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(CNN)Celebrities such as Piers Morgan and nearly 800 other members of a London golf club will earn £85,000 ($107,100) each after agreeing the sale of their Wimbledon Park Golf Club to the organizer of the Wimbledon grand slam tennis tournament.The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has acquired the land, which lies across the road from the tournament venue, for £65 million ($81.9 million) with a long-term view to transferring Wimbledon's qualifying event to the 73-acre site and building over the golf greens.The two parties have been in discussion for a decade but members of the 120-year-old golf club had resisted a number of lower bids before 82% agreed to Wimbledon's "best and final offer" at a meeting in central London Thursday. Very sad news.Played there for over 30yrs & voted against the sale. Hope the superb pro-shop team get properly looked after. https://t.co/Et4ATm5eMl— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 13, 2018 Journalist and TV star Morgan tweeted: "Very sad news. Played there for over 30yrs & voted against the sale. Hope the superb pro-shop team get properly looked after."Wimbledon tennis organizers are seeking to keep pace with modernization and the development of world-class facilities for players and fans at the other three grand slams in Australia, France and USA. Qualifying currently takes place at Roehampton, about a 15-minute drive away.Read More"The decision of the Wimbledon Park Golf Club members to vote in favor of the acquisition offer is a hugely significant moment for the AELTC and The Championships," said Philip Brook, chairman of the AELTC.Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and videosEach of the nearly 800 members of Wimbledon Park Golf Club will receive about $107,000 each. 'Protect and celebrate heritage'Another longtime member Martin Sumpton told the meeting it was a "very, very sad day for the history of golf and the future of Wimbledon Park." "120 years of playing golf at Wimbledon Park has ended because of greed," he told The Guardian. "People wanted to take the money, and that's hardly surprising. It is a lot of money."It's not just the golf club that will be lost, but also all the employees who will be out of a job through no fault of their own."The golf club will continue as normal until the end of 2021 with nine or 10-holes operating for at least a further year. In the meantime, the AELTC will formulate its master plan for the site, which will also seek to "protect and celebrate the heritage of the park" and offer "increased public access." A sports club situated in the center of the golf course is not included in the sale."We have achieved what we set out to do many months ago in having certainty in our planning for the future," added Brook, who clarified that the grounds would remain a sporting facility."I would like to emphasize that we have no intention of applying for change of use, planning permission or other approval to use the land that would be completely out of character for the AELTC and The Championships."Wimbledon built a retractable roof over Centre Court at a reported cost of £100 million ($126 million) in 2009 and is in the process of adding a £71 million ($90 million) roof on No.1 court for the 2019 event.
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Story highlights Opponents of the measure file a challenge with France's Constitutional CouncilNational Assembly approves a same-sex marriage bill by a 331-to-225 voteThe issue of same-sex marriage also polarizes the United States and other nationsLawmakers in New Zealand and Uruguay are the latest to back same-sex marriageFrench lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage Tuesday, despite vocal protests from some conservatives opposed to the step. The nation's lower house approved a marriage bill, which would also give same-sex couples the right to adopt, in a 331-to-225 final vote.They cast their votes after impassioned speeches by lawmakers for and against the legislation.President Francois Hollande, who pledged his support for same-sex marriage on the campaign trail last year, will have to sign the bill before it becomes law.After Tuesday's lower house vote, a group of senators filed a legal challenge with the country's Constitutional Council, according to a statement published on the UMP conservative opposition party's senate website.JUST WATCHEDIssues beyond same-sex rights for FrenchReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIssues beyond same-sex rights for French 02:42JUST WATCHEDSame-sex marriage battle in FranceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSame-sex marriage battle in France 03:13JUST WATCHEDOpen Mic: French on same-sex marriageReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOpen Mic: French on same-sex marriage 02:05The court has a month to rule on the challenge filed by conservative and centrist senators.iReport: Pro-gay marriage demonstrators hail lawmakers' moveThe measure had been expected to pass Tuesday since the left, which includes Hollande's governing Socialist Party, dominates the National Assembly, or lower house. The legislation was approved in the Senate earlier this month. If the measure is enacted, France would be the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.Protesters on Sunday joined the latest in a series of marches through Paris against the measure, and they have vowed to carry on the fight.One of the groups behind the marchers urged protesters to rally again Tuesday evening and is planning more demonstrations around the country next month.Policing has been stepped up in the streets around the lower house in case demonstrations by those for and against the bill become heated, CNN affiliate BFM-TV reported.In France, the contentious debate over the same-sex marriage bill has coincided with a spike in reported incidents of homophobic abuse, the gay rights group SOS Homophobie told BFM-TV last week.A gay bar in Lille was targeted Wednesday night by four men who appeared to belong to a far-right group, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said Thursday, in a statement condemning the attack.Valls also condemned violence that broke out Thursday evening at a march against same-sex marriage, when "organized groups" refused to disperse and clashed with police.France is committed to upholding the right of all people to demonstrate peacefully, he said.International debatePassage of the divisive bill will admit France to a small but growing club.Lawmakers in New Zealand last week made it the first country in the Asia Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. The law is set to be enacted later this year.Its move came a week after Uruguayan lawmakers approved a measure allowing same-sex marriage. The measure awaits the signature of Uruguay's president, who has indicated he supports it.If the laws in New Zealand, Uruguay and France are enacted as expected, the count of nations allowing same-sex marriage will rise to 14.The first same-sex couples walked down the aisle in the Netherlands in 2001, with others following suit in Canada, South Africa, Belgium and Spain. Argentina was the first Latin American nation to legalize such marriages, in 2010. Legislators in the United Kingdom are also weighing proposals to legalize same-sex marriage.However, many countries remain split over the issue.In the United States, the question went before the Supreme Court last month, and justices are now deliberating over the matter. Nine states and the District of Columbia issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, including three states -- Maryland, Washington, and Maine -- where voters approved it in ballot initiatives last year. Many states have specific laws blocking same-sex couples from legally marrying. Lawmakers in Australia voted against a bill to legalize same-sex marriage last September. A poll for the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality indicated that 64% of those surveyed "support marriage equality."A law legalizing civil unions was introduced in 1999 in France under a previous Socialist government. Known in France as the PACS, or pacte civil de solidarite, the civil union agreement can be entered into by same-sex or straight couples and confers many but not all of the rights of marriage.READ MORE: French Senate backs same-sex marriage billREAD MORE: Same-sex marriage: Who will legalize it next?READ MORE: Gay rights in France: How even U.S. leads wayREAD MORE: Protesters rally against same-sex marriage in France
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(CNN)Central America's battle with Hurricane Eta could leave some countries scarred for generations. Eta made landfall in the region last week as a Category 4 hurricane. High winds were always expected, but the storm hovered for days over Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, seemingly unwilling to leave three countries extremely ill-equipped to handle the disaster. Torrential rainfall came in unceasing waves and the subsequent flooding wiped entire communities off the map. Dozens of people in the remote Guatemalan village of San Cristobal are still missing after a landslide swept through last week, leaving mud 50 feet deep in some places. Some of their relatives already think their loved ones are gone.Read MoreTropical Storm Eta brings strong winds to west coast of Florida ahead of landfall"There was a great tragedy here," village resident Roland Calchak told Reuters. "I lost 23 members of my family. My father, my mother, my wife, my three children, grandchildren, sisters, sisters-in-law." More than 3.6 million people across Central America have been affected to varying degrees, according to the Red Cross. "We are talking about a huge impact across the region," said Santiago Luego, of the Red Cross. Dozens have been killed so far, and that number is expected to rise. The true fallout from this storm, though, might only be beginning. Covid-19 will spread...but so will everything elseFor the storm's survivors, a deadly danger remains. Health authorities in Central America are deeply concerned about the potential spread of Covid-19 in Eta's wake. In Honduras, some shelters for storm refugees are crowded and poorly ventilated, and social distancing is often impossible. "Just bringing them to safe ground has been a challenge," said Mauricio Paredes of the Red Cross. "Now you have all these people together, so it's a double challenge of not only protecting the people who have been effected but also protecting the first responders." Even before the storm, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala had poor public health systems that struggled in the fight against Covid-19. Local hospitals will now face the additional burden of other illnesses related to the storm and the flooding from dengue to cholera to yellow fever.JUST WATCHEDHeavy rain and life-threatening flooding occuring with Eta ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHeavy rain and life-threatening flooding occuring with Eta 03:21 And while children are usually spared the worst from Covid-19, that will not be the case with other diseases. "We're going to get a perfect storm or a pandoras box of diseases that predominantly affect children," said Mark Connolly, the UNICEF representative in Honduras speaking to CNN. Connolly says more children could die across Central America if urgent aid, things like water purification tablets, water filters, and the overall swift repair of neighborhood water systems, is not delivered quickly. The Red Cross says the scale of the problem is so immense, it plans on conducting sustained operations for at least 18 months with the target of helping 75,000 of the worst affected people in those three countries. With nothing holding them back, many will head northIn the three Central American countries hit the hardest, there are no widely effective social safety nets. The ability of these federal governments to respond with the resources needed to mount a substantive response is limited. Any vast fleets of trucks or planes with supplies that do arrive will come largely due to the efforts of NGO's and whatever generosity richer countries are willing to offer. Rebuilding in many of these communities will be extremely slow, if non-existent. With no jobs, no homes, and no clear vision of what the future holds, there will be little choice for many but to leave. The destination is obvious. "Lots of these families lost everything," said Connolly. "So, now their only hope might be to get a loan for a few thousand dollars and migrate north to Mexico and the United States." What awaits those migrants at border crossings is unclear. Mexico, for example, has all but closed its borders to Central American migrants over the past year, a Trump administration demand backed up with economic threats like tariffs on Mexican imports to the US. And should they be let into Mexico, what fate awaits them at the US southern border? The Trump administration has all but halted immigration there, denying entry to those trying to be let in on everything from humanitarian grounds to political asylum. President-elect Joe Biden has said he will reverse many of Trump's policies. But with the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to rage in the US, it is unclear what the new administration would do with large numbers of new migrants. A schooling crisisOthers will choose to stay put, despite the devastation around them. Adults will try to go back to work, try to get food and water on the table. But for the region's children, there is another looming crisis. Millions of kids have already been out of school since the spring due to Covid-19 closures. Now, getting back in the classroom will be even more uncertain. "The situation in Honduras, for example, was that before [the storm] there were about 6,000 schools without running water," said Connolly. "Now you can multiple that by several times because the water systems have collapsed in multiple areas." Many schools were also damaged or destroyed during the storm. And those that weren't have often been turned into shelters for struggling families. All of that combined could add up to even lengthier delays before kids can get back to learning. Central America is no stranger to devastating storms. Hurricane Fifi killed thousands in 1974. Hurricane Mitch wiped out hundreds of thousands of homes in 1998. The true damage from Eta likely won't be known for a while. But a powerful storm combined with the worst pandemic in 100 years will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the region. And the situation might soon get worse. The National Hurricane Center says it is very likely a hurricane will develop in the Caribbean in the next few days with most models in agreement that it will make landfall next week in Northern Honduras.
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Story highlightsLondon's Metropolitan Police says it is dropping its 24-hour guard of Julian AssangeThe WikLeaks founder has been holed up in Ecuador's Embassy in London since July 2012Sweden wants to extradite Assange so he can be questioned over rape allegationsLondon (CNN)Police are no longer guarding WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange around the clock, London's Metropolitan Police said Monday, but are deploying "a number of overt and covert tactics to arrest him."Assange has been holed up in London's Ecuadorian Embassy for more than three years to avoid extradition to Sweden, where prosecutors want to question him over 2010 rape allegations.The Australian has not been charged and denies the allegations. Assange has said he fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States, where he could face the death penalty if he is charged and convicted of publishing government secrets through WikiLeaks.Deployment 'no longer proportionate'Read MoreThe Metropolitan Police Service said it remained "committed to executing the arrest warrant and presenting Julian Assange before the court," but that it continually reviewed its policing operation."As a result of this continual review the MPS has today Monday, 12 October withdrawn the physical presence of officers from outside the Embassy," it said in a statement."The operation to arrest Julian Assange does however continue and should he leave the Embassy the MPS will make every effort to arrest him. However it is no longer proportionate to commit officers to a permanent presence."The force said it had discussed its decision with Britain's Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office."Like all public services, MPS resources are finite. With so many different criminal, and other, threats to the city it protects, the current deployment of officers is no longer believed proportionate."Some charges droppedIn August, prosecutors announced they were dropping allegations involving sexual molestation and coercion as statutes of limitations in the investigation were running out. Assange can still be investigated on suspicion of rape until 2020, they said. In May, the Swedish Supreme Court denied Assange's latest appeal to dismiss an arrest warrant over the allegations. Prosecutors have agreed to look into conducting interviews in London to move the investigation forward, but the court sees "no reason" to lift the arrest warrant, the Supreme Court said then.
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Seoul, South Korea (CNN)North Korea fired what is presumed to be its longest range ballistic missile since 2017 on Sunday, an escalation of its weapons program and a possible sign of larger tests to come, according to South Korea's President. Both the South Korean and Japanese governments reported the launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), with officials in Tokyo saying the missile reached a height of 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) with a range of 800 kilometers (497 miles), before falling into waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula."If the missile were fired at a normal apogee, its range would be up to 3,500 kilometers to 5,500 kilometers, making it an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile and North Korea's longest test since 2017," Joseph Dempsey, research associate for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, told CNN Sunday.A US assessment also found the launch to be an IRBM, most likely a KN-17, also known as a Hwasong-12, according to a US official with direct knowledge.An IRBM would be able to strike the US territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.Read MoreSunday's launch is Pyongyang's sixth ballistic missile launch in 2022 and seventh missile test overall.The Kim Jong Un regime is ramping up its missile testing in 2022, and has said it will bolster its defenses against the United States and evaluate "restarting all temporally suspended activities," according to North Korea's state-run news agency KCNA.Dempsey said Sunday's launch shows North Korea may be doing just that."Following their 2018 self-imposed moratorium on long range and nuclear testing, they have limited ballistic missiles tested to short range (SRBM) and medium range (MRBM)," Dempsey said.The sense of all the recent tests is Kim "has a desire to test out his inventory" and doesn't care if Washington sees it, the US official said.South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Sunday the North is coming close to scrapping the moratorium on Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles -- weapons which in theory could strike the US mainland -- and nuclear testing.Moon, who convened an emergency National Security Council meeting following Sunday's launch, said the North is showing a similar pattern to 2017, when testing began with IRBMs, before moving to long range ballistic missile launches.On Thursday, North Korea fired what were presumed to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the seas off the nation's east coast.Kim Jong UnTwo days before that, it fired what were believed to be cruise missiles into the same waters.On January 17, Pyongyang test-fired "tactical guided missiles," which are short-range ballistic missiles, KCNA said.North Korea claimed to have successfully test-fired hypersonic missiles on January 5 and 11, and then what were presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles from a rail car on January 14.Pyongyang is barred by international law from developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.After the rail car test, a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson admonished Washington for its posture against Pyongyang's weapons development. "If the US adopts such a confrontational stance, the DPRK will be forced to take stronger and certain reaction to it," the spokesman said, referring to the country by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.In a recent statement carried by KCNA, a spokesperson defended North Korea's right to bolster its arms, saying its "recent development of new-type weapons was just part of its efforts for modernizing its national defense capability."
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Gene Seymour is a critic who has written about music, movies and culture for The New York Times, Newsday, Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter @GeneSeymour. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion at CNN. (CNN)Someone once asked me why I watched so much network news when I was growing up. I replied that it was the early 1960s -- I had to keep watching because I was afraid I'd miss something if I didn't. Gene Seymour This was especially true in 1964, a year significant from the start: it began with a president no one expected in office only a year before. And that was January. The next month, the pop phenomenon known as the Beatles came to America with a thunderous, exhilarating rush. And by the end of that month, in Miami, another phenomenon named Cassius Clay, in his own words, "shook up the world" by toppling Sonny Liston from the heavyweight boxing championship, an "upset" in almost every sense of the word. Now streaming on Amazon Prime and playing at select theaters, "One Night in Miami," the Regina King-directed adaptation of a stage play written by Kemp Powers, imagines a meeting after that fight where the champ soon to be known as Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree) celebrates his unlikely triumph with Black Muslim minister Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), football great Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) and singing star Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) in a racially segregated Miami hotel. For viewers like me who were alive and aware of events in those turbulent years, watching King's movie is not only a thrillingly plausible rendering of four African American icons poised at the crossroads of their respective lives. It also renders a moment of reckoning in the nation's history where its heritage of racial discrimination was being openly confronted, from the halls of Congress to America's streets. It seems almost an eerie convergence that "One Night in Miami's" premiere comes at a similar, even more nerve-wracking moment in our history of race relations. Protesting made these athletes patriots Yet, White racism oddly sits along the edges of the movie's action, save for the condescension and dismissal Cooke receives at a performance before a mostly White crowd at the ritzy Copacabana nightclub and another moment early in the film when Brown, the greatest fullback in pro football history, visits his birthplace at St. Simons Island in Georgia, en route to Miami. Read MoreHe drops by a mansion belonging to a White man named Carlton (Beau Bridges), whom he knew in childhood. Carlton is all smiles and approbation on his front porch, extolling the prodigal hero for having completed a record-setting 1963 NFL season of 1,863 rushing yards. Carlton then says he has to go back inside to move some heavy furniture. When Brown offers to help, Carlton, barely missing a beat in their conversation, assures him it's not necessary and besides, "We don't allow n***ers in the house." If you know anything about Jim Brown's reputation for seeming indestructible and unconquerable, you'd think nothing could ever hurt him -- until this moment. And yet something about Hodge's demeanor in the role at that moment registers ... not anger, exactly, but a watchful resignation. It's shock without surprise over the way he's been treated, similar to how many African Americans today view the resurgence of White supremacism in public spaces. A sentiment that says at once, "The more things change ..." and "So what now?"This, in a sense, is the essential question posed by "One Night in Miami": How do Black people negotiate lives for themselves in the face of White racism that seems never to go away -- no matter how many laws are enacted, political victories won or yards gained on the gridiron?JUST WATCHEDSam Cooke's 'Change' to be honoredReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSam Cooke's 'Change' to be honored 06:28For Cooke, one of the most popular singers of the emergent soul-music era, it's about securing ownership over the terms of his career, where he performs and what he creates. Malcolm X is skeptical that Cooke can achieve this goal by actively continuing to seek greater "crossover" appeal with White as well as Black audiences. Brown backs Cooke on this as he is starting to think he should stop lugging a football through tacklers for pay and put his good looks before movie cameras. And aren't they doing what Malcolm has urged Black people to do all along? To seek economic independence and self-determination independent of White expectations? But Malcolm had his own issues with independence. At this point in his life, he was estranged from the Nation of Islam and very close to breaking off his relationship with the organization. Clay, meanwhile, was about to publicly declare himself a Black Muslim and change his name to Muhammad Ali. In the film, their complex fates seem to clash with each other. And yet, the film's power comes in showing in retrospect how there can be many ways for Black people to seek and find their personal autonomy, no matter what the odds. They didn't all get what they wanted. The movie mentions at the end that Malcolm would be assassinated a year later. But it doesn't mention that in December of 1964, Cooke would be shot to death at age 33 by a motel manager in an incident still shrouded in mystery. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookAlso not mentioned at the end: Ali's future victories and vicissitudes in the ring and his refusal to enter the draft for religious reasons were ahead of him, while Brown opted to leave the NFL for Hollywood and a lucrative film career. As part of his ongoing activism, Brown also organized other Black athletes in support of Ali's anti-draft stance. These details are illuminating, but maybe it's not necessary to have all this information trailing you at the end of "One Night in Miami." The actors' performances are altogether superb at making history come alive, in playing these four troubled, but determined men who still have much to teach Black and White audiences alike how best to cope with the seemingly unstoppable monster of racism and injustice.
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(CNN)On the court, Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy was known for his "unshatterable poise." When he led his team's famed fast-break, he handled the ball with such ease that one observer said it "seemed to have wings and a homing device." But there was one basketball moment where Cousy lost all sense of control. He couldn't talk. He choked back sobs. He covered his face with his outsized hands to mask his shame. It's rare in America for a 90-year-old white man to reconsider race and how it played out in his own life, but that's what Cousy is doing Gary M. Pomerantz, author of "The Last Pass"It came while he tried to explain his relationship with his legendary teammate, Bill Russell. An ESPN crew was interviewing Cousy on camera about Russell when the conversation shifted to the racism Russell endured during the Celtics' heyday in the late 1950s and early '60s."We could've done more to ease his pain and make him feel more comfortable," Cousy told the interviewer. "I should've been much more sensitive to Russell's anguish in those days. We'd talk ..."Read MoreAnd that's when Cousy loses it. His face contorts in anguish, and he breaks down. The interviewer quickly moved on after Cousy regained his composure. But Gary M. Pomerantz, an author and historian, saw a replay of the 2001 film and wanted to know more. He gave Cousy a call. The result of that conversation is "The Last Pass," a new book that examines the complex relationship between these two iconic athletes. "It's rare in America for a 90-year-old white man to reconsider race and how it played out in his own life, but that's what Cousy is doing," Pomerantz said. "He's not gilding any lilies. He's pointing out his flaws and admitting to them."Cousy, or "Cooz" as he is commonly known, said he never anticipated the torrent of guilt he experienced when ESPN asked him about the man he calls "Russ." But he wondered if he should have done more for Russell; after all, Cousy had been the captain of the Celtics and the symbol of the team in Boston."I had this in my subconscious, of not having done enough for Russ," he told CNN. "It had been repressed. Something had brought it out." A 'lone soldier' stands up"The Last Pass" isn't just about the past. It raises a question about the present: What do white athletes owe black teammates they've befriended when those friends take a public stand against racism? Cousy isn't the only white athlete to ask if he should have done more. And plenty of white athletes face that question today, as more black athletes use their public platforms to protest racial injustice. Cousy says telling other white players what they should do is not his style. He said white athletes should follow their own conscience when a black teammate speaks out. Peter Norman was vilified after he stood with Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics.One of history's most iconic sports photographs captures the choice one white athlete made. It shows two African-American sprinters giving a black power salute from the victory stand at the 1968 Olympic games as the national anthem was played. The two men, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, are heroes today. Few, however, know what happened to the white sprinter who stood on the victory box with them. His name was Peter Norman, and he decided to publicly support Smith and Carlos by wearing a button advocating racial justice. That gesture infuriated so many people in his native Australia that he had to abandon his track career. Carlos called him "a lone solider."In many ways, Smith and Carlos were the Colin Kaepernicks of their day. The former NFL quarterback began protesting racism by taking a knee during the national anthem, all but ending his career. Since then, other black NFL players have followed his lead -- including one man who found his own "lone soldier." Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins had been raising his fist during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. Before one game, Chris Long, a white teammate, walked up to Jenkins as he protested and put his arm around his soldier.When Malcolm Jenkins raised his fist, teammate Chris Long offered a public sign of support."I'm just telling Malcolm, 'I am here for you,' and I think it's a good time for people who look like me to be here for people fighting for equality," Long explained later.When asked about the NFL protests, Cousy said he likes the message but not the method."I would divorce myself from the venue or the brand" to make the same point, Cousy said."I agree with the cause; I don't agree with the venue they chose," Cousy said. "It brings everyone under the gun. I think they might have lost a lot of support from moderate whites that they would have enjoyed if they had chosen a different venue."A lie coated in racismIt would be a mistake, though, to think "The Last Pass" is full of tormented introspection. Much of the book is a rollicking look at the early days of NBA. Pomerantz describes it as an era when "matronly women rushed onto the court between halves to swing their handbags at Celtics players'' when they were on the road, fistfights routinely erupted on the court among players and coaches, and the NBA was so broke that players subsisted on $5 a day in meal money.Russell, who could not be reached for comment, dominates many sections of the book. Bob Cousy, right, and Bill Russell pose for a team photo in 1963 with coach Red Auerbach.He was the prototype of the freakishly tall athletic men of today's NBA. He was also fiercely intelligent, skilled in verbal combat, a voracious reader and utterly uninterested in helping white people feel more comfortable around him.When Russell joined the Celtics in 1956, it marked a turning point. The team had drafted Cousy six years earlier but had yet to win an NBA championship. Together, the pair led the Celtics to six titles over the next seven seasons.Still, the largely white crowds and white sportswriters in Boston cheered louder and longer for Cousy in a way they never would for Russell, Pomerantz said."At the time, the Celtics were considered Cousy's team, not Russell's," Pomerantz said. "That was a lie, at least partially coated in racism."That treatment didn't silence Russell. He raised his voice. He became an outspoken racial activist. He led civil rights marches, spoke out in the media, and eventually became the first black coach in the NBA.His activism made him a target. He frequently endured racial taunts. One of Russell's worst moments came when vandals broke into his home, spray-painted racial slurs throughout it and defecated in his bed."It was a time when very few athletes were speaking out against social injustice, but Russell did," Pomerantz said. "When Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his 'I Have a Dream" speech, Russell was sitting on the front row. He was engaged. His voice was heard."Two murderously competitive menCousy, however, wondered if he should have raised his voice on behalf of Russell. He wasn't the lone soldier type of activist. He fought for racial progress in subtle ways. He mentored two African-American boys in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program. He wrote a story for a national magazine about black being beautiful in the NBA. When his two daughters happened to date black men in college, he and his wife, Missie, gave their blessings.Russ was the angry black man, frankly, and I don't blame him one bit. Bob Cousy, on fellow Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Russell"I've never been a soapbox person," he told CNN. "I've always been a private person that's had to live his life in a public bubble. My style in those days was, try to be helpful and do it by example rather than getting up and screaming at the press."One of the book's striking revelations is that two men so in sync on the court were so distant off of it. Pomerantz said the two never really hung out, never talked about their personal lives or politics. Cousy couldn't understand why Russell was friendly toward other Celtics, but not him.Part of it, Cousy admitted, may have been his own personality. He said he was a "shy kid from the ghetto" when he was on the Celtics. Russell was also standoffish, he said, and his bitterness at his treatment was palpable at times."Russ was the angry black man frankly, and I don't blame him one bit," Cousy said. Still, the two men were "more alike than they ever understood," Pomerantz writes:"Both outsiders, they were self-analytical and murderously competitive. They moved through separate worlds off the court, but on the creaky parquet floor of the Boston Garden they were interlocking pieces."Cousy grew up in a New York tenement during the Great Depression when the city was filled with soup lines. Though he doesn't recall seeing a black person until his senior year in high school, he had experiences that made him more sensitive to intolerance.Bob Cousy receives a banner marking the 50th anniversary of the 1957 championship.His mother was a native of France who hated Germans with a passion. She would often mutter "dirty German" when she encountered German-Americans. She linked them with Nazi atrocities against her homeland. Her bitterness lingered in Cousy's youthful mind.A relationship with another black NBA player deepened Cousy's empathy.He became roommates and close friends with Chuck Cooper, the first black player drafted by the NBA. When Cooper was forced to take a midnight train to a New York game because a segregated hotel refused him lodging, Cousy volunteered to take the train with him.Cousy said they shared the same sense of humor and had the same taste in music and movies. The liked to hang out at jazz clubs until 2 in the morning drinking beer."I saw Chuck Cooper as a tall basketball player with different color eyes, different color hair and, oh yeah, the pigmentation of his skin was different," he said. "I never saw him as a 'black basketball player.' I might have been naïve in those days."Cooper, who died in 1984, is quoted in the book as saying of Cousy: "Bob is as free of racism as any white person I've ever known. He's just a beautiful person."When white athletes take a standBill Bradley, a white member of the New York Knicks during the 1970s, talked often about how similar friendships with black teammates also transformed him. "Race relations are essentially exercises in imagination," he once said. "You have to imagine yourself in the skin of the other party. So that means if you're white, you have to understand certain realities."Part of that reality is that you may be shunned if your friendship leads to taking a public stand.When Norman, the Australian sprinter, returned home after the 1968 Olympics, he became an outcast, according to "Salute!" a documentary on his life. He never ran in the Olympics again. President Obama presents Bill Russell the Medal of Freedom in 2010. Russell was not just a pioneer on the court, he was an outspoken black athlete at a time when most stars kept out of politics. Russell still speaks out.Norman was so excluded that when Australia hosted the Olympics in 2000, he wasn't invited to any official events. Australia has its own legacy of racism, reflected in its treatment of its own indigenous population, the Aborigines. In a story in GRIOT, American sprinter Carlos recalled how Norman reacted when he and Smith asked him if he would support them by wearing a button.Norman, who was a devout Christian, said: "I will stand with you." Carlos said he warned Norman about the consequences."I expected to see fear in Norman's eyes, but instead we saw love," Carlos said.When Norman died in 2006 of a heart attack in Australia, Carlos and Smith served as pallbearers at his funeral and gave eulogies. A lost memoryCousy had at least one moment during his career with the Celtics when he and Russell connected outside the court.It was at a season-ending dinner during the Celtics' glory days in the 1960s. The account is one of the most moving moments in "The Last Pass."Russell gave a majestic speech praising Cousy."Here we are, a bunch of grown men chasing a basketball, playing a boy's game," Russell said. "There is no depth to such accomplishments. You can get a cup of coffee for all your championships. But you can't get friendships like Cousy's." But here's the catch: Cousy lost the moment as if it were a basketball dribbled off of his shoe. "It brought tears to my eyes," Cousy said, when he read about it in Pomerantz's book. "For whatever reason, I don't remember it with that kind of clarity."Another lovely little moment in the book occurred after Cousy wrote a letter to his former teammate seeking to make amends. It was in the winter of 2016, and Cousy was thinking deeply about race in America. He'd read about the Black Lives Matter movement, read "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and his thoughts turned to Russell.Bob Cousy and Bill Russell in 1999 in Boston; the two recently reconnected.He decided to write a page and a half "mea culpa" letter to tell Russell he should have done more."It was a selfish act on my part," Cousy said of the letter. "It was, 'I gotta get this out of my way so I can cross it off my list.'"Cousy didn't hear from Russell for more than two years. Then one Sunday night, Cousy's phone rang. He heard a familiar raspy voice on the other end. It was Russell.Cousy chuckled as he recalled the conversation. Cousy caught up a bit with Russell's life.There were no tears this time."I needled him," Cousy said. "I told Russ, 'I know I'm an old fart at 90, but at 84 you must be getting a second life. I noticed you married a 49-year-old woman.'"Russell roared with laughter.The two kept talking.And for at least that moment, they were in sync, interlocking pieces playing off of one another.Russ and Cooz were back together again.
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Story highlightsShaker Aamer, Saudi national with residency, is on hunger strike in GuantanamoHe was arrested for allegedly leading military unit under bin Laden but not chargedFormer Gitmo inmate: Detainees do not get clean water, are strip searched constantlyU.S. Defense Dept: Detainees treated in the most humane manner possibleDetainee 239 has been in Guantanamo for more than 11 years now. He's never been charged with a crime, has been cleared for release twice -- but has yet to be freed.Shaker Aamer, a Saudi national who has British residency, is Detainee 239, arrested in 2001 by U.S. forces in Afghanistan for allegedly leading a military unit under Osama bin Laden, accusations that he denies.His wife and children -- including a son has never met because he was born while Aamer was in Guantanamo -- live in the UK.Aamer is now one of 103 Guantanamo detainees on hunger strike: more than half the detainees at the facility are refusing food and water.Doctors to Obama: Let us treat hunger-striking detainees at Guantanamo Photos: A look inside Guantanamo Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Guantanamo Bay's detention facility opened in 2002 with 700 detainees. More than a decade later, 166 remain and more than half are in political limbo, waiting for the Obama administration and Congress to decide whether to close the prison. The frozen status of the detainees has led to hunger strikes, which grew from about a half-dozen inmates at first to more than 100 now. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Of the 100 detainees on hunger strike, 30 are force-fed liquid supplements using a feeding bag, mask, tubes and Ensure, a practice condemned by human rights groups and the American Medical Association.Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – A Detainee Hospital Medical Officer holds a feeding tube as he explains how the procedure is carried out.Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – A cardiac monitoring area is set up inside the Detainee Medical Facility at Camp Delta.Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – The box protruding from a cell door is known as a "splash box." It is used to keep detainees from being able to splash guards with bodily fluids, a practice that has become a daily occurrence since the start of the hunger strike. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Medical equipment inside the Detainee Medical Center.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: A look inside Guantanamo A look inside Guantanamo – Restraints are used in an operating room at the medical facility. Hide Caption 7 of 7JUST WATCHEDObama renews call to close GitmoReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHObama renews call to close Gitmo 03:22JUST WATCHEDGitmo prisoners being force-fedReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGitmo prisoners being force-fed 02:19The U.S. military says it has now been compelled to force feed inmates to keep them alive -- but even President Obama questioned the practice in a speech on May 23 at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington."Look at the current situation, where we are force-feeding detainees who are holding a hunger strike. Is that who we are?" Obama asked. "Is that something that our founders foresaw? Is that the America we want to leave to our children?"Moazzam Begg, a former inmate of Guantanamo, knows about life in the facility: now he works as outreach director at advocacy group CagePrisoners, which pledges to raise awareness about prisoners at Guantanamo Bay as well as others impacted by the war on terror."People are saying they are protesting the conditions," explains Begg, "that they don't get clean drinking water. They are getting stripped searched constantly. Sprayed in the face with pepper spray. Rubber bullets. All of that is true. But that's not why they are doing this. They are doing this because there is no hope."Opinion: Stop force-feeding inmates and close Gitmo A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said: "Accusations that the detainees in our charge are treated in anyway other than the most humane manner possible, informed by the processes established by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, simply does not stand up to even glancing intellectual rigor."Shaker Aamer explained why he was continuing with his hunger strike in answer to questions composed by, and posed by, his lawyers at London-based law firm Reprieve. Here are his replies: Q: What is the status of your hunger strike? How are you feeling?A: I am losing my mind, I am losing my health, I am losing my life. They are trying to do as much damage to us as they can before we leave here. They are humiliating us as much as they can. They are harming me as much as they can.For 11 days my heart has been aching very bad. If I sneeze I feel as if there is ice on my heart. It is in my shoulder on my left hand side. I cannot cough or laugh. It gets a little better if I hold my hand on my chest. That does not help much but without that I feel as if something is going to blow up.Q: Are you being force fed and what is that process like?A: I do not want to be force fed. I don't want to die either, but this is a living death here in Guantanamo, so if I have to risk death for a principle, that is what I want to do.I am not yet being force fed. The new procedure is to wait until people are really badly off and have physically harmed themselves perhaps permanently before force feeding, which then just keeps us barely alive, as a husk of a human being.The way they have gone about force feeding has been designed to be torturous. So back in 2005 or 2006 they used to leave the tube in my nose for days on end; now they pull it out after every feed, so detainees have 120 cm of tube shoved in and pulled out twice a day. And although a corpsman recently said they have plenty of size eight tubes, they only use the bigger ones. And if someone vomits on himself (as just happened) they carry on force feeding him. It is very, very wrong. Q. How would you describe your treatment in the prison? A: Our prophet told us: "Speak only as people can comprehend if you want them to understand." Nobody can understand what it means to be under torture 24/7. It is not just hanging you from the ceiling, or being beaten up. It is fighting for hours to get a packet of salt. It is beyond explanation.I met with the London Metropolitan Police for three days in February as part of their investigation into torture, and told them some of what has happened to me. They had a statement from me that ran to maybe 120 pages, but that is still only one page for every month of my suffering here. How can the truth be told in such a short time?It is all senseless, all about trying to break us. The most I can say is to quote George Orwell, in "1984": "The system is for the system, the torture is for the torture."Not everyone is the same. Some of the corpsmen and guards are beautiful people trying to get me to help them with other detainees, because they are afraid the men will die. Some of the guards are aware of what is happening here. These guards say: "I'm sorry 239." I honestly forgive them, even though what they are doing is wrong.Not all guards are like that, sadly. People here are dying for lack of a salad. There is a brother on my block with a heart problem. We do not want him on the hunger strike as he could not survive it. He needs salad as he cannot eat most of the food they give him. So I took the salad they had given me and asked the guard to take if over to his cell. The guard would not do it. In the end, though, I managed to get it from the splash box on my cell door to my brother.Q: What has your daily routine become like?A: I am in the "psych cell." They want to tell the world I am crazy. They have a man standing outside my cell all the time, staring at me. He writes down everything I do. "239 stood up. 239 sat down. 239 scratched his head." This is every day. This has been going on for over a month. I came here on April 9.There is a white woman comes all the way from the control room and stands in front of my cell with the other guard. She writes on a piece of paper in front of me. She whispers in his ear. She reads a paper from the file. "I studied psychology before you were born," I told her. After all, I was a nurse. I know the psychology is a package. Someone has created the whole system and they just follow it.So in response I write everything they do and send it to my lawyer.The other day I wanted to dry my shirt after washing it. I hung it on the door. There is nothing else, as it's the psych cell, meant to stop you hanging yourself. So I put it there. As soon as I did it, they told me to take it down. I told them, "You have the camera 24/7. You are watching me all the time." But they brought the FCE team. [Editor's note: abbreviation for Forcible Cell Extraction ]The other brothers on the block argued with them. But I knew they wanted to FCE me any way they can. They did it. They FCE me for anything.I sing to my brothers. Sometimes I sing to the guards. I talk to the guards a lot. I shout to the other prisoners. I try to lift their spirits. But despite this I am falling apart like an old car. Now the engine of the car is beginning to fail, the heart is really aching. I have not been able to read for a month now. My eyes are going. I cannot remember anything. I forget things. I cannot stand up. I fall down. But I don't want to fall down too much. They will do a Code Yellow on me when they burst into my cell and step on my hands, they tread on you.It is cold in here. You might not think so, as it's 70.5 degrees. But when you've not eaten for 100 days, that's cold. I try to do exercise in my cell. A brother told me to do some gentle things to keep my body warm. But it is hard on my heart and I need to conserve myself.They took my basic isomat so it was even colder. I slept without it for 9 or 10 days. Thankfully I just got it back. Q: What conditions are there for the end of your hunger strike?A: The hunger strike is a simple matter: it is about justice. There are 86 detainees here (including me) who have been cleared by the Americans -- cleared to leave this place, but they are still here. There are 80 who are not cleared, but they have not been tried. It is ironic. President Obama seems to agree with us that the place should be closed, so presumably he agrees with our hunger strike. Q: How do you see your hunger protest ending?A: By being set free. And I believe it will happen very soon. I do go back and forth. On the one hand I know that I am going to come home soon, I am sure of that. On the other, though, they are taking revenge on us in so many ways. I am scared -- I am afraid of taking medications from them. It is like lamb going to the butcher and seeking help. My heart pain is now constant and I don't want to die in here.But I do fear that when my children shout for daddy I will not respond, as I have been called 239 for so long -- they may need to call me by a number for a while.When I get out I want to work with Kings College London, with doctors, lawyers, and everyone, to learn the human rights lessons of Guantánamo. It is only by this that we can make sure we do not do this again. Q: Can you describe how you feel about not being released despite being cleared for release twice?A: No. The most I can say is that I have never even met my youngest child, who was born on the very day I arrived in Guantanamo Bay, February 14, 2002. I have missed my other three lovely children for 11 years. I have missed my wife for 11 years. I have missed my life for 11 years. I have never been charged with anything. Q: What's your message to Obama and Congress?A: I have a message for Obama and Congress. This place is going to close. Either sooner, or later. And it is going to be a stain on America's reputation that you start cleaning either sooner, or later. Don't wait for too much later, as there are going to be dead people down here, and that's not good for anyone. Q: Are you worried that by speaking out the authorities will in any way punish you?A: What more can they do to me that they have not already done?
