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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- TV dance judge Mary Murphy said singer Chris Brown's attack on his girlfriend, Rihanna, prompted her to talk publicly about spousal abuse that she says she suffered first as a teenage bride three decades ago. Mary Murphy says she was abused by her ex-husband during their nine-year marriage. Murphy -- the vivacious judge on Fox TV's "So You Think You Can Dance" -- told CNN's Larry King that she wants other victims to learn from how she endured, but escaped, domestic violence. Discovering her talent with dance eventually changed her life and helped her flee the relationship after nine years, she said. Her ex-husband strongly denied that he ever physically or mentally abused Murphy, whom he married in 1978 soon after they met as teenagers in college. "I did just tuck it away and just buried it and went on with my life and I thought that, you know, I could leave it there and I wanted to leave it there until my father died a couple years ago," Murphy said. Watch Murphy discuss abuse in her marriage » Discussions with her dying father led to him apologizing for not being "my knight in shining armor" by intervening, she said. But Murphy said seeing a photo of singer Rihanna's bruised face, taken soon after Brown's admitted attack last February, convinced her to go public with the story. "I still had no intention to talk to anybody until I saw Rihanna's face and seeing that just brought it all up." "Abuse, it just survives and thrives in silence," Murphy said. US Weekly magazine's current issue offers a detailed version of Murphy's revelations in its cover story. Murphy tells the magazine about a whirlwind romance that began in 1977 when she was a 19-year-old Ohio State University student -- swept off her feet by an 18-year-old who was "extraordinarily handsome." She told King that the marriage began "getting out of control" after just three months when her husband's jealously triggered fights. "It increased until we started to have just horrible fights," she said. "And then at the time, after a fight in which I didn't want to have sex, it just escalated to the point that he literally had to rape me in order for me to have sex." When a neighbor called police to her home, Murphy said she was too frightened to press charges. "I looked at him and with the look on his face, I said 'absolutely not' and went back in my room and just laid there and cried," she said. Murphy said she left her husband several times over the nine-year marriage, but "there weren't the shelters that there are today." "I did try to leave, and I was having a hard time making it, and he would sweet talk me and I would go back" she said. "It was back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And I don't feel really proud of that." Murphy discovered her talent and love of dance several years into the marriage when she took a summer job at a dance studio while her husband was away for several months running the family's business in the Middle East, she said. "It made me feel beautiful instead of how I was probably really feeling inside, totally ashamed and dirty," she said. Their marriage ended only after she and her husband renewed their vows in a wedding ceremony in front of his family and friends in Amman, Jordan, in 1985. She learned he had a girlfriend -- to whom he was engaged -- in the Middle East. It was his infidelity that convinced her to divorce him, she said. Her former husband -- who spoke to Larry King off the air -- said he was "totally shocked" by Murphy's account of their marriage. "I never harmed her," he said. "If all of these allegations are true, she
[ "who was an abused teenage bride?", "who did chris brown abuse?", "What year did she marry her abuser?", "What happened to Mary Murphy as a teenager", "Was she physically abused as a teen?", "How long was she in relationship for?" ]
[ [ "Mary Murphy" ], [ "girlfriend, Rihanna," ], [ "1978" ], [ "spousal abuse" ], [ "by her ex-husband during their nine-year marriage." ], [ "nine-year marriage." ] ]
"So You Think You Can Dance" judge says she was abused teenage bride . Mary Murphy says 18-year-old husband's jealousy triggered fights . Murphy divorced after nine years in troubled marriage . Chris Brown's abuse of Rihanna prompted her to talk, Murphy says .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- TV talk show host Jay Leno fell ill and checked himself into a Los Angeles, California, hospital on Thursday, his representative said. NBC cancels tapings of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Thursday and Friday after Leno became ill. Tracy St. Pierre would not disclose the nature of Leno's illness. Leno will be 59 on Tuesday. NBC canceled tapings of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" scheduled for Thursday and Friday, she said. The network will rerun the March 26 show on Thursday, which features a musical performance by Prince and interviews with actors Paul Giamatti and Emma Roberts, according to the show's Web site. Actor Ryan Reynolds, animal trainer Jules Sylvester and swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy had been booked for Thursday's show. CNN's Anderson Cooper, anchor of "Anderson Cooper 360," was scheduled to appear on Friday's show. The network did not announce which show would be broadcast on Friday. CNN's Jack Hannah contributed to this report.
[ "What age is Leno on Tuesday?", "Who does St. Pierre represent?", "What did Network cancel?", "Who is Leno's representative?" ]
[ [ "59" ], [ "Jay Leno" ], [ "tapings of \"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno\"" ], [ "Tracy St. Pierre" ] ]
Jay Leno's representative, Tracy St. Pierre, would not disclose illness . Network cancels tapings of Thursday and Friday night shows . Leno will be 59 years old on Tuesday .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The A&E network quickly backed away from an earlier assurance that Michael Jackson's three children "are not part of" a reality show it is taping with four of the pop star's brothers. Before their father's death, Michael Jackson's children, Paris, Prince and "Blanket" were not often seen in public. The network said late Wednesday it was "entirely possible" that "other members of the Jackson family" could appear on the show, but it is too soon to know. US Weekly magazine quoted an unidentified source as saying that despite a sharp division in the Jackson family over the matter, Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7, would be included in the show. "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," which focuses on the lives of four of the Jackson brothers -- Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon -- was in the works before the singer's June 25 death. "Filming is taking place right now," A&E said in the late Wednesday statement. "As production moves forward, it is entirely possible that the brothers' paths will intersect with other members of the Jackson family, who may or may not be included in the finished series. However, we cannot at this point definitively know who else may make an appearance in the series." Earlier Wednesday, however, the network had seemed to rule out their appearance, saying, "They are not part of the series." Jackson went to great lengths for years to keep his children out of the public eye, including covering their faces with masks and scarves. It was only at the public memorial service for Jackson that the world got a close look at them -- and began learning about their personalities. The magazine's source is quoted as saying that the oldest Jackson sister, Rebbie, "feels Michael would spin in his grave if he knew his kids would be on this show." The public relations firm hired by the Jackson family soon after Michael Jackson's death issued a short statement Wednesday morning that did not dispute the US Weekly report. "We are not going to comment," the statement said. The decision would be left to Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, according to the lawyer appointed in August to represent the children in the probate of their father's will. Katherine Jackson was given guardianship over the children by a Los Angeles judge. The reality show is tentatively set to begin airing in December. CNN's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report.
[ "What did the network say?", "what will be broadcast", "When did Michael Jackson die?", "what does the network say", "What is A&E going to broadcast?" ]
[ [ "it was \"entirely possible\" that \"other members of the Jackson family\" could appear on the show, but it is too soon to know." ], [ "\"The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty,\"" ], [ "June 25" ], [ "\"entirely possible\" that \"other members of the Jackson family\" could appear on the show, but it is too soon to know." ], [ "\"The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty,\"" ] ]
A&E to broadcast reality show featuring some of Michael Jackson's family . US Weekly magazine says Jackson's children's will be part of the show . Network first says children won't be in show, then says they may . Jackson, who died June 25, generally kept children from public view .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The Beastie Boys canceled all scheduled concerts and delayed their next album release while member Adam "MCA" Yauch is treated for a cancerous tumor in a salivary gland, Yauch says in a video statement to fans. The Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch will be treated for a cancerous tumor in a salivary gland. "The good news is that they did scans of my whole body and it's only localized in this one area and it's not in a place that affects my voice," Yauch says. "So, that's nice. That's convenient." The cancer is in his left parotid gland and "also in a lymph node right in that area," he says. He will probably have surgery next week and radiation treatments afterward, he says. With band mate Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz sitting next to him, Yauch tells fans how he found out he had cancer. "About two months ago, I started feeling this little lump in my throat, like you would feel if you have swollen glands or something like that, like you'd feel if you have a cold, so I didn't really think it was anything," he says. His doctor sent him to a specialist who diagnosed the cancer, he says. Yauch does not estimate how long the tour will be delayed, but he apologizes to "anyone who's made plans" to come to the shows. The illness will also delay the release of the band's next album, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1," he says.
[ "Will the tour be postpoed?", "Did the tumor spread?", "Which Beastie Boys member has a cancerous tumour?", "What is the reason for postponing tour?", "Has the tumour spread?", "Which member has a cancerous tumor?", "what group is mca a part of", "where is the tumor" ]
[ [ "canceled" ], [ "only localized in this one area" ], [ "Adam \"MCA\" Yauch" ], [ "Adam \"MCA\" Yauch is treated" ], [ "localized in this one area" ], [ "Adam Yauch" ], [ "The Beastie Boys" ], [ "in a salivary gland," ] ]
Beastie Boys member Adam "MCA" Yauch has cancerous tumor . Band postponing tour, delaying release of next album while he gets treated . Yauch: Tumor "only localized in this one area"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The Beastie Boys canceled all scheduled concerts and delayed their next album release while member Adam "MCA" Yauch is treated for a cancerous tumor in a salivary gland, Yauch says in a video statement to fans. The Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch will be treated for a cancerous tumor in a salivary gland. "The good news is that they did scans of my whole body and it's only localized in this one area and it's not in a place that affects my voice," Yauch says. "So, that's nice. That's convenient." The cancer is in his left parotid gland and "also in a lymph node right in that area," he says. He will probably have surgery next week and radiation treatments afterward, he says. With band mate Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz sitting next to him, Yauch tells fans how he found out he had cancer. "About two months ago, I started feeling this little lump in my throat, like you would feel if you have swollen glands or something like that, like you'd feel if you have a cold, so I didn't really think it was anything," he says. His doctor sent him to a specialist who diagnosed the cancer, he says. Yauch does not estimate how long the tour will be delayed, but he apologizes to "anyone who's made plans" to come to the shows. The illness will also delay the release of the band's next album, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1," he says.
[ "Which Beastie Boys member has cancer?", "What is only localized in one area?", "What did Yauch say about the tumor?", "What band is Adam Yauch from?", "What is the band doing while he gets treated?", "Who has a cancerous tumor?", "Who is Adam Yauch?" ]
[ [ "Adam \"MCA\" Yauch" ], [ "a cancerous tumor in a salivary gland." ], [ "it's only localized in this one area and it's not in a place that affects my voice,\"" ], [ "The Beastie Boys" ], [ "canceled all scheduled concerts and delayed their" ], [ "Adam \"MCA\" Yauch" ], [ "\"MCA\"" ] ]
Beastie Boys member Adam "MCA" Yauch has cancerous tumor . Band postponing tour, delaying release of next album while he gets treated . Yauch: Tumor "only localized in this one area"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The California Public Utilities Commission banned texting on the job Thursday after it was shown that a Metrolink train engineer involved in last week's deadly collision near Los Angeles sent text messages from his cell phone. It was unclear what 46-year-old Robert Sanchez was doing at the time of the crash Friday. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating claims that he was sending text messages when his commuter train slammed into a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth. Twenty-five people were killed, including Sanchez, and at least 130 were injured. Investigators subpoenaed the phone records of the engineer and determined that he "had sent and received text messages on the day of the accident, including some while he was on duty," according to an NTSB statement Wednesday. Investigators were trying to determine at what time the messages were sent. The commission's emergency order passed unanimously Thursday. In pushing for the ban, Commission President Michael Peevey said that cell phone use by engineers "may have been a factor" in train accidents this year in San Francisco and Sacramento, California. He did not elaborate on details of those incidents. Thursday's order is temporary until the state commission decides whether to make it permanent. Metrolink prohibits cell phone use by engineers on the job, but Peevey emphasized that there is no federal or California regulation barring cell phone use by engineers while trains are moving. The NTSB had determined that the brakes on the Metrolink train were not applied before the collision and that stop signals at the scene were working properly, said Kitty Higgins, an NTSB member assigned to the investigation. Metrolink has said its train, carrying about 220 passengers, failed to stop for a red signal. Watch expert tell what it's like to drive a train » Twenty-four bodies were found at the scene after the head-on collision during rush hour Friday in the northwest Los Angeles suburb. A 25th victim, a man in his 50s, died at a hospital. More than 130 people were injured. The agency has said it also has been in contact with the two teenagers who told a local television station they were exchanging text messages with the engineer just before the crash occurred. Higgins said investigators have interviewed the Metrolink train conductor, who had worked with Sanchez since April. The conductor "had no issues of his time working with the engineer and on how the engineer operated the train," she said. Watch as callers to 911 describe the crash » The engineer took a two-hour nap during his midday break on the day of the collision, the conductor told investigators. Sanchez was a subcontractor who worked for another company.
[ "What was the name of the engineer that was killed?", "What did phone records show about the engineer?", "How many people were killed in the crash?", "What did the organization ban on Thursday?", "What did investigators determine about the brakes?", "What did authorities conclude about the brakes?", "How many were killed in a crash Friday?", "Who passed the ban?", "How many people were killed?", "Whent did California PUC pass a ban?" ]
[ [ "Robert Sanchez" ], [ "determined that he \"had sent and received text messages on the day of the accident," ], [ "Twenty-five" ], [ "the job" ], [ "were not applied before" ], [ "were not applied before the collision" ], [ "Twenty-five people" ], [ "California Public Utilities Commission" ], [ "Twenty-five" ], [ "Thursday" ] ]
NEW: California Public Utilities Commission passed ban Thursday . Phone records show engineer texting during work hours on day of crash . Engineer Robert Sanchez was among 25 people killed in Friday's crash . Investigators determined the brakes on train he was driving were not applied .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office asked police to do more investigative work before a decision is made on whether charges will be filed in the domestic violence case against singer Chris Brown, according to a spokeswoman for the DA. Chris Brown attends a party saluting music producer Clive Davis in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday. The LAPD's chief investigator in case, Detective Deshon Andrews, told CNN he hand-carried his findings to the district attorney Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors looked at the files and then asked Andrews for "an additional investigation," DA spokeswoman Jane Robinson said. Andrews said that to keep photos and documents from leaking to the media, he has kept the case file closely guarded and allowed no copies of the material to be made. Watch the latest about the case » Police have refused media requests to hear the 911 call that led to their investigation early Sunday, but Andrews said it mostly recorded the sound of "a screaming woman." Brown, 19, turned himself in Sunday night after police said they were looking for him. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. Brown was later released on a $50,000 bond. He is expected to appear in court on March 5. Police said Brown and a woman were in a vehicle near Hollywood's Hancock Park early Sunday when they became involved in an argument. The woman "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker," police said. Police did not identify the woman, but sources close to the couple told CNN the alleged victim was his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, 20. Brown's lawyer has not responded to several requests for comment. CNN's Jennifer Wolfe and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report.
[ "What was the name of the girlfriend sources gave?", "Who turned himself in to police?", "Which case does the L.A. DA's office want to investigate more?", "Who named woman?" ]
[ [ "Rihanna," ], [ "Chris Brown" ], [ "against singer Chris Brown," ], [ "sources close to the couple told CNN the alleged victim was his girlfriend, singer Rihanna," ] ]
NEW: L.A. DA's office wants more investigation of Chris Brown case . Police: Brown turned himself in after woman accused him of attacking her . Police haven't named woman; sources say it was girlfriend Rihanna .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The Transportation Security Administration said Friday its officers at a Texas airport appear to have properly followed procedures when they allegedly forced a woman to remove her nipple rings -- one with pliers -- but acknowledged the procedures should be changed. The woman involved -- Mandi Hamlin -- told reporters earlier Friday she was humiliated by last month's incident, in which she was forced to painfully remove the piercings behind a curtain as she heard snickers from male TSA officers nearby. The incident occurred at the Lubbock, Texas, airport. The officers "rightly insisted that the alarm that was raised be resolved," the TSA said in a statement posted on its Web site Friday afternoon. "TSA supports the thoroughness of the officers involved as they were acting to protect the passengers and crews of the flights departing Lubbock that day." However, "TSA has reviewed the procedures themselves and agrees that they need to be changed," the statement said. "In the future, TSA will inform passengers that they have the option to resolve the alarm through a visual inspection of the article in lieu of removing the item in question." Hamlin and her lawyer, celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, said they want a public apology from the agency, as well as a guarantee that future passengers with piercings will be treated with dignity and respect. Allred pointed out that TSA's Web site says passengers with piercings can undergo a pat-down inspection if they do not want to take their piercings out -- an option she said Hamlin was never offered. "The conduct of TSA was cruel and unnecessary," Allred told reporters at a news conference. "Last time that I checked, a nipple was not a dangerous weapon." She said if an apology was not forthcoming, "Mandi is going to have to consider her legal options." Attempts by CNN to reach Allred for a response to the TSA statement Friday afternoon were unsuccessful. TSA said in its statement it acknowledges "that our procedures caused difficulty for the passenger involved and regrets (the) situation in which she found herself. We appreciate her raising awareness on this issue and we are changing the procedures to ensure that this does not happen again." The incident occurred February 24 as Hamlin, 37, was preparing to fly to Dallas-Fort Worth from Lubbock, where she had been visiting her elderly great-uncle. Hamlin said she also has navel and ear piercings and has never set off a metal detector or been singled out for additional screening at an airport. She did not set off the metal detector at Lubbock International Airport, but was pulled to the side for additional screening, Allred said. A hand wand used by a TSA officer beeped when it was waved over her breasts. Hamlin told the officer she had nipple piercings, Allred said, and that officer called over another officer, who told her she would need to remove them. "Ms. Hamlin did not want to remove her nipple piercings," Allred said, reading from a letter she sent TSA. "After nipple rings are inserted, the skin can often heal around the piercing and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to remove. In addition, once removed, the pierced skin may close up almost immediately, making it difficult and painful to reinsert the piercing." More officers were called over, and the group grew to four male and two female TSA officers, according to Hamlin. Also, a small crowd of onlookers had started to gather. The officers insisted that Hamlin remove the nipple rings, Allred said. "She felt humiliated by the scene that the TSA officers were making," Allred said. "With tears streaming down her face, she again asked to show the piercings to a TSA officer instead of having to remove them. She was told, however, she would not be allowed to fly unless she removed them. Had she been told that she had a right to a pat-down, she would have chosen that option." She eventually was taken to a private area behind a curtain to remove
[ "Who made passengers remove nipple rings?", "What did the agency say?", "What backs officers who made passenger remove nipple rings?", "Who found piercings at airport?", "Who says she heard male agents snicker?", "What did the woman say?", "Who said procedures need to be changed?", "What needs to be changed?" ]
[ [ "Transportation Security Administration" ], [ "airport appear to have properly followed procedures when they allegedly forced a woman to remove her nipple rings -- one with pliers -- but acknowledged the procedures should be changed." ], [ "Transportation Security Administration" ], [ "Mandi Hamlin" ], [ "Mandi Hamlin" ], [ "she was humiliated" ], [ "Transportation Security Administration" ], [ "the procedures" ] ]
NEW: TSA backs officers who made passenger remove nipple rings . NEW: Agency acknowledges that procedures need to be changed . Agent using handheld metal detector at Lubbock airport found piercings . Woman says she heard male agents snicker as she removed rings .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The date of the funeral for pop legend Michael Jackson has been changed to September 3, the singer's spokesman said Friday. Michael Jackson's burial will be at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park on Thursday, September 3. Jackson was scheduled to be laid to rest August 29, on what would have been his 51st birthday. The private ceremony will still take place at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, according to a statement from Ken Sunshine. No reason was given for the change in date. The ceremony "will be limited to family and close friends," the statement said. Jackson died June 25 of cardiac arrest. The famed entertainer was 50. The release date for the movie drawing on Jackson's rehearsal footage was announced Thursday. "Michael Jackson: This Is It" will run in theaters worldwide for two weeks only beginning October 28, according to Sony Pictures. Tickets for the film go on sale Sunday, September 27, Sony said in a news release Thursday. "Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, and genius as he creates and perfects his final show," Sony said. Kenny Ortega, who was working with Jackson to create the "This Is It" concert, is also directing the documentary.
[ "What did they change?", "When is the burial?", "Where will the movie play?", "When will Michael Jackson be buried?", "is there a reason for change on schedule?", "When does the Jackson movie open?" ]
[ [ "date of the funeral for pop legend Michael Jackson" ], [ "Thursday, September 3." ], [ "theaters worldwide" ], [ "Thursday, September 3." ], [ "in date." ], [ "October 28," ] ]
Michael Jackson to be buried Thursday, September 3, at Forest Lawn . Singer originally scheduled to be buried August 29; no reason given for change . Jackson movie drawing on concert footage will open October 28 .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The day I interviewed Neil Diamond, he was sitting in a little room to the side of a studio, and a makeup artist was smacking him in the face with a powder puff. He was wearing a white wife-beater T-shirt and looked like he wanted to flee. Neil Diamond is riding high with a huge world tour, a successful album and a humanitarian award. It was November, and Diamond had just come off the first two legs of his biggest world tour yet -- with 64 shows in 50 cities and nine countries already under his belt. In a moment, he would step in front of a camera to begin a round of 70 or so interviews -- beamed via satellite to local television stations -- to talk up the remaining 20 dates, where he'd thrill diehard fans with such nuggets as "Cherry Cherry," "Song Sung Blue" and "Sweet Caroline." Ours was the only in-person interview he -- or someone in his camp -- had agreed to do. The singer-songwriter (who turned 68 on January 24) stepped into the studio, a man ready for his close-up. He had slipped a black button-down shirt over his T-shirt, and suddenly he looked like Neil Diamond -- the same Neil Diamond who next week will be feted by The Recording Academy as its "2009 MusiCares Person of the Year," joining an elite club that includes Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Sting, Bono and Quincy Jones. He's working on a follow-up to last year's CD, the Rick Rubin-produced "Home Before Dark" -- which earned Diamond his first-ever No. 1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. That album came after 2005's "12 Songs," also produced by Rubin, which re-invigorated his recording career. As for live performance, he's rarely had problems filling arenas -- but he remembers when he did. Watch Diamond talk about giving back » CNN: The man in black. This has become quite the trademark. Neil Diamond: Yeah. I still wear black, but I got sparkly somewhere along the way -- especially if you are playing in an 18,000-seat arena, you like to be seen by somebody in the back. CNN: I've been to a Neil Diamond concert, and everybody stands up, and they sing every word to every song. Don't you ever want to tell them, "I'm singing -- listen!" Diamond: No, I don't -- but I did in the very beginning when I first realized on my first few records that people were singing along. I thought, "You shouldn't be singing. That's my job. Let me sing and you listen." But then I realized that it's a compliment. They knew the music, they loved it and they wanted to sing. So I said, "All right, let's sing together." [chuckles] CNN: Whenever you hit the road, you're one of the year's top ticket draws and play to more than a million fans per tour. [Diamond had the fifth highest-grossing tour of 2008, taking in $60 million in ticket sales.] Diamond: It's truly not until the last leg that you finally get the show down. You are relaxed with it, you are not worried about the intricacies of the show, and the last shows are always the best and the most fun. CNN: After 40 years in the business, do you still get nervous? Diamond: I don't know if it's nerves. I get excited. I want things to go right. I want the audience to love the show. CNN: For this tour, you've donated all the proceeds from merchandise sales [T-shirts, programs and other souvenir items] to the victims of Hurricane Ike in Texas. We're talking about a figure that's somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars. Diamond: Hurricane Ike hit southern Texas so
[ "Who sells out arenas?", "Who is Person of the Year?", "Where is the money going?", "What does the money go to?", "Who won the award?", "Who received the honor?", "Who had a no 1 album", "What was the award offered?" ]
[ [ "Neil Diamond:" ], [ "Neil Diamond" ], [ "to the victims of Hurricane Ike in Texas." ], [ "the victims of Hurricane Ike in Texas." ], [ "Neil Diamond" ], [ "Neil Diamond" ], [ "Neil Diamond" ], [ "humanitarian" ] ]
Neil Diamond to receive Recording Academy's Person of the Year honor . Diamond continues to sell out arenas, recently had No. 1 album . Money from merchandise sales on tour going to Hurricane Ike victims .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The doctor who implanted six embryos in octuplets' mother Nadya Suleman last year has been expelled from a fertility medical society, a spokesman for the group said. Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies after being implanted with six embryos by Dr. Michael Kamrava. Dr. Michael Kamrava demonstrated "a pattern of behavior that violated the group's standards," American Society for Reproductive Medicine spokesman Sean Tipton said. An employee at Kamrava's Beverly Hills, California, clinic -- the West Coast IVF Clinic -- said the doctor would not be commenting on the expulsion. The expulsion, which was imposed last month and just announced, does not affect Kamrava's ability to practice, because affiliation with the professional association is voluntary. Suleman was 33 years old in January 2009 when she gave birth to eight babies. She was a single woman who already had six young children conceived through in-vitro fertilization. The reproductive medicine society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40, for whom it is harder to get pregnant, according to guidelines published on its Web site. Suleman, in an interview in February on NBC, said Kamrava told her about risks for the children, but she did not want to have only one or two embryos implanted. "Of course not, I wanted them all transferred," she said. "Those are my children. And that's what was available and I used them. I took a risk. It's a gamble. It always is." Two of the six embryos split in utero, resulting in the birth of eight babies. Doctors say giving birth to extreme multiples comes with tremendous risks for the mother and the babies. Risks for the children include bleeding in the brain, intestinal problems, developmental delays and lifelong learning disabilities. Suleman's children, six boys and two girls born nine weeks premature, all went home after an extended stay in the hospital. No indication has been given on whether any problems have emerged. Suleman and her children will star in a "quasi-reality TV series" about the family, it was announced in June. CNN's Carey Bodenheimer contributed to this report.
[ "Who violated standards?", "Who did Kamrava implant with six embryos?", "What did Dr. Michael?", "What reproductive medicine society?", "What does not affect Kamrava's ability to practice?" ]
[ [ "Dr. Michael Kamrava demonstrated \"a pattern of behavior that" ], [ "Nadya Suleman" ], [ "implanted six embryos in" ], [ "American" ], [ "The expulsion," ] ]
Reproductive medicine society: Dr. Michael Kamrava "violated" standards . Kamrava implanted Nadya Suleman with six embryos before octuplets' birth . Expulsion from group does not affect Kamrava's ability to practice . Group advises no more than two embryos for women under age 35 .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The family of Michael Jackson has been told by state officials that it may be possible to bury the singer at Neverland Ranch -- if the county gives the green light. Santa Barbara County says it hasn't yet been contacted about burying Michael Jackson at Neverland. Officials with Santa Barbara County, the site of the ranch, said Thursday that they have not yet been approached, and it was not clear whether the family had decided to pursue that option. A lawyer from the Jackson family contacted state officials recently about possibly burying Jackson at the ranch that was his home for almost two decades, said Amanda Fulkerson of California's State and Consumer Services Agency. To bury someone on private land in California is a two-step process. First, a certificate of authority is needed from the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau -- easily obtainable by filling out a two-page application and paying $400. Next, the family needs approval from the county. No one from the Jackson camp has contacted county authorities yet, said county spokesman William Boyer. "We have had no formal application either from the Jackson family or from the property owner," said Boyer, the communications director for the county. "At that point, we would review the application and make a determination." Boyer said Santa Barbara county has never been approached about burial on private land. California has had burials outside cemeteries, most notably that of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan at his presidential library in Ventura County's Simi Valley. Jackson's brother Jermaine said he'd like to see the singer buried at the ranch. But their father, Joe Jackson, said he opposes the site. The rest of the family has expressed no preference about Jackson's final resting place. Michael Jackson died June 25 of a cardiac arrest. The exact cause of death is pending toxicology results. Jackson purchased the Neverland Ranch -- named for the fictional world in J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan" -- in 1987 and filled it with animals and amusement rides. Billionaire Tom Barrack Jr. gained control of the ranch through his company last year as part of a process to alleviate the singer's debts, believed to be in the millions. Soon after Jackson's death, Barrack said the property's future would be discussed at a later time.
[ "What was Jackson's home for almost two decades?", "Who must fill out a two-page application and pay $400?", "Who wants to see him buried at the ranch?", "What was Jackson's home for almost 2 decades?", "Who must fill out the two-page application?", "How much must the Jackson family pay?", "who has to approve the burial?", "Who says Santa Barbara County has to approve burial on private property?" ]
[ [ "Neverland Ranch" ], [ "the family" ], [ "Jermaine" ], [ "Neverland Ranch" ], [ "the family" ], [ "$400." ], [ "Santa Barbara County" ], [ "Amanda Fulkerson" ] ]
State officials say Santa Barbara County has to approve burial on private property . Jackson family also must fill out a two-page application and pay $400 . Neverland Ranch was Jackson's home for almost two decades . Brother Jermaine wants to see him buried at ranch; father Joe opposes idea .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The first official indication that a family service for Michael Jackson will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery came from a Los Angeles police official Sunday. A memorial poster for Michael Jackson is displayed outside Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday. Forest Lawn officials were working with the Jackson family on their plans, which were part of "a package" of events Tuesday, said Jim McDonnell, assistant chief of staff of the Los Angeles Police Department. His comments, however, did not answer questions about where or when Jackson would be buried. While there are five Forest Lawn cemeteries in the Los Angeles area, a long line of media trucks and crews have been parked at the gate of the Hollywood Hills facility for several days in anticipation of Jackson's possible interment there. The family of the singer, who died June 25, has given no public statement on the planning. However, brother Jermaine Jackson told CNN on Thursday that a private service would be held Tuesday morning. A public memorial for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles is set to start at 10 a.m. PT Tuesday. McDonnell said police do not expect a Jackson motorcade to take place on Tuesday. An official with AEG Live, the concert promoter handling the public memorial plans, said there would be no funeral processional. About 1.6 million fans registered for a chance at fewer than 9,000 pairs of tickets to the memorial service, organizers said. Registration ended at 6 p.m. Saturday. The 8,750 registrants picked in a random drawing were to receive an e-mail Sunday after 11 a.m. PT, AEG Live said. Tickets will be handed to the winning registrants Monday outside the Staples Center, said Tim Leiweke, president of AEG Live. Ticketholders will also have wristbands to match their tickets, a precaution against people "trying to take advantage" of the system, he said.
[ "What is still not pubilcly known?", "who is working with the family", "When will a private service be held?", "Where is the memorial to be held?", "Where will the public memorial be held?", "What are cemetery officials working on?", "What is still not publicly known?", "What did the brother say" ]
[ [ "where or when Jackson would be buried." ], [ "Forest Lawn officials" ], [ "at 10 a.m. PT Tuesday." ], [ "for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles is set" ], [ "at the Staples Center in Los Angeles" ], [ "their plans, which were part of \"a package\" of events" ], [ "answer questions about where or when Jackson would be buried." ], [ "service would be held Tuesday morning." ] ]
L.A. police: Cemetery officials working with singer's family for private service . When, where Michael Jackson will be buried are still not publicly known . One of Jackson's brothers has said private service will be held Tuesday . Public memorial to be held at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The first search of Michael Jackson's bedroom a day after his death found marijuana, skin-bleaching and hair-growing ointments, anti-insomnia pills and empty bottles of several anti-anxiety drugs, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The documents reveal what investigators found in Jackson's bedroom the day after his death. A substance initially suspected to be tar heroin proved not to be a narcotic, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. An affidavit, written by Los Angeles Detective Orlando Martinez, was used to outline probable cause for a warrant to search Jackson's Holmby Hills, California, home on June 26. Martinez filed his report on what was found in the search five days later. While the documents may provide some insight into Jackson's life, they appeared to contain nothing that would lend new insight into his death. Another sworn statement written by Martinez several weeks later -- and made public earlier this week -- provided a more extensive list of drugs found by investigators at Jackson's bedside. That document also revealed that toxicology tests led the Los Angeles County coroner to a preliminary conclusion that Jackson died of an overdose of propofol, a powerful sedative he had been given to help him sleep. The latest release refers to suspicions by some members of Jackson's family in the hours after his June 25 death that heroin might have been involved. "During the course of the investigation, family members of the decedent notified [coroner investigator] Chief [Ed] Winter that they located a quantity of tar heroin in a bag in the decedent's bedroom located on the second floor of the residence," Martinez wrote. He used this statement to justify a search of Jackson's home because "there may be additional medications and/or narcotics at the location as well as the necessity to confiscate these items for the safety of the minor children." A source with knowledge of the probe told CNN Thursday that a test later showed that a brown, sticky substance found in the search was not heroin. The source asked not to be named because the source was not authorized to speak about it publicly. In addition to listing two Baggies of marijuana, the detective's report of what was found in Jackson's home listed three vials of Latanoprost Plus Solution liquid. An online search found medical journal references to this glaucoma medication also used to stimulate hair growth. Jackson suffered permanent hair loss when his scalp caught fire while taping a Pepsi commercial in 1984. He was known to wear wigs in public after the mishap. Also listed on the detective's report was Benoquin ointment, a medication used to lighten skin pigmentation in people with vitiligo, a skin condition. Jackson's dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, said on CNN's "Larry King Live" last month that he had treated Jackson for the condition, which causes irregular patches of white skin. "His was bad because he began to get a totally speckled look over his body," Klein said. The coroner announced two weeks ago that the report on Jackson's death was completed, but that police asked for it to be withheld until completion of the criminal probe.
[ "What does the source rule out the substance being?", "What did family believe they had found?", "Was the substance heroin?", "The substance was not what?", "What was found at Jackson's home the day after his death?", "Who was the person that died?", "What type of ointment was found?", "What did Jackson's family believe they found at his home that resulted the police to do a search?", "When were skin bleaching and hair growth ointments found?" ]
[ [ "tar heroin" ], [ "quantity of tar heroin" ], [ "proved not to be a narcotic," ], [ "a narcotic," ], [ "marijuana," ], [ "Michael Jackson's" ], [ "skin-bleaching and hair-growing" ], [ "marijuana," ], [ "a day after his death" ] ]
Skin-bleaching, hair-growth ointments also found day after Jackson's death . Police searched Jackson's home after family believed it found tar heroin . Source: That substance was not heroin .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The former parents-in-law of a man accused of killing nine people at a Christmas Eve party were among the remains of six people identified Saturday by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb Christmas Eve, police say. Three other people remain listed as "missing" and "unidentified" because their remains were too badly burned in the raging house fire that followed the shootings. Police said Bruce Jeffrey Pardo committed suicide after he went on a shooting rampage dressed as Santa Claus at the party in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina. He targeted his ex-wife, 43-year-old Sylvia Pardo, and her family, police said. He then started the fire, police said. Authorities said Pardo also may have planned to kill his wife's divorce attorney as well as his own mother, who had planned to attend the party but did not because she was ill. Killed at the party, according to the coroner's office, were: The remaining three people known to be at the party -- Sylvia Pardo; her brother James "Junior" Ortega, 52; and Michael Ortiz, 17, Sylvia Pardo's nephew and Alicia Ortiz's son -- remain listed as "unidentified" in coroner's files and "missing" in police files. "We have three unidentified bodies that came out of that location," said Lt. Larry Dietz of the coroner's office. Authorities previously said they were relying on dental records to identify the bodies. After the shootings, Bruce Pardo left a rental car and a gasoline canister outside the home of attorney Scott Nord, who represented Sylvia Pardo in her divorce, police said. Investigators suspect that Bruce Pardo planned a similar attack at Nord's home. Authorities described the Pardos' divorce, which was finalized December 18, as "contentious." Another rented car that Bruce Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shootings. It burned as a Covina police bomb squad attempted to disconnect an explosive device in it. Police said Bruce Pardo had an uneasy relationship with his mother, who had sided with Sylvia Pardo in the divorce. The shootings and fire left 10 children orphaned. Three others lost one parent. An Ortega Family Fund has been set up at Nord's law offices. CNN's Irving Last contributed to this report.
