement. And proving that an injury is related to army service will be nearly impossible for most, she said. "How on earth are men who were injured in the 1940s, '50s, '60s going to be able to prove that their long-term chronic illness is attributable to injures received during their service?" she said. A Home Office spokesman said the government believes hundreds of Gurkhas will still be eligible to settle in Britain. "We would not accept that," the spokesman said of Lumley's criticisms. "We would say that the criteria as we see it is fair and balanced." The Gurkha brigade originated in the 19th century with Nepalese soldiers who impressed British imperial troops with their ferocity and military ability. The first Gurkha units were formed in 1815. They saw action in both world wars and were fundamental to the British military maintaining control of India in the 1800s. Today there are 3,400 troops in the Gurkha brigade, operating from bases in Great Britain. Most recently, Gurkha troops were used in the Persian Gulf War and the Balkan conflicts.

British government unveils moves to let more former Gurkha troops live in the UK . Gurkhas are part of British armed forces made up of Nepalese fighters . Campaigners say qualifying criteria mean most will not be able to settle in UK . First Gurkha units formed in 1815 and they fought in every campaign since .

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(CNN) -- Long before fish swam in Macquariums, hipsters got Apple logo tattoos and thousands camped out for days to get into computer store openings, there was a machine. Danielle Brecker found this 1989 photo of friends on their Macs at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the original Macintosh, the first personal computer to draw masses, introduce the mouse and incorporate a graphical user interface, relying on images instead of text. The Apple Inc. watershed product entered American consciousness amid fanfare, with a $1.5 million commercial, made by Ridley Scott, wowing audiences during Super Bowl XVIII. The piece's title, "1984," invoked author George Orwell's message and stood as a warning against conformity. Two days after the ad ran, the Macintosh became available and life, as people knew it, changed. No longer were computers viewed as toys with which to play primitive games or as untouchable tools reserved for degreed engineers. We began to think different. "The Macintosh demonstrated that it was possible and profitable to create a machine to be used by millions and millions of people," said Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, research director for the Institute for the Future, a Palo Alto, California, think tank, and chief force behind "Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley," an online historical exhibit. "The gold standard now for personal electronics is, 'Is it easy enough for my grandmother to use it?' People on the Macintosh project were the first people to talk about a product in that way." Pang, 44, remembered being "mesmerized" by the computer when he first saw it up close in his college bookstore. He wasn't alone. Read about how iReporters are preserving Mac history . For graphic designers like Zoë Korstvedt, now a Los Angeles creative director, the evolving Mac, with each added feature, was ripe with ah-ha moments. To tinker with a piece, play with the text, "to visualize on your computer was just insane," she said. "My colleagues and I wonder how we did it [their jobs] before." No wonder, then, that when Korstvedt, 44, married her first husband in 1989, she used half of their wedding money to buy her first home computer: a Mac SE/30, for which she forked over extra bucks for an upgrade to a whopping 8 megabytes of RAM. Nothing compared to the 12 gigs she now has. "I was styling," she said with a laugh. Jeremy Mehrle, 30, of the St. Louis, Missouri, area is too young to know a world without Macs. This MacAddict began hoarding and tinkering with tossed-out computers, and then he discovered eBay. Today, the motion graphics designer's 1,400 square-foot basement is a museum to Apple computers, all-white and in gallery-style with about 80 fully-functioning machines on display. "Some people think it's really cool. ... Others say 'It's Jeremy's thing, it's a little weird, whatever,'" he said. "I think if I had stacks everywhere, and you couldn't move in my house, people would be worried." What's Mehrle's hobby, however, became a career for Dan Foust, 38, of Bloomington, Illinois. "Danapplemacman," as he's known on eBay, makes a living out of buying, and when necessary resuscitating, these computers before hawking them online to customers/collectors in places as far-flung as Italy and Australia. So what would people pay for an original Macintosh? "A complete boxed system?," he said. "I can't put a price on that." The extremes to which people have gone in their love and loyalty for Apple (and specifically Macs) knows no bounds. Perhaps no one knows this better than Leander Kahney, news editor at Wired.com and author of Cult of Mac, as well as the more recently published Inside Steve's Brain. That would be Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' brain, of course. From his phone in a San Francisco coffee shop, Kahney told tales of people allotting their limited vacation time to Macworld conferences, a man who has traveled to 40 Apple store openings and those who shaved Apple logos into their heads. As for the Apple tattoos, those, at first, really bothered him. "I'm a bit of a leftie," he said. The idea of "corporate worship" didn't initially sit well with him -- although he's not afraid to admit his own obsession. "It's a very deep relationship people have with their computers. ... If the computer's not working, it's more important than the car breaking down." Speaking of worship, Israeli filmmakers Ron and Kobi Shely created "MacHEADS: The Movie," a 50-minute documentary that'll be available next week on Amazon's video on demand service and, soon after, on iTunes. The film includes footage from The Church of Mac in Los Angeles, where a preacher and congregants gathered to glorify the computer at a service that ended with, "Praise Steve." "Although we read a lot about the [Mac] phenomenon," Ron Shely said by phone from Tel Aviv of the two-year film project, "we didn't realize how big this social movement really is." And that, beyond the products, is what has been so powerful about the Mac brand, said Peter Friess, president of The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California. iReport.com: Got your own Mac Museum? Show us! Steve Jobs "really has changed the world," Friess said. "You hardly find people who changed cultures. He changed culture." Decades before Jobs' health became a topic of discussion, Friess was lucky enough to meet the man. At the time, German-born Friess was a lowly watchmaker, repairing clocks in the basement of Munich's Deutsches Museum, the largest science and technology museum in the world. The year was 1984, and Friess thought a Macintosh might come in handy, so he called Apple Germany to see if he might be able to get one. The answer, as he recalled it, "'You're very lucky. Steve Jobs is in town. We'll come over and give you one.'" Ever since, he's been amazed and exceedingly intrigued by every new computer. "My wife goes crazy," Friess, 49, admitted. "Every Apple computer I buy, the first thing I do is take it apart, just to see what's inside." For Gary Allen, 61, of Berkeley, California, his interest is less inside than it is outside the company's stores. He runs ifoAppleStore.com, the first three letters taken from his police dispatch days, meaning "in front of." The site's genesis dates back to 2001 when Apple store No. 9 opened, in Palo Alto, and he and his son went early. Way early -- as in the night before. The crowds, and natural community, grew on Allen, who began seeing new-found friends at other openings. They were like groupies chasing a band. So he started a Web site, to help fans keep in touch, and soon other Apple enthusiasts began writing from across the globe, sharing tips about new stores, as well as testimonies and photos. The site, he said, averages about 4 million visitors a month. Allen, who guessed he's been to 22 store openings so far, once stood in the rain for days in Tokyo so he could snag the first spot in line. He's seen old friends at openings in Germany and Italy. Last summer, he and his now 21-year-old son experienced what he called "the perfect storm," hitting Boston, Beijing and Sydney. Next stop: Paris. He may not speak the same language as the thousands who surround him in these various cities, but that doesn't much matter when people speak the same language of computer love. "Apple enthusiasts, it turns out," Allen said, "are the same wherever you go."

Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the first Macintosh computer . Apple launched the Mac in 1984 with Ridley Scott's landmark Super Bowl XVIII ad . Steve Jobs is credited for cult-like worship seen in tattoos, collections, Macquariums . Fans flock to Macworld expos, Apple store openings and hoard eBay purchases .

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(CNN) -- Efraim Diveroli's father hoped his son would become a doctor or lawyer. Efraim Diveroli, 22, is doing his "patriotic" duty as an arms dealer, his grandfather says. What he got instead is a 22-year-old international arms dealer who faces a congressional inquiry for allegedly selling old Chinese ammunition to the U.S. military to equip allies in Afghanistan. Diveroli is president of AEY Inc., a South Florida company which, according to U.S. government documents, has done more than $10 million of business with the U.S. government since 2004. The papers also reveal the company struck it big in 2007 with contracts totaling more than $200 million to supply ammunition, assault rifles and other weapons to the Afghan National Army and police. The company's contract said it would get the ammunition from Hungary. But Army investigators found what the Afghan military got included corroded ammunition made in China as long as 46 years ago. The New York Times reported Thursday that AEY shopped stockpiles and ammo dumps in old Soviet bloc allies, from Albania to Kazakhstan. Albania was a big customer for Chinese armaments in the 1960s and '70s, the Times reported. Angelo Diveroli, Efraim's grandfather, told CNN affiliate WPLG-TV that his grandson is being targeted by "jealous competitors" in the international arms market. Since he was a boy, the grandfather said, Efraim Diveroli has known his way around weapons. Read the WPLG story . "He's a genius about anything to do with weapons," the 72-year-old says. "Ever since he was a little boy, I would take him to gun shows and he could identify every model of guns. People would ask: How can he do that so young? He has a gift, I would tell them.'' Michael Diveroli, Efraim's father, told CNN affiliate WFOR-TV that he wished his son had turned his intellect elsewhere. He said Efraim was "a boy genius" who is "hard to control." Read the WFOR story . "I would prefer he became a nice Jewish doctor or lawyer rather than an arms dealer," WFOR quoted Michael Diveroli as saying. Watch how father says son runs his own show » . But his son seem to have a good idea of the circles he was running in. "What goes on in the Albanian Defense Ministry," the New York Times quoted him as saying. "Who's clean? Who's dirty? Don't want to know about it." On a MySpace page Efraim Diveroli last updated in 2005, he says "I probably grew up way to (sic) fast." But in a hint of where the then-19-year-old's future was heading, he wrote, "I definately (sic) have the desire to be very successful in my business and this does take up alot (sic) of my time." The MySpace page also hints of his need for thrills. "I'm one of those guys who needs to be entertained and having lots of fun all the time so if your (sic) also an undiagnosed case of ADD look me up," it says. He lists the weapon-heavy films "Heat" and "Scarface" among his favorites. A CNN search of Diveroli's Florida criminal record shows arrests, but no convictions, on offenses from misdemeanor battery to felony possession of stolen property. He has yet to appear in court on a March 3 arrest for driving under the influence. For now, relatives say Efraim Diveroli is out of the country. CNN attempts to contact him have not been successful. His grandfather told WPLG that Diveroli is now in Turkey or Albania doing his "patriotic" duty. "He's all over the world getting what the military needs," Angelo Diveroli says. But in a MySpace message exchange with Radar magazine, a person thought to be David Packouz, a 25-year-old who was AEY's vice president, refers to Efraim Diveroli as "my former scumbag partner" and says he is motivated by money. "Efraim Diveroli has a serious psychological illness called 'extreme greed,' " Radar quotes him as writing in a report on its Web site. Packouz would not discuss AEY with CNN on Friday, saying he had no comment "because of the ongoing investigation." E-mail to a friend .

22-year-old arms dealer faces congressional inquiry . Company supplied ammunition made in China decades ago . Company's contract called for bullets made in Hungary . Grandfather says dealer, 22, had "gift" for weaponry .

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