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Philadelphia (CNN)She faced her father's killers in a courtroom, and realized the al Qaeda militants held no power. He put Osama bin Laden's image on a punching bag and let loose.She has vivid memories of the years spent with an adoring father. His recollections of Dad are limited. She grew up in southern France and reaches out to him on September 11. He was raised in New Jersey and made sure she was safe after last year's Paris attacks.They're two strangers who've become friends over their unique and tragic bond: Each lost a father to terrorism. Anaële Abescat was 11 when her father, Jean-Claude Abescat, 42, was killed in front of her in a 2007 al Qaeda attack in Saudi Arabia. He was a schoolteacher who had taken a job at the French International School in Riyadh and moved his family there.Read More9/11 Town HallCNN's Brooke Baldwin interviewed 10 of the 9/11 children, now ages 14 to 29, in a televised Town Hall. They spoke about their loss, the last 15 years — and why the terrorists failed.Kyle Maddison was 4 when his dad, Simon Maddison, 40, was killed in the September 11 attacks on the United States. He was a software consultant for a division of Cantor Fitzgerald and worked in the north tower of the World Trade Center. Kyle and Anaële first met five years ago at Project Common Bond, an annual camp that brings together children who lost a parent on 9/11 with young people from other nations who've lost loved ones to terror. They arrived as struggling teens who had plunged to dark places. They were still trying to grasp the magnitude of their loss and asking the unanswerable question: "Why?"They were quiet and at first frightened to bare their hearts. But they found one another and bonded. They could speak about the tragedy they'd experienced. They could talk about other things. Or just remain silent together. Each knew the other understood.For Kyle, the camp quite literally saved his life. It brought him love at a time when he'd grown isolated and alone. Weeks before his first camp, the loss of his father grew too much, too unbearable. A decade hadn't eased his pain. He slipped a rope around his neck."I don't like talking about it," he says, "but if I do talk about it, I have the chance to get the message to someone else who is in that place -- to just keep going."Kyle shows Anaële the tattoo he designed in memory of his father, who died on 9/11. Anaële's story: 'I couldn't do it on my own'Anaële Abescat's mother was visiting her in Paris last November when a Friday night out turned deadly: ISIS shootings and bomb blasts in restaurants, a soccer stadium and the Bataclan concert hall killed 130 people.Anaële began reliving her own horror; she was thankful her mother was there.She couldn't stop watching the news. Images of victims and their families unearthed so many memories: how she felt the day her father died, the look of utter grief on her own mother's face nine years ago.She knew what the world's newest victims of terrorism would have to live through."I know what it feels like," she says. "This kind of thing brings you back."This picture of the Abescat family was taken days before Anaële's father was killed in Saudi Arabia.Back to the day in February 2007 when her family and some friends set out on an excursion in the Saudi desert near the city of Medina. They'd picked a shady spot on the side of the road for a picnic when suddenly men carrying Kalashnikovs encircled them and unleashed a hail of bullets. Anaële threw herself under a car. She still doesn't know how she, her mother and her brother Adrien survived. Her father was gone. She would never sit on his lap or hear him sing Stevie Wonder's "For Your Love" again. (She has it on her smartphone now and still cries when she listens to it). Suddenly, a scrapbook he made for her when she turned 10 became a most precious possession.She suffered through flashbacks. On many nights she could not stop crying and felt as though people were whispering: "There is something wrong with you." She found it difficult to accept her 17th birthday, the age her friend Romain was when he, too, died in the attack along with two other French nationals. "My mom has always been a support for us," Anaële says. "But then it was complicated because she raised two kids on her own. She had two roles, both Mom and Dad. We fought a lot. It was hard."When Anaële began college, everyone knew she was a victim. She didn't want to be treated like a helpless little bird. She did not want anyone's pity; she just wanted to be like everyone else. And when she did talk about her father, she could tell her friends did not know how to react. She found help through therapy. And she found this camp, which she credits with changing her life. "I couldn't do it on my own," she says.Recently, a dark cloud has sometimes returned to hover over her. Some of her depression was related to all the carnage around her: the Charlie Hebdo killings, the Paris and Brussels attacks and, most fresh, the deaths in Nice when a truck plowed through a crowd of people gathered for Bastille Day fireworks. A few days after the Nice tragedy, Anaële arrived at this year's camp in Philadelphia. And she saw Kyle again.That's the beauty of Project Common Bond. A year had gone by, and yet she and Kyle were back to where they left off. It's not that Kyle is Anaële's best friend. He could never take the place of her bestie or the girlfriends she likes to hang out with at outdoor cafes. The two don't talk on the phone often or text throughout the day. Maybe months pass without any contact. But even then, they know the other is there, if the need arises. Anaële finds that comforting, like a cozy blanket on a frigid night. Kyle designed a tattoo with a rose that symbolizes love and hurt and a clock tepresenting the time he had with his father.Kyle's story: 'I want to keep going for him'The tattoo on Kyle's upper right arm has two roses with a clock in between. "Good times," it says. The clock is stopped at 3:28, signifying his father's birthday on March 28.Kyle designed the tattoo himself and had it inked onto his arm three days before college began last year at the University of Hartford. "The roses symbolize love and hurt," he says. "The clock represents the limited time that I had with my father and the limited good times that I had with him -- and to always remember that there will be good times ahead."When he wants to feel closer to his father, Kyle looks at a photograph of himself with his dad and his grandfather. Other times, he slips on headphones and listens to his dad's punk rock cassette tapes. His favorite contains the Descendents on one side and The Offspring on the other."Listening to it makes you feel just a little bit closer."An artist, Kyle hopes to become a sculptor one day. He also plays with writing. A constant theme of his work, he says, is "the idea that the good die young, but the great live on forever in our hearts and we carry them with us everywhere we go."What do you do when you're so young and you lose your hero? When your dad leaves for work one day and never returns?Those were the issues a young Kyle faced. His mother, Maureen Maddison, made sure her three children got therapy. His older sister, Caileigh, was 7 on 9/11; his younger sister, Sydney, was 1.Kyle was only 4 when his father was killed. The magnitude of Kyle's loss became clear as he grew older."My mom really tried," he says. "It was basically like any other kid's life -- but I didn't have a father."There were strange moments. When he'd walk down the street, he'd find little hearts everywhere. In cracks in the street. Randomly, lying around. He wondered: Was it a sign from his father?Once when his mother struggled, the young boy looked up at the nighttime sky. One star shone brighter than all the others. "It's like Daddy's shining straight through to my heart," he told her. The magnitude of his loss became clear as he grew older. Depression took hold his freshman year of high school. He didn't want to eat or go out."I didn't want to do anything," he says.He survived his suicide attempt and received counseling. He has managed to keep his depression in check. His advice to others struggling with suicidal thoughts is this: "You'll learn to deal with it and you'll learn to cope, and you just have to hold on and eventually you'll be OK."One fact kept him motivated: Kyle is the only boy in his family and the only one left to carry on the Maddison name. He realized ending his life would tarnish his father's legacy. "I want to keep going for him," he says. "When I was in such a dark place, I was like, 'Alright, I can't let this end here. I have to keep going.'" Anaële and Kyle met five years ago when they first arrived at a camp for the children who have lost parents or loved ones to terrorism. They became close friends.'Finding a different meaning' In the quiet of a college dorm room during their week at camp, Anaële and Kyle reflect on their lives -- and their friendship.Anaële recalls when she and her family traveled back to Saudi Arabia for the first time since her father's death. In January 2014, they were in court to hear the verdict for two of the al Qaeda gunmen. Anaële couldn't anticipate how she would feel if or when her eyes met those of her father's killers. Anger? Hatred?At first, she was frightened. But then she realized that mostly she felt unimpressed. She felt distant from these men, as though they were not even from the same species. But she could not embrace the idea of putting them to death for what they did. What if they had children? Coming of Age in the Age of TerrorWhat can the 9/11 children teach us?More than 3,000 children lost a parent on that awful day. Fifteen years later, in a world rocked by terror, this group has hard-won wisdom to share. Here, in their own words, is a glimpse into their journeys.The Palombo 10First they lost their dad on 9/11. They were ages 11 months to 15. Then they lost their mom. Meet the Palombos: Anthony, Frank Jr., Joe, Maria, Tommy, John, Patrick, Daniel, Stephen and Maggie -- a family that's the epitome of true grit.A place to belongIt's a summer camp with a distinction: Participants are young people touched by terror. This year, 55 of them -- from a dozen countries -- gathered on a campus in Pennsylvania, where they found renewal and hope in their common bond."Killing those men would do the same thing to their children as they did to me," she says. "I've been through this pain. I would not wish it upon anyone."Kyle recognizes his friend's inner strength. "Her being against the death penalty for those who killed her father, I guess, it really represents what (this camp) is about -- bad things happen to us, but it doesn't mean bad things need to happen to others," he says. "It's about finding a different meaning. It's about finding a peaceful way to accomplish your goals."Kyle, of course, will never be able to face his father's killers. They died carrying out the murders. But when he was 12, he pinned a photo of Osama bin Laden on a punching bag."I kind of had to figure out a way to deal with my anger, because I couldn't be angry at my sisters. It wasn't their fault. I couldn't be angry at my mom. It wasn't her fault."Instead, he beat up the photo of the man who launched al Qaeda."Didn't last long, tore it up pretty fast," he says.When bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, Kyle thought, "Yes, finally. I'm glad that he can't do it anymore."Still, the next day was no different than any other. He had to get through it without his father. Every September 11, Anaële reaches out to the American friends she met at this camp."The 11th of September is now a difficult day for me," she says. "I think of all my friends and I feel so much for them. I try to send my love and my support, because I know the feeling."Despite the recent spate of attacks at home in France, Anaële says she is determined not to let fear take control of her life. "It's what they want to do -- instill fear," she says. "It's their way of controlling a population. I don't want these people to forbid me from doing anything. I don't want them to win."So she will return to the Bataclan for a concert or to Belle Equipe for a candlelight alfresco dinner. "I'm actually very sad when I see people who are afraid, who keep their kids inside, who don't travel," she says. "No. We have to keep on living the way we want."Kyle and Anaële help each other through an exercise deigned to build trust and overcome fears.Together, 'we can do this'Kyle and Anaële climb ladders up to a tightrope that spans tall white oaks in the Pennsylvania wilderness. It's part of a camp exercise designed to build trust and confidence, to help overcome fears. They get on separate lines and inch their way toward one another. Above, gray skies peek through thick branches. Below, the earth seems a mile away. Kyle doesn't like heights.About this seriesCNN worked with Tuesday's Children, an organization formed after the 9/11 terrorists attacks, to interview young people who lost a parent on that awful day. Reporters also attended a summer camp sponsored by the group's Project Common Bond in which 9/11 youths were joined by peers from around the world who've also lost a family member to terrorism, war or extreme acts of violence. How to helpCongress has designated September 11 as an annual National Day of Service. See various ways you can volunteer or contribute."Don't look down," Anaële tells him. "Stay with me."The wires come to a point, and the two arrive face to face. They lock onto one another's wrists. They must walk the remainder of the line together. "We can do this," she says."I wouldn't do this with anyone else," he tells her. They teeter on the wire, their bodies swaying as they focus on keeping their balance. "Re-grab my wrist," he tells her. "I got you."Together, they feel strong. They gingerly approach their end point and finally make it to safety. Then they let go of each other and float on safety ropes in the sticky summer air, seemingly free of the burdens they've carried in their young lives.
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Story highlightsFormer Labor Secretary Robert Reich calls out Donald Trump's tweet: 'Stop this' "This is bullying. This is not using the bully pulpit," Robert Reich said. (CNN)Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich called out President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday for lashing out at a union leader who criticized the Carrier jobs deal. "With all due respect, Mr. Trump, you are our President-elect of the United States," Reich said on "Anderson Cooper 360." "You are looking and acting as if you are mean and petty, thin-skinned and vindictive. Stop this. This is not a fireside chat."Trump unleashes tweet on Carrier union boss who blasted himMoments after the president of the United Steelworkers Local 1999, Chuck Jones, appeared on "Erin Burnett OutFront" and was critical of Trump's claim that he saved 1,100 jobs at the Indianapolis factory, Trump slammed the union boss on Twitter."Chuck Jones, who is president of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!" Trump wrote.Read MoreChuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2016 Reich expressed his frustration and concern with Trump lashing out at anyone who criticizes him. .@RBReich on Trump union boss tweet: "This is bullying. This is not using the bully pulpit" https://t.co/YZ32bCBsdM https://t.co/gGC3t4Zh6j— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) December 8, 2016 "What you, Mr. Trump, what you would like is for no one, not a CEO, no one on television, no journalist, nobody to criticize you," Reich said. "You take offense at that."Reich's followup: Trump isn't just tweeting complaints, he's intimidating individuals. "This is extremely serious." https://t.co/MJDEq2J0ch— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 8, 2016 "You are going to be president shortly, you are going to have at your command not just Twitter, but also the CIA, the IRS, the FBI. If you have this kind of thin-skinned vindictiveness attitude toward anybody who criticizes you, we are in very deep trouble, and, sir, so are you."
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(CNN)A stampede at a rap concert early Saturday in an Italian nightclub killed five teenagers and one adult, and left dozens of people injured, authorities said.About 100 were treated for injuries after the chaos at the Lanterna Azzurra nightclub in Corinaldo, authorities said.Hundreds had been waiting to see popular rapper Sfera Ebbasta perform when someone in the club sprayed an "irritant substance," leading to a stampede, Italy's civil protection agency said.Forensic teams and police cordon off the Lanterna Azzurra club's entrance Saturday in Corinaldo.As people rushed out, a metal fence collapsed outside the club, causing some to fall "one on top of the other" and leading to the deaths and injuries, said Luca Cari, spokesman for firefighters in Ancona province on Italy's eastern coast. Those fleeing the club probably were alarmed by a strong smell of pepper spray, Cari said.Read MoreFive teens and a woman who had accompanied her daughter to the concert were killed, said Luigi Di Maio, a deputy prime minister. He identified the dead as Asia Nasoni, 14; Daniele Pongetti, 16; Benedetta Vitali, 15; Mattia Orlandi, 15; Emma Fabini, 14; and Eleonora Girolimini, 39. "These (victims) are young people. It's absurd to die this way. As a government we will do everything we can to clarify the circumstances and make sure the security norms were followed," Di Maio posted on Facebook.Paramedics were seen helping concertgoers on the street following the stampede. Thirty-five of about 100 people who were treated remained in a hospital Saturday afternoon, including seven whose conditions were life-threatening and another five in serious condition, said Oreste Capocasa, chief of police in Ancona.Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who also is a deputy prime minister, held a moment of silence in honor of the victims during a political rally in Rome. "You cannot die like this at 15. Thoughts and prayers for the six dead tonight in Marche. I hope (those) who are seriously injured in the hospital get well. And a commitment: find the responsible," Salvini tweeted hours after the stampede.Italian President Sergio Mattarella promised to work tirelessly to determine "any responsibility and negligence.""Citizens have the right to feel safe everywhere, in workplaces and in leisure areas. Therefore, safety must be assured with particular care in crowded meeting places, through rigorous controls," Mattarella said in a statement. "No one should die this way." Sfera Ebbasta, in a post on Instagram, said he was deeply saddened by what happened."It's difficult to find the words to express the regret and sadness of these tragedies," the rapper wrote in Italian, according to a CNN translation. He said he would cancel his promotional events over the coming days out of respect for the dead and injured.Corinaldo is 145 kilometers (about 90 miles) east of Florence.CNN's Jason Hanna contributed to this report.
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(CNN)How would you like to win a scholarship for doing nothing? A German university is soliciting submissions for just that, and three people will be awarded a $1,900 stipend.On Wednesday, The University of Fine Arts in Hamburg announced a call for applications for their "Scholarships for Doing Nothing," between now and September 15. "The world we are living in is driven by the belief in success, in growth, in money. This thinking was leading us into the ecological crisis -- and social injustice -- we are living in. We wanted to turn that upside down -- giving a grant not for the 'best' and for 'doing a project,' but for doing nothing," said Friedrich von Borries, a professor of design theory at the university and creator of the scholarship project.Von Borries told CNN that applicants from all over the world and all walks of life are welcome to present their ideas. The submission questionnaire asks applicants to think about an activity they do not want to do, how long they don't want to do it for, why it is important to not do the specific thing in question, and why they are the right person not to do it.Read MoreThe idea is that refraining from doing something may actually benefit others, who would otherwise be impacted by the negative consequences of our actions."We played with the term 'doing nothing' but we are meaning, to be more precise, 'not doing something anymore,'" von Borries said, speaking about the conscious decision to pursue "active inactivity."All applications will be anonymously featured in an upcoming exhibition at Hamburg's Museum of Art and Design called "The School of Inconsequentiality: Exercises for a Different Life," focused on the idea of sustainability. Three cash prize winners will be announced at the opening of the exhibition on November 5, and winners will be required to produce a report about their experience to be featured at the exhibit. The report is not intended as a tool for accountability, but rather it should offer insights about how the winners fared in trying to refrain from doing something. "I think that doing nothing is not that easy. You can fail. Your surroundings can become aggressive ... And we would love to learn from the experience of those who will receive the grant," said Von Borries.The call for submissions happens in the context of a pandemic that highlighted the importance of staying home and refraining from some activities for the greater good."During Covid, we stopped being busy not only to protect ourselves but to protect others," Von Borries said. "That is something I find very important and I hope we will be able to transfer this attitude into the post-Covid times," he added.It's not easy to shift our mindset from being so focused on productivity and success to quite the opposite. Von Borries, who says he also struggles with being "obsessed with work," hopes he too will learn from the applications. "We all live everyday in contradictions between what we do, what we want to do, and what we know would be better to do. We have to learn to deal with these contradictions, instead of simply denying them," he said.You can submit your applications here.
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Story highlightsProsecutors allege officials were part of a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves Arrests in Zurich by Swiss police conducted at request of U.S. Justice DepartmentExpands U.S. probe into football's world governing body (CNN)Federal prosecutors in the United States on Thursday announced criminal charges against 16 FIFA officials, alleging they were part of a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves while overseeing the world governing body of soccer.The 92-count indictment, which includes charges of racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud, expands a corruption case that began in May with charges against 14 officials associated with FIFA and related sports marketing companies. The announcement came the same day Swiss police arrested two FIFA officials on suspicion of accepting "millions of dollars" in bribes, according to a statement from the Swiss Federal Office of Justice.Alfredo Hawit, the president of CONCACAF, the governing body for North and Central America as well as the Caribbean, and Juan Angel Napout, president of CONMEBOL, which presides over South America, were the two latest arrests in what is proving a miserable year for the organization in charge of running one of the world's most popular sports.JUST WATCHEDHershman talks FIFA suspensionsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHershman talks FIFA suspensions 02:43Its 79-year-old president, Sepp Blatter, and another leading official, Michel Platini -- the Union of European Football Associations president -- are currently suspended for 90 days after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings.Read MoreAnd in May, 14 executives with ties to FIFA were accused of taking bribes totaling more than $150 million.READ: Could Rio 2016 cope with terror threat?Arrests in Zurich requested by U.S.The Swiss Federal Office of Justice confirmed the identities of Hawit, a Honduran citizen, and Napout, who is from Paraguay, in a statement and revealed they are both opposing their extradition to the U.S.FIFA reform proposalsFIFA congress will vote on the proposals put forward by the reform committee on February 26 -- here's a brief overview.Term limits: FIFA president and members of FIFA council can only serve a maximum of three terms of four years.Separation of political and management functions: The FIFA executive committee will be replaced by the FIFA council. It will be responsible for the strategy and direction of the organization. The general secretariat will be in charge of operational and commercial sectors.Diversity:Increase in the role of women in football governance with a minimum of one female representative per confederation on FIFA council.Integrity: Independent review committee to carry out compulsory integrity checks for all members of FIFA's standing committees.The arrests in Zurich early Thursday were part of an operation requested by U.S. authorities, as the U.S. Department of Justice prepared to announce a new round of charges against multiple officials and executives tied to alleged corruption at FIFA."On the instructions of the (Swiss) Federal Office of Justice, a further two FIFA officials were arrested in Zurich today," the statement read. "They are being held in custody pending their extradition. According to U.S. arrest requests, they are suspected of accepting bribes of millions of dollars."The high-ranking FIFA officials are alleged to have taken the money in return for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches."According to the arrest requests, some of the offenses were agreed and prepared in the USA. Payments were also processed via U.S. banks," the statement added, explaining why the U.S. was in a position to ask for the arrests.READ: Why is the U.S. bringing the hammer down on FIFA?The move represents an escalation in the U.S. corruption probe that has already thrown FIFA into disarray.FIFA released a statement saying it was aware of the arrests of two of its officials."FIFA will continue to cooperate fully with the U.S. investigation as permitted by Swiss law, as well as with the investigation being led by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General. FIFA will have no further comment on today's developments."Accusations of racketeeringIn May, U.S. prosecutors unveiled a 47-count indictment against 14 executives with ties to FIFA and companies with commercial ties to the organization.They accused FIFA officials of taking bribes totaling more than $150 million and in return providing "lucrative media and marketing rights" to soccer tournaments as kickbacks over the past 24 years.JUST WATCHEDWorld sports in crisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWorld sports in crisis 02:36Those charges included racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.Swiss police, acting on requests by the U.S., launched predawn raids at a luxury hotel in Zurich to arrest seven of those charged in the May indictments.Several of those charged have now surrendered to U.S. authorities in New York under agreements to cooperate with the FBI investigation, according to U.S. law enforcement officials.Separately, Swiss officials have been investigating corruption allegations surrounding the next two football World Cups. FIFA's flagship tournament is set to be held in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.Both Russia and Qatar have publicly denied any wrongdoing with regard to the bidding processes of the two tournaments.
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London (CNN Business)Nike (NKE) and other major sponsors have come out in support of tennis star Naomi Osaka following her decision to withdraw from the French Open.The sports apparel giant — who signed a sponsorship deal with Osaka in 2019 — applauded the athlete in a statement on Monday for opening up about her struggle with depression. "Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience," Nike said.Osaka's decision to pull out of the competition came after the tournament, also called Roland Garros, fined her $15,000 for not speaking to the media following her first round match on Sunday. Citing mental health reasons, the four-time major champion announced on Twitter last Wednesday that she would not participate in any news conferences at the tournament. Announcing her subsequent decision to withdraw, she revealed that she has "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018.Read MoreNaomi Osaka: Serena Williams wants to give world No. 2 a hug; others label her a 'princess'Roland Garros said in a statement that Osaka had failed to honor her contractual media obligations and was fined under the tournament's Code of Conduct. The statement added that Roland Garros had "tried unsuccessfully to speak with her to check on her well-being" and that she was reminded that "rules should apply equally to all players."Other sponsors issued statements in support of Osaka, who was born in Japan and grew up in the United States."Naomi Osaka's decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being," Mastercard (MA) said in a statement. "We support her and admire her courage to address important issues, both on and off the court." Osaka became the first number one tennis player to join Mastercard's roster of global ambassadors in 2019.The Naomi Osaka fiasco is a sign that we're nowhere near finished with work on mental healthSwiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer said that it supports its brand ambassadors "in triumph but also during challenging periods." "Naomi is going through difficult times and we truly hope to see her back soon. She is a great champion and we are convinced that she will come out of this period stronger, be it professionally or personally," the company said in a statement.Nissin Foods, a Japanese company known for its instant noodles, also released a message of solidarity."We pray for Ms Naomi Osaka's earliest recovery, and wish her continue success," a company spokesperson said in a statement.Nissan, the Japanese automaker, also threw its weight behind Osaka. "We support the right of our ambassadors to express themselves and stand by her decision," the company said in a statement.All Nippon Airways, a Tokyo-based airline, said that it, too, would continue to support Osaka "as a sponsor."Workday, the enterprise software firm, lauded Osaka for speaking out about her struggles."Anyone who has been impacted by mental health knows asking for help is hard," Christine Cefalo, chief marketing officer, said in a statement. "We applaud Naomi Osaka for prioritizing self care and stand by her — and can't wait to see her on the courts again soon." Sweetgreen, a US restaurant chain of which Osaka is a brand ambassador and investor, said: "Our partnership with Naomi is rooted in wellness in all its forms. We support her in furthering the conversation around mental health and are proud to have her as part of the sweetgreen team."Japanese television broadcaster WOWOW, though, said it was "not in the position to comment [on] Ms. Osaka's withdrawal by her personal issue." The Japanese television broadcaster pointed out that "unlike Nissin, ANA and other Japanese companies which endorse Ms. Osaka, our company is a broadcaster which delivers her plays on tennis tour to Japanese viewers." It said it has shown grand slam tournaments, including Roland Garros, for more than two decades. "We sincerely hope that she could overcome it and come back on court as soon as she can, and every Japanese [person expects] it," the broadcaster said.French Open sponsors Rolex, Engie and Infosys (INFY) declined to comment. French label Louis Vuitton, which named Osaka as its new brand ambassador earlier this year, also declined to comment.— Chris Liakos, Chie Kobayashi, Michelle Toh and Nikita Koirala contributed reporting.
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(CNN)Two years ago, Brendan Tyne pleaded with the Food and Drug Administration to approve a drug that he was hopeful could finally bring his mother some peace. She could no longer move without assistance and had fallen victim to the debilitating and frightening psychosis that haunts many people with Parkinson's disease. "She thinks there are people in the house and animals are trying to get her," he told an FDA advisory committee. He believed that a new medication called Nuplazid, made by San Diego-based Acadia Pharmaceuticals, was the answer. Nuplazid's review was being expedited because it had been designated a "breakthrough therapy" -- meaning that it demonstrated "substantial improvement" in patients with serious or life-threatening diseases compared to treatments already on the market. Congress created this designation in 2012 in an effort to speed up the FDA's approval process, which has long been criticized for being too slow. Around 200 drugs have been granted this designation since its creation. Read MoreStill, to recommend approval, the advisory committee would have to find that the drug's potential benefits outweighed its risks for its intended patients. Some FDA officials concluded that Nuplazid's public health benefit was enough to merit approval of the drug. Their argument echoed the pleas of family members and caregivers like Tyne: It could possibly help patients with no other alternative. Several of the people who spoke said their loved ones had been transformed during the clinical trials, though some said there was no way for them to know whether they were on Nuplazid or a placebo. But the physician who led the FDA's medical review, Dr. Paul Andreason, warned that patients taking the drug during the company's clinical trials experienced serious outcomes, including death, at more than double the rate of those taking the placebo. The company's limited testing, he said, had not convinced him that the benefits outweighed the risks. I remember leaving really, really frustrated FDA advisory committee member While Tyne had heard about these risks, he said he "discounted death as a real statistical possibility" and was willing to try anything to help his mother. "I have two young children who love their grandmother," he told the committee. "If nothing is done to bring her back to some semblance of normalcy, my children will never remember their grandmother for who she is: a loving, funny, caring woman who has improved the lives of all of the loved ones who surround her. Please, I beg you, do not deprive my children and their grandmother of experiencing that love." 'You have to take it seriously' The committee voted 12-2 and recommended that the FDA approve Nuplazid for the treatment of Parkinson's disease psychosis based on a six-week study of about 200 patients. Three previous studies of the drug did not show that it was effective, Andreason said in his medical review, though they showed similar risk. Even some committee members who voted in favor of the drug expressed reservations, according to the hearing transcript. "I guess I'm hoping that the risks are going to be small, and I think the benefits for some of these people who are very sick and whose families are affected by this, I think they're probably willing to take that risk," one physician stated. Another committee member said she wouldn't have voted for the drug's approval if there had been a safe and effective alternative on the market. A third made a "plea" to the FDA to "consider a large observational study so we can ensure that, once it goes into real-world use, that the benefits will outweigh the risks." It hit the market in June 2016. As caregivers and family members rushed to get their loved ones on it, sales climbed to roughly $125 million in 2017. Tyne got his mother on the drug as soon as it became available. But after trying it for months, he says he was devastated to see that it was doing nothing to halt the awful progression of the disease, and her hallucinations became more frequent and harder to manage. "She has gone straight downhill to the point she really can't function at all," he said. Shortly after the drug's release, patients' family members, doctors and other health care professionals started reporting "adverse events" possibly linked to the medication -- including deaths, life-threatening incidents, falls, insomnia, nausea and fatigue. In more than 1,000 reports, patients continued to experience hallucinations while on Nuplazid.Creatures like cats and snakes can haunt patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis, as shown in Acadia's TV commercial.In November, an analysis released by a nonprofit health care organization, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, warned that 244 deaths had been reported to the FDA between the drug's launch and March 2017. The organization also noted that hundreds of reports suggested the drug was "not providing the expected benefit" or potentially worsening the condition. Tracked by the FDA, these so-called "adverse event reports" document deaths, side effects and other issues, and can be made directly by consumers, caregivers and other medical professionals. Reports are submitted to either the FDA or to the drugmaker, which is required to pass along any it receives to the federal government. In some cases, the person filing the report is convinced the side effects were caused by the drug; in others, the reporter ascribes no cause but notes that the patient was on the drug. An adverse event report does not mean that a suspected medication has been ruled the cause of harm and is typically not the result of an official investigation. But the FDA uses the information to monitor potential issues with a drug and can take action as needed -- updating a medication's label, for instance, or restricting its use or pulling it off the market. After analyzing the adverse event data for Nuplazid, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices concluded that this batch of reports "reinforces the concerns of those who warned that (Nuplazid) might do more harm than good." Thomas Moore, senior scientist for drug safety and policy for the nonprofit, said the deaths are an "important warning signal" and warrant further review by the FDA -- and possible action, depending on what the review finds.Since the institute released its analysis, FDA data shows that the number of reported deaths has risen to more than 700. As of last June, Nuplazid was the only medication listed as "suspect" in at least 500 of the death reports. This is almost unheard of to have this many deaths reported...you have to take it seriously. Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research Physicians, medical researchers and other experts told CNN that they worried that the drug had been approved too quickly, based on too little evidence that it was safe or effective. And given these mounting reports of deaths, they say that more needs to be done to assess Nuplazid's true risks."This is almost unheard of, to have this many deaths reported," said Diana Zuckerman, founder and president of the nonprofit thinktank the National Center for Health Research, adding that because reports are voluntary, potential problems may be underreported. "You just don't see this with most new drugs -- you don't see all these reports -- so you have to take it seriously."Acadia and the FDA maintain that the medication's potential benefits continue to outweigh the risks and help fill a desperate need. Psychosis affects up to 50% of the roughly one million Americans suffering from Parkinson's disease, according to the FDA, and Nuplazid is the first drug to be approved to treat this specific condition. Acadia said there are a number of reasons for the higher volume of death reports. Parkinson's disease psychosis is more commonly seen in patients in the most advanced stages of the disease, meaning they are already at a high risk of death. Plus, the company distributes Nuplazid through a network of specialty pharmacies that allow them to be in more frequent contact with both patients and caregivers -- meaning it is more likely to receive reports of death, which it is required to pass along to the FDA."If you are actively and regularly engaging patients and/or caregivers, it is inevitable that you will see a higher number of adverse events reported, especially in an older, chronically ill patient population," the company said in a statement.Read Acadia's full response here It said its "benefit/risk assessment of Nuplazid remains unchanged," and it carefully monitors and regularly analyzes safety reports from both ongoing studies and adverse event reports. The company noted, for example, that since the drug's approval, two studies of a total of more than 300 patients with Alzheimer's disease did not find a difference in the number of deaths reported between Nuplazid and the placebo. The company also provided CNN with a statement from Dr. Joseph Jankovic, professor of neurology and an expert on movement disorders at Baylor College of Medicine. "I have accumulated a great deal of experience with this drug," Jankovic said in the statement. "While not all patients are completely satisfied, many of my patients have experienced marked improvement in their visual hallucinations, paranoia and other psychotic symptoms." In an interview this week, FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb was asked by CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his thoughts on drugs that receive expedited reviews and then prompt concerns about safety once they become available, like Nuplazid. While Gottlieb didn't want to comment on a specific product, he said he is "familiar with the circumstances" and that it's very important for the agency to make sure it is "appropriately balancing" safety with medical need. He said this is a flexible standard, however, and there may be more tolerance for risk in situations where there is a significant need and patients don't have an alternative. JUST WATCHEDFDA chief: Opioids are biggest crisis we faceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFDA chief: Opioids are biggest crisis we face 03:54"You've seen us take regulatory action recently in the post-market setting to limit the use of drugs when new safety concerns became known," he said.The FDA told CNN it will continue to monitor the adverse event reports and review the drug's safety. It added that Nuplazid's "complex safety profile," recognized at the time of its approval, resulted in a requirement that the medication carry a number of warnings on its label so that doctors could analyze potential risks and benefits before prescribing the drug. The cases reported so far, according to the FDA, typically involved elderly patients with advanced-stage Parkinson's disease who suffer from numerous medical conditions and often take other medications that can increase the risk of death. What should we investigate next? Email Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken "Based on these data, the FDA has, at this time, not identified a specific safety issue that is not already adequately described in the product labeling," the agency said in a statement. The FDA has required antipsychotics to carry its most severe "black box" warning for the treatment of elderly dementia patients, after studies found that the medications increase the risk of death in this population. Between 50% and 80% of Parkinson's patients experience dementia as the disease worsens, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Because Nuplazid is a new kind of antipsychotic that targets a different receptor in the brain, its maker claims it comes with fewer toxic side effects. Even so, Nuplazid also carries a black box warning. Related: The little red pill being pushed on the elderlyGeriatric psychiatrist and former FDA medical officer Susan Molchan said that the number of deaths is alarming and questioned whether patients and their families are aware of the risks associated with the drug. To determine the true risks of Nuplazid, the researchers interviewed by CNN said, the FDA needs to require further scientific studies -- and not just rely on the reports, which are challenging to interpret and are not systematically collected. They also worried that, because the drug was already approved, these studies and any action by the FDA could take years. Hundreds of adverse event reports A CNN review of several hundred adverse event reports shows that the detail provided for each case varies widely and that thorough investigations are rarely conducted -- making it difficult to determine whether Nuplazid might have been involved in the deaths of already sick and elderly patients. In these reports, the physicians who prescribed the drug sometimes suggest that their patients likely died from complications from Parkinson's rather than because of Nuplazid. In other cases, it's unclear when exactly the patient started or stopped taking the medication. And in yet others, family members and sometimes doctors are convinced the drug contributed to the deaths. This is exactly what I thought I was going to happen.Dr. Paul Andreason, who led the FDA medical review of Nuplazid One report recounts the death of a 73-year-old woman in a long-term care facility who was taking Nuplazid. Just before 8 in the morning, a nurse noted that the woman was "sleepy." Shortly after, she was found unresponsive and without a pulse. Paramedics were not able to revive her and, less than an hour after the nurse's visit, she was pronounced dead. While her physician didn't believe her death was "related" to Nuplazid, her husband was convinced that it had played a role and paid for an autopsy. It showed only that she had pre-existing heart issues and died of cardiac arrest. Related: Sick, dying and raped in America's nursing homesIn another report, an 89-year-old man was taken off the drug after experiencing a significant decline. His doctor blamed Nuplazid for his deteriorating condition. The patient died weeks later. In a third report, a woman flagged her husband's death to the FDA after he was taken to the hospital due to dehydration. After he passed away, she said, she was told by "someone at the hospital" that the death was connected to his use of Nuplazid. Acadia said it analyzed these reports and concluded that there "is nothing to suggest a causal relationship to Nuplazid." Acadia calculated a mortality rate for Nuplazid, which it said was lower than what you'd see in the general population of Parkinson's disease psychosis patients covered by Medicare. It calculated this using deaths reported to the FDA and what it considered a conservative estimate of patients on the drug, along with Medicare claims data. However, multiple experts interviewed by CNN said that this is an unreliable calculation since it is comparing apples to oranges. Widening the patient pool In the weeks after the Institute for Safe Medication Practices issued its report on the deaths, Acadia's stock price dropped by more than 20%. While many large investors remain bullish about the stock, some investment analysts have made public records requests to the FDA for the death reports. Currently, Nuplazid can cost nearly $100 a day, according to wholesale pricing data from First Databank. That can add up to more than $30,000 a year for a single patient, though the amount a patient actually pays depends on factors including individual insurance coverage. Acadia expects sales of Nuplazid to at least double this year. Acadia's TV commercial shows how frightening Parkinson's disease psychosis can be.The company, meanwhile, is forging ahead with clinical trials in an attempt to get the medication approved for use in a larger patient population: patients who have dementia-related psychosis. In October, the FDA granted its coveted breakthrough designation for this potential use as well, meaning it will also undergo a speedier review process. While a doctor can legally prescribe a drug for any reason, insurance companies may not approve it for uses that are not FDA-approved. So FDA approval to treat dementia patients would likely result in Nuplazid being prescribed to a much wider population, concerned medical experts told CNN. "You would certainly hope they don't approve it for anything else," said Zuckerman of the National Center for Health Research, based on the current research and FDA adverse event reports. "If they're going to approve it for another group of patients that is much, much larger -- that would be unconscionable. "That is something they should absolutely not do given these unanswered questions about risk." 'I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up' Roughly two years have passed since that FDA meeting, where family members and caregivers -- some of whom traveled there on Acadia's dime -- gathered with medical experts to debate the merits and potential risks of Nuplazid.Andreason, the physician who led the FDA's medical review of Nuplazid, no longer works for the agency. He said that while he stands by the warnings he made at the time, he understands that other antipsychotics used to treat Parkinson's patients also come with an increased risk of death and that, when patients have a debilitating disease like Parkinson's, physicians and caregivers may choose a medication that improves quality of life even if it could also shorten life expectancy. He said that he was not surprised to hear about the reports of death. Knowing what I know now -- that it didn't work at all -- I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Son of Parkinson's patient "This is exactly what I thought was going to happen," he said. "We were going to get a burst of reports of serious adverse events and deaths." Dr. Stephanie Fox-Rawlings, a senior fellow at the National Center for Health Research who spoke against the drug's approval at the FDA committee meeting, recently told CNN she understands how desperate families in these situations are, but she does not think Nuplazid is the answer based on her review of Acadia's public research. She and Zuckerman said that, after previous studies didn't show it was effective, the drugmaker changed the way the medication's ability to improve psychosis was measured, which resulted in a positive outcome. Acadia said its studies have had different objectives and all of them have used "consistent, appropriate, and validated assessment methodology.""If patients know there is some level of benefit, they can judge their risk," said Fox-Rawlings. "But if we don't even know that it does work, how do you even judge that? It's kind of a false hope." Kim Witczak was the consumer representative on the FDA committee evaluating Nuplazid. She and the patient representative were the only two members to vote against its approval. She still can't believe it's on the market. "I remember leaving really, really frustrated," she said. CNN reached two of the three family members who petitioned for Nuplazid's approval at the meeting, despite having had no experience with the drug or its clinical trials, to ask whether they tried the medication once it hit the market. One of these was Elaine Casavant. Despite the "staggering cost" of the medication, she said, she was quick to get her husband on it. But after three months, he showed no improvement and they stopped the medication. She has heard success stories, however, and remains optimistic that the drug could be helping certain people. The other person was Tyne. The 43-year-old New Jersey resident works in New York and visits his mother every weekend at a nursing home in the Bronx. Tyne has attempted to move on from the disappointment of Nuplazid, but he still gets frustrated talking about it. "Knowing what I know now -- that it didn't work at all -- I wouldn't have gotten my hopes up," he said. But he doesn't regret trying. "If there was something that could possibly help my mom and I didn't do it, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror." Do you have information to share about Nuplazid or other drugs targeting the elderly? Email us watchdog@cnn.com. CNN's Sergio Hernandez and Curt Merrill contributed data analysis to this report. Illustrations by Tiffany Baker