[ "How many bodies were found in the house?", "What made the bodies impossible to identify?", "How many of the nine bodies where found ?", "How many bodies are unidentifiable ?", "How many bodies were found in the house??", "Who's wife is still officially missing", "How many of the bodies were identified?" ]
[ [ "nine" ], [ "remains were too badly burned in the raging house fire" ], [ "six" ], [ "Three other people" ], [ "nine" ], [ "James \"Junior\" Ortega," ], [ "six" ] ]
Six of nine bodies found in house identified by coroner . Remains of three burned too badly to identify . Santa shooter Bruce Jeffrey Pardo's wife still officially "missing"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The latest 3-D animated movie involves the possible extinction of the human race and features a mad scientist with the head of a cockroach, a prehistoric half-ape/half-fish, a 50-foot-tall woman (OK, 49-foot-11), and a blue brainless blob named B.O.B. The Missing Link, Ginormica, the blue blob B.O.B. and Insectosaurus dominate "Monsters vs. Aliens." And they're the good guys. Reese Witherspoon leads the cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens," providing the voice of Susan, who is hit by a glowing meteorite on her wedding day. Before long she's grown into the biggest thing around. The short-statured Oscar winner relished the chance to play not only a giant, but also a role model. "I was walking with my son and my daughter the other day, and I was like 'Who's your favorite superhero?' " Witherspoon said. "And my son was like ... 'Batman, Superman, Spiderman,' and he could name 20 guy superheroes. "And so I said to my daughter, 'Who's your favorite superhero?' And she goes 'I don't know, the girl in the back of the Justice League? I can't remember her name.' " So the idea of showcasing a female superhero, Witherspoon said, has the actress "really excited." Kiefer Sutherland, who plays General W.R. Monger, sees the film as helping kids embrace their diversity. "I love the idea that they were gonna make a film that was going to tell young people that it's all right to be different," Sutherland said. His military veteran character captures Susan, renames her "Ginormica," and locks her up with the other "monsters" he's collected over half a century. "And not only is it all right to be different, that one thing that may make you feel awkward about being different might be your greatest asset." Those assets become apparent when an alien invader (voiced by Rainn Wilson of "The Office") decides he wants Earth, and the monsters -- Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach ("House" star Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett), and the gelatinous B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) -- are called upon to save the planet. The film, which also features the voices of Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd, opens Friday. Most of the cast had previous experience in animation voiceover -- last year, Rogen was featured in "Kung Fu Panda," and he and Arnett were heard in "Horton Hears A Who!" -- but it was the first time for Wilson. "They called me and they said 'They're interested in you for this, playing an evil alien warlord,' and I was like 'Where do I sign?' " he said with a chuckle. It was a welcome change of pace for Sutherland, who recorded his voice tracks for "Monsters" while he was filming the uber-intense "24." "So, for five days a week I'm very serious in the '24' world, and then for five hours on the weekend I got to be 5 years old and just play a cartoon character" -- a character he says he saw as a combination of R. Lee Ermey's intense gunnery sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket" and that 'toon terror, Yosemite Sam. "We combined these voices and the producers laughed, which is generally a pretty good sign," Sutherland said. Sutherland may have been inspired by the classics, but the 3-D aspect of "Monsters" is as modern as movie technology gets. Under the command of DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg (whom Witherspoon and Sutherland respectfully called "Mr. Katzenberg"), the film was conceived from the beginning as a 3-D project. One early scene uses the process to bounce a paddleball out at the audience, but for the most part, the effect is used immersively, to bring viewers into the "Monsters" world. "You really feel like you
[ "Who voices the main character?", "Who is leading the monsters?", "who is Reese Witherspoon?", "who is the director?", "Which other actors are lending talents?" ]
[ [ "Reese Witherspoon" ], [ "Reese Witherspoon" ], [ "actress" ], [ "Jeffrey Katzenberg" ], [ "Kiefer Sutherland," ] ]
"Monsters vs. Aliens" is about motley group of misfits who team up to defeat alien . Monsters are led by almost 50-foot woman, voiced by Reese Witherspoon . Witherspoon says she hopes character can be role model for girls . Other actors lending talents: Seth Rogen, Kiefer Sutherland, Will Arnett .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The latest 3-D animated movie involves the possible extinction of the human race and features a mad scientist with the head of a cockroach, a prehistoric half-ape/half-fish, a 50-foot-tall woman (OK, 49-foot-11), and a blue brainless blob named B.O.B. The Missing Link, Ginormica, the blue blob B.O.B. and Insectosaurus dominate "Monsters vs. Aliens." And they're the good guys. Reese Witherspoon leads the cast of "Monsters vs. Aliens," providing the voice of Susan, who is hit by a glowing meteorite on her wedding day. Before long she's grown into the biggest thing around. The short-statured Oscar winner relished the chance to play not only a giant, but also a role model. "I was walking with my son and my daughter the other day, and I was like 'Who's your favorite superhero?' " Witherspoon said. "And my son was like ... 'Batman, Superman, Spiderman,' and he could name 20 guy superheroes. "And so I said to my daughter, 'Who's your favorite superhero?' And she goes 'I don't know, the girl in the back of the Justice League? I can't remember her name.' " So the idea of showcasing a female superhero, Witherspoon said, has the actress "really excited." Kiefer Sutherland, who plays General W.R. Monger, sees the film as helping kids embrace their diversity. "I love the idea that they were gonna make a film that was going to tell young people that it's all right to be different," Sutherland said. His military veteran character captures Susan, renames her "Ginormica," and locks her up with the other "monsters" he's collected over half a century. "And not only is it all right to be different, that one thing that may make you feel awkward about being different might be your greatest asset." Those assets become apparent when an alien invader (voiced by Rainn Wilson of "The Office") decides he wants Earth, and the monsters -- Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach ("House" star Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett), and the gelatinous B.O.B. (Seth Rogen) -- are called upon to save the planet. The film, which also features the voices of Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd, opens Friday. Most of the cast had previous experience in animation voiceover -- last year, Rogen was featured in "Kung Fu Panda," and he and Arnett were heard in "Horton Hears A Who!" -- but it was the first time for Wilson. "They called me and they said 'They're interested in you for this, playing an evil alien warlord,' and I was like 'Where do I sign?' " he said with a chuckle. It was a welcome change of pace for Sutherland, who recorded his voice tracks for "Monsters" while he was filming the uber-intense "24." "So, for five days a week I'm very serious in the '24' world, and then for five hours on the weekend I got to be 5 years old and just play a cartoon character" -- a character he says he saw as a combination of R. Lee Ermey's intense gunnery sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket" and that 'toon terror, Yosemite Sam. "We combined these voices and the producers laughed, which is generally a pretty good sign," Sutherland said. Sutherland may have been inspired by the classics, but the 3-D aspect of "Monsters" is as modern as movie technology gets. Under the command of DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg (whom Witherspoon and Sutherland respectfully called "Mr. Katzenberg"), the film was conceived from the beginning as a 3-D project. One early scene uses the process to bounce a paddleball out at the audience, but for the most part, the effect is used immersively, to bring viewers into the "Monsters" world. "You really feel like you
[ "What is the movie about?", "What is voiced by Witherspoon?", "What are the names of the other actors?", "What is Monsters vs. Aliens about?", "What is the name of the lead actress?" ]
[ [ "the possible extinction of the" ], [ "Susan," ], [ "(Seth Rogen)" ], [ "human race" ], [ "Reese Witherspoon" ] ]
"Monsters vs. Aliens" is about motley group of misfits who team up to defeat alien . Monsters are led by almost 50-foot woman, voiced by Reese Witherspoon . Witherspoon says she hopes character can be role model for girls . Other actors lending talents: Seth Rogen, Kiefer Sutherland, Will Arnett .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The legal battle between Miss California USA pageant officials and former beauty queen Carrie Prejean ended Tuesday with an agreement to drop their claims, according to a pageant spokesman. The pageant has dropped its lawsuit filed last month demanding Prejean repay $5,200 given her for breast implants, publicist Kenn Henman said. Prejean, in exchange, withdrew her suit accusing the pageant of violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were fake, he said. Details of the agreement were not immediately available, he said Tuesday afternoon. "We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant," pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said in a written statement. The public fight began last April when Prejean, 22, stepped into controversy by declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage while answering a judge's question at the Miss USA pageant. Prejean finished as first runner-up. While state and national pageant officials publicly supported her initially, their opinions eventually changed after she continued to make public statements about same-sex marriage. She held onto her crown through May -- despite a series of questionable photos that emerged on gossip Web sites. She was dethroned in June by Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump amid growing complaints by state officials that she was uncooperative and not meeting her contractual obligations. Prejean filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her stand against same-sex marriage. The pageant's countercomplaint said Prejean's belligerent behavior, lack of cooperation and contract breaches caused her firing, not her opposition to same-sex marriage. Prejean also claimed pageant officials violated her privacy by acknowledging to reporters that her breasts were fake. The truth about Prejean's breasts "ceased being private during the swimsuit competition of the nationally televised Miss USA pageant, in which Ms. Prejean walked the stage in a bikini," pageant lawyers said in their countersuit filed in October. State pageant officials say they loaned the money for the breast surgery under an oral agreement with Prejean and she never repaid them. The group also asked a judge to give them any profits from Prejean's tell-all book due out this month, which they claim was written in violation of her pageant contract. One thing they all agreed on was that Prejean needed bigger breasts if she was to be competitive in the national pageant in April, the pageant's filing said. "Ms. Prejean disclosed that she had been thinking about and wanting to have breast augmentation surgery for some time, but did not have the money to pay for it," the filing said. "She felt that if she had the surgery, in her opinion, she would be more competitive for the Miss USA pageant." After pageant officials agreed to loan her the money, Prejean underwent breast augmentation in January, the pageant filing said. The court documents gave an inside look at the hostile relationship between Prejean, California pageant officials and Trump. After the Miss USA pageant, "With her new-found notoriety, an inflated sense of self, and the lure of financial gain available to her, Ms. Prejean turned even further against the Miss California USA organization, abandoned her obligations as the Miss California USA titleholder, and violated multiple provisions of the contract which governed her reign," the pageant filing said.
[ "Suit said Prejean's breasts were what?", "What did the pageant confirm to reporters?", "Who said her privacy had been violated", "Prejean, withdrew suit accusing pageant of what?", "What did Prejean's suit accuse the pageant of?", "How much money was the pageant demanding be repaid", "How much was Carrie Prejean asked to repay?", "What did the pageant allegedly confirm to reporters", "What operation did Carrie Prejean have?" ]
[ [ "fake," ], [ "her breasts were fake," ], [ "Carrie Prejean" ], [ "violating her privacy" ], [ "violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were fake," ], [ "$5,200" ], [ "$5,200" ], [ "her breasts were fake," ], [ "breast implants," ] ]
Pageant dropped lawsuit demanding Carrie Prejean repay $5,200 for her breast implants . Prejean, in exchange, withdrew suit accusing pageant of violating her privacy . Suit had said Pageant confirmed to reporters that Prejean's breasts were fake .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party may have also had plans to kill his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney, police said Monday night. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb on Wednesday, police say. Prime suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who police said committed suicide hours after he went on a shooting rampage and started a raging house fire in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina, left a rental car with a gasoline canister outside the home of attorney Scott Nord, said Pat Buchanan of the Covina Police Department. Police previously said that Pardo targeted his rampage at his former wife, Sylvia Ortega Pardo, and her family at the family's Christmas Eve party. A divorce between the two was finalized in court on December 18 in a "somewhat contentious proceeding," Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said last week. Police believe Pardo planned to carry out a similar attack at Nord's house as he did at the shooting and house fire that claimed nine lives. Another rented car that Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shooting, police said. That car burned as the Covina bomb squad was trying to disconnect an explosive device in it, police said. On Saturday, Covina police released the names of the nine people unaccounted for since the shooting and fire. Nine bodies were recovered from the rubble of the house, but authorities said that they are having to work with dental records to establish identities. "The bodies were so badly burned they cannot be identified any other way," said Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan. The nine unaccounted for include Sylvia Pardo, her parents, her sister, her two brothers, both brothers' wives, and a nephew. Ages of the nine range from 17 to 80, police said. On Monday night, police said Pardo's mother had also planned to attend the Christmas party, but didn't go because she was sick. Pardo had a contentious relationship with his mother, according to Buchanan, because she attended the couple's divorce hearing and had sided with Pardo's ex-wife. The shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent. An "Ortega Family Fund" has been set up at Nord's law offices.
[ "What did police say?", "How many children were left orphaned?", "How many children were left orphaned because of what happened?", "What building or area did Pardo target?", "Who was the original target on this hit list?", "How many childern were left orphaned?", "Who was the person that Bruce Jeffrey Pardo wanted to kill the most?", "How many children were orphaned?", "Who had a hit list after his divorce?", "Who was the original target?" ]
[ [ "The man who" ], [ "10" ], [ "10" ], [ "Los Angeles suburb of Covina," ], [ "his former wife, Sylvia Ortega Pardo, and her family" ], [ "10 children" ], [ "Sylvia Ortega" ], [ "10" ], [ "Bruce Jeffrey Pardo" ], [ "his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney," ] ]
Police say Bruce Jeffrey Pardo had hit list after divorce proceedings were final . Original target was Pardo's ex-wife, police say, but attorney, mom also targets . Shooting and fire left 10 children orphaned and three others lost one parent .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The memorial service for singer Michael Jackson cost the city of Los Angeles $1.4 million, the mayor's office said Wednesday. A donation page on the City of Los Angeles' Web site has crashed several times since its launch yesterday. Costs included putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more for the Tuesday event, spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton said. Three thousand police officers -- almost one-third of the Los Angeles police force -- were on hand to ensure the Jackson events proceeded smoothly, Los Angeles Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell, said Tuesday. The city, which is $530 million in debt, set up a Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money to help with the expenses. On Tuesday morning, hundreds of donors contributed more than $17,000 through the Web site. But then, the high volume of traffic caused it to crash frequently and for long periods of time, the mayor's office said. The city, therefore, was unable to collect contributions for several hours on Tuesday. The site also crashed for 12 hours, beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday -- and again, periodically throughout Wednesday morning, the office said. Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich does not want taxpayers to pay a penny for the service, his spokesman said Wednesday. "The city attorney does not want something like this happening again, the city paying [the initial costs] for a private event," spokesman John Franklin said. "That's especially in a cash-strapped city, where people have been furloughed or even lost jobs." During the Los Angeles Lakers championship parade this year, nearly 2,000 police were called in, at a cost of $2 million. The Lakers and private donors reimbursed the city for most of the expenses. Michael Roth, spokesman for AEG, which owns Staples Center and put on the event, could not be reached for comment.
[ "where Site raised $17,000 before crashing on Tuesday due to high volume?", "How many police were on hand?", "Costs include what?", "How many cops were at the event?", "What did costs include?", "Site raised how much money before crashing?", "what City set up Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money?", "How much money was raised?" ]
[ [ "City of Los Angeles' Web" ], [ "Three thousand" ], [ "putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more for the Tuesday event," ], [ "Three thousand" ], [ "putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more" ], [ "$17,000" ], [ "Los Angeles'" ], [ "$17,000" ] ]
Costs included extra police, sanitation, traffic control for Tuesday's memorial service . 3,000 police officers -- about one-third of the force -- were on hand for the event . City set up Web page asking Jackson fans to donate money to help with expenses . Site raised $17,000 before crashing on Tuesday due to high volume .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The newly named lawyer for Michael Jackson's children makes her first court appearance Monday as a judge decides if he'll approve a contract between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live. Michael Jackson's estate will be the subject of a court hearing today. Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, who has custody of the three children, objected to provisions of the deal that would give AEG Live a share of rights to video of her son's final rehearsals. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed estate law expert Margaret Lodise last week to represent the children after he decided their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother's. Despite warnings by estate lawyers that a delay could cost millions of dollars, Beckloff delayed his decision on the AEG Live contract one week to give the children's new lawyer time to weigh in on the deal. The contract would provide for an exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that would travel to at least three cities, according to Kathy Jorrie, a lawyer for concert promoter AEG Live. "The longer we wait, the more time passes, frankly, the less interest there will be on the part of the public to come see it," Jorrie said. The judge has already approved a contract to allow Columbia Pictures to use video that AEG Live shot of Jackson's last rehearsals for a documentary due out this fall. Columbia is a division of Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures said it would deliver the movie -- "This Is It" -- to theaters starting October 30 "with the full support of the estate of Michael Jackson." Court papers filed last week revealed that Columbia Pictures would pay a minimum of $60 million for the rights to make the Jackson movie. Katherine Jackson's lawyers, while endorsing the movie deal, have objected to terms given to AEG, saying they are too generous to the company. Jackson's lawyers objected to the estate's agreement to let AEG recover all its expenses from that money, then take 10 percent of the remainder. It also gives the company a perpetual share of the profits from the video rights. AEG Live's lawyer said the company had made many concessions to the estate and could not make more. The judge previously has said he might approve the contracts even over Katherine Jackson's objection. Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's older brother, told CNN's Larry King recently that he likes the deals, which he said could bring in nearly $100 million into the estate. Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson's three children are the main beneficiaries of the estate, which is controlled by Jackson's former lawyer, John Branca, and longtime Jackson friend and music executive John McClain. Branca and McClain were named in Jackson's will as executors. Katherine Jackson is considering a challenge of their control of the estate.
[ "What are Katherine Jackson's objections?", "what did the judge appoint", "What do the children of Michael Jackson need an attorney for?", "who has expressed objections", "For what reason was a judge appointed?", "What does AEG Live do?", "What does Katherine Jackson have objections about?", "who is having discussions" ]
[ [ "objected to provisions of the deal that would give AEG Live a share of rights to video of her son's final rehearsals." ], [ "estate law expert Margaret Lodise" ], [ "their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother's." ], [ "Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson," ], [ "decides if he'll approve a contract between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live." ], [ "concert promoter" ], [ "to terms given to AEG," ], [ "Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson," ] ]
Judge appointed attorney for interests of Michael Jackson's children . Discussion between estate, AEG Live is ongoing . Executors have deal in mind, Katherine Jackson has expressed objections .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The nude body of a former swimsuit model found last weekend in Orange County was identified through her breast implants' serial number, two law enforcement sources said Friday. An arrest warrant has been issued for Ryan Alexander Jenkins, wanted in the death of Jasmine Fiore. An arrest warrant alleging murder was issued Thursday for Ryan Alexander Jenkins, a reality TV contestant whom Jasmine Fiore, 28, married in March. CNN has not confirmed reports that the marriage was annulled. Fiore's body was found Saturday in a Dumpster behind an apartment complex in Buena Park, just outside Anaheim, California. Her teeth had been extracted and fingers removed in what police said was an apparent attempt to conceal her identity. Fiore lived in Los Angeles and was last seen alive Friday in San Diego at a poker game with Jenkins, a reality TV contestant. "We believe he has crossed into Canada," U.S. Marshals Chief Inspector Thomas Hession told reporters. Prosecutors requested bail be set at $10 million. Reality contestant charged » Jenkins is believed to be armed, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Thursday. "There's a handgun missing from his apartment, which is the last place he was before he fled," he said. Jenkins matched the description of a man seen driving a boat Wednesday in Blaine Marina off northwest Washington, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said. Blaine, Washington, borders Canada. Authorities searched the area and found Jenkins' black SUV with an empty boat trailer at the Blaine Marina, police said. Jenkins reported Fiore missing Saturday night to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, authorities said. The body was identified Monday as Fiore. While the cause of death had not been confirmed, a preliminary coroner's report indicated she was strangled. According to court records in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jenkins was charged in June with battery for allegedly striking Fiore in the arm with his fist. In 2007, Jenkins pleaded guilty in Calgary, Alberta, to assault in a separate case. He was sentenced to 15 months probation, ordered to undergo counseling for domestic violence and sex addiction and to stay away from the person involved, according to court records. Jenkins, who appeared on the VH1 show "Megan Wants a Millionaire," is from Calgary. 51Minds, which produced "Megan Wants a Millionaire," said Thursday in a written statement that it "was not aware of Ryan Jenkins' record when it cast him." "The company did have in place what it thought was a thorough vetting process that involved complete background checks by an outside company for all contestants on its shows," it said. "Clearly, the process did not work properly in this case. 51 Minds is investigating what went wrong and taking steps to ensure that this sort of lapse never occurs again." CNN's Paul Vercammen contributed to this story.
[ "Who's body was found stuffed into a suitcase inside a dumpster?", "What do breast implants' serial number help to identify?", "who was killed?", "What was the reason that Jasmine Fiore's body hard to identify?", "What helps identify the model's body?", "What was extracted and removed to make it harder to identify her body?", "Who was found stuffed inside a suitcase?", "who was arrested?" ]
[ [ "former swimsuit model" ], [ "nude body of a former swimsuit model" ], [ "Jasmine Fiore." ], [ "teeth had been extracted and fingers removed" ], [ "breast implants' serial number," ], [ "fingers" ], [ "Jasmine Fiore." ], [ "Ryan Alexander Jenkins," ] ]
Breast implants' serial number helps identify model's body, police say . Body of Jasmine Fiore, 28, found stuffed into a suitcase inside a Dumpster . Her teeth were extracted, fingers removed, making it harder to identify body . Arrest warrant issued Thursday for Ryan Alexander Jenkins .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The number of movies nominated for the best picture Oscar will double next year, a move apparently aimed at bolstering sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast. Danny Boyle exults in an Oscar win for "Slumdog Millionaire" earlier this year. "Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize," Sid Ganis, president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said. Doubling the nominations would make it more likely a viewer's favorite movie is in the running for the top honor, which may make them want to watch the show, said Steve Pond, author of "The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards." "This clearly is a reaction to declining ratings," Pond said. "Even though this last show the ratings were up ... over the last 10 years or so the ratings have been down." Oscar producers realized they "can juice the show up all you want, but people watch the Oscars when there are movies competing that they have an interest in," Pond said. The best picture nominations often consist of movies that "the vast majority of people have not seen," he said. The problem "came to a head with 'The Dark Knight,' " which sold more than $1 billion in tickets worldwide, but was snubbed by the academy in the best picture category last year, he said. The Batman sequel won best movie at the MTV Movie Awards and was chosen favorite movie by the People's Choice Awards. It also made many critics' top 10 lists. If the nomination field had been expanded last year, the film might have made the best picture list, "which clearly would have been some kind of bump in the ratings," Pond said. This would also counter the impression among TV viewers that the awards show is "for movie snobs who don't like the movies I like," he said. The decision to double the number of features films nominated is a return to the way the Oscars were awarded in its early decades, when as many as 12 movies were considered in the field of finalists, Ganis said. "After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," Ganis said. "The final outcome, of course, will be the same -- one best picture winner -- but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009." Nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards will be announced on February 2, 2010. The awards show is set for March 7 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. A best picture nomination often serves as a marketing boost for films, driving DVD sales for those films no longer in theaters.
[ "How many best picture possibilities will there be next year?", "Who is the president of the academy?", "According to the expert, nominating more films is a reaction to what?", "How many best picture nominees will there be next year?", "What did the Academy president say?", "What did the president of the academy say?", "What will the Academy Awards nominate?" ]
[ [ "10" ], [ "Sid Ganis," ], [ "sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast." ], [ "10" ], [ "\"Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow" ], [ "\"Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow" ], [ "10 Best Picture nominees" ] ]
NEW: Nominating more films "a reaction to declining ratings," says expert . Academy Awards to nominate 10 best picture possibilities next year . Academy has been nominating just five films for more than six decades . "The Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots," says its president .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The original judge has been dead for 15 years, and no one has been able to find the criminal case file since 2004. Yet a 1977 sex scandal involving famed director Roman Polanski and a 13-year-old girl continues to stalk the courts of Los Angeles. Academy Award-winning director Roman Polanski hasn't left France in 30 years because of a U.S. fugitive warrant. Attorneys for the 75-year-old Academy Award-winning director asked a judge Tuesday to put the matter to rest once and for all. But a judge denied the request, saying the director must show up in court to obtain a ruling. That poses problems for Polanksi because prosecutors have vowed to seek his arrest on a bench warrant the minute he sets foot in the United States. The bench warrant was issued when Polanski failed to appear for sentencing more than 30 years ago. Lawyers Douglas Dalton and Chad Hummel last month filed a 239-page dismissal "request," citing allegations brought to light in the documentary, "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired." The documentary was first broadcast in June on HBO, which shares a corporate parent with CNN. The court filing alleges that a meddling prosecutor who believed Polanski should be behind bars improperly influenced a judge to ignore the terms of a plea bargain, as well as the wishes of the district attorney's office, the probation officer and the victim. None of them wanted Polanski to serve jail time. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza left the door open to reconsider his ruling if Polanski, who has lived in exile in France since 1977, shows up in court. "It's hard to contest some of the behavior in the documentary was misconduct," Espinoza said in court. But he declined to dismiss the case entirely, a decision that didn't surprise legal experts who said such rulings are extremely rare. "You have to give [Polanski attorney] Chad Hummel the creative lawyering of the year award," said legal analyst Laurie Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Espinoza in effect said he was tossing out the request without considering whether it has merit because Polanski hasn't shown up for court. But he suspended his ruling, writing that "if the defendant submits to the jurisdiction of this Court within 30 days, the Court shall consider the merits of the motion." Polanski's victim is among those calling for the case to be tossed out. Larry Silver, the victim's lawyer, said he was disappointed in the ruling and that Espinoza "did not get to the merits and consider the clear proof of both judicial and prosecutorial corruption." He argued in court that had "Mr. Polanski been treated fairly" his client would not still be suffering because of publicity almost 32 years after the incident. Levinson said the victim's support may offer a sliver of hope for Polanski. "The best thing he has going is the victim," she said. "In this age of victims' rights, if I were the lawyer I would be playing that card too." But prosecutors have consistently argued that dismissing the Polanski case would be a miscarriage of justice, allowing a man who "drugged and raped a 13-year-old child" to go free. Polanski's attorneys back up the allegation with a DVD of the documentary, a script, a copy of Polanski's 1977 pre-sentencing report and various court transcripts, interviews and declarations. They paint a picture of backroom conversations between a prosecutor itching for a piece of the case and a judge so image conscious that he kept a scrapbook of media clippings, asked lawyers to "stage" Polanski's sentencing hearing and feared criticism if he didn't send the director to prison. Allegations of prosecutorial and judicial misconduct are commonly raised on appeal, but only a small percentage of these appeals succeed. Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The director, his lawyer and the prosecutor handling the case believed they'd hammered out a deal that would spare the young
[ "When did Roman Polanski fled the U.S.?", "When did the case start?", "What did the director acknowledge?", "What felony did the director commit?", "Who is Roman Polanski?", "Who denied the motion to throw out the charges?", "What is the felony's name?" ]
[ [ "1977" ], [ "1977" ], [ "Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor." ], [ "\"drugged and raped a 13-year-old child\"" ], [ "Academy Award-winning director" ], [ "Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza left the door open" ], [ "Roman Polanski" ] ]
NEW: Judge denies motion to throw out charges, at least until director appears . Roman Polanski fled U.S. before his sentencing in '70s . Director acknowledged having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor . Previous attempts to resolve the 1977 sex case have failed .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The prosecution cannot argue that sex was a motivation for doctors to give Anna Nicole Smith the drugs that may have led to her death, a judge ruled Thursday. Howard K. Stern, right, companion of Anna Nicole Smith, is one of three people charged in the case. "I'm just not buying that," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Perry said. The ruling came on the third day of a preliminary hearing for Howard K. Stern -- Smith's lawyer and companion -- and co-defendants Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, on charges stemming from the Playboy model and reality TV star's death. Larry Birkhead, the father of Smith's now 3-year-old daughter, is set to testify Friday. Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose told Judge Perry she wanted to present evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith, which was the doctor's "motivation to continue providing excess medications" to her. The prosecution planned to present an expert witness who would say such a sexual relationship between a doctor and an addicted patient could compromise the care, Assistant District Attorney Sean Carney said. Court documents released last month said investigators found photos of Eroshevich and Smith "naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces," according to one sworn statement. One affidavit referenced a video clip of Kapoor "kissing and snuggling" with Smith "in a reclined position in a nightclub setting." The three defendants are charged with an illegal conspiracy to prescribe, administer and dispense controlled substances to an addict. Stern faces 11 felony counts, while the doctors were charged with six each. Smith's death in a Hollywood, Florida, hotel on February 8, 2007, was ruled to be from "acute combined drug intoxication," the Broward County, Florida, medical examiner said. Her death came five months after the birth of her daughter, Dannielynn, on September 7, 2006, and the sudden death of her 20-year-old son, Daniel, three days later. Smith's part-time body guard, Maurice Brighthaupt, was testifying Thursday morning when Rose brought up the possibility of a sexual relationship. Brighthaupt, a full-time south Florida paramedic, said he was rarely paid for his bodyguard services "because they told me they didn't have much money at the time." He helped Smith because she was like a sister, he said. Brighthaupt testified that he had seen Stern giving Smith illegal drugs, which contradicted public statements he made in the months after Smith's death. He said he changed his story after having time to think about the events, but defense lawyer Steve Sadow suggested it was for money and revenge on Stern for an accusation he made against Brighthaupt. Brighthaupt acknowledged that he was paid at least $150,000 for interviews by the "Entertainment Tonight" and "Access Hollywood" TV shows. Sadow pointed to an October 10, 2007, interview by CNN's Larry King in which Stern accused Brighthaupt of stealing photos of Smith and selling them to tabloids. Brighthaupt began cooperating with the lead investigator, who he said he had been "ducking," only days after Stern's CNN appearance. But he denied revenge was his motivation. Before her son's death, Smith was a happy, normal person, Brighthaupt said. "She knew she was the 'it'," Brighthaupt said. But in the five months after her son's death and until her own death, Smith was "very weak" and "zombie-like," he said. "She just didn't want to deal with life after the death of her son," Brighthaupt said. Anytime she was able to sleep, she would dream of her son and wake up crying, he said. Nannies stayed with her infant around the clock at her home in the Bahamas, while Smith slept through most of the days. She would sometimes get up late at night and stumble around her house cursing, he said. "Someone had to always keep an eye on
[ "What is her doctor charged with?", "What did investigators find photos of", "What did the investigators find?", "What does the prosecuter want to present?", "When did Anna Nicole Smith die?", "What did the prosecutor want to present", "What argument did the judge refuse to alloe" ]
[ [ "illegal conspiracy to prescribe, administer and dispense controlled substances to an addict." ], [ "of Eroshevich and Smith \"naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces,\"" ], [ "photos of Eroshevich and Smith \"naked in the bathtub in intimate embraces,\"" ], [ "evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith," ], [ "February 8, 2007," ], [ "evidence that Eroshevich, a woman, had a sexual relationship with Smith," ], [ "sex was a motivation for doctors" ] ]
Judge refuses to allow argument that sex motivated Anna Nicole Smith's doctor . Ruling comes amid hearing concerning death of the Playboy model/reality TV star . Prosecutor wanted to present evidence Smith had relationship with female doctor . Court documents: Investigators found photos of pair naked "in intimate embraces"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The rehearsals ended on a high note that night. Jackson, here at a June 23 rehearsal, "was full of jokes, full of life," band vocal coach Dorian Holley said. Michael Jackson was energetic and excited. He popped his signature moonwalk and dance spins that gave chills to some of those watching. As he walked to his car, he put his arm around concert promoter Randy Phillips and -- as Phillips later recounted -- in his soft voice, whispered: "Thank you, I know we're going to get it there together. I know I can do this." That was late Wednesday night, June 24. A few hours later, Jackson was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead. "All I know is that the Michael Jackson that hugged me and said 'goodnight' was a healthy, vibrant human being about to undertake the greatest undertaking of his life," Phillips said Thursday. "And something happened between 12:30 when he left us and the morning when I had to rush to the hospital when I got the first call." Watch Jackson rehearse for London shows » The death of the pop icon shocked the music world, not only because many fans were looking forward to his 50 sold-out shows in London, England, beginning in mid-July, but also because the 50-year-old singer -- while a step slower than in his prime -- was apparently healthy and up to the task of what has been described as a grueling show. "He was just like a kid in the candy store because he was seeing his vision come alive," said Dorian Holley, the vocal coach for Jackson's band, about the last rehearsal. "He was just full of jokes, full of life," Holley said. He added that Jackson was due to be back at rehearsals again at 4:30 p.m. on the day of his death. On Thursday, Phillips' promotion company, AEG Live, released a 1½-minute rehearsal clip that was shot two nights before Jackson's death. In that clip, Jackson barreled through the song "They Don't Care About Us." As a guitarist played a riff, he danced next to her and then led eight backup dancers in a choreographed march, reminiscent of his breakthrough music video "Thriller." The clip -- shot at the Staples Center arena in Los Angeles, California, on June 23 -- ends with a voice off stage saying, "Hold for applause, hold for applause ... fade out." Two days later, Jackson was dead. Phillips said a doctor, hired by the tour's insurance carrier, examined Jackson before AEG proceeded with the rehearsals -- and gave the singer the green light to continue. "He examined Michael for about five hours at his house and I think they went somewhere for some other tests," Phillips said. "We are obviously not privy to the patient-doctor relationship with that information, but the insurance broker told us that he passed with flying colors." The production pace in those final weeks was ferocious, some of the attendees said. Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, told a radio interviewer that he discussed tweaking the strenuous two-hour format of the shows. "We were going to do one of two things," DiLeo told KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, last week. "We were either going to do so much in the beginning, take a half-hour break, then come back and do the second half of the shows. Or we were going to cut it down to 90 minutes." The exacting rehearsals may have been taking a toll on Jackson, his doctor's lawyer has said. "Michael Jackson didn't eat very much," said Edward Chernoff, the lawyer for Jackson's cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. "He really didn't drink very much. He didn't hydrate very well. When he rehearsed, it was very strenuous exercise." As authorities await toxicology reports to determine how Jackson died, fans around the world lamented
[ "what did video clips show", "Where was Jackson rehearsing before he died?", "How many sold-out shows were happening in London?" ]
[ [ "Jackson barreled through the song \"They Don't Care About Us.\"" ], [ "Staples Center arena in Los Angeles," ], [ "50" ] ]
Jackson rehearsed at Staples Center on night before he died . He was preparing for 50 sold-out shows in London, England . "He was just full of jokes, full of life," vocal coach says . Video clip shows Jackson singing, dancing 2 days before he died .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The romantic comedy "New In Town" puts co-stars Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr. at odds through most of the film. But behind the camera, the story was completely different, the pair told CNN. Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger enjoyed working with one another on the set of "New In Town." "I had a great time. [Connick is] such a nice guy. He shows up on set and makes everyone laugh, and it's just a nice day at work," Zellweger said. Connick agreed, saying the off-camera friendship with his co-star made the on-camera experience an enjoyable one. "Renee is the type of person that I got to know quickly. Well, I became friends with her quickly. She's a very mysterious, wonderful young lady," Connick said. Directed by Jonas Elmer, the film follows Zellweger as Lucy Hill, a Miami, Florida-based corporate shark who travels to a small Minnesota town to oversee the closing of a small factory. Upon arrival, Lucy clashes with the factory's union representative, Ted Mitchell, played by Connick. As the two begin to understand one another, their icy relationship soon melts into romance. But the romance between Lucy and Ted is only one side of the story. Zellweger said she was instantly drawn to the role for its humor. "I loved the physical comedy part of Lucy Hill's experience. I laughed out loud when I imagined the scenarios, and I could not wait to go and play around with that," she said, "I wanted to go to work every day and laugh, and I did." Famous for her roles in such comedies as "Nurse Betty" and "Bridget Jones's Diary," Zellweger is no stranger to the comedic scene. With "New In Town," the actress was eager to once again play a part that would make audiences laugh. "I think the laughter, that's therapeutic," she said. At a time when the country is struggling through a financial recession, Connick said, "New In Town" provides that necessary therapy. While the film centers on the troubles of one rural American town, it showcases a dilemma familiar to the entire country. "I think there's a good balance of what people are really feeling right now, and you walk away from this movie with a real feeling of hope and like, 'We're going to be all right,'" he said. "New In Town" opens in theaters everywhere this Friday. CNN's Jack Hannah contributed to this story.
[ "what did Zellweger want to do", "Who quickly became friends on set?", "What did Zellweger say about it?", "What did Connick say about it?", "Where did Zellweger and Connick become friends?", "What is the name of the movie?", "What will the new movie offer?", "when does the film open" ]
[ [ "go" ], [ "Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger" ], [ "just a nice day at work,\"" ], [ "\"Renee is the type of person that I got to know quickly. Well, I became friends with her quickly. She's a very mysterious, wonderful young lady,\"" ], [ "on the set of \"New In Town.\"" ], [ "\"New In Town\"" ], [ "necessary therapy." ], [ "this Friday." ] ]
Zellweger and Connick became friends quickly on the "New In Town" set . "I wanted to go to work every day and laugh, and I did," Zellweger says . The film offers hope during the country's hard times, Connick says . "New In Town" opens in theaters everywhere this Friday .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The sponsor of a proposal to rein in aggressive celebrity photographers is meeting resistance from Los Angeles' top cop, who says the law is not needed when celebrities just behave. Photographers swarm a car carrying Britney Spears after a Los Angeles court appearance in October 2007. City Councilman Dennis Zine wants to require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities. His proposed ordinance is nicknamed the "Britney Law" for the hordes of paparazzi that swarm around pop star Britney Spears, sometimes costing the city thousands of dollars for escorts and other enforcement. "They act like a pack of wolves stalking their prey, creating havoc in the streets, and are nuisances to innocent bystanders," Zine said at a task force hearing he convened Thursday. Watch how paparazzi spy on Hollywood stars » The proposal gained exposure last month when officials from around Southern California asked former independent counsel Kenneth Starr -- whose investigation of former President Clinton spawned its own share of tabloid headlines -- to help craft a law that would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press. iReport.com: Share your celeb stories and photos Critics of the plan include Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, who argues that it would be difficult to enforce. He also says existing laws can keep unruly packs of photographers in check. The chief said the city's tabloid darlings could help by providing photographers less to work with. "If celebrities behave themselves, that solves about 90 percent of the problem," Bratton said. "Britney, the last couple of days, has started wearing clothes again. The paparazzi are leaving town because she's not as interesting when she's not running around without her underwear on." He said actress Lindsay Lohan "evidently found a new love life, so she's probably in New York hanging out" and that "God knows" where billionaire heiress Paris Hilton had been. "She's thankfully disappeared from the scene," Bratton said. At the hearing, members of the paparazzi also said the law would be impossible to enforce. "Unless every celebrity has a chaperone of a police officer with a 6-foot tape measure, how are you going to enforce it?" said photographer Nick Stern. Those attending included musician John Mayer, actor Eric Roberts, sheriff's officials, representatives of the Screen Actors Guild and officials from West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Malibu. CNN's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report.