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Paris (CNN)Lead singer Jesse Hughes scanned the crowd. "When I look around, only two words come to mind: nos amis."Our friends. The band's friends clapped their hands overhead, screamed with delight and hopped with the beat as the drums kicked in and Hughes started to croon. Eagles of Death Metal didn't want to disappoint the sold-out crowd in the Bataclan -- considered by Rolling Stone magazine to be one of the greatest small rock-n-roll venues in the world.In the crowd on this night in November were Pat and Maria Moore, who had followed the band to 14 countries with a group of loyal friends. Maria had injured her ribs in the mosh pit at a concert in England about a week before, but nothing could keep her away from this Friday the 13th performance.Friday night interrupted: Paris survivor storiesHélène Muyal-Leiris danced with one of her friends from childhood. It was a night off for the mother of a 17-month-old boy. Her husband was home with their son, happy to see his wife enjoy what she loved: literature, movies and music. She was a free spirit, always talking about the need for the world to get along. The funky American band seemed to her a combination of her passions.Read MoreIsobel Bowdery grooved on the main floor with her boyfriend, Amaury Baudoin. The young lovers soaked in the atmosphere. The place pulsated. Up on the balcony, Denys Plaud spun and shimmied to the beat with his shirt off, his torso bare as the music roared around him. He'd moved upstairs to have more room to enjoy his two passions: rock-n-roll and dance.Hughes was aglow in red and yellow spotlights, and the mosh pit grinded along with the singer. After about 30 minutes, the band moved to do its latest tune, a remake of Duran Duran's smash hit "Save A Prayer."The bands had sung the song together in London recently. Now Eagles of Death Metal would do it solo:Don't say a prayer for me nowSave it 'til the morning afterAnd on the morning after, prayers were being said all over the world, for Paris and its people.Resilience amid griefAt least 130 people were killed in seven locations in the city. More than 350 were wounded. The coordinated attack was the deadliest in France since World War II. ISIS claimed responsibility.So much has transpired in one short week: French air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria. An international manhunt for terrorists with raids in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Turkey. The killing of the man considered the ringleader of the assault on Paris.And a warning from ISIS: It has its sights on New York, Rome and Washington.But for many, thoughts keep returning to Friday night, November 13. To those moments in two restaurants, two cafes, a bar, the city's main stadium and the Bataclan. Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPresident Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande, second from right, and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo arrive at the Bataclan, site of one of the Paris terrorists attacks, to pay their respects to the victims after Obama arrived in town for the COP21 climate change conference early on Monday, November 30, in Paris. Hide Caption 1 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksThe Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated in the French national colors on Monday, November 16. Displays of support for the French people were evident at landmarks around the globe after the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, November 13.Hide Caption 2 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople hold hands as they observe a minute of silence in Lyon, France, on November 16, three days after the Paris attacks. A minute of silence was observed throughout the country in memory of the victims of the country's deadliest violence since World War II.Hide Caption 3 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksFrench President Francois Hollande, center, flanked by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, right, and French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, center left, stands among students during a minute of silence in the courtyard of the Sorbonne University in Paris on November 16.Hide Caption 4 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA large crowd gathers to lay flowers and candles in front of the Carillon restaurant in Paris on Sunday, November 15. Hide Caption 5 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA man sits next to candles lit as homage to the victims of the deadly attacks in Paris at a square in Rio de Janeiro on November 15.Hide Caption 6 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople light candles in tribute to the Paris victims on November 15 in Budapest, Hungary. Hide Caption 7 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople gather outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on November 15 for a national service for the victims of the city's terror attacks.Hide Caption 8 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople write messages on the ground at Place de la Republique in Paris on November 15. Hide Caption 9 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople pray during a candlelight vigil for victims of the Paris attacks at a church in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 15. Hide Caption 10 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksFrench golfer Gregory Bourdy passes a peace symbol for the Paris victims during the BMW Shanghai Masters tournament November 15 in Shanghai, China. Hide Caption 11 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA man offers a prayer in memory of victims of the Paris attacks at the French Embassy in Tokyo on November 15. Hide Caption 12 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman holds a candle atop a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower during a candlelight vigil Saturday, November 14, in Vancouver, British Columbia.Hide Caption 13 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksFront pages of Japanese newspapers in Tokyo show coverage and photos of the Paris attacks on November 14.Hide Caption 14 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksAn electronic billboard on a canal in Milan, Italy reads, in French, "I'm Paris," on November 14.Hide Caption 15 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksThe Eiffel Tower stands dark as a mourning gesture on November 14, in Paris. More than 125 people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks in Paris on Friday. People around the world reacted in horror to the deadly terrorist assaults.Hide Caption 16 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksLithuanians hold a candlelight vigil in front of the French Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, on November 14.Hide Caption 17 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksThousands gather in London's Trafalgar Square for a candlelit vigil on November 14 to honor the victims of the Paris attacks. Hide Caption 18 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman lights candles at a memorial near the Bataclan theater in Paris on November 14.Hide Caption 19 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA man places a candle in front of Le Carillon cafe in Paris on November 14.Hide Caption 20 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman holds a French flag during a gathering in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14.Hide Caption 21 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksNancy Acevedo prays for France during the opening prayer for the Sunshine Summit being held at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on November 14.Hide Caption 22 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksFrench soldiers of the United Nations' interim forces in Lebanon observe the national flag at half-staff at the contingent headquarters in the village of Deir Kifa on November 14.Hide Caption 23 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA couple surveys the signature sails of the Sydney Opera House lit in the colors of the French flag in Sydney on November 14.Hide Caption 24 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman places flowers in front of the French Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 14.Hide Caption 25 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksCandles are lit in Hong Kong on November 14 to remember the scores who died in France.Hide Caption 26 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman lights a candle outside the French Consulate in Barcelona, Spain, on November 14.Hide Caption 27 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksBritain's Prince Charles expresses solidarity with France at a birthday barbecue in his honor near Perth, Australia, on November 14. Hide Caption 28 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksThe French national flag flutters at half-staff on November 14 at its embassy in Beijing.Hide Caption 29 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksDutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte after a speech on November 14 in The Hague following the attacks.Hide Caption 30 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe becomes emotional after his speech on the French attacks during the opening ceremony of a Japanese garden in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 14.Hide Caption 31 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksA woman mourns outside Le Carillon bar in the 10th district of Paris on November 14. The attackers ruthlessly sought out soft targets where people were getting their weekends underway.Hide Caption 32 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople lay flowers outside the French Embassy in Moscow on November 14.Hide Caption 33 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksMourners gather outside Le Carillon bar in the 10th district of Paris on November 14. "We were listening to music when we heard what we thought were the sounds of firecrackers," a doctor from a nearby hospital who was drinking in the bar with colleagues told Le Monde. "A few moments later, it was a scene straight out of a war. Blood everywhere."Hide Caption 34 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople attend a vigil outside the French Consulate in Montreal. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered "all of Canada's support" to France on Friday, November 13, in the wake of the attacks.Hide Caption 35 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPolice show a heightened presence in Times Square in New York on November 13, following the terrorist attacks in Paris. Hide Caption 36 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople light candles at a vigil outside the French Consulate in Montreal on November 13. Hide Caption 37 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas, fans observe a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris before a basketball game November 13.Hide Caption 38 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksThe house lights are shut off and scoreboard dark as Boston Celtics players pause for a moment of silence for the Paris victims before an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks in Boston on November 13.Hide Caption 39 of 40 Photos: World reacts to Paris attacksPeople light candles at a vigil outside the French Consulate in Montreal on November 13.Hide Caption 40 of 40By the time police cleared the concert hall, 89 were dead there. Many were 20-somethings, university students or young professionals enjoying the start of their careers.Those who survived live with two competing emotions: gratefulness and grief. Eagles of Death Metal fans have always been a tight-knit crowd -- never more so than now, bound by one awful night and determined to tell a story of love. 'We are here to kill you'Three gunmen came in through the front door. Two wore masks. They were dressed in black and armed with AK-47s and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. They said they were retaliating against France's bombing of ISIS in Syria. "We are here to kill you," one shouted. They were calm, acting with precision as they sprayed the concert hall with bullets. One would shoot while the other reloaded. Then, repeat. The gunfire seemed to last an eternity. Scores of fans rushed toward exits. Others jumped on stage and hid behind massive speakers. Many dropped to the ground, struck by bullets, dodging them or paralyzed by fear. Forty-nine-year-old Pat Moore, and his wife Maria, 50, were there with about 10 English and French fans who they'd bonded with over the music. The Moores had witnessed terror before. A decade earlier, they'd been preparing to see another band when suicide bombers struck London's transit system, killing more than 50.JUST WATCHEDMemories of Bataclan concerts go viralReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMemories of Bataclan concerts go viral 01:23The Moores were standing toward the left front of the hall, near the stage. They saw people diving onto the ground and band members running for cover.JUST WATCHEDParis survivor describes hiding in Bataclan bathroom ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHParis survivor describes hiding in Bataclan bathroom 03:01Pat grabbed his wife's arm and pushed her toward a nearby exit. Hélène Muyal-Leiris, 35, fell to the floor amid the hail of bullets. So did her friend Nicolas Strohl, who she'd known since they were both about 12. They lay still as the gunmen executed anyone who showed signs of life.In the balcony, Denys Plaud ran for the stairs to the third floor -- and kept running, up and up, followed by a growing crowd of fans desperate to escape the carnage. They found sanctuary in a tiny room and used a refrigerator to barricade the door.Isobel Bowdery, 22, and her boyfriend, Amaury Baudoin, 24, had gotten separated in the crowd shortly before the shooting. Isobel dove to the ground, blood and bodies all around. She held her breath, trying not to cry. She listened as a wounded couple said their goodbyes. She closed her eyes and pictured everyone she'd ever loved. Amaury was near the stage and struck by shrapnel. Pain shot through his leg and neck. He saw the silhouette of a gunman and hopped onto the stage and kept running. He searched for an exit, then ducked into a bathroom. Others joined him. Soon, more than 50 were inside.Gunfire continued to rattle the hall. He feared for his girlfriend. Was she alive?Huddled in the room, he thought about death. Death at the age of 24. Faces of family and friendsPat and Maria Moore fled toward the exit. They turned back when they realized a friend wasn't with them. He'd been trampled in the crush to escape. He had a broken collar bone and other injuries. He got to the door just as they did.Husband and wife grabbed him. "I'm done for," the friend said. He wanted to sit down. They hoisted him up and made their way down the street.Lead singer Jesse Hughes sprinted past with his girlfriend. "Run, baby, run," he urged her. Upstairs, crammed in a room with at least a dozen others, Denys Plaud could do nothing but sit in the dark and listen to the gunfire -- at first far below, then alarmingly close. The shooting went on for over an hour. Shots. Silence. Then, more shots. Bullets hit the wall. He wondered if it would hold up.In the bathroom backstage, Amaury Baudoin felt a desperate optimism take over. Strangers, huddled together, tried to reassure each other. If the gunmen found them, they decided, they would overpower them."All the while, I was thinking of Isobel."Isobel was amid the carnage on the main floor. But she did not move. She did not flinch. She did not want to alert the killers that she was still alive. She was curled into a fetal position. A wounded man shielded her body. "Don't run," he told her. "Just stay."What do you do when death is at hand?Isobel pictured the faces of her family, her friends. And she whispered over and over: "I love you." Makeshift memorials have popped up outside the Bataclan to honor those killed and wounded inside. 'I just wanted to be with her'Antoine Leiris received a message from his wife's sister. "How are you?" it said.He had not heard Paris was under siege. He turned on the television. He kept thinking anything was possible when he saw the Bataclan was targeted. Then, worry consumed him. He couldn't reach Hélène. He thought of their 17-month-old son growing up without his mother. Married and a mother to a young son, Hélène Muyal-Leiris, was shot inside the concert hall.He spent the next 24 hours searching every hospital in Paris and its suburbs. Hélène was nowhere to be found.Finally, Saturday evening, the medical examiner's office called; his wife's body was there. He went straight to the office. It was closed. He tried to force his way in, but couldn't. "I felt really bad to have left her alone for two nights," Antoine told CNN. "Dead or alive, that was not the point. I just wanted to be with her." 'Overwhelming love'The Moores made their way to a friend's apartment. Still in shock, they drank a bottle of wine and sipped hard whiskey. Four comrades had been shot but survived. They nicknamed one of them "Two Bullets." "We've had so much support," Maria Moore said. "There's been an overwhelming amount of love and even laughs in the past few days."Laughter, even amid the tears. The friends had decided to meet up at the Paris show in honor of a woman in their network, a rock photographer, who had committed suicide last year. "We think she was looking after us all in there, because we all made it out."Maria paused. "I don't know if I believe in that stuff. But it's a comforting thought." Maria Moore, second from right, with friends.The terror won't prevent the group from doing what they love. They'll still dance at rock gigs. They'll still visit Paris. "We'll go back the first chance we get."Denys Plaud was evacuated by police from the balcony. He was shaken up "in a bad way" and took shelter in a nearby courtyard where local residents offered him clothes to keep warm and a bed for the night.But like the Moores, he remains committed to his beloved music. Reflecting on his decision to move from the lower floor to the balcony because there was more room to dance, he said, "That's probably what saved my life."Hélène Muyal-Leiris died in her friend's arms at the Bataclan. Her husband Antoine was reunited with her body on Monday. He penned a Facebook post that went viral. "On Friday evening you stole the life of an exceptional person, the love of my life, the mother of my son," he wrote, "but you will not have my hatred." He later elaborated on why he felt it was important to write such a tribute. "I didn't have a choice," he told CNN, "if I wanted my son to grow up as a human being who is open to the world around him, like his mother, to grow up as a person who will love what she loved: literature, culture, music, cinema, pictures."JUST WATCHEDHusband to terrorists: 'I will not succumb to hate'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHusband to terrorists: 'I will not succumb to hate' 03:35He sat with his son. They talked about how much they miss her. They listened to music she would play, and together they cried."My son is only 17 months old, but he feels everything. He knows everything," Antoine said. "The grief is here and we keep it as a 'treasure' -- it is a souvenir of her. We don't pretend we're not sad, that we're not devastated. "No, we are -- but we're still standing."Isobel Bowdery and Amaury Baudoin weren't sure if the other had survived.Amaury doesn't recall how much time he spent in hiding. When at last he and the others were escorted out of the hall, police told them to keep their eyes on the ceiling. But Amaury glanced around."My eyes swept the room, my stomach churning at the thought of finding Isobel sprawled in the center of this disaster," he wrote on Facebook."There were bodies everywhere. ... It wasn't a war scene. It was a slaughter house."Isobel had been taken to a police safe area. She worried about Amaury's fate. It had been hours since they last saw one another. She heard a voice crying her name. "Isobel! ISOBEL!" It was distant at first, but grew closer. She ran toward Amaury and leapt into his arms, draping herself around his neck. JUST WATCHEDCouple shares their story of escaping Bataclan ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCouple shares their story of escaping Bataclan 05:57They were alive. They thought of all the others who perished, especially the 20-somethings, revellers of music.It is for them they now live."As much as the terror and the anguish that was in that room," Isobel told CNN, "there was a lot of love. There was a lot of positivity in such a tragic, tragic place." The terrorists, she was determined, would not win. "I didn't want them to have their horrible actions determine the end of my life. I wanted the people that I loved to win -- to know that they blessed me with an incredible life. "It was important that if I was going to die -- if the next bullet was for me -- that I left saying I love you. And in that way, it felt OK to die, because I had love in my heart."It is the feeling she carries with her now, in the city known as an international symbol of love.That's the best way, she said, to defeat terrorism.CNN's Anderson Cooper, Poppy Harlow, Hala Gorani, Lauren Moorhouse, Saskya Vandoorne and Florence Davey-Attlee contributed to this story.
3news
(CNN)Few teams -- from any sport, any era, or any country -- have a record that can match that of the All Blacks. Since lifting the World Cup on home soil in 2011, New Zealand's rugby team has boasted a win percentage close to 90%. Its reign as the world No. 1 ranked side goes back nine years, and it comes as no surprise that Steve Hansen's men have been hotly tipped to win a third consecutive World Cup in Japan next year. Follow @cnnsport When it comes to the depth of players at their disposal, not to mention the skill set and athleticism those players bring to the field, it's little surprise the All Blacks have been rugby's dominant force for the best part of the past decade. But that's not to say they're unbeatable. Teams working out how to beat the All Blacks -- which include England and Ireland in the coming weeks -- will look to South Africa's performances in the Rugby Championship for inspiration. Read More"You have to take your hat off to South Africa," former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick tells CNN after the Springboks came close to recording rare back-to-back victories over the All Blacks. "The intensity they played with -- we haven't seen that intensity for a long time. Their will and their fitness levels looked very good." READ: Why are the All Blacks so good? JUST WATCHEDDan Carter on Japanese rugby and New ZealandReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDan Carter on Japanese rugby and New Zealand 03:10South Africa's victory in Wellington was only New Zealand's second defeat on home soil since 2009. Is there a secret to toppling the All Blacks?"The teams that take the All Blacks on are the teams that are successful normally," continues Fitzpatrick, who won 92 caps for New Zealand in the 1980s and 90s including 51 as captain. "The problem is you've got to do it for 80/85 minutes and there aren't many teams at the moment that can live with the All Blacks for that long."Don't be afraid -- South Africa showed that. Their aggression levels were very high. They were very physical, they didn't miss tackles, they took their opportunities."New Zealand let in 132 points in the recent Rugby Championship -- the most it has ever conceded in the tournament. The somewhat porous defense is something that didn't pass Fitzpatrick by."We're fans who want to be entertained and the All Blacks play a very entertaining style of rugby which sometimes -- as you saw during the Rugby Championship -- can leak tries. That's one area they're probably looking to sure up." READ: Rugby captain turned steel sculptor, the French icon who found 'something else' Photos: RWC 2019 venuesNew Zealand beat Australia 34-17 to win its second straight Rugby World Cup at Twickenham Stadium, London in October 2015. Four years on, the focus will shift to Japan, where 12 stadiums throughout the country will host the tournament from September 20 to November 2. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: International Stadium YokohamaCapacity: 72,327Where: Yokohama City, Kanagawa PrefectureMatches: New Zealand vs South Africa; Ireland vs Scotland; England vs France; Japan vs Scotland; Semifinals 1 & 2; Final Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Tokyo StadiumCapacity: 49,970Where: Tokyo MetropolitanMatches: Japan vs Romania; France vs Argentina; Australia vs Wales; England v Argentina; New Zealand vs Namibia; Quarterfinals 2 & 4; Bronze finalHide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: City of Toyota StadiumCapacity: 45,000Where: Toyota, Aichi PrefectureMatches: Wales vs Georgia; South Africa vs Namibia; Japan vs Samoa; New Zealand vs ItalyHide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Shizuoka Stadium EcopaCapacity: 50,889Where: Shizuoka PrefectureMatches: Japan vs Ireland; South Africa vs Italy; Scotland vs Romania; Australia vs GeorgiaHide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Hanazono Rugby StadiumCapacity: 32,228Where: Higashiosaka City, Osaka PrefectureMatches: Italy vs Namibia; Argentina vs Tonga; Georgia vs Fiji; USA vs TongaHide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kumamoto StadiumCapacity: 32,228Where: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto PrefectureMatches: France vs Tonga; Wales vs Uruguay Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Oita StadiumCapacity: 40,000Where: Oita PrefectureMatches: New Zealand vs Canada; Australia vs Uruguay; Wales vs Fiji; Quarterfinals 1 & 3 Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kumagaya Rugby StadiumCapacity: 25,600Where: Kumagaya City, Saitama PrefectureMatches: Russia vs Samoa; Georgia vs Uruguay; Argentina vs USAHide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial StadiumCapacity: 16,334Where: Kamaishi City, Iwate PrefectureMatches: Fiji vs Uruguay; Namibia vs CanadaHide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Sapporo DomeCapacity: 41,410Where: Sapporo CityMatches: Australia vs Fiji; England vs TongaHide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kobe Misaki StadiumCapacity: 30,132Where: Kobe CityMatches: England vs USA; Scotland vs Samoa; Ireland vs Russia; South Africa vs CanadaHide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Fukuoka Hakatanomori StadiumCapacity: 21,562Where: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka PrefectureMatches: Italy vs Canada; France vs USA; Ireland vs SamoaHide Caption 13 of 13The current schedule of international fixtures between northern and southern hemisphere sides gives nations a chance to see where they stand ahead of next year's World Cup. New Zealand began its block of games with victories over Australia and Japan -- both played in Japan -- before heading to Europe to face England at Twickenham this weekend.Next up...the @AllBlacks 🔥#ENGvNZL #CarryThemHome 🌹 pic.twitter.com/ECSj1v9FjR— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) November 5, 2018 When it was first announced, the fixture was billed as a long overdue clash between the world's top two sides, but now Eddie Jones' men have slipped down the pecking order having enduring a run of six straight defeats earlier this year.However, a narrow 12-11 win over South Africa last weekend will give England's injury-blighted squad confidence ahead of what will surely be its toughest test for a number of years. "The young players did exceptionally well and we can look forward to New Zealand now," Jones told reporters after the victory against the Springboks. "We are going to prepare well and I cannot wait to play them. New Zealand are different to South Africa, wanting an athletic contest. We will not be wearing singlets and running shorts. READ: Eddie Jones on the ropes, but up for World Cup 'sparring' Photos: RWC 2019 venuesNew Zealand beat Australia 34-17 to win its second straight Rugby World Cup at Twickenham Stadium, London in October 2015. Four years on, the focus will shift to Japan, where 12 stadiums throughout the country will host the tournament from September 20 to November 2. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: International Stadium YokohamaCapacity: 72,327Where: Yokohama City, Kanagawa PrefectureMatches: New Zealand vs South Africa; Ireland vs Scotland; England vs France; Japan vs Scotland; Semifinals 1 & 2; Final Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Tokyo StadiumCapacity: 49,970Where: Tokyo MetropolitanMatches: Japan vs Romania; France vs Argentina; Australia vs Wales; England v Argentina; New Zealand vs Namibia; Quarterfinals 2 & 4; Bronze finalHide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: City of Toyota StadiumCapacity: 45,000Where: Toyota, Aichi PrefectureMatches: Wales vs Georgia; South Africa vs Namibia; Japan vs Samoa; New Zealand vs ItalyHide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Shizuoka Stadium EcopaCapacity: 50,889Where: Shizuoka PrefectureMatches: Japan vs Ireland; South Africa vs Italy; Scotland vs Romania; Australia vs GeorgiaHide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Hanazono Rugby StadiumCapacity: 32,228Where: Higashiosaka City, Osaka PrefectureMatches: Italy vs Namibia; Argentina vs Tonga; Georgia vs Fiji; USA vs TongaHide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kumamoto StadiumCapacity: 32,228Where: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto PrefectureMatches: France vs Tonga; Wales vs Uruguay Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Oita StadiumCapacity: 40,000Where: Oita PrefectureMatches: New Zealand vs Canada; Australia vs Uruguay; Wales vs Fiji; Quarterfinals 1 & 3 Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kumagaya Rugby StadiumCapacity: 25,600Where: Kumagaya City, Saitama PrefectureMatches: Russia vs Samoa; Georgia vs Uruguay; Argentina vs USAHide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial StadiumCapacity: 16,334Where: Kamaishi City, Iwate PrefectureMatches: Fiji vs Uruguay; Namibia vs CanadaHide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Sapporo DomeCapacity: 41,410Where: Sapporo CityMatches: Australia vs Fiji; England vs TongaHide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Kobe Misaki StadiumCapacity: 30,132Where: Kobe CityMatches: England vs USA; Scotland vs Samoa; Ireland vs Russia; South Africa vs CanadaHide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: RWC 2019 venuesWhat: Fukuoka Hakatanomori StadiumCapacity: 21,562Where: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka PrefectureMatches: Italy vs Canada; France vs USA; Ireland vs SamoaHide Caption 13 of 13"It will be a proper game of rugby. You want to face the best in the world and the Kiwis are that. Bring it on."Ireland is the most recent northern hemisphere nation to defeat the All Blacks -- an inspired 40-29 victory in Chicago two years ago -- and, with just one defeat so far this year, the likeliest northern hemisphere outfit to beat them again in the coming weeks. South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Tonga, Fiji and Japan have all also traveled to Europe to take on the likes of England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy. Visit cnn.com/rugby for more news and videosBut with less than a year until the World Cup, if there's one scalp a team would like, it would be New Zealand. "To challenge the All Blacks," says Fitzpatrick, "the opposition has to play the game of their lives."Sean Fitzpatrick was speaking at the Laureus Sport for Good Global Summit in partnership with Allianz. Laureus Sport for Good uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage.
5sport
(CNN)The upcoming Democratic presidential debates will feature opening and closing statements and two hours of debate time each night, representatives for more than 20 candidates competing in the primary were informed Tuesday by CNN. CNN is airing the much-anticipated Democratic National Committee-sanctioned debates live from Detroit at 8 p.m. ET on July 30 and 31. Dana Bash, Don Lemon and Jake Tapper will serve together as the moderators for both debates.While candidates will not officially learn if they make the Detroit stage until July 17, Tuesday's call with the 20-plus Democratic campaigns was held to help them prepare for the debate should their respective candidates qualify, a CNN spokesperson said.The window to determine debate eligibility closes on July 16, and candidates will be informed the next day if they will be invited to participate in Detroit. On July 18, CNN will air a live draw to determine the specific candidate lineups for each debate night. The campaign representatives also learned on Tuesday that candidates will be given 60 seconds to respond to a moderator-directed question, and 30 seconds for responses and rebuttals.Read MoreIn addition, the campaign representatives were told:Colored lights will be used to help the candidates manage their remaining response times: 15 seconds = yellow; 5 seconds = flashing red; no time remaining = solid red.A candidate attacked by name by another candidate will be given 30 seconds to respond.There will be no show of hands or one-word, down-the-line questions.A candidate who consistently interrupts will have his or her time reduced.Questions posed by the moderators will appear on the bottom of the screen for television viewers.CNN and the DNC will also be casting wide nets to gauge voters' concerns and interests in the weeks leading up to the debate, the CNN spokesperson said.
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(CNN)Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who was released from Massachusetts General Hospital last week, called his doctors, nurses and caregivers "some of the best teammates I have ever had."Ortiz was shot in the lower back on June 9 while he was sitting on a crowded bar patio in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The bullet perforated his intestines and internal organs before hitting his friend Jhoel Lopez in the leg.David Ortiz has been released from the hospital after being shot in the Dominican RepublicAccording to authorities, Ortiz's friend was the target, not the MLB star. Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez, who is accused of orchestrating the shooting, has been arrested, along with several other suspects.Ortiz had surgery in the Dominican Republic before he was taken to Massachusetts General in Boston, where he underwent two additional procedures."My deep appreciation goes to John and Linda Henry, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy and the entire Red Sox organization for arranging the Red Sox plane that took me back to Boston from Santo Domingo and their continuing assistance to me and my family," Ortiz said in a statement Monday.Read MoreOrtiz thanked fans for their prayers and posted photos of steak, pasta and fish on Instagram on Monday. View this post on Instagram Being at home and look at my family celebrating that lm here safe is priceless... Thank for all the prayers 🙏🏽 Too bad l can't crush food yet 😑!!!! Estando ya en casa y viendo a mi familia celebrarlo no tiene precio gracias por todas sus oraciones 🙏🏽... lo único malo es que no puedo matar la liga comiendo todavía 😑!!! A post shared by David Ortiz (@davidortiz) on Jul 29, 2019 at 7:14am PDT "Too bad l can't crush food yet!!!!" he wrote.He plans to focus on his recovery, he said in the statement: "I am feeling good but know I need to do my rehab just like I did when I was recovering from injuries playing baseball.""Big Papi will be back soon."
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(CNN)When Russell Wilson's trade to the Denver Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks was announced, it sent shockwaves through the NFL. And at Wilson's unveiling as a Broncos player on Wednesday, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett couldn't contain his excitement at having a Super Bowl champion as his quarterback. "Wow! C'mon, y'all. Russell Wilson! Holy sh*t. Very exciting," he said with a smile. The 33-year-old Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos in exchange for a huge haul, including two first-round draft picks, two second-rounders, a fifth-rounder, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive tackle Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant. The nine-time Pro-Bowler, who has consistently been one of the best quarterbacks in the league since he was drafted in 2012, says that he chose to move to Denver for one reason only: "That's to win."Read More"That's what I believe in. So every day, what you're going to get from me is that mentality," Wilson explained at the press conference. "You're going to get that juice. You're going to get that energy. "You're going to get that focus and we're going to do it together. All the guys back there, we're going to do it together because that what it takes. We're here for one thing and that's to win. That's to win at the highest level, often. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the journey, so Broncos country, let's ride."Wilson added that he hopes to play "10 to 12 more years" and win "three to four more Super Bowls," planning to "finish on top as a champion."Hackett address the media as Wilson looks on.Mutual decision Before Wilson's opening press conference as a Denver player, the Seahawks hierarchy released statements saying that the decision for Wilson to move on was one driven by the quarterback himself. "While Russell made it clear he wanted this change, he made Seattle proud and we are grateful for his decade of leadership on and off the field," Jody Allen, chair of the Seahawks, said in a statement. "We look forward to welcoming our new players and to everyone being fully engaged while working our hardest to win every single day. I trust our leadership to take us into the future and know we all wish Russell the very best."Head coach Pete Carroll echoed Allen's message. "This has always been a challenging time of year where we have consistently maintained a competitive approach to getting better as a team," Carroll said. "As Jody stated, Russ' desire in doing something different afforded the organization an opportunity to compete in multiple ways. Wilson addresses the press on March 16."He has always been the ultimate competitor whose leadership and consistency helped shape our culture. Our franchise has won a lot of games and we will always be grateful for the exciting moments and incredible records."However, Wilson said that the decision to leave Seattle was a mutual one, a decision reached between him and the team. "I didn't initiate it; it was definitely mutual. Along the way, there's definitely been a lot of conversations. It hasn't been I initiating anything, but it is what it is. I'm excited, I'm happy to be here, that's all I know. Obviously, I'm happy about the 10 years I've had but I think that -- you know, it's, you know, we'll have to read about it later, we'll have some fun in my book one day, we'll have some good stories."
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(CNN)Australia is sweltering under record-breaking temperatures as an extreme heat wave continues to sweep across the country, causing wildlife to die and fruit to cook from the inside out. The past four days are in Australia's top ten warmest days on record, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in a tweet on Wednesday, with all of the country's eight states and territories affected.South Australia's Port Augusta hit a scorching 48.5 degrees Celsius (119 F) on Tuesday, the highest since records began in 1962, according to CNN affiliate Nine News. The town of Tarcoola in South Australia reached a sweltering 49 C (120 F).Elsewhere, temperatures stayed well above 40 C (104 F) and the hot weather is expected to last until Friday. One town in northwestern Australia, Marble Bar, suffering through 22 consecutive days of temperatures above 40 C, at one point almost reaching 50 C (122 F).Australia suffers extreme heat wave up to 14 C above averageAs the mercury continues to rise, concerns are with the vulnerable, including the young, elderly and those with asthma or respiratory diseases.Read MoreHigh ozone levelsOn Wednesday, New South Wales Health authorities warned that the high temperatures are expected to contribute to "high ozone" air pollution across Sydney. Dr. Richard Broome, director of environmental health at New South Wales Health, said that people with asthma and other respiratory problems were particularly vulnerable as ozone "can irritate the lungs.""Ozone levels are higher outdoors than indoors, and generally highest in the afternoon and early evening, so limiting time outdoors during the heat of the day and in the evening helps people to not only keep cool but to limit their exposure to ozone pollution," he said.The past 4 days are in Australia's top 10 warmest days on record—and the trend looks like continuing today. The nights have been warm too, which is what defines #heatwave conditions https://t.co/u6dbfmKPk6 Stay cool, check on loved ones & follow advice from health authorities pic.twitter.com/8Qisw9m4LM— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 16, 2019 A health warning was in place across New South Wales from Tuesday, warning people to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, minimize physical activity and keep hydrated."Signs of heat-related illness include dizziness, tiredness, irritability, thirst, fainting, muscle pains or cramps, headache, changes in skin color, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, vomiting and confusion," the statement said. It's the second heatwave in less than a month to hit Australia. Just over two weeks ago, a brutal post-Christmas heatwave led to extreme or severe fire warnings across at least three states and intensified severe droughts across the country.Fish, bat deaths and fruit cooking from the insideThe high temperatures are taking an increasing toll on the country's flora and fauna. In the Murray-Darling River Basin across the southeast, more than a million dead fish have been washed up on the banks.Niall Blair, Primary Industries Minister in New South Wales state, said more deaths of marine life are expected in coming days as temperatures continue to rise, according to local media.But environmental activists have blamed the mass deaths on poor management of the river system by state and federal governments, alleging mass consumption of water by farmers was leaving too little for fish to survive."A lack of water in the Darling River and the Menindee Lakes means that authorities were unable to flush the system before millions of fish suffocated through a lack of oxygen in water," independent New South Wales lawmaker Jeremy Buckingham said in a statement."This mass fish kill should be a wake up call for Australia."Dozens of fish lying dead on the Darling River in New South Wales near Menindee after an extreme heat wave in January.Colonies of bats were also succumbing to the heat and dropping from trees in Adelaide, according to CNN affiliate Nine News, prompting warnings to avoid contact with the animals as they can carry deadly diseases.Heat can be disastrous for bat species. Following a heat wave in north Queensland in November, an estimated 23,000 spectacled flying foxes died -- almost one third of the species in Australia. In South Australia, the extreme heat is causing stone fruit, including peaches and nectarines, to cook from the inside out, leading to heavy losses for farmers and spurring a race against time to harvest the fruit before it spoils, according to ABC. "The stone burns them, which means they burn on the inside, they become squashy and you can't use them," Dried Tree Fruits Australia chairman Kris Werner told ABC.It comes as the Australian Open kicked off in Melbourne at the Rod Laver Arena, in temperatures which topped 30 C (86 F).It is the second year in a row of extreme temperatures at the Grand Slam event, with some competitors collapsing or complaining of heatstroke in the 2018 event.Climate change is already here, and heat waves are having the biggest effect, report saysClimate change taking its tollJanuary is typically the hottest month of the Australian summer and temperatures across the board have been higher in the country in recent years. A report released by the Bureau of Meteorology on Thursday revealed 2018 was the country's third hottest year on record, with rainfall 11% below average.Australia's winter last year saw the worst drought in living memory hit part of the country in August, destroying farmers' livelihoods as farmland turned dry and barren.Even as Australia has suffered the effects of ongoing climate change, the government drags its feet on crafting a comprehensive environmental policy.Despite a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning of "global catastrophe" should world temperatures rise above 1.5 C by the middle of the next decade, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's administration has refused to phase out the use of coal-fired power.CNN's James Griffiths contributed reporting.
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Moscow (CNN)Police raided the home of Russian activist Lyubov Sobol, a close ally of opposition leader Alexey Navalny, early Friday and took her in for questioning."Today at 7 am the police came to Lyubov Sobol's apartment," Navalny's team tweeted Friday. "Since 7:10 Sobol has not been in touch, and the cameras in her apartment were sealed and turned off."Russia's main investigative body, the Investigative Committee, confirmed it had launched a criminal probe against activist Sobol. The committee claimed the probe was launched after Sobol allegedly threatened a member of the country's Federal Security Service (FSB.) Navalny's team earlier said that Sobol had attempted to visit the home of Konstantin Kudryavtsev, one of the FSB agents who Navalny has accused of participating in the plot to kill him.Read MoreA CNN exclusive report released this week showed a phone call in which Navalny duped the agent, Kudryavtsev, into revealing that the opposition leader was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok applied to his underwear.On Monday, after the report was published, Sobol went to Kudryavtsev's apartment to confront him.Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny dupes spy into revealing how he was poisonedAccording to a video Sobol posted on Twitter, the residential building was quickly surrounded by police and Sobol's team was approached by a woman who introduced herself as Kudryavtsev's mother. Sobol was then take in for questioning but released early morning on Tuesday.On Friday, police arrived at Sobol's home, seizing all of the electronics belonging to the activist, her husband and her daughter, Navalny's team said.Ivan Zhdanov, head of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund, wrote on Twitter that investigators launched a probe into trespassing "with the use of violence or a threat to use it" after Sobol rang the doorbell of the FSB agent.An investigation by CNN in cooperation with the investigative journalism website Bellingcat previously revealed that an FSB toxins team of about six to 10 agents trailed Navalny for more than three years before he was poisoned in August with the lethal nerve agent. Navalny fell ill on a plane to Moscow and was eventually taken to Germany for treatment. He ultimately survived the attempt on his life.The anti-corruption activist has accused the Russian state of involvement in the poisoning. The Kremlin denies any wrongdoing.
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(CNN)President Joe Biden laid out his vision for the next chapter of his presidency during a nearly two-hour-long White House news conference on Wednesday, saying he's prepared to make changes as he faces crises at home and abroad.As he heads into year two in the Oval Office, Biden held a wide-ranging question-and-answer session with reporters during which he angered his Ukrainian allies with comments about a potential Russian "incursion" into their country, and he admitted he would be breaking up one of his major legislative priorities. Biden also signaled that his dreams of bipartisanship had largely been dashed during his first year in office, though he was still confident in how his party will do in the 2022 midterm elections.Biden told CNN's Jeff Zeleny that he's ready to switch up his approach during the coming year. After spending much of his first year in office at the White House or one of his Delaware properties, Biden said he wants to solicit more outside advice and speak to more people outside the building. The President has traveled less often than his predecessors, restrained by the pandemic. He has visited comparatively fewer states and been outside the US only twice."I'm going to go out and talk to the public. I'm going to do public fora. I'm going to interface with them. I'm going to make the case of what we've already done, why it's important and what we'll do -- what will happen if they support what else I want to do," he said.Read MoreBiden said he also plans to engage more with Democrats during the midterm elections.Fact check: A look at Biden's first year in false claims"I'm going to be deeply involved in these off-year elections," he said. "We're going to be raising a lot of money. We're going to be out there making sure that we're helping all those candidates, and scores of them already asked me to come in and campaign with them, to go out and make the case in plain simple language as to what it is we have done, what we want to do and why we think it's important."Still, despite his planned changes, the President defended his approach to many issues, saying he "makes no apologies" for his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan and dismissing questions of competency in regards to the rollout of 5G networks and the response to Covid-19. He said he's satisfied with his team, confirming that Vice President Kamala Harris will be his reelection running mate and defending top public health officials, like US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, amid mixed messaging on the pandemic.Breaking up Build Back BetterThe President said he's changing his approach to how he handles a signature legislative goal, saying he believes Congress can pass "big chunks" of his sweeping social safety net and climate spending plan, Build Back Better, and acknowledging that negotiators will have to "fight for the rest later." "Yes, well, it's clear to me that we're going to have to break it up," the President said. The 7 most important lines from Joe Biden's news conferenceIn particular, Biden indicated that he believes Congress can pass funding for energy and environmental issues, and that he has support from West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, a key moderate, on the plan's early education proposals. In addition, he indicated that there's "strong support" for the proposal on how the provisions will be paid for. He later said he's "unsure" whether he'll be able to get the child tax credit provision and funding to assist with the cost of college passed. "I don't think there's anything unrealistic about what we're asking for. I'm not asking for castles in the sky. I'm asking for practical things the American people have been asking for for a long time. A long time. And I think we can get it done," he said.Biden cited lower prices for on prescription drugs, expanded education funding and support for child care as popular provisions."I don't know many things that have been done in one fell swoop. And so I think the most important thing to do is try to inform ... the public what's at stake in stark terms and let them make judgments and let them know who is for them and who is against them. Who is there and who is not there, and make that the case. That's what I'm going to be spending my time doing in this off-year election," Biden continued.The President also acknowledged that passing his other legislative priority, voting reform, will be difficult. Still, he insisted that Democrats still have options to get it passed. Biden said the perception by some Americans that his push to pass election reform is a last-minute effort is a "problem that is my own making," stressing that he has been fighting to ensure Americans have access to the ballot for decades. "It's going to be difficult. I make no bones about that. It's going to be difficult, but we're not there yet. We've not run out of options yet. And we'll see how this moves," Biden told reporters.Later Wednesday, Biden issued a statement after Senate Democrats failed to change Senate rules to advance two major voting rights measures, saying, "I am profoundly disappointed that the United States Senate has failed to stand up for our democracy. I am disappointed — but I am not deterred.""As dangerous new Republican laws plainly designed to suppress and subvert voting rights proliferate in states across the country, we will explore every measure and use every tool at our disposal to stand up for democracy," the President added later.Biden touts year of 'challenges' and 'progress'Biden, in his opening comments at the news conference, said that "it's been a year of challenges, but it's also been a year of enormous progress." Jill Biden's whirlwind first year as the President's eyes and ears across AmericaThe President -- who fielded questions from reporters as his administration struggles to contain the latest surge of the Omicron coronavirus variant and works to ease the economic anxiety gripping the nation -- began his White House news conference touting how the administration has made strides in Covid-19 vaccinations, reopening the economy, creating jobs and lowering unemployment. But he also acknowledged the challenges facing his administration as he enters his second year in office. He said there continues to be "frustration and fatigue in this country" over Covid-19, reiterating that "while it's cause for concern, it's not cause for panic."The President conceded that his team should have done more to ramp up testing, but listed steps he's taken to make kits more available, arguing that "we're in a better place than we have been thus far, clearly better than a year ago." "I'm not going to give up and accept things as they are now. Some people may call what's happening now the new normal. I call it a job not yet finished. It will get better. We're moving toward a time when Covid-19 won't disrupt our daily lives," he continued.In his opening remarks, the President also addressed the economic complications of the pandemic, including rising prices for consumers, saying, "We need to get inflation under control" and calling on the Federal Reserve to "bear down on fighting inflation." Biden added that he respects the independence of the Fed.The news conference comes as the President heads into his second year in office -- a midterm election year -- after facing a number of recent setbacks. The centerpiece of his economic agenda has hit a roadblock in Congress, it is unclear whether the Democrats' push for voting rights legislation will go anywhere, the Supreme Court struck down Biden's vaccine mandates for big businesses and recent key economic indicators show record inflation. Predicting Russia will invade UkraineBiden predicted a Russian invasion of Ukraine, citing existential concerns by the country's President Vladimir Putin, even as he warned of significant economic consequences when such an incursion occurs. But he suggested a "minor incursion" would elicit a lesser response than a full-scale invasion.Putin has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border and appears poised to invade. "I'm not so sure he is certain what he is going to do. My guess is he will move in. He has to do something," Biden said, describing a leader searching for relevance in a post-Soviet world: "He is trying to find his place in the world between China and the West."Blinken says Russia could double troops on Ukraine's borders in 'short order'Biden's prediction of an invasion is the firmest acknowledgment to date that the US fully expects Putin to move after amassing 100,000 troops along the Ukraine border.The President also said allies and partners "are ready to impose severe cost and significant harm on Russia and the Russian economy." That includes limiting Russian transactions in US financial institutions -- "anything that involves dollar denominations," Biden said.He also warned Russian lives would be lost in an invasion, along with potential Ukranian casualties.Biden speculated Putin was not seeking "any full-blown war," but said he did believe the Russian leader was looking for some type of confrontation."Do I think he'll test the West? Test the United States and NATO as significantly as he can? Yes, I think he will. But I think he'll pay a serious and dear price for it.""He doesn't think it will cost him what it's going to cost him," he said. "And I think he'll regret having done it."Anger at the GOPThroughout the news conference, Biden indicated his frustration with GOP lawmakers who have stood against his agenda.He claimed that Republicans were not as "obstructionist" toward former President Barack Obama as they are to his own administration. "They weren't nearly as obstructionist as they are now," Biden said when pressed on similarities in the Republican Party's obstruction tactics to both his and the Obama administrations.Pelosi says Democrats are considering adding Covid-19 relief to larger bill"The difference here is there seems to be a desire ... what are they for? What is their agenda? They had an agenda back in the administration -- the eight years we were President and vice president -- but I don't know what their agenda is now. What is it?" Biden stated.Speaking of his time as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden said the difference is they were able to "get some things done" when the atmosphere wasn't ideologically divisive.Earlier in the news conference, Biden said that "one thing" he hasn't been able to do is "get my Republican friends to get in the game in making things better for this country.""I did not anticipate that there'd be such a stalwart effort to make sure that the most important thing was that President Biden did not get anything done. Think about this. What are Republicans for? What are they for? Name me one thing they're for," Biden said. Biden's presidential news conference recordThe President regularly fields questions from reporters after delivering remarks and during departures and arrivals at the White House, but he hasn't held as many formal news conferences as his recent predecessors. In his first year in office, Biden held nine total news conferences -- six solo and three joint ones -- according to data tracked by The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The last time he held a formal news conference was at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.  By comparison, President Donald Trump held 21 news conferences in his first year in office, but just one of them was solo and the rest were joint appearances, usually with foreign leaders. (In his last year in office, as the pandemic took hold, Trump held a staggering 35 solo news conferences.) President Barack Obama held 27 news conferences in his first year -- 11 solo and 16 of them joint. President George W. Bush held 19 news conferences -- five solo and 14 joint, according to UCSB data. Then-President Bill Clinton held 12 solo news conferences and 26 joint ones, resulting in 38 news conferences in his first year in office. This story has been updated with further developments.CNN's Kevin Liptak, Sam Fossum, Betsy Klein, Allie Malloy and Matt Egan contributed to this report.
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(CNN)A zoo worker in Spain died when an elephant hit him with her trunk, throwing him against the bars of her enclosure, local officials confirmed. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, aged 44, was hit by a 4,000-kilogram (4.4-ton) female African elephant in Cabarceno Natural Park in Cantabria, northern Spain, on Wednesday. Guttierez Arnaiz was rushed to the Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital, where he died from his injuries. At the time of the accident, staff were cleaning the elephants' compound. A volunteer was attacked by a tiger at Carole Baskin's Big Cat RescueLocal police, the Civil Guard and the zoo are investigating the incident. Read MoreFrancisco Javier Lopez Marcano, Cantabria's Tourism Minister, said in a statement to Spanish media that the elephant that struck Guttierez Arnaiz had a foot infection and was probably pregnant. The keeper was in the outdoor patio area, washing down the surfaces and monitoring how the animal's foot was healing. The elephant was with her calf at the time.A Thai rescue worker gave a baby elephant CPR after it was hit by a motorcycle. It survived"We are talking about highly unpredictable animals," Lopez Marcano said, adding: "The force of the strike was tremendous, on a scale that none of us could survive." He blamed the events on a lack of caution. "From the outset it's an accident that has been caused by someone who, following their daily routine, was too trusting at a fatal moment," he said. "That is the only reason that perhaps in certain circumstances a tragedy like this can occur," Lopez Marcano added. According to Cantabria's regional government, this is the first fatal accident in the zoo's 30-year history.
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Story highlightsWilliams wins over Ash Barty 3-6 6-3 6-4She trailed by a set and break to the 17th seedWilliams playing first grand slam in 16 months after becoming a mumMaria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal also advance (CNN)Serena Williams felt like a 'superhero' as she wore a black catsuit when making her grand slam return Tuesday after 16 months away. Follow @cnnsport The American's 23 majors speak to her immense powers on the tennis court and she engineered an out-of-this world comeback at the French Open against Ashleigh Barty on Thursday to reach the third round. READ: Lucky loser's 1,000km dash to Paris paydayBarty -- the 17th-seeded Australian with a serve nearly as imposing as Williams' -- looked on course for the biggest victory of her career when she claimed the first set and led by a break in the second. But Williams -- as she has done so often in her career -- rallied for a 3-6 6-3 6-4 win as light faded in the Parisian evening. Read MoreThe gripping tussle on Philippe-Chatrier court concluded at around 9:15 p.m. local time. "I think when push came to shove, the real Serena came out," Barty told reporters. "And that's one of her best assets is, when her back is against the wall, the best comes out." Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarSerena Williams has taken tennis fashion to new heights. In New York she wore a $500 black-and-brown one-shoulder silhouette dress with tulle skirt for her 2018 US Open debut.Hide Caption 1 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarWilliams, playing her first home Slam since giving birth to her first child last year, entered the Arthur Ashe Stadium in a black bomber jacket with white trim. Hide Caption 2 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarWilliams turned heads with her striking black catsuit in the first round of the 2018 French Open in Paris -- tournament organizers have since tightened dress codes for next year, meaning the catsuit will be consigned to the closet.Hide Caption 3 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarThe 23-time grand slam champion was playing in her first major since giving birth to her first child in September. "I feel like a warrior princess in it," she told reporters. " I'm always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it's kind of my way of being a superhero."Hide Caption 4 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarThe 36-year-old American said the skintight suit also served a practical purpose after enduring a difficult childbirth. "I had a lot of problems with my blood clots. So there is definitely a little functionality to it," she said.Hide Caption 5 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarWilliams sticks with black and pink during the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York. Hide Caption 6 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarSerena attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. Hide Caption 7 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarSerena enjoyed an astonishing 2015 season -- winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. She missed the China Open and WTA finals after revealing she needed time to recover from a grueling year.Hide Caption 8 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarAt the beginning – Serena sports a beaded hairstyle as she celebrates her first U.S. Open title -- and her first major -- back in 1999.Hide Caption 9 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarParisian style – Serena Williams poses on court after triumphing in the 2015 French Open final. Hide Caption 10 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarIn the pink – Serena blasts down a powerful serve on her way to another victory.Hide Caption 11 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarHeight of fashion – In 1999, Williams enrolled at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida to study fashion design. Here, she shows a collection of her designs at the 2012 Australian Open.Hide Caption 12 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarIf the cap fits... – Williams, the world's No. 1 player, serves during a training session ahead of the 2015 French Open in Paris.Hide Caption 13 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarTraditional values – Williams celebrated her sixth Wimbledon title in 2015, resplendent in the All England Club's traditional all-white attire. It meant she held all four grand slam titles, going back to the 2014 U.S. Open -- her second "Serena Slam."Hide Caption 14 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarThe cat's whiskers – Serena sported a catsuit when she played Corina Morariu during the 2002 U.S. Open. That title was the third leg of her first non-calendar "Serena Slam," which she completed months later at the 2003 Australian Open.Hide Caption 15 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarMaking an entrance – Williams waves to the crowd as she enters stadium court before her match against Monica Niculescu of Romania at Indian Wells in 2015.Hide Caption 16 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarGlowing performance – In a neon yellow outfit, Serena celebrates against Eleni Daniilidou of Greece during the 2012 Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio.Hide Caption 17 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarBlue moment – Williams looks crestfallen as she reflects on a point that got away.Hide Caption 18 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarSuitable occasion – A more formally-attired Serena celebrates one of her six victories at the U.S. Open.Hide Caption 19 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarBlack and white image – The Florida resident has triumphed at the US Open in New York six times. Hide Caption 20 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarPower play – With her hair -- which she once described as "super crazy" -- tied back, Serena blasts a shot in a match against Ana Ivanovic in Cincinnati.Hide Caption 21 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarOut of the shadows – Serena serves on a sunny day at Flushing Meadows, New York.Hide Caption 22 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarUp in the air – Williams celebrates after winning the Madrid Open final against Maria Sharapova in 2013.Hide Caption 23 of 24 Photos: Serena Williams: Stylish superstarHair-raising – Serena sports a new style at the Australian Open in 2013.Hide Caption 24 of 24Where does that come from? "I have definitely always had that will to win," new mum Williams told reporters. "It was something I was born with, thank goodness."This is a grand slam, my first one back. I want to do the best that I can. I want to be able to just do my best and one day tell my daughter that I tried my best. When I was out there, that's all I was trying to do."Lack of matchesDespite those nearly two-dozen grand slam titles, if Barty had prevailed it could hardly have been classified a massive upset. The 36-year-old Williams revealed for CNN that she almost died while giving birth to daughter Olympia in September and has only contested two tournaments in 2018 prior to Roland Garros. None came on clay, either, a specialized surface where moving can be difficult, unlike hard courts. And Williams -- down to 451st in the rankings due to her tour inactivity -- was facing a different Barty than the one she defeated at the 2014 Australian Open for the loss of only three games. After taking a break from tennis as it all got too much for the junior Wimbledon winner, Barty enjoyed a breakthrough 2017. Her first serve fired as the opening frame unfolded while Williams was struggling. Barty's low slice caused havoc, Williams erred on overheads and dumped make-able volleys into the net. Her first-set tally read three winners and 12 unforced errors. We've missed this smile 😄It's great to have you back @serenawilliams! #RG18 pic.twitter.com/o8CP2gMEuH— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2018 The first game of the second set brought yet more miscues and Williams was broken to love. Then came the turnaround. Big pointOn break point in the ensuing game, with a short forehand and Williams out of position, Barty directed her shot at her opponent instead of putting it away down the line. Williams duly sent her own forehand into the open court for 1-1. Of the 159 points in the match, that could have been the most important. There was simply no stopping Williams afterward, roars of delight and fist pumps confirming the shift. Barty, meanwhile, was rattled and the 22-year-old never regained her form of the first set. JUST WATCHEDA rare audience with Richard WilliamsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA rare audience with Richard Williams 05:11In the final two sets Williams, whose next foe is 11th seed Julia Goerges, compiled 25 winners and 24 unforced errors. "I think she's not quite at the level she was when she was at her best, but that's normal," Barty said. "But her level when she's not quite on her best is still bloody good."Williams acknowledged she is still seeking top form but is adamant she will find it. "I'm probably not where I was before I left," said Williams. "But the good news is I feel like I'm definitely going to get there. And I don't want to get there, I want to get beyond there. I don't want to limit myself. That's what I want to look forward to doing."Stunning comebacksWilliams has been closer to defeat at grand slams in the past. At the Australian Open, for example, in 2007 -- the last time she was unseeded at a major -- Nadia Petrova and Shahar Peer were within a whisker of ousting Williams. Williams didn't buckle and beat Maria Sharapova in the final. And at the French Open in 2015, when Williams dealt with illness, she overturned set deficits four times. In the final, Lucie Safarova led by a break in the third set prior to Williams' charge. Serena Williams came back to beat Ash Barty at the French Open on Thursday. Yet this comeback, with her time away from the game, playing on clay -- just three of her 23 grand slam titles have come at the French Open -- and how the first set unfolded, has to be right up there. Elsewhere, Sharapova -- a possible opponent of Williams' in the fourth round -- relinquished leads in both sets but still beat Donna Vekic 7-5 6-4 and top-ranked Simona Halep thumped Taylor Townsend 6-3 6-1.In the men's draw, 10-time champion Rafael Nadal cruised past Guido Pella 6-2 6-1 6-1, with Dominic Thiem -- perhaps the Spaniard's main threat -- completing a four-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 2-6 6-4 6-4. Rafael Nadal crushed Argentina's Guido Pella at the French Open. Nadal next encounters friend and French hope Richard Gasquet, against whom he holds a 15-0 record. READ: Who can stop Nadal?Visit CNN.com/tennis for more news, features and videosBack to Williams and who is to say she can't keep it going at Roland Garros?She is still, after all, wearing that 'superhero' outfit.
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(CNN)Pope Francis has expelled the Reverend Cristian Precht Bañados of Chile, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Santiago. This is the first formal resignation the Pope has decreed since every bishop in Chile offered to step down in May over the country's sex abuse scandal. The Chilean bishops' offer was thought to be unprecedented in the modern history of the Catholic Church.Catholic bishops in Chile resign over a sex abuse scandalPrecht had been suspended in 2012 from practicing within the ministry for five years after the Archbishop of Santiago ordered a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against him.The Archbishop issued a statement at the time saying that "during the process were established verifiable reports of abusive behavior with adults and minors."Precht has not been charged with any crimes by Chilean authorities, but was not allowed to leave the country's capital, Santiago, pending completion of the church investigation. JUST WATCHEDAbuse survivor: I'm glad Pope is speaking outReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAbuse survivor: I'm glad Pope is speaking out 02:34Read MoreIn a February 2013 statement, Precht denied "ever forcing anyone's will, be it an adult or a minor, woman or man."He also denied the allegations earlier this year in a letter to the director of the Chilean newspaper La Tercera."I absolutely deny participating, in any way, in the acts which I'm slanderously being accused of," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "I will defend my personal and clerical honor in every way I can and any time it's violated."Precht was extremely popular in Chile and known for being a fierce defender of human rights during the Chilean dictatorship. His defrocking comes as the Catholic Church continues to face criticism over its response to myriad allegations of sexual abuse against Catholic clergy over the years.Pope Francis said last month that "no effort to beg pardon and seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient." He has called for a meeting of the church's top officials in February to address the scandal.Mass resignationAll of Chile's 34 active and retired bishops offered their resignations to Pope Francis in May after an emergency summit at the Vatican. The Pope called the bishops to Rome after receiving a 2,300-page report detailing sexual abuses by priests in Chile.The report alleged that for decades church officials in Chile knew about and covered up cases of sexual abuse, even destroying records.Pope 'ashamed' church didn't listenPope Francis had previously defended a Chilean bishop accused of concealing the abuse, saying he had been "slandered." The Pope apologized after Vatican investigators said church officials in Chile had helped cover up multiple cases of sexual abuse by the clergy. In June, the Vatican said Pope Francis was sending investigators back to Chile to look into historical child abuse and accusations that a bishop covered up crimes against minors. Last month, police arrested a former Chilean priest over the alleged abuse of seven minors. Prosecutors say 158 people, including bishops, priests and lay people are under investigation.
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Story highlightsRedoine Faid was a wanted criminal in the '90s known for attacking armored trucksHe spent more than 10 years in prison, insisted he'd changed, then was arrested againFaid held guards at gunpoint and used explosives to burst through a prison's doorsLaw enforcement in France and elsewhere in Europe are now hunting for himRedoine Faid fashioned himself as a modern-day gangster. He thought big -- getting inspiration from the movies, as when he wore a hockey mask like Robert DeNiro's character in "Heat" -- and acted audaciously, attacking armored trucks among other targets.After more than a decade in prison, though, the Frenchman insisted he'd sworn off his wicked ways. This promise didn't last for long, according to French authorities. In 2011, a year after his autobiography came out, Faid landed back behind bars.Now, he is once again free -- and, once again, the subject of an international manhunt after his brazen escape from prison.Faid held five people, including four guards, at gunpoint at a detention center in the northern city of Lille on Saturday, officials said. He then burst his way to freedom, detonating explosives to destroy five doors, penitentiary union spokesman Etienne Dobrometz told CNN affiliate BFMTV. Photos: Daring escape from French prison Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Redoine Faid, said to be one of France's most dangerous gangsters, escaped from the Lille-Sequedin penitentiary in Sequedin, France, on Saturday, April 13.Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Police officers seek evidence around the destroyed door of the Lille-Sequedin penitentiary on April 13.Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Policemen search for clues in the prison yard. Faid, who faced a heavy sentence in the 2010 death of a policewoman, used explosives to blast through five prison doors.Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Members of the Eris Police service investigate at the prison.Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Forensics experts work on Saturday near a door opened with explosives by Faid.Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – Members of the ERIS Police service guard the destroyed prison door.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Daring escape from French prisonDaring escape from French prison – French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira arrives in front of the prison.Hide Caption 7 of 7Where he is now is anyone's guess. French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told reporters on Saturday that a European arrest warrant covering 26 countries has been issued, and that Interpol is working to track him down as well.One person not surprised by Faid's breakout is his lawyer, Jean-Louis Pelletier. In a few days, Pelletier had planned to meet his client in preparation of an upcoming trial tied to a May 2010 attack in Villiers-sur-Marne, east of Paris, that left a 26-year-old policewoman dead."He is remarkably intelligent, and he is using his intellect to serve his ambitions," Pelletier told BFMTV. "(And Faid) cannot stand being imprisoned anymore."Questions raised about prison's securityIn his 2010 autobiography, "Robber: From Suburbs to Organized Crime," Faid chronicled his progression from a petty thief to one of France's most notorious criminals, according to the book's publisher, La Manufacture De Livres.In 1998, after three years on the run during which he fled to Switzerland, Faid was finally caught. Sentenced to 20 years, he ended up spending more than 10 years in high-security prisons around France.After getting out, Faid put himself out there -- not only with his book, but as the subject of numerous interviews.The high-adrenaline life of crime he described resembled that of another famous French gangster, Jacques Mesrine. The country's most wanted man in the 1970s, Mesrine made his name as a charismatic, press-courting criminal known for his daring bank heists and spectacular prison breaks. Mesrine's story ended in 1979, when he was gunned down by police on the streets of Paris.Faid's prison escape Saturday evokes some of that brand of criminal bravado. But it also raises a number of questions: How did an inmate gets guns and explosives? How did he manage to use those to force his way out? And, after all that, why is he still at large?The four guards who Faid allegedly held hostage "are safe and sound," said Lille prosecutor Frederic Fevre.Still, officials from the prison guards' union pressed Taubira to provide better safety measures inside prisons, including more thorough searches of those who enter, BFMTV reported.Built in 2005, the Lille-Sequedin penitentiary from which Faid escaped is not old, but it's not well designed to keep watch of prisoners, said Jimmy Delliste, a former associate director there."The construction ... makes it particularly difficult to manage detainees, who are particularly difficult to watch," Delliste told BFMTV.
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Story highlights Obama unveils U.S. effort to take in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees next fiscal yearTurkey is home to almost half of the 4.1 million Syrian refugeesSeveral Gulf countries have offered zero resettlements to Syrians (CNN)The expanding Syrian refugee crisis highlights the differences among countries that welcome desperate migrants and those that don't.Some 4.1 million Syrians are fleeing a homeland riven by more than four years of civil war. Some countries have taken in so many migrants it's caused a population spike, while others have done little or nothing at all.Here's a country-by-country look at what is being done to address the worst refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide more than 20 years ago, according to experts.Which countries take in the Syrian refugees?Turkey: 1.9 millionRead MoreRemarkably, this country now shelters almost half of the Syrian refugees and clearly has more than it can handle.It's the No. 1 destination for displaced families.JUST WATCHEDErdogan: 'Western world to be blamed' for migrant crisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHErdogan: 'Western world to be blamed' for migrant crisis 03:12Geography explains much of it: Turkey and Syria share a border.The masses are so vast that 14% of them are sheltered in camps, U.S. figures show.A staggering share of them are children and teens: More than half are under age 17, according to U.N. figures.Lebanon: 1.1 millionThe influx is so profound in Lebanon that the 1.1 million Syrian refugees mark a 25% increase in the country's 4.4 million population.Those figures make Lebanon the country with the highest per capita concentration of refugees, the United Nations says. It also shares a border with Syria. "The influx of a million refugees would be massive in any country. For Lebanon, a small nation beset by internal difficulties, the impact is staggering," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said last year.Jordan: 629,000Jordan provides shelter to a large number of refugees from Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan, but Syrians constitute the majority of Jordan's refugee population, the United Nations says. JUST WATCHEDPutin, Erdogan blame West for Syrian CrisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPutin, Erdogan blame West for Syrian Crisis 04:42Jordan has a history of taking in refugees. Nearly half of its 7 million population is of Palestinian origin.The Syrian arrivals, however, strain resources and "could have a negative impact on Jordanian public opinion of refugees and make preserving the country's asylum space in the country challenging," the United Nations says.About 20% of the Syrian arrivals live in camps.Iraq: 249,000Like Syria, Iraq has been torn by attacks launched by ISIS, the extremist Islamist group that has captured portions of both countries for what it calls its Islamic caliphate.Not surprisingly, most of the Syrian refugees have settled in northern areas such as Irbil, Duhuk and Nineveh, which are among the closest to the Syrian border and have large Kurdish populations, the United Nations says.The notion of Syrian refugees in Iraq may strike some as ironic, if not absurd, because Iraq has deteriorated under sectarian strife and ISIS assaults, producing a sizable population of Iraqi refugees. Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti station Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationA general view of the Keleti station in Budapest, Hungary on Thursday, September 3. The station has been reopened to migrants after it was closed for three days, forcing many to sleep outside the station. But there was bad news for those on board -- only domestic trains were leaving the station, a Hungarian government spokesman told CNN.Hide Caption 1 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationA migrant inside a train at Budapest Keleti station. Hide Caption 2 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants stand on the platform of the Keleti station waiting for a train. The station has become a focal point of the crisis currently engulfing parts of Europe, as an unprecedented wave of people -- mostly refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan -- seek to reach Northern and Western Europe.Hide Caption 3 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants aboard a train inside the Keleti station.Hide Caption 4 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants walk by a train.Hide Caption 5 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationA child walks on the tracks of the Keleti railway station.Hide Caption 6 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants try to board trains in Budapest.Hide Caption 7 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants inside a train inside the Keleti station.Hide Caption 8 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants board trains in Keleti station after it was reopened in central Budapest.Hide Caption 9 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationThe migrants are free to travel to migrant camps in Hungary but won't be able to board an international train service, a Hungarian government spokesman said.Hide Caption 10 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants clamor at the doors of a train carriage in Keleti station.Hide Caption 11 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationHungary, part of the European Union, is not the migrants' end destination but rather a transit point on a long journey north from Greece to wealthier nations like Austria and Germany, where they hope to claim asylum.Hide Caption 12 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationBut Hungarian authorities say that under EU legislation, they can't allow people to travel without the proper documentation -- a valid passport, a ticket and any necessary visas.Hide Caption 13 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationHungarian nationalists protest as migrants gather in front of Keleti station on September 2.Hide Caption 14 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants speak with riot police officers in front of Keleti station.Hide Caption 15 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationA boy holds a sign reading "SOS help me" in front of Keleti station.Hide Caption 16 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants sleep outside Keleti station which remained closed to them on September 2.Hide Caption 17 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants gather in the transit zone of Keleti station. Hide Caption 18 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants protest outside Keleti station. Hide Caption 19 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationHungarian railway operator MAV said Thursday it had decided not to run direct trains from Budapest toward Western Europe "for safety reasons." International tickets will be accepted on domestic trains, it said.Hide Caption 20 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationRefugees and migrants sleep outside the station. On Thursday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is meeting with other members of the European Union to figure out how to cope with the emergency.Hide Caption 21 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationSpeaking to reporters in Brussels, alongside European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Orban said the situation was not of his country's making: "The problem is not just a European problem; the problem is a German problem."Hide Caption 22 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationMigrants gather in the transit zone near Keleti station. It's not clear if migrants who catch regional trains from Budapest will be able to travel on to other countries once they reach Hungary's borders.Hide Caption 23 of 24 Photos: Destination unknown: The struggle of refugees at Keleti stationWhile European leaders struggle to come up with a coherent plan, the men, women and children caught up in the crisis continue to suffer. On Wednesday, some refugees in Budapest held up scraps of paper: "Help Syrians," they read. "Babies are tired."Hide Caption 24 of 24"As Syria's civil war has dragged on, the direction of forced migration for many Iraqi refugees has reversed. Tens of thousands of Iraqis who sought refuge in Syria between 2003 and 2011 have returned home, joining about a million Iraqis who were already internally displaced," Refugees International said.About 38% of the Syrian refugees live in camps in Iraq, the U.S. State Department says.Egypt: 132,000Egypt rounds out this look at how the Mideast hosts most of the Syrian refugees.No refugees live in camps there.In fact, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, one of the region's wealthiest men, has offered to buy an island for refugees. He would like to buy an isle from Greece or Italy. His name for the proposed island home: Hope.Which countries are getting Syrian asylum requests?Germany: 98,700As Germany faces the largest share of Syrian requests for asylum in Europe, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for quotas to be set for each country to take a share of displaced people, including from Syria.Germany expects the overall asylum requests to soar above the current U.N. count of 98,700 from Syrians alone.A Syrian family arrives at a train station in Saalfeld, Germany.There could be 800,000 applications for asylum in Germany this year, and the country could take 500,000 refugees annually for several years, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has said.Sweden: 64,700Sweden joins Germany in demonstrating a high standard of responsibility in the refugee crisis, and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven joined Merkel at a press conference this week in urging a Europe-wide solution for hosting refugees.In the 1990s, Sweden accepted 84,000 refugees from the Balkans."We accept that every person has a right to seek asylum," Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Margot Wallstrom said. "This also puts the European solidarity to a test. I think it's important that we signal being a community that rests on common values of democracy and defense of human rights."France: 6,700The number of asylum requests has been relatively low.But they will surely increase now that French President François Hollande has said France is ready to take on more responsibility and host 24,000 refugees over the next two years.The French leader said this number would be France's share under a proposal by the European Commission for EU nations to take in 120,000 refugees over the next two years."We will do so because it is the principle to which France is committed," Hollande said. United Kingdom: 7,000The United Kingdom will likely see an upswing in asylum requests now that it has said it will take up to 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years.JUST WATCHEDBritish PM says UK will resettle 20,000 new refugeesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBritish PM says UK will resettle 20,000 new refugees 02:47But Britain will focus on resettling vulnerable refugees from camps in countries bordering Syria, not those who have already entered Europe, Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday. "This provides refugees with a more direct and safe route to the United Kingdom rather than risking the hazardous journey to Europe, which has tragically cost so many lives," he said.The refugees will receive a five-year humanitarian protection visa, Cameron said. Britain has been the second largest provider of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees within the Middle East region, according to U.N. figures.Denmark: 11,300Denmark has received a relatively large number of Syrian asylum requests but has sought to discourage the arrival of more migrants.On Wednesday, Danish authorities tried to restrict migrants from crossing into the country from central Europe. Danish police said via Twitter it blocked access to some highways and suspended some international railway traffic. The country earlier had paid for ads in Arabic in four Lebanese newspapers to get the word out about its new, tightened restrictions -- such as reducing social benefits -- to try to prevent refugees from getting into the Scandinavian nation."We cannot simply keep up with the present flow," Immigration and Integration Minister Inger Stojberg, a member of the right-wing Venstre Party, said on Facebook. "In light of the huge influx to Europe these days, there is good reason for us to tighten rules and get that effectively communicated."Hungary: 18,800Many Syrian refugees are reluctant to register an asylum application in Hungary.Having traveled north through the Balkans, those arriving on the country's border with Serbia have had police greet them, and they've been forced to wait, sometimes for days, in holding areas and transit camps, where conditions are said to be poor.JUST WATCHEDTensions flare along Serbia-Hungary borderReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTensions flare along Serbia-Hungary border 02:17Many migrants would prefer to register as refugees in countries such as Germany, Sweden and Austria, continuing their journey through Hungary to Northern and Western Europe.Hungary's right-wing government, which has been trying to stop the flood of migrants, has erected a barbed wire fence along its more than 160-kilometer (100-mile) border with Serbia to prevent them from crossing there. Serbia, which has received 49,500 asylum requests from Syrian refugees, is not a member of the European Union.Other European countriesSyrian refugees have made a wide range of requests for asylum in other parts of Europe, including -- between April 2011 and this July -- 5,500 in Spain, 14,100 in the Netherlands, 18,600 in Austria, 8,300 in Switzerland and 15,000 in Bulgaria, according to the United Nations. Italy, where many migrants who've made the perilous Mediterranean crossing from North Africa first land, had received 2,143 asylum applications as of July, the United Nations said. Greece, which lies on a popular transit route from Turkey north through the Balkans to Northern Europe, has seen more than 250,000 people arrive on its shores this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. It had received 3,545 asylum applications as of July, U.N. figures show. What's North America doing?United States: 1,500 resettlementsAbout 1,500 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States since the start of the conflict in 2011, the vast majority of them this fiscal year.Here's a breakdown: 23 in 2011, 41 in 2012, 45 in 2013, 249 in 2014 and 1,199 so far this fiscal year, which ends September 30, according to the State Department.About 300 more refugees are expected to be admitted by the end of this fiscal year. This equates to a grand total of about 1,800 refugees from Syria's four-year civil war being admitted to the United States by October 1, according to U.S. officials.In the face of growing questions about such small numbers, President Barack Obama ordered his administration to "scale up" the number of Syrian refugees -- at least 10,000 in the next fiscal year, a White House spokesman said Thursday.The proposed resettling of at least 10,000 Syrian refugees would be allocated out of a U.S. quota of 75,000 refugee admissions slated for next fiscal year, beginning October 1, a senior administration official said.That quota applies to refugees from all over the world and is determined at the beginning of the fiscal year, but Obama can raise that quota if there's a crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry has already indicated to lawmakers that such an increase is in the works.JUST WATCHEDShould the U.S. be doing more to help Syrian Refugees?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould the U.S. be doing more to help Syrian Refugees? 05:01The United States has given the largest share of aid to the Syrian refugee crisis, more than $574 million, or 31% of total aid donated, the United Nations said.Opinion: Why U.S. should do more for refugeesCanada: 10,000 resettlementsMore than 2,370 Syrian refugees have resettled in Canada since January 2014, and the government promised in January to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees over a three-year period, the Toronto Sun reported.Since that pledge, 1,074 Syrian refugees arrived in Canada, the newspaper said.What about other wealthy nations?Australia: 12,000 resettlementsPrime Minister Tony Abbott said his country would take in an extra 12,000 migrants fleeing conflict in the Middle East.The intake almost doubles the number of people currently allowed into Australia through its humanitarian program, which is capped at 13,750 each year. Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisis Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants wear identification bracelets aboard a Norwegian ship during a search-and-rescue mission off the Libyan coast on Tuesday, September 1. Europe is in the midst of a migration crisis. Desperate men and women, often with children in tow, are fleeing wars and poverty to find a better life on the continent. But their voyages, both on land and on sea, can be dangerous and sometimes deadly.Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisHide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisThe body of a drowned migrant remains on a shore in Zuwara, Libya. In the last week, two boats carrying hundreds of people capsized near Zuwara, killing at least 84, officials said.Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA migrant shouts at Macedonian police officers while trying to cross Greece's northern border into Macedonia. About 1,500 migrants were waiting to cross the border.Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA young girl from Iraq waits for registration with her family outside the main station in Munich, Germany. Hundreds of migrants are arriving every day.Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants sit outside the main station in Munich as they wait for their chance to register.Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA group of refugees continues its journey through Hungary after crossing the Serbian border.Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisSyrian refugees walk across railways tracks next to the Serbian town of Horgos to cross the border and enter Hungary.Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants sit in a police bus in Pocking, Germany, after making their way to the country from Austria.Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants from Afghanistan drink tea at a Paris school where they found shelter.Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA migrant sleeps on a sidewalk in Berlin near the reception center for refugees and asylum seekers.Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants walk on a rocky beach in Ventimiglia, Italy, where they set up camp near the French border.Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisRefugee children sleep near a railway station in Budapest, Hungary.Hide Caption 13 of 13Priority would go to persecuted minorities -- especially women, children and families -- who are in camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, Abbott said. Canberra also plans to spend $44 million on food, blankets and emergency supplies to support 240,000 people in UNHCR camps as part of its $230 million aid programAmnesty International said other high-income countries -- specifically Russia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea -- have offered zero resettlements to the Syrians. Are countries obligated to take in refugees?How many refugees are Gulf countries taking in?Saudi Arabia: 0Kuwait: 0Qatar: 0Bahrain: 0United Arab Emirates: 250,000They are collectively known as the Persian Gulf states, and even though they share a language and the Arabian Peninsula with Syria, the Gulf nations are among the few nations that haven't participated in the 1951 U.N. treaty on refugees, the agreement that energizes the West's efforts to provide asylum to refugees from far-flung corners of the globe.JUST WATCHEDA cold reception: Gulf states shun Syrians ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA cold reception: Gulf states shun Syrians 01:52In short, the Gulf nations aren't legally obligated to provide refuge or asylum.Nadim Houry, Human Rights Watch deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, has called those wealthy countries' inaction in the Syrian crisis "shameful."The United Arab Emirates would seem to be the exception.The UAE has received more than 100,000 Syrian nationals since the Syrian crisis began in 2011 and extended residency permits to them, bringing the number of Syrians living there to almost 250,000, a UAE government source told CNN."We would like to see the Syrian refugees stay close to their homeland and to support them while they are there, so they can eventually return to their homeland," the source said, adding that most refugees fleeing to Europe will likely never return to Syria. The source said the UAE also is financing al Mreejab Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan, contributing some $72 million over two years for camps elsewhere in that country and in Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.The Gulf nations have said each has given millions of dollars to help the refugees, amounting to more than $500 million over 2½ years, according to the United Nations.The Gulf states also say that Syrians have entered their countries on visas and continue living there.Why aren't Gulf states taking them in?CNN's Kim Norgaard also contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Like baseball great Jackie Robinson he was a sporting pioneer. Except, unlike Robinson, his story is largely unknown.When Albert Johanneson walked onto the pristine Wembley turf in the 1965 FA Cup final he became the first black player to ever appear at one of English football's showpiece events.In the 84th edition of the FA Cup final, Johanneson's presence was seen as a watershed moment -- the man who left Apartheid South Africa to better himself and in turn became a pioneer.On Saturday, at this season's final between Aston Villa and Arsenal, his life and contribution will be honored not only by English football -- but by those who carry him in their hearts."My husband says he puts my father and Jackie Robinson in the same league," Alicia, Johanneson's youngest daughter, told CNN, referring to the baseball star becoming the first African American to play Major League Baseball.Read More"My husband sees my father, like Jackie, as leaving an indelible mark on history by blazing a new trail in the sport of football for others to follow."The English Football Association has flown Johanneson's eldest daughter Yvonne and her two children Stephanie and Samantha, from Atlanta, Georgia, to watch this year's final from the Royal Box alongside heir to the British throne Prince William.A short film will be shown on the two big screens inside the stadium where the crowd will be able to watch Johanneson in action.On May 1 1965, Johanneson, lined up for Leeds United against Liverpool, shook hands with Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh -- the British Queen's husband -- before trotting away to play in the biggest game of his career."On the day of the final I was actually cheering for Liverpool to win, but only because I was in love with the color red at that time," Yvonne told CNN.Yvonne was not to be disappointed -- Liverpool triumphed 2-1 as Johanneson's attempt at winning the FA Cup fell flat.But his appearance in that game was the crowning moment of a career which owed much to a man's determination to succeed despite the racism and discrimination which plagued his early life.Nicknamed "The Black Flash," because of his rapid pace, Johanneson grew up in Johannesburg at the time of great oppression during the Apartheid era.It was his football skills which would eventually allow him to escape the country and move to England, where his talent was spotted by a former school teacher, Barney Gaffney, who tipped Leeds off that he had found a star in the making.Leeds had already signed Gerry Francis, also a black South African, and manager Don Revie offered Johanneson a three-month trial.It did not take long for Revie to realize he had discovered a gem of a player."Signing Johanneson was a real statement by Revie," Phil Vasili, author and historian told CNN."Revie was a young manager at the time and he wanted to transform Leeds."They were a Second Division side at the time and bringing Albert into the squad showed his intentions to revolutionize the club."Gordon Taylor OBE meets Albert Johanneson's grand-daughter Samantha & daughter Yvonne at the PFA's offices: pic.twitter.com/kyAHXIidjl— PFA (@PFA) May 28, 2015 Johanneson made his debut for Leeds in 1961, setting up one of his side's goals in a 2-2 home draw with Swansea.Life in England was a challenge -- the barriers which prevented him sharing the same tables as his white teammates or the same bath were no longer there, but there were times he struggled to deal with his new found freedom.He had to grapple with the notion that he would be able to sit at the front of restaurants, or that a white apprentice would clean his boots -- though on the pitch he was in fine form, particularly during the successful promotion season of 1963-64.His pace and trickery caused constant problems for defenders, while his own teammates were often in awe of Johanneson's ability to beat his man.That season Johanneson scored 15 goals from the wing as Leeds won the title and reached the First Division.But life would become more difficult in the top-flight, despite the club reaching the FA Cup final, as he had endure racist chanting and the hurling of bananas."My mother said that she always found it odd that he never wanted her to come and see him play," Yvonne said."Now she has a better understanding of why that could have been. It now appears obvious that he wanted to protect her from hearing the racial slurs being hurled at him and similarly safeguard her from being the brunt of such ignorance."During a game with Everton, Johanneson complained to his manager Revie, that a member of the opposition had called him a "black b*****d." The response which came back from Revie was, "well, call him a white b*****d then.""From what people have told us, we understand that there were some people who were incapable of separating the color of his skin from how well he could play the game of football," said Alicia."They, therefore, considered him to be inferior no matter what, and consequently fair game for their abuse and disdain."Much of the racism we learned of him having had experienced apparently came from the verbal abuse from fans and some of the players on other teams."He may have experienced other forms of racism, but he wasn't one to talk openly about what he went through with us."I mean, we were children after all. I think the prejudice he experienced was something he didn't want us to know about since it wasn't directly touching our lives. "Now that I know what I know, I think it took quite a bit of courage for him to shield his family from seeing that uglier side of the world too soon."Albert Johanneson's daughter Yvonne visited our library today! @footballmuseum @ooacampaign http://t.co/wLTJZdJ6e4 pic.twitter.com/NX2FuSt4Ak— FURD (@FURDday) May 26, 2015 The legendary Manchester United winger George Best once said that "Albert was quite a brave man to actually go on the pitch in the first place."But while he might have struggled on the field, particularly after the FA Cup final defeat where he endured a series of nagging injuries, his daughters recall a musical loving father who owned an extensive collection of country and western albums, as well as reggae and old standard classics.He would watch "Top of the Pops" a weekly music show on television and would love watching his children dance to whichever guests were playing.There were the family outings to the cinema whenever a new Disney movie came out or they would take long drives into the Yorkshire countryside in his beloved Rover 2000 with the picturesque York and Harrogate two of the favored destinations."He was a real foodie, as they say now," said Yvonne. "He loved his mixed grill, curries, steak dinners and Chinese food."Johanneson, and his wife Norma, who is now 73, would regularly attend their children's sports days with a picnic nearly always on the agenda."My father really liked Coke, he drank it every morning instead of coffee or tea," Yvonne said."I was quite athletic when I was younger and would pretty much always win my races. However, there was one time when I came a close second and I can remember my Dad cheering me on like crazy because it was a close race between me and another girl. "He could have been really upset with me at the end of that race, but I remember that he wasn't at all. He knew that I had tried my best and he was cool with that."However, Johanneson was also fighting alcoholism -- and it eventually took over his life.The trials and tribulations of Johanneson's life have been documented in several books, although according to at least one of his daughters, they have focused more heavily on his declining years and battle with alcohol than his contribution on the football field."I would never want to negate the fact that my father struggled mightily because of his addiction to alcohol, but that wasn't the sum total of who he was by any means," Alicia said."I also think there's been an unfair tendency to portray him as a congenitally weak individual, 'poor Albert' -- the guy who had no confidence and therefore couldn't cut it in the big leagues of what was then First Division football."Albert Johanneson's 1965 FA Cup runner's up medal @FootballMuseum with his daughter Yvonne @wayneankers @MENSports pic.twitter.com/NFKcqoLRTF— Eddie Garvey (@eddiegarvey13) May 28, 2015 Johanneson stayed at Leeds until 1970, though he struggled with fitness and loss of form, before eventually agreeing a move to York City in the Fourth Division, where injury all but ended his career.By 1974, Norma could no longer cope with her husband's drinking and behavior, moving with the children to Jamaica and then onto the U.S.Johanneson died in September 1995 at the age of 55."For anyone being brought up in the environment of Apartheid, life was difficult," Vasili said."It was a heavy burden to carry and it damages people. It hurts people being treated as a second class citizen all your life."What he achieved was quite amazing but because he was a quiet and retiring type of guy, perhaps his story isn't well known."Sometimes, these things take time to come the fore. Once the dust settles, it takes a while for people to realize his true significance and I think that is what happened."Johanneson's achievements have not been forgotten at Leeds where he played 200 games and scored 68 goals.The club has embraced his contribution and there are plans afoot to have a permanent reminder made of his contribution to the club and city.Albert Johanneson - The First Black Superstar. A 24 page comic book will be out soon. @FURDday #lufc pic.twitter.com/LixgTpqQkd— Troy Townsend (@Towno10) May 28, 2015 Both daughters believe their father deserves his place in history alongside other pioneers such as Arthur Wharton, Andrew Watson and Walter Tull, all of whom helped pave the way for black football players in the United Kingdom.His legacy, which will be remembered with particular fondness on the occasion of this year's FA Cup final, is one both Yvonne and Alicia would like to echo around the world of football for years to come."As people we tend to be fixated on the concept of instant gratification," Alicia said."We have a tendency to forget that it often times takes a very long arc of history to make changes occur and to see things in the fullness of the circumstances in which the change was wrought."For us, it makes sense to have people like my father who purely through his talents and love for the game of football became a face amongst many others who led the way for change in the sport and became a role model for other black people of the time. "That's pretty much how we would like him to be remembered, as a catalyst for societal change and for the joy he gave his fans."On Saturday, they will have that opportunity to remember their father -- along with the rest of the football world. Albert Johanneson, 50 years on, never forgotten.