[ "Who says the law is not necesssary?", "What would be difficult to enforce?", "What does the councilman want?", "What would the law be called?", "What would make the law unnecessary?", "What does the Law entail?", "What would be the name of the law?" ]
[ [ "Police Chief William Bratton," ], [ "the \"Britney Law\"" ], [ "require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities." ], [ "\"Britney Law\"" ], [ "impossible to enforce." ], [ "would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press." ], [ "the \"Britney Law\"" ] ]
Councilman wants to require photographers to keep distance from celebrities . Critics say 'Britney Law' would be difficult to enforce . Police chief says law would be unnecessary if celebs behaved themselves .
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.
[ "They were exploited in which way?", "Who felt exploited?", "what The kids reportedly still live in the same?", "what Director says the boys were paid?", "what The children's parents say?" ]
[ [ "underpaid" ], [ "parents" ], [ "\"tangle of makeshift shacks\"" ], [ "Boyle," ], [ "\"substantial\"" ] ]
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"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The woman allegedly assaulted by singer Chris Brown in Hollywood early Sunday was his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, according to sources close to the couple. Chris Brown attends a party saluting music producer Clive Davis in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday. While Los Angeles Police have a policy against identifying alleged domestic violence victims, two people who know both Brown and Rihanna confirmed she was the woman police said had "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker." Brown, 19, turned himself in to police Sunday night after police said they were looking for him. He was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. Brown was later released on a $50,000 bond and given a March 5 court date. "Detectives investigating the alleged domestic violence felony battery booked him for criminal threats," a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department said. "At the time the case is presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, additional charges may be filed." Brown, nominated for two Grammy Awards, was scheduled to perform at the show. His girlfriend, singer Rihanna, abruptly canceled her planned Grammys performance, but neither her spokesman nor the show organizers gave a reason. "Rihanna is well," her spokesman said in a written statement. "Thank you for concern and support." Watch the latest developments in the case » Brown, 19, and Rihanna, 20, were seen together Saturday night at a pre-Grammys dinner at the Beverly Hills Hilton, about five miles from where police said the alleged incident happened at 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The police statement said Brown and a woman were in a vehicle near Hollywood's Hancock Park when "they became involved in an argument." "After stopping his car, Brown and the woman got out and the argument escalated," police said. After receiving a 911 call at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, officers found the woman at the scene of the alleged fight, but Brown had left, the department said. Investigators were treating the incident as a possible felony battery case, police said. Executives with Brown's record label at the Grammy Awards told CNN they knew nothing about the incident and declined further comment. Brown was nominated for two Grammys this year, including in the best male R&B vocal performance category for his song "Take You Down." He also shares a best pop collaboration with vocals nomination with Jordin Sparks for "No Air." The introduction to the CBS broadcast of the Grammys, apparently pretaped, listed both Brown and Rihanna as performers.
[ "What is the name of Brown's gf?", "Where was he supposed to preform?", "For what connection Brown had been arrested?" ]
[ [ "Rihanna," ], [ "Grammy Awards," ], [ "suspicion of making criminal threats." ] ]
Brown has been arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident . Police: Brown turned himself in after woman accused him of attacking her . Brown a no-show at Grammy Awards, where he was to perform Sunday . Police haven't named woman; Brown's girlfriend, Rihanna, cancels performance .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- There's no question "Tropic Thunder" takes chances. Ben Stiller, left, and Robert Downey Jr. are among the stars of "Tropic Thunder," a Hollywood satire. Tom Cruise almost unrecognizable as a foulmouthed, foul-mannered movie executive? Check. Mockery of action heroes, Method actors and gross-out comedians? Check. Challenging stereotypes at every opportunity? Absolutely. But casting Robert Downey Jr. as a black man? Well, that might be a bit much. Or maybe not. In "Tropic Thunder," a comedy about self-absorbed Hollywood types making a "Platoon"-style war movie, Downey plays Australian actor Kirk Lazarus, a multiple Oscar-winning performer who gets so involved in his roles that he forgets to come out of them. He's a man constantly looking for ways to transform himself for his art. So, cast as a black man in the war movie, Lazarus decides to dye his skin surgically. Downey -- no slouch as an actor himself -- has often been seen as one who immerses himself fully in his roles. That kind of dedication prevented the character from coming off as offensive, said Ben Stiller, who directed, co-wrote and stars in "Tropic Thunder." "I give all the credit to Robert," Stiller told CNN. "I felt he really was so committed to that character, the guy that was playing that guy, that as an audience you bought his sincerity. Very few people, I think, could pull that off." Brandon Jackson, who plays hip-hop star turned actor Alpa Chino (say it fast), agreed. "Robert was black the whole time. My mom came on the set and she thought it was Don Cheadle," he told CNN. "I'm serious. That's how black he was." Watch Jackson talk about working with Downey » The movie, which also stars Stiller as struggling action star Tugg Speedman and Jack Black as gross-out king Jeff Portnoy, features some testy altercations between Downey's Lazarus and Jackson's Chino. Lazarus gets so involved in his role that even when it's clear filming has wrapped for the day, he sticks with it -- which irritates Chino to no end. "To me the most important thing was Alpa Chino has to give him a beat down and tell him that what he's doing is crazy the whole time," Downey said. "Otherwise it's just demeaning to Brandon's character. And if it's demeaning to an actual black man in the movie ... I would have run for the hills." Jackson said he would have challenged the movie if the material was offensive. But, he said, "Tropic Thunder" is a long way from the days when white performers would don blackface as a way of exploiting black stereotypes. Since then, he said, the playing field has leveled: The Wayans brothers played "White Chicks" in the film of the same name, and Eddie Murphy has played several ethnicities in his films, including Jewish and Chinese characters. "If we're all gonna play ball, let's all play ball," Jackson said. "I believe in fairness. If we can punch you, punch back. And funny is funny." iReport.com: Will you see 'Tropic Thunder'? Stiller, of course, is no stranger to testing comedy limits. The actor, writer and director, known for films such as "Meet the Parents" and "Zoolander," has performed or created roles that strike a delicate balance between sympathetic and distasteful -- and sometimes fall too hard on one side of the line. He co-wrote "Tropic Thunder" based on an idea he had in 1987, when many of his friends were making war movies, he recalls in the film's production notes. While Stiller was making "Empire of the Sun," his colleagues were in boot camps training for their military roles -- and would emerge talking about the boot camp as if they'd become part of a
[ "what pushes boundaries at every opportunity?" ]
[ [ "\"Tropic Thunder\"" ] ]
"Tropic Thunder" pushes boundaries at every opportunity . Film has taken knocks from groups for the developmentally disabled . "Thunder" casts Robert Downey Jr. as Method actor playing black man . Downey, other cast members don't believe character is offensive .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Thirty-eight years ago, Joseph McGinty Nichol was a boy in Kalamazoo, Michigan, playing with toy robots. Many of the robots in "Terminator Salvation" are real machines, which increased realism, the cast says. Today "McG," as he is better known, builds and blows up real robots. The prominent filmmaker is the driving force behind one of the season's summer blockbusters, "Terminator Salvation," which is filled with very expensive and very explosive robots. The choice to use real robots when possible, instead of CGI (computer generated images), was deliberate, McG said. According to the director and the film's stars, the decision to use real machines was a testament to the growing sophistication of the moviegoing public, whom they believe can "feel" the difference between actors standing in front of a green screen versus actors interacting with the real thing. It was also done in honor of the legendary special effects supervisor, four-time Oscar winner Stan Winston ("Jurassic Park," the other "Terminator" films), who passed away during filming last year. Watch the robots in action » The director and three of his cast members -- Christian Bale, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anton Yelchin -- took a time out with CNN to explain why gravity and singed eyebrows both played a role in "Terminator Salvation." Bryce Dallas Howard: That was something that was really important to McG ... when an audience member sees this film, that they can actually feel what's occurring. I think that audiences are very savvy now. We can feel when something is CGI and that's no disrespect to CGI -- we couldn't do this movie without it -- but, whenever possible, in the tradition of Sam Winston, he wanted to build the robots. So a lot of what you see is real. McG: And if you drop something, we've spent our whole lives watching physics in play, and if you say, just have the CGI do that, people can tell something's off, and it releases you from being involved in the picture. So, we built all the robots, we built all the sets, we blew them up for real, a great many of us lost our eyebrows! Christian Bale: It was kind of comical at times because something that's meant to be so intimidating was actually surrounded by five guys with these kind of puppet rods I had to blank out or I would start laughing. But, the end result is something really formidable and you know, really iconic in movie history. Anton Yelchin: Now I'm obsessed with the robots! I'm so [annoyed] that this guy or whoever it is that's in charge of it wouldn't let me have one!
[ "What is the name of the movie?", "What prompted the decision not to use CGI?", "Who is the special effects guy?", "What was the reason behind the idea to avoid CGI?", "Who decided to use many real robots?", "What series of the film is it?", "What kind of robots did the filmmakers use/", "Who's the director of Terminator Salvation?", "What is Stan Winston famous for?", "Who is a special effects master?", "What did \"Terminator Salvation\" filmmakers decide to use?", "What type of robots will be used?", "Who was the special effects master?" ]
[ [ "\"Terminator Salvation\"" ], [ "the growing sophistication of the moviegoing public, whom they believe can \"feel\" the difference between actors standing in front of a green screen versus actors interacting with the real thing." ], [ "Stan Winston" ], [ "in honor of the legendary special effects supervisor, four-time Oscar" ], [ "Joseph McGinty Nichol" ], [ "\"Terminator Salvation,\"" ], [ "are real machines," ], [ "Joseph McGinty Nichol" ], [ "legendary special effects supervisor," ], [ "Stan Winston" ], [ "real robots when possible, instead of CGI (computer generated images)," ], [ "very expensive and very explosive" ], [ "Stan Winston" ] ]
"Terminator Salvation" filmmakers decide to use many real robots . Idea to avoid CGI was partly in tribute to special effects master Stan Winston . Film is the fourth in the "Terminator" series .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Two days after the death of Michael Jackson, the family of the pop superstar thanked his fans for their condolences and support in "one of the darkest moments of our lives." A girl holds up signs in memory of Michael Jackson outside New York's Apollo Theater on Saturday. "Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you," family patriarch Joseph Jackson said in a statement to People magazine obtained by CNN. "Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever," the statement told fans. "Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon," the statement said. "It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times." Watch how one fan mourns pop star » Family members including Jackson's mother, Katherine, were at the estate Jackson had rented in Holmby Hills. Around midday, two moving vans pulled up. One left empty, and the other apparently contained objects from the house. Other vehicles came and went, including a silver Range Rover driven by a plain clothes police officer. Meanwhile, the doctor who may have been the last person to see Michael Jackson alive was expected to meet with police Saturday along with his lawyer, an associate of attorney Ed Chernoff said. Matthew Alford, an associate of Stradley, Chernoff and Alford law firm in Houston, Texas, said Dr. Conrad Murray, who is represented by Chernoff, was upset but willing to cooperate. Watch what Alford said about doctor's involvement » The ongoing meeting could spill into Sunday, according to the firm. "It's a human tragedy, and he's upset obviously over the loss of Mr. Jackson. But he is not a suspect in the death of Mr. Jackson," Alford said. "We intend to cooperate fully." Los Angeles police, who met briefly with Murray after Michael Jackson's death, had been trying to set up an interview, Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck said. "Is important to interview everybody that was in contact with Mr. Jackson immediately prior to his demise particularly anyone involved in his medical care," Beck said. "So it's extremely important to talk to his doctor." Police said the doctor has been cooperating. Jackson's family suspects that Murray can answer some questions about the singer's death, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN on Saturday. The parents need to know what happened in the last hours of Michael Jackson's life, Jesse Jackson said. "The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They (Jacksons) didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son." Alford said Murray has "not been hiding out. He's just being prudent." Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications. Police have released no information on what they may have found. Alford said he did not have any details. "I have no information as to what if any treatment, or course of treatment he was doing for Mr. Jackson at all," he said. Michael Jackson died Thursday, and an autopsy was performed the following day. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office told reporters Friday that more tests must be conducted before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks. The coroner said there was no indication of external trauma or foul play. Watch the coroner's spokesman discuss the autopsy » The 50-year-old pop star was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home, where
[ "What did Rev. Jesse Jackson say about Jackson's doctor?", "Who said this is \"One of the darkest moments of our lives\" ?", "What did the Rev. Jesse Jackson say?", "what did the jackson family say?", "What did rev jesse jackson say?" ]
[ [ "family suspects that Murray can answer some questions" ], [ "the family" ], [ "life," ], [ "\"Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you,\"" ], [ "\"The routine inquiry is now an investigation,\"" ] ]
"One of the darkest moments of our lives," Jackson family says . Dr. Conrad Murray upset but willing to cooperate, law firm says . Rev. Jesse Jackson says behavior of Jackson's doctor raises questions . Family should seek independent autopsy, Rev. Jesse Jackson says .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Two hundred years after his birth in a log cabin in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln continues to fascinate. Abraham Lincoln is invoked by politicians of both parties, observes historian Ronald C. White Jr. His moral clarity, his extraordinary gifts with language, his decisive role in preserving the Union and what some consider his ultimate martyrdom combine to make of Lincoln a mythic figure with a firm hold on our collective imagination. In conjunction with the bicentennial of his birth, a slew of new books on the 16th U.S. president have appeared. Among the best-reviewed is the biography "A. Lincoln" (Random House) by historian Ronald C. White Jr., who drew on new research for his portrait. CNN talked with White about Lincoln's impact on the country, President Obama's affinity for him and what lessons Lincoln has to offer Americans of today. The following is an edited version of White's comments: CNN: Thousands of books have been published about Lincoln. Why did you decide to write a new biography? Ronald C. White Jr.: Probably surprising to many is how many new discoveries have been made about Lincoln just in the last 15 to 20 years. For example, about 20 years ago, a professor in Illinois wondered if there were still Lincoln legal papers laying around in the almost 100 courthouses in Illinois. So he got together a group of students, and they began searching those courthouses, and they found [thousands] of Lincoln legal documents. ... I wanted to treat more of that part of Lincoln's life -- he spent nearly 24 years as a lawyer. This is just an example of what we have discovered only in recent years. See iReporters don stovepipe hats like Lincoln CNN: More than 100 years after his death, why does Lincoln still fascinate us? White: I think for many he embodies the best of America. The fact that a man of such humble origins, with less than one year of formal education, could, in his term, have the "right to rise." He felt that America was a land where we should not put any shackles or weights upon people. One reason he hated slavery so much was that it puts weights upon people. ... I'm going to be speaking in Italy and Germany in April, and people there are fascinated with Lincoln for the same reason. Now, to be sure, Obama has shone a large spotlight on Abraham Lincoln. I think this is somewhat responsible for rediscovering this man at the beginning of the Lincoln bicentennial in the year 2009. CNN: Why do you think Barack Obama has made such a point of aligning himself with Lincoln? White: It's become commonplace for politicians of both parties to invoke Lincoln -- literally wrap themselves in the mantle of Lincoln -- especially at political conventions. But when I read "The Audacity of Hope" it came through to me that this is something quite genuine. As Obama is seeking to define his own vocation as a politician, he found in Lincoln -- Lincoln's inclusive spirit, Lincoln's humble demeanor, Lincoln's great gift with words -- he found here some of the very values that he wished to inculcate into his own life. ... I think he picked up on the symbolism of Lincoln, using the very same ceremonial Bible [for his swearing-in], picking as his theme a "new birth of freedom," re-enacting the final 137 miles of the train ride [Lincoln took to Washington for his first inaugural]. It's fascinating that here this African-American politician is finding a model and a mentor, and I think it is the values that Lincoln represents that Obama is finding. CNN: Some people have noted temperamental similarities between Lincoln and Obama. Is there any justification for that comparison? White: I think there is. Obama comes across as a person of kind of calm, reassuring demeanor. He is a person who likes to circle around questions and problems. He was as interested, as I've come to understand, when he taught law in Chicago, in asking questions as in coming
[ "What is name of the author?", "What does Lincoln embody?", "What do historians see some comparisons with?", "What does White say about the character?", "Who is the author of the new Lincoln biography?", "What is the new Lincoln biography called?" ]
[ [ "Ronald C. White Jr." ], [ "he embodies the best of America." ], [ "lessons Lincoln has to offer Americans of today." ], [ "he embodies the best of America." ], [ "Ronald C. White Jr." ], [ "\"A. Lincoln\"" ] ]
Ronald C. White Jr. is author of new Lincoln biography, "A. Lincoln" Lincoln "embodies the best of America," White says . Historian sees some comparisons with President Obama: demeanor, writing ability . Lincoln's character, moral vision still pertinent, White says .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Tyrese Gibson is far from the first singer to make the transition from music to movies. However, the "Transformers" star is blazing a whole new trail with his latest crossover venture. Tyrese Gibson voices "Mayhem," a hero described as the "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance." The actor/singer/model has partnered with Apple to develop his own comic book series called "Mayhem," and he's doing it in a very nontraditional way -- digitally. "There was an experience that I felt was pretty limiting as far as the comic book experience itself on paper," says Gibson, who stresses that he did not grow up reading comic books and is not a comic book veteran. "[So] I set up this technology with my team and this is the first-ever digital comic book [on iTunes] in the history of comic books." The third issue of "Mayhem," which is downloadable from iTunes, is the first to go digital. It features an interactive version of a comic book with sound effects, page turns and even voiceover. Gibson himself voices the title character, a masked, dagger-hurling hero described as the "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance." Gibson's new hobby is another example of Hollywood's love affair with comic books. Just last month, Walt Disney Studios acquired Marvel Entertainment -- and all 5,000 of the comic book company's characters -- for $4 billion in cash and stock. With the success of action films based on comic book notables, including "Batman," "Iron Man" and "Wolverine," it's not a stretch to think that Gibson might be strapping on the "Mayhem" costume for a summer blockbuster in the future. But for now, Gibson is focused on the early stages of his new venture. Although he would not provide details on sales figures, he did say that worldwide sales of "Mayhem" would "knock your socks off." The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: What turned you on to comic books? Tyrese Gibson: I went out to Comic-Con about a year or so ago to promote the film "Death Race." When I was out there, I really got to know some of the fans and I was just asking questions like, "Look at you, you've got a full on Superman costume on or Batman costume," and they were just like, "I just love comic books." It was the first time I was ever exposed to that much selfless passion, to the point to where you don't care how silly you may look -- you don't even consider it silly. ... That really did something for me, because I'm motivated by passion. I thought ... I want to figure a way to be a part of this world, and that's when "Mayhem" was born." CNN: Where did the story of "Mayhem" come from? Gibson: Me and my partner Mike Lee and Will Wilson all got together, we started brainstorming about different concepts and different directions we could send this character in and we came up with something pretty unique. It's an ongoing series and so as soon as you think you've got it figured out, there's a cliffhanger that makes you want to read the second issue and the third issue. CNN: You're a newcomer to this genre. What's been the feedback from the comic book community? Gibson: In everything you do, there's gonna be cynics and those folks questioning what your motivation is behind getting into anything. I dealt with it when I went from one career move to the next: "Man, stick to singing; stick to acting." I dealt with a lot of that from certain folks in the comic book world. ... They wrote these long e-mails and [started] on a smear campaign. I came into this whole thing very innocent. I discovered my love for comic books
[ "Where is comic available digitally?", "What did Gibson star in?", "What has Tyrese Gibson created?", "what's the name of Gibson's Character?", "What is Gibson's character called?", "what is available digitally on Itunes as an LP?", "Where is the comic book available?", "what did Tyerese Gisbson created?" ]
[ [ "iTunes," ], [ "\"Transformers\"" ], [ "comic book series called \"Mayhem,\"" ], [ "\"Mayhem,\"" ], [ "\"Mayhem,\"" ], [ "\"Mayhem,\"" ], [ "digitally." ], [ "his own comic book series called \"Mayhem,\"" ] ]
Tyrese Gibson, who starred in "Transformers," has created comic book superhero . Gibson's character is called Mayhem, "embodiment of raw justice and vengeance" Gibson has no comic book background; he was impressed by passion of devotees . Comic book is available digitally on iTunes as an LP .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Veteran actor Karl Malden, who won an Academy Award for his role in "A Streetcar Named Desire," has died at age 97, his manager said Wednesday. Karl Malden in "The Streets of San Francisco" in 1974. Malden was nominated for four Emmys for the series. Malden died in his sleep about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, said his manager, Bud Ross. Malden appeared alongside Marlon Brando in two of director Elia Kazan's classic films of the 1950s -- "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront." He won the best supporting actor Oscar for "Streetcar," which was released in 1951, in 1952 and was nominated for his role as a priest crusading against crooked union bosses in "On the Waterfront." Ross said he did not know the cause of death. "It could be a combination of things," Ross said. "He was 97 years old." Born Mladen George Sekulovich in Gary, Indiana, the bulb-nosed actor made his New York stage debut in 1938 and first appeared in films in the 1940 melodrama "They Knew What They Wanted." After serving in the Army Air Corps in World War II, he made his mark in the New York production of "Streetcar," by Tennessee Williams. Watch Malden talk about why he got into acting » Malden also did extensive work in television, starring with Michael Douglas in the police drama "The Streets of San Francisco" from 1972-77. He was nominated four times for Emmys for the show, and won a supporting-actor Emmy for his part in the miniseries adaptation of the true-crime bestseller "Fatal Vision" in 1985. His other well-known screen roles include his performances in "Patton," in which he played World War II Gen. Omar Bradley alongside George C. Scott's title character; the steamy "Baby Doll," another Elia Kazan-Tennessee Williams collaboration; and "Gypsy." Malden was also famous for a series of television ads for the American Express card, in which he advised viewers, "Don't leave home without it." Watch Malden talk why he took such diverse roles » A memorial service is expected to be held within the next three to four weeks, Ross said. Malden was the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989 to 1992. The Academy is best known for its annual awards, the Oscars. Malden's "Streetcar" Oscar had its own mini-drama. In 1985, he sent it to the manufacturer in Chicago for replating. But he discovered the award sent back to him was a fake in 2006, when the original appeared for sale on eBay. The Academy sued the sellers, Randy and Matt Mariani, who eventually returned the award. In 2004, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. Malden was born on March 22, 1912, and grew up in Gary. He broke his nose twice playing football in high school, where his athleticism won him a scholarship to Arkansas State Teacher's College in Conway. After being forbidden by his basketball coach to appear in a school play, Malden left college and began playing semi-pro basketball. He later worked in the steel mills of Gary to save money for drama school. When his acting career began, Malden took his grandfather's first name and rearranged the spelling of his own first name to make his professional last name. He said he changed his name, "to fit theater marquees." One of Malden's last acting roles was in 2000, according to IMDB.com. He played a priest in an episode of "The West Wing."
[ "What movie did he star with Brando\"", "In which category Malden won Oscar?", "who won Oscar for \"A streetcar named desire\"?", "Who did Malden co-star with in \"The Streets of San Francisco\"?", "Who did Malden star with in \"On the Waterfront\"?", "Who won Oscar for role in \"A Streetcar Named Desire\"?", "Who did he co star on TV with?" ]
[ [ "\"A Streetcar Named Desire,\"" ], [ "best supporting actor" ], [ "Veteran actor Karl Malden," ], [ "Marlon Brando" ], [ "Marlon Brando" ], [ "Karl Malden," ], [ "Michael Douglas" ] ]
Malden won Oscar for role in "A Streetcar Named Desire" He also starred with Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront" On TV, he co-starred with Michael Douglas in "The Streets of San Francisco"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Volunteering with local law enforcement, Shaquille O'Neal has learned from his peers that domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous for police officers. NBA star Shaquille O'Neal praises Karen Earl for her efforts on behalf of domestic abuse victims. "[It's] a very disturbing thing," said the NBA star, who has dealt mainly with children's cases. "I don't really think a lot of women know what to do." That's where Karen Earl comes in. As executive director of the Jenesse Center, the oldest domestic violence intervention program in south central Los Angeles, California, Earl is a "tireless and fearless" champion of women and children living in abusive situations, O'Neal said. The Phoenix Suns center called Earl "the pillow of women's society." For more than two decades, Earl has helped give victims a way out through the Jenesse Center, which provides shelter, education, outreach and legal services to more than 8,500 victims of domestic violence every year. "Thank God for Miss Earl," O'Neal said. "She takes women that have been involved in domestic abuse situations and gives them a place to come rest their head." According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year, and one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Earl has heard countless stories of domestic abuse and has seen a range of tipping points before victims seek help. She is working to lower these statistics. She recalled one woman whose husband beat her with an iron; for another, "the beatings were standard, but when he sold their refrigerator and she couldn't keep her baby's milk cold anymore, she knew it was time to go." These women were able to find shelter and support -- and ultimately safety and success -- through the Jenesse Center. "It is not normal to go to bed afraid," Earl said. "And the thing that I know for sure is that there is help." When Earl began volunteering at the center in 1986, she said, she often thought of what her own mother went through. "I remember us having to run out of the house at midnight with sheets wrapped around us. I know the impact it had on my mom, and of course the impact on me and my siblings," she said. "I wish there were a place back then, but nobody talked about it. It was just family business; it was personal." Watch Earl discuss the center's mission to heal through art » Today, Earl serves as Jenesse Center's executive director and calls her work with staff, fundraising and volunteer recruitment "a 24-hour thing." The process of healing for victims generally starts with a phone call to the center's hot line, she said. The center provides counseling and literature and has a 30-day emergency shelter for women and their families. Earl said this emergency period "is a time of regrouping" and lets the women know that they're not alone and that they didn't do anything wrong. The center also provides long-term support. "Women and their children can stay for two years," Earl said. "Every able body, every day, gets up and takes classes. And when they're not taking classes, they're looking for employment, going through counseling sessions or [getting] legal assistance." For Earl, comprehensive care through a team approach is the key to the center's success. She said she has seen women at the center earn graduate degrees and become "full-fledge" professionals -- and that changing lives is what keeps her going. O'Neal said the center helps point women in the right direction and gives them the chance to overcome adversity. "They'll help you get an apartment. They'll help you get a job. They help you get back on your feet and become the beautiful woman that you are."
[ "In what area does O'Neil work?", "how many cases of domestic violence recorded", "How many victims are helped by the centre each year?", "What did O'Neal learn?", "Who is O'Neil's hero?", "What does the center do?" ]
[ [ "NBA" ], [ "1.3 million" ], [ "more than 8,500" ], [ "domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous for police officers." ], [ "Karen Earl" ], [ "provides shelter, education, outreach and legal services to more than 8,500 victims of" ] ]
O'Neal's work in law enforcement taught him the serious nature of domestic violence . His hero, Karen Earl, runs the Jenesse Center, which aids abuse victims . The Los Angeles center helps more than 8,500 victims every year . The center gives women a chance to overcome adversity, O'Neal said .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Watching the Dave Matthews Band moments before they take the stage is like watching a football team bursting out of the locker room before a big game. Dave Matthews says he bellieves strongly in the power of community. They slap hands. Bump fists. Jump up and down, exclaiming "Feel the love, feel the love!" The energy in the air is electric. And when they walk out on stage, the energy explodes into thousands of shining faces. People dance in the aisles. Others sing every word to every song. A few share funny cigarettes. For more than three hours, the jubilant atmosphere creates a sense of community between an amphitheater filled with strangers and the ethnically diverse musicians leading the charge on stage. But then DMB is all about community -- creating its own and giving back. BAMA Works Fund -- the group's charitable foundation -- has handed out $5 million in grants to worthy causes, including schools and victims of Hurricane Katrina. Watch Matthews sound off on the album -- and racism » And despite the unexpected passing of saxophonist LeRoi Moore due to complications from an ATV accident last summer, the band members seem to be recharged. In June, DMB notched its fifth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard chart with "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." We caught up with Matthews just as news hit the Web that former President Jimmy Carter believed racism was the root of some of the negativity directed toward President Obama in recent weeks. The 42-year-old singer-songwriter offered a unique perspective, as a man who split his childhood between the United States and South Africa during apartheid. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: President Carter said he thinks that a lot of the animosity directed toward President Obama is race related. Dave Matthews: Of course it is! I found there's a fairly blatant racism in America that's already there, and I don't think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it's sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here -- I just see it everywhere. There's a good population of people in this country that are terrified of the president only because he's black, even if they don't say it. And I think a lot of them, behind closed doors, do say it. Maybe I'm paranoid about it, but I don't think someone who disagreed as strongly as they do with Obama -- if it was Clinton -- would have stood up and screamed at him during his speech. (Shakes his head) I don't think so. CNN: Everything has gone to such a frenzied pitch. Matthews: I think a lot of it has to be on the press. We give the podium to a lot of people who shouldn't have the podium. The message that's delivered the loudest and in the most entertaining way is the one that we're going to put on because that's what we want. We want ratings more than we want to deliver information. That's just where the culture's gotten. There's no way that Walter Cronkite, as a young journalist, no way Ed Murrow would be hired to do news today. Not a chance. CNN: Because they're too low-key? Because they're not bombastic? Matthews: Because they're thoughtful, and they're patient, and they're tying to tell you a truly balanced story. They're trying to impart information. I don't think that's the goal [now] because it's not a good business plan. ... Everyone's outraged all the time. Why are you outraged? There's war -- there's always been war, as long as most of us have been alive. There have always been people being abused, there's always been horrible things in the world. Why are we outraged? We should just be quiet and figure it out, and work it out together. ... There's no solution
[ "Dave is not surprised at anger towards whom?", "Who said I just see racism everywhere?", "What he said about news media?", "Wat is \"Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King\"\"?", "What is the aim of Dave Matthews band?", "Who made the record Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King?", "What Dave Matthews said about raising of racism?" ]
[ [ "President Obama" ], [ "Dave Matthews" ], [ "want ratings more than we want to deliver information." ], [ "fifth consecutive No. 1 album" ], [ "creating its own and giving back." ], [ "Dave Matthews Band" ], [ "in America that's already there, and I don't think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it's sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here" ] ]
Dave Matthews: "I just see [racism] everywhere"; not surprised at anger at Obama . News media adds to anger, he says, in that it focuses on "loudest" messages . Dave Matthews Band aims for community, active with charitable efforts . Matthews calls "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" their greatest record .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- We were scheduled to speak with Steve Martin just after his sound check for a concert in Los Angeles to benefit the city's public libraries. We pulled into the parking structure 45 minutes early when my cell phone rang. It was Martin's publicist. Steve Martin has been playing the banjo for decades. His new album is a collection of bluegrass tunes. "Hey, where are you?" she asked urgently. "We're in the garage," I replied. "Can you get up here quickly? He's ready." A musician ready early? There goes his street cred. Interviewing Martin can be like an awkward first date. Like many comedians, he's polite, but he sometimes struggles to make eye contact, gives monosyllabic answers and leaves the impression that he wants to be anywhere but talking to you. But when the subject is his new album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo," he's chatty, enthusiastic and engaged. On the CD, the comic/actor/novelist/playwright/musician shows off his picking skills as well as his ability to craft witty bluegrass songs with titles such as "Hoedown at Alice's," "Wally on the Run" and "Late for School." It's been his passion for 45 of his 63 years. This past weekend, the ultimate Hollywood hyphenate made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry. "The Crow" has received more than respectable reviews, but that's not surprising, given Martin's uncanny ability to excel in whatever he does -- except maybe idle chitchat. The following is an edited version of the interview: CNN: People know you as a versatile artist, but now it's about the banjo and your bluegrass album, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." Steve Martin: I did a lot of things when I first started out. In order to be in show business, I juggled, I did magic tricks, cards tricks and I played the banjo. CNN: You've been playing it for 45 years, right? Martin: Yes, I have. It's a long time, and I remember when I was going through a particularly difficult time of learning, I'd go, "Well, if I just stick with it, one day I'll be saying, 'I've been playing for 40 years.' " CNN: Picking up the banjo might seem likely if you grew up in the Appalachians -- maybe Kentucky or somewhere down South. But you grew up in Garden Grove, California. This is the O.C. Martin: There was a lot of musical activity in Orange County in the 1960s. There were the Dillards, and Doc Watson would come by, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, all these different players. I also had this friend, John McEuen, in high school, and he played, and he actually produced this album now -- 45 years later. [McEuen is a founding member of country-bluegrass group, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.] CNN: Isn't John the one who taught you how to do an "Open D" tuning on the banjo? Martin: Yes, he did. CNN: See, I read your CD liner notes. [Both laugh] There's a cute little story in there about taking a photo of the three things you love most -- your wife, your dog and the banjo. Martin: Well, we all love more things that that. I just happened to take a photo, and there was my wife, my dog and my banjo, all in the same shot -- and I thought, "Oh, that's like a family portrait right there." CNN: Sounds like your next Christmas card to me. ... You're playing a benefit for the Los Angeles Public Library. Martin: As you can see, it's sold out [gestures to an empty room]. ... You know, it's also a little bit sneaky,
[ "What instrument is Martin accomplished at?", "What's Steve Martin's new album's name?", "Where did he just make debut?", "What does the album feature?", "Where did Martin make his debut?" ]
[ [ "banjo" ], [ "Songs for the Five-String Banjo,\"" ], [ "the Grand Ole Opry." ], [ "collection of bluegrass tunes." ], [ "at the Grand Ole Opry." ] ]
Steve Martin's new album is not comedy but features bluegrass music . Martin is an accomplished banjo player, often used instrument as prop . Martin just made debut at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Michael Jackson collapsed at his rented mansion last month, the singer's arms were riddled with marks and their veins had collapsed -- both characteristics found in intravenous drug users, sources told CNN on Tuesday. A source says Michael Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The revelations add to the speculation that prescription drugs played a part in Jackson's death on June 25. The exact cause is pending toxicology results that aren't due for at least another week. A source involved with the investigation into Jackson's death told CNN that Jackson had "numerous track marks" on his arms -- and that those marks "could certainly be consistent with the regular IV use of a drug, like Diprivan." The sources did not want to be identified because the investigation is ongoing. The source said investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in the singer's $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills, but he would not confirm whether Diprivan was among them. Watch what sources say on condition of Jackson's body » He also cautioned that it was too soon to say whether an intravenous drip of Diprivan caused the track marks. Some appeared fresh; others older, he said. The new ones could have resulted from the IVs that paramedics used when they tried to revive Jackson after he was found unconscious. Another source with knowledge of the case said Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms, suggesting frequent intravenous drug use. The first source said Jackson's body was "lily white from head to toe," perhaps the result of vitiligo -- a condition that causes the skin to lose melanin and produce slowly enlarging white patches. The second source said Jackson had "paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt." The singer also did not have any hair -- a lingering effect, possibly, of an accident in 1984 when Jackson suffered burns to his scalp while shooting a commercial for Pepsi. Also, said the second source, Jackson was emaciated -- despite the vigor he's seen displaying in a taped rehearsal clip shot two nights before his death. The drug Diprivan, known by its generic name Propofol, is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a general anesthetic. Last week, a nutritionist -- Cherilyn Lee -- said Jackson pleaded for the drug despite being told of its harmful effects, because he had difficulty falling asleep. Sources close to Jackson told CNN that the insomniac singer traveled with an anesthesiologist who would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" during a world tour in the mid-'90s. The California state attorney general's office is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson's death investigation. The office confirmed it is investigating some doctors who treated Jackson over the years. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also looking into the role of drugs. Los Angeles police have interviewed Jackson's cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. They impounded Murray's car, saying it might contain evidence, possibly prescription medications. Police did not say whether they found anything. Through his lawyers, Murray has released several statements, saying he would not be commenting until the toxicology results from Jackson's autopsy are released. Dr. Neil Ratner, the anesthesiologist who accompanied Jackson during the HIStory tour in the mid-'90s, also refused to comment, although he acknowledged Jackson suffered from a sleep disorder. CNN's Susan Chun contributed to this report.
[ "How many marks were on his arms exactly?", "what cuased his death?", "Who is the second source being referred to?", "Who is handling the toxicology tests?" ]
[ [ "\"numerous track marks\"" ], [ "exact cause is pending toxicology results" ], [ "\"paper white skin. As white as a white T-shirt.\"" ], [ "The California state attorney general's office is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in Jackson's death investigation." ] ]
Source cites "numerous track marks" on Jackson's arms when medics came . 2nd source says Jackson's veins were collapsed in both arms . Sources also say Jackson was emaciated, didn't have any hair . Toxicology reports are at least a week away .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When emergency crews scramble to a celebrity's home and it turns out to be a false alarm, journalists don't usually write about it. Cher made the most of a false alarm, offering admiration for emergency personnel who came to her house. When the celebrity is Cher and her publicist issues an entertaining response to a reporter's call, some entertainment writers can't resist. The electronic call for help sounded at Cher's Malibu, California, home at 11:16 a.m. Thursday, spurring a flurry of activity. Ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the singer's residence, sending journalists to their address books for Cher's contact information. Her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, quickly responded to CNN's questions with this e-mailed explanation: "Just spoke to Cher who confirmed it was a false alarm but said she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life," said Rosenberg's response. "She added there was an especially gorgeous black-haired ambulance driver that she is really sorry she didn't get to meet. Maybe there'll be another false alarm ..." We will keep you updated.