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Moscow (CNN)The Kremlin may be locked in confrontation with the West, but the rest of the world is coming to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia is hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and Putin is scoring important diplomatic points. World leaders have been making their way to Moscow for the games, raising Putin's stature and putting Russia at the center of the geopolitical action. The kickoff game between Saudi Arabia and Russia was a case in point: Putin played host to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of the first match on June 14. The Saudi side lost 5-0 to Russia, but the Kremlin leader and the Crown Prince used the visit to underscore their close cooperation to bolster global oil prices. Putin and Mohammed bin Salman (R) take a break at half-time of the Russia-Saudi Arabia match.Putin's World Cup charm offensive continued this week. UN Secretary-General António Guterres travelled to Russia to meet Putin and attend a World Cup soccer match between Portugal and Morocco on Tuesday. And Putin will host South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a three-day visit beginning Thursday, fresh on the heels of the unprecedented talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.Moon will give a speech at Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, then go to the southern city of Rostov to catch the Korea-Mexico World Cup game.Read MoreA long time since SochiIt's a page out of Putin's playbook for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, an event also meant to showcase Russia's confident return to the world stage. But there's a critical difference with this year: During the Sochi Olympics, Russia was a paid-up member of the international community. That ended just days after the closing ceremony, when Russian special forces seized government buildings in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, propelling the annexation of the territory by Russia from Ukraine and bringing Russia under Western sanctions.JUST WATCHEDRussia celebrates Crimea anniversaryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia celebrates Crimea anniversary 02:21Relations between the West and Russia have remained rocky since then. The downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine, accusations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and the nerve agent attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury have all contributed to a poisonous atmosphere between Moscow and Western capitals, as have the conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine. Leaders from the US and Western Europe have been conspicuously absent at Putin's World Cup.But that hasn't kept the foreign visitors away from Russia. In fact, the largest number of World Cup tickets outside Russia have been sold in the US, according to FIFA. And the presence of thousands of foreign fans celebrating, cheering and drinking on the streets of Moscow and other Russian cities sends a powerful visual message: Russia welcomes the world with open arms, and is not isolated. A boost at home, too Such fanfare around the World Cup gives Putin cover on domestic issues as well. On the tournament's opening day, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced changes to Russia's pension system: gradually lifting the country's standard retirement age to 63 from 55 for women and to 65 from 60 for men.That's an extremely controversial move in a country where many people depend on state-sector employment, and build their expectations around a system of social benefits inherited from the Soviet Union. And the proposal gave Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny a new occasion to challenge the Kremlin: On Tuesday, he called for protests in 20 cities around Russia on July 1 over the proposed pension changes."Let's be honest: an increase in the retirement age, initiated by Putin and Medvedev, is a real crime," Navalny wrote on Instagram. "The plain robbery of several tens of millions of people under the guise of 'overdue reform.' We will protest against this with all our strength and we call on you to as well." Even then, the opposition leader is careful not to get in the way of Russia's World Cup fever. Navalny said the offices of his organization filed notice for rallies only in cities where World Cup games are not taking place.
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Story highlightsCourt hears former reporter describe hacking Daniel Craig's phoneReporter says message was from actress Sienna MillerMessage played to editor Andy Coulson, who later became PM media chief, court hearsEvidence is revealed in phone hacking trial of former News of the World editorsThe British Prime Minister's former media chief listened to a hacked voice mail message left by actress Sienna Miller for actor Daniel Craig, when he was editor of the now defunct News of the World tabloid, a former reporter told a London court.Andy Coulson, editor of the Rupert Murdoch mass-selling tabloid paper until 2007 and then Prime Minister David Cameron's head of communications until 2011, heard the voice mail left for the James Bond actor, Dan Evans, a former News of the World journalist told London's Old Bailey Court on Tuesday.The revelation came at the trial of former News of the World editors Coulson and Rebekah Brooks and the paper's former managing editor, Stuart Kuttner. All are accused of conspiring between October 2000 and August 2006 "to intercept communications in the course of their transmission, without lawful authority." They deny the charges.JUST WATCHEDDetails of royal messages revealed ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDetails of royal messages revealed 02:48JUST WATCHEDPhone hacking trial has UK media buzzingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPhone hacking trial has UK media buzzing 05:57Voice mail messageDressed in a blue suit and red tie, Evans took the stand as a prosecution witness after pleading guilty to hacking phones.He described how he hacked Craig's voice mail and heard a female voice saying: "Hi, it's me, I can't speak, I'm at the Groucho (club) with Jude. I love you."Evans told the court he looked up the number and found that it was Miller's. He then said he played it for Coulson and several other senior figures at the paper."Later in the day, Andy came over, he wanted to hear the tape," Evans said."Andy told me to make a copy of the tape, put it in a jiffy bag; take it down the the front gate and say it's been dropped anonymously," Evans said.He added that another senior figure at the paper, upon hearing the message, told Evans: "You're a company man now."Phone hacking furorWhen asked by the prosecution if he had ever had any other direct communication with Coulson concerning phone hacking, Evans said: "Not that I can think of, no."He then listed Coulson among figures at the newspaper who he said definitely knew he was hacking into phones.Evans also admitted to recreational drug use, and to being arrested. He said he was now clean.On Monday, Miller's former partner, actor Jude Law, attended the trial.The court also then heard that Evans had already admitted to conspiring to hack phones at the Sunday Mirror paper between February 2003 and January 2005, and the same offense at the News of the World up to 2010, according to Britain's Press Association news agency.He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, it said.Coulson became Cameron's top communications adviser after leaving News of the World in an earlier round of the hacking scandal. He has denied knowledge of phone hacking. The hacking allegations prompted Cameron to set up an independent inquiry, led by Lord Justice Leveson, to make recommendations on journalistic ethics and examine the relationship of the media with the public, police and politicians.READ: Report: Kate Middleton's phone hacked, court toldREAD: 'Hundreds of attempts' made to hack UK princes' aides phonesEditors' Note: This article has been edited to remove plagiarized content after CNN discovered multiple instances of plagiarism by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, a former CNN news editor.
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(CNN)When the progressive Working Families Party announced its endorsement of Sen. Elizabeth Warren for president in September, anger reverberated across the SandersForPresident Reddit page for days.One of the Reddit group's then-300,000 members encouraged fellow supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to "spy" on the Working Families Party's activities and "organize counter events." We offer several ways to reach our journalists securely. On Twitter, Sanders supporters lobbed hundreds of critical messages at the Working Families Party or its leadership, which included personal attacks that called them "corrupt," "shameless" and "bloodless scumbag hacks." One pro-Sanders account tweeted that "slave masters" had coerced the support of the party's national director, who is African American.Three days after the endorsement, a WFP spokeswoman tweeted a screenshot of one message that wished she and her colleagues would "all get cancer you are f**king trash." She also said they received private messages saying "eat sh*t and die" and "drop dead dumb c*nts." As Sanders surges as a top contender in the 2020 presidential race, such online harassment has become a source of derision among the Vermont senator's critics who say his campaign's success on social media is undermined by trends of bullying within subsets of his followers. Read MoreIt's clear that social media is notoriously a hotbed of controversial comments. Across the political spectrum, posts ranging from witty snark to harassment and abuse can be found by any candidate's supporters. Speaking to this reality, some digital media experts say the level of hostility in pockets of Sanders' online following outweighs that within the social media circles of his Democratic rivals. Days after Sanders announced his bid last February, he condemned bullying in an email to his campaign representatives and encouraged them to "engage respectfully." Bernie Sanders raised massive $25 million in the month of JanuaryBut since that time, throngs of his Internet supporters have shunned that approach and continued to use ad hominem tactics to advocate for their preferred candidate.More than a dozen social media users spoke to CNN about their experiences with bullying by Sanders supporters.They described threats against family members, the creation of imposter accounts that resembled their own and what some described as being "swarmed," where barrages of vitriol filled their Twitter feeds and inboxes for days after they posted something critical of Sanders."I had never experienced that level of aggression before," said Patty Kasbek, a veterinary technician in Oklahoma who said she criticizes President Donald Trump on Twitter more than any other political figure but said she faced the most hostility after she accused Sanders of being misogynistic. She said she received messages such as "STFU" and "eat this" poop emoji, among other insults.Two other targets said they were so tormented by the online attacks they faced following their public questioning or criticism of Sanders that they requested those specific circumstances not be reported for fear such harassment could start up again. Both said Sanders supporters exposed their addresses, shared their personal photos and spread information about their relatives and work colleagues.At times, Sanders has personally intervened. For example, when health care activist Ady Barkan, who has A.L.S., endorsed Warren in November, he was deluged with negativity from members of the Sanders crowd, some of whom accused him of selling out or being so affected by his disease that someone else must have made the endorsement decision for him. Sanders tweeted support for Barkan amidst the outrage.In the case of the Working Families Party's Warren endorsement, the organization's staffers openly complained that they had been threatened. More than 100 African American leaders then signed a letter that said the party's leadership had been attacked by self-identified Sanders supporters with words including "Uncle Tom" and "slave."While the backlash also included sincere questions about the Working Families Party's policy positions and demands to see the vote tallies behind the endorsement, the scale of the harassment led Sanders to tweet, "This campaign condemns racist bullying and harassment of any kind, in any space."In a statement to CNN, the Sanders campaign's deputy communications director, Sarah Ford, said, "The senator has said loudly and clearly, there is no room in the political revolution for abuse and harassment online."Sanders' leads the field in social media engagement Ben Decker, who runs the digital investigations consultancy Memetica, says he has observed higher levels of online harassment among Sanders' followers relative to those of his Democratic rivals.Decker says those levels can in part be attributed to the fact that Sanders communities that formed on Facebook, Reddit and Twitter during the Vermont senator's 2016 presidential race have grown in number and activity. Democratic candidates face critical test in New Hampshire after Iowa fiascoSanders now leads the Democratic field in raw measures of engagement on social media with more than 10 million followers on Twitter and 5 million likes on his campaign's official Facebook page.Among unofficial Facebook pages created by supporters of Democratic candidates, Sanders also leads with 2.5 million followers and roughly 58,000 posts between November and January, more than that of all other Democratic candidates combined, according to data Decker pulled from CrowdTangle, an analytics company owned by Facebook."Anytime you have far greater numbers, you have far greater potential for harm," said Decker, who noted he has observed "us-versus-them" narratives within some Sanders groups that he believes amplify hostility. "Anyone who fits into that range of targets is anyone who really questions the ideals of the Bernie support community."Multiple staffers of rival Democratic campaigns -- none of whom were authorized by their campaigns to speak on the record -- argue that trends of bullying within Sanders' online base spring not only from the scale of his social media following but also the tone of his campaign. There's a 'combative' perception of the campaignWhile Sanders rejects bullying, they say, he has readily embraced a combative image on policy issues.When Sen. Mitt Romney asked why he's angry on Twitter last summer, Sanders replied, "I'm angry because multi-millionaires like you and Trump have rigged our economy at the middle class' expense. ... I'm angry because 34 million Americans are uninsured. Why doesn't that anger you?"I'm angry because multi-millionaires like you and Trump have rigged our economy at the middle class' expense.I'm angry because millions are living paycheck to paycheck.I'm angry because 34 million Americans are uninsured.Why doesn't that anger you? https://t.co/bhpn8Kgb9T— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 31, 2019 And Sanders' campaign has at times skirted the line between policy disagreements and personal attacks aimed at his rivals.In January, Sanders' speechwriter David Sirota highlighted a column in his Bern Notice newsletter that argued presidential candidate Joe Biden has a "big corruption problem." Sanders then apologized to Biden and told CBS News, "It is absolutely not my view that Joe is corrupt in any way. And I'm sorry that that op-ed appeared."Sirota, who deleted the majority of his past tweets, has readily engaged in Twitter spats. He once called his critics "mentally incapacitated" and tweeted "Welcome to the oligarchy" in response to former presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's outreach to big-money donors, according to The Washington Post. Sirota's Twitter feed now begins in January of this year.Sirota did not respond to CNN's request for comment. In January, he reacted to the notion of a link between his rhetoric and harassment among Sanders supporters by tweeting, "I am not that interesting and do not deserve such attention. Really. I'm a pretty boring person just doing the work." Michael Trice, a lecturer on communications at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the attitude of a campaign influences the attitude of the digital community surrounding that campaign. Even if the Sanders campaign has at times admonished bullying, Trice said he thinks its staffers could do more to actively police such behavior. Trice noted that he has also been harassed by Sanders supporters and had his job threatened by other online bullies as he has researched the issue. "It's scary. It's frightening," Trice said. "If you're not condemning it consistently, and if your proxies within your campaign are not working against it and trying to do something different, then that's a real issue." Laura Moser, a Sanders supporter who ran as a Democratic congressional candidate in a Texas primary in 2018, said bullying in the Democratic Party is hardly unique to a single campaign.She said numerous social media accounts that blamed Sanders for Clinton's 2016 loss harassed her during her campaign, "because they perceived that I was running against the establishment."Peter Daou, a political consultant who previously advised Hillary Clinton but who now supports Sanders, said the notion that the tone of the Sanders campaign has encouraged such behavior is unfair and misguided."You're taking one group of obnoxious people online and you're tarnishing an entire campaign," said Daou, who said he has also faced personal attacks for his pro-Sanders opinions.He said the focus on Internet bullying in Sanders' camp has also perpetuated a false stereotype that the majority of Sanders' base is made up of young, white, tech-savvy men -- as described in other articles as "Bernie Bros" -- which he said disregards the diversity of the Sanders coalition. 2020 candidates' strong internet presenceDarren Linvill, an associate professor at Clemson University who studies social media and disinformation, said that although Sanders has the largest social media following among Democratic candidates, he hasn't led by every metric.Five of Andrew Yang's most popular hashtags were used in 3.4 million tweets between November and January, as compared to about 2 million tweets with five of Sanders' most popular hashtags during that period, according to Linvill's analysis.Although Sanders' Twitter account was mentioned 12.5 million times compared to 5.6 mentions of Yang's account, Linvill said people almost always use hashtags to voice support, whereas the total mentions of a Twitter account demonstrate overall interest. Are we still underrating Andrew Yang?"Yang has clearly been the most successful at getting his supporters to hashtag him on Twitter," Linvill said. "Love him or hate, however, everyone wants to talk about Bernie."Linvill said that while some inauthentic accounts he believes to be Russian have supported Sanders on social media, as an indictment from former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation said occurred during the 2016 campaign, his analysis suggests the vast majority of pro-Sanders online activity is genuine.Ben LaBolt, a Democratic strategist and former press secretary for former President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, said every campaign wants a large base of social media support, but if the tone of that support becomes divisive and turns some potential voters away, then that could become a liability. "It's a double-edged sword," LaBolt said. "The grassroots organization tremendously helped Sanders get to where he is today, but parts of it could hinder where he needs to go."CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify that while Trice says he has been harassed by Sanders supporters, his job was threatened by other online bullies.CNN's Audrey Ash contributed to this report.
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London (CNN)During her 64-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been served by 12 prime ministers. Many relationships were formed -- from Winston Churchill, to "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher -- and some proved more difficult than others.While most of their political and personal conversations are kept strictly confidential, memoirs and historic interactions provide an insight into their relationships.So as Theresa May becomes Britain's next Prime Minister -- and Her Majesty's 13th -- take a look back at those who have served her.WINSTON CHURCHILL 1951-1955Princess Elizabeth greeting Winston Churchill At Guildhall on March 23, 1950.The Queen was said to be in awe of her first prime minister, Winston Churchill. Once when asked which PM she enjoyed meeting with most, she replied: "Winston of course, because it's always such fun."Read MoreANTHONY EDEN 1955-1957The Queen shaking hands with the Conservative British Prime Minister, Sir Anthony Eden, in May 1956.Her Majesty found her second prime minister to be a sympathetic listener and their relationship was one of constitutional propriety. The largest political event to occur during Eden's time was the Suez crisis. During this time, he believed it was of supreme importance to keep the Queen informed, so he shared all of the Suez papers with her -- the first time she had ever been shown secret government documents.HAROLD MACMILLAN 1957-1963Harold Macmillan gives a speech at the inauguration ceremony of a memorial to John F Kennedy.The Queen originally found Macmillan difficult to deal with, but they eventually warmed to each other. Her Majesty relied on Macmillan for his wise counsel -- both while in office and after his retirement in 1963.ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME 1963-1964The Queen meets former Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Lady Home at County Hall in London, November, 11 1964.The Queen was well acquainted with Douglas-Home as he had been a childhood friend of the Queen Mother. So Her Majesty worked hard to re-establish her informal relationship with him. Over the year he was in office, Douglas-Home helped the monarch name several royal horses. HAROLD WILSON 1964-1970, 1974-1976British Prime Minister Harold Wilson shaking hands with the Queen outside 10 Downing Street, following his resignation, London, March 24, 1976.Wilson, who came from a lower-middle-class background, became the Queen's first Labour Party prime minister. Wilson often broke away from meeting traditions, and enjoyed helping with the washing-up after barbecues at Balmoral -- one of the Queen's residences. The Queen, however, warmed to Wilson's informal presence and even invited him to stay for drinks after their first meeting, which was not commonplace. EDWARD HEATH 1970-1974The Queen with British Prime Minister Edward Heath at Heathrow Airport, London, January 28, 1974.Her Majesty and Heath's relationship was a difficult one, particularly because their views differed immensely. While the Queen saw her role as Head of the Commonwealth to be of extreme importance, Heath favored European integration.JAMES CALLAGHAN 1976-1979British Prime Minister James Callaghan with the Queen on his arrival at Windsor Castle.Callaghan got on famously with the Queen, but noted she offered him "friendliness, but not friendship." In an interview with the BBC's David Frost, Callaghan spoke about the moment he asked for her Majesty's opinion as he couldn't make up his mind. He said the Queen looked at him "with a twinkle in her eye" and said "that's what you're paid for."MARGARET THATCHER 1979-1990The Queen chats with Margaret Thatcher at the National Portrait Gallery in London May 4, 2000.While Thatcher and the Queen were the closest in age, Thatcher kept their encounters strictly professional, formal and famously stiff. The "Iron Lady," as she became known, reportedly had a tense relationship with the monarch during their traditional weekly meetings. Thatcher also viewed her annual visits to the royal home in Balmoral as interrupting her work. But despite this, Thatcher is said to have been incredibly respectful of the Queen and eventually became her longest serving prime minister.JOHN MAJOR 1990-1997The Queen speaks with former Prime Minister John Major on March 12, 2012 in London.John Major and the Queen provided mutual support for one another during his leadership. They shared many crises together -- him the Gulf War and economic downturns, her a fire at Windsor Castle and the marital problems of her son Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his wife, Diana. TONY BLAIR 1997-2007The Queen receives British Prime Minister Tony Blair May 6, 2005, at Buckingham Palace.Blair regarded the UK's relationship with the monarchy an antiquated institution, and was determined to modernize it. In his book "A Journey," he mocked the annual tradition of visiting the Queen at the royal home in Balmoral, recalling "the vivid combination of the intriguing, the surreal, and the utterly freaky. The whole culture of it was totally alien, of course, not that the royals weren't very welcoming." Meanwhile, the Queen reportedly regarded Blair's relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush as too friendly.GORDON BROWN 2007-2010Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets the Queen in March 2010.While it's believed the Queen and Brown shared a close relationship, it wasn't enough to secure him an invite to Prince William's wedding. Her Majesty, however, occasionally lightheartedly imitated his Scottish accent.DAVID CAMERON 2010-2016Prime Minister David Cameron bows as he greets the Queen in London on March 3, 2015.While it's too soon to understand the true relationship between David Cameron and the Queen, it appears to have been a warm one. He's not only the youngest of the Queen's prime ministers, but they're also related. He is the direct descendent of King William IV, making him the Queen's fifth cousin, twice removed.
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Story highlights Carli Lloyd says she's proud of her teammates and the victory hasn't sunk in U.S. Coach Jill Ellis calls her star midfielder a beast and a rock starAmerican Carli Lloyd has three goals, and Lauren Holiday and Tobin Heath have the others (CNN)Carli Lloyd was on a mission.It was her goal to help her team bring the World Cup trophy to the United States for the first time in 16 years. Japan stood in her way, but it never stood a chance as the Americans' No. 10 stung quickly and often to guide the United States to a record third Women's World Cup. The United States' 5-2 victory Sunday over the defending champion in Vancouver, British Columbia, gave the Americans their first opportunity to lift the World Cup trophy since 1999. One of my favorite goals of all time! #CarliLloyd from 54 yards out! https://t.co/2XT5aDirPc #USWNT #USAvJPN #SCtop10— Robert J. Szczerba (@RJSzczerba) July 6, 2015 Lloyd scored three times, the first hat-trick in a women's final, to lead the United States, which also won the World Cup in 1991.Read More"I'm so proud and so zapped at the same time," Lloyd said. " It doesn't feel real. We just made history."Lloyd indeed was the star of stars Sunday, and throughout the tournament. On Sunday, she scored in the third, fifth and 16th minutes of play, leaving the 2011 champions stunned. JUST WATCHEDUSA beats Japan in Women's World Cup finalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUSA beats Japan in Women's World Cup final 01:32It was her third goal that summed up her spectacular play in the do-or-die matches in this Cup. Lloyd took a pass at the halfway line and deftly touched the ball around a lunging defender. Lloyd looked downfield and decided to let fly. From 55 yards. It should be impossible to score from that far. But as 53,341 fans watched the ball sailing through the air, Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori desperately retreated and stabbed at the ball. Even the post couldn't deny Lloyd her history and the ball danced across the line.There were still some 74 minutes left, and the pro-U.S. crowd was dancing as if it were over.It essentially was over -- even though Japan toughed it out until the final whistles. 'Rock star'Lloyd's coach had plenty of accolades for the star."I called her my beast," Jill Ellis told Fox Sports. "She's unbelievable. She's a rock star."For her play, Lloyd was awarded the Golden Ball, signifying she was the best player at the World Cup. She also tied for most goals (6) in the tournament with Celia Sasic of fourth-place Germany.Did you see those goals? @CarliLloyd named best player in U.S.' 5-2 World Cup win over Japan: http://t.co/b69Qyr4KVS pic.twitter.com/tf2d0yIPYt— CNN International (@cnni) July 6, 2015 Lauren Holiday and Tobin Heath had the other goals for the United States.Japan's Yuki Ogimi scored in the 27th minute, and Japan netted another goal when the U.S. played the ball into its own net in the 52nd minute.READ: Who are the top Twitter stars?The Japanese goal ended a streak of 540 minutes in which the United States didn't give up a goal. That ties Germany's 2007 team for the longest such streak.The United States had seven shots on goal, while Japan had four. U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, voted the tournament's best at her position, had three saves, while Kaihori had two.JUST WATCHEDFan share their love of U.S. women's soccerReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFan share their love of U.S. women's soccer 01:42The Americans' victory avenges their penalty-kick shooutout defeat in 2011 to Japan. In that match, the United States had a 1-0 lead but Japan scored nine minutes from the end of regulation. The United States had a 2-1 lead in extra time, but Japan's Homare Sawa scored one of the greatest goals in soccer history just three minutes from time.Japan won the penalty kick shootout 3-1 as the United States missed its first three attempts.The United States got a taste of revenge in 2012 at the London Olympics, defeating the Japanese 2-1 in the gold medal match. READ: How World Cup united Canada
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Frida Ghitis, (@fridaghitis) a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN)We knew the historic address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Congress would be emotionally searing and extraordinarily powerful. But Wednesday's speech was more than that. Frida GhitisZelensky's words are not only destined for the history books. They will likely energize support for Ukraine's defense against Russian President Vladimir Putin's war machine and reverberate across the US.When America's top Democrats and Republicans rose side by side to give Zelensky a standing ovation, we knew the Ukrainian President had made his mark. Zelensky, reminding Americans what freedom really means after the country has spent years devaluing it in petty political battles, proves there is a new seriousness in the nation. By now a familiar face around the world in his military-colored T-shirt and slowly-evolving beard, Zelensky addressed all Americans:"Members of Congress, ladies and gentlemen, Americans, friends," he said, because he had a specific mission for each -- a role they could play in helping save not only Ukraine but potentially the future of democracy and peace. "Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided ...," he declared, "whether Ukrainians will be free." But this is not just their battle, he insisted. "The Ukrainian people are defending not only Ukraine; we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world."Read MoreAfter showing a wrenching video of Ukrainians enduring Russia's offensive, he switched from Ukrainian to English, speaking directly to the US President. "I am grateful to President Biden for his personal involvement, for his sincere commitment to Ukraine and democracy all over the world," noting Biden's leadership in providing military support sanctions, and a unified international front against Russia. President Zelensky is a profile in courage"Thank you," he said to Biden and to the American people, but we need more.Rhetorically seizing Biden by the lapels, he said, "You are the leader of the nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace."As he has with other audiences, Zelensky tailored his message. Imagine being struck from the sky, as on 9/11, but every day, he told Americans. He spoke about Pearl Harbor, and he cited Martin Luther King. "I have a dream ...," he intoned, "I can say, I have a need. I need to protect our sky." Zelensky's principal request is that the US impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, to protect his people from Russian bombardments. Biden has thus far refused, arguing that it could lead to World War III by putting America in a direct military confrontation with Russia.But Zelensky's speech was not just an appeal to conscience. It was not just a reminder that the values America cherishes most deeply -- freedom, democracy, self-determination -- are in play.For all his soaring rhetoric, Zelensky is pragmatic and realistic. He even offered an alternative if the no-fly zone is a no-go. Instead, he asked for planes and air defense systems. He presented a list of ideas, of requests, of ways the United States and the world could help."In the darkest time for our country, for the whole of Europe, I call on you to do more," he told Congress; he told Americans. Russia has the tanks and troops. Ukraine has ZelenskyHe asked for new packages of sanctions, "constantly, every week until the Russian military machine stops." He asked for penalties against all Russian politicians "who remain in their offices and do not cut ties with those who are responsible for the aggression against Ukraine," essentially Putin's accomplices. He called on American companies to shut down operations in Russia, "leave their market immediately because it is flooded with our blood." He asked that US ports be closed to Russian products.Zelensky told members of Congress to pressure companies in their districts to stop doing business with the country that is pummeling his."I am asking to make sure," he said, "that the Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine."Hours later, Biden approved an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total to $1 billion in aid just this week. Biden recognized Zelensky's moving appeal, spelled out the massive amount of military and humanitarian supplies from "the American people" and vowed more will be coming in a conflict that he said could be drawn out. Biden further declared that the world is with Ukraine. This could be a long battle, he said, that "pits the appetites of an autocrat against humankind's desire to be free."Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookZelensky has clearly pondered about that battle. In his speech, he outlined an idea for a global alliance. "We propose to create an association ... a union of responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflicts immediately ... in 24 hours, if necessary." The U24, as he called it, would provide humanitarian support, political support, sanctions, even weapons, "to keep the peace and quickly save the world."It was an idea from a man who has mastered the art of blending diplomacy, idealism and results; a leader who is in a desperate battle to save his country and who is trying to persuade the United States -- and the world -- that they not only have the ability to help Ukraine win this war, but even more, that Ukraine is fighting this war for a cause much greater than its own survival.
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Story highlightsThe victim has been identified as Joseph Stone, 36A German woman and a Czech man in the mission were injured (CNN)The American paramedic killed during a monitoring mission in Ukraine has been identified.He is Joseph Stone, 36, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission. It is the first time a member of an SMM patrol has been killed while on duty."I was absolutely shocked. I always knew it was a possibility," Matthew Stone told CNN, reacting to his brother's death. "He always knew something like this could happen."SMM, US Embassy & Global Rescue, contracted company 4 medical services, ensure Joseph Stone's body is returned home with dignity & respect— OSCE SMM Ukraine (@OSCE_SMM) April 24, 2017 Stone died and two other monitors were injured on Sunday after an explosion damaged a mission vehicle near Pryshyb in eastern Ukraine. A mine might have triggered the blast.Read MoreThe injured monitors, a German woman and a Czech man, were transported to Kramatorsk on Monday and will be taken to Kiev where they will receive "appropriate care," said the mission's spokeswoman Alexandra Taylor.Fighting continues between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian armed forces in eastern Ukraine, according to OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan said Monday."I reiterate my call for sustainable cease-fire, withdrawal of weapons, full demining and real commitment to peace. And I ask that those responsible for placing mines are held accountable," Apakan said.2 SMM monitors, female from Germany & male from Czech Republic, are stable, released from #Luhansk hospital, will be moved to Kyiv— OSCE SMM Ukraine (@OSCE_SMM) April 24, 2017 'He loved it'Joseph was born in Milwaukee in March 1981, but lived in Arizona since an early age. He liked to be known as Joe but "growing up we always called him Bobby," Matthew said. His middle name was Robert, the name of an uncle -- Bob -- who was a firefighter and a paramedic.He went to Pima Community College in Tuscon, where he got his certifications as an EMT and then as a paramedic. He plied his trade at Southwest Ambulance service.For the last five years or so he worked overseas, as a contractor for various companies.Joseph Stone was 36.He worked in Afghanistan for a while and went to Liberia for about a year, his brother said. He also did contract work on seismic vessel in the North Sea. After that, he spent time in Iraq.Matthew said his brother got his final job with the Global Rescue company and worked in Ukraine with the OSCE monitoring mission.He'd work two months or so in Luhansk and then come back for a month. He rotated back and forth several times, Matthew said.As for Ukraine, he said he's met a lot of nice people there and felt bad for them. "You see all these bombed out buildings."Toward the end, Matthew said, he wasn't liking the travel aspect of the job.But, "he liked the action. He loved it. He loved it," Matthew said.Wanting to make a differenceThe Special Monitoring Mission is an unarmed civilian mission tasked with working to help normalize and stabilize the situation in eastern Ukraine.They'd drive around and look to see who is violating the Minsk Agreement and got their share of harassment."That was their mission to drive around and report the facts," Matthew Stone said. "If somebody got injured, it was his job to treat them.""He liked going to those places where he could make a difference," Matthew Stone said. "He liked going where people needed him. He couldn't not try to help somebody. That's just who he was."Matthew describes his brother as a "secular activist" and a "humanist" and had a great passion for thinkers in the secularist and atheist traditions.He was a "voracious reader" of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Lawrence Krauss, and Maajid Nahwaz. "The world," Matthew said of his brother, "is a lot worse off without him."
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(CNN)After Nick Kyrgios was involved in yet another clash with an umpire during his surprise first-round defeat at the Shanghai Masters, Roger Federer warned that the Australian may never reach his full potential.The fiery 23-year-old Aussie was upset with umpire Damien Dumusois, who deemed his effort "borderline" after it appeared Kyrgios tanked on a return of serve in the second set.Follow @cnnsport From then on, Kyrgios, who recently lost his place as Australian No. 1 to 19-year-old Alex de Minaur, made a point of turning to Dumusois and saying "borderline" every time he hit an unreturnable serve past opponent Bradley Klahn."I think it's really up to him where he wants to go and what his potential really holds," said Federer, who is the defending champion in Shanghai.READ: Serena Williams' US Open outburst leaves women's Tour dividedRead MoreREAD: US Open umpire Carlos Ramos 'thrown under bus' in Serena row"We don't really know and I don't think he really knows exactly what his potential is."And only through understanding work ethic and scheduling and whatever it might be, creating the right team around himself, only then can you unlock the potential really."It's the third time in as many years that Kygrios' elimination from the Shanghai Masters has been mired in controversy.Last year the 23-year-old was fined $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he walked off midway through his first-round match against Steve Johnson, while in 2016 he received another fine and was suspended for eight weeks from the ATP Tour for tanking.Despite his latest outburst, Kyrgios still received the backing of 20-time major winner Federer to "win bigger tournaments.""But there is still a process in place that he needs to do like any other player needs to go through in order to be successful," he said.Umpire scrutinyJUST WATCHEDBillie Jean King: Serena was out of lineReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBillie Jean King: Serena was out of line 01:42Following recent incidents at the US Open, one of them involving Kyrgios, umpires now find themselves under an increased level of scrutiny.Mohamed Lahyani, a vastly experienced chair umpire, was banned from two tournaments after it was deemed he went "beyond protocol" for encouraging Kyrgios during his victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert.The China Open, which finished Sunday, and the ongoing Shanghai Masters were the two tournaments the Swede was suspended for.READ: Billie Jean King -- Serena was 'out of line,' but umpire 'blew it'READ: In tennis, no shortage of temper tantrums and tiradesAt the US Open, Lahyani was heard telling Kygrios "I want to help you" during a changeover as he trailed his French opponent, before the Australian rallied to win in four sets.That came before the now-infamous exchange between Serena Williams and Carlos Ramos in the women's final, which saw the American docked a game in her defeat to Naomi Osaka.During Monday's defeat, Kyrgios threatened to go to the ATP offices after the match and report Dumusois, saying he felt "put down" by his comment."You'd be in trouble, right?" he said. "I'll literally just say I couldn't play after that because I felt put down. You realize that, right? I'm not going to do it, but I'm just saying."Dumusois replied: "You can do it if you want, if you feel like doing it. If you say so and you believe it's the case, you should do it. I'm honest in saying that."Following the fallout from the US Open, top umpires were reportedly considering forming a union as they believed Ramos was not offered enough support and was "hung out to dry."
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Story highlightsJason Day wins Players Championship wire-to-wireExtends his lead as world No. 1Records seventh win in 17 starts (CNN)His domination has been labeled "Tiger-esque," but Jason Day says it's not enough.The world No. 1 won the Players Championship wire-to-wire Sunday for his 10th PGA Tour win, claiming the $1.89 million first prize.Follow @cnnsport Day's Sawgrass stroll was his seventh victory in 17 starts, a stretch reminiscent of Tiger Woods in his heyday."That's Tiger-esque, that kind of a run," fellow Australian Adam Scott said. "You can see there's that calmness inside him, calm confidence, and the way he's walking around, he's got that kind of unbeatable look about him."Day won his first major title at the 2015 U.S. PGA Championship. Read MoreHowever, Day, who won his maiden major at last year's U.S. PGA, is hungry for more -- pointing at Woods' 79 PGA Tour wins, or even Phil Mickelson's 42. "I look at that 10 PGA Tour wins, and I say to myself, 'That's not enough.' It's just 10. I want more than 10," the 28-year-old said."I want to be able to be looked back on and know that he was one of the greats in the game."READ: Sweet and sour - but is Sawgrass' 17th one of the best par 3s in the world?'Nothing beats this feeling'Day first became world No. 1 in September 2015 and has since swapped top spot with American Jordan Spieth. Victory at Sawgrass -- by four shots from American Kevin Chappell -- was crucial in cementing his place at the head of golf, he says."I've never been more motivated to be No. 1 in the world," Day said."(But) at the end of the day, it's very stressful being the No. 1 player in the world. "You're in the limelight a lot. You've got more things to do when you get to tournaments, more things to do off weeks. "But I wouldn't change it in any way because this is exactly where I want to be, and I want to try and stay here as long as I can while I can, because nothing beats this feeling."Day was kept awake by sick son Dash the night before his final round at Sawgrass.Day joked that the real reason he is so motivated to "keep pushing" was to stay ahead of Woods, who is rehabilitating after a third back operation."Tiger says he's going to kick my butt when he comes back," joked Day. "So I'm going to try to extend that gap, so if he does come back and he's turned into Tiger Woods again, I've got to kind of watch my behind."READ: Is the Players Championship really the fifth major?'Winning is never enough'Day and the 14-time major champion have become close friends, and Woods will often offer the Australian motivational advice. Before the final round of the Players, Woods texted Day to remind him to "stay in your world" and remember "all 18 holes are important, not just 16, 17 and 18." "It's been an amazing kind of journey for me to be able to idolize him as a junior guy and growing up, and now I'm good mates with him and I get to pick his brain about what he did when he was dominating," Day said.READ: Jordan Spieth's Masters disaster -- the ultimate choke?Day, who lost his father to cancer when he was 12, puts his recent rise down to his work ethic and meticulous attention to detail allied to a psychological shift -- realizing he was good enough to compete on a par with the likes of Scott, Spieth and Rory McIlroy. "I had to fail a lot to learn a lot about myself and learn a lot about my game to really kind of propel me forward to be in a position like this," said Day, who was devastated to miss out on a playoff for the 2015 British Open when his birdie putt on the final green stopped inches short at St. Andrews.That was the catalyst, however, and he began his streak with victory at the Canadian Open the following week before winning his first major at Whistling Straits and adding the prestigious Barclays and BMW Championship during the FedEx Cup playoffs shortly after."Winning is never enough, and I've got to try and do it as much as I can before my time is over," he said.READ: Why did Tiger snub John Daly's beer invitation?Is Jason Day Tiger-esque? Have your say on CNN Sport's Facebook page. 20 years of Tiger Woods: Where it all went right -- and wrong
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Story highlightsRory McIlroy is paying no attention to his critics heading into the MastersThe world No. 2 has endured a troubled 2013 since switching to Nike clubsHe has been replaced at the top of the world rankings by Nike stablemate Tiger WoodsThe 2013 Masters at Augusta begins on April 11Rory McIlroy says he's not listening to any of his critics in the buildup to the Masters, as the world No. 2 reflects on his troubled start to 2013.The Northern Irishman missed the cut at January's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after announcing a deal with sponsor Nike which could see him earn as much as $250 million.McIlroy followed that by walking off the course at the Honda Classic a month ago before apologizing, having struggled to produce his best golf with a new set of clubs.That stuttering start to the season prompted the 23-year-old to change his schedule -- pulling out of a charity event -- to unexpectedly play this week in the Valero Texas Open, citing the need for more practice ahead of the year's first major at Augusta. Read: McIlroy explains Haiti decision"No one knows what I'm trying to do more than me," he told CNN's Living Golf in an exclusive interview."There was a lot of hype at the start of the year obviously with the switch to Nike, coming off the back of such a great year last year. It's nice now everything's settled down a bit.JUST WATCHEDWatch Watson's 'Golf Boys 2.OH' videoReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWatch Watson's 'Golf Boys 2.OH' video 01:55JUST WATCHEDWatson unveils hovercraft golf cart ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWatson unveils hovercraft golf cart 00:45JUST WATCHEDInside McIlroy's mega deal with NikeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHInside McIlroy's mega deal with Nike 04:44JUST WATCHEDRory McIlroy admits walk-off errorReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRory McIlroy admits walk-off error 02:13"I know what I'm doing. And I know what I'm working on the course. Of course you see some things sometimes, but you try just to block it out and try, I guess, to have faith in what you're doing."McIlroy was intending to be in Haiti this week as part of his role as a UNICEF ambassador, but the two-time major winner took the advice of his caddy J.P. Fitzgerald and traveled to San Antonio to play more competitive golf ahead of the Masters."I decided after my second round in Houston last week," explained McIlroy.Blog: Putting key to Tiger's revival "My caddy mentioned it to me and I took a moment to think about it. And I thought it was the best thing to get ready for the Masters."McIlroy's play was patchy at Houston, and he laughed as he recalls hitting the ball in the water 10 times. But he was also the longest driver in the PGA Tour tournament, and the seventh best putter. He finished tied for 45th, 12 shots adrift of winner D.A. Points.Resurgent WoodsMcIlroy, who won the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2012 PGA Championship, readily admits such play will not be good enough to prosper this year -- especially given the form of a certain player who has just knocked him off the top of the world rankings."Tiger's played great golf this year," said McIlroy of his new Nike stablemate and 14-time major winner Tiger Woods."It was coming. You could see last year he was getting very close. He won three times last year as well."He's been putting very well, which is a big key, and if he putts like that for the rest of the season he's going to be very difficult to beat."After Texas, for which McIlroy made the deadline to enter by just half an hour, he heads to Augusta -- where he will seek to win his first coveted green jacket.At the 2011 Masters, McIlroy missed out on the first major win of his career as he threw away a four-shot lead in the fourth and final round."It's still the same," he said. "It might not be quite the same as the first time I went down but you still get a special feeling, a special excitement when you drive down Magnolia Lane. It's just a different atmosphere to anything in golf."His excitement will be more than matched by golf fans should the Masters turn into a showdown between McIlroy and a resurgent Woods.
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(CNN)The University of Florida now says three professors who initially weren't allowed to testify as paid expert witnesses against the state can testify, if they aren't paid. The university had denied the professors' requests to testify for the plaintiffs in a voting rights lawsuit.The case challenges parts of a new voting law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. An attorney for the plaintiffs says the legislation "imposes substantial and unjustifiable restrictions on the ability of eligible Floridians to vote and register to vote." "Me signing this bill says: Florida, your vote counts, your vote is going to be cast with integrity and transparency and this is a great place for democracy," DeSantis said after signing the bill.The university said Monday, "It is worth noting, the university views the professors' request as a request to be paid to testify against the state, and the university, as a public institution, is part of the state -- therefore, that would be adverse to the university's interests. However, to be clear, if the professors wish to do so pro bono on their own time without using university resources, they would be free to do so."Read MoreUniversity of Florida bars professors from being expert witnesses against the state in voting rights caseThe governor's office said the policy was in place before the law was passed and reiterated that the university can deny requests that "are contrary to the institution's interests.""For the record, the UF policy was last updated a year ago, prior to SB 90 -- so the university's policy could not possibly have been a reaction to this lawsuit. The Governor's Office did not make UF's policy, and there is zero evidence to suggest otherwise," spokesperson Christina Pushaw said. According to court records, the university denied Professor Daniel Smith's request to testify in an October 11 email that stated, "outside activities that may pose a conflict of interest to the executive branch of the State of Florida create a conflict for the University of Florida."Smith studies how "political institutions affect political behavior across and within the American states," according the university's website.Sharon Austin is an author and expert on "rural African American political activism" and "African American political behavior," according to the university, while Michael McDonald studies elections, methodology, and has researched voter turnout. David A. O'Neil and Paul Donnelly, attorneys for Smith, Austin and McDonald released a statement Tuesday: "By picking and choosing which of its faculty can testify in court as expert witnesses over voting rights, the University of Florida is violating these professors' constitutional rights in the place where their truthful views are needed most: a United States Courthouse. They have sworn an oath to work on behalf of the people of Florida, not political interests. We will protect the professors' rights to speak on their own personal time, as citizens and as scholars."In a letter sent Monday to the campus community, the university classified the rule as a conflict of interest policy."While the existing policy was revised just last year, it is critical to ensure the policy advances the university's interests while protecting academic freedom," the letter from UF President Kent Fuchs and Provost Joe Glover said in announcing a task force to review the policy.Fuchs and Glover also said that they wanted to make it "abundantly clear" that university officials stand firmly behind the commitment to uphold the right to free speech as well as the right to academic freedom by faculty members. "Nothing is more fundamental to our existence as an institution of higher learning than these two bedrock principles," they wrote. "Vigorous intellectual discussions are at the heart of the marketplace of ideas we celebrate and hold so dear."CNN's Gregory Lemos, Kay Jones and Melissa Alonso contributed to this report
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Story highlightsThieves were dressed like police and threatened air crew at gunpoint, prosecutor saysTeam of eight takes only minutes to steal the rough and polished stones from a plane's cargo holdThey breached the periphery and sped off with their haul in 2 vehicles, the spokesman saysThe stones were en route from Antwerp to Zurich, Switzerland, Antwerp diamond center saysNight had fallen. Some 20 airplane passengers had taken their seats for the short hop from Brussels, Belgium, to Zurich, Switzerland.Unknown to them, a precious cargo was being loaded into the airplane hold along with their suitcases: $50 million in rough and polished diamonds.But the diamonds would never reach their final destination.Shortly before 8 p.m. Monday, eight masked men in two vehicles burst through the perimeter fence of Brussels Airport and sped toward the aircraft on the tarmac.The men, who authorities said wore clothing resembling police uniforms, were heavily armed. While no shots were fired and no one was injured, the pilot, co-pilot and a transport security guard were all threatened at gunpoint, said Ine Van Wymersch, of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Brussels.JUST WATCHEDMasked thieves steal diamonds ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMasked thieves steal diamonds 01:46JUST WATCHEDHow thieves got $50M in diamondsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow thieves got $50M in diamonds 02:19JUST WATCHEDRace on to find stolen rough diamondsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRace on to find stolen rough diamonds 03:42JUST WATCHED$50 million diamond heist at airportReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH$50 million diamond heist at airport 03:19Within three minutes, the thieves had snatched the diamonds from the hold, said airport spokesman Jan Van der Cruysse.Drag queens, fake beards and chocolates: Notable diamond heistsMoments later they left the scene, racing out through the same breach in the airport periphery through which they had entered.The robbers, four in each car, had broken a hole in the fence where it ran between two construction sites, Van Wymersch said at a news conference."This was a very precise, almost military-organized and well-executed robbery," Van der Cruysse said.He said it was a "big surprise" that such a slick heist been possible -- but pointed the finger at organized crime."We are an airport that is, as all international airports are, subject to very strict aviation security and safety regulations," he said.The aircraft targeted was a regular passenger flight operated by Helvetic Airways on behalf of Swiss, Switzerland's national airline.It's not yet clear how the thieves knew that the diamonds would be on board.But this was not a chance holdup, said Van Wymersch, describing the men involved as "professionals."Antwerp, the city known as the world's diamond-cutting capital, lies only about 25 miles away from Brussels.The Antwerp World Diamond Centre has on average $200 million in stones coming in and out daily, and it takes security very seriously, a spokesman told CNN. He was unable to confirm reports that gold and platinum were stolen along with the diamonds.It's not the first time that Antwerp's centuries-old diamond trade has been targeted. The city was the scene of a spectacular robbery in 2003 when thieves made off with the contents of more than 100 safes at the diamond center. Those gems were never recovered. Some 34,000 jobs in the city are connected to the diamond trade, according to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, from mining company representatives to dealers to the craftsmen who polish the stones.Netherlands art heist suspects arrested3 arrested in massive maple syrup heist
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(CNN)A frantic trip to the emergency room became even more chaotic for a Georgia family when a mother gave birth during a car crash -- and they couldn't find the newborn when the vehicle came to a rest.Police say a woman was behind the wheel of her SUV early Monday morning in Lilburn, Georgia, rushing her pregnant adult daughter and a one-year-old to the hospital because the daughter was in labor. It was dark and the roads were wet. When the driver tried to make a turn, her vehicle hydroplaned across the roadway then hit a curb and power pole before slamming into a brick wall, police said.Police body camera footage from the scene shows windows of the SUV were busted out during the impact.Officers Cepeda Huff, Daniel Bride, and Sgt. Matthew Madden.Lilburn Police officers Cepeda Huff and Daniel Bride and Sgt. Matt Madden responded to the scene.Read More"I gave birth in the car," one of the women is heard telling the officers in the body cam footage. The women told officers they couldn't find the baby.The officers began searching for the newborn, using flashlights to search the area around the SUV. Officer Huff began searching the backseat of the SUV where the pregnant woman had been sitting. It was there he found the baby under a seat with the umbilical cord still attached.Body cam footage shows Huff gently lifting the baby out from under the seat and rushing it to emergency medical workers.The entire family was taken to a local hospital. The newborn was placed in a neonatal ICU and was stable.
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(CNN)Blanca Gamez uses one word to describe the day the President of the United States opened the door to the Oval Office and invited her inside: insanity. "That doesn't happen to regular individuals," she says, "especially people who are undocumented."The scene that February morning more than two years ago would have been unimaginable a decade earlier. Gamez was one of six undocumented immigrants meeting face to face with then-President Barack Obama.Democrats alarmed at lagging DACA renewals ahead of deadline dayThe official White House photographer chronicled the visit, capturing images that showed the group telling Obama how his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program had changed their lives.The program gave so-called Dreamers, young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, temporary work permits and protection from deportation.Read MoreNow, tens of thousands of DACA recipients have only hours left to file renewal applications before the Trump administration stops accepting them. As that deadline looms and lawmakers debate whether to keep protecting these immigrants from deportation, CNN caught up with several of those who met Obama to see where they are now and how they feel about their future in the United States.'Everything's different' Back then, Gamez was living in Las Vegas, a recent college graduate with bachelor's degrees in political science and English. She thanked Obama for creating the program that helped her land her first job as a nonprofit caseworker. Now 28, she lives in Washington DC, and works as a digital organizing strategist for the ACLU. Her office is just a few blocks from the White House.The building she once saw as warm and welcoming now carries another meaning for her."It's a different feeling now," she says. "Now I go over there to protest and shout outside the White House because ... everything's different."Blanca Gamez, second from left, says she was thrilled to set foot in the Oval Office and see the President's desk. "There's so much history there," she says.Gamez's parents brought her to the United States from a small town in Mexico's Sonora state when she was an infant. She's one of nearly 700,000 people facing an uncertain future after the Trump administration's announcement last month that it's ending DACA. If Congress doesn't pass a permanent fix, her protection from deportation will expire in November 2018."There's a constant fear in the back of my head. I still have a year. A lot of things can happen, and things can change," she says. "And it's a whole different feeling knowing that the White House is literally two or three blocks away from my office."But Gamez says she's trying to stay focused on the present rather than panicking about the future."Even the President is saying Congress needs to take action," she says. "That's something that I'm still hopeful for." 'A complete 180'In remarks to reporters after the 2015 meeting, Obama offered what he said was a message for Dreamers across the country about his plans to expand DACA: "I want you to know that I am confident in my ability to implement this program over the next two years, and I'm confident that the next President and the next Congress and the American people will ultimately recognize why this is the right thing to do."US immigration: DACA and Dreamers explainedFast forward to 2017. Obama's DACA expansion, which would have protected millions more people from deportation temporarily, was blocked by the courts and never implemented. And last month the Trump administration announced plans to end DACA altogether. For Rishi Singh, being invited to the White House that day in 2015 was a "surreal moment." And now, he says, it feels like Washington has done "a complete 180" when it comes to immigration. But there's still a lesson to be learned, he says, from that photo of him and other Dreamers meeting with Obama. The meeting itself never would have happened if it weren't for years of advocacy work persuading politicians to take action. "I don't believe in politicians and their willingness to do what is right," he says. "I believe in the ability of people in our communities to put pressure and organize and make the change we need to see in our communities.""It was a big responsiblility going there, and not just talking about my experiences, but the experiences of millions of undocumented folks that didn't have that opportunity," says Rishi Singh, shown here speaking with President Obama in 2015.Singh, 32, is the director of youth organizing for New York-based DRUM, which advocates for South Asian immigrant workers and their families. His family brought him to the United States from Trinidad on a tourist visa when he was 10, and it wasn't until he was finishing high school, he says, that he learned he was undocumented. A decade later, DACA gave him a chance to get a job and health insurance."I bought a car. I was thinking about buying a house. All these different things, now I'm not even sure what's going to happen. It just puts people in a limbo," he says. "But even though things look really bleak right now, there's also a lot of opportunities to come together."CNN Money: DACA's end could kill these small businessesSingh says immigrant communities are resilient and will endure, even as the Trump administration enacts tougher policies."We'll figure out ways to continue to survive, and hopefully thrive, and continue to fight to make sure that we don't have to live in that fear or in the shadows," he says. "That's what the administration wants to do, continue to fearmonger and push people underground. If we allow that to happen, then they win."'It's going to require more work'When she met Obama, Maria Praeli says, she told him about the moment she knew she wanted to devote her life to fighting for immigrants' rights: the day of her grandmother's funeral. Praeli's mother, an undocumented immigrant, couldn't fly back to Peru to attend. Instead, she watched the service on an iPad from Connecticut. "I still vividly remember my mom hugging the iPad and screaming and crying about her mom," Praeli says. "It really opened up my eyes to the reality that many people have to live with every single day. This issue wasn't about me not being able to drive, or not being able to go to the college of my choosing, this issue was about a really broken system."More than four years later, Praeli says the system is still broken -- and she's more determined than ever to keep pushing politicians to fix it. "It's hard, because things have been so negative lately. We've heard things on the campaign trail, and we've seen things under this administration. But the President himself has also called for comprehensive immigration reform at some point, so I'm still hopeful," she says. "I just think it's going to require more work."Maria Praeli, 24, is one of six Dreamers who met with then-President Barack Obama at the White House in 2015.Praeli, who was 5 when she came to the United States from Ica, Peru, is now an immigration policy associate at FWD.us, an advocacy group started by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders. The 24-year-old is one of more than 150,000 Dreamers facing this week's deadline. Her DACA protection is set to expire early next year, meaning she falls into a group that has until the end of the day Thursday to submit renewal paperwork. They're the last Dreamers who can file to renew before DACA ends under the Trump administration's action.Praeli says she's sent in her application and gone to an appointment where officials recorded her biometric data. "Now it's just kind of a waiting game," she says.She has plenty to keep her busy while she waits to hear if her renewal is granted. This week, more than 100 Dreamers from across the United States traveled to Washington, just as she did when she met with Obama back in 2015.The group met face to face with members of Congress. This time, Praeli was looking on from behind the scenes. She helped organize the visit.
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(CNN)Lewis Hamilton put in a faultless drive to win Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix and cut Max Verstappen's championship lead to just eight points.Verstappen finished almost 30 seconds behind Hamilton in second, but was impressive in clawing his way back from seventh, having been given a grid penalty after qualifying. The Red Bull driver also took home the bonus point for posting the fastest lap in the closing stages to further limit the damage on what threatened to be a difficult weekend.This year's title race is set to go down to the wire with just two grands prix remaining this season in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi."It was pretty straightforward, it's pretty lonely at the front," Hamilton told Sky Sports. "Of course I enjoy those races ... we needed those points today, so a really solid job from the team. Read More"I cant wait to watch a replay of the race to see what happened behind me. I'm really grateful for these points. It puts us in good stead for the next two."Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the Qatar Grand Prix.Despite seeing his lead reduced for the second consecutive race, Verstappen was sanguine about the weekend's results."Of course our starting position was a bit compromised, but we had a really good start," Verstappen said. "At the end of the day to get that fastest lap was nice, it's going to be difficult to the end. "It's going to be exciting. I feel good, it's gonna be a tight battle to the end."Fernando Alonso took an impressive third place with Alpine, marking his first podium finish since 2014 when he was driving for Ferrari.The Spaniard was visibly ecstatic with the result, leading him to drop an F-bomb on the live broadcast.Red Bull's Sergio Perez couldn't quite fight his way past Alonso and had to settle for fourth place, with Esteban Ocon rounding off a brilliant weekend for Alpine by coming fifth.Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Sebastian Vettel completed the point places.
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Story highlightsFormer Chelsea team doctor critical of Tottenham's handling of Lloris concussionSpurs issue statement defending actions during match at Everton's Goodison ParkBritish players' union calls for change in the rules to how head injuries are treatedTottenham Hotspur medical staff were putting Hugo Lloris' life at risk by leaving him on the field after he suffered concussion at Everton, the former head doctor at Chelsea has told CNN. Dr Ralph Rogers, the first team doctor at the English Premier League side between 2009 and 2010, believes Tottenham's medical staff erred in their treatment of the Frenchman at Goodison Park. "I don't want to be critical of the doctor in question but this is a time to reflect because next time, we have to ensure we get it right," said Rogers. Lloris suffered concussion after being accidentally hit in the head by the knee of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku late in the game, with play held up for nine minutes as he received treatment. To widespread surprise, Lloris -- who could not remember the incident after the match -- was allowed to continue after saying that he wanted to stay on the pitch. Both world governing body FIFA and the global players' union FIFPro criticized the decision-making progress employed by the Tottenham staff, who say they followed procedure when assessing the state of the France captain. JUST WATCHEDShould injured players keep playing?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould injured players keep playing? 03:45JUST WATCHEDMuamba: I've played football again ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMuamba: I've played football again 01:20JUST WATCHEDTeen only remembers mom after injuryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTeen only remembers mom after injury 01:13JUST WATCHEDEx-NFL player: Settlement not a rewardReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEx-NFL player: Settlement not a reward 03:40"Once the relevant tests and assessments were carried out we were totally satisfied that he was fit to continue playing," Spurs' Head of Medical Services Wayne Diesel said on the club website. Local FA rules state that any player who leaves the pitch with a head injury should "not be allowed to resume playing or training without the clearance of a qualified medical practitioner" even if such an injury is sustained in training. Read: 'Devastated' Muamba retires from footballTottenham's medical staff have come under fire for their actions, which come 18 months after they were widely praised for saving the life of visiting Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba, whose heart stopped beating during a game at White Hart Lane. Nonetheless, Rogers is unhappy with the way in which Lloris was treated on the pitch, saying the goalkeeper was allowed to move too freely before a more comprehensive treatment had taken place. "Lloris could have died, he could have been paralyzed," said Rogers. "If knocked out with a head injury, he should have been carried off the pitch -- but first and foremost, they should have checked his spine." "He needed to have a collar put around his neck, blocks applied to either side of his head, to have been strapped in and then a spinal board placed underneath him in order to determine any injury to his cervical spine." After declining to specifically address Rogers' assertions, Tottenham referred CNN to the earlier statement made by Diesel.On Monday, the Professional Footballers' Association, the body that looks after the welfare of footballers in England and Wales, called for a change in the rules surrounding head injuries."If anyone suffers a severe trauma to the head and loses consciousness, then they should be required to leave the field of play automatically," said PFA deputy chief executive John Bramhall. Chain of CommandAfter the match, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said he had taken the final decision to send Lloris back onto the pitch following consultation with his medical staff. For Rogers, such an admission lies at the heart of a weakness he believes exists within the game. JUST WATCHEDReporter: Settlement is a win for NFLReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHReporter: Settlement is a win for NFL 04:38JUST WATCHEDNew head cap aims to curb concussionsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew head cap aims to curb concussions 01:48JUST WATCHEDFootball comes to Buckingham PalaceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootball comes to Buckingham Palace 00:52JUST WATCHEDQatar 2022: Too hot for football?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHQatar 2022: Too hot for football? 02:41"The problem is that no one knows who's boss at present on such an issue," he said. "Traditionally, it has been the physiotherapist but does he know more than the team doctor? If you go to hospital, it's not the nurse but the doctor who ultimately looks after you. A physio has fewer qualifications. "I strongly believe that the doctor should be the team leader above both the manager and referee. He has to be strong enough to make that crucial decision, because at the end of the day it's not about the club, it's about the doctor looking after the player. "If I had been in the same situation, I would have ordered Lloris' removal from the pitch, telling all concerned that if they didn't like my decisions, then they could fire me in the coming days." FIFPro backed Rogers' viewpoint on the chain of command in a statement which called the decision to keep Lloris on the pitch 'unacceptable'. "FIFPro condemns that the health and safety of players are let to coaches/trainers or even to players themselves," said the body's Medical Advisor Vincent Gouttebarge. "Medical professionals should be aware of any relevant medical guidelines and apply them in order to empower the health and safety on the field. The health and safety of the players should be the number one priority and should prevail against any other matters." Read: NFL in multi-million dollar concussion settlementThe issue of concussion has become a major talking point in sports such as rugby and the NFL in recent times. Three months ago, the NFL reached a settlement worth $765 million with 4,500 former players who sued the organization over claims it hid the potential impact of concussion-related injuries. In rugby, Dr Barry O'Driscoll -- the uncle of Ireland star Brian -- quit his seat on the International Rugby Board's medical committee in protest at a new method of dealing with head injuries. New guidelines stipulate that a player can return to the pitch five minutes after injury if a medical inspection entitled the Pitch-Side Concussion Assessment determines he has not been knocked out. Once upon a time, the rules stated that a player had to wait three weeks before returning to the fray. Lloris was given less than ten minutes in a clattering that so badly damaged Lukaku's knee the Everton striker was forced off the field. Earlier this season, Lukaku was praised for finishing a game against West Ham despite suffering a concussion himself when scoring late on -- a difference in media coverage that Spurs fans may point to when considering the outcry over Lloris.
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Story highlights26 arrested in protests Hundreds of demonstrators take to Paris streets (CNN)Hundreds of students on Thursday blockaded the entrances to their schools in Paris, demanding justice for a young black man who was allegedly raped by French police earlier this month.Student protesters barricaded the entryways of at least 16 schools, using trash cans. A dozen more were partially blocked, the Paris Board of Education said. At the Lycée Charlemagne and Lycée Dorian, doorways were papered with signs reading: "No justice, no peace" and "F*** the police." The demonstration is the latest in a string of anti-police protests that have swept Paris, and its northern suburbs, since a 22-year-old black man, known publicly as Théo, was purportedly raped with a police baton during a February 2 arrest. The incident, which took place in an area north of the capital with a large immigrant population, has ignited simmering tensions between minorities and the police.Read More'Revenge for Theo'Protesters rally in Paris' Place de la Nation.A banner reading "Revenge for Théo" was one of many signs carried by students who gathered for a largely peaceful rally in Place de la Nation square.Clashes later broke out with riot police, according to photos and videos shared on social media. Protesters rallying on social media behind the hashtag #BlocusPourThéo (#BlockadeForTheo) posted videos showing fires alight in the streets and police launching tear gas at the crowds. Police confirmed to CNN that 21 people were arrested during the protest in Paris, which drew 800 to 1,000 demonstrators. The metro station at Place de la Nation was shuttered during the unrest. A total of 26 people were arrested in clashes across Paris and its suburbs. The vice principal of one school was hit by a fire extinguisher thrown by a protester, according to the Paris Board of Education, which condemned the violence. "Blockages are not a legitimate way to protest. They endanger staff and students," Gilles Pécout, head of the Paris Board of Education, said in a statement. Weeks of unrestFiremen try to extinguish burning dustbins at Paris protest.Weeks of clashes have broken out since four police officers purportedly threw Théo to the ground, beat him and anally raped him with a baton, leaving him with injuries so severe that he required surgery. The officers were suspended pending an inquiry into accusations that they used excessive force while arresting the young man during an identity check at a housing estate in the northern suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.Riot police forces stand guard.All four officers have been charged with aggravated assault, and one was also charged with rape, according to the Interior Ministry.According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, an internal police investigation found that the officer who allegedly sodomized Théo with his baton did so unintentionally. CNN was unable to obtain a copy of the police report.
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Story highlightsNeknominate game, thought to have originated in Australia, now sweeping the worldAt least five men aged under 30 have died after drinking deadly cocktails.There appears to be no limit to the type of drinks that are consumedThe role of social media giants like Facebook is also coming under scrutiny"Thanks for the nomination Luke," jokes a young man in a YouTube clip pouring what he says is a new, unopened bottle of Sambuca spirits into a pint glass along with another, unidentified drink. As the liquids mix, he observes: "And that is congealing nicely ... whew ... okay," before knocking back the potion. After a brief pause he declares: "I nominate [he names some friends]. You've got 24 hours lads. Get it done."The game, known as Neknominate, is thought to have originated in Australia and is now sweeping the world. It involves you filming yourself downing a drink -- often alcoholic and of large quantities -- and then nominating a friend to outdo you. All this is posted on social media -- be it Facebook or YouTube. But what started for some as fun has turned deadly; at least five men aged under 30 have died after drinking deadly cocktails. Now health professionals are warning young people of the risks of consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short time."This is a lethal game," Dr. Sarah Jarvis, medical adviser for the UK-based charity Drinkaware, told CNN. "The point about alcohol is that it affects your ability to recognize that you're in danger, and it absolutely affects your ability to react to danger. So we have a double whammy."There appears to be no limit to the type of drinks that are consumed, and in what matter. Each nomination becomes more and more daring and outlandish. It started as exhibitionism with this woman stripping in the supermarket and downing a drink, but the bravado has escalated into extreme cocktails: One mixes spirits with a dead mouse, in another a man drinks out of a toilet, and the craze has seen players consume alcohol with goldfish, insects, engine oil and dog food.Unsurprisingly the trend has prompted politicians to demand that schools play a bigger role."The Facebook drinking game Neknomination has gone viral, and very sadly young people have died as a result," said UK opposition spokesman Diana Johnson. "What role do schools have in building resilience in our young people to resist peer pressure?" The role of social media giants like Facebook is also coming under scrutiny. Brian Viner, whose own son has played the game, demanded that those companies face up to their responsibilities.His son was nominated and pressured to play the game but drank water instead of vodka so as not to harm himself. "I was cross with him but more cross with the social media involved and the way this game has just spread," Viner said. "The whole thing is madness and it needs some kind of sharp and swift action on the part of these social networks to stop it."Facebook said in a statement: "We do not tolerate content which is directly harmful, for example bullying, but behavior which some people may find offensive or controversial is not always necessarily against our rules."We encourage people to report things to us which they feel breaks our rules so we can review and take action on a case by case basis."But Dr. Jarvis rejected this defense, saying Facebook must recognize its own role in the game."It's very difficult in this day of personal liberties to say that Facebook shouldn't be condoning this or taking these videos offline."Personally, I would like to see that happening. Frankly, if the thrill wasn't there, your mates weren't seeing you, I expect it would very rapidly fizzle out."
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(CNN)Ten fire engines and more than 70 firefighters responded to a fire in London's Camden Market, a well-known tourist attraction, early Monday, the London Fire Brigade said. The blaze was under control by about 3 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET), the fire service reported, but crews would continue to "damp down" the site into the morning to prevent any reignition. The majority of the market was open for business within hours."The first, second and third floors, plus the roof, of a building within the market were damaged by the blaze," the brigade said in a statement. The building contained a number of different businesses and market stalls. #CamdenMarket fire update: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors, plus the roof, of a building within the market are alight © @CamdenJohnny pic.twitter.com/Y15isabNq8— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 10, 2017 No information about the cause was immediately available. No injuries were reported.Read MoreCamden market on fire @camden pic.twitter.com/ZhPvWhpLN7— Lisa Harden (@modelqueen86) July 9, 2017 The open-air Camden Market, near central London, is a popular tourist attraction that features more than 1,000 shops, stalls, food outlets and entertainment venues. It opened in 1974 with just one market stall and now around 28 million people visit each year, according to the market's website. huge fire in #Camden market pic.twitter.com/08xjbQBAzg— Savannah Paradise (@savannahloveldr) July 9, 2017 A major fire also struck Camden Market in February 2008. It is the second major fire incident in London in recent weeks. In June, fire tore through the Grenfell Tower residential block, killing at least 80 people. Police say only 21 of those have been formally identified.CNN's Lonzo Cook contributed to this report.
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Story highlightsIt was the first all-American final at the US Open since 2002This was the seventh time in the Open Era two first-time finalists faced off in a grand slam final (CNN)Sloane Stephens' epic comeback is complete.Stephens, who has jumped more than 900 spots in the world rankings in a month, is now a grand slam champion, winning the US Open 6-3, 6-0 against No. 15 seed and fellow American Madison Keys at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York.This was only the seventh time in the Open Era, and the second time at the US Open, that two first-time finalists have faced off in a grand slam final. This also was the first all-American US Open final since 2002, when Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams. Stephens is the first American woman other than the Williams sisters to win a grand slam title in 15 years.BEST. DAY. EVER. 🇺🇸🏆 pic.twitter.com/R8ARc09Qwb— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) September 10, 2017 The 24-year-old Stephens, unseeded and ranked 83rd, is the third player to win the US Open ranked outside the top 10 since computer rankings began in November 1975. The others were unranked Kim Clijsters in 2009 and No. 26 Flavia Pennetta in 2015.When it was over, the two Americans shared a long embrace on the court. After Stephens celebrated with her support group, including her mother, Sybil Smith, she returned to the court and sat next to Keys, whom Stephens calls her best friend on the WTA tour.Read More"Honestly I wouldn't have wanted to play anyone else," Stephens said. "For us both to be here is such a special moment. I told her I wish there could be a draw, because I wish we could have both won. I think that if it was the other way around she would do the same for me. I'm going to support her no matter what, and I know she's going to support me no matter what. To stand with her today is incredible. That's what real friendship is."Stephens with Madison Keys after the match.None of this looked possible earlier this summer.Stephens, who had been sidelined for 11 months after a foot injury and underwent surgery in January, made her comeback at Wimbledon and entered this summer's US Open Series ranked 957th. But she's been on a tear in the North American events, reaching the semifinals in Toronto and Cincinnati."I had surgery January 23," Stephens said. "If someone told me then that I'd win the US Open, 'It's impossible,' I would say. 'It's absolutely impossible.' My journey to get here, coming back, just being able to keep it all together and have such a great team behind me -- this journey's been incredible. And I honestly wouldn't change it for the world."With the win, Stephens is projected to rise to No. 17. She also nets a hefty payday: $3.7 million. Her career earnings heading into this tournament were $4,519,709, with $310,546 coming this year."That's a lot of money," a visibly surprised Stephens said, as Keys jokingly tried to take the check.Keys, 22, is projected to move up to No. 12 by reaching the final."Sloane is truly one of my favorite people, and to get to play her was really special," Keys said. "Obviously, I didn't play my best tennis today and was disappointed, but Sloane, being the great friend that she was, was very supportive. If there's someone I have to lose to today, I'm glad it's her."An improbable runStephens, who started playing tennis at age 9, comes from an athletic family. Her mother, Smith, is a former collegiate swimmer at Boston University. Her late father, John Stephens, was an NFL running back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Stephens made her breakthrough in 2013 when she defeated Serena Williams to reach the Australian Open semifinal. She would go on to lose to eventual champion Victoria Azarenka.Her first singles title was in 2015 in Washington. She added three more titles in 2016.The potential has been there for her to win a grand slam, but what she's done this summer, considering the circumstances with her previous injury, is shocking.Heading into Saturday's final, Stephens had won 14 of her last 16 matches, including defeating No. 9 Venus Williams in the semifinal. She's one of three players who have never held the No. 1 ranking who have beaten both Williams sisters in grand slam events.😊🇺🇸🏆🇺🇸🏆😊Congratulations to @Madison_Keys and @SloaneStephens on a truly fabulous two weeks of tennis in Flushing Meadows.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/JUvfoJJrDa— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2017 Stephens now has more wins at the year's US Open matches (seven) than she had in her last six grand slam appearances combined (six).Stephens didn't play in the US Open last year because of the foot injury."I should just retire now," Stephens cracked. "I told Maddie I'm never going to be able to top this. I mean, talk about a comeback."Unranked players aside, Stephens is the second-lowest ranked player to reach and win the title match at a grand slam, after No. 111 Chris O'Neil, who won the 1978 Australian Open. She's the lowest ranked player to reach and win the title match at the US Open.Stephens is the fourth unseeded player to reach the final in the US Open and 14th in grand slam finals in the Open Era.Excluding when unranked Clijsters won in 2009, the matchup between No. 16 Keys and No. 83 Stephens, with a combined ranking of 99, is the lowest title match at the US Open since computerized rankings began in November 1975. In addition to Stephens, Keys also was making a comeback from injury.For Keys, this year's US Open was just her 10th tournament of 2017. During the off-season, Keys underwent surgery on her left wrist and missed the first two months of the year. She also, according to the WTA's website, had a second surgery on the wrist ahead of Wimbledon, and she also withdrew from Rogers Cup in Toronto because of a left forearm injury."If you told me two months ago that I'd be holding a (runner-up) trophy for the US Open, I'd be really happy and proud of myself," Keys said.The No. 15 seed has never won the US Open. The last time a 15 seed won a major was Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon in 2013.Youth movementWith this result, four different players won this year's majors -- the first time that's happened since 2014. Serena Williams won the Australian Open, Jelena Ostapenko was the French Open champion, and Garbine Muguruza hoisted the Wimbledon trophy. It's the 12th time that has happened in the Open Era.There are also signs of a changing of the guard in women's tennis. Ostapenko, 20, became the first unseeded player and lowest ranked player to win Roland Garros in the Open Era. Muguruza, 23, became the only player to defeat both Williams sisters in a grand slam final when she defeated Venus Williams to win Wimbledon. When the rankings are released Monday, Muguruza will be in the top spot for the first time.Stephens joins Muguruza, Ostapenko and Petra Kvitova as players born in the 1990s to win a grand slam title.This year's US Open was the third final in the past five grand slam events not involving a player age 30 or older.
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(CNN)Amid the excitement of Prime Minister Theresa May suddenly being on speaking terms with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, something has happened in Parliament that could alter the course of Brexit.MPs voted -- by a majority of just one vote -- in favor of something called the Cooper Bill, that takes a no-deal Brexit off the table for good, by making it illegal in British law. This could have the (probably unintended) consequence of making a second referendum inevitable.May has reason to be optimistic as the clock runs down on BrexitHere's how that might happen. If the May-Corbyn process does not produce a compromise that can be quickly ratified, the UK government would be forced to request an extension to the Brexit process beyond April 12, the current cut-off-date. And without the prospect of a deal being agreed before May 22, the day before elections to the European Parliament begin, the proponents of a second referendum will push for a long delay.Here's the logic.First of all, any significant alteration to May's Brexit deal ought to have proper parliamentary scrutiny. Many of the Brexit alternatives debated by the Commons earlier this week were fantasy options that were rife with legal problems or were without precedent.Read MoreAs People's Vote campaigner, Tom Brufatto, told me: "It's very late in the day to vote on alternatives without adequate scrutiny. Parliament needs to be given the space to properly look at these options to avoid a blind Brexit and commit to putting any Brexit deal back to the people."Theresa May holds Brexit crisis talks with Jeremy CorbynSecond, in those indicative votes, a second referendum has been more popular than anything else. And the Prime Minister has committed herself to respecting the will of parliament.Third, and most importantly, in the event of a long extension, the UK will still be an EU member state, with lawmakers in the European Parliament, and no fixed plan for leaving. At that point, it would be absurd that any public vote would not have the option of remaining in the EU.Fourth, the EU has repeatedly said that it would need a good reason to grant a long extension. A referendum or general election would likely qualify as a good enough reason. And a referendum is far more likely to provide clarity than an election.Finally, even if the Withdrawal Agreement does pass swiftly, MPs might insist that May's deal is put to the public anyway. "A referendum on the deal is looking more likely than ever, which in itself is a remarkable achievement," Labour MP Wes Streeting told me. "It's very clear that it provides a route, perhaps the only route, to breaking the deadlock in Parliament and restoring some democratic legitimacy to a deeply discredited process."So there you go. Brexit, it seems, is unlikely to go away any time soon.
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(CNN)It's so cold that the ground is frozen in Toksook Bay. And for the census workers who've descended on this remote Alaskan fishing village, that's a good thing.It means they'll have a chance to reach more people -- and count them.For most Americans, the 2020 census won't begin for months. But for decades the decennial count has started early in Alaska, where large portions of the state aren't connected by roads and can have spotty mail service. "Alaska's vast, sparsely settled areas traditionally are the first to be counted," the Census Bureau says. "Local census takers must get a head start while the frozen ground allows easier access to the remote areas with unique accessibility challenges."Read MoreAnd on Tuesday, they started in Toksook Bay -- where around 660 people live, where snowmobiles are a major form of transportation, and where 54-year-old Robert Pitka says this is the biggest event the community has seen in his lifetime.As the tribal administrator for the Nunakauyak Traditional Council, Pitka has been working with federal officials for more than a year to prepare for the census, which he describes as a "history-making event" for Toksook Bay. "I'm still trying to grasp how I can explain it," he says. "It's special."The island village, where residents rely on subsistence fishing and hunting to survive, is located on the Bering Sea in southwest Alaska. The Census director arrived wearing a parka to begin the countJust how cold does it get in Toksook Bay? The average high temperature in the region in January -- their coldest month -- is 12 degrees Fahrenheit. "A cold spell hit in December before Christmas, and it's been cold since, over a month continuously," Pitka said. "Some days it'd be minus 10, minus 15, and the windchill factor is very low, very cold. Frostbite can occur in five minutes."US Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham made a point of offering one piece of advice last week for anyone planning to travel there: Bring a heavy coat.He arrived in Toksook Bay Tuesday afternoon wearing a blue parka. Weather had reportedly delayed his flight.Director Dillingham in Toksook Bay, Alaska. #2020Census pic.twitter.com/7BMMbZJQtx— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) January 21, 2020 Census officials say Toksook Bay was selected to be the place where the first Americans are counted in 2020 because the majority of the village is Alaska Native -- about 94% of residents are Yup'ik -- and because the village is accessible by plane from the hub city of Bethel, Alaska, about 115 miles to the east. The airstrip in Toksook Bay is about a half a mile from the village, Nunakauyak Traditional Council tribal administrator Robert Pitka says.Residents ride snowmobiles to get aroundWhen the 2010 census began in Noorvik, Alaska, the director of the census traveled by dogsled to meet with residents and leaders there.But in Toksook Bay, it's more common for residents to use ATVs or snowmobiles -- they call them "snow machines" -- to get around in the winter.Winter conditions in Toksook Bay make snowmobiles a common form of transportation. In the summer, Pitka said, boats are commonly used to travel from place to place."We don't have highways that go to other villages or cities," he said.Boats dot the frozen landscape of Toksook Bay in December. In warmer months, boats are used for transportation and fishing. Census officials point to their efforts in Toksook Bay as just one example of the lengths they plan to go to this year as part of the massive national push that will determine the number of representatives each state gets in Congress and how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed."Different places have different challenges," Dillingham said last week. "In Alaska, census takers often use small planes, they use boats, they use snowmobiles and other special means to reach people." But not all parts of the state get a head start on the census. "Residents of Anchorage, Fairbanks and other large Alaska cities will respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or mail in mid-March with the rest of the country," the Census Bureau says.Leaders decided the village's oldest resident would be counted firstTribal leaders in Toksook Bay decided 90-year-old Lizzie Chimiugak, the village's oldest resident, would be the first person counted in the 2020 census. Lizzie Chimiugak, who turned 90 on Monday, when this portrait was taken, was scheduled to be the first person counted in the 2020 census."It's always been our cultural value, our traditional way of addressing, that elders come first before any event, and elders speak first before any ceremonial events," Pitka said. "That is our way of life in all villages in Alaska...so selecting an elder for the first enumeration is special."Residents are sharing other parts of their culture as the census begins there, too, including a performance at Toksook Bay's school featuring traditional dancing.Liana Nicholai clings to her grandmother, Dora Nicholai, during an Alaska Native dance Monday in Toksook Bay."It's a great opportunity for us as a village to kind of show off who we are," said Michael Robbins, principal of the Nelson Island School, named for the island where Toksook Bay and several other villages sit.There's no hotel, so visitors often spend the night at the schoolDance performances and a potluck meal aren't the only things happening at the school.Journalists covering the census are spending the night there, Robbins said, because there aren't any hotels in town."They just have to be out of the classrooms by 8 o'clock, because we're not canceling school," he said.The school is used to accommodating guests. Basketball teams who travel to Toksook Bay for games and other groups of out-of-town visitors regularly spend the night there, Robbins said.Nelson Island School Principal Michael Robbins says the school is prepared to accomodate guests visiting for the census -- and other events throughout the year.For the school's 191 students and their teachers, Robbins said this year's census is a lesson they'll never forget."It's incredibly exciting for the social studies teachers that we have, like myself, to have something like this, and for it to be so important not only to our community, but for our whole country," he said. "It's great for our kids to see democracy in action."CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett and CNN's Sam Romano and Leah Asmelash contributed to this report.
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(CNN)After a season of disappointments and consistently playing catchup to Mercedes, for Ferrari there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.Charles Leclerc drove brilliantly to earn pole position for the third time in his fledgling career, with teammate Sebastian Vettel qualifying in second to secure a front row lockout for the Italian manufacturer in Belgium.The young Monegasque driver was streets ahead of the competition, finishing more than seven-tenths of a second ahead of Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in third.Ferrari is without a Grand Prix win in the 12 races so far this season -- with a totally dominant Mercedes winning 10 of those -- and it has been the Red Bull of Max Verstappen that has provided Mercedes' biggest challenge in recent weeks."It felt good, the first sector wasn't quite what we wanted, but from the second corner onwards we were very strong and it felt amazing," Leclerc told Sky Sports. "We need to work on our race pace a bit, but I think we should be strong tomorrow."Read MoreDespite Ferrari's success, more questions are likely to be asked of Vettel's performance and how the four-time world champion finished so far behind his junior teammate.READ: Formula One returns -- Can anyone catch Lewis Hamilton?READ: Ferrari youngster Charles Leclerc dreams of 'becoming world champion'Charles Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton completed the top three in qualifying at Spa.It has now been more than a year since the German won a race, coming this time last season at Spa, though despite admitting his final qualifying laps were a "mess" he still pipped Hamilton to second place by just 0.015 seconds.It was a chaotic qualifying session that saw drivers queuing up to start their flying laps and at one stage, Hamilton had to brake sharply to avoid swerving into the back of teammate Valtteri Bottas."In the end it's good we secured the first row," Vettel told Sky Sports. "I was in the queue which doesn't help but no excuses, we look forward to the race tomorrow and we have good pace in the car -- it was much better today."That Hamilton was even able to compete on Saturday was a miracle in itself, after a big crash in the final practice session left his car heavily damaged and in need of serious repairs.The Brit paid tribute to the team in his garage that managed to get his car race ready so quickly."FP3 (third practice) was a terrible session for me and of course it's painful because you know how many worked to build those parts and who many people put the car together," Hamilton told Sky Sports. "But my guys back in the garage are faultless, always give 100% and I'm so grateful to them for getting me back out here. I was trying to pay them back with a good qualifying session," he said.He added: "Ferrari have done a great job today but I hope we can bring the fight to them tomorrow."It's the second time this season Ferrari has had a front row lockout; in Bahrain, Leclerc was denied certain victory when his car lost power with just a few laps remaining.The 21-year-old will be hoping the third time is the charm as he bids for a first-ever Grand Prix win in Formula One.
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Paris (CNN)One woman died and another was injured after a car ran into two bus shelters in separate areas of the southern French city of Marseille, the city's police force told CNN.The driver was arrested on Charles Livon Boulevard and a police operation is ongoing. It was unclear whether the action was deliberate.Police have asked the public to avoid the area around the street in the Old Port district of the city.The driver was known to authorities for "acts of minor delinquency" and appears to have a "psychiatric history," the police told CNN.The first incident took place at 8.15 a.m. local time Monday when the driver hit a bus stop in the 13th arrondissement in the north of the city, before hitting a second bus shelter an hour later in the 11th arrondissement, several miles south.Read MoreAsked about media reports that the two incidents were an hour apart, a police spokesperson said it was less than that.Matou Diop reported from Paris. CNN's James Masters wrote from London.