[ "Who set off the false alarm?", "What happened at Cher's house?", "What cheeky comment was said?", "What was the cheeky comment from Cher's publicist?" ]
[ [ "Cher" ], [ "false alarm," ], [ "she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life,\"" ], [ "she never saw so many cute firemen and paramedics in her life,\"" ] ]
Security crews at Cher's house set off false alarm . Emergency vehicles zoomed over, though for naught . Cheeky comment from Cher's publicist: "Many cute firemen and paramedics"
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Whenever you speak with Carlos Santana, you pretty much know what you're going to get: lots of talk about love and light. spiritual analogies, name-dropping of people like Marvin Gaye and Mother Teresa. Carlos Santana will start a 72-show residency in Las Vegas in May at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. It may take a moment to enter the humble headspace of the 61-year-old guitarist legend, but once you're there, you realize that this is a man who acts with his heart instead of his head. Somehow, he's managing to live out his 1960s ideals in 2009 -- and he wants fans to experience a piece of that with his new Las Vegas, Nevada, show, "Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits." The 72-show residency at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino launches May 27, with 36 concerts this year and 36 in 2010. As with all his events, a portion of the cost of each ticket will be donated to the Milagro Foundation, the charitable organization founded by Santana and his family to benefit children around the world. Watch Santana get into the groove » Santana talked to CNN about the Vegas show and his beliefs. The following is an edited version of that interview. CNN: Your Vegas show sounds like it's your greatest hits mixed with a little bit of Carlos Santana spirituality. Carlos Santana: They're inseparable at this point. We're very different than a lot of bands. A lot of bands concentrate on show business and entertainment. We focus on light and touching people's hearts. We really believe that by coming to Las Vegas, it gives us an opportunity to take ourselves and the people who come to listen to us into a place where people are free from thinking they're sinners or unworthy. There's something really wonderful about music when music makes men and women dance, laugh and cry at the same time, because they're receiving like a Holy Ghost thing. CNN: Ticket prices range from $79 up to $299 -- which is a lot of money for some people in this economy. Santana: I have no clue about that. I'm more with, "This finger goes onto this note and it makes juicy sounds, and I'm going to make people dance and laugh." It's not like I don't care or I'm ignorant. It's just that I'm not wired to have that insignificance on me other than what I'm going to get to give back to other people. And other than that, I trust that the people around me -- which is my sister and my brother-in-law -- will take care of all of those dimensions. We don't like to gouge people, but we do like to be realistic that you do need to pay the rent ... and stuff like that. But other than that, since I was a child, I really don't put that much focus or significance into it. CNN: You're well-loved by mainstream audiences, and the Latino audience has been really supportive, too. Do you think this is opening up the door to perhaps invite the Latino audience to Vegas? Santana: They're already there. They're washing dishes and folding sheets -- I'm serious. The Latin community is there. It's just that we don't see them. ... I don't belong to just Latinos just because I speak Spanish. We go to Ireland, and if we go to Pakistan, or Istanbul or Malaysia, we're part of the family. We just did a tour in South America, and I have never seen so many children come to our concerts in my life -- and I've been doing this since '67. CNN: You were born in Mexico, and President Obama will be heading there to talk about the war on drugs. [Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton recently made some remarks that United States drug consumption is partially to blame for this problem. Do you agree with that? Santana: Totally.
[ "Carlos Santana will be opening what day in Las Vegas?", "What does Santana want to legalize", "Where is Supernatural Santana opening", "What date will Supernatural Santana open?", "What will the band focus on?" ]
[ [ "May 27," ], [ "drugs." ], [ "Las Vegas, Nevada," ], [ "May 27," ], [ "light and touching people's hearts." ] ]
Carlos Santana will be opening "Supernatural Santana" in Las Vegas May 27 . Guitarist says band focuses "on light and touching people's hearts" Santana believes in legalizing marijuana, wants to emphasize teaching service .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- While the coroner's report on what killed Michael Jackson has been delayed indefinitely, new evidence emerged that the singer shopped for a doctor who would give him the drug investigators suspect led to his death. A doctor of Michael Jackson says he prescribed drugs to the alias Omar Arnold. Dr. Allan Metzger, whose name appeared on a search warrant served this week, refused Jackson's request in April for the anesthetic propofol -- commonly known by the brand name Diprivan, Metzger's attorney said. Investigators suspect another physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, gave the drug to Jackson in the 24 hours before he died, according to a source, who asked not to be named because the individual was not authorized to speak to the news media. Metzger, who practices in West Hollywood, California, told Jackson during a visit to his Holmby Hills home that the drug was "dangerous and potentially life-threatening and could not be used outside of a hospital," attorney Harland Braun said. Metzger's medical records for Jackson, whom he treated until 2003, have been given to the coroner, Braun said. He said Metzger prescribed drugs for Jackson under the alias Omar Arnold and Michael Jackson, which was not illegal since he used both names together. The doctor did that because he thought it was "his duty to protect the privacy" of his patient, Braun said. Omar Arnold is one of 19 aliases listed in the warrant used by Los Angeles police and federal drug agents Tuesday to search the Las Vegas, Nevada, office and home of Murray, a Texas-based cardiologist. The warrant also mentioned Cherilyn Lee, a nurse practitioner who treated Jackson earlier this year. Lee said Jackson begged her for propofol to help him get a good night's sleep. She said she refused, telling the pop star that if he took the medicine, he might never wake up. The same warrant, signed by a Las Vegas judge, implied that investigators suspected Jackson was a drug addict. Dr. Deepak Chopra said in a recent interview that when Jackson asked him for a narcotic, he told him absolutely no. "I said to him, 'Michael, you're going to die one day from this,' " Chopra said. During a world tour in the mid-'90s, sources close to Jackson told CNN, the pop star suffered from insomnia and traveled with an anesthesiologist who would "take him down" at night and then "bring him back up." According to a report on a 2004 Santa Barbara, California, police investigation, security guards in Jackson's inner circle said he traveled the country getting prescriptions from doctors. The Los Angeles County coroner, who must rule on the cause of Jackson's June 25 death, met Thursday with the Los Angeles District Attorney, who must decide if anyone will be prosecuted for his death. During the meeting, it was decided that an announcement of the coroner's findings would be delayed indefinitely, according to a source close to the investigation. An official in the coroner's office had previously indicated to reporters that the findings would be made public within days. Katherine Jackson goes to court Monday Katherine Jackson's legal battle for some control of her son's estate returns to court Monday in front of the same judge who is expected to award her permanent guardianship of his children. Jackson's lawyers filed a petition Tuesday accusing the men who now control the estate of being "intent on keeping her in the dark" about deals they've made or are negotiating. Jackson lawyer Londell McMillan raised questions about "a suspicious circle of relationships" involving John Branca, the singer's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend -- who were named executors in Jackson's will. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff gave Branca and McClain temporary control of the estate until Monday's hearing. In the Jackson lawyers' petition, they asked the judge to order Branca, McClain and others to answer questions under oath about their business agreements to determine if they are "fit and able" to administer
[ "What did the district attorney not release?", "When is the hearing about control of estate and custody of children?", "What was delayed indefinatly?", "Who decided not to release the coroner's findings?", "What drug is suspected in Michael Jacksin's death?" ]
[ [ "coroner's report" ], [ "Monday" ], [ "coroner's report" ], [ "Los Angeles District Attorney," ], [ "propofol" ] ]
Coroner's report on what killed Michael Jackson has been delayed indefinitely . Doctor's attorney says Jackson sought Diprivan, drug suspected in his death . Coroner, district attorney decide not to release coroner's findings . Hearing Monday on control of estate, custody of children .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Workers using blowtorches accidentally started a weekend fire at Universal Studios, Los Angeles County spokeswoman Judy Hammond told CNN Monday. The fire burns buildings and movie sets at Universal Studios on Sunday. The fast-moving, early morning blaze destroyed several movie sets and the King Kong exhibit. It also damaged a video vault but copies of reels and videos are kept at another location, said Ron Meyer, chief operating officer of Universal Studios. "Fortunately, nothing irreplaceable was lost," he said. "The video library was affected and damaged, but our main vault of our motion picture negatives was not." While firefighters were battling the blaze Sunday, a pressurized cylinder exploded at Universal Studios on Sunday, injuring two firefighters, officials said. Eight other firefighters were injured during much of Sunday as they fought back enormous flames. Universal Studios officials resumed normal business hours Monday, including the studio tour. The fire destroyed an area called New York street, which includes movie set-style buildings designed to look like the cityscape of New York City. Hours after the blaze was reported, the roughly two-block area appeared charred and resembled a "disaster movie," said Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge. LaBonge said he could see the smoke from his Silver Lake home Sunday morning. "It looked like a bomb had exploded," he said. The fire began around 4:45 a.m. and was contained initially by 9 a.m. Throughout the morning, large plumes of black smoke rose as the fire burned the vault containing hundreds of videos, said Meyer. The set of "The Changeling," a film recently directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie, was "completely destroyed," Meyer said. Another area called "Courthouse Square" also was destroyed, he said. Numerous movies have been shot in that area, including several scenes of the 1985 hit "Back to the Future."
[ "What destroyed movie sets and a King Kong exhibit?", "Who started the fire?", "Were many firefighters were injured?", "Who started Sunday's fire?", "When was the fire?", "What did the blaze destroy?", "What was destroyed in the fire?" ]
[ [ "blaze" ], [ "Workers using blowtorches" ], [ "Eight other" ], [ "Workers using blowtorches" ], [ "weekend" ], [ "several movie sets and the King Kong exhibit." ], [ "several movie sets and the King Kong exhibit." ] ]
Workers using heating tools started Sunday's fire, an official told CNN . The blaze destroyed movie sets and a King Kong exhibit . 10 firefighters were injured .
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- World War II didn't just divide the world. It also divided four brothers. Ken (left) and Harry Akune served in the U.S. military during World War II. Not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Harry and Ken Akune were sent to live in an internment camp in Amache, Colorado. When the U.S. Army's Military Intelligence Service came to their camp to recruit Japanese-speaking volunteers as interpreters, they joined so they could prove their loyalty to their country. Across the world in Japan, their father Ichiro was raising the rest of his large family -- which had returned to his home country after the death of his wife -- in a fishing village, Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu. The youngest brothers, Saburo and Shiro, were just teenagers when they were drafted into the Imperial Japanese Navy. The brothers, four of the Akunes' nine children, had all been born or raised in the United States; Ichiro Akune owned a grocery business before moving back to Japan. Harry and Ken had been sent back to America to work and earn money for the family. Watch how brother fought brother during the war » Harry and Ken graduated from language school in 1942 and were dispatched to the Pacific Theater. Ken served in Burma at the Office of War Information. His job was trying to create propaganda to persuade the Japanese to surrender rather than sacrifice their lives on the battlefield. Harry served in New Guinea and the Philippines. His ethnicity didn't endear him to some of his colleagues. "I had an intelligence officer who disliked me," Harry recalled. Before a parachute jump onto the island of Corregidor with the 503rd Paratroopers late in the war, the officer stripped Harry of all of his gear, including his weapon. "I got onto the airplane with only my parachute. A soldier took pity on me and helped find a rifle and one clip," he said. He survived, but many of his fellow soldiers did not. Twenty percent of them lost their lives just on the jump because of the jagged terrain and enemy fire. iReport.com: What did you do in the war? His work was heroic. Harry's interrogation of prisoners and translation of captured documents revealed a Japanese occupation force of over 5,000, which vastly outnumbered the American forces. "My information helped reduce casualties," he said. Most of the Japanese soldiers chose death over what they perceived as dishonor. Harry says only 22 were captured, with the rest dying in combat or suicide attacks -- and they often weren't satisfied with dying alone. At one point, with Harry's back turned, a prisoner jumped him and tried to kill him. Harry recalls the incident vividly. "My guard beat him with his gun. It seemed like this prisoner was clinging to me for dear life," he said. "That feeling I have never lost. Even though he was the enemy, to see him die the way he did, affected me." The Japan-based Akune brothers saw death from the other perspective, as part of the war effort. Saburo became a spotter for kamikazes, known for their suicide dive-bomb missions on Allied ships. Shiro, just 15, served at Sasebo, a naval base, helping to orient new recruits. He remembers American Grumman torpedo planes flying into the harbor. "Bap, bap, bap ... ships going down ... we just watching! We cannot do anything!" he remembered. After the war, the Akune brothers discovered they served against each other, leading to ill feelings on both sides. Harry and Ken, now in Japan as members of the Allied Prisoner of War Recovery Team, joined Saburo and Shiro at a family reunion in Kagoshima. "When we first met, the topic of the war came up. Both sides were saying their side was right," Ken said. "Saburo and Shiro got really hot and stood up, they wanted to fight us." "The propaganda situation in Japan was very extreme," Shiro said
[ "Where did the brother end up living?", "How many Akune brother fought for the US in World War II", "What job did they do in the camp?", "What did the U.S. brother do in the camp?", "where do brothers live in us?", "What war did they fight in?" ]
[ [ "Amache, Colorado." ], [ "four" ], [ "interpreters," ], [ "to recruit Japanese-speaking volunteers as interpreters, they joined so they could prove their loyalty to their country." ], [ "internment camp in Amache, Colorado." ], [ "II" ] ]
Two Akune brothers fought for U.S., two for Japan in World War II . U.S. brothers had been in internment camp; served as interpreters . Japanese brothers drafted as teens; one was spotter for kamikaze pilots . Brothers reunited after end of war; all ended up living in U.S.
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Youssif, the 5-year-old burned Iraqi boy, rounded the corner at Universal Studios when suddenly the little boy hero met his favorite superhero. Youssif has always been a huge Spider-Man fan. Meeting him was "my favorite thing," he said. Spider-Man was right smack dab in front of him, riding a four-wheeler amid a convoy of other superheroes. The legendary climber of buildings and fighter of evil dismounted, walked over to Youssif and introduced himself. Spidey then gave the boy from a far-away land a gentle hug, embracing him in his iconic blue and red tights. He showed Youssif a few tricks, like how to shoot a web from his wrist. Only this time, no web was spun. "All right Youssif!" Spider-Man said after the boy mimicked his wrist movement. Other superheroes crowded around to get a closer look. Even the Green Goblin stopped his villainous ways to tell the boy hi. Youssif remained unfazed. He didn't take a liking to Spider-Man's nemesis. Spidey was just too cool. "It was my favorite thing," the boy said later. "I want to see him again." He then felt compelled to add: "I know it's not the real Spider-Man." This was the day of dreams when the boy's nightmares were, at least temporarily, forgotten. He met SpongeBob, Lassie and a 3-year-old orangutan named Archie. The hairy, brownish-red primate took to the boy, grabbing his hand and holding it. Even when Youssif pulled away, Archie would inch his hand back toward the boy's and then snatch it. See Youssif enjoy being a boy again » The boy giggled inside a play area where sponge-like balls shot out of toy guns. It was a far different artillery than what he was used to seeing in central Baghdad, as recently as a week ago. He squealed with delight and raced around the room collecting as many balls as he could. He rode a tram through the back stages at Universal Studios. At one point, the car shook. Fire and smoke filled the air, debris cascaded down and a big rig skidded toward the vehicle. The boy and his family survived the pretend earthquake unscathed. "Even I was scared," the dad said. "Well, I wasn't," Youssif replied. The father and mother grinned from ear to ear throughout the day. Youssif pushed his 14-month-old sister, Ayaa, in a stroller. "Did you even need to ask us if we were interested in coming here?" Youssif's father said in amazement. "Other than my wedding day, this is the happiest day of my life," he said. Just a day earlier, the mother and father talked about their journey out of Iraq and to the United States. They also discussed that day nine months ago when masked men grabbed their son outside the family home, doused him in gas and set him on fire. His mother heard her boy screaming from inside. The father sought help for his boy across Baghdad, but no one listened. He remembers his son's two months of hospitalization. The doctors didn't use anesthetics. He could hear his boy's piercing screams from the other side of the hospital. Watch Youssif meet his doctor and play with his little sister » The father knew that speaking to CNN would put his family's lives in jeopardy. The possibility of being killed was better than seeing his son suffer, he said. "Anything for Youssif," he said. "We had to do it." They described a life of utter chaos in Baghdad. Neighbors had recently given birth to a baby girl. Shortly afterward, the father was kidnapped and killed. Then, there was the time when some girls wore tanktops and jeans. They were snatched off the street by gunmen. The stories can be even more gruesome. The couple said
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[ [ "\"It was my favorite thing,\"" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Meeting him" ], [ "Universal" ], [ "SpongeBob, Lassie" ], [ "wedding" ], [ "wedding day," ], [ "\"Even I was scared,\"" ], [ "wedding" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Studios" ], [ "\"I know it's not the real Spider-Man.\"" ], [ "\"Even I was scared,\"" ], [ "5-year-old burned Iraqi boy," ], [ "Youssif," ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "happiest day of my life,\"" ], [ "Youssif's father" ], [ "this is the happiest" ], [ "Green Goblin" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "happiest" ], [ "Spider-Man" ], [ "Youssif," ] ]
Boy on meeting Spider-Man: "It was my favorite thing" Youssif also met SpongeBob, Lassie and an orangutan at Universal Studios . Dad: "Other than my wedding day, this is the happiest day of my life"
LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- "To insure or not to insure?" It isn't Shakespeare, but it is the dramatic question Hollywood filmmakers are asking about Lindsay Lohan following her legal troubles this week. Lindsay Lohan may still get work after her legal problems are settled, but the cost will be high. It is an important question, too, because whether companies insure Lohan's future movies may determine whether she will quickly fall off Hollywood's A-list. But Lohan fans have little to fear because no actor is uninsurable, say underwriting experts. While some producers may balk at conditions for hiring problematic stars, experts say that unless an actor is serving time in prison, even the most volatile can be covered -- albeit at a high cost. "For a price, anything can be done, although an insurance carrier can make things so unpalatable that at times the makers of the film just won't be interested," said Ross Miller, partner with insurance brokerage D.R. Reiff & Associates Inc. Lohan's arrest this week in Los Angeles on suspicion of drunken driving and cocaine possession has left Hollywood wondering if the actress, who shot to fame as a child in Disney films like "The Parent Trap," is too risky to cast in a film. Timeline: Lindsay Lohan's troubles » It remains to be seen whether her latest relapse and brush with the law will cost her a role in "Poor Things," a film produced by and starring Oscar-winner Shirley MacLaine. See a gallery of Lohan's films » A statement was expected early next week on whether the movie, already delayed this spring due to an earlier rehab stint by Lohan, will proceed with or without her. Insurance experts say the industry has long dealt with similar situations, although they may seem more frequent with the recent heavy media scrutiny of Lohan and fellow troubled party girls Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. "I don't think it (a problematic artist) is any more of an issue," said Wendy Diaz, entertainment underwriting director at Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., the leading film underwriter. "It's pretty standard year to year." But Diaz did say the terms for covering Lohan would likely be "serious at this point." She said Fireman's Fund, in such a case, would likely put in higher deductibles, or ask the star to put their salary into escrow to pay for any losses if production was disrupted. Last July, a producer on Lohan's last film, "Georgia Rule," scolded her publicly for repeatedly showing up late on the set, costing the movie's makers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Brian Kingman, a managing director with entertainment insurance broker Aon/Albert G. Ruben said covering situations like Lohan's required a lot of calculation and risk management. Insurance rates for errant actors can range anywhere from 1 percent to 3 percent of a movie's production budget, which can range from $5 million to $100 million or more, he said. "Filmmakers fall in love with certain actors for certain roles and my job is to find risk-takers to take on the risk," Kingman said. He said actors were always required to undergo a medical exam before getting insurance. In certain circumstances, drug screening is conducted and actors are required to provide blood and urine samples. In cases of known drug abuse, "minders" are sometimes required on set to keep an eye on the actor. Kingman said he had even helped craft policies for actors in the event they risked the possibility of incarceration. "I have been successful in finding and creating incarceration coverage for certain actors on probation which can be revoked if they break certain rules," he said, citing the case of Robert Downey Jr., another high-profile star with a history of legal, drug and alcohol problems. E-mail to a friend
[ "Insurance rates will be what percent?", "what is the reason that lohan can't insure?", "which film is lohan supposed to appear?", "Who will find it difficult to find insurance?", "Lohan is to appear in what film?", "Who else appears in Poor Things?", "In which film is Lohan supposed to appear?", "What move is Lohan supposed to appear in?", "What do the insurance rates cost?", "which are the main problems that Lindsay Lohan?", "What film is Lohan supposed to appear on?", "what is the name of mre lohan", "Who is difficult to insure?", "Can Linsay Lohan take out life insurance cover?", "What film is Lohan supposed to appear in?", "What percentage of the production budget will be taken up by insurance cost?" ]
[ [ "to 3" ], [ "her legal troubles" ], [ "\"Poor Things,\"" ], [ "Lindsay Lohan" ], [ "\"Poor Things,\"" ], [ "Shirley MacLaine." ], [ "\"Poor Things,\"" ], [ "\"Poor Things,\"" ], [ "1 percent to 3 percent of a movie's production budget," ], [ "legal" ], [ "\"Georgia Rule,\"" ], [ "Lindsay" ], [ "Lindsay Lohan" ], [ "be done," ], [ "\"Poor Things,\"" ], [ "from 1 percent to 3 percent of a movie's" ] ]
Because of troubles, Lindsay Lohan likely difficult to insure . Lohan supposed to appear in Shirley MacLaine film "Poor Things" Insurance rates may cost 1 to 3 percent of film's production budget .
LOS ANGELES, California -- Dr. Andre Berger sees himself as a pioneer. Where others in the medical community believe injections of human growth hormone should be given to adults in only rare cases, Berger believes it is a crucial part of keeping people young and vital. Dr. Andre Berger says the patients requesting HGH from him are getting younger and younger. Berger, who has been practicing anti-aging and holistic medicine for 30 years, says he is now prescribing injections of HGH to about one out of every four people he treats at his Rejuvalife Vitality Institute in Beverly Hills. "People come here for generally two reasons; they want to look better, and they want to feel better," Berger says. While Berger says most of his patients are middle-aged, he's now getting calls from Hollywood 30-somethings wanting HGH and rap artists inquiring about illegal steroids, something he does not offer. "They feel that part of being a rap star is looking buff and having big muscles, etc., so anything they can do to bring themselves to look like that is going to enhance the whole image," he says. HGH has been used since the 1950s to help children with growth problems, but it stayed under the radar for other uses until 1990, when Dr. Daniel Rudman reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that men taking a six-month course of HGH reduced their body fat by 14.4 percent while increasing lean muscle mass by 8.8 percent. The study included just a dozen men, but it inspired a flood of anti-aging literature touting the benefits of growth hormone, along with countless Web sites selling HGH creams and sprays. Endocrinologists say those products, though, are worthless -- the body can use HGH only when it's injected to treat patients with HGH, Berger says they must be diagnosed with a deficiency of HGH, which happens naturally as the body ages. "It's a very important hormone, but it's not something to be taken in isolation," he says. Berger says he prescribes HGH to restore normal levels of the hormone and makes it part of a broader long-term treatment program including diet, nutritional supplements, exercise and other hormone replacement. Dennis Pelino, a 60-year-old Beverly Hills entrepreneur, says five years ago, he was having trouble keeping up with the younger people he was doing business with, so he started treatments, which included HGH injections. "My skin tone got a lot better. I just felt better," he says. "My eyes got a lot brighter. My hearing, I swear, got better." Pelino says HGH injections, along with a healthy diet, exercise, and supplements has made him feel 10 years younger. "I can keep up with people who are a lot younger than me," he says. "I am not trying to set records, I am just trying to stay in the game, I am doing business here." But critics argue that doctors are taking huge risks by administering HGH because it hasn't been studied extensively long-term and says many of the same benefits can be found in diet and exercise alone. "There are serious side effects associated with using growth hormone for these individuals including an elevated risk of cancer, diabetes," says Dr. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Olshansky, who has studied anti-aging for over 20 years, contends that many of the claims are just false and says that only in the rarest of cases can HGH be prescribed legally. "It can be prescribed in adults for only two things; muscle-wasting associated with HIV/AIDS, which is extremely rare, and for adult growth hormone deficiency," he says. Still, celebrities including Sylvester Stallone and Suzanne Somers who have openly supported the use of HGH, have attracted those just seeking a new lease on life. Marketers for HGH therapies claim it's become a $2 billion-a-year business, thanks in large part to aging baby boomers willing to pay big bucks to emulate the stars whose looks
[ "What do Critics say?", "What was the HGH used for in the first place?", "What age group of people did doctors say want steroids and HGH?", "What did the critics say?", "What was HGH first used to help", "How many people want steroids?" ]
[ [ "argue that doctors are taking huge risks by administering HGH" ], [ "to help children with growth problems," ], [ "30-somethings" ], [ "doctors are taking huge risks by administering HGH" ], [ "children with growth problems," ], [ "one out of every four" ] ]
Doctor says more 30-somethings want steroids and HGH . HGH first used to help children with growth problems . Critics say there are health dangers .
LOS ANGELES, California -- On Earth Day on Wednesday, Dr. David Jentsch marched at the head of a column of UCLA students and faculty members to the chant of, "Stand up for science!" Across the street a smaller but equally vocal group of animal rights advocates chanted, "U-C-L-A, how many animals have you killed today!" Animal rights activists say large numbers of animals are killed each year during medical trials. Until recently, Jentsch had never dreamed he would lead a political demonstration. But Jentsch's life took a sharp turn last month when his car was firebombed in his driveway. A radical group of animal rights activists claimed responsibility for the act. "This is terror," Jentsch said. "There is no two ways about it. It's extremism. It's an attempt to intimidate." It was the latest in a string of arson attacks against UCLA researchers who use animals in medical research projects. Since 2006, there have been seven attacks aimed at researcher's homes or cars. No arrests have been made in the cases, which are being investigated by an FBI lead task force on terrorism. "We believe it's just a matter of time before someone is going to be hurt," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Salvador Hernandez. "The intent of these groups is to intimidate and coerce." Hernandez heads up the task force investigating the series of attacks and says their actions qualify as terrorist attacks. But animal rights advocate Chris DeRose says nothing could be further from the truth "There has never been one human being in this country being killed or even hurt," he said. He believes the university researchers are the bad guys. "What I do condemn is what goes on behind those walls," he says. DeRose, founder of Last Chance for Animals, says he doesn't condone firebombing researchers' homes, but he doesn't condemn it either. Watch people against animal research at protest » "The reason these people are doing it is because they have been pushed ... nobody is listening ... over a hundred million animals a year are killed in universities and major hospitals in this country," he said. Jentsch argues that same medical research using lab animals has lead to many medical breakthroughs that benefit mankind. UCLA points to research advances in breast cancer treatments, Parkinson's disease and artificial heart technology that relied on experiments involving lab animals at their California facilities. Jentsch's own research involves studies aimed at treating drug addiction in humans. He studies the brains of monkeys that have been injected with methamphetamine. He says his experiments are peer-reviewed and adhere strictly to established rules for the treatment of lab animals. Watch supporters of animal research at protest » Jentsch says that he hopes that this week's dueling demonstrations can lead to a dialogue. He believes many of the protestors voicing opposition to the UCLA labs do not endorse the string of violent acts aimed against him and other researchers, "but it is essential for them to repudiate this type of activity." In the meantime, Jentsch says he refuses to be intimidated. "I'm going to continue to live where I live, continue to educate people about my work," he said. "I'm not going to stop."
[ "Who condemns the use of animals in research?", "What did Jentsch say?", "Who joined the protest?", "What happened to Jentsch's car?", "How many attacks on his home and car have there been since 2006?", "Who protested after his car was firebombed last month?", "What are the activists condemning?" ]
[ [ "Dr. David Jentsch" ], [ "\"There is no two ways about it. It's extremism. It's an attempt to intimidate.\"" ], [ "Dr. David Jentsch" ], [ "firebombed" ], [ "seven" ], [ "Dr. David Jentsch" ], [ "animals are killed each year during medical trials." ] ]
Dr. David Jentsch joins protest after his car was firebombed last month . Activists condemn use of animals as subjects for medical research . Since 2006, there have been seven attacks aimed at researcher's homes or cars . Jentsch: "This is terror. There is no two ways about it. It's extremism"
LOS ANGELES, California -- One of the bigger difficulties any first-time buyer faces is purchasing a car that doesn't scream "first-time" to friends, relatives and co-workers, or indeed to the buyer each time they step into an ill-chosen purchase. A "shark" that races down roads. To break from the boring econobox, here are some of the more sculpted and stylish cars available for about $20,000 that will hold their looks for a long time and give a little bit of joy to a first-time owner. Hyundai Tiburon If you didn't know already, Tiburon means "shark" in Spanish, and it's not hard to see how Hyundai's sporty coupe can stalk the unwary first-time buyer and snare them quickly. Like an instantly recognizable dorsal fin, the Tiburon in its third incarnation is perhaps the purest low-slung sportster that won't bust a first-time buyer's wallet, though it may chew a hole in the seat of their pants as they're pushed back into those tight-hugging bucket seats. The startling Hyundai-designed looks boast a touch of Italian styling uncommon for its bracket. Mazda MazdaSpeed3 A bona-fide pocket rocket, any first-time buyer can put a fair distance between themselves and the pack in the MazdaSpeed3, part of the Asian carmaker's strategy to wrestle performance compact coupe sales from European carmakers. This one isn't overbearingly dripped in trim or wings, but don't let any youngster tell you it doesn't have what it takes to make their peers jealous. The MazdaSpeed3 will storm from standing to a mile a minute in under six seconds and is said to hit 155 mph. Its secret is torque negation in the low gears -- and perhaps its 263 horses under the hood. Another hidden gem is its seven-speaker Bose stereo. Pontiac G5 GT Coupe Much like the fantastic Chevy Cobalt SS, its younger sister Pontiac G5 GT boasts highly sprung motoring at a price that appeals to the first-time buyer's wallet. The G5 GT has been tweaked just slightly from its sister SS -- like the difference between Ashlee and Jessica Simpson -- boasting a less horizontal grille and more sculpted valance. Both are reasonably stylish from the back and side and both leaving plenty room for aftermarket add-ons. A new grille entirely, like a Phantom, may just be what you need to set it off against the crowd. The GT's inline-four 2.4-liter 173-hp engine -- 25hp over the base -- drives the front wheels to hit 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds. Gas mileage is good and customer satisfaction ratings are off the hook. Ford Mustang V6 A revamped chassis is the key to why Ford's Mustang has become an outstanding product at a price that's hard to beat. A tweak to the iconic lines for last year included a smaller back window and a longer, craggier front end. Some might of course call us heretics for picking a V6 over the famous eight-cylinder included in the GT package but, to be honest, the V6 performs admirably, pushes out 210hp and emits a low-down growl that sounds wonderful. And it's still a Mustang. Civic Coupe A Civic hatch was my second car (after a very short-lived VW Rabbit). The coupe tested earlier this year brought back fond memories of the Civic's surprisingly roomy front cabin, its enjoyable handling and maneuverability, first-class economy and its sporty elongated hood and swooping back end. Standard features include a 350-watt premium sound system, a touch-screen satellite-navigation system whose screen flips to reveal the CD player, and a slot for a computer memory card. It's also got a funky dash that spectrally lights at night -- what fun. Scion xB On the heels of its 2004 release, Toyota's hipster Scion brand has remodeled its boxy wonder this year, this time boasting more than a design nod to its parent company's FJ Cruiser. Wide rear pillars, wraparound headlights and bumper define the second-generation variant, which comes dripping with gadgetry
[ "What brand is the Scion?", "Which car boasts highly sprung motoring?", "What does Scion come with inside?", "what is the version of pontiac that is high sprung motoring?", "What does the Pontiac G5 GT boast?", "which of toyotas hipsters come with gadgerty", "What car boasts highly sprung motoring", "Which vehicle comes overloaded with gadgetry?", "tiburon how much it costs?", "What does Scion have inside?", "What does G5 GT boast?", "pontiac g5 boasts what?", "What is Tiburon?", "Who manufacturer the Scion?", "What's inside the Toyota's hipster Scion?", "What boasts highly sprung motoring?", "Who is Tiburon?", "what comes dripping?" ]
[ [ "Toyota's" ], [ "Pontiac G5 GT" ], [ "gadgetry" ], [ "G5 GT" ], [ "highly sprung motoring" ], [ "Scion xB" ], [ "Pontiac G5 GT" ], [ "Scion xB" ], [ "$20,000" ], [ "gadgetry" ], [ "highly sprung motoring" ], [ "highly sprung motoring at a price that appeals to the first-time buyer's wallet." ], [ "means \"shark\" in Spanish," ], [ "Toyota's" ], [ "gadgetry" ], [ "Pontiac G5 GT" ], [ "Hyundai's sporty coupe" ], [ "Wide rear pillars," ] ]
Tiburon is low-slung sportster that won't bust first-time buyer's wallet . Pontiac G5 GT boasts highly sprung motoring . Toyota's hipster Scion comes dripping with gadgetry inside .
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (CNN) -- Chilling winds and more snow were expected for Kentucky on Tuesday, bad news for more than a quarter of a million people still without power after an ice storm. Ice covers nearly everything in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Tuesday. Forecasters said as much as 3 inches of snow could fall in areas of Kentucky, one of several states dealing with snow. The snowfall could hamper efforts of Kentucky National Guard troops that have been going door-to-door to check on families. The storm has been blamed for at least 16 deaths, several from carbon-monoxide poisoning caused by exhaust from generators, authorities said. Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has called the ice storm "the biggest natural disaster that this state has ever experienced in modern history." Beshear toured areas in western Kentucky over the weekend, the hardest hit area, where National Guard troops also were focusing their efforts. In a statement, Beshear said the call-up of troops "represents the strongest possible effort to relieve human suffering and ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens." iReport.com: Share photos of icy, snowy weather in your town One of the people guard members checked on was 83-year-old Paul Jenkins, who was using water stored in buckets, had no power and was relying on kerosene for heat. "When we lose power, we're in trouble 'cause all we got is electric," said Jenkins, who lives in Breckinridge County west of Louisville. Kentucky wasn't the only place battling icy conditions. The National Weather Service put out winter storm advisories Tuesday for areas in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Virginia. In many areas, trees remain in roads or even on homes. Louisville resident John Randolph pointed to tree branches that fell onto his two-story suburban home. "Just the overall power of the branches falling was actually pretty frightening" when the ice storm was setting in, Randolph said. He added: "The baby slept through the night and didn't wake up once. My wife and I, once we heard the first branches falling, we didn't go back to sleep the whole night. We didn't know what to do. ... Ultimately, we sort of just stayed in our bedrooms, and I just kind of went outside periodically and assessed the situation." Randolph's home -- which escaped serious damage -- is among those without power. See images of the ice storm's aftermath » Arthur Byrn, mayor of Mayfield -- one of the cities suffering from the storm -- told CNN Radio that authorities were conducting a "door-to-door welfare check of the entire Graves County area, which is 38,000 people." Graves County is in the southwest corner of Kentucky, near the Missouri and Tennessee lines. Byrn said it could take as long as two months for the county to have 100 percent of its power back. iReport.com: Tour ice storm damage in Elizabethtown, Kentucky "It's quite disconcerting to go out at 7 o'clock at night and not see a light anywhere other than [a headlight] coming down the street," Byrn said. "Devastation is sometimes an overused word, but I would say that's what we had." CNN's Susan Candiotti and Andy Rose contributed to this report.
[ "What forecast said about snow coming?", "In a numbers, how many people still without power?", "where it happened?", "where National Guard troops continue visiting houses?", "where Forecast calls for up to 3 inches?", "when ice storm happened?", "where About a quarter-million still without power?" ]
[ [ "as much as 3 inches of" ], [ "quarter of a million" ], [ "Elizabethtown, Kentucky" ], [ "western Kentucky" ], [ "Kentucky," ], [ "Tuesday," ], [ "Kentucky" ] ]
NEW: Forecast calls for up to 3 inches of snow following ice storm . About a quarter-million still without power from last week's storm . National Guard troops continue visiting houses to check residents' welfare . Storm blamed for at least 16 deaths, several from carbon-monoxide poisoning .
LYON, France -- Inter Milan have agreed to the transfer of Italian World Cup winning defender Fabio Grosso to six-time French champions Lyon. Grosso made 23 Serie-A appearances for Inter Milan last season. "The player arrived late on Friday evening and passed his medical test before signing his contract with the club on Saturday morning, all three parties involved are in agreement," said Olivier Blanc, communications director of the French club. The 29-year-old Italian will be present at a ceremony at Lyon's Town Hall to launch the French champions 2007-08 season. Grosso is Lyon's highest-profile summer signing and will come as much sought after relief by a club who saw the departure of France international left back Eric Abidal to Barcelona. Lyon, chasing a record seventh consecutive League One title, have also signed Nadir Belhadj from French first division rivals Sedan and Mathieu Bodmer and Kadar Keita both from Lille. The Italian League champions Inter Milan decided to release Grosso after a below-par season and just one year at the club. The imposing defender played 23 matches in the league last term, scoring two goals. He will be bitterly remembered in France for scoring Italy's winning penalty in the final shootout that denied France their second World Cup success. Grosso will be the third Italian to play for the club since it was founded, following Orenzo Dito and Aridex Caligaris in the 1950s. E-mail to a friend
[ "When did Grosso sign his contract?", "what team did he sign with?", "Who signed Grosso?", "who signed a new contract?" ]
[ [ "on Saturday morning," ], [ "French champions Lyon." ], [ "Lyon." ], [ "Grosso" ] ]
Lyon have completed the signing of Inter Milan defender Fabio Grosso . The Italian World Cup winner signed his contract on Saturday morning . Lyon will be bidding for a seventh consecutive French title next season .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- A previously unknown armed group said Friday it attacked a Nigerian oil pipeline this week on the first full day in office for Nigeria's new acting president. The attempt by the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) of the Niger Delta was not successful, a spokesman for the military said. But it indicates not everyone in Nigeria is happy with the way the new president, who hails from the Niger Delta region, was given power. The JRC said that early Wednesday, one of its units attacked and "exploded" the Tura manifold owned by Royal Dutch Shell in Abonnema, near the coast. The manifold connects several pipelines to the Bonny Export Terminal. "Our patriotic fighters fought and overpowered the military guards on duty (as all Shell manifolds are always heavily guarded) before going ahead to explode the Tura manifold," the group's statement said. But Lt. Col. Timothy Antigua, a spokesman for the Nigerian military, said the attack failed. "On Wednesday night there was an attempt by criminals to sabotage a Shell pipeline," he told CNN. "They were thwarted in their attempt by a community surveillance group assigned to protect the Shell pipeline." Antigua said the group's dynamite and other explosives were recovered and that there were no injuries or deaths. A spokesman for Shell in The Hague, Netherlands, said the company had received no report of an attack. The JRC said its attack Wednesday followed another last weekend, and that both are aimed at incapacitating the export terminal and fighting the "occupation" in Nigeria. "The actions are continuous and are preparatory to the final war. Every little step we take today brings us closer to freedom," read the statement. Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was approved for the role Tuesday by Nigeria's House and Senate to fill the political void left after President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua departed in November for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Jonathan was previously the country's vice president. In his first address to the nation Tuesday, Jonathan praised the "resilience and unity of purpose" with which Nigerians reacted to the recent political upheaval, saying there were "no winners and no losers" and that it is now time to move forward. He called on all Nigerians and the country's political parties to "tackle the various challenges which we face as a nation," including those in the areas of power, infrastructure, security and job creation. Jonathan also vowed to pursue the "war against corruption" more robustly. His appointment has stirred controversy in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, with some arguing that the articles of the Nigerian constitution were not followed with the transfer of power. Nigeria's constitution says the president must formally communicate to the National Assembly that he is empowering the vice president to act as president in his absence. While no such formal communication was given, the Senate declared Tuesday that a January 13 BBC interview with Yar'Adua from his hospital bed could constitute such a notice. In the interview, the president acknowledged that he could not perform the duties of his office and would not be able to return until his doctors declared him fit. In a separate statement, the JRC called Jonathan a "lame-duck ruler" and termed his acting presidency an "illegality" because of questions over the transfer of power. The group said Jonathan was appointed in a "jungle manner." "The purported interview granted the British Broadcasting Corporation by the deserter president can never (be) approximated to a (formal)/official letter which ought to be duly endorsed by the writer," the JRC said. "The deserting act of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua can only be appropriately categorized as gross misconduct and should naturally have attracted an impeachment. This ought to have been followed by the swearing in of the vice president as substantive president, not in an acting capacity." The group said the political events will not deter their "resolve to wage a continuous revolutionary war to liberate all parts of our territory." CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report.
[ "What did the Nigerian spokesman say about the attack?", "Who does Acting President Goodluck Jonathan replace?", "Who claimed the pipeline attack?", "Who is the acting President?", "Who was approved for the role?", "What did JCR say?", "Who is spokesman for Nigerian military?" ]
[ [ "the" ], [ "Umaru Musa Yar'Adua" ], [ "Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) of the Niger Delta" ], [ "Goodluck Jonathan" ], [ "Goodluck Jonathan" ], [ "one of its units attacked and \"exploded\" the Tura manifold" ], [ "Lt. Col. Timothy Antigua," ] ]
Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) of the Niger Delta claims pipeline attack . JRC said one of its units attacked and "exploded" the Tura manifold . A spokesman for the Nigerian military said the attack failed . Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was approved for the role Tuesday .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria on Tuesday faced international calls to bring to justice killer mobs armed with guns and knives who massacred hundreds of villagers in the country's rural heartland. As more details of the atrocities emerged, Nigeria's acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, replaced his national security adviser, although it was not clear whether the move was related to the weekend violence. At least 200 Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday, when groups of men with guns, machetes, and knives attacked people in three villages south of Jos, in the Plateau State, Human Rights Watch said. Other agencies gave higher death tolls. Sani Shehu, president of the nongovernmental agency Civil Rights Congress, put the number of dead at about 485. And a Christian leader who participated in a mass burial of 67 bodies Monday in one of the towns said about 375 people were dead or still missing. Explainer: What's behind the violence Human Rights Watch cited witnesses as saying the attackers were Islamic men and that they targeted Christians, mostly from the Berom ethnic group. The victims were in the villages of Dogo Nahawa, Zot, and Ratsat, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Jos, the state capital. The attackers had previously lived in the villages but left last month, Human Rights Watch said, citing multiple witness accounts. Witnesses, community leaders, and journalists who visited the villages told Human Rights Watch they saw bodies -- including those of children and babies -- inside houses, on the streets, and in the pathways leading out of the villages. They said many homes, cars, and other items were burned and destroyed. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria expressed its "deep regret" at the violence in the area. "We extend our sympathies to those who have lost their loved ones and friends, and for the massive destruction of property," the mission said in a statement. "We continue to urge all parties to exercise restraint and seek constructive means for addressing the continuing cycle of violence in Plateau State. Such loss of life and destruction cannot continue to weaken the fabric of unity and peace that all Nigerians love." The mission called on the Nigerian government to make sure the attackers are brought to justice. Human Rights Watch called on Jonathan to make sure the attacks are "thoroughly and promptly investigated" and to prosecute those responsible. The attacks were reprisals for previous attacks against Islamic communities in the area and the theft of cattle from herdsmen, Human Rights Watch said. Police have arrested 98 people in connection with those attacks, the group said, citing official police figures. John Onaiyekan, the archbishop of Abuja, told Vatican Radio on Monday that the violence is the result of a dispute over access to natural resources, not religion. "This kind of terrible violence has left thousands dead in Plateau state in the past decade," said Corinne Dufka, a senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities need to protect these communities, bring the perpetrators to book, and address the root causes of violence." Jonathan, who was installed as acting head of state in February while President Umaru Yar'Adua recovers from illness, has called for calm. He put security on high alert Sunday and began operations to seek the attackers. Human Rights Watch said the additional military presence and patrols have been largely limited, however, to major roads and towns and have not protected the smaller communities. The most populous country in Africa, with a population of more than 150 million, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. With more than 78 million Muslims, it has the sixth-largest Islamic population in the world, according to a study last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. While some outbursts of violence are between Christians and Muslims, other disputes are based on ethnicity. The country is home to 250 to 400 ethnic groups, making it one of the most diverse African nations, according to the International Displacement Monitoring Centre. CNN's Christian Purefoy in Jos, Nigeria contributed to this
[ "U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria calls for killers to be brought to what?", "When did it happen", "At least how many Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday?", "Was the Nigerian national security adviser replaced?", "How many Christian villagers died on Sunday?" ]
[ [ "justice" ], [ "early Sunday," ], [ "200" ], [ "his" ], [ "At least 200" ] ]
Nigerian national security adviser replaced after massacre . At least 200 Christian villagers died in the attacks early Sunday . U.S. diplomatic mission to Nigeria calls for killers to be brought to justice .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- The death toll from weekend violence in central Nigeria climbed to more than 200 Monday after members of a machete-wielding Muslim group attacked a mostly Christian town south of the city of Jos, officials said. More than 200 were dead and 32 injured, according to Choji Gyang, a religious affairs adviser to the head of Plateau state, who said bodies were still being recovered. Sani Shehu, president of the nongovernmental agency Civil Rights Congress, put the number of dead at about 485 people. Twenty-six arrests had been made in connection with the violence, Gyang said. Nigerian Vice President Goodluck Jonathan put security on high alert Sunday and began operations to capture the "roving bands of killers" who attacked Dogo Nahauwa, a town just south of Jos. Are you there? Send your video, images to iReport The townsfolk are predominantly Berom, an ethnic group that mostly practices Christianity, said Manase Pampe, spokesman for the Red Cross Plateau state office. Reports of the attack described the assailants as members of the Muslim Hausa-Fulani ethnic group, Pampe and government spokesman Gregory Yenlong said. The attackers stormed the town at 3 a.m. Sunday (9 p.m. Saturday ET) and remained there for 2½ hours, Pampe said. Buildings were set afire, and people were attacked with machetes, Yenlong said. The violence resembled previous outbreaks of ethno-religious clashes in the West African nation. But John Onaiyekan, archbishop of Abuja, told Vatican Radio the most recent outbreak is the result of a dispute over access to natural resources, not religion. "The point that needs to be made is that people are not killing one another because of religion," Onaiyekan said. Instead, he called it a "classical" economic conflict between farmers and less sedentary groups. The Plateau attack prompted Jonathan to place the area and neighboring states on "red alert," the vice president's office said in a news release. He directed security forces to "undertake strategic initiatives to confront and defeat these roving bands of killers," the office said. Jonathan, who became acting head of state in February while President Umaru Yar'Adua recovers from illness, called for calm. "He calls on all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law abiding since violence only begets further violence," the release said. "He also sympathizes with those who have lost relatives and friends in these attacks, asking the Almighty to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss." Onaiyekan said the government had imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew but noted it's difficult for authorities to impose curfews outside the cities. The recent casualties don't "say much about the ability of government to defend its citizens," he said. Hundreds fled the town as the violence raged Sunday. The Red Cross was caring for about 600 people at its camp in Boto in Bauchi state, said Alhaji Abubakar, the group's spokesman in the state. Bauchi is just north of Plateau state. Forty-eight people were treated at hospitals, national Red Cross spokesman Umar Maigari said. Red Cross officials counted 30 bodies in one community but were unable to continue their investigation, he said. Residents wanted to direct the attention to burying the dead, he said. Nigeria -- with more than 150 million people -- is the most populous country in Africa and almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. It has the sixth-largest Islamic population in the world -- 78 million-plus Muslims, according to a study last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. While some outbursts of violence are between Christians and Muslims, some disputes are also ethnic-based. The country is home to 250 to 400 ethnic groups, making it one of the most diverse African nations, according to the International Displacement Monitoring Center. Thousands were displaced in January when violence flared up in Jos, said Shehu of the Civil Rights Congress. A local activist said 69 people were killed and about 600 injured. Also in January, at least 150 Muslims were killed during an attack in Kuru Karama south
[ "What were the people attacked with?", "Is Nigeria a part of the violence?", "What was the death toll?" ]
[ [ "machetes," ], [ "weekend" ], [ "200" ] ]
Officials say death toll more than 200; others put figure as high as 485 . Predominantly Christian town attacked with machetes, buildings set on fire . Reports describe attackers as members of Islamic Hausa-Fulani ethnic group . Nigeria has seen other religious, ethnic violence, including deadly attack on Muslims .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- A series of bomb and gun attacks targeting police stations, mosques and churches left 65 people dead in northeastern Nigeria, the Red Cross said Saturday. Attackers also left scores injured -- probably more than 100 -- in a three-hour rampage in the Yobe state city of Damaturu, according to Ibrahim Bulama of the Red Cross. Sixty-three people died. "It is a very bad scene," he said. Gunmen first attacked the police headquarters and the anti-terror office before moving to churches and mosques, he said. Most of the casualties were police officers. In Potiskum, also located in Yobe state, gunmen attacked a book shop near the police station, killing two and injuring 5, the Red Cross said. The Friday attacks came the same day suicide bombers suspected to belong to a militant Islamist group targeted a military base in nearby Maiduguri. Three suicide bombers drove a stolen black SUV toward a Joint Task Force headquarters, but could not get through the gate, military spokesman Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed said. The blast damaged roofs and walls of the base. Mohammed said two other simultaneous explosions took place at other military facilities. An unspecified number of Nigerian soldiers suffered injuries. Saturday evening, a suicide bomber launched another attack in Maiduguri, Mohammed said. No casualties were reported except for the bomber. He blamed the militant group Boko Haram for the attacks. Loosely translated, the group's name means "Western education is sinful." It wants to establish a state based on Sharia, or Islamic law, in northern Nigeria. The Red Cross official said Boko Haram is suspected in the Damaturu attack as well.
[ "Where was the book shop that the gunmen attacked?", "Where did it take place?", "Which official says \"It is a very bad scene\"?", "What did the gunmen attack after the police officers?", "Where was the book shop that was attacked?", "How many were killed?", "Who said \"it was a very bad scene\"?", "Who did gunmen attack first?" ]
[ [ "near the police station," ], [ "northeastern Nigeria," ], [ "Ibrahim Bulama" ], [ "churches and mosques," ], [ "Potiskum," ], [ "65" ], [ "Ibrahim Bulama" ], [ "the police headquarters and the anti-terror office" ] ]
Gunmen attack a book shop in Potiskum, killing 2 . In Damaturu, gunmen first attacked police offices before moving to churches, mosques . "It is a very bad scene," a Red Cross official says .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Ailing President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has returned home to Nigeria, though it was not immediately clear whether he was well enough to resume duties. Abdullah Aminchi, Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia -- where Yar'Adua has been receiving medical treatment since November -- said the president's health had improved considerably and that he went back to Nigeria on Tuesday. He was treated for inflammation of tissue around the heart, a condition that was diagnosed last fall after he complained of chest pain. He was taken to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he had undergone his last checkup in August, his doctor said His absence had created a power vacuum in Africa's most populous nation, observers said. It also sparked demonstrations in the nation's capital, Abuja, where protesters demanded a constitutional order on his absence and evidence about his true state of health. Explainer: Will Nigeria's leader return to power? As a fix, Nigerian lawmakers voted earlier this month to install the country's Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as head of state. A statement from the U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of African Affairs Wednesday welcomed the news of Yar'Adua's return, but said he hoped that it was not "an effort by his senior advisors to upset Nigeria's stability and create renewed uncertainty in the democratic process." "Nigeria is an extraordinarily important country to its friends and partners, and all those in positions of responsibility should put the health of the president and the best interests of the country and people of Nigeria above personal ambition or gain," said the statement from Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson. "As a nation of 150 million people, Nigeria's democracy and its continued adherence to constitutional rule should be the highest priority," the statement added.
[ "who was treated", "how long was he absent", "Who is unclear to resume duties?", "What did his absence create?", "What has he been treated for?" ]
[ [ "Umaru Musa Yar'Adua" ], [ "since November" ], [ "President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua" ], [ "a power vacuum" ], [ "inflammation of tissue around the heart," ] ]
Unclear whether Umaru Musa Yar'Adua will resume duties . Yar'Adua has been treated for inflammation of tissue around the heart . His three month absence created a power vacuum in Nigeria .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 160 people have been arrested in connection with the massacre earlier this month of scores of people in central Nigeria, a national police spokesman told CNN Monday. Of the 163 arrested, 41 will be charged with homicide, said spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu. The other 122 will be charged with rioting, arson and possession of firearms, he said. More than 200 people died in the March 7 massacre, according to some estimates. They took place in predominately Christian towns near the city of Jos, where about 150 people, mostly Muslims, were reported killed in January. The region lies on a faith-based fault line between Muslim-dominated northern Nigeria and the mainly Christian south. Ojukwu said the ethnic backgrounds of those arrested are mixed, but they are all from the area near Jos. Human Rights Watch said the attacks by Muslims with guns, machetes and knives apparently were in retaliation for the previous attacks against Islamic communities and the theft of cattle from herdsmen. Last week, at least 11 more people were killed in a predominantly Christian village. Choji Gyang, special adviser on religious affairs to the governor of the Nigerian state of Plateau, has said the attackers were Muslim herdsmen, some dressed in military uniforms. They also stole about 120 cattle from the village, he said. The violence has put much of oil-rich Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, on edge. Authorities in Lagos took the unusual step of sending a text message to residents earlier this month to try to put them at ease. The violence often pits Christians and Muslims against each other. But John Onaiyekan, Roman Catholic archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo have said that the violence is fueled more by other factors: ethnic, social and economic problems. "If you have one group or a community that has land that's been encroached upon by another community or even by itinerant cattle farmers, then the people who lay claim to the land will fight back," Obasanjo recently told CNN. "If there are job opportunities in an area, and persons believe they are indigenous to that area, and (are) not getting enough out of the jobs that are available, they will fight those who are getting the jobs."
[ "Massacre thought to be in retaliation of what?", "How many were slain?", "where did the massacre happened?", "How many will be charged with homicide?", "how many of the arrested will be charged with homicide?", "how many people where slain on march 7?" ]
[ [ "and the theft of cattle from herdsmen." ], [ "More than 200" ], [ "central Nigeria," ], [ "41" ], [ "41" ], [ "More than 200" ] ]
More than 200 people were slain on March 7 in mostly Christian towns . Of the 163 arrested, 41 will be charged with homicide . Massacre thought to be in retaliation for deaths of about 150 Muslims in January . Nigeria has a mainly Muslim north and a mainly Christian south .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria imposed a 24-hour curfew Saturday in the northern city of Kano after assailants killed scores of people and wounded others in a hail of gunfire and coordinated bombings of eight government sites. A military official told CNN that at least 156 people were dead and feared the number would rise. "The hospitals are not equipped to deal with the influx and severity of the injuries, so we are expecting that figure to go up further," the official said. Nwankpa Nwankpa, a Red Cross information officer in the capital, Abuja, said 50 people were injured in the attacks. He said that search and rescue operations are underway and volunteers are working to assist those hurt. The attacks targeted several police stations, barracks and the building housing the assistant inspector general of police in Kano, Nigeria's second largest city. A passport office, state security headquarters and the immigration office were also hit, police said. Are you there? Share your story Terrified residents barricaded themselves in their homes, said Rev. Murtala Mati of the Christian Association of Nigeria. "The government is really trying but we are afraid ... we are all scared," he said. During the attack, assailants entered a police station, freed detainees and bombed it, authorities said. They later canvassed the area in a car led by motorcycles, spraying targets with gunfire. Islamist group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the blast in a phone call to the Daily Trust, according to journalists at the newspaper. Nigeria closed its borders Saturday with Cameroon and Niger, whom it has accused of allowing the militants to move freely into Nigeria. The government has put in place a state of emergency, and a large deployment of troops has been sent to the north of the country. African Union commission chairman Jean Ping condemned "in the strongest terms" the attacks Saturday, and expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and his concern for the many people who were injured. The AU rejects terrorism in all its forms, the statement said, and gives Nigeria its full backing in its efforts to end terror attacks. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "appalled at the frequency and intensity of recent attacks in Nigeria, which demonstrate a wanton and unacceptable disregard for human life," his office said Saturday in a statement. "In voicing solidarity with the government and people of Nigeria, the secretary-general also expresses his hope for swift and transparent investigations into these incidents that lead to bringing the perpetrators to justice," the statement added. In December, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in four northern states. The declaration followed a series of Christmas Day attacks on Christian churches blamed on the Boko Haram group. The man suspected of masterminding those attacks, named Kabiru Sokoto, was briefly captured this week before escaping police custody while being transferred to another prison. Several police officers and the local commissioner are under investigation over his escape. A 50 million naira ($307,000) reward was also offered by police Thursday for any information leading to Sokoto's re-arrest. Northern Nigeria has been wracked by religious violence in recent weeks, including a spate of attacks in early January that killed at least 25 Christians. Boko Haram has been blamed for months of widespread bloodshed, with churches and police stations among the targets. CNN's David McKenzie contributed to this report.
[ "Who closed its border?", "how many people was killed", "Who is appalled at the frequency of recent attacks?", "What did the military official tell CNN?", "Which country closed its border with Niger and Cameroon?", "How many people were killed?", "who is ban ki moon" ]
[ [ "Nigeria" ], [ "156" ], [ "U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" ], [ "at least 156 people were dead" ], [ "Nigeria" ], [ "156" ], [ "U.N. Secretary-General" ] ]
NEW: The U.N.'s Ban Ki-moon is "appalled at the frequency and intensity" of recent attacks . A military official tells CNN that at least 156 people were killed . Nigeria closes its borders with Niger and Cameroon and imposes a state of emergency . The Islamist militant group Boko Haram claims responsibility .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria's ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua, who gave amnesty to armed militants in the troubled oil-rich Niger Delta region, died Wednesday, the country's information minister said. He was 58. Yar'Adua had not been seen in public since November, when he went to Saudi Arabia for treatment of an inflammation of tissue around his heart. He was diagnosed with that condition, acute pericarditis, last fall after he complained of chest pain. He returned to Nigeria in February but had remained out of sight. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan has served as the country's acting leader since Yar'Adua fell ill. Yar'Adua took office in 2007 in an election mired in controversy and accusations of vote-rigging. "There was ballot snatching, voters were molested, voters were beaten ... and also payment inducement to vote for certain candidates," said Eneruvie Enakoko of the Civil Liberties Organization, a human rights group in Lagos. The president, a soft-spoken and unassuming figure who did not bask in the media spotlight like past leaders of the West African nation, pledged to fight to improve the country of 150 million people despite the accusations. "Our collective goal is to deliver for our children a Nigeria better, stronger, more peaceful, more secure and more prosperous than we met it," Yar'Adua said. President Barack Obama issued a statement late Wednesday expressing his condolences to Yar'Adua's family and the Nigerian people. "President Yar'Adua worked to promote peace and stability in Africa through his support of Nigerian peacekeeping efforts as well as his strong criticism of undemocratic actions in the region," Obama said in the statement. "He was committed to creating lasting peace and prosperity within Nigeria's own borders, and continuing that work will be an important part of honoring his legacy." His election followed wide support from his predecessor, leading critics to label him a puppet of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. After he was elected, Yar'Adua replaced some of Obasanjo's top officials, including the head of the army, a move analysts said was aimed at shedding off his predecessor's influence. One of Yar'Adua's biggest successes was offering amnesty to militants in the troubled oil-rich Niger Delta region, a move that brought fragile peace to the area after years of conflict. The well-armed Niger Delta rebels have been battling Nigeria's armed forces over oil profits, which they say are unequally distributed. While he has hospitalized in Saudi Arabia, the militants called off the truce, dealing a blow to plans to end violence that has crippled oil production in the nation. Analysts say he did little to institutionalize reform in a country where two-thirds of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. "Because many people feel disillusioned economically and as long as they have those sentiments -- I think the risk of radical uprisings in places like northern Nigeria and certainly southern Nigeria in the Delta will continue regardless of who is in power," said Rolake Akinola, an analyst at Control Risks West Africa. Yar'Adua, a former chemistry teacher, was married twice and has nine children. CNN's Faith Karimi and Christian Purefoy contributed to this report.
[ "What year did Yar'Adua take office?", "who was reported dead", "Who was amnesty given to in the Niger Delta region?", "What did he go to Saudi Arabia for?", "when did he take office", "Who is reported to have died?", "what country did this happen in", "Who did the information minister say died?", "Who was amnesty given to?" ]
[ [ "2007" ], [ "President Umaru Yar'Adua," ], [ "armed militants" ], [ "treatment of an inflammation of tissue around his heart." ], [ "2007" ], [ "Nigeria's ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua," ], [ "Nigeria" ], [ "President Umaru Yar'Adua," ], [ "armed militants" ] ]
Nigeria's information minister says President Umaru Yar'Adua has died . Yar'Adua had given amnesty to armed militants in troubled oil-rich Niger Delta region . He went to Saudi Arabia in November for heart treatment . Yar'Adua took office in 2007 in election mired in controversy, accusations of vote-rigging .
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria's ailing president has broken two months of silence to assure his countrymen that contrary to speculation he is alive and intending to return to power soon. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua this week gave his first media interview since being admitted to a hospital in Saudi Arabia in late November where he is being treated for acute pericarditis, an inflammation of tissue around the heart. His absence has created a power vacuum in Africa's most populous country, as Yar'Adua has not formally handed his presidential duties to Vice-president Goodluck Jonathan. In a phone interview with the BBC from his hospital bed Tuesday, President Yar'Adua said he was recovering from his treatment. "At the moment I'm undergoing treatment. I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress to allow me to get back home," he said. "As soon as my doctors discharge me I'll return to Nigeria to resume my duties," he added. Yar'Adua's interview coincided with demonstrations in the nation's capital, Abuja, where protesters demanded a constitutional order on his absence and "evidence about his true state of health," Voice of Nigeria reported. The Nigerian Senate is seeking also information on the president's whereabouts and health. It passed a resolution Tuesday asking Nigeria's "secretary to the government of the federation" to brief it on Yar'Adua's status, Voice of Nigeria reported. The Senate had earlier considered sending a delegation to Saudi Arabia. "In arriving at its decision, the Senate expressed concern that there had been no formal communication to the National Assembly" -- as required by the nation's constitution -- "(to) empower the vice president to act and perform the functions of the president," Voice of Nigeria reported. Some senators also pushed for an amendment to a law stating that a presidential letter to the National Assembly about an absence is optional, the news organization reported. Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe told CNN he has not spoken to Yar'Adua since he left for Saudi Arabia. But he also said he has no need to talk to the president while he is recovering. Yar'Adua's illness was diagnosed in November after he complained of chest pain following prayers at a mosque in Abuja. He was taken to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, where he had his last checkup in August, his doctor said. He said at the time he did not intend to resign while in Saudi Arabia. In addition to internal discord over its missing president, the oil-rich nation has faced some international heat after one of its citizens allegedly attempted to blow up a U.S.-bound flight on Christmas Day. Nigeria was then cited as a country from which enhanced security measures would be enforced for passengers on U.S.-bound flights. A senior U.S. administration official said Nigeria fell into the U.S. Transportation Security Administration category of "state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest." Another notable worry for the government is its handling of militants who have wrestled with the government over oil. On Tuesday, police announced that four Shell contractors had been abducted. Hundreds others have been kidnapped over recent years. CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report.
[ "what country is the president from?", "what has his absence done?", "What has his absence created?", "What did Nigeria's president say?", "Who said he is alive and recovering from treatment?", "What has created a power vacuum in the African country?", "What do the Senate and Protesters want?" ]
[ [ "Nigeria" ], [ "created a power vacuum in Africa's most populous country," ], [ "a power vacuum" ], [ "\"At the moment I'm undergoing treatment. I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress to allow me to get back home,\"" ], [ "President Yar'Adua" ], [ "His absence" ], [ "a constitutional order on his absence" ] ]
Nigeria's president says in a phone interview that he is alive and recovering from treatment . Yar'Adua has not been seen since leaving Nigeria for treatment in Saudi Arabia in late November . His absence has created a power vacuum in the African country . Protesters, the Senate call for more information on his whereabouts and state of health .
Lakewood, Washington (CNN) -- Whoever fatally shot four police officers Sunday in a coffee shop outside Tacoma, Washington, may have been wounded by one of the victims, police said. Authorities are trying to determine who killed four Lakewood police officers in the shop in neighboring Parkland on Sunday morning. Investigators are checking with area hospitals to determine whether the gunman sought treatment after the shooting, Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said. "There's ... evidence that a Lakewood officer fired some shots, and we hope he hit him," Troyer said. Troyer said authorities are seeking Maurice Clemmons, 37, of Pierce County as a "person of interest." He did not identify Clemens as a suspect. Authorities identified the victims as Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39; Officer Ronald Owens, 37; Officer Tina Griswold, 40; and Officer Greg Richards, 42. The officers were sitting in the coffee shop before the start of their shifts when a gunman shot them at about 8 a.m. PT, Troyer said. The shop is a place where area law enforcement officers regularly gather to share information, he said. The attacker walked to the counter as if to order coffee before he pulled a gun out of his coat and fired, Troyer said. Two of the officers were "executed" as they sat at a table, another was shot when he stood up, and the fourth was shot after struggling with the gunman all the way out the door, Troyer said. "After, we believe, some of the officers were shot, one of them managed to fight his way with the suspect ... all the way out the the doorway until he was shot and died of a gunshot wound," Troyer said. Sunday's incident was the first time the Lakewood police department lost any officer to a shooting. Two employees of the coffee shop and other customers inside Forza Coffee Company were unharmed, Troyer said. One employee fled through the back door when she saw the shooter pull out his gun, he said. "As you can imagine, they are traumatized," he said of those inside the coffee shop. "Some are in shock." Investigators have not come up with possible motives, police said. Families of the officers have been notified, Troyer said. All of the officers were in uniform, wearing vests and had marked patrol cars parked outside, he said. Police are looking for one man in connection with the attack, though authorities are not ruling out the possibility that a second person was involved, Troyer said. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest, he said. Surveillance tapes from multiple location are being reviewed. Authorities were conducting searches in numerous locations, and dogs had been brought in to attempt to track the shooter, Troyer said. Investigators believe Clemmons, the person of interest, "is intentionally avoiding us," Troyer said. Clemmons has "extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas, including aggravated robbery and theft," the sheriff's department said in a statement. He also was recently charged in Pierce County in connection with the assault of a police officer and the rape of a child, according to the statement. According to a local prosecutor in Arkansas and past articles published by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, a repeat offender named Maurice Clemmons had his 95-year prison sentence commuted in 2001 by then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee cited Clemmons' young age -- 17 at the time of his sentencing -- when he announced his decision, according to newspaper articles. "It was not something I was pleased with at the time," Larry Jegley, who prosecuted Clemmons for aggravated robbery and other charges in Pulaski County, Arkansas, told CNN Sunday. "I would be most distressed if this is the same guy." Jegley said he was told Sunday by "media and police agencies" that the former Arkansas inmate was the same man being sought in Washington state. Some tips have come in, and investigators were following leads, one of which turned out to be "an unfortunate
[ "Where did the shooting take place?", "Who was a person of interest?", "What did the police say about the man?", "Where does the man have a criminal history from?", "Where was his criminal history from?", "How many police officers fought the gunman?", "How many police officers were shot?", "How many officers were shot?", "Where were the police shot?" ]
[ [ "Tacoma, Washington," ], [ "Maurice Clemmons," ], [ "may have been wounded by one of the victims," ], [ "Arkansas," ], [ "Arkansas," ], [ "four" ], [ "four" ], [ "four" ], [ "Tacoma, Washington," ] ]
NEW: Police name 37-year-old man as "person of interest" NEW: Man has "extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas," police say . Four police officers fatally shot in coffee shop near Tacoma, Washington . One of the officers fought gunman, may have shot him, police say .
Las Vegas (CNN) -- For David Shafter, it should have been a dream: A crush of excited people swarming his booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show, where his startup is launching its first product. But all the people hoisting cameras and raising themselves on tiptoe for a better view Wednesday afternoon weren't there to see his robot. They were angling for a peek at pop star Justin Bieber, who was making an appearance at the booth next door. "We're pretty much shut down," said Shafter with a weary look of resignation, as rubberneckers squealed and shouted "Justin!" in the background. "We can't run our demos." Shafter's fledgling company, Xybotyx, is making its first appearance at CES to introduce its Xybot, a hockey-puck-shaped robotic device that zips around on little wheels, controlled by an iPhone or iPod Touch. Owners can download apps to their phone that give the robot specific behaviors, like avoiding obstacles. The gadget will go on sale this spring at the quirky price of $111.11. But none of the hundreds of people pressed up against his booth cared about that. They only had eyes for the teen singer with the sideswept hair who was greeting fans nearby at the TOSY booth, where he made an appearance on behalf of that company's new mRobo, a portable speaker that morphs, "Transformers" style, into a little dancing robot. Middle-aged tech execs aren't exactly Bieber's demographic, but many onlookers said they were there to get photos or autographs for their teen-age kids. Some people even asked if they could climb atop Shafter's plywood demo table to get a better view. (The answer was no.) "It's the best of times, it's the worst of times," grumbled Shafter's business partner, Xybotyx co-founder Dan McShan, surveying the madness surrounding him. "We're trying to get him (Bieber) to defect." Shafter said he was planning to approach CES officials about compensating him for his lost booth time during Bieber's two-hour appearance. "It's definitely costing us valuable hours of time with our target audience," McShan said. In the meantime, however, Shafter had another plan: If he couldn't beat them, he was going to join them. He placed one of his robots on the floor and, using his iPhone, began navigating it toward Bieber in the hopes of getting a remote-controlled picture. "I was driving it up to the Bieb," he said with a grin a few minutes later. "I made it about halfway there. But the security guard grabbed it."
[ "Who was appearing?", "What did the rubberneckers do?", "Where was the CES booth located?", "Who had the misfortune of a CES booth next to Bieber?", "Who said It's the best of times, it's the worst of times?" ]
[ [ "Justin Bieber," ], [ "squealed and shouted \"Justin!\"" ], [ "at the International Consumer Electronics Show," ], [ "David Shafter," ], [ "Dan McShan," ] ]
Entrepreneurs had misfortune of a CES booth next to where Justin Bieber was appearing . Rubberneckers overwhelmed their Xybotyx booth, but not to see their robot . Startup co-founder: "It's the best of times, it's the worst of times"
Las Vegas (CNN) -- President Barack Obama traveled to Las Vegas on Monday to launch a Western trip that mixes campaigning with presidential business -- and an appearance on "The Tonight Show." After a campaign event at The Bellagio hotel and casino Monday afternoon, Obama met with homeowners at a private residence to announce new efforts to help homeowners with refinancing. The government's Home Affordable Refinance Program will be changed to make it easier for homeowners to capitalize on current low interest rates by refinancing old, high-interest mortgages. The new rules will allow homeowners who owe more than 125% of the market value of their homes to get the new loans. "So let me just give you an example. If you've got a $250,000 mortgage at 6 percent interest rates, but the value of your home has fallen below $200,000, right now you can't refinance. You're ineligible," Obama said, according to a copy of his remarks released by the White House. "But that's going to change. If you meet certain requirements, you will have the chance to refinance at lower rates, which could save you hundreds of dollars a month, and thousands of dollars a year on mortgage payments." In addition, Obama told the gathering,"there are going to be lower closing costs, and certain refinancing fees will be eliminated -- fees that can sometimes cancel out the benefits of refinancing altogether." The changes also will allow consumers to shop around for better rates beyond their original lenders, he said. Learn why the program probably won't help the real estate market The president then traveled to Los Angeles, where he was expected to deliver remarks at two more campaign events. On Tuesday, Obama will tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," according to the White House. The last time the president appeared on the show, in March 2009, he caused controversy by attempting to poke fun at his poor bowling skills -- evident during a 2008 campaign stop. He told Leno he bowled 129 in the White House bowling alley and said his bowling skills were "like Special Olympics or something." Before the show aired, the president called Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver to apologize, White House officials said, and stress his intention was not to humiliate the disabled. Shriver called Obama's apology "sincere and heartfelt," but noted in a written response, "This is a teachable moment for our country." After the "Tonight Show" taping, Obama will travel to San Francisco for a fundraiser, according to the White House. On Tuesday night, he will be in Denver to push his jobs agenda. Other private fundraisers will also be sprinkled in, officials said. A Democratic official estimates the campaign will haul in more than $4 million from six fundraisers in three states. It's the second time in less than a month that Obama has headed west to push for jobs and raise campaign cash. A senior campaign official noted the importance of spending time in the region, saying the "campaign has already established an extensive operation in Western states." And they expect to make "heavy investments there." The official singled out Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona, where the campaign has offices and field staff. In 2008 Obama won decisively in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, but lost to Republican John McCain in McCain's home state of Arizona. This time around the economy remains under heavy downward pressure despite efforts by the Obama administration to turn things around. In Nevada, home prices have plummeted by 53% since the peak, and according to online real estate site Zillow, 85% of the state's homeowners owe more than their homes are worth. At his fundraiser at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas Monday, the president acknowledged that "things are tough right now," but he reminded the audience of some 300 supporters of his accomplishments. "As tough as things are right now, we were able to stabilize this economy and make sure it didn't go into a
[ "What changes did Obama announce?", "Where will he also visit?", "What did Obama announce?", "Where is Obama visiting?", "Whose show will he be on?", "Where will he appear?", "Where will the president visit later this week?", "Obama announces changes in what program?" ]
[ [ "new efforts to help homeowners with refinancing." ], [ "Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona," ], [ "new efforts to help homeowners with refinancing." ], [ "Las Vegas" ], [ "\"The Tonight Show.\"" ], [ "\"The Tonight Show.\"" ], [ "Denver" ], [ "Home Affordable Refinance" ] ]
Obama announces changes in the Home Affordable Refinance Program . He will tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" President will also visit Denver later in the week .