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(CNN)It was on Sunday morning in Geneva, that the proverbial extinguishing of the Olympic flame -- at least for Tokyo 2020 -- effectively began.At the headquarters of the World Health Organization, the ever-growing numbers of those infected by the coronavirus outbreak caused alarm for International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.The previous bullishness over staging the Games later this year that had been shown by Bach, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Tokyo 2020 organizers showed its first cracks as the number Olympic nations affected by the global pandemic began to soar.Bach's eyes were drawn to the data from Africa as the continent became the latest to feel the full force of the pandemic. That Sunday morning, the former German fencer called an emergency meeting of the IOC's executive board for later that day.Read MoreThe meeting was to be made up of Bach, four vice-presidents and 10 other members, including the former pole vaulter Sergey Bubka and Kirsty Coventry, Africa's most decorated swimmer with seven Olympic medals and now the sports minister in her native South Africa.READ: When the Olympics are stoppedAfter being subjected to accusations that it had buried its head in the sand while virtually every other major sporting event was called off, the IOC was now actively discussing postponement. Bach had already spoken with Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori, a man who had the ear of Abe. All parties made it clear that cancellation was not an option but the dreaded P word -- postponement -- was now very much on the table.By the end of the executive board meeting, Bach learned "new alarming information" that the virus had spread to islands in Oceania, with a raft of travel restrictions imposed in many of the Olympic nations.The Olympic cauldron is lit during the 'Flame of Recovery' special exhibition at Aquamarine Park a day after the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.READ: 'Heartbreaking,' but Covid-19 is 'way bigger' than Olympics postponementThe blows kept coming thick and fast. Bach received a letter from World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, with whom the IOC chief goes back many years."I write to you to request that the Games be moved," said Coe. "No one wants to see the Olympic Games postponed but, as I have said publicly, we cannot hold the event at all costs, certainly not at the cost of athlete safety, and a decision on the Olympic Games must become very obvious very quickly."I believe that time has come and we owe it to our athletes to give them respite where we can."JUST WATCHEDSeb Coe: 'Absolutely the right decision' to postpone Tokyo 2020ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSeb Coe: 'Absolutely the right decision' to postpone Tokyo 2020 08:15READ: What happened the last time the Olympics was stoppedStranded in New MexicoThe domino effect gathered more momentum when Canada became the first nation to officially withdraw its teams from Tokyo 2020, notifying the world of its intention in a statement entitled "Postpone Today Conquer Tomorrow."The next day Australia followed suit saying it had told its athletes to prepare for a 2021 Games, while British athletes training abroad were called home by the UK Foreign Office.International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands prior to their meeting at Abe's official residence in Tokyo on March 13, 2015. For two-time Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee, it meant an abrupt end to a training camp that had been scheduled to run until the end of April in New Mexico.For the triathlete and his brother Jonny, twice a medalist at the past two Games behind him, there was no choice but to book a flight home for the following day.Until that point, they had trained as though the Games were going ahead, the thinking being that a deserted training base might be a safer location."That was the best place to train but we were balancing it with the worry that if we stay another week we might not be able to get home for three or even six months," Alistair Brownlee, the son of doctors working to help combat in the coronavirus outbreak, told CNN.JUST WATCHEDMarathon superstar on Olympic postponementReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMarathon superstar on Olympic postponement 10:27Earlier that Monday morning in Europe, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had called on G20 leaders to address the global pandemic's acceleration.It was at this point that the IOC made the first formative steps to postpone the Games, forewarning that such a position would be taken in the call scheduled between Bach and Abe at 11 a.m. Lausanne time on Tuesday.Before that the US, arguably the world's most powerful Olympic nation, played its hand, saying a postponement was the only option.Even before the call between Bach and Abe had begun, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that that Japanese prime minster was proposing a postponement of the Games -- unthinkable barely a few weeks ago -- until 2021.READ: Japan PM and IOC chief agree Games postponementPolitical corruption scandalThe IOC is in a sense a private members' club -- albeit one overseeing the world's biggest sporting event -- but postponement wasn't a decision it could afford to take unilaterally.The IOC was concerned that if it pulled the plug, it would be considered in breach of contract, effectively putting the organization's head on the block in terms of the financial impact, which one of the world's leading sports lawyers John Mehrzad argued could "run into the billions with TV rights, suppliers rights, economic loss of hotels, the list goes on."And what of the Japanese government's obligations? Mehrzad makes the point that the wider ramifications of the postponement are only just beginning to play out."It's unfathomable to not think that financial and legal implications are at the forefront for the IOC and Japan in this," he added. "This is going to be so messy and difficult, these are crippling figures."People wearing face masks chat next to the Olympic Rings on March 13, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. READ: How one athlete put off children for TokyoFor Abe, there are also political consequences.Olympic Games often provide a moment to bring together a nation, but after Tuesday's conversation with Bach, the Japanese prime minister knew postponement had become the only option, however potentially damaging politically, financially and legally.Alistair Brownlee received the news in New Mexico before he dashed to the airport."I was really disappointed but there was relief too," Brownlee told CNN Sport. "For me, the shift of a year doesn't make too much difference although logically I'll be a year older so it might be harder."But it's hard for the younger athletes building for say eight years to a first Games. If that had happened to me at London 2012 [his first Games and first gold] that would have had a massive effect. With two Olympics, it leaves me in a better place to deal with it."For some athletes injured, the announcement proved a blessing, for others preparing for life away from the Games post-2020 it left tougher choices.A woman in a face mask walks past a display showing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games logo in Tokyo on March 24, 2020.'Huge jigsaw puzzle'Bach and the IOC now face a potential logistical nightmare in rearranging the Games."This is like a huge jigsaw puzzle -- every piece has to fit," said Bach on Tuesday. "If you take out one piece, the whole puzzle is destroyed. Everything has to come together. "We have no blueprint but we are confident we can put a beautiful jigsaw puzzle together and have a wonderful Olympic Games."When they officially announced the postponement, Bach and Abe said that the "Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present."The Olympic flame might continue to burn, but Bach has had a tough job firefighting over the last few days.Asked on Wednesday whether he personally had any regrets about the handling of the crisis and therefore subsequently considered resigning from his position, Bach said simply: "No."
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(CNN)President Joe Biden on Thursday stressed the importance of unifying the country at a "moment of great division," as he delivered remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast at the US Capitol. "As I stand in this citadel of democracy that was attacked one year ago, the issue is, for us, is unity. How do we unite us again?" Biden said. "Unity is elusive, but it's really actually necessary.""Unity doesn't mean we have to agree on everything, but unity is where enough of us, enough of us believe in a core of basic things: The common good, the general welfare, of faith in the United States of America," Biden said, speaking from the Capitol Visitors Center for the 70th annual National Prayer Breakfast. The President said the division in the country "has become so palpable," and that there is "so much at stake." The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2022The President said: "One of the things I pray for, and I mean it, is that we sorta get back to the place -- it's so busy, I think things have changed so much -- but that we get to really know each other. It's hard to really dislike someone when you know what they're going through the same thing you're going through."Read MoreThe President, addressing members of Congress in the crowd, said he believed lawmakers don't spend as much time with one another as they used to. He noted lawmakers of both parties would eat lunch together more often when he first started in the Senate decades ago. The annual multi-faith prayer breakfast is meant to bring bipartisan political leaders and their religious counterparts together to meet, pray and build relationships. Because of Covid-19, this year's event has been pared down and the number of guests is limited.The event is typically held on the first Thursday of February each year and was first organized in 1953. Every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower has headlined the event.Biden spoke at the event last year in the wake of the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol and in the midst of that year's winter wave of Covid-19 cases. During that speech, he called for unity and faith during what he described as a "dark, dark time" for many Americans.How the upcoming Supreme Court battle can help Biden and Democrats in the midtermsThose remarks stood in contrast to former President Donald Trump's remarks at the annual breakfast hosted by the nonprofit Fellowship Foundation. In 2020, Trump, who had been acquitted in his first impeachment trial the day before, took veiled shots at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Mitt Romney, the only Republican who voted to convict him. At his first appearance in 2017, Trump asked the room full of lawmakers, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders to "pray for Arnold" Schwarzenegger so that ratings of his show -- NBC's "The Apprentice" -- would go up.The President will then head to New York to discuss his administration's strategy to combat gun violence. Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland will join Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul for a "Gun Violence Strategies Partnership" meeting, the White House says. The group will also visit a New York public school to discuss community violence intervention programs with local leaders.The President is scheduled to address the nation later Thursday morning after announcing US Special Forces killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in a counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria Wednesday evening.
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(CNN)On horseback or by air, Ben Maher is essentially a traveling businessman.A far cry from the youngster who first sat in the saddle of a pony and was immediately hooked on the equine world, Maher alone is big business.Follow @cnnsport Leader of the Longines Global Champions Tour having amassed three quarters of a million dollars in earnings this season alone, he has a work force of up to 14 people at any given time pushing him forward. He trains riders, including some of his competitors, and horses."When I was younger, I was a shy, quiet person," he explained to CNN on the eve of the London Grand Prix leg of the Global Champions Tour. "I've had to be more forward and push myself otherwise the opportunities are gone."Gone are the days when riders could just focus on the synergy between horse and human and clearing fences.Read MoreWhile competing remains the most high-profile part of what he does, it's just one part. And there is as much pressure out of the saddle there is in it.Travel chaos"It's a big business not just me with three horses going to a show at any time," he said. "There are people helping get me to where I need to be. Horses traveling around the world, vets, farriers."I feel responsible for every one of them. They work with me but they're part of the family, and I try to look after everybody and keep friendly atmosphere."Ben Maher on board his horse Tripple X on which he won Olympic gold at London 2012Maher's life is a balancing act. With the tour in full swing he equates he takes a flight every Wednesday to an event, returning late on the Sunday.READ: Fourth time lucky in BerlinSometimes, though, the travel is in vain: "I flew to Berlin for the last day of Berlin the other day but missed three flights because of bad weather, and actually missed the competition."Sure, that's frustrating and the travel demands on riders are pretty heavy but I only have to remind myself how fortunate we are to do what we do."Every week, he attempted to take Mondays off, that turned into Monday afternoons, now it is usually two hours for, as he puts it, "sanity" -- although invariably the phone still rings during that time."I'd say I could probably count the days off in a year on one hand," he said. "My girlfriend would say even less. Sure there are pressures with that but the key to any business is having a good team of people around me. I can go off and I know it'll all be running smoothly."Maher is reliant on horse owners and sponsors for everything he does."I had a couple of years where I didn't have the horsepower," he said, "but then these couple of younger horses have come through very fast this year. There were tough and quieter times but they make you stronger when you come through them."There's those head in hands moments on a flight home that seem even worse when you've lost badly. But I never doubted I'd get back up to the top."Olympic goldThe pinnacle for him was the London 2012 Olympics where he won gold, an achievement he says that he may struggle ever top.Would winning the Longines Global Champions Tour exceed that? "It's hard to answer that but London 2012 was my home Olympics and I was riding a horse which I grew up with," he said.He hopes London will be a successful stomping ground once more, an event he describes as his "lucky one" having earned his first win here and come second last year in a duel with Scott Brash, which could be repeated this weekend.READ: Think horse riding isn't physically demanding? Think againMaher has exploded back onto the tour this season. Working with predominantly new, young horses, he had no expectation of riding to anywhere near the level he has in 2018.This weekend, he goes head-to-head against Brash on board Explosion. Some of the field he has trained to one day beat him, including 20-year Emily Moffitt, a rising star in equestrian circles."I absolutely hope I train someone that topples me one day as this is about producing the next British riders," says Maher.Perhaps surprisingly, Maher finds it more nerve wracking to watch his students than he does to compete.Visit CNN.com/rugby for more news, features and videosBut he admits: "If it came down to me versus a student, I won't hold back."
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Washington (CNN)Federal authorities investigating alleged sex trafficking by GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz have secured the cooperation of the congressman's ex-girlfriend, according to people familiar with the matter. The woman, a former Capitol Hill staffer, is seen as a critical witness, as she has been linked to Gaetz as far back as the summer of 2017, a period of time that has emerged as a key window of scrutiny for investigators. She can also help investigators understand the relevance of hundreds of transactions they have obtained records of, including those involving alleged payments for sex, the sources said. News of the woman's willingness to talk, which has not been previously reported, comes just days after the Justice Department formally entered into a plea agreement with Joel Greenberg, a one-time close friend of Gaetz whose entanglement with young women first drew the congressman onto investigators' radar. Former Matt Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg pleads guilty to six federal chargesCNN reported last week that investigators were pressing for the woman's cooperation. The sources would not say whether she had reached a formal cooperation agreement. Information from Greenberg in the lead-up to his plea agreement has already helped investigators further their scrutiny of the congressman. As he worked towards a plea deal with federal prosecutors in recent months, Greenberg told investigators that Gaetz and at least two other men had sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl, CNN has learned. Gaetz has repeatedly denied he ever had sex with a minor or paid for sex. Read More"Congressman Gaetz doesn't seem to be named nor referenced in Mr. Greenberg's plea," said Gaetz spokesman Harlan Hill. "Congressman Gaetz has never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex. Mr. Greenberg has now pleaded guilty to falsely accusing someone else of sex with a minor. That person was innocent. So is Congressman Gaetz."Justice Department spokesman Joshua Stueve declined to comment to CNN. The ex-girlfriend's lawyer Timothy Jansen also declined to comment. Greenberg plea agreement That allegation by Greenberg, described to CNN by multiple people familiar with the matter, is referenced briefly in an 86-page plea agreement that a federal judge accepted on Monday and is now at the center of the ongoing investigation into Gaetz. But prosecutors did not include any names in the court filing. According to the plea agreement, Greenberg had sex with the girl "at least seven times when she was a minor" and "introduced the Minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts with the Minor" in central Florida. Greenberg's cooperation on the subject is a primary reason that 27 of the 33 charges he had been facing were wiped away. The extent to which he backs it up will have an impact on his final prison sentence. But already, a Gaetz associate, one of the men accused by Greenberg, has denied the allegation in a meeting with federal prosecutors, the associate told CNN. Gaetz and his representatives have attacked Greenberg's credibility in recent days, pointing to the fact that Greenberg admitted in his plea agreement to falsely accusing someone of having sex with a minor. "If the government is brave enough to call Joel Greenberg as a witness, [Marc] Mukasey and [Isabelle] Kirshner are champing at the bit to take him on," a person close to Gaetz's defense team said, referring to the congressman's two high-profile attorneys. "We're ready for a fair fight on the facts and the law. Anywhere. Anytime. But the steady stream of leaks by anonymous sources undermines the integrity of this process. It is simply and unequivocally improper," the attorneys said in a statement to CNN.Asked earlier this week about Greenberg's readiness to potentially testify against Gaetz, Fritz Scheller, Greenberg's defense attorney, said, "Mr. Greenberg has pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement and has certain requirements and obligations on him and he intends to honor that." As part of his plea agreement, Greenberg is required to cooperate fully with the federal government in other ongoing investigations and prosecutions. Gaetz, who has not been charged with a crime, is also under investigation over allegations of prostitution and public corruption, CNN has reported. He has long denied having sex with the 17-year-old in public statements and interviews. Gaetz associate meets with federal investigatorsThe Gaetz associate who met with the Justice Department earlier this month told CNN that investigators spent the bulk of the meeting asking questions about the congressmen and parties with young women, including the 17-year-old. Investigators appeared to be focused on encounters that took place in the summer of 2017, the associate said. The associate, who was one of the men Greenberg told investigators had engaged in a sex act with the 17-year-old, denied to investigators that he had ever met the woman or had sexual contact with her in 2017, he told CNN. He also says he provided them with an independently administered polygraph exam that he had taken days before the meeting. Details of the associate's meeting with investigators and the polygraph exam were first reported by Politico. He shared with CNN details of his contact with investigators on the condition his name not be used. Gaetz probe includes scrutiny of potential public corruption tied to medical marijuana industry Investigators also briefly asked questions about possible influence peddling revolving around the medical marijuana industry and a 2020 Florida Senate race in which a third-party candidate ran as a spoiler, the associate added. The associate said his meeting with investigators followed a December 2020 subpoena that requested communications and payments between him and Gaetz, Greenberg, and another man, from January 2016 to the present. The subpoena indicated a grand jury was investigating allegations "involving commercial sex acts with adult and minor women, as well as obstruction of justice," the associate said. There are new signs of investigative activity too, after sources had recently told CNN the FBI was mostly done gathering evidence. One person familiar with the matter said that federal investigators have sought information from new witnesses as recently as this month, including communications and payments from a group of men that included Gaetz and Greenberg. Decisions on whether to charge Gaetz have yet to be made and will fall to prosecutors in the public integrity section of the Justice Department. That decision is likely to take some time, CNN has reported, as the Justice Department considers whether there's sufficient evidence for an indictment.
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Story highlights10,000 to 15,000 Americans are expected in Sochi to watch the Games, a lawmaker saysThe U.S. State Department is warning Americans to take extra precautionsA travel warning cites reports about Russia authorities hunting for possible suicide bombersA trip to the Winter Olympics in Sochi should be all about superhuman feats of skill or endurance on skis, skates or bobsleighs. But hearing the talk of U.S. security plans in the run-up to the Games in Russia next month, visitors may think they are entering a war zone.Contingency plans for evacuating Americans in case of an attack are well in hand, it would seem.The United States is moving to two warships into the Black Sea. If ordered, helicopters could be launched from there to Sochi, a U.S. official told CNN recently.And if more capacity is needed, C-17 transport aircraft will be on standby in Germany and could be on the scene in about two hours.That's in addition to U.S. precautions on Russian soil, where FBI agents are now arriving in Sochi to work with their Russian counterparts, according to Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.JUST WATCHEDSome families torn on going to Olympics ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSome families torn on going to Olympics 03:43JUST WATCHEDAre the Sochi Olympics safe?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAre the Sochi Olympics safe? 07:43JUST WATCHEDWarning for U.S. athletes in SochiReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWarning for U.S. athletes in Sochi 02:02JUST WATCHEDSochi security under scrutinyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSochi security under scrutiny 02:32The United States has also discussed at the highest levels the sharing of its high-tech bomb detection technology -- developed to protect service members from deadly homemade bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan -- with Russia.Concern over explosives is heightened because the radical Islamists who have threatened to attack the Sochi Games have a track record with hidden bombs. One was detonated under a stadium grandstand in Grozny in 2004.Look who's watching over you at SochiAnd with the largest delegation of any nation to the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, as well as -- according to McCaul -- 10,000 to 15,000 Americans as spectators, the United States appears to be taking nothing for granted when it comes to security.American athletes, coaches and staff are being warned not to wear their red, white and blue Olympic uniforms outside the "ring of steel," the Russian security cordon surrounding Sochi. They also will be under the watchful eye of U.S. security officials who will attend events with them, according to State Department officials. Travel warning issuedThe State Department went so far last week as to issue an updated travel alert for the region, warning Game-goers that bombings and abductions continue in Russia, particularly in the North Caucasus region. It cited media reports about the hunt in Sochi by Russian authorities for "black widows," wives of dead insurgents who act as suicide bombers, even as it said the U.S. government has not corroborated the reports. The reports were just one example of what one senior State Department official has described as an "uptick in threat reporting" in the lead-up to the Winter Games. "Our expectation is that we will see more in the coming weeks," the official, speaking on background, told reporters during a briefing on Olympic security measures.But is the U.S. contingency planning in line with the potential threat?Security expert Matthew Clements, editor of IHS Jane's intelligence review in London, thinks not."It's normal for countries to outline contingency plans for the removal of their nationals from any country in which there's a risk to them," he said. "At the same time, this is usually only undertaken in very serious situations such as cases of civil war or other kinds of conflict."In the event of a terrorist attack on someone in Sochi, even if it was around the city or venues, I don't think the idea of there being a U.S. military evacuation of their citizens from there would be a realistic prospect."This, says Clements, is because it would cause huge logistical difficulties, would likely be overkill in terms of the situation and "probably the Russians wouldn't be very happy."'We've had conversations'It is unclear whether a military evacuation would entail U.S. forces entering Russian territory, but Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has publicly hinted that there is a plan of some sort. Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic village Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – The satellite image company DigitalGlobe and Google Earth have provided a look at the transformation of the location of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Look at how the area, known as the "Coastal Cluster" has been transformed for the games. Here you can see the area where the Olympic Village will be built as it it appeared in April 2005. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – Sochi as it appeared in September 2007. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – In March 2010, the initial ground work for the future Olympic Village and venues can be seen. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – By September 2011, construction was well underway. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – In this photo from March 2013, the buildings that will become Olympic venues can be clearly seen. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – From the top center, going clockwise: the large rectangular building is the Adler Arena Skating Center, the smaller squarish building is a training rink for figure skating, then the Iceberg Skating Palace, the round dome near the bottom center is the Fisht Olympic Stadium, and the smaller white-topped building is the Bolshoy Ice Dome. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Photos: Building Sochi's Olympic villageBuilding Sochi's Olympic village – A wider view of the area is seen on January 2. Hide Caption 7 of 7 Photos: Sochi transformed Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The sun rises over Sochi's Olympic Park on January 10, 2014. The 2014 Winter Olympics will run February 7 - 23 in Sochi, Russia. Six thousand athletes from 85 countries are scheduled to attend the 22nd Winter Olympics. Here's a look at the estimated $50 billion transformation of Sochi for the Games. Hide Caption 1 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Soaring snowcapped peaks, some topping 10,000 feet, tower over the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on January 22, 2007. These are Russia's first Olympic Games, although the former Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. Hide Caption 2 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The city of Sochi, which is also a fishing town, was among three finalists bidding for the Olympics. Salzburg, Austria, and Pyeongchang, South Korea, also competed. Hide Caption 3 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – In the Imeretinskay Valley, a woman plays with a dog in February 2007, near an advertisement for the Olympic Park soon to be built in the area. Organizers of the Sochi Olympics say they want these Games to be the greenest, most environmentally aware games ever staged. Hide Caption 4 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Construction vehicles travel along the Imeretinskaya Valley, the site of Olympic facilities for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, in April 2009. Ice events will be held in a "cluster" near the Black Sea in the Imeretinskaya Valley. The second "cluster" will be for skiing and sliding events and will be held in the Krasnaya Polyana Mountains. Hide Caption 5 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – People work on their vegetable gardens near the construction site of the Olympic facilities in the Imeretinskaya Valley in April 2009.Hide Caption 6 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – This September 2010 photo shows ski facilities under construction in Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi.Hide Caption 7 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The Grand Ice Palace, intended for ice hockey, is under construction here in October 2010. Hide Caption 8 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – A construction worker walks on the top of the building site of the Bolshoi Ice Palace in Sochi in June 2010.Hide Caption 9 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Pictured here from the Krasnaya Polyana ski resort is the combined motor and rail road that runs between Olympic sites. Hide Caption 10 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Central stadium is under construction in Sochi's Olympic Park in December 2011. Hide Caption 11 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Sochi's new Adler Arena for speed skating is pictured in November 2012.Hide Caption 12 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Sochi's new Adler Arena for speed skating is pictured in November 2012.Hide Caption 13 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – Construction continues on Sochi's "Iceberg" Skating Palace in February 2012.Hide Caption 14 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The Iceberg figure-skating and short-track venue is pictured in September 2013.Hide Caption 15 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The "coastal cluster" venues for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games are pictured in January 2014 in Sochi.Hide Caption 16 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The Olympic rings for the 2014 Winter Olympics are installed in Sochi on September 25, 2012. Hide Caption 17 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – About 37,000 security officers will be deployed for the Sochi Games. Police officers walk in front of the main press center at the Olympic Park in Sochi on January 7, 2014.Hide Caption 18 of 19 Photos: Sochi transformed Sochi transformed – The Olympic rings light up the sky outside Sochi International Airport. An estimated 3 billion people are expected to watch the Olympics on television.Hide Caption 19 of 19JUST WATCHEDAre the Olympics too big a target?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAre the Olympics too big a target? 03:08JUST WATCHEDJust how safe is Sochi?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJust how safe is Sochi? 03:06"We've had conversations with the Russian government on protection of our citizens," Hagel said recently. He also has said the United States has offered assistance to Russia, but there has been no request from the Russian government for help. McCaul, speaking on CNN's New Day, also said the notion that Moscow needs foreign help to deal with its own homegrown terrorist threat would likely rile many Russians."There's a sense of nationalistic pride in Russia, just as we would have in the United States," said McCaul. "And so, while they've been very productive, cooperating with us on some issues, when it comes to the military, it gets a little sensitive."But former FBI assistant director Tom Fuentes, a CNN law enforcement analyst, believes the U.S. precautions make sense."You'd hope that the U.S. wouldn't be sitting around waiting for a telegram from Russia going 'hey, come and get your people.' So to me, that's a commonsense approach, and the military should have a very robust plan to come in and do that," he said."If an attack occurs, you're going to have chaos. You're going to have a large problem to get ships and get helicopters, so merely getting your forces in to get your people out will be quite an event just by itself."Russian ambassador says he's certain Olympics will be safeBritain taking 'extra measures'Other nations are well-aware of the security risk attached to any such major event -- but are more coy about their precautions.Darryl Seibel, spokesman for the British Olympic Association, declined to go into detail about the security measures planned for Team GB in Sochi."We will take some extra measures for our delegates," he told CNN. But, he stressed, "that is not new -- we have done that for a number of Games. That's been part of our planning from the beginning."Seibel said the primary responsibility for security always falls to the host country and the organizing committee. It's something of which Britain is very conscious, having hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 2012. As it turned out, the London Olympics went off without incident, but the security measures taken included parking missile batteries on apartment block roofs and a huge warship on the River Thames.The precautions in Sochi are even more extensive, those who've been there say."This security operation is the most impressive and well-fortified that we've ever seen in Olympic history," McCaul said.Even so, a Quinnipiac poll conducted in the United States last week found that half those surveyed believe a terrorist attack at the Winter Olympics is very or somewhat likely.Allaying fearsBut American authorities have sought to allay concerns."What I can tell you is there has been an uptick in some of the reporting, but that is not unusual. It's of concern, but not unusual for an event like this," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. "The State Department has handled and is handling the issue of travel advisories for U.S. citizens, and we are offering the Russians any assistance that they might require or request in a situation like this."It's not clear exactly how many people will travel to Sochi for the Games.Scott Blackmun, chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee, said in a statement: "The safety and security of Team USA is our top priority. "As is always the case, we are working with the U.S. Department of State, the local organizers and the relevant law enforcement agencies in an effort to ensure that our delegation and other Americans traveling to Sochi are safe."Former champion Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps said that the security issues are likely the last thing on the athletes' minds right now."As an athlete, we don't notice anything," he said. "You know, we're there to represent our country and we are there to compete at the highest level."Being in the Olympic Village with athletes from all over the world is incredible, he said, adding "there's nothing like it."
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(CNN)At the doubleGrowing up, most kids dream of scoring for their country in a World Cup final. Mario Mandzukic did just that, except he also scored an own goal.Mandzukic's gaffe set France on the path to a 4-2 win over Croatia in Sunday's showpiece.With the match not even 20 minutes old, Antoine Griezmann stood menacingly over a free-kick 35 yards from goal.Follow @cnnsport He delivered a delicious, teasing cross into the box and Mandzukic leaped highest in the crowded area to meet it first.Read MoreUnfortunately for him, the Juventus striker could only flick the ball towards his own goal and into the top corner past the flailing arm of Danijel Subasic.In doing so Mandzukic became the first man in history to score an own goal in a World Cup final.Mandzukic later netted Croatia's second goal -- to make the score 4-2 -- and created another moment of history to become the first player to score both a goal and an own goal in a World Cup final. Dutchman Ernie Brandts is the only other player to have done this in a World Cup tournament, netting at both ends against Italy in 1978.Remember that one for your next football quiz.READ: France crowned world champion after 4-2 win over CroatiaREAD: Belgium records best World Cup finish with victory over EnglandMario Mandzukic's own goal opened the scoring.VARcical?After stealing the limelight for much of the group stage, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been relatively quiet during the knockout phase in Russia.But VAR wasn't going to slink out of this World Cup without a bang and it returned to have one last -- and crucial -- say in the final.Ivan Perisic's stunning strike had just canceled out that Mandzukic own goal, but the ball then hit the Inter Milan star's hand after corner. However, was it deliberate and was it clear and obvious?There was a brief delay before Argentine referee Nestor Pitana took a look on the pitch-side screens.After a lengthy consultation period, in which he walked away, only to once again return to the screen, Pitana signaled for a penalty.Griezmann stepped up to coolly slot home the penalty for his fourth goal of this World Cup.Referee Nestor Pinata reviews VAR footage before awarding France a penalty.READ: What is VAR? The Video Assistant Referee explainedREAD: Rewriting football history -- with the help of VARTeenage kicksFew would argue that Kylian Mbappe was the stand-out star of Russia 2018.As the likes of Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi all bowed out early, the 19-year-old Frenchman came to the fore as the World Cup's leading man.While Croatia's Luka Modric won the World Cup's Golden Ball, Mbappe was honored with the tournament's young player of the award -- the Silver Ball.His scintillating two-goal performance against Argentina in the last 16, memorable for his elegant, blistering sprint through the opposition midfield and defense, is a moment that will live long in the memory.Ahead of Sunday's final, AS Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev, the man responsible for giving Mbappe his first professional contract, told CNN Sport that Mbappe reminded him of Ronaldo, very aware of records and keen to break them.Only the second teenager to have scored a goal in a #WorldCupFinal! Welcome to the club, @KMbappe - it's great to have some company! // O segundo adolescente a marcar um gol em uma final de #CopaDoMundo! Bem-vindo ao clube, Kylian - é ótimo ter a sua companhia! https://t.co/g8b2gLTy7B— Pelé (@Pele) July 15, 2018 After his goal against Croatia, Mbappe can now add the fact he is the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score in a World Cup final.Quite the company to keep.Kylian Mbappe celebrates his first and France's fourth goal.READ: Kylian Mbappe -- The 'phenomenon that breathes and sleeps football'Didier at the doubleFrance's victory also allowed Didier Deschamps to join one of the World Cup's most exclusive clubs.After leading his nation to victory as stand-in captain in 1998, Deschamps becomes just the third man to win football's most coveted prize as a player and manager.His name will now go down in history alongside Brazil's Mario Zagallo (1958 and 1970) and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer (1974 and 1990).Nicknamed "The Water Carrier" in his playing days for his understated and behind-the-scenes role he played in France's midfield, Descamps will now take his deserving moment in the spotlight.French players throw France head coach Didier Deschamps into the air.READ: France's 'Raindbow Team' looks back at historic World Cup triumphHugo's howlerWith France leading 4-1 with 20 minutes to go and waltzing towards its second World Cup title, captain Hugo Lloris took it upon himself to make the closing stages a little more nerve-jangling.Having controlled Raphael Varane's simple back pass, the Tottenham goalkeeper dawdled on the ball and allowed Mandzukic to get to within touching distance.Whether or not Lloris didn't see Mandzukic bearing down on him, only he will know, but he turned directly into the striker who poked the ball into the net.Mario Mandzukic of Croatia celebrates after Hugo Lloris' mistake.Presidential fist pumpNormally calm and composed, French President Emmanuel Macron allowed himself a brief moment of wild celebration when Pitana blew the final whistle.🇫🇷How French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated his country winning the #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/PXHDnXyfPE— COPA90 (@COPA90) July 15, 2018 Climbing onto the ledge in the executive box, Macron punched the air with delight -- just yards from where Croatia President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović was sat.Moving on to the changing room to celebrate victory with the players, Macron even allowed himself to 'dab' to celebrate, the celebration favored by Paul Pogba.Earlier in the evening, Croatian football legend Davor Suker took a photo of Macron, Grabar-Kitarović, Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, though International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach stayed in his seat.After the final whistle went on Sunday, Macron tweeted to the French national team's Twitter feed: "MERCI."When you miss out on the presidential group hug... #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/yxlBUQa5iC— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) July 15, 2018 Pitch invasionThere were many unexpected twists in an enthralling World Cup final, but perhaps one nobody expected was a surprise appearance from Russian protest rock group Pussy Riot.Just 10 minutes into the second half, four people ran onto the pitch to call a temporary halt to proceedings.Pussy Riot claimed credit for a brief disruption of the World Cup final match in Moscow Sunday, saying in a statement that they staged the field invasion to call attention to Russian President Vladimir Putin's authoritarian rule. A pitch invader high fives Kylian Mbappe.Security personnel quickly stopped the field invasion, dragging one protester away from the pitch. One of the protesters managed a double-handed high-five with Mbappe before being taken away from the field.
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Paris (CNN)The United States is not interested in pursuing dialogue with Iran despite President Trump's insistence he is willing to sit down for talks, according to one of the European nations attempting to mediate between the two sides.French authorities -- among other European nations -- continue to search for a way to defuse growing tensions between the US and Iran. But the French say they see "no signal the US is interested in dialogue," a defense source in Paris told CNN.Asked if France would be part of an anti-Iran coalition, which the Trump administration seems to be attempting to construct, the source said that while the French authorities regarded themselves as "good allies," they would not "automatically" follow Washington's line on Iran."We have our own goals... our own interests," the source added.The White House has been approached for comment.Read MoreIt seems likely that acting American defense secretary Mark Esper will hear concerns from French Defense Minister Florence Parly at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels Wednesday.French forces in the Persian Gulf continue to carry out joint exercises with the US, including providing force protection for American aircraft carriers. When asked if that cooperation would continue if there were to be a confrontation the French source said: "We are not at that point yet."At a press briefing, French intelligence services said they did not believe that the US drone, which was shot down by Iran last week, had violated Iranian air space or rules of operation. Iran plans to speed up uranium enrichmentIran said Wednesday it will speed up its enrichment and stockpile of low-grade uranium after its 10-day deadline for European countries to circumvent US sanctions expires on Thursday, the country's Atomic Energy Organization said.Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman, said that after the deadline passes, Iran will exceed the uranium production limit of 300 kilograms, as well as accelerate uranium enrichment to 3.7% -- which is above the 3.67% mandated in the nuclear deal, agreed between Tehran and world powers in 2015.Iran says it will break the uranium stockpile limit agreed under nuclear deal in 10 days Kamalvandi said it would only take one or two days for Iran to cross the 3.7% limit, according to Iranian State TV IRIB. Iran is "fully prepared to speed up its efforts to improve its nuclear industry in order to help economic development of the country," he said, IRIB reported.Under the nuclear deal, Iran was permitted to stockpile limited amounts of enriched uranium and heavy water produced in that process, exporting any excess. Doing so has become extremely difficult after the US revoked waivers that allowed Iran to export those excess stockpiles, effectively forcing Iran to halt enrichment or ignore the limits -- which it is now doing.The spokesman signaled that the remaining European signatories -- France, Germany, and the UK -- still had time to fulfill their obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) but added that requesting more time would mean they either cannot -- or do not want to -- carry out their commitments, IRIB reported.July 7th marks another deadline set by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to further scale back the country's commitment to the deal if the remaining signatories don't ease restrictions on Iran's banking and oil sectors.CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran and Bethlehem Feleke in Atlanta contributed reporting.
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(CNN)Director Sam Mendes and Grease star Olivia Newton-John are among those on the UK's New Year's Honours List announced Friday.Sir Elton John is one of two knights this year who are being elevated to an even higher echelon, Companion of Honor, of which there are only 65 individuals at any given time.And dozens of Holocaust survivors are being honored "for services to Holocaust Education."The annual list is published by the UK's Cabinet Office, and recognizes British people for excellence in a spectrum of pursuits, ranging from arts and athletics to science and politics.This year, the list includes the team, coaches and volunteers involved with England's Cricket World Cup victory.Read MoreThe list of honors is published biannually, once at New Year's, and then again for the Queen's birthday, according to the royal family.In total, 1,097 people made the New Year's list, with just over half being women. The majority of those listed are receiving the award for their outstanding community service. Those include a 25-year-old recognized for his work combating extremism in the UK, and 13-year-old Ibrahim Yousaf -- the youngest on the list -- for his charitable work.Winners will receive their medals during 30 or so separate Investiture ceremonies held throughout the year at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.Queen Elizabeth II dubs newly minted knights with a sword that previously belonged to her father, George VI.The 2020 New Year's Honours list has been released: https://t.co/fY8usAV5zoCongratulations to all those recognised! #NYHonours pic.twitter.com/woBb49aov7— Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) December 27, 2019 The Honors system, explainedAlthough knights and dames may be the most well-known commendations, there's a hierarchy of ranks in the honors system, according to the UK government.At the highest level is the Companion of Honor, awarded those who've made major contributions in the arts, science, medicine, or government over an extended period of time.Next, the distinction of being a knight or dame is conferred on those who've made long-term national contributions seen as inspirational or significant.The Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, is for those who've played a "prominent but lesser role at the national level, or a leading role at the regional level, according to the UK government.The Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, is for those who've taken a major role in local activities, and through that come become known nationally in their chosen area.The Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE, is for outstanding achievement or service to one's community.Finally, the British Empire Medal, or BEM, is for those who've done "hands-on" service for their local community, including voluntary activity or innovation work.CNN's Laura El-Tantawy and Jonny Hallam contributed to this story.
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Story highlightsLawyers say Abdeslam refuses to speak in courtDefense had earlier downplayed his role in attacks (CNN)The lawyers for the main suspect in the Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, said they have quit his defense because he refuses to speak in court.One of his lawyers, Frank Berton, told CNN affiliate BFM TV that Abdeslam has exercised his right to remain silent."This is not us giving up, this is us choosing not to defend him," Berton said. JUST WATCHEDCaptured Paris attacker planned to 'restart something'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCaptured Paris attacker planned to 'restart something' 01:25"We know and we have a firm belief, and he told us that he will not express himself and that he will apply what we call the right of silence. What should we do? We warned from day one, I said, if my client is silent, we will quit his defense," he added, speaking alongside lawyer Sven Mary in Brussels late Tuesday,.Abdeslam, 27, was the only known survivor of a group of men accused of carrying out the attacks in November last year that killed 130 people. He was Europe's most wanted man for four months before he was captured in his home town of Brussels in a police raid in March. Read MoreHe was later extradited to France, where he is being tried over the attack, claimed by the ISIS militant group. He has not spoken in court since then. Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA forensic scientist works near a Paris cafe on Saturday, November 14, following a series of coordinated attacks in Paris the night before that killed scores of people. ISIS has claimed responsibility.Hide Caption 1 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPolice are out in force November 14 near La Belle Equipe, one of the sites of the terror attacks.Hide Caption 2 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksForensic police search for evidence inside the Comptoir Voltaire cafe after the attacks.Hide Caption 3 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksShoes and a bloody shirt lie outside the Bataclan concert hall on November 14. Most of the fatalities occurred at the Bataclan in central Paris.Hide Caption 4 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksSecurity forces evacuate people on Rue Oberkampf near the Bataclan concert hall early on November 14.Hide Caption 5 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksMedics evacuate an injured woman on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire near the Bataclan early on November 14.Hide Caption 6 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPolice, firefighters and rescue workers secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall on November 14.Hide Caption 7 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA man with blood on his shirt talks on the phone on November 14. He is next to the Bataclan theater, where gunmen shot concertgoers and held hostages until police raided the building.Hide Caption 8 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPolice officers patrol the area around Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on November 14. Hide Caption 9 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPolice officers patrol Paris' Saint-German neighborhood on November 14. Hide Caption 10 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksVictims of the shooting at the Bataclan concert venue in central Paris are evacuated to receive medical treatment on November 14. Hide Caption 11 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA woman is evacuated from the Bataclan theater early on November 14.Hide Caption 12 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksForensics are working in the street of Paris after the terrorist attack on Friday, November 13. The words "horror," "massacre" and "war" peppered the front pages of the country's newspapers, conveying the shell-shocked mood. Hide Caption 13 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksRescuers evacuate an injured person near the Stade de France, one of several sites of attacks November 13 in Paris. Thousands of fans were watching a soccer match between France and Germany when the attacks occurred.Hide Caption 14 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA survivor of the terrorist attack in the Bataclan is assisted following terror attacks, November 13. The violence at the Bataclan, which involved a hostage-taking, resulted in the highest number of casualties of all the attacks.Hide Caption 15 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksSpectators invade the pitch of the Stade de France stadium after the international friendly soccer match between France and Germany in Saint-Denis.Hide Caption 16 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksSpectators embrace each other as they stand on the playing field of the Stade de France stadium at the end of a soccer match between France and Germany in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, on November 13.Hide Caption 17 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA body, covered by a sheet, is seen on the sidewalk outside the Bataclan theater.Hide Caption 18 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksRescuers evacuate an injured person on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, close to the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris.Hide Caption 19 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksWounded people are evacuated outside the scene of a hostage situation at the Bataclan theater in Paris on November 13.Hide Caption 20 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA medic tends to a wounded man following the attacks near the Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire.Hide Caption 21 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA woman walks past police and firefighters in the Oberkampf area of Paris.Hide Caption 22 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA riot police officer stands by an ambulance near the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris.Hide Caption 23 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksWounded people are evacuated outside the Bataclan concert hall.Hide Caption 24 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPolice secure the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, following explosions during the soccer match between France and Germany.Hide Caption 25 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksA wounded man is evacuated from the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris.Hide Caption 26 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksSpectators gather on the field of the Stade de France after the attacks. Explosions were heard during the soccer match between France and Germany.Hide Caption 27 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksFrench security forces rush in as people are evacuated in the area of Rue Bichat in the 10th District of Paris. Hide Caption 28 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksPeople leave the Stade de France after explosions were heard near the stadium during a soccer match between France and Germany on Friday. Paris Deputy Mayor Patrick Klugman told CNN President Francois Hollande was at the match and was evacuated at halftime.Hide Caption 29 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksVictims lay on the pavement outside a Paris restaurant.Hide Caption 30 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksRescue workers and medics tend to victims at the scene of one of the shootings, a restaurant in the 10th District. Attackers reportedly used AK-47 automatic weapons in separate attacks across Paris, and there were explosions at the Stade de France.Hide Caption 31 of 32 Photos: Night of terror: Paris attacksFrench security forces move people in the area of Rue Bichat in the 10th District. A witness told BFMTV that firefighters were on the scene to treat the injured.Hide Caption 32 of 32Abdeslam has been held in solitary confinement in a prison in Fleury-Mérogis, Essonne, one of the largest prisons in Europe. 'More of a follower'His prison conditions are strict and he has a "dedicated supervisory team of experienced supervisors trained for dangerous people" overseeing him, said French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas in April. His cell is "equipped with a video surveillance system" to ensure that he does not attempt to escape, try to kill himself, or communicate with anyone, he said. Abdeslam -- a French national born in Belgium -- made his first appearance in court in April. Mary had at the time tried to downplay his alleged role in the terror attacks after media reports referred to him as a "mastermind."JUST WATCHEDTerror suspect Salah Abdeslam appears in French courtReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTerror suspect Salah Abdeslam appears in French court 01:31He was "more of a follower than leader," Mary had said, and called his client as "smart as an empty ashtray," according to Libération newspaper.He is charged with murder and complicity in terrorist murder, the possession and use of weapons and explosives, and illegal confinement. Berton had told BFM TV on the day of Abdeslam's first court appearance that their line of defense would be "to explain things," especially his radicalization and what happened in the moments before the attack."He has to tell us about his journey and his role," he said.JUST WATCHEDFrance reckons with burgeoning terror threatReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrance reckons with burgeoning terror threat 01:12The killings -- at the Bataclan music venue, outside cafes and at the Stade de France -- together marked the deadliest of terror attacks in France's history.The attack sent shockwaves across Europe and sent a signal that the Syrian conflict had reached the continent.The siege at the Bataclan gave way to an hours-long standoff that ended when France's rapid response commandos raided the venue, with one of the attackers detonating a suicide vest, police told CNN at the time.Abdeslam was one of at least 10 men allegedly directly involved in the Paris terror attacks. Most had entered Europe on fake documents after training in Syria, investigators have said, and several were known to French authorities.