Las Vegas (CNN) -- Weeks ago, Dan Wheldon was behind the wheel of a new prototype car for the IZOD IndyCar racing series -- one meant to make his sport safer, albeit ideally no less exciting. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, who'd been one of a handful of key collaborators in the safety effort as identified on the racing circuit's website, never got a chance to see the refined engines at work in a real race. Instead on Monday, his friends, colleagues and the racing world were mourning his death following a fiery 15-car wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300. "I lost one of my best friends, one of my greatest teammates," driver Tony Kanaan told reporters hours after Sunday's fatal crash. "I know this is a dangerous sport. I know we're exposed to that every day, in normal life as well," he added. "But you know, you don't think about it. Today, we have to think about it." Images from the fatal crash Had he won Sunday's race, the Englishman with the ready smile and engaging manner would have earned a $5 million payout. Instead, he was near the back of the 34-car field when he got mixed up in a crash that featured numerous cars spinning out of control and bursting into flames, spewing smoke and debris. "All I could see was fire and parts flying and smoke," recalled Paul Tracy, one of those involved in the crash, on Monday. "When it all came to a stop, it looked like something out of a movie set ... It didn't seem real." An official at the Clark County Coroner's Office, who was not named per the office's policy, told CNN on Monday that Wheldon officially died from "blunt head trauma." The 33-year-old's death has been ruled an "accident." Two other drivers seriously injured in the wreck -- J.R. Hildebrand and Pippa Mann -- were released Monday from University Medical Center in Las Vegas, IndyCar said in a release. Mann had surgery Sunday night for a burn injury to a finger on her right hand, while Hildebrand was held overnight after suffering a severely bruised sternum. Championship contender Will Power was treated and released Sunday, IndyCar spokeswoman Amy Konrath said. The violent crash raised fresh questions about safety, both in motor sports generally and at the Las Vegas track specifically. Wheldon had been a driving force to address such concerns. In an early October story posted on IndyCar.com, the racing series' official website, IndyCar Vice President Will Phillips singled out the 33-year-old driver, his team and Italian manufacturer Dallara for their efforts to fine-tool a safer car model for the 2012 season. "He's focused on what's been needed from him to provide for the feedback to Dallara and be consistent and concise," Phillips said then of Wheldon. "You couldn't have asked for more." Wheldon was known as "a great family man" Ironically, the new 2012 cars were expected to have components -- namely extra protection around tires -- to prevent spin-outs like the one that triggered Sunday's wreck when two vehicles' bump together, said Tracy. "They want the cars to run a bit more in a pack, (but) these cars are not designed to bang wheels with each other at 225 mph," the veteran driver said. "Our wheels (currently) are exposed. Once you have two cars touch each other, you don't have any control." Wheldon's death was the first for the IndyCar circuit since March 2006, when driver Paul Dana was killed in a two-car crash while warming up for the season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is one of several in motor sports generally, one of the most famous being the elder Dale Earnhardt's death in NASCAR's 2001 Daytona 500. Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim said Monday that the sheer speed of race cars, and the minimal distance separating them, means danger lurks around every turn
[ "What day did the incident occur?", "What did Wheldon die of?", "How many Indy wins did Wheldon have before his death?", "What was Wheldon doing before he died?", "What was he testing before his death?", "What was the cause of death for Wheldon?" ]
[ [ "Sunday's" ], [ "\"blunt head trauma.\"" ], [ "two-time" ], [ "behind the wheel of a new prototype car" ], [ "a new prototype car for the IZOD IndyCar" ], [ "fatal crash." ] ]
NEW: A driver says the cars "are not designed to bang wheels" as happened Sunday . NEW: Coroner says Wheldon died of "blunt head trauma," deems death an "accident" The 2-time Indy 500 winner was testing a safer IndyCar in the weeks before his death . Fellow driver Dario Franchitti says the Las Vegas speedway is "not a suitable track"
Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) -- For all the buzz about "tablet computers" in recent weeks, one fundamental question about this supposedly break-through computer category remains unanswered: What exactly is a tablet? Computer industry representatives here at the massive and hype-heavy Consumer Electronics Show can't seem to agree. Some say a computer just needs a touch-sensitive screen to be a tablet. Others say a person should be able to write on it with a pen. Still others say it's screen size that's important -- tablets must fit somewhere between phones and laptops. For Philip McKinney, vice president and chief technology officer at Hewlett-Packard, it's partly the keyboard -- a tablet should have one of those. Break off the keyboard, leaving only a touch-screen device, he said, and the gadget falls into another buzz-worthy category: the slate. Others say the terms slate and tablet are synonymous. So what's a confused consumer to do? And how can anyone judge the many products here that claim to be from tabletland when there's no consensus on what one is? Simple. Just get over the name, said Steve Baker, vice-president of industry analysis at the NDP Group, a market research firm. Computer makers are introducing a shotgun spray of newish -- or at least newly named -- products in hopes that one will be a big recession-era hit with consumers, he said. None of these new devices, which he said are characterized only by their medium size, fix any obvious problem consumers have with their current computers, he said. Companies are releasing these new products without knowing exactly why consumers would want to use them, he said. "That's the problem, but the exciting part of it is that we really don't know what the right product is for people -- what they want to do with this." Hot products The tablet buzz at CES is somewhat overshadowed by a tablet that Apple is rumored to announce later this month. Still, the array of tablet-esque devices here is getting tons of attention from show attendees. The two most talked-about tablets at CES are Lenovo's IdeaPad U1, which the company refers to not as a tablet but as a "hybrid-notebook;" and a yet-to-be named and largely unseen "slate" tablet from HP. Lenovo's device looks like a smallish laptop on first glance. But the screen on the gadget pops off of a plastic shell and can be carried around separately from its keyboard. That's the tablet part of the hybrid. When separated from its keyboard home, the slender touch-screen tablet -- which looks like a stretched-out iPhone -- is well suited for watching movies, browsing photos and reading books, said Michael Littler, who markets the device. The touch-sensitive screen, made possible by Microsoft's Windows 7, lets users spin photos and scroll through text with their fingers, which might seem more intuitive than a pushing a computer mouse. Watch CES attendees get acquainted with the dual laptop-tablet That product will debut in six months and will cost less than $1,000, Littler said. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer briefly trotted out HP's unnamed "slate" device during his opening keynote address at the show, stirring up lots of interest. The device was thin and flat, without a keyboard, and with a touch-sensitive screen. HP decided not to show off the unnamed product at CES, however. McKinney, the company's CTO, said the HP slate has been in development for five years and will be sold to consumers sometime in 2010. He would not discuss the product's price or provide further specifics. Tablet origins Part of the tablet confusion comes from the fact that the term is not new. In the 90s, Microsoft and others introduced tablet PCs with swivel-around screens and keyboards. Consumers couldn't touch the screens with their fingers to control the tablets, but many had stylus pens that let people write on the screen.
[ "what get buzz at CES, but people disagree about what they are?", "what They are smaller than laptops and bigger than phones?", "What gets buzz at CES?" ]
[ [ "\"tablet computers\"" ], [ "\"tablet computers\"" ], [ "\"tablet computers\"" ] ]
Tablet computers get buzz at CES, but people disagree about what they are . Most are characterized by their size: They are smaller than laptops and bigger than phones . HP says tablets have keyboards and "slate" computers only have touch-screens . Computer makers are trying out new categories to see what will stick with consumers .
Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) -- More than 37 million people visit Las Vegas each year for its glitz, glamour and lure of hitting a jackpot. Yet few tourists ever see the dingy world beneath the bright lights: tunnel dwellings that have become home to those down on their luck. Steve Dommer and his girlfriend, Kathryn, live in the depths below the Vegas Strip. They created an elaborate 400-square-foot space, complete with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and workshop to fix bicycles. Everything is elevated off the floor with wooden pallets or milk crates because of potential flooding. Their prized possession is a queen-sized bed, found in a Dumpster near the Palms Casino Resort. "I like to be able to come back and sleep as comfortably as possible," Dommer said, patting his bed. By day, he scrounges for change above ground. He's been living down below for two years. He lost his construction job because of an addiction to speed and heroin. The couple is not alone in the city's tunnels. "Hundreds of people live in these tunnels," says journalist Matthew O'Brien. O'Brien has become an expert on the more than 300 miles of underground flood channels and its tunnel dwellers. O'Brien brought the homeless to light, first in articles for the alternative weekly newspaper, Las Vegas CityLife, and then in a book titled "Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas." O'Brien noted the irony of one tunnel entrance near the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" neon sign. "I just think the history of Vegas PR is to ignore the bad issues," he said. "The instinct of the city -- and the county -- is to ignore stuff that can be construed as negative press and kind of highlight other things about the city." The number of those living in the storm drains varies by the season, O'Brien said. The tunnels become damp and cold in the winter, but hundreds flock into them during the summer to escape the 100-degree desert temperatures. "It's much cooler than outside, about 20-25 degrees cooler, and that's one reason why someone would live or hang out in these tunnels," O'Brien said. Armed with a black metal flashlight, O'Brien took CNN on a tour of four tunnels. Each tunnel was different; their heights ranged from 4 to 12 feet. Some intersected underground; others had small openings to access parallel tunnels. It was pitch black much of the time. "After you've done it a few hundred times like I have, you can walk down here without any light at all," said tunnel dweller Steve Dommer. O'Brien said he's always "a little bit on edge" when he climbs into the underground world. "You never know what to expect or what you're going to find down here," he said. If legend is to be believed, a troll armed with a crowbar combs the tunnels. Even if it's not true, O'Brien said, it still haunts him. "A lot of the people ... have their own ghost stories about a friend who was murdered in the tunnels or someone who drowned and they hear their voices late at night," O'Brien said. "It is true that you do hear some weird noises down here because of the acoustics." Some of the channel floors are covered with dust, others mud, and, in one section, a foot of stagnant water. There are sleeping bags and mattresses, some with makeshift canopies, but they seemed outnumbered by the trash, scraps of food, cockroaches and graffiti. Upon hearing our footsteps, some vagrants scattered from their makeshift shelters, not knowing if we were marauders or the police who sometimes come through to chase the homeless out. O'Brien introduced us to a man known in these parts as "Iron," who has lived in the flood channel system for six years. Iron had sun-baked skin and wore a cap reading "Jackpot!" The recovering alcoholic said he makes ends meet
[ "Where do the homeless population of Las Vegas turn to during bad weather?", "What does Matthew O'Brien say?", "What did O'Brien say?", "What is the best thing about the storm drains?" ]
[ [ "storm drains" ], [ "\"Hundreds of people live in these tunnels,\"" ], [ "\"Hundreds of people live in these tunnels,\"" ], [ "\"It's much cooler than outside," ] ]
Homeless population of Las Vegas turn to storm drains for shelter . "I just think the history of Vegas PR is to ignore the bad issues," Matthew O'Brien says . One man nicknamed "Iron" says the best thing is his view of Vegas Strip at night .
Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) -- To most people these days, an "app" is something you download on your smartphone to help you do a specific task -- say, find a good nearby restaurant. But big tech companies, seeing how applications have boosted the appeal of gadgets such as Apple's iPhone, are starting to view apps as low-cost enhancements for a broader range of products, from netbooks to TVs and beyond. At the International Consumer Electronics Show here this week, microchip maker Intel launched an app store geared towards netbook computers. Not to be outdone, Samsung announced it will open its own app store for HDTVs, Blu-ray players and mobile phones. Even unlikely players such as Ford Motor Co. are getting in on the app act. Ford announced Thursday that several applications, including one that will read aloud Twitter tweets while you're driving, will be available on many of its vehicles later this year. What's driving this sudden app movement? "Mobile computer chips have gotten so powerful and affordable, and it's so easy to get on the Internet, that it doesn't make much sense to ship a gadget with dedicated, stagnant functionality," said Brian X. Chen, who covers technology for Wired.com. "Add an Internet connection and a software platform open for third-party programmers to develop for -- i.e., open an app store -- and you can enhance the capabilities of a gadget, thus future-proofing it, at no cost." Sales of the apps, which typically cost a few dollars apiece, also create a new source of revenue for the device's manufacturer, Chen said. And consumers win, too: They get more value out of their product without having to keep buying new hardware. Software applications have been around for decades, but it took the recent success of the iPhone and Apple's App Store -- with their can-do slogan, "there's an app for that" -- to make apps sexy on the consumer level. Developers have created more than 100,000 apps for the store -- at no cost to Apple, which takes a cut of revenues. Less than 18 months after the store launched in 2008, owners of the iPhone and iPod Touch have downloaded more than 3 billion applications. Rival smartphone makers such as Palm and Research in Motion soon followed with app stores of their own. It's now standard for Web properties such as Facebook, Google and eBay to have mobile apps that let users share updates or make purchases on the go. The number of people who use Internet-enabled mobile devices is expected to pass 1 billion by 2013, according to industry analysts, meaning that demand for apps will only grow. And as more people grow accustomed to using apps to quickly check the weather or send a tweet on Twitter, more manufacturers will develop apps-ready products, experts say. On Thursday Intel launched a beta version of its app store, called the Intel AppUp center, for netbooks, the smaller, simpler cousins of laptops. About 100 apps, in such categories as entertainment, games, health, social networking, are now available for download at www.intelappup.com. The beta store will host apps for both Microsoft Windows and the open-source Moblin operating system, which target the popular netbook computer category powered by Intel's Atom processor. "Apps have been defined in people's minds as these little things that run on the iPhone. Our focus is on getting lots of smart people to think of the netbook as a device they can target [for developing apps]," said Peter Biddle, who run's Intel's Atom software program. Eventually, Intel and its partners expect to expand the store to include applications for smartphones, TVs and even consumer electronic appliances. Meanwhile, Samsung is betting that as television merges with the Internet, more channel-surfers will enjoy being able to order a movie from Netflix or scroll through photos on Picasa without having to leave their couch. Samsung is calling Samsung Apps "the world's first HDTV-based application store," although it's not expected
[ "What products are companies making apps available too?", "When will Ford make apps available for new vehicles?", "Intel launched an app store for what?", "Ford Motor Co. will make select apps available for new vehicles when?", "What did Intel launch?", "Where did Intel launch their new app store for netbooks?" ]
[ [ "netbooks to TVs and beyond." ], [ "later this year." ], [ "netbook computers." ], [ "later this year." ], [ "app store geared towards netbook computers." ], [ "At the International Consumer Electronics Show" ] ]
Companies are opening app stores and bringing applications to TVs, netbooks and even cars . Intel launched an app store for netbooks at the Consumer Electronics Show this week . Samsung will launch an app store later this year for HDTVs and Blu-ray players . Ford Motor Co. will make select apps available for new vehicles later in 2010 .
Leogane, Haiti (CNN) -- More than three weeks after Haiti's devastating earthquake, many of the makeshift camps housing thousands are starting to function as mini cities. Small markets have blossomed. Some camps have even designated mayors and security personnel. But in others, life still looks as it did days after the January 12 quake. People have only what they dug out of the rubble with their bare hands or acquired somehow else for survival. Recently seen along a row of tents in a camp in Leogane was this hodgepodge of life before and after: Turquoise hand-crocheted lace Mazola oil Ceramic jar that says: "Fresh Cookies" Propane stove Barbie doll A black rhinestone Bebe T-shirt Boxes of "Gourmet" spaghetti Bicycle chain John McCain bumper sticker NFL towel Teddy bear Set of disposable stacked plastic bowls Amplifiers and scavenging pigs Box of dog biscuits Aluminum cooking utensil set 32-ounce cans of tomato sauce Cotton squares Peppermint green Clarins makeup bag Plastic baby bottle Jeans turned inside out to dry Yellow flip flops Pen and ink drawing of a woman USAID bag of rice Evaporated milk Red roll-aboard luggage Blanket Wood-framed photograph Bausch and Lomb soft contact lens case Compaq computer monitor Frayed Haitian flag Crayolas Travel-size SPF 30 sunblock Pillows One dust-laden Converse hightop -- hard to tell what color
[ "What are starting to function like mini cities?", "What kind of oil was seen recently at camp?", "where is this camp", "where are located the makeshift camps?" ]
[ [ "makeshift" ], [ "Mazola" ], [ "Leogane" ], [ "Leogane, Haiti" ] ]
Haiti makeshift camps are starting to function like mini cities . Citizens are digging out their belongings and what they need out of the rubble . Everything from turquoise hand-crocheted lace to Mazola oil seen recently at camp .
Leogane, Haiti (CNN) -- In a dirt field 20 minutes outside of Leogane's city center, desperation surfaces in the form of fear, anger, thanks. All at once. Relief trucks from CARE International have arrived, and the waiting wall of people pounces on the aid workers. The residents clutch paper tickets given out earlier to collect the goods: one mattress and blanket per family. CARE begins to distribute 250 of each, but the makeshift settlement here holds as many as 10,000 earthquake victims. Guards wearing gray polo shirts with the word "securite" painted on their backs roam the grounds with metal baseball bats in hand. They anticipate chaos. "We are happy for the mattresses. We are thankful," says Willio Sainvil, a spokesman for a community organization helping organize the flow of aid. "But what we need is water. We need food. We have people who are sick. They need medicine," he says. "We need tents, especially if it rains." Above the sun is hiding, for the moment, under dark clouds. iReport: Looking for loved ones in Haiti "You can see the people are not satisfied," Sainvil says. "But they are thankful." CARE spokesman Rick Perera says the humanitarian agency delivered a water buffalo to this settlement, about 20 miles west of Port-au-Prince, but nothing else arrived until the mattresses on Sunday. The agency plans to supply more relief items, but distribution has been a huge problem, Perera said. It has been difficult finding enough trucks to carry the goods. In outlying areas like this, the biggest fear is people will be forgotten. Sainvil says aid agencies have visited the city center, but few have received help in the townships and villages of Leogane province, lined with sugarcane groves, banana trees and now, mangled chunks of concrete that used to be homes, offices, schools and clinics. Twelve days after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake, the focus in Haiti has shifted from extracting survivors from heaps of rubble to helping those who survived. By some estimates, 1.5 million Haitians were rendered homeless. In Leogane, at the epicenter of the massive quake, about 85 percent of the town may have been destroyed. Kenneth Merten, U.S. ambassador to Haiti, told CNN'S Christiane Amanpour on Sunday that the relief was slow in the first few days. "It was very slow, a lot came in, it was hard to get it out to the people who needed it most," he said. "If I were a Haitian here, I would be, frankly, angry at the whole situation I found myself in. But I must say that I think the Haitians are resilient, and they're to be applauded for approaching this in a stoic and dignified fashion." Full coverage The International Organization for Migration said Sunday that the biggest need was tents for as many as 500,000 displaced people. The agency identified two new sites in Port-au-Prince and Leogane where temporary shelters will be developed for those "living in deplorable conditions in makeshift settlements without basic services." "The temporary tent settlements will provide a clean and safe environment for the displaced," said Vincent Houver, the agency's chief of operations in Haiti, "but they are a short-term solution. Tent settlements are not sustainable." More than 500 aid agencies are operating in Haiti. Fifteen of them met with Leogane officials Saturday to address needs. The United Nations plans to set up a separate water and sanitation system for Leogane, but the world organization is "quite stretched," said Paul Shanahan, senior emergency specialist with CARE. "It's hard to imagine how it could be worse," he said about Leogane's sanitation problems. "Human waste is being generated and disposed of informally." He meant left in open areas or dumped onto trash heaps. "You see every mode of catastrophic failure possible," Shanahan said of Leogane. "And the people fear they are not going to be attended to."
[ "How many aid agencies are operating in the area?", "what is going on in Haiti?", "Who is worried about being forgotten?", "What did the earthquake victims need?", "how many people have died in the eartquake?", "What do the earthquake victims still need?", "how many agencies are operating?" ]
[ [ "More than 500" ], [ "Relief trucks from CARE International have arrived," ], [ "the biggest fear is people will be" ], [ "tents," ], [ "10,000" ], [ "tents," ], [ "More than 500" ] ]
In Leogane, Haiti, earthquake victims still need water, food and shelter . People in outlying areas of Haiti worry they've been forgotten in relief plans . More than 500 aid agencies operating; 15 met with Leogane officials Saturday .
Leslie Sanchez is a Republican political strategist and co-chair of the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute (www.hapinstitute.net), a pro-business advocacy organization. She was director of the Bush administration's White House Initiative on Hispanic Education from 2001 to 2003 and is CEO of the Impacto Group, which specializes in market research about women and Hispanics. Leslie Sanchez says it remains to be seen if Sotomayor agrees with the broader Hispanic community's values. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration has no intention of pushing comprehensive immigration reform any time soon, but with his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, the president may have found a suitable consolation prize for the Hispanic community. A prize is due. Hispanics gave 67 percent of their votes to President Obama, delivering key states like Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico to his electoral column, and sending him two new Democratic senators and three new House Democrats from those states alone. But the problem with identity politics is that not just any Hispanic will do. Obama made clear he wanted to pick a justice who would have empathy for those whose cases come before the court. As impressive as Sotomayor's life story is, it remains to be seen whether she truly has the much-talked-about "empathy" for Hispanic values and dreams. If Sotomayor is truly representative of our values, she will understand that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Hispanic community and is our best hope for moving Hispanic households solidly into the ranks of the American middle class. In a study earlier this year, HispanTelligence, the research arm of Hispanic Business magazine, confirmed that there are at least 2.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S., generating about $388 billion in combined revenue. Empathy with the lives of millions of Hispanics today means that she must appreciate the impact of federal, state and municipal tax and regulatory schemes on individuals and small businesses alike. Her writings should reflect the view that access to the marketplace is a constitutional guarantee no less important than freedoms of speech, religion or assembly. If she understands the hopes and aspirations of the Hispanic community, she should have a record of interpreting the Commerce Clause of the Constitution in ways that encourage individual risk-taking, free enterprise and job creation, not in ways that discourage it. Likewise, Sotomayor should show evidence of being suspicious of government's power. Many Hispanics are fresh from regimes where the rule of law has been crushed or never existed; we know that with centralized power comes arrogance, and that bureaucracies inevitably become cold, callous, unyielding and corrupt. She should be imbued with a core appreciation that our Constitution establishes a government of limited, enumerated powers, and should have a record of writings and decisions that support the conclusion that she will err on the side of limiting, not expanding, the powers and influence of government. Like all other immigrants, Hispanics came here with the hope of acquiring property for themselves and their children. We treasure as sacred our own homes, farms and land, and we know there is often little practical difference between broad government restrictions on the use and enjoyment of that property and its being taken outright. As a Supreme Court justice, Sotomayor should believe, as we Hispanics do, that the Constitution affords us due process and just compensation in either case -- and that no property should be taken unless there is a legitimate public use. As everyone knows, at the core of the Hispanic experience are our families and the opportunity to freely exercise our religion. The next justice, if she is empathetic to our lives and values, will protect the sanctity of the family and of life itself. Obama's nomination of the first Latina to the Supreme Court is a historic moment that has moved each of us, but our pride will be fleeting if she doesn't really share Hispanic values. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Leslie Sanchez.
[ "What does the hispanic community value?", "Who is Leslie Sanchez?", "Who is seeking a high-court nominee?", "What did Sanchez wonder about Sotomayor?", "Is Sanchez a justice?", "What community places high value on entrepreneurship and family?" ]
[ [ "families" ], [ "a Republican political strategist and co-chair of the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity" ], [ "Obama" ], [ "agrees with the broader Hispanic community's values." ], [ "is a Republican political strategist" ], [ "Hispanic" ] ]
Leslie Sanchez: Obama sought a high-court nominee who would show empathy . But, Sanchez asks, as a justice, who would Sotomayor empathize with? Hispanic community places high value on entrepreneurship and family, she says . Sanchez: Will Sotomayor share those values if confirmed to the court?
Lexington, Missouri (CNN) -- Police arrested a sixth member of a Missouri family under investigation for allegations of child sexual abuse, police said. Darrel Mohler has been charged with two counts of rape, Lafayette County Sheriff Kerrick Alumbaugh said at a news conference. Missouri police did not have Mohler in custody earlier. On the request of Missouri officials, Marion County authorities went to Mohler's home in Silver Springs, Florida, and caught him just before he pulled into the driveway, according to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He was subsequently arrested. Mohler told police he "was aware of what was going on in Missouri," and that he had not been there since the 1980s, according to the sheriff's office. Five members of the Mohler family of Lafayette County, Missouri, were arrested earlier this week after six alleged victims, who are relatives of the five suspects, made accusations of sexual abuse. A sixth person, described as an "associate" of the family, was arrested Thursday but released Friday, police said. The six alleged victims -- all now adults -- came to law enforcement authorities with stories of sexual performances, mock weddings, rape with various objects and a forced abortion during their childhoods, according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate KSHB in Kansas City. CNN does not identify alleged sexual assault victims. Police did not have enough to charge Darrel Mohler earlier, but after examining the victims' statements, obtained enough information to charge him, Alumbaugh said. He added that he does not think Darrel is on the run. Darrel Mohler, 72, is the younger brother of Burrell Edward Mohler Sr., 77, according to KSHB. On Tuesday, authorities arrested Mohler Sr. and his sons Burrell Edward Mohler Jr., 53; David A. Mohler, 52; Jared Leroy Mohler, 48; and Roland Neil Mohler, 47. More charges against the family members are expected next week, the sheriff said. Current charges for some of the arrested include rape, deviate sexual assault and use [of] child in sexual performance, according to Missouri State Courts online case management system. Alumbaugh said that Larry Kidd, 55, of Kansas City, Missouri -- an "associate" of the Mohler family -- was picked up by police following a tip, cooperated with police and has been released. The alleged abuse took place from the mid-1980s until 1995 and possibly beyond, the sheriff said earlier. The documents provide graphic details of the alleged abuse provided by one of the alleged victims. All of the charges stem from those documents, Alumbaugh said. Mohler Sr., David Mohler and Jared Mohler are all lay ministers in the Community of Christ, the Independence, Missouri-based organization said in a statement. Lay ministers are volunteers who do not receive compensation, said the organization, and none of the three served in leadership roles or worked with children. Mohler Sr. went through the group's registered youth worker program, but "his youth worker registration has been terminated and we understand he had no contact with children or youth in church programs," the statement said. Some lay ministers might help take care of the church, while others might speak at services, said the organization's spokeswoman, Linda Booth. The Community of Christ is an offshoot of the modern-day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It split off from the Mormon church in the 1800s, and in 2000 changed its name to Community of Christ from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Investigators earlier this week searched several properties for evidence, but there were no plans to continue the searches, Alumbaugh said Friday. He declined to comment on any evidence found. CNN's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.
[ "From when do allegations date", "Who was charged with two counts of rape", "What was Mohler charged with?", "When were the relatives arrested?", "What was Darrel Mohler charged with?", "When do the allegations date from?", "Who were arrested Tuesday?", "Who was charged with two counts of rape Friday?", "What was Darrel Mohler charged with?", "What years do the allegations come from?", "How many people in total were arrested?", "Who were the accusers?" ]
[ [ "mid-1980s until 1995" ], [ "Darrel Mohler" ], [ "two counts of rape," ], [ "earlier this week" ], [ "two counts of rape," ], [ "mid-1980s until 1995" ], [ "Mohler Sr. and his sons Burrell Edward Mohler Jr., 53; David A. Mohler, 52; Jared Leroy Mohler, 48; and Roland Neil Mohler, 47." ], [ "Darrel Mohler" ], [ "two counts of rape," ], [ "mid-1980s until 1995" ], [ "sixth" ], [ "relatives of the five suspects," ] ]
NEW: Darrel Mohler, another relative, charged with two counts of rape Friday . Five relatives were arrested Tuesday after six people accused them of abuse . More alleged victims have come forward since initial arrests, police say . Allegations date from the mid-1980s through at least the mid-'90s, the sheriff said .
Liege, Belgium (CNN) -- Flowers, teddy bears and candles mark the spot Wednesday where a gunman tossed grenades into a crowded Liege market square a day before, claiming several lives and wounding scores more. The mood in Place St. Lambert, a square which would normally be bustling with Christmas shoppers, was somber Wednesday as Belgians took stock of an attack unprecedented in their history. Workers at the Christmas market opened up their stalls, housed in wooden cabins, but trade was slow. One woman said they had been told they could start trading later, if they wanted first to pay tribute to the five people killed and 130 wounded before the attacker, Liege resident Nourdine Amrani, apparently took his own life. Market stall holder Julie Six-Bourgoin was still shaking as she talked about Tuesday's attack, calling it "horrible" and comparing its effect on the peaceful country to that of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Other people in the city said that Christmas would not be the same and that they could not understand why the attack occurred. Officials say Amrani, 33, who had no record of mental illness, hurled his three grenades and fired a pistol and semi-automatic weapon from an elevated walkway above a bus stop in the square. The attack seemed to have left the city's people with a new sense of vulnerability, with those waiting for buses Wednesday standing back under the walkway, as if to protect themselves from another aerial assault. Chunks missing from a granite wall testified to the ferocity of the grenade blasts, with bullet holes also pocking the hard surface. One mother who was a few yards away from the gunman when he opened fire said she now feared for the safety of her children. Another recounted how her children had left school early and passed through the bus stop only shortly before it was attacked, narrowly avoiding the tragedy. In a restaurant, near-silence replaced the usual hubbub, as people appeared to withdraw into themselves, reflecting on the tragedy just a day earlier. So far, public anger over the attack seems limited. Few questions have yet been asked about how a man convicted of weapons offenses was able to get his hands on guns and grenades. The owner of one of the city's two main gun stores, which appeared to stock dozens of automatic-style weapons, said he knew Amrani but refused to answer further questions. Police are investigating whether Amrani bought the weapons used in the attack on the black market, said Katrin Delcourt, spokeswoman for the provincial governor's office. She said Amrani, who held a French hunting license under which he bought at least one firearm before his 2008 conviction, was skilled in using and maintaining weapons. A woman, said to be a cleaner in her late 40s, was found dead in a residence next to a workshop where Amrani once grew marijuana, local police said. But he seems to have kept a relatively low profile in the area. Neighbors of Amrani who spoke to CNN said they had seldom seen him around. One man said he had realized Amrani was a neighbor only after recognizing his picture in a newspaper. Amrani, a Belgian citizen, had been released from prison on conditional parole in October 2010 but returned to the attention of police in November this year. He had been asked to attend a police interview on the day of the attack in connection with allegations of sexual offenses, the Liege prosecutor said. So far, public scrutiny has not yet turned to why he was not arrested and brought in for questioning, given his track record. But as the city's shock fades and investigations continue into what led him to launch his deadly gun and grenade rampage, such questions will likely come to the forefront. CNN's Paul Cruickshank contributed to this report.
[ "What did neighbors say they saw", "What was known to the local gun shop owner" ]
[ [ "had seldom seen him around." ], [ "Amrani" ] ]
Residents of Liege say they are shocked by the attack and fear for their children's safety . The motivation of attacker Nourdine Amrani, 33, is not known, police say . Neighbors say they saw little of the suspect, who lived in Liege . Amrani, previously convicted of arms offenses, was known to a local gun store owner .
Like nearly everything else Clinton-related this week, Hillary Clinton's convention speech remained a question mark until the last minute. The overriding goal for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night was to redirect her supporters toward Barack Obama. Its content was a mystery to even some of her closest advisers, who told CNN hours before the speech they weren't sure it was finished quite yet. It was a work in progress until the very end -- and one of its strongest rallying cries appeared nowhere in the prepared text. "That is our mission, Democrats -- Let us elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden," the New York senator told a capacity crowd waving signs that said "unity" on one side and bore either Clinton's or Obama's name on the other. So far, the Democratic convention has been dominated by news of the Clintons. What would Hillary Clinton say Tuesday night? And what would her husband, former President Bill Clinton, say Wednesday night? Would daughter Chelsea introduce her mother onstage, fueling visions of another Democratic dynasty? And what will happen Wednesday, when the convention roll call will either provide the "catharsis" Clinton predicted it might -- or reopen primary season wounds? Watch Clinton's entire speech » The overriding goal for Clinton Tuesday night was to redirect the energy and emotion of her strongest supporters to the presumptive nominee's campaign -- if not for his political future, for her own. If the rank-and-file believe a schism in the party generated by her supporters cost Democrats the election, it could sabotage any potential White House plans for her. She pushed for her loyalists to back her primary season rival with language that echoed her stump speech about forgotten Americans: "I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me?" she asked. "Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?" Read what analysts say about Clinton's speech She gave Obama the seal of approval on health care, an issue that made for some of her toughest language on the trail. "I can't wait to watch Barack Obama sign a health care plan into law that covers every single American," she said. There were a few notable gaps. There was little on foreign policy. There was no unequivocal statement that Barack Obama is qualified to be commander in chief and ready to lead from Day One. McCain advisers noted soon after the speech, there was no mention of the candidates' differing stands on abortion -- one issue which might have been expected to resonate with those women who supported Clinton and have been slow to warm to Obama. But Clinton's language about what was at stake this November could have been lifted from a speech by any of the most passionate Obama supporters. "Nothing less than the fate of our nation and the future of our children hang in the balance," she told the crowd. "I want you to think about your children and grandchildren come Election Day. And think about the choices your parents and grandparents made that had such a big impact on your life and on the life of our nation." Clinton has not addressed whether another presidential campaign is possible anytime in her future, but some of her senior advisers have been less reticent. There's no way to tell whether their predictions come from inside knowledge or wishful thinking, but senior Clinton aides like former campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe and former campaign communications director Howard Wolfson have told reporters this week that they expect her to make another run for the White House in eight years -- after a two-term Obama presidency. If that happens, Tuesday night may have marked the first speech of her 2016 campaign.
[ "Who delivered the speech at the convention?", "What political party has the convention?", "What did Hillary Clinton do at the convention?" ]
[ [ "Hillary Clinton's" ], [ "Democrats" ], [ "redirect the energy and emotion of her strongest supporters to the presumptive nominee's campaign" ] ]
Crowley: Sen. Hillary Clinton delivered with her speech at the Democratic convention . Gergen: This was "perhaps her finest hour in politics" Castellanos: Call it the "lesser of two evils" speech .
Lima, Peru (CNN) -- Peru will turn over to Chilean authorities all evidence into allegations that a Peruvian air force officer was spying for the neighboring country, Peruvian President Alan Garcia said Monday. Garcia ordered his foreign minister and justice department to hand over all details of the investigation so Chile could "give the corresponding explanations," he said in a televised address. The alleged spying by Chile, Garcia declared, was the result of fear and an inferiority complex by the Chileans. He added that Peru will not let the incident become a full-blown crisis between the two nations. The suspect, Victor Ariza Mendoza, remained imprisoned at a maximum security facility north of Lima, authorities said. Two other Peruvian air force officers, accused of being collaborators, also were detained, as were two Chilean military officers who were alleged accomplices, CNN en Español reported. Mendoza could face charges of treason, which carry a minimum sentence of 25 years. News of the spy case caused Garcia to prematurely end a trip to Singapore for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Garcia and his Chilean counterpart, Michelle Bachelet, had planned to attend a workshop Saturday with other world leaders, but the Peruvian leader canceled his agenda to return to Lima. Chile has dismissed the espionage allegations. "Chile has nothing to do with this case," Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernandez told reporters after a meeting with his nation's ambassador to Peru. According to local media, the suspected spy once worked at the Peruvian Embassy in Chile and sold secrets to the Chileans since 2002, CNN en Español reported. Chile and Peru have a history of animosity, having fought in the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883. Hard feelings linger to this day. The two nations nearly came to war in 1975, when left-wing Peruvian leader Juan Velasco, who was backed by Cuba, wanted to invade Chile, which was led by right-wing Gen. Augusto Pinochet. The invasion was called off, and Velasco was deposed in a coup a short while later. Tensions rose again when Peru discovered a Chilean spy mission, but war was averted. More recently, tensions between the two South American nations flared in December after the revelation that Peru's top army general said at a party that Chileans in Peru would be sent back in coffins or body bags. Both countries said they would work to heal relations after the general's comments. Journalist Gisu Guerra contributed to this report.
[ "What reason did the neighbour give for spying?", "Who spied on their neighbors", "Who was ordered to turn over evidence", "Who has dismissed the allegations?", "What ordered Peruvian Officials?" ]
[ [ "was the result of fear and an inferiority complex by the Chileans." ], [ "Peruvian air force officer was spying for the neighboring country," ], [ "Peru" ], [ "Chile" ], [ "turn over to Chilean authorities all evidence into allegations that a" ] ]
Peruvian president says Chile spied on neighbor because of inferiority complex . Peruvian officials ordered to turn over evidence of espionage to Chile . Spy suspect, Peruvian air force officer, remains in prison north of Lima . Chile has dismissed allegations .
Lima, Peru (CNN) -- Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has removed 30 of 55 generals in the national police, the largest such purge in the institution's history. The forced retirements, which were announced in the official gazette over the weekend, are widely seen as an attempt by Humala to combat corruption. Among those forced out was the head of the national police. The new head of the police, Raul Salazar, mentioned the need to fight corruption no less than six times during a speech at his induction ceremony. "We have to uncover any act of corruption that stains the name of the police. From the most minimal to the most important, it doesn't matter, same if one sol or more are stolen," he said, referring to Peru's currency. In a separate interview on the state broadcaster Tuesday, Salazar said that fighting drug trafficking would remain a priority. The move means that until new generals are named, many regions in Peru, including many in the interior of the country, will be led by colonels instead of generals, something that opposition politicians have criticized. Critics also voiced concerns that the move was a ploy by Humala, as a new president, to place commanders loyal to him in the top posts. His interior minister, Oscar Valdes, said Tuesday that the retirements had to do with a reorganization of a bloated institution, the state-run Andina news agency reported. "This is a studied measure, it is a re-engineering of the police," he said. "It's not possible that the police has so many generals." Before the purge, the police had 55 generals, 900 colonels, and more than 2,000 commanders, he said. Journalist Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this report.
[ "Will corruption be tolerated?", "How many police generals did the Peruvian president sack?", "How many police generals were sacked?", "How many generals were sacked?", "What did president do?", "What did the interior minister say?", "What did the new chief say about corruption?", "What did the new chief say will not be tolerated?" ]
[ [ "no" ], [ "30" ], [ "30" ], [ "30" ], [ "removed 30 of 55 generals in the national" ], [ "the retirements had to do with a reorganization of a bloated institution," ], [ "that stains the name of the police." ], [ "corruption" ] ]
The Peruvian president sacked 30 out of 55 police generals . The new chief says corruption will not be tolerated . The move was about reorganization, the interior minister says .
Lisbon, Portugal (CNN) -- Let's face it, footballers have a bad rep. They are labelled by many as overpaid selfish prima donnas who could not care less about the world around them. This may in reality apply to some players, but definitely not all of them. In Lisbon I recently met many who truly enjoy being role models and were honored to take part in the 7th edition of the United Nations (UN) Match Against Poverty. This year, in light of the tragic earthquake in Haiti, all of the proceeds went to the devastated country as 55 thousand people filled the Stadium of Light to greet some of the best footballers on the planet, both past and present. The likes of Kaka, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane lent a hand to this cause. Organizers were hoping to raise over $750 000 and in ticket sales alone, that target was reached. Having the privilege to be behind the scenes at this match in my home country, I spoke with various players about their involvement in it. One of the most concerned about the plight of the Haitian people was Thierry Henry. The Barcelona forward, who made headlines for the wrong reasons after his controversial handball which helped prevent Ireland from attending the World Cup, had already personally pledged $90,000 to the French aid agency Medecins sans Frontieres. "I am very touched by this tragedy and it is very good that everybody should mobilize in order to help Haiti," Henry told his club side Barcelona's official Web site. "This touches me because almost 20 years ago something similar happened in (the French Caribbean island of) Guadeloupe and I know what the Haitians must be going through. I have many friends over there. Haiti is a former French colony and it's as if we are cousins." Henry showed true concern for a nation that needs all the help it can get to rebuild its infrastructure and its hope. Zidane, Kaka and Figo were others who told me they were shocked by some of the footage they saw coming out of Haiti. As the death toll rose, they felt they needed to do something to help, and were delighted so many high-profile names showed up. In all, some 40 international players participated in a match that was qualified as a success by all, including the former Arsenal striker. "We must help them. I felt I should do something and that's why I have decided to make a donation to Medecins sans Frontieres," said the former Arsenal legend.
[ "How much was raised for Haiti earthquake appeal?", "How much did Thierry Henry donate?", "What amount was raised for the appeal?", "What was Henry shocked by?", "How much was raised for the Haiti earthquake?", "Which famous person donated to the appeal?", "Which other starts took part in the appeal?", "Who reported Henry was shocked by the tragedy?" ]
[ [ "over $750 000" ], [ "$90,000" ], [ "$750 000" ], [ "some of the footage they saw coming out of Haiti." ], [ "$750 000" ], [ "Thierry Henry." ], [ "Kaka, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane" ], [ "Barcelona's official Web site." ] ]
United Nations game in Lisbon raises over $750,000 for Haiti earthquake appeal . French star Thierry Henry plays and personally donated over $90,000 . Other leading stars such as Kaka, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane take part . CNN's Pedro Pinto reports Henry was shocked by the tragedy .
Lisbon, Portugal (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI made one of his strongest statements to date on the sex abuse scandal sweeping the Roman Catholic Church, saying Tuesday the reality he has seen is "terrifying." And he distanced himself from criticism of the media by senior Vatican officials, saying the most important attacks on the church don't come from the outside, they come from the sins of the members of the church, CNN senior Vatican analyst John Allen said. Benedict was speaking on his plane en route to Portugal, where he is making a four-day visit. He has said very little in public about the scandal, which has swept Western Europe this year, leading bishops to quit or offer to quit in Ireland, Germany and Belgium. Hundreds of people have come forward this year saying they were abused by priests or other Catholic authority figures there and in Austria, Netherlands and the United States. He said three weeks ago he was "greatly moved" by meeting victims of abuse in Valletta, Malta. He said he gave the victims "assurances of the church's action" after the April 18 meeting. It is not clear if he plans to meet victims of abuse in Portugal, which has not been as badly shaken by the scandal as many other European countries.
[ "Where do the most serious attacks come from?", "where does the most serious attacks come from?", "Where was the Pope en route to?", "Which church does Pope Benedict lead?", "Who says the scandal is terrifying?", "what does Pope Benedict XVI say about child abuse?", "he was speaking en route to where?" ]
[ [ "the sins of the members of the church," ], [ "sins of the members of the church," ], [ "Portugal," ], [ "Roman Catholic" ], [ "Pope Benedict XVI" ], [ "the reality he has seen is \"terrifying.\"" ], [ "Portugal," ] ]
Pope Benedict XVI says reality of church child abuse scandal is "terrifying" Pontiff says most serious attacks on the church come from within . Benedic was speaking en route to Portugal .
Livermore, California (CNN) -- The new START arms control agreement with Russia calls for the United States to significantly reduce its nuclear stockpile, but critics are rightly asking whether this will leave the U.S. safe. They say the U.S. must maintain a healthy nuclear deterrent, even as it works toward President Obama's goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. That leaves questions about the quality of the nuclear weapons the U.S. will keep in its arsenal, which are aging. Are they safe? Are they reliable? And, given that the United States stopped testing nuclear weapons by blowing them up -- both above and below ground -- 18 years ago, how will we know? Those are some of the questions that CNN's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty and I sought to answer when we flew to Northern California for an exclusive tour of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. At Livermore, it is all about virtual testing. Scientists actually generate the conditions of a nuclear weapon to analyze the nuclear stockpiles to make sure they are functioning correctly. The word "cool" does not begin to describe it. First, Brian Cracciola showed us around Livermore's High Explosives Applications Facility, where he is the operations manager. At HEAF, scientists conduct up to 1,000 explosions a year and heat up explosives to react to thermal changes. He walked us into a tank that can blow up 22 pounds of explosives. "When and if the president ever has to push that button, we need to know that the weapons will work," Cracciola said. "And as we scale down the nuclear weapons, we are working to make them much safer and much more reliable." Bruce Goodwin, who runs the weapons program at Livermore, explained that high-explosive molecule testing is even more extensive than the traditional testing done before 1992, when a nuclear test involved blowing up a nuclear weapon. "There are hundreds of ways a nuclear device can fail," Goodwin told us "We catalogue those and we test against them in a non-nuclear fashion. And, more importantly, we can do complete three-dimensional simulations of things that you couldn't possibly test in the old days." At Livermore, you can cut the explosives in half by laser without melting or sparking. We learned that this means you don't disturb the atoms inside the high explosive. Goodwin said the test vibrates the atoms at a rate of a millionth-billionth of a second, so fast that heat and shock waves can't be conducted. This removes the atoms one at a time from the high explosive and provides a more accurate reading of the condition of the explosive. "We found failure modes in the stockpile that we could never have found with nuclear testing because we're able to do these massive simulations," he said. "These are the largest calculations that man has ever done." All of these simulations are cataloged on Livermore's supercomputers, which are some of the fastest in the world. Michel McCoy, the lab's associate director for computation, showed us around the supercomputer rooms, which he calls the lab's "crown jewel." There, thousands of computers pull together all of the physics necessary to model a nuclear weapon's reliability and safety. Did I mention these computers are fast? We are talking about a hundred trillion operations per second. It is about to get even faster, with a new computer system called the petaflop, which would be able to do about a quintillion operations per second. McCoy said even that isn't fast enough for what the U.S. needs to do to fix the nuclear weapons as they age. We ended our day at Livermore's National Ignition Facility, where the world's largest laser generates the temperatures and pressures found only in stars, the sun and in nuclear weapons. The equipment looks like a spaceship about to take off. This summer, NIF will begin experiments that will focus the energy of 192 giant laser beams on a tiny target filled with hydrogen fuel. The goal is to obtain fusion energy, which is what powers the sun and stars. Inside the target
[ "what testing is safe", "what do critics wonder" ]
[ [ "virtual" ], [ "whether this will leave the U.S. safe." ] ]
Critics wonder: Would the new START arms pact with Russia leave the U.S. vulnerable? At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, non-nuclear blasts help simulate nuclear ones . Virtual testing aims to ensure that U.S. arms are safe, reliable . At lab, some of world's fastest supercomputers simulate what happens inside nuke blast .
Livingston, Wisconsin (CNN) -- It's the end of the day in rural southwest Wisconsin, and the Trocke family wanders through a ditch along a county road, their eyes fixed on the earth. Dan and Laurie Trocke, and their three kids, are on a mission for fragments of rock that came from about as far away as one can imagine. "We're not finding a lot, but that's beside the point really," Laurie Trocke says. "We're not professionals. It's purely for fun." It all began the evening of April 14, when what looked like a giant fireball came crashing through the atmosphere. "It just lit up the whole sky," she says. "You thought it was thunder and lightning, but it just kept going and going and going." "It really didn't sound natural," Dan Trocke adds. What they were witnessing was a meteor -- and a pretty spectacular one at that. Watch the video Michael Farmer, whom the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, calls the "world's top meteorite hunter," said that as soon as he saw video of the display, he hopped a flight to Wisconsin. "Most of them don't make a light show or a sound show," Farmer said. "When this one came in, the energy released was like nuclear bomb-type energy. ... [I knew] there would be thousands of pieces on the ground." By definition, those pieces are what scientists call meteorites: the remnants of the meteor that don't burn up along the journey and instead make it all the way to the ground. Farmer headed to the sleepy Wisconsin village of Livingston, which was about to become ground zero for the latest meteorite hunt. Livingston, with a population of 597, was the town nearest to where the otherworldly bits were turning up. Soon, everyone wanted a piece of the action -- from internationally known experts to the locals, like 7-year-old Jackson McCluskey. Jackson, along with dozens of other students at Iowa Grant Elementary School in Livingston, learned about the meteors from geologists and meteorite-hunting experts at a school assembly. Later that day, the kids combed the school grounds for meteorites during recess. McCluskey found a rock that one of the experts confirmed was a meteorite, weighing 35 grams. He sold it to a collector, but they wouldn't say for how much. On average, prices for pieces of this particular space rock have been set at about $10 to $20 per gram, according to Farmer. He added that a meteorite's worth can vary, depending on the amount of buzz surrounding an event and how much media attention has been devoted to it. It's easy to compare it all to a mini gold rush. Most folks aren't hunting with the mere hopes of winning bragging rights. Brian Nodolf, who lives on a farm near Livingston, said his wife found a meteorite weighing about 100 grams. "I'm told it's worth maybe a thousand dollars," Nodolf said. So far, about two dozen pieces had been found, one expert hunter said. But there's no way of knowing for sure, since many don't announce it when they do find one. But what do the residents think about the influx of people to their small town? They've welcomed them with open arms -- primarily because it's a boost to the economy. Who needs a government stimulus when you've got money falling from the sky? "We've gotten business we never would have had," said Tom Brown, village president. "I mean, who was going to come to Livingston? It's off the map." Tim Loeffelholz, owner of The Friendly Place, a local gas station and convenience store, says business is up by about 30 percent since folks started finding meteorites. "It's what we needed, a little boost," Loeffelholz said. "It's been great
[ "where has seen influx of meteor hunters?", "Where is Livingston located?", "What is the name of the town?", "How much do the meteor fragments sell for?", "How much can the fragments sell for?", "What was the date of the meteor strike?", "how many gram of first grader meteorite did they find?" ]
[ [ "Wisconsin village of Livingston," ], [ "Wisconsin" ], [ "Livingston," ], [ "$10 to $20 per gram," ], [ "$10 to $20 per gram," ], [ "April 14," ], [ "35" ] ]
Livingston, Wisconsin, is the town nearest to the April 14 meteor strike . The sleepy village has seen an influx of meteor hunters . First-grader found 35-gram meteorite during recess, sold it for an undisclosed amount . The meteor fragments can sell for between $10 and $20 a gram .
London (CNN) -- A Claude Monet pastel drawing of London's Waterloo Bridge has gone on display in the Savoy hotel room where it was created 110 years ago. Monet drew the bridge across the Thames during a stay in room 618 at the hotel -- now known as the Monet Suite -- in January 1901. He had intended to paint the view from his balcony in oils, but his art supplies and canvases were delayed on their way from his home in France. On Monday, the picture -- one of 26 pastel views of the river created by the impressionist -- returned, albeit temporarily. It will be exhibited at the hotel until December 16. "Since opening in 1889, the Savoy has played host to numerous artists, such as Whistler and Picasso," said manager Kiaran MacDonald. "However Monet's views of the Thames are without doubt the most celebrated works of art associated with the hotel." The picture is the only one of Monet's pastels of the river not in a museum collection. It is currently owned by a private gallery, Trinity House, and is for sale for a reported $2.32m. Monet (1840-1926) lived in London during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71, and visited the city on several other occasions, in order to depict its buildings through the then-famous fog. "London would be quite ugly if it was not for the fog," he wrote in a letter from the Savoy on an earlier stay in 1900.
[ "what bridge did Monet draw?", "what room did Monet stay in at the Savoy?", "From which room was Monet's Waterloo Bridge painted?", "what hotel did Monet stay at?", "Whose drawing is on display at the Savoy?" ]
[ [ "London's Waterloo" ], [ "618" ], [ "618" ], [ "Savoy" ], [ "Claude Monet" ] ]
Monet pastel drawing of London's Waterloo Bridge on display at the Savoy hotel . Artist created the picture -- the view from room 618 -- during a stay there in 1901 . He intended to paint the scene in oils, but his supplies were delayed en route from France .
London (CNN) -- A complete set of 100 etchings by Pablo Picasso -- never before seen in public -- is to go on display at the British Museum after an "extraordinary" $1.5 million gift. Businessman Hamish Parker -- a long-term fan of the London museum -- donated the entire Vollard Suite in memory of his father, Major Horace Parker, who died last year. The Vollard Suite -- one of the 20th century's most highly prized collections of etchings -- was created by Picasso between 1930 and 1937. It features pictures of the artist's young lover, Marie-Therese Walter, depictions of the Minotaur, the half-man-half-beast from classical myth who would become a regular feature in Picasso's works, and also a number of portraits of art collector Ambroise Vollard, for whom the collection is named. A spokeswoman for the museum said Parker -- a friend of the prints and drawings room -- had learned of the museum's hopes of acquiring the suite of etchings at an event there last year. "We already owned a few individual plates from the collection, five or so out of the 100, and one of those was on display," she told CNN. "Stephen Coppel, the prints and drawings curator, had placed a note beside it explaining that it was a long-term ambition of the British Museum to own the complete set. "But it was pie-in-the-sky stuff really -- we hoped to be able to add to the collection piece by piece over time. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine it would happen so quickly." After his father died, Parker surprised museum bosses by telling them he planned to offer them the money to buy the full set, in memory of the Major. "It was very unexpected, and incredibly generous," the spokeswoman said. "We are delighted." The Vollard Suite will go on display at the British Museum in London from May 3 to September 2, 2012, the first time a complete set of the etchings has been shown in the UK for half a century. The collection will be shown alongside examples of the classical sculpture, Rembrandt etchings and Goya prints which inspired Picasso in creating it.. The suite was commissioned by Parisian collector Ambroise Vollard, who planned to print and sell editions of it; however he died in a car accident in 1939 before the task was completed. After his death most of the prints were sold to fellow art dealer Henri Petiet. The British Museum's set, which has never been shown in public before and is in pristine condition, was bought from the Petiet family.
[ "Who donated the Picasso etchings?", "where is Complete set of Pablo Picasso's?", "What etchings were donated to the British Museum?", "In memory of who received the money?", "What has the friend of the Museum donated?", "who did $1.5m bequest in memory of donor's father?", "When will the Picasso etchings be displayed?" ]
[ [ "Hamish Parker" ], [ "British Museum" ], [ "by Pablo Picasso" ], [ "Major Horace Parker," ], [ "the entire Vollard Suite" ], [ "Major Horace Parker," ], [ "May 3 to September 2, 2012," ] ]
British Museum celebrates 'unexpected and incredibly generous' gift . Complete set of Pablo Picasso's Vollard Suite etchings donated by friend of museum . $1.5m bequest in memory of donor's father, Major Horace Parker, who died last year . All 100 etchings are to go on display at the museum next summer .
London (CNN) -- A tiny handwritten and unpublished manuscript by "Jane Eyre" author Charlotte Bronte has sold for $1.07m after it sparked a fierce bidding war between rival museums. The second issue of Bronte's "Young Men's Magazine" -- written in 1830 when she was just 14 -- smashed pre-sale estimates of $310,000 to $465,000, and set a record for manuscripts by the Bronte sisters. It contains three stories, written in Bronte's tiny, cramped hand, one of which is said to prefigure the story of Bertha, Mr. Rochester's insane wife in "Jane Eyre." It was bought by the Musee des Lettres et Manuscrits in Paris, where it will go on display in January. The Bronte Parsonage Museum, in the family's hometown of Haworth, Yorkshire, had earlier launched an appeal to raise money to allow them to buy it, but were outbid in the sale at Sotheby's in London. Philip Errington, director of the auction house's books and manuscripts department, said the Bronte item was "of huge literary significance." "The record price set today reflects the international interest in Charlotte Brontë's work. "This tiny manuscript represents her first burst of creativity and provides a rare and intimate insight into one of history's great literary minds." The Bronte Parsonage Museum already owns four of the six manuscripts in the "Young Men's Magazine" series. The whereabouts of the sixth magazine are unknown. Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) and her sisters Emily (1818-1848) and Anne (1820-1849) wrote some of the best-loved novels in the English language, including "Jane Eyre," "Wuthering Heights" and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall."
[ "what age was bronte when she wrote the manuscript?", "What is one of the stories in the magazine?", "What year was the \"Young Men's Magazine\" written in?", "what is the name of the manuscript?", "Bronte's was what age in 1830?", "Who said the miniature manuscript was signigicant?", "when was the manuscript written?", "Who wrote the manuscript?", "What did the Parisian museum win bidding on?" ]
[ [ "14" ], [ "the story of Bertha, Mr. Rochester's insane wife in \"Jane Eyre.\"" ], [ "1830" ], [ "\"Young Men's Magazine\"" ], [ "14" ], [ "Philip Errington," ], [ "1830" ], [ "Charlotte Bronte" ], [ "A tiny handwritten and unpublished manuscript by \"Jane Eyre\" author Charlotte Bronte" ] ]
Parisian museum wins bidding war for unpublished Charlotte Bronte manuscript . Bronte's "Young Men's Magazine" was written in 1830 when she was just 14 . Experts say miniature manuscript is "of huge literary significance" One of the stories it contains is said to prefigure a key scene in "Jane Eyre"
London (CNN) -- A top executive at the company that publishes the Wall Street Journal left Dow Jones this week amid allegations that the paper's European edition used underhanded methods to boost circulation figures, the newspaper itself reported Thursday. Andrew Langhoff, the executive, left on Tuesday, following an internal probe which found he had pushed for two articles favorable to a company involved in the alleged circulation subterfuge, the paper said. The Guardian, a rival newspaper, alleged that the Journal's publisher secretly directed funds to the company that was buying copies of the paper in bulk. In an official statement, Dow Jones rejected the Guardian's characterization of the arrangements. Wall Street Journal Europe "circulation programs were fully disclosed and certified," the company said in a statement. The controversy comes on the heels of another scandal surrounding another newspaper in the British newspaper empire of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The News of the World, the company's flagship Sunday British tabloid, was closed in July on the orders of Murdoch's son James, following accusations that it had illegally eavesdropped on the phone of a missing girl and many others to get stories. The girl, Milly Dowler, later turned out to have been murdered. News Corp. owns both Dow Jones, which publishes the Wall Street Journal, and News International, which published News of the World and continues to publish the Sun and the Times of London. The Wall Street Journal Europe scandal centers on the allegation that the paper arranged for 12,000 copies a day to be sold, for one European cent each, to a company called Executive Learning Partnership, the Journal reported. That boosted the daily circulation of the paper to 75,000 -- meaning the bulk sales to ELP made up more than 15% of daily circulation. The number of copies a newspaper sells is important in determining how much advertisers are willing to pay for ads, among other factors. The British agency that audits circulation figures does not differentiate between papers that are sold at face value and those distributed in bulk -- unlike the American agency, the Journal said. Dow Jones said its circulation reports were above board. "The practice of sponsored distribution to business schools and universities is common in the industry and clearly identified in all WSJE publisher statements. ELP was paid for legitimate services rendered," the company said. Langhoff and a Journal circulation department employee named Gert Van Mol also directed thousands of euros to ELP in side deals, the newspaper said Thursday, citing unnamed "people familiar with the matter." Van Mol's job has since been eliminated, the paper said. Dow Jones said the payments were for legitimate services rendered, but that the manner in which they were paid was "admittedly complex." It said it canceled the deal because it was uncomfortable with it, the Journal reported, also noting that ELP denied that account and that the company was "not pleased that our name appears in this context." ELP partner Nick Van Heck said the company had invoiced for services it had actually provided, but that the invoices went to "different organizations and not to the Wall Street Journal Europe," the paper reported. The firm said in a statement that Langhoff had "never promised us editorial coverage," the Journal said. The internal probe found that Langhoff had advocated for two articles favorable to ELP, the Journal said. The Dutch company describes itself as "strategy and learning architects." An ELP representative told CNN the company would respond to a request for comment as soon as possible. The accusations against Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal Europe were first reported by Nick Davies, a reporter for the Guardian who has been investigating scandals at News Corp. newspapers for several years.
[ "who closed in july", "Who is the dow Jones executive", "What closed in July amid a scandal over phone hacking?", "who is accused", "When did the news of the world close", "what does the wall street journal say", "Who said their circulation is properly audited?", "What is the paper accused of" ]
[ [ "The News of the World," ], [ "Andrew Langhoff," ], [ "The News of the World, the company's flagship Sunday British tabloid," ], [ "Andrew Langhoff," ], [ "in July" ], [ "European edition used underhanded methods to boost circulation figures," ], [ "Wall Street Journal Europe" ], [ "used underhanded methods to boost circulation figures," ] ]
The paper is accused of using underhanded methods to boost circulation numbers . The Wall Street Journal Europe says its circulation is properly audited . Dow Jones executive Andrew Langhoff left over allegations of a related scandal . The News of the World closed in July amid a scandal over phone hacking .
London (CNN) -- August 13 is likely to be Heathrow Airport's busiest day in its history, so the airport is building a temporary terminal to check through more than 10,000 athletes on that one day, the day after the closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Games. With 80% of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches, media and other visitors expected to use Heathrow during the games, the world's busiest international airport unveiled the design of a temporary terminal to be used just for departures. "The airport ... already operates close to capacity," said Nick Cole, the head of Heathrow's Olympics planning team. "Every part of the airport is working together to ensure we can give the athletes a warm welcome and ensure all passengers enjoy the atmosphere." London has had a relatively smooth seven years of planning and building venues. The one big worry for organizers and the city is transport. There are plans to limit car traffic while creating special Olympics-only traffic lanes. Officials have also asked companies to find ways to keep some employees out of central London and off the busy transport networks during July and August. In recent years, Heathrow has suffered from baggage snafus, snow disruptions and strikes. To help get people out of London after the games, Heathrow will allow athletes to check their luggage at the Olympic Village east of the city. Heathrow expects a 35% increase in baggage on August 13. Departure will not be the only challenge. The airport expects nearly 50% more passengers arriving on July 26, the day before the opening ceremony. That includes 390 athletes bringing in 780 firearms, says Heathrow.
[ "When is expected to be the busiest in Heathrow's history?", "what is The day after Summer Olympics?", "To ease the crush, it plans a temporary what, just for departures?", "The airport estimates it will check through how many athletes on that one day?" ]
[ [ "August 13" ], [ "August 13" ], [ "terminal" ], [ "10,000" ] ]
The day after Summer Olympics end is expected to be the busiest in Heathrow's history . The airport estimates it will check through 10,000 athletes on that one day . To ease the crush, it plans a temporary terminal just for departures . Heathrow will also allow athletes to check their luggage at Olympic Village on that day .
London (CNN) -- British government ministers secretly advised Libya on how to get convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi released from a life sentence in a Scottish prison, American documents published by WikiLeaks allege. A Foreign Office official explained to the Libyans how to apply for compassionate release for Megrahi after he was diagnosed with cancer, according to an October 2008 U.S. Embassy cable newly published by WikiLeaks. The British government believed Scotland would be inclined to grant the bomber compassionate release, the cable says. Megrahi, the only person convicted in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103, which killed 270, was released in 2009. He is now living in Libya. Then-Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell wrote to Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulati al-Obeidi in October 2008 to explain how to apply for compassionate release, a British official told the U.S. Embassy in London, the cable says. The Foreign Office in London and the office of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond in Edinburgh did not respond immediately to CNN requests for comment. The British government has always said it was not its decision whether or not to release Megrahi, but that of the Scottish authorities because the bomber was imprisoned in Scotland. Scotland has some control over its own affairs, including justice, but London runs British foreign policy. Some American senators, led by New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez, have been furious about Megrahi's release. They said in a report in December that his medical condition did not justify setting him free. The leaked U.S. Embassy cable says Megrahi had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and that the average life expectancy for someone with his condition was 18 months to two years. It noted that he could have as long as five years to live. The October 2008 American cable is broadly consistent with hundreds of documents about the case declassified by Scotland after Megrahi was released in August 2009. Those documents and American diplomatic cables published earlier by WikiLeaks show that Libya was determined to win the release of Megrahi, warning London that it would react badly if the bomber died in jail. The British have consistently denied that commercial considerations -- such as oil giant BP's desire to drill in Libya -- played a role in Megrahi's release.
[ "How many people were killed in the Pan Am 103 bombing?", "What was the flight number of the bombed plane?", "What did london believe scotland would free", "Who believed Scotland would free Megrahi?", "On what grounds would Megrahi be freed?", "Who has no immediate comment?", "Who believes Scotland would free Megrahi?" ]
[ [ "270," ], [ "103," ], [ "the bomber" ], [ "The British government" ], [ "compassionate release" ], [ "Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond" ], [ "The British government" ] ]
NEW: The British Foreign Office has no immediate comment . London believed Scotland would free Megrahi on compassionate grounds, a cable says . He's the only person convicted in the Pan Am 103 bombing that killed 270 people .
London (CNN) -- Debate is rife in Australian political circles about whether carbon trading is the way forward for climate change abatement. Carbon trading is said to be one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is looking to introduce a mandatory carbon trading system by 2010 which will cap the amount of pollution industry can release. The proposed Australian system will be similar to the European Union emission trading system which was established in 2005. With Phase 1 of the European system complete, there are a few lessons about carbon trading that Australia -- and other countries looking to go down this path -- could benefit from. So what is carbon trading? Carbon trading -- also known as "cap and trade" -- is a system designed to cut the carbon emissions which contribute to global warming. Generally in a market-based cap and trade system, a central authority -- such as a government or international body -- sets a limit on the amount of carbon which can be emitted and then divides this amount into units which are allocated to different groups. These units can then be traded as any commodity would. Carbon trading can occur both between countries and amongst industries within countries. A second approach to carbon trading involves a country or business generating carbon credits by investing in "green" projects -- usually in developing countries -- that are said to reduce emissions. Why is it necessary? According to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) there is unequivocal evidence that human activities have contributed to a gradual warming of the planet which has resulted in a change in climate. The IPCC report provides scientific evidence of change including to the duration of seasons, rainfall patterns and an increased frequency of extreme weather events. Industrialization is recognized as a key factor in the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere and according to the IPCC the world has warmed by an average of 0.74°C in the past 100 years. The IPCC predicts that if GHG emissions continue to rise at their current rate, this century will see a further 3°C rise in the average world temperature. While the consensus of the scientific community (via the IPCC) is that action must be taken to avert the worst impacts of climate change, economic arguments about the cost of climate change abatement -- advanced by countries like the U.S. and at one time Australia -- have in the past proved an impediment to action. A carbon trading system is said to be one way that countries can look to make greenhouse gas emissions cuts with minimal economic impact. Do you think carbon trading is the way to reduce greenhouse emissions? What trading systems exist? Established in 2005, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the largest multi-national, multi-sector CO2 trading system in the world. The ultimate aim of the system is to ensure that EU Member States are compliant with their Kyoto Protocol commitments and to do this the most energy-intensive industries are allocated carbon permits by Member States which allow them to emit a certain amount of CO2. If these companies want to emit more CO2 than their permits allow for, they are able to buy them from more efficient companies with spare permits. The EU ETS takes in around 12,000 installations which account for around 50 percent of EU greenhouse gas emissions from industries such as power, steel and cement manufacture. According the World Bank, the EU ETS contributed $50 billion of the $64 billion traded in the carbon market in 2007. The second largest carbon trading system exists under the United Nations Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol -- which sets binding emission targets for 37 industrialized countries -- permits emissions trading in order to help countries meet their agreed upon targets. Countries have agreed to an average 5 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 1990 levels, by 2012 and carbon trading is one way to meet this quota. By December 2008, the EU ETS will link up with the UN trading system to create a more global scheme. The Clean Development Mechanism is a further carbon trading mechanism of the Protocol which allows industrialized nations to claim
[ "what can reduce greenhouse gas emissions?", "What is said to be one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?", "What impact does existing carbon trading systems have on emissions to date?", "What serves as a good lesson for new trading systems?", "what serves as a good lesson?", "What impact does carbon trading is said to have on greenhouse gases?" ]
[ [ "Carbon trading" ], [ "Carbon trading" ], [ "reduce greenhouse gas" ], [ "Carbon" ], [ "carbon trading" ], [ "gas emissions cuts with minimal economic" ] ]
Carbon trading is said to be one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions . Existing carbon trading systems have had limited impact on emissions to date . The European experience serves as a good lesson for new trading systems .
London (CNN) -- English soccer player Billy Sharp scored what he called the most important goal of his career Tuesday -- a shot in memory of his son Luey, who died Saturday, two days after he was born. Sharp pulled up his jersey after the goal went in to reveal a t-shirt underneath reading "That's for you son." The goal was "Dedicated to my brave boy Luey Jacob Sharp I love u son sleep tight. That's for you son," Sharp said on Twitter after the match. "My goal had to be something special tonight for my special boy.I'm so proud of him,and his mum," he said. Referees normally give players a yellow card for showing a message on a t-shirt, but Darren Deadman declined to penalize Sharp. Luey was born October 27. He died October 29, said Sharp's team, Doncaster Rovers. Sharp was not expected to play Tuesday, but not only took the field but was named team captain for the night. Fans of both Rovers and their opponents Middlesbrough cheered to honor Sharp and his family before the match. "This is a minute's applause to celebrate the short life of Billy and Jade's son Luey Jacob Sharp," the announcer said. "Born October 27. Taken by the angels on the 29th. Sleep tight son," he said. Sharp said the tribute left him in tears. "To captain the side tonight was an honor and a pleasure,the minute applause I was crying meant so much to me thanks to both sets of fans," he tweeted. Hundreds of people tweeted their support to Sharp and his family. "What you've done has put life into perspective, you've won the hearts of the nation, and united football," said one, Ben Wainwright. Sharp and his wife were "grateful for the love and support we have received," she said on Twitter. "Daddy did Luey proud tonight. Sleep tight angel."
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[ [ "Saturday," ], [ "\"That's for you son.\"" ], [ "Saturday," ], [ "\"My goal had to be something special tonight for my special boy.I'm so proud of him,and his mum,\"" ], [ "\"That's for you son.\"" ], [ "after the goal" ], [ "cheered" ] ]
Billy Sharp reveals a t-shirt saying, "That's for you son" Sharp's son Luey died Saturday, two days after he was born . "My goal had to be something special tonight for my special boy," Sharp says . Fans honored Sharp and his family with a minute of applause before the match .
London (CNN) -- Fans and friends of Paul McCartney gathered in central London Sunday to watch the ex-Beatle walk down the aisle for the third time, as he married girlfriend Nancy Shevell. The couple arrived together just before 3:30 p.m., the groom in a blue suit and the bride in a long-sleeved white gown with a white flower in her hair. Both wore outfits by McCartney's fashion designer daughter Stella, said Monique Jessen of People magazine. The crowd of hundreds went wild when they appeared, with one well-wisher saying of the match: "It just seems right." McCartney, 69, and his 51-year-old bride left Marylebone Town Hall about an hour later and waved to crowds while being showered with confetti, before arriving at McCartney's home. Ringo Starr, the only other surviving former Beatle, was there, as was iconic U.S. television host Barbara Walters, who reportedly played a role in introducing McCartney and Shevell, an American trucking heiress. Walters is Shevell's second cousin, she said on her show "The View" in 2007. McCartney and Shevell got engaged in May, a McCartney representative told CNN at the time. The wedding took place at the same venue where McCartney married his first wife, Linda, in 1969. She died of breast cancer, aged 56, in 1998. A memorial service for her two months later was the first time McCartney, Starr and George Harrison appeared together in public since the Beatles split in 1970. John Lennon, the fourth member of the band, was shot dead in New York in 1980. Shevell, the bride, is the daughter of a New Jersey trucking magnate. She is an executive at her father's company, New England Motor Freight, and a 10-year member of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She was married once before, to lawyer Bruce Blakeman, who is active in Republican and Jewish circles in New York state. He ran unsuccessfully for Senate against Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand last year. Her father's company has annual revenues of about $400 million, says Blakeman's biography on his law firm's website. Press reports say they have a 19-year-old son. Alison Cathcart, who performed McCartney's third wedding, called the venue "a rock 'n' roll place to tie the knot." Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit married there, as did Melanie Griffiths and Antonio Banderas. Cathcart has conducted marriage services for celebrities including Sylvester Stallone and Joan Collins, Westminster City Council says. McCartney's second marriage -- to model Heather Mills -- ended in a bitter divorce in 2008 after four years. They have a daughter, Beatrice. Mills fought for a large divorce settlement, saying McCartney had limited her ability to work as a model during their marriage and that she had acted as a psychologist to him as he grieved for his first wife. Judge Hugh Bennett all but laughed both assertions out of court, saying her testimony was not only "inconsistent and inaccurate but less than candid." He awarded her 24.3 million pounds ($48.6 million at the time) -- less than one-fifth of the 125 million pounds she had asked for. Sunday would have been John Lennon's 71st birthday. CNN's Erin McLaughlin contributed to this report.
[ "what did the well-wisher say", "what does the well wisher say", "they married when", "who left the wedding" ]
[ [ "\"It just seems right.\"" ], [ "\"It just seems right.\"" ], [ "Sunday" ], [ "McCartney, 69, and his 51-year-old bride" ] ]
Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell leave their wedding in London . "It just seems right," one well-wisher says of the match . They'll wed at the same venue where the former Beatle married his first wife Linda . His marriage to Linda ended with her death, and his second marriage ended in bitter divorce .
London (CNN) -- Following a year in which "people power" was the rallying cry from the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement, the annual World Economic Forum might seem an elitist anomaly. Never mind the 1%, this is the 0.00004%: around 2,600 of the world's top political and business leaders, coming together to address the big issues -- most pressingly, the eurozone debt crisis -- in the luxurious surrounds of a Swiss ski resort. Among those gathering in Europe's highest-altitude town from January 25 to 29 will be royalty from Saudi Arabia, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, billionaires like philanthropist George Soros, senior executives from Facebook, Google and other tech giants, and the leaders of countries including Germany, South Africa, Mexico, and the world's youngest nation, South Sudan. While admission is free for heads of state, civil society or faith leaders and international organizations, among others, those paying will face a $20,000 price tag for admission, plus other costs which can easily push the bill to $40,000. But the true barrier to entry is having the power and influence to secure a "white badge" of invitation, the only means of admission to this most exclusive of clubs. As undemocratic as the event may seem, the forum's architects say that the current global atmosphere of unrest will give discussions an even greater significance. This year's theme is "The great transformation: shaping new models." Klaus Schwab, the German economist who founded the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 1971, says new decision-making models are needed to account for changed global realities. The WEF has cautioned that the backlash against rising inequality, seen in the discontent behind the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring, risks derailing globalization and constitutes a threat to economies worldwide. Amidst the turmoil of the current economic environment, emphasis needs to be placed on finding new models for assessing the quality of economic growth -- ensuring it is both sustainable and inclusive. Given rising youth unemployment -- in Spain, Europe's worst affected country, joblessness among young people stands at about 45% -- a new model for job creation is also needed. "For the first time in generations, many people no longer believe that their children will grow up to enjoy a higher standard of living than theirs," said Lee Howell, the WEF managing director behind the Forum's Global Risks 2012 report. The key to avoiding catastrophe, Schwab argues in a discussion paper, is "to provide young people with the capability to create their own jobs: to move from the pure concept of unemployment to the concept of micro-entrepreneurship." Those who dismiss the forum as an ineffectual talk-fest for the wealthy and privileged may point to the thematic similarities with previous years' forums as evidence that the event does little to actually implement change towards its stated ends. It's certainly true that the problems that have given a more austere tone to proceedings in recent years have only endured, or worsened, since the world's elite last visited Davos. At least this year's discussions will not want for a sense of urgency. Delegates will meet against the backdrop of the eurozone debt crisis, with European nations bickering over the fiscal compact they hope will be their salvation. But ahead of the EU summit which immediately follows Davos on January 30, the situation remains bleak. France and Austria recently lost their prized AAA credit ratings in a downgrade by Standard & Poor's which affected seven other eurozone nations. Budget deficit numbers for Greece, the country which triggered the current crisis, are getting worse, while crucial talks between the country's government and its creditors on debt haircuts have struck difficulties. The world's largest economy suffered the same indignity as France when, in an unprecedented move, the U.S.was stripped of AAA status in August. This followed of months of uncertainty stemming from the political paralysis over raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, the resolution of which meant the country narrowly avoided a potentially calamitous default. And, a year on from its outbreak, the failure of the Arab Spring to deliver dividends
[ "Where will the world's elite converge?", "Who says the backlash against rising inequality is jeopardizing globalization?", "What is the theme of this year's event?", "In which year is the event?" ]
[ [ "surrounds of a Swiss ski resort." ], [ "Klaus Schwab," ], [ "\"The great transformation: shaping new models.\"" ], [ "2012" ] ]
The world's elite will converge on Davos with the eurozone crisis at the forefront of discussions . The theme of this year's event is "The great transformation: shaping new models" Forum organizers say the backlash against rising inequality is jeopardizing globalization . Critics say the event does little to actually implement change towards its stated ends .
London (CNN) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama have come under fire after they were overheard talking rudely about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the G-20 summit. Sarkozy was overheard telling Obama: "I can't stand him. He's a liar," according to French website Arret Sur Images. Obama is reported to have replied: "You're tired of him; what about me? I have to deal with him every day." The comments have provoked criticism in Israel and the United States -- but it is not the first time a prominent figure has been caught off-guard, on-mic. CNN looks back at 10 of the most infamous gaffes. Gordon Brown on 'bigoted' voter Then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's 2010 election campaign was not going well, but he had no idea how much worse it was going to get when he stopped to chat with a voter a week before the poll. Gillian Duffy, then a 66-year-old pensioner, proceeded to berate Brown, explaining why -- despite having backed his Labour party all her life -- she was now "ashamed" to admit her political allegiance. Brown kept up a polite conversation with her as the TV cameras looked on, then drove away unaware his microphone was still on. Once inside the car, he complained to advisers: "That was a disaster. They should never have put me with that woman... Ridiculous... Bigoted woman." Brown later apologized, but went on to lose the election. George W. Bush to Tony Blair Brown's predecessor, Tony Blair, was witness to one of the most famous on-mic blunders by U.S. President George W. Bush during a lunch meeting at the 2006 G-8 summit in Russia. Bush hailed the prime minister with the greeting "Yo Blair!" and thanked him for a recent gift of a sweater. He then began discussing the situation in the Middle East, offering a not-entirely-diplomatic solution to the difficulties between Syria and Israel. "What they need to do," he told Blair, "is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this s--- and it's all over." George W. Bush on reporter The 43rd President of the U.S. was no stranger to the gaffe -- entire books were written about his famous "Bushisms" -- and they were in evidence even on the election trail. At an Illinois campaign stop in September 2000, Bush was caught on camera referring to New York Times reporter Adam Clymer as a "major-league a------" -- to which his running mate Dick Cheney replied: "Oh yeah, big time." Bush later said he was sorry his comments -- intended, according to his advisers, as a "whispered aside" -- were overheard. "I regret that the private comments made it to the public airwaves," he said. "I regret people heard the comments." Prince Charles on royal correspondent George W. Bush is not the only one to have voiced his frustration and anger at a member of the media in an unguarded on-camera moment. Prince Charles got himself in hot water with the British press when he was caught muttering under his breath about a reporter to his sons William and Harry during a photocall on a skiing holiday in Switzerland in 2005. Taking exception to a question from the BBC's veteran royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, the prince complained: "Bloody people. I can't bear that man. He's so awful, he really is." The comment did little to repair Charles' fractious relationship with the media, and proved that gaffes can still offend, even when couched in polite language. Joe Biden to Barack Obama U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in a class all his own when it comes to putting his foot in it. In one of his most famous blunders, he was caught on tape dropping the F-bomb while congratulating Obama over the signing of the controversial healthcare bill in March 2010. Introducing the President to the media, he turned
[ "Who made similar gaffes?", "Is this the first time a politician has been caught on-mic?", "What was benjamin called?", "who are made similar gaffes?", "What did Nicolas Sarkosy overhear?" ]
[ [ "Gordon Brown" ], [ "it is not the" ], [ "a liar,\"" ], [ "George W. Bush" ], [ "\"I can't stand him. He's a liar,\"" ] ]
Nicolas Sarkozy overheard calling Benjamin Netanyahu 'a liar' at G-20 summit . Gaffe is not the first time a politician has been caught on-microphone but off-guard . George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Joe Biden all made similar gaffes .
London (CNN) -- Graphic photos of the violent death of former Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi dominate most front newspaper pages on Friday, amid a sense of relief that an end to the conflict in the North African country is in sight. Some tabloids effectively dance on Gadhafi's grave. The headline in The Sun tabloid in Britain has the headline: "That's for Lockerbie." In an editorial, the paper adds: "British forces should be very proud today as a liberated Libya celebrates the death" of Gadhafi. "Our brilliant troops spearheaded the operation to end the dictator's tyranny. "Revenge is sweet. The architect of Lockerbie, who supplied the IRA with bombs and had London WPC (policewoman) Yvonne Fletcher murdered, died like a rat after being cornered in a drain. "Six months after the killing of Osama bin Laden, the world is rid of another madman." Even the left-leaning Guardian recognizes the success of NATO's military campaign in Libya. "After all the waiting, the killings and the tears, the wheel of history turned inexorably, and all who watched knew it would never turn back," wrote the paper's Simon Tisdall. "The Arab Spring had claimed another infamous scalp. The risky western intervention had worked. And Libya was liberated at last." France's Le Figaro reports the events of Thursday as "Mission Accomplished" for NATO after a seven-month-long campaign which has seen 26,000 sorties flown over Libya. But it warns that Libya's new leaders, the National Transitional Council, must do all they can to avoid the country falling into the same state of chaos and anarchy which hit Iraq in 2003 after the fall of Saddam Hussein. "The National Transitional Council has an obligation to put an end to the ragtag bands of rebels, to protect those Libyan residents with darker skin than others, to forbid any wild behavior; in short it must ensure the spirit of justice and reconciliation prevails over that of revenge." In Germany, Die Welt ponders the question of how exactly Gadhafi's end came about, reporting on the conflicting information about his capture and subsequent killing, and questioning whether he died "in the crossfire or at the hands of a lynch mob." The Berlin-based daily reports on the bizarre combination of character traits that made up the "poet and butcher" Gadhafi, reporting that with his death, "the world has one less mass murderer and brutally inhuman dictator, but also one less paranoid 'bird of paradise.'" The Financial Times also hints at a sense of unease over the killing, commenting in an op-ed that "it might perhaps have been better" if Gadhafi had been captured alive and put on trial. However it added that his death "has the merit of depriving the remnants of the old regime of a figurehead to rally round." The European edition of the Wall Street Journal reflects on what the Western intervention in Libya shows us about the contenders for the White House in next year's presidential election. "Mr. Obama's decision to keep a political low profile during the war -- to 'lead from behind' -- hurt the cause. NATO was left without a political general, and at times it wobbled. The U.S. was too late to recognize the Benghazi government, and Mr. Obama's calculated reticence invited a backlash in Congress over war powers. "Yet the president was a statesman compared with some GOP pretenders to the commander-in-chief's chair. Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich opposed U.S. participation as a high-risk intervention, a claim that now looks strategically mistaken and politically opportunistic. John McCain, a Republican who never wavered on Libya, yesterday offered adult advice for the U.S. now 'to deepen our support' for Libya's coming move from dictatorship to something new." It concluded by saying the world's sole superpower "can still shape events for the better." "Libya's successful revolution is the latest proof that liberating the world of a dictator can serve America's strategic interests and its moral principles."
[ "What are the photos of?", "What was the headline in The Sun newspaper?", "What does the Guardian recognise?", "What dominates European newspapers?", "What was the Suns headline?", "What is the Sun's headline?", "Which country does Die Welt come from?", "Whose violent death was shown in Europe's newspapers?" ]
[ [ "the violent death of former Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi" ], [ "\"That's for Lockerbie.\"" ], [ "success of NATO's military campaign in Libya." ], [ "Moammar Gadhafi" ], [ "\"That's for Lockerbie.\"" ], [ "\"That's for Lockerbie.\"" ], [ "In Germany," ], [ "Moammar Gadhafi" ] ]
Graphic photos of violent death of Moammar Gadhafi dominate Europe's newspapers . Some tabloids effectively dance on Gadhafi's grave. Sun headline: "That's for Lockerbie" Even the left-leaning Guardian recognizes the success of NATO's military campaign . Germany's Die Welt ponders question of how Gadhafi's end came about .
London (CNN) -- On a brownfield site in east London, not far from the site of the 2012 Olympic Park, a new green vision is emerging from the ashes of the UK capital's dirty industrial past. Once the home of a coal-fired power station, the London Sustainable Industries Park (SIP) at Dagenham Dock is creating the largest concentration of environmental businesses in the UK. The concept to transform the area into a clean-tech hub was originally devised by the local government authority (Barking and Dagenham) who were keen to promote jobs and prosperity in the wake of cutbacks at automaker Ford's Dagenham car plant. Since 2007, the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) -- a UK government agency tasked with overseeing regeneration of areas all over east London -- has been securing planning consent for the site's infrastructure. But that's not all they're doing says Mark Bradbury, LTGDC's deputy director of development. "We're also putting in a lot more landscape infrastructure ... creating an environment which is much more business park than industrial estate," he said. So along with industrial units which meet BREEAM standards, there are swales and trees to help with water and air pollution, he says. A heat network is also being installed allowing some of the energy produced to be shared by businesses on site. The goal, says Bradbury, is industrial symbiosis. This sharing of material by-products, water and energy by local industries rather than importing resources from outside is an idea which has gained momentum over the past two decades, says Marian Chertow, associate professor of industrial environmental management at Yale University. "Many urban areas with industrial concentrations find that symbiotic activities arise spontaneously as they are economically efficient for firms even before counting environmental benefits," Chertow said. "Over time, and with some coordination, these can become extensive networks for resource sharing and community building," she added. A leading early adopter of this philosophy was the city of Kalundborg, Denmark. Established in 1972, their eco-industrial park has evolved "from a single power station into a cluster of companies that rely on each other for material inputs," according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development. So although the London SIP isn't the first it is unique, Bradbury says. "We believe we are the first park to actively set out to achieve this from the start -- to almost vet our occupiers from the outset to really look at how they will add to the mix and that they buy into the symbiosis ethos of shared inputs and outputs," he said. So far only one tenant -- plastics recycler Closed Loop Recycling -- is on site but others are set to move in next year. Waste-management company Cyclamax is scheduled to install a renewable-energy power plant creating 16 megawatts of electricity early in the new year, while TEG (an organic waste recycler) has been given the green light to develop an anaerobic digestion plant. Closed Loop Recycling, which handles 35,000 tons of plastic bottles every year, is looking forward to the eco-freindly synergies that its neighboring tenants will provide when they arrive. "There is good potential that we will be able to take some of the heat from the anaerobic digester and composting facility to heat our wash water," said Nick Cliffe, marketing manager for Closed Loop Recycling. In return, bits of bottle that can't be recycled, including labels, could be sent over to Cyclamax's gasification plant, says Cliffe. He's also optimistic about future symbiotic relationships being formed with plastic upcyclers who are expected to join the park. "It's a great site," Cliffe said. "There's a real chance if the right kind of businesses come together that we can work stronger together rather than being more distributed." The vision is that over the next 15-20 years the park can provide the area with a supply of green energy, Bradbury says, kick-starting renewed interest and investment in the area. "The ultimate aim is to have a range of
[ "What is Industrial symbiosis?", "Who is to share material?", "What does Industrial symbiosis do?", "Who encourages green investment?", "What encourages green investment?", "What does\"industrial symbiosis\" maximize?", "What do the businesses share?", "What kind of investment is encouraged?" ]
[ [ "allowing some of the energy produced to be shared by businesses on site." ], [ "the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC)" ], [ "sharing of material by-products, water and energy by local industries rather than importing resources from outside" ], [ "local government authority" ], [ "local government authority" ], [ "sharing of material by-products, water and energy by local industries" ], [ "A heat network" ], [ "environmental businesses" ] ]
Sustainable industries park in UK capital encourages green investment . Businesses on site to share material by-products, water and energy . "Industrial symbiosis" improves the environment while also maximizing profits .
London (CNN) -- Personal details about Tony Blair that appear online were apparently not hacked from the former British prime minister's computer systems, but from the email account of a former staffer. Responding to a report about a hacker group that claims to have accessed Blair's personal data, a Blair spokesman said Saturday, "This information has not been obtained from Tony Blair or any of his office systems." "This appears to be information from the personal email account of a former member of staff from a few years ago," the spokesman said in an emailed statement to CNN. He didn't elaborate on the situation. The claim by a member of the hacker group TeaMp0isoN (Team Poison) was first reported by the United Kingdom's Telegraph newspaper Saturday. The group posted the information on a website called Pastebin.com that allows users to upload text. The information on Pastebin.com appears to include Blair's National Insurance number -- similar to a U.S. Social Security Number -- and the addresses and phone numbers of numerous personal contacts. The document has a note at the top that reads: "The information in this article was obtained in 2010 December, we still have access to the webmail server, phone numbers may have changed but all the information is 100% legit." It claims to include information on members of Blair's office, his address and phone book -- including the details of "family, friends, MPs and lords" -- and the contact details and resume of his former special adviser Katie Kay. CNN was not able to verify the authenticity of the information published on Pastebin.com. The PC Magazine website reported that the material had been leaked by a member of Team Poison known as TriCk. According to posts on TriCk's Twitter feed Friday night, the hacker group obtained the information in December. "Tony Blair's Private Info is getting leaked tonight, so is his Personal Adivsors CV and UK MPs & Lords who supported the war in iraq," one of the Twitter post said. An hour later, another post read: "doing the writeup now - Tony Blair and his cockroaches are getting owned tonight. - War IS Terror." This week, members of the Team Poison hacker group appeared to step into a row over recent actions by hacker group Lulz Security, tweeting that it would expose the identities of its members. LulzSec published Arizona police documents Thursday, obtained by hacking the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The agency confirmed it had been the victim of a cyber attack by LulzSec. The group has also claimed attacks on websites belonging to the CIA, the U.S. Senate and the United Kingdom's Serious Organised Crime Agency. It also obtained more than 1 million e-mail addresses, passwords and other personal information from the U.S.-based Sony Pictures. CNN's Bharati Naik contributed to this report.
[ "What did Tony Blairs spokesman say?", "What is the name of the hacker group ?", "What information was stolen?", "what did he say about the details" ]
[ [ "or any of his office systems.\"" ], [ "TeaMp0isoN" ], [ "Personal details about Tony Blair" ], [ "\"This information has not been obtained from Tony Blair or any of his office systems.\"" ] ]
Spokesman for Tony Blair's office denies the systems of former PM have been hacked . He says the details seem to be from the personal email account of a former staff member . Document appears to give personal details for Blair and address details for personal contacts . Member of hacker group Team Poison says the information was obtained in December .
London (CNN) -- Singer Amy Winehouse's death this summer was the result of alcohol poisoning, an inquest ruled Wednesday, as it reached a verdict of "death by misadventure." A pathologist told a coroner's court in north London that alcohol toxicity was the cause of the 27-year-old's death, with her blood-alcohol levels measured at more than five times the legal limit for driving. The Grammy award-winning artist, who had battled with alcohol and drug abuse over several years, was found dead at her north London home July 23. Testimony at her inquest showed no traces of illegal drugs in Winehouse's system -- but more details emerged about her losing battle with alcohol. Winehouse's physician, Dr. Christina Romete, said she saw Winehouse at 7 p.m. the day before she died, when the singer was tipsy but still able to hold a conversation. Asked when she was going to stop drinking, Winehouse replied that she would call Romete over the weekend to discuss it, the physician said. Winehouse was determined to do things her own way, including therapy, Romete said, but was aware of the risks of alcohol abuse. The singer's personal security guard, Andrew Morris, said he last spoke to her at 2 a.m. on July 23. He said he looked in on her at 10 a.m. and saw her lying on her bed, but figured she was sleeping in, which wasn't unusual, the court heard. Morris said he realized something was wrong when he checked in again at 3 p.m. and saw Winehouse had not moved. She wasn't breathing and had no pulse, he said. Morris said the singer didn't "drink to get drunk," but that he noticed she had started drinking alcohol again that week. Police who searched the flat after her death found three empty vodka bottles, the inquest heard. The pathologist's tests revealed that Winehouse's blood-alcohol level was 416 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood. The level considered lethal is 350 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood, and the legal limit to drive in Britain is 80 milligrams of alcohol. The pathologist found no traces of tablets in Winehouse's stomach and said her organs appeared to be normal. The verdict of misadventure means that it is judged to be an accidental death in which no law was broken or criminal negligence involved. A family statement, given by spokesman Chris Goodman, said: "It is (with) some relief we finally found out what happened to Amy. "We understand there was alcohol in her system when she passed away. It is likely a buildup of alcohol in her system over a number of days. "The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain that she could not win in time. She had started drinking again that week after a period of abstinence," Goodman said. Winehouse's father Mitch and mother Janet were among those who packed the small courtroom at St. Pancras Coroners Court to hear the evidence from key witnesses. Her family set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation last month to raise money to help young people in Britain and elsewhere, especially those suffering the effects of ill health, disability, poverty and addiction. Goodman said the ruling "underlines how important our work with the Amy Winehouse Foundation is to us to help as many young people and children we can in her name." Winehouse's family said in August that toxicology tests had found that "no illegal substances" were in her system at the time of her death but alcohol was present. The singer's soulful, throaty vocals brought her stardom in 2007, but her troubled off-stage life -- chronicled in her top 10 hit "Rehab" -- won her notoriety. Her death came less than two months after her latest release from a rehabilitation program and weeks after she was booed offstage by disappointed fans in Serbia. The tattooed London-born singer-songwriter's first album, "Frank," debuted in 2003, when she was 19. International success
[ "Who recounted details of Winehouse's last hours?", "What age was Winehouse when she died?", "How many vodka bottles were found?", "who talked about her last hours", "What age was the person who died?", "What was found in Winehouse's home?", "When did she die?", "what was found at winehouse's home" ]
[ [ "Andrew Morris," ], [ "27-year-old's" ], [ "three" ], [ "Andrew Morris," ], [ "27-year-old's" ], [ "three empty vodka bottles," ], [ "July 23." ], [ "three empty vodka bottles," ] ]
Three empty vodka bottles were found in Winehouse's home, the inquest hears . The singer's personal security guard recounts details of her last hours . Her family hopes a foundation set up in her memory will help other young people . Winehouse was found dead at age 27 at her London home in July .
London (CNN) -- Singer Charlotte Church on Monday blasted the News of the World tabloid for its decision to publish a lurid story about her father having an affair while her mother was getting treatment for mental illness. "They knew how vulnerable she was and still printed a story like that, which is just horrific," she said. The former child star also spoke of her anger at finding out her phone may have been hacked by a private investigator working for the Rupert Murdoch tabloid. The investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, had details of her phone and those of her parents, friends and former boyfriends, Church said police had told her. She was testifying before a wide-ranging British government-backed inquiry into press ethics and practices in the country. Sparked by the revelation that News of the World tabloid hacked into the voice mail of a murdered 13-year-old girl in search of stories, the Leveson Inquiry has been hearing from high-profile figures for more than a week. Church described how upset she was at the leak of the news of her daughter's birth, the rifts it caused with her family and friends when she accused them of revealing the details, and her later guilt at realizing the source was probably hacking, not leaks from those close to her. And she said falsehoods published in the press were particularly damaging because readers believe there are rules to prevent that from happening, "So if they see it in print, it must be true -- and that's not the case." Former Tony Blair spokesman Alastair Campbell is due to testify later this week, but a written copy of his opening statement appears to have leaked online. Paul Staines, who blogs as Guido Fawkes, posted what he said was a copy of Campbell's testimony in which he speculates about the possibility that the Daily Mirror found out though phone hacking that Tony Blair's wife was pregnant. "I think it is at least possible that this is how the stories got out," Campbell says in the statement published by Staines. Campbell said on Twitter Sunday he was "genuinely shocked someone has seen fit to leak my statement to Leveson." The Daily Mirror is not a Murdoch paper. Piers Morgan was editor of the paper at the time of Cherie Blair's pregnancy, and he now hosts the show "Piers Morgan Tonight" on CNN. Morgan, who has vigorously denied ordering phone hacking, is due to testify before the Leveson Inquiry at a later date yet to be determined. Celebrities who have already testified before the inquiry include "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and "G.I. Joe" actress Sienna Miller, who both complained of being hounded by paparazzi. Actor Hugh Grant also appeared before the panel, and he implied that police leaked information to the tabloid press. He also accused the Mail on Sunday of hacking. Police investigating phone hacking by journalists say that about 5,800 people, including celebrities, crime victims, politicians and members of the royal family, were targets of the practice by journalists in search of stories. It involves illegally eavesdropping on voice mail by entering a PIN to access messages remotely.
[ "What is Charlotte Church famous for?", "Who had her phone details?", "Who did Charlotte say had her phone details?", "What is Alastair Campbell going to testify about?", "How many people were targets of journalists according to the police?", "How many were targets?", "What did Church say?", "Who is the private investigator?", "Who was a former Tony Blair spokesperson?" ]
[ [ "former child star" ], [ "Glenn Mulcaire," ], [ "Glenn Mulcaire," ], [ "the possibility that the Daily Mirror found out though phone hacking" ], [ "5,800" ], [ "5,800" ], [ "\"They knew how vulnerable she was and still printed a story like that, which is just horrific,\"" ], [ "Glenn Mulcaire," ], [ "Alastair Campbell" ] ]
NEW: People believe rules prevent falsehoods from being printed, Charlotte Church says . Charlotte Church says a private investigator had her phone details . Former Tony Blair spokesman Alastair Campbell is due to testify later this week . Police say 5,800 people were targets of journalists looking for stories .
London (CNN) -- Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have increased this year, particularly over Bahrain and Syria, and relations are likely to worsen on the news of the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington. But ironically, the rise of more representative governments in key Arab countries poses risks to both Iran and Saudi Arabia. While each country will seek to defend its allies against uprisings (for Saudi Arabia, the Bahraini ruling family; and for Iran, the Syrian regime), neither will be able to control or dominate the changing regional dynamics -- and both have reasons to worry about the risk of unrest at home. The news comes at a time when regional relationships are in flux. The ongoing domestic political changes in a number of key countries -- especially Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria -- will create new foreign alliances and rivalries. There are few certainties. It is not yet clear whether these countries will become democratic in the near future, or which parties will be empowered. New political players have plenty of domestic challenges to absorb their attention and won't necessarily be focused on foreign policy for some time. With these caveats, however, here are four predictions about the new Arab order. 1) Dividing the region into two "camps" is an oversimplification In recent years, many analysts and policy makers saw a "pro-Western" camp, led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, opposed to a self-styled "resistance" camp of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. But new political players will probably want to avoid being forced into these old categories. Emerging political players in Egypt and Tunisia, whether Islamist or secular, generally do not want their countries to look like either Saudi Arabia or Iran. Representative governments would not be as reflexively pro-Western as their predecessors. They are likely to be more pro-Palestinian,and more sympathetic to the fact that Hamas and Hezbollah are both popularly-elected movements, but they will also be wary of Iran. Analysts have also written about the countries of the revolution versus the countries of the counter-revolution, meaning the Gulf states. But the Gulf states have backed the uprising in Libya and have withdrawn their support from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- indicating that they will not necessarily act as a conservative force throughout the region. 2) Egyptian-Saudi rivalry will be a defining feature In the 1950s and 1960s, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were major regional rivals, with Egypt representing pan-Arab nationalism, socialism and sympathy for the "non-aligned" movement, while Saudi Arabia was a more traditional, pro-US monarchy. The two countries backed opposing sides in the Yemeni civil war, while Egyptian political philosophy inspired leftist movements throughout the Gulf. Egypt is witnessing a resurgent nationalism and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that Saudi Arabia is unpopular among Egyptians, particularly given reports that the Saudi king wanted to help former president Hosni Mubarak stay in power, which would probably have required the Egyptian military to fire on civilian protesters. Egypt is also the only Arab country that can rival Saudi Arabia's influence on the pan-Arab media, with the partial exception of Qatar (where al-Jazeera is a single broadcaster rather than a media hub). This renewed rivalry will take time to materialize. In the short term, Egypt's foreign policy is likely to remain constrained by the persistent power of the army. At the same time, Saudi Arabia's foreign policy is constrained by domestic preoccupations, including the political succession, and by the fact that key foreign policy players are ageing. Saudi Arabia is unlikely to have the capacity to act as a regional "counter-revolution sponsor" even if it wants to. 3) Iraq will rise as a foreign policy player Since 2003, Iraq has been consumed with its internal problems and has had little capacity to be a foreign policy player. However, this year, Iraqi politicians have taken vocal positions on Bahrain -- opposing the crackdown and expressing their concern about the risk of exacerbating regional sectarian tensions
[ "Is it too simple to divide the region into two \"camps\"?", "What rivalry will be a defining feature in the future?" ]
[ [ "is an oversimplification" ], [ "Egyptian-Saudi" ] ]
Kinninmont: Dividing region into two 'camps' is too simple . Egyptian-Saudi rivalry will be a 'defining feature' of future . Iran will rise as foreign policy heavyweight in region .
London (CNN) -- They can fly 300 yards through the air and have helped turn the likes of Tiger Woods into multi-millionaires, but it seems the powers of the golf ball don't end there. For the last few days, BP have been using golf balls in an audacious attempt to plug the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which has been described by the Obama administration as probably "the biggest environmental disaster" the country has ever faced. BP press officer Sheila Williams told CNN that the balls had been used part of a "junk shot" including shredded tires and knotted rope that were pumped into the well at high pressure to plug the leak. Mud and cement was then injected into the well to keep the junk in place. Williams revealed that this process was carried out "a number of times" in conjunction with the U.S. coast guard before the oil giant admitted that the experiment had failed. Golf balls were selected as part of the 'junk shot' because they are small enough to plug gaps between the rope and tires and strong enough to withstand the pressure of the oil which is gushing out with significant force. Whether Titleist, Callaway or any other make (BP were unable to confirm either the brand or numbers used) golf balls are designed to withstand 2,000 pounds of force from a club making them a good candidate to withstand the high pressure oil leak. Engineers first used the 'junk shot' to quell the 1991 Kuwait oil fires but never at such depths. The fact that the Deepwater Horizon leak is 5,000 feet below the surface of the ocean is thought to be the reason the technique did not succeed. "I don't think we'll be using golf balls again," commented Williams. US President Barack Obama said the failure of the earlier "top kill" plan was "heartbreaking". The spill started over a month ago when the Deepwater Horizon rig caught fire and exploded, killing 11 workers. Over 40 days on and BP have still to stop the leak. BP has spent more than £600m trying to stem the estimated 5,000 barrels of oil per day flowing out from the wellhead. Previous failed attempts have included a coffer dam, a tube to suck the oil up to the surface and top kill. BP will next try to cap the well using an underwater robot that will try to cut the leaking pipe and place a cap over it -- a process known as deploying the Lower Marine Riser Package Cap Containment System. BP said that the cost of tackling the spill had increased to $930 million. The final cost, including legal damages arising from the accident, is still uncertain. The US Government recently released data showing that the oil was leaking at up to 19,000 barrels per day, nearly four times higher than BP's previous estimate of 5,000 barrels. The oil giant initially claimed after the Deepwater Horizon rig sank on April 22 that just 1,000 barrels per day were leaking from the well. The latest figures indicate that between 18.6 million gallons and 29.5 million gallons of crude oil have leaked into the sea, outstripping the 11 million gallons spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
[ "What is BP's next plan?", "What was the 'junk shot' made up of?" ]
[ [ "try to cap the well using an underwater robot that will try to cut the leaking pipe and place a cap over it" ], [ "shredded tires and knotted rope" ] ]
'Junk shot' using golf balls, rope and tires to plug holes in oil well fails. Golf balls selected because of small size and ability to withstand pressure. BP's next plan is to send in underwater robot to cut pipe and cap it.
London (CNN) -- Three one-time insiders at the defunct News of the World tabloid testified Monday before a British government-backed panel investigating press ethics and behavior. Former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck -- who has been arrested in connection with a police probe into phone hacking -- said he would not talk about illegal eavesdropping because of the arrest. He has not been charged. He appeared at the Leveson Inquiry after the paper's most famous undercover reporter, Mazher Mahmoud, known as the "fake sheikh" for the disguise he often adopted to get stories. He described doing stories on prostitution and drug dealing, but insisted repeatedly the tabloid "never engaged in entrapment." He defended his methodology, saying criminals had gone to prison because of his work. "Exposing criminality gives me great satisfaction," said Mahmoud, whose appearance was not televised in order to protect his identity. But he said he had never heard about phone hacking by the News of the World until royal reporter Clive Goodman was arrested for it in 2006. The inquiry was prompted by widespread public outrage this summer at the revelation that the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid had hacked into the voice mail of a murdered 13-year-old girl in 2002. Murdoch's son James, the chief executive of the News Corporation subsidiary that published the tabloid, has repeatedly denied knowing about the scale of illegal eavesdropping at his papers. James Murdoch ordered the paper shut down over the scandal. Former News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis also testified Monday. Like Thurlbeck, he has been arrested and released on bail in a police investigation into phone hacking. He argued that Britain's downmarket tabloids were the "ones that people out there want to read," and far outsold so-called quality papers such as the Guardian and the Times. A former News of the World journalist testified last month that the editors of the tabloid knew that their reporters were hacking phones in search of stories. Paul McMullan named Andy Coulson, who went on to become an adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Rebekah Brooks, a Murdoch protege, as editors who were aware of the practice. Coulson resigned as editor of the tabloid in 2007 when Goodman went to prison for hacking the voice mails of Prince William's staff, and he later became Cameron's communications director. Coulson has always denied knowing about phone hacking, saying he quit the paper because he was ultimately responsible for the actions of his staff. The Leveson Inquiry has been hearing from high-profile figures since last month, including celebrities such as "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and actor Hugh Grant, both of whom complained about press intrusion into their lives. Police investigating phone hacking by journalists say that about 5,800 people, including celebrities, crime victims, politicians and members of the royal family, were targets of the practice by journalists in search of stories. It involves illegally eavesdropping on voice mail by entering a PIN to access messages remotely.
[ "who said he never heard about phone hacking until an arrest", "who refuses to talk about phone hacking", "Who was the former chief reporter?", "what did they refuse to talk about", "what did mahzer mahmoud say", "Who says he never heard about phone hacking until an arrest?", "Whose ethics are being looked into?" ]
[ [ "Mazher Mahmoud," ], [ "Neville Thurlbeck" ], [ "Neville Thurlbeck" ], [ "illegal eavesdropping" ], [ "\"Exposing criminality gives me great satisfaction,\"" ], [ "Neville Thurlbeck" ], [ "press" ] ]
Former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck refuses to talk about phone hacking . Mahzer Mahmoud says he never heard about phone hacking until an arrest . A government-backed inquiry is looking into British press ethics and practices . The probe was prompted by the hacking of a murdered teen girl's phone .
London (CNN) -- Two top international cricket players from Pakistan were found guilty Tuesday of plotting to cheat and to take bribes in a major match against England last summer. Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif could potentially go to prison for up to seven years for the criminal offenses, part of a scandal that rocked the international sport. A third player, Mohammad Amir, pleaded guilty to the same charges. The court barred the press from reporting his plea until the jury reached their verdict on Butt and Asif, for fear of affecting the deliberations. They are due to be sentenced on Wednesday. "This is a case of cheating, pure and simple," Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne said in a statement after the verdict. "The defendants, who are world-class cricketers, sought to cheat to enhance their substantial legitimate earnings." He said they had "let down the cricketing world, their fans and the hardworking people that buy tickets to watch." "They were role models to countless children around the world and have betrayed their trust," the officer said. The Pakistanis were accused of spot fixing, which involves deliberately throwing parts of a game rather than the whole match. Prosecutors accused Butt and Asif of taking part in a betting scam, allegedly arranged by Mazhar Majeed, during a match between Pakistan and England played at the Lord's cricket ground in London. The News of the World, the British tabloid that first reported the allegations, said players deliberately bowled "no balls," or fouls, at specific points in the game and that the alleged ringleader made 150,000 pounds (about $230,000) in the scam. The News of the World has since folded in an unrelated scandal. But Horne praised the newspaper's work, saying it was "unlikely" the corruption would have been exposed without "the good work of investigative journalism; and as an investigator I acknowledge the skill involved in such work." Prosecutors used audio and video recordings the newspaper made secretly last year involving Majeed, a 36-year-old businessman from London. In one, Majeed is heard telling an unknown contact it is "not a problem" to fix the result of a match, adding: "Boss, you know how many [players] I have got, you know that they do it." The jury also heard a series of audio and video recordings of conversations and meetings between Majeed and a reporter from the newspaper, who was posing as a rich Indian businessman. One of the recordings showed the reporter handing over $140,000 in a London hotel room that had been fitted with secret cameras. Majeed is heard to give the reporter precise details of events in the match, due to start the following day, that would be rigged by the Pakistani players. Specifically, he describes three no-balls -- illegal deliveries -- that the Pakistani bowlers would concede at particular points in the match. The price of fixing a no-ball, Majeed was heard to say, is $10,000; he went on to tell the undercover reporter that his contact in India made four to five times that amount by betting on no-balls. The jury was then shown extended clips from the Lord's match, during which the Pakistani bowlers did exactly as Majeed had promised. Before one of the no-balls, the cameras even showed Butt, who was captaining the Pakistani team, consult with Amir, the bowler. Earlier in the trial, the jury was told the betting market in the Asian subcontinent is "breathtaking in size." Conservative estimates, the prosecution said, puts the value of the market at between $40 billion to $50 billion dollars per year. Alan Peacock, an anti-corruption official at the International Cricket Council, told the court that the betting market had developed over the years from a focus on fixing match results, to spot fixing: contriving small events within the game, like no balls, or particular patterns of scoring. Asif and Butt denied the charges. Majeed was not on trial; the jury was told there
[ "Who is guilty of plotting to cheat and take bribes?", "What is worth up to $50B a year?", "who pleaded guilty", "who was found guilty", "Who pleaded guilty to the same charges?", "what is the betting market worth", "What was reported?", "What is the size of the Asian betting market?", "What were they guilty of?" ]
[ [ "Two top international cricket players" ], [ "betting market in the Asian subcontinent" ], [ "Mohammad Amir," ], [ "Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif" ], [ "Mohammad Amir," ], [ "between $40 billion to $50 billion dollars per year." ], [ "allegations," ], [ "between $40 billion to $50 billion dollars per year." ], [ "to cheat and to take bribes in a major match against England" ] ]
The outcome is a credit to reporting by News of the World, its parent firm says . Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif are guilty of plotting to cheat and take bribes . Mohammad Amir earlier pleaded guilty to the same charges . The Asian betting market is worth up to $50B a year, a cricket official estimates .