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(CNN)The meteorologist fired over the use of a racial slur on air just got a big defender -- high-profile weatherman Al Roker.Roker, a longtime personality on NBC's "Today" show, defended former WHEC-TV meteorologist Jeremy Kappell after he was fired for saying "Martin Luther Coon Park" when referring to a park named after Martin Luther King Jr. in Rochester, New York.In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast."I think @JeremyKappell made an unfortunate flub and should be given the chance to apologize on @news10nbc Anyone who has done live tv and screwed up (google any number of ones I've done) understands," Roker tweeted Wednesday. I think @JeremyKappell made an unfortunate flub and should be given the chance to apologize on @news10nbc Anyone who has done live tv and screwed up (google any number of ones I've done) understands.— Al Roker (@alroker) January 9, 2019 Viewers of Kappell's Friday night broadcast from were split on whether they think he intentionally or accidentally used the slur.Read MoreKappell has repeatedly said it was an accident -- the result of speaking too quickly and jumbling sounds in a name. On Wednesday, Kappell publicly thanked Roker for coming to his defense. "Al, thank you very much," Kappell tweeted. "Your support means so much to this family." Al, thank you very much. Your support means so much to this family.— Jeremy Kappell (@JeremyKappell) January 9, 2019 This isn't the first time Roker has made comments about fellow members of the media under fire for perceived racism. Last year, then-NBC talk show host Megyn Kelly defended the use of blackface in Halloween costumes. She later apologized, but Roker said "she owes a bigger apology to folks of color across the country."In defending Kappell, Roker said slips of the tongue are easy mistakes to make in live news.What's behind the reaction to weatherman's slur Critics of Kappell said the slur is probably in his regular vocabulary for it to have come out so naturally. "wowww that video. he definitely says that all the time, which is why it slipped out on air," said Twitter user @notmuchelse.But Kappell's supporters noted how easy it is to jumble the long "o" sound in "Luther" with the "k" sound in "King," or the sounds in "King" and "Junior" when speaking quickly. "Say 'King' and 'Junior' 5 times fast and tell me what happens," responded another Twitter user, @JaredG_13_. Are you kidding me? That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Say "King" and "Junior" 5 times fast and tell me what happens. It's a very easy mistake to make. Granted not one that should be taken lightly, but also not one you fire someone over with no explanation.— Jared (@JaredG_13) January 8, 2019 More than 33,000 people have signed a petition supporting Kappell, saying he was fired unfairly without being given a chance to explain or apologize. "We want Jeremy Kappell back on the air," the petition reads.You are out of your mind to think I would jeopardize future of my family and career to insert a racial slur against the GREATEST civil rights leader of all time?!?! #Ridiculous #Hateful #Judgemental and #youdontknowthefirsthingaboutme! https://t.co/pjlBIaKGhE— Jeremy Kappell (@JeremyKappell) January 7, 2019 In response to a critic who said the on-air remark was "racist and willful," Kappell responded: "You are out of your mind to think I would jeopardize future of my family and career to insert a racial slur against the GREATEST civil rights leader of all time?!?! #Ridiculous #Hateful #Judgemental and #youdontknowthefirsthingaboutme!" CNN's Marcus Mabry and Amir Vera contributed to this report.
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(CNN)South Africa produced a stunning last-minute try to claim a 16-16 tie against New Zealand in a thrilling encounter in Wellington.Herschel Jantjies, who scored two tries on his debut against Australia last week, ran onto Cheslin Kolbe's chip before outmuscling Aaron Smith and touching down. Handre Pollard added the conversion to ensure his side finished the contest level.Jack Goodhue of the All Blacks charges forward against South Africa.The tie may yet prove a huge psychological boost for South Africa with the two set to meet in their opening World Cup game in Japan on September 21.Leading 7-6 at the interval courtesy of Jack Goodhue's try, the home side had looked good for the win until Jantjies late intervention.And while delighted with the result, South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus said his team got "fairly lucky in a big way."Read More"For the first 35 minutes we played really well. In the second half I think they totally dominated except the last minute," Erasmus told reporters. "So, fairly lucky in a big way."Brodie Retallick suffers a dislocated shoulder during the clash with South Africa.READ: How the Rugby World Cup has brought hope to one Japanese cityREAD: Rugby World Cup: From tattoos to hi-tech loos, your travel guide to JapanFor New Zealand there may yet be more disappointment to come with star player Brodie Retallick having been taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder. Retallick now faces a race to be fit for the start of the Rugby World Cup in SeptemberAll Blacks coach Steve Hansen says he will now have to "sit and wait" for news on Retallick, but he refused to be downbeat after watching his side surrender victory so late on. Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideJapan is gearing up for a big few years in sport as it hosts its first Rugby World Cup in 2019 before the Olympics come to Tokyo in 2020. Here are some tips for traveling fans. Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideThree stadiums around Tokyo will host Rugby World Cup games, including the final at the International Stadium Yokohama. A trip up the Tokyo Skytree offers breathtaking views of the city.Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideIt goes without saying that Japan's capital is one of the busiest cities in the world. The famous scramble crossing -- the Shibuya intersection -- is at the heart of one of Tokyo's most colorful districts.Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideIf you're traveling around Japan, then the bullet trains are a must. Their fastest operating speed is 200mph with an average delay of less than 60 seconds. Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideWhen it comes to transport, the Kobe-Nunobiki Ropeway takes you high above the port city of Kobe, which will host eight pools games across two venues at the Rugby World Cup.Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideA visit to Japan wouldn't be complete without dipping into the country's rich cultural history. The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo is dedicated to the 122nd Emperor of Japan who reigned from 1867-1912. Former US VP Dick Cheney is seen making a visit in 2004.Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideThe Buddhist temple of Zenko-ji dates back to the seventh century. Alongside Shinto, today Buddhism is Japan's most practiced religion.Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideFinding an escape amid the country's bustling cities can be a welcome relief. Cherry blossoms -- which lend their name to Japan's rugby team -- are in full bloom during spring in Tokyo's Ueno Park.Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideThe gardens in Shinjuku -- seen from above -- also offer an oasis of green in the center of Tokyo. Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideNo trip to Japan would be complete without sampling the range of culinary delights the country has to offer. Sashimi -- sliced raw fish -- is a national delicacy. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideA chef in Tokyo's Akasaka district prepares takoyaki -- deep-fried octopus balls. Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideIf shopping's your thing, then Osaka is home to Japan's longest indoor shopping street in Tenjinbashi -- 2.6km!Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideA view of one of the expansive malls in Kobe Harborland. Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: Japan 2019: A travel guideLastly, enjoy the rugby. The sport has 13 million fans in Japan, and applications for tickets and to volunteer at the event have been oversubscribed. Asia's first Rugby World Cup promises to be a good one. Hide Caption 14 of 14"The last couple of seconds was pretty tough to watch but we've done that to plenty of sides ourselves so sometimes you've got to take your own medicine," Hansen told reporters"But there were enough signs there to say that if we keep working away, get our timing better, get our execution better then we're going to hurt some teams. So we're not going to panic."We had to find some things out, we've found them out which is great and we're reasonably happy, not so much with the performance but we are happy with what we're seeing and where we know we can go."Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and videosIn the day's other game, Australia defeated Argentina 16-10 in Brisbane.
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(CNN)During a six and a half hour spacewalk Thursday, NASA astronauts Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron replaced a malfunctioning communications antenna and achieved other "get ahead" tasks.The duo began their spacewalk at 6:15 a.m. ET and ended at 12:47 p.m. ET.NASA postponed the spacewalk until Thursday, originally scheduled for Tuesday, after receiving a space debris warning for the International Space Station. Just hours before the astronauts were due to venture out of the ISS, the agency said on its Twitter account that "due to the lack of opportunity to properly assess the risk," it had decided to delay the November 30 spacewalk until more information was available.NASA received a debris notification for the space station. Due to the lack of opportunity to properly assess the risk it could pose to the astronauts, teams have decided to delay the Nov. 30 spacewalk until more information is available. https://t.co/HJCXFWBd3Y pic.twitter.com/swj5hqusSo— International Space Station (@Space_Station) November 30, 2021 It was unclear whether the warning was related to the space debris created by a Russian anti-satellite test two weeks ago that forced crew members on the International Space Station to scramble into their spacecraft for safety."After receiving additional information about a late notification debris event on Monday, NASA determined the orbit of the debris does not pose a risk to a scheduled spacewalk by Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron or to International Space Station operations," the agency posted on its website Tuesday night. "Delaying the spacewalk provided an opportunity for NASA to evaluate the risk from the debris notification."Read MoreThe astronauts left the hatch earlier than expected Thursday morning and successfully worked through all of their tasks. They replaced an S-band Antenna Subassembly by using a spare that was already attached outside of the space station. The S-band radio frequencies are used to transmit low-rate voice and data from the space station more than 220 miles (354 kilometers) to flight controllers on the ground, according to NASA.After being operational for 21 years, the antenna recently stopped sending signals to Earth using NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. Mission managers discovered the issue in September, said Vincent LaCourt, NASA spacewalk flight director."That timing allowed us to have Tom and Kayla go into our neutral buoyancy laboratory, or big pool where we practice spacewalks, and practice our exact spacewalk," LaCourt said.No spacewalk is complete without a celestial soundtrack of space-themed songs. You're welcomeOverall, the loss of this antenna has a low impact on space station operations. However, maintaining antennas like this one allows for a redundancy in communications. Installing the spare, which has existed outside the station since 2010, will allow that system of backups to continue. The station has other low-rate S-band systems and high-rate KU-band systems that relay videos back and forth.During the spacewalk, Marshburn was on the end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm, which European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer controlled from inside the space station.Marshburn wore the spacesuit bearing red stripes as extravehicular crew member 1, and Barron wore the unmarked suit as extravehicular crew member 2. This was the first spacewalk for Barron, who described it as "awesome," and it was the fifth outing for Marshburn.Marshburn, Barron and Maurer arrived on the space station along with NASA astronaut Raja Chari in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on November 11. Thursday's spacewalk was the 245th conducted to assemble, maintain and upgrade the space station, which has served as a continuous low-Earth orbit hub for humans for 21 years.Debris concernsUS Space Command said Russia tested a direct-ascent anti-satellite, or DA-ASAT missile, striking a Russian satellite and creating a debris field in low-Earth orbit of 1,700 pieces of trackable orbital debris that is also likely to generate hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller orbital debris. It will take months to catalog all of the new debris created by the test.NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that he was "outraged by this irresponsible and destabilizing action. With its long and storied history in human spaceflight, it is unthinkable that Russia would endanger not only the American and international partner astronauts on the ISS, but also their own cosmonauts. Their actions are reckless and dangerous, threatening as well the Chinese space station."US says it 'won't tolerate' Russia's 'reckless and dangerous' anti-satellite missile testWhile the debris field was very concentrated at first, it has dispersed over time, said Dana Weigel, NASA deputy manager of the International Space Station Program, on Monday. The team planning the spacewalk ran models and predictions to understand the environment the astronauts will be in during their spacewalk.It raised the risk to the spacewalkers by 7%, which "is not a large increase and that's well within what we see with normal atmospheric fluctuations and the normal amount of debris that kind of moves through," Weigel said. "What it really tells us is EVA (extravehicular activity) has always been risky."This risk concerns any debris with the potential to penetrate the spacesuits or the space station itself. The pieces that could penetrate the spacesuits are much smaller than anything they are able to track, Weigel said."It does mean penetration but it doesn't mean it's a catastrophic penetration," Weigel said. "There's a certain size of penetration that is supportable. There's an emergency oxygen package on the suit that would feed it for a while. When we talk about EVA risk, it's generally around 1 in 2,700, so that's considered the risk of having some size of a penetration over the course over the duration of the six and a half hour EVA."Space junk is a massive problem. Russia's anti-satellite missile test just made it worseAmid the elevated risk and increased uncertainty due to the new debris, "we didn't want to leave the crew out longer for items that we didn't consider critical," Weigel said.
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Story highlightsUK prosecutors on the phone hacking trial release a "target evaluation" listThey say it was written by accused private investigator Glenn MulcaireThe list includes Kate Middleton and other well-known figuresKate Middleton's name is on a "target evaluation" list prosecutors say was written by a private investigator who is one of the accused in Britain's phone hacking trial.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) released a scanned copy of the handwritten document, which it said was referred to as evidence during the trial at London's Old Bailey court Tuesday.Former editors at the now-defunct UK tabloid News of the World, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, are accused of conspiring between October 2000 and August 2006 "to intercept communications in the course of their transmission, without lawful authority."Former employees Stuart Kuttner, Greg Miskiw, Ian Edmondson, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup are accused with them. Specifically, the charge asserts that they listened to "voice mail messages of well-known people."The list, which the CPS said came from private investigator Glenn Mulcaire's notes, is headed "target evaluation."Kate Middleton's name appears at 14 on the list.The 18 names include Kate Middleton -- now Duchess of Cambridge -- royal aide Jamie Lowther Pinkteron, celebrity public relations representative Max Clifford, and actress Angelina Jolie's former stunt double, Eunice Huthart.Six of the names on the list are redacted. The CPS said this was due to privacy issues.JUST WATCHEDProsecutors: Defendants having an affairReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHProsecutors: Defendants having an affair 02:57JUST WATCHEDPhone hacking trial beginsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPhone hacking trial begins 00:10"Given the specific nature of this case, we must also consider the potential for repeat victimization of not only those involved in this case, but other possible victims, who may have also been the targets of phone-hacking," it said. As well as being accused of conspiring to intercept communications, Brooks, Coulson, Kuttner, Miskiw, Thurlbeck and Mulcaire face an additional charge of intercepting the voice mail messages of British schoolgirl Milly Dowler, who went missing and was later found dead in 2002.Brooks, her husband, Charlie Brooks, and a former personal assistant also face a separate set of charges of conspiring to obstruct the police investigation into phone hacking. They were charged in May 2012, along with Brooks' former driver, a security guard and members of security staff from News International -- the then parent company of News of the World -- with attempting to pervert the course of justice.The hacking scandal prompted British Prime Minister David Cameron to set up an independent inquiry, led by Lord Justice Leveson, to make recommendations on journalistic ethics and examine the relationship of the press with the public, police and politicians.The trial continues.Read more: UK media abuzz as trial reveals Coulson-Brooks affair
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Story highlights Police say no one was shot except the attacker U.S. Embassy spokeswoman: Tear gas may have caused some of the injuries (CNN)A masked gunman stormed a German cinema Thursday afternoon, taking hostages before he was killed by police, officials said. The rifle-wielding man entered the cinema in Viernheim, near Frankfurt in western Germany, shortly before 3 p.m. local time, Hesse Interior Minister Peter Beuth said.Police received reports of four shots fired. CNN MapGerman public TV initially said 25 people were injured, but it wasn't clear if they were shot or hurt in other ways.After the ordeal ended, a Viernheim police spokesman told CNN that no one was injured by gunfire aside from the attacker.Read MoreThe U.S. Embassy in Germany said officials are looking into the possibility that tear gas might have caused some of the injuries, spokeswoman Jackie McKennan said. At one point, the assailant took hostages, but it's unclear why. "There were hostages in the vicinity of the individual. It was at this point that he was fatally shot by special forces," Beuth said. "I have no knowledge that anyone else was harmed." A popular destination The cinema is part of a large shopping complex.The cinema is part of a major shopping center called Rhein Neckar Zentrum Viernheim. The complex, with more than 100 businesses, hosts 20,000 visitors daily, according to its website. An employee at Coyote Café Viernheim, just across from the cinema, said about 50 to 100 officers rushed to the scene. "Our café went into lockdown. We brought all of our customers out of the back door," said the employee, who asked not to be named. Police respond to the attack in Viernheim."This is something very unusual for our town. I've never seen anything like that. I never want to see anything like that again."Late Thursday afternoon, the shopping complex announced the police operation was over. "At this moment in time we have no information on injured persons," the shopping center said on its Facebook page. "The driveway is still blocked. We will keep you updated on new developments. "The motive for Thursday's attack remains unclear, but German police said there's no indication the incident was terror-related.Prior to the attack, police had repeatedly warned that Germany could be targeted by ISIS.Germany absorbed more than 1 million refugees last year, and there have been concerns about the possibility of ISIS cells in the country. CNN's Andrew Carey, Claudia Otto, Michael Pearson, and Bex Wright contributed to this report.
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Story highlightsFormer Sheffield United chief executive Charles Green agrees Rangers takeover dealHis consortium is made up of investors from the Middle East, Asia and the Far EastTakeover consortium wants to exit administration by Company Voluntary ArrangementGreen promises no investor will owns more than 15% in the Scottish clubBritish businessman Charles Green has agreed a deal to take over Scottish Premier League side Glasgow Rangers, the club's administrators said on Sunday. The former Sheffield United chief executive is leading a global consortium made up of 20 investors from the Middle East, Asia and the Far East."We are very pleased to announce that we have accepted an offer from a consortium headed by Mr. Charles Green for the purchase of Rangers," said David Whitehouse of administrators Duff and Phelps."Mr. Green has secured, via a substantial financial commitment, a period of exclusivity to complete the purchase of the club and this is expected to be finalized at a creditors' meeting on June 6."Neither Rangers, who have been Scottish champions 54 times, nor the administrators disclosed financial details of the offer from Green's consortium, but reportedly the deal is worth £$13.6 million. Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams1. Barcelona FC $8.6 million average – Barcelona's players are the best paid in the world according to a new report. The team kept its No. 1 place on the earnings table with each player taking home an average annual salary of $8.6 million (£5.2 million). That's a whopping $166,934 (£101,160) per week and a 10% rise on last year. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams2. Real Madrid $7.7 million – Spanish football teams continued to dominate the rankings, with Real Madrid keeping its No. 2 spot. It's players earned an average $7.7 million (£4.7 million) - a 6% rise on last year. Cristiano Ronaldo became the most expensive footballer in history in 2009 after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a six-year deal worth $129 million (£80 million).Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams3. Manchester City $7.4 million – Manchester City moved up the rankings from 10th last year to 3rd in 2012, thanks to an average annual salary of $7.4 million for its players. It's a 26% increase on last year and demonstrates the wealth of the English club's owner Sheikh Monsour.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams4. Chelsea $6.7 million – Russian billionaire Roman Abromovich's Chelsea team climbed the rankings from sixth to fourth, with players earning around $6.7 million a year -- the equivalent of $130,690 a week.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams5. LA Lakers $6.2 million – The first non-soccer entry in the rich list is the LA Lakers. The Americans are also the only bastketballers in the top 10, with players taking home $6.2 million annually -- about $120,732 per week.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams6. New York Yankees $6.1 million – Baseball's New York Yankees have continued to fall in the rankings -- dropping from No. 1 in 2010 to sixth this year. But the MLB team's players can still take comfort from an average yearly salary of $6.1 million -- around £118,968 a week.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams7. AC Milan $6.1 million – Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi pumped even more money into his football club AC Milan last year. The Serie A champions rose from 14th in the list with players enjoying a yearly salary of $6.1 million, pocketing $117,399 per week.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams8. Bayern Munich $5.9 million – Also rising in the rich list was Germany's Bayern Munich, up from 12th place last year. Players boasted a yearly salary of $5.9 million, taking home $113,609 a week.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams9. Philadelphia Phillies $5.8 million – The Philadelphia Phillies are one of just three U.S. teams in the top 10. The baseball franchise's players earned an average $5.8 million a year, or $111,884 per week.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: The world's 10 best-paid sports teams10. Inter Milan $5.7 million – Internazionale sneaked into the top 10 with an average yearly salary of $5.7 million for its players. It's a family affair for Italian oil tycoon Massimo Moratti, whose father Angelo also owned the club in the 1950s and '60s.Hide Caption 10 of 10"Mr. Green, through a corporate vehicle, has entered into a binding commitment to inject funds into the Rangers Football Club plc so that the administrators can propose a Company Voluntary Arrangement which, if approved by creditors, will result in their claims being compromised for specific amounts and the company exiting administration free of the historic debt and with new owners. "If the creditors do not approve the Company Voluntary Arrangement, the agreement obliges Charles Green's purchasing vehicle to acquire the business and assets of the club on agreed terms, through a newco structure. It is Mr. Green's strong preference to achieve a CVA."The Glasgow team's slide into administration in February was related to an unpaid tax bill of $14 million, incurred after businessman Craig Whyte bought the club in June 2010, but the UK government is also seeking $118 million allegedly owed in back taxes."I can assure you that there will not be any investor who owns more than 15%. I don't believe that any one person should own a football club," Green said."I think when we look around at certain clubs where one individual is in control there is no contingency and things are driven by their ability to sign a check."After entering administration, Rangers had 10 points deducted and will suffer a further points deduction if the club does not emerge from administration by the time the 2012-2013 season kicks off.
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Story highlightsThe rapper didn't explain why he tweeted out support for the embattled comedianMany Twitter users, including comedian Sarah Silverman, called West out (CNN)With just one tweet, Kanye West succeeded in creating yet another Twitter storm.The rapper caused an uproar on Twitter Tuesday, when he tweeted: "BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!" West gave no explanation as to how he got to such a conclusion or any context as to why he made such a controversial comment. In fact, he moved on and posted about another hot topic -- NBA star Lebron James' new NIKE sneakers.BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 9, 2016 West's declaration of innocence for Cosby -- who is charged in a sexual assault case in Pennsylvania and has been publicly accused of assault by more than 50 women -- did not sit well with many people, including celebrities like actress and comedian Sarah Silverman. "Kanye!! You can't be for real. FIFTY WOMEN. With nothing to gain thank to a statue of limitations ON RAPE. Oy," Silverman wrote. Kanye!! You can't be for real. FIFTY WOMEN. With nothing to gain thanks to a statute of limitations ON RAPE. Oy. https://t.co/3ekYD43uMs— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 9, 2016 Host of TruTV's "Billy On The Street" also weighed on the controversial tweet.Read MoreAre we sure Kanye isn't just a character from Zoolander?— billy eichner (@billyeichner) February 10, 2016 "Are we sure Kanye isn't just a character from Zoolander?" Billy Eichner wrote.Many more people took to Twitter to vent their displeasure with the artist. "Awh man. This isn't good. Don't... man... You're putting me in a weird position here," one user wrote to the artist."You're really upsetting me and all women pls stop," another person wrote. @kanyewest awh man. This isn't good. Don't... man... You're putting me in a weird position here.— SWALSH (@dishwalsher97) February 10, 2016 @kanyewest you're really upsetting me and all women pls stop— Eva G L (@snaxkid) February 10, 2016 In the Pennsylvania case, Cosby is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in his home in 2004. Bill Cosby case: Judge says prosecution can go forwardSome wonder if all of this is a stunt so that the spotlight can be on West's next allbum, "T.L.O.P," set to be released Thursday?There are easier ways to trend, Kanye.— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) February 10, 2016
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(CNN)Bear Grylls has landed himself in hot water and faces a potential fine after killing and cooking a frog while filming in a protected national park in Bulgaria. The British adventure TV presenter filmed an episode of his Running Wild series in Bulgaria's Rila mountains in 2017 alongside US ballroom dancer Derek Hough, and was seen gutting and cooking a frog. But Bulgaria's environment ministry said Thursday that Grylls had violated the nature reserve's environmental regulations by killing the animal, swimming in a lake and lighting a fire. "It is evident from the film material that during the shooting there were breaches to the regulations and rules of conduct in protected areas: entering and swimming in the water basin of the Karakashevo lake, lighting a fire, and catching and killing an animal," a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement to the AFP news agency. Bear Gryll's was accompanied by former US president Barack Obama on an expedition in Alaska in 2015. Officials from the department said they were considering fining Grylls and Hough between €250 and €2,500 ($284-$2,834), while the production companies, Bear Grylls Ventures and Electus, could face a fine of between €500 and €5,000 ($567-$5,670). Read MoreThe department reported that Grylls and his film crew had been briefed over the rules governing the park. It added that it would also investigate the park authority, in order to determine whether officials who accompanied Grylls had failed to enforce the regulations. Both Bulgaria's environment ministry and Grylls' representatives did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. Grylls has faced sharp criticism in the past from conservationists and animal rights campaigners for his treatment of animals on screen. Claire Bass, director of Humane Society International/UK, said Friday that no animal should be killed as a result of celebrities playing "survival games." "Yet again Bear Grylls' animal killing activities are quite rightly coming under fire," she told CNN. "It's time for TV to dump this tired routine of men charging around the wilderness dominating wildlife and killing for ratings. It shows a callous disregard for the natural world and treats animals like mere props."She added that higher ethical standards in broadcasting are required in order change perspectives on "acceptable ways to behave" in regards to animals.David Attenborough: 'The collapse of our civilizations is on the horizon'David Attenborough, the renowned broadcaster and naturalist, has previously criticized Grylls for his treatment of animals. "Bear Grylls will have to answer for himself," he told The Sun in 2018, adding that his own nature shows, which include Blue Planet 2, would never "willingly kill" any animals in order to get a shot. Rila National Park, in the southwest of the country, is Bulgaria's biggest national park. It was established in 1992 and is home to rare and endangered animal and plant species. Grylls' shows have previously shown participants killings animals including pigs, turkeys and caiman crocodiles. His most high-profile participant was the then-US President, Barack Obama, who accompanied him on an expedition in Alaska in 2015, during which they ate a salmon pre-gnawed by a bear.
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Story highlightsRussian chess prodigy Yuri Eliseev has died after falling from a Moscow balconyEliseev, 20, was a regular practitioner of the extreme sport parkour (CNN)A Russian chess grandmaster has died after plummeting from the 12th floor of a Moscow apartment block.Chess prodigy Yuri Eliseev, 20, is reported to have lost his grasp on a balcony rail while apparently practicing parkour -- the extreme sports discipline where people leap and hurdle through urban environments -- and attempting to reach a neighbor's balcony."Tonight my close friend died - an outstanding chess player and analyst, one of the most talented people I know, Yura Yeliseyev," Daniil Dubov, another Russian chess prodigy wrote on Facebook in tribute to his friend. "He was trying to climb from the window onto a balcony on the 12th floor but lost his grip."Last year, Eliseev was crowned champion at the Moscow Open 2016 chess competition; he was previously awarded the coveted title of grandmaster in 2013, aged 17. Yuri Eliseev, pictured, first started playing chess at school. He became world junior champion (under 16s) in 2012.Read MoreLocal authorities have confirmed the death of a 20-year-old male who fell from an apartment building near the Pyatnitsky highway in Moscow. The Russian investigative committee's office said in a statement that the man died from his injuries at the scene. They added that they are working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the death, but that several of his friends were present in the apartment and witnessed the tragic incident. The Russian Chess Federation has expressed "its sincere and deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Yuri Eliseev."
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Story highlightsAndy Murray pulls out of Toronto Masters 1000 tournament 2012 Olympic singles champion has a knee injury Murray was due to play Canada's Milos Raonic in last 16Rafael Nadal out of Cincinnati Masters with knee problemOlympic gold medalist Andy Murray was forced to pull out of the Toronto Masters Thursday with a knee injury.Murray flew into Canada after his gold medal triumph at Wimbledon Sunday over Roger Federer and duly swept aside Italian Flavio Cipolla in his first match.But he withdrew before his last 16 clash with home hope Milos Raonic."It's unfortunate. I think it would have been a fun match," Murray told the official ATP website. "I hope he has a good tournament. Be great for him to go deep in this tournament here for the first time."Britain's Murray had received treatment on court during his Wednesday win over Cipolla and decided not to risk it ahead of the final grand slam of the season at the U.S. Open later this month."It was a bit sore yesterday, then I had some treatment after the match. It felt a bit better, and then came in today, I saw the physios, they did some work on it, and it's still a bit sore."Canada's Raonic spoke with Murray and wished him to "get healthy quick" before adding: "It's my first quarterfinal in a Masters and to be at home is pretty special. I guess there is a give and take with it."Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the top seed, was facing American Sam Querrey for a place in the quarterfinals later Thursday.Meanwhile, Spain's Rafael Nadal has also withdrawn from next week's Cincinnati Masters event due to due to the left knee soreness that has sidelined him since Wimbledon and forced him to miss the Olympic tennis event.
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(CNN)Las Vegas police investigating a rape allegation against Cristiano Ronaldo have sent a warrant to authorities in Italy requesting a sample of the Portuguese football superstar's DNA, a police spokeswoman said Thursday."The LVMPD is taking the same steps in this case as in any other sexual assault to facilitate the collection of DNA evidence," Officer Laura Meltzer said. "We can confirm that an official request has been submitted to Italian authorities."The Wall Street Journal reported police sent the warrant to a court in Italy, where Ronaldo plays for famed club Juventus. The Journal reported investigators want to see whether Ronaldo's DNA matches DNA found on Kathryn Mayorga's dress. Mayorga has said in a lawsuit that Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 while she repeatedly screamed no. After Mayorga filed suit, police reopened a criminal investigation into the case, which includes results of a medical exam. Read More"Mr. Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make this very standard request as part of their investigation," Ronaldo's attorney Peter S. Christiansen said Thursday. CNN could not reach Mayorga's representatives on Thursday.Follow @cnnsport Mayorga went to police eight years agoLas Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Aden Ocampo-Gomez said in October that in 2009 Mayorga made a complaint but did not provide an assailant's name or the location of the alleged assault.She wanted only to report a sexual assault and submit to a medical exam, he said.Investigators did not follow up with Mayorga and the case was closed shortly thereafter, he said. But the evidence, including images and other information from the exam, is still with police. The case was reopened at the request of Mayorga or someone representing her, Ocampo-Gomez said in October.Las Vegas police did not comment on Thursday.Mayorga's lawsuit accuses Ronaldo, 33, and his camp of taking advantage of her fragile emotional state to coerce her into signing a settlement and nondisclosure agreement in 2009. She claims she received $375,000 in exchange for her silence. Her lawsuit seeks to void the settlement and agreement. Visit cnn.com/football for more news and videosIn October, Ronaldo said he was not a rapist."I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me," Ronaldo wrote on Twitter. "Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. "Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense."My clear conscience will thereby allow me to await with tranquility the results of any and all investigations."CNN's Keith Allen, Monique Smith, Sean Coppack, Eliott C. McLaughlin, Emanuella Grinberg and Shawn Nottingham contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Des Linden knows how to celebrate -- whether that's slurping champagne out of a running shoe or sipping a glass of well-aged bourbon. Those were two of her tipples of choice as she toasted becoming the first woman to run 50 kilometers in under three hours on April 13, her time of 2:59:54 on a course near Eugene, Oregon, besting the previous record by almost seven-and-a-half minutes.Legs hurt more than my head this morning. Nailed the race - showed maturity at the after party. This is growth.— des_linden (@des_linden) April 14, 2021 "The best thing that's ever happened with talking about bourbon publicly is there's a ton of bourbon fans out there and they all want to share it with you," Linden, a self-professed connoisseur of the spirit, tells CNN Sport. "I did get gifted a ton of bourbon and whiskey and we had this really nice one that was aged like 66 months or something -- it was beautiful."The celebrations were well-earned. A seasoned marathon runner who had never previously raced beyond 26.2 miles, Linden clocked an average pace of five minutes, 47 seconds per mile over 31 miles to dip under the three-hour mark and take the record from Britain's Alyson Dixon.Read MoreLinden crosses the finish line at last month's event. READ: Meet the 'Iron Cowboy' pushing the limits of human enduranceRacing beyond the marathonThe 37-year-old Linden decided to take on the 50km record to fill a hole in her racing calendar that would usually have been occupied by a spring marathon. Last October, she completed a unique feat -- dubbed "Destober" -- that involved running a distance corresponding to each day of the month: one mile on the first day, two on the second, before eventually finishing with a 31-mile run on October 31. That proved a catalyst for attempting the 50km in April, the build-up to which involved running between 110 and 115 miles each week with grueling speed sessions incorporated into her long runs of 20, 22, 24 and 26 miles. The training was designed to prepare Linden for racing beyond the distance of a marathon."I was going through 25, 26 miles and you start feeling that marathon fatigue where your feet are kind of sticking to the ground, your energy levels are low and you still have a long way to go," she says, reflecting on last month's event."What was very specifically challenging on this course is that we came through that 26.2-mile mark and then you head away from the start/finish line. "You're getting further away from home to a degree, even though you're actually getting closer; that was a big mental challenge."Linden makes a turn on her way to the 50km record. With no fans lining the route and only a pacemaker for company, it proved to be a new racing experience for Linden. Sticking to the target pace on the out-and-back course, which wound along a deserted bike path near Dorena Lake, required a focused mindset. "It was these long stretches of absolutely beautiful scenery," says Linden. "There are horses on the side of the road galloping along at the same pace as us and it's beautiful, but you could easily just fall asleep ... because there was no real energy around it. "Physically, I just felt super locked in and very well prepared ... the main challenge was that last five, six miles where it was like, 'I've never been here before and I got to keep my head on to make sure I get the record and the sub three.'" READ: At 37, marathon runner Sara Hall is enjoying her sport more than ever'Shooting big' in BostonWith the 50km distance not recognized by World Athletics, Linden's time doesn't count as an official world record -- instead described as a "world best" by the sport's governing body. But as far as she's concerned, it all means the same. "It's just words, right?" says Linden. "When you simplify it to the general public, no one in the world has done this before, and that's still pretty special. "If we can make the event more popular and more people start to do it, maybe World Athletics will rethink their stance on it."Having competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Linden narrowly missed out on a spot in the US marathon team for Tokyo, finishing fourth at last year's trials in Atlanta where the top three qualified.An alternate for this year's Olympics if a member of the team has to withdraw, Linden is also setting her sights on the Boston Marathon in October. In 2018, she battled through wind, rain and biting cold to become the first American woman to win Boston since 1985 -- a performance she's hoping to repeat later this year. Linden celebrates after crossing the finish line at the 2018 Boston Marathon."Win Boston is always the goal when I sign up and it'll be interesting to see how the fields come together and what it feels like in the fall," she says, with the race moved from its usual April date amid the pandemic. "I'm excited to be able to train at home in Charlevoix, Michigan, because I think that area is just perfect for preparing for a Boston-type course. I'm definitely shooting for a big one in October." And when it comes to ultra-running -- defined as any race further than a marathon -- the 50km record might just have been the start for Linden. "It is intriguing getting into that unknown and going like, 'I've never been here before,'" she says. "It was all so foreign and fresh and new, and I think it made me excited about the further and the longer distances ... it's all about challenging myself and testing those unknowns. "There's obviously a ton of distance left to go there. I think I could see myself going a little bit longer and flirting with that stuff for a while."
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Odessa, Ukraine (CNN)Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has told CNN there will be a "really bloody massacre" if Russia decides to invade Ukraine, and warned that "Russian guys also will come back in the coffins," amid heightened alarm about troop movements on the nations' border.Reznikov urged US President Joe Biden -- who was set to speak with Vladimir Putin of Russia in a video conference call on Tuesday -- to stand firm against Moscow. "If I can advise President Biden, I would like him to articulate to Mr. Putin that no red lines from the Kremlin side should be here. The red line is here in Ukraine and the civilized world will react without hesitation," Reznikov told CNN in an exclusive interview Monday."The idea of not provoking Russia will not work," he added.US and Western officials have expressed concern over the buildup of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying last week that the US "must prepare for all contingencies."Read MoreRussia has capabilities in place along the Ukraine border to carry out a swift and immediate invasion, including erecting supply lines such as medical units and fuel that could sustain a drawn-out conflict, should Moscow choose to invade, two sources familiar with American intelligence assessments told CNN last week.Tensions are rising on Ukraine's border with Russia. Here's what you need to knowReznikov told CNN that Ukraine assesses that Russia currently has 95,000 troops within striking distance of Ukraine. He also added that, due to the strength of battle-hardened Ukrainian forces, current US estimates that Russia could assemble 175,000 troops to invade Ukraine were an underestimate."So, we have 250,000 official ... members of our army. Plus, I said 400,000 veterans and 200,000 reservists. 175,000 (is) not enough to go to Ukraine," said Reznikov.Reznikov stressed that a Russian invasion -- if it happens -- would have "disastrous" consequences for the whole of European continent, with an estimated 4 to 5 million Ukrainians possibly needing to seek refuge in Europe. Reznikov also underlined that Ukraine is a major food supplier to Europe and Africa, supplies which he said would be disrupted. The minister said that the Ukrainian army has sent a request for further military equipment aid from its allies, including material support and training for its air force and navy. "We don't need troops, because I think it's not so fair that American soldiers will die in Ukraine. No, we don't need it," added Reznikov. Ukraine has warned for weeks that Russia is trying to destabilize the country ahead of any planned military invasion, with NATO pointing out that Russian movements near the border have been unusual. Western powers have repeatedly urged Russia against further aggressive moves against Ukraine.The Kremlin denies it is planning to attack and argues that NATO support for Ukraine -- including increased weapons supplies and military training -- constitutes a growing threat on Russia's western flank.On the Kremlin's motives, Reznikov told CNN he believed the Russia's saber-rattling was aimed at spreading fear and unrest in Ukraine, and at preventing Ukraine from moving closer toward NATO and EU membership.The Kremlin is demanding a legal commitment that NATO will not be expanded eastwards to include Ukraine and that NATO military infrastructure, like missile systems, will not be built up in the country. "If we share or spread panic in our country and inside of our society, it will be the gift to the Kremlin, because they trying to do that. Because this gathering of their troops alongside of our border, it's a main goal of them to make destabilization process inside of our country, to stop us in our way. But we go into the NATO ally, we're going to EU," he said.
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(CNN)French President Emmanuel Macron has laid out a sweeping plan to relaunch the European Union, calling for greater harmonization in key policy areas and raising the prospect that the UK could rejoin a reformed bloc.In a marathon, 90-minute speech at the Sorbonne in Paris, Macron sought to present a new vision for the EU as it reels under the rise of far-right nationalism, mass migration and Brexit.Macron called for a joint military "rapid response force," a common defense budget, a single asylum system and an EU border force. He said the single-currency eurozone should have its own budget and finance minister."The Europe we know is too weak, too slow, too inefficient, but only Europe gives us the capacity to act on the world stage in the face of the big, contemporary challenges," he said.We can say goodbye to a stable GermanyMacron campaigned for the French presidency on a forcefully pro-European platform. But his vision has been complicated by the German election results and the bloody nose they inflicted on Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose cooperation will be vital to achieving his aims.Read MoreMerkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union party and its sister grouping, the Christian Social Union, obtained just 33% of the vote and will need to forge a deal with other parties to govern. The CDU was already resistant to handing more budgetary powers to Brussels. One of her likely coalition partners, the pro-business FDP, is even more hostile to the idea.In his speech, Macron called for a single EU corporate tax band by 2020, saying members who refused to implement it should have their aid from Brussels cut.Macron urged reform of the controversial Common Agricultural Policy farm subsidy system, including tougher measures to fight fraud within it. Traditionally, France has been the biggest beneficiary and staunch defender of the CAP. French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on the European Union at the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University on September 26, 2017 in Paris.He also suggested an increase in development aid for Africa, which he said should no longer be treated as a problem "but as a partner."He proposed to finance this by extending the UK's system of taxing property transactions, known as stamp duty. to across the EU and increasing taxes on carbon fuels as a means of transforming the economic model to a more environmentally friendly system. "The only path that assures our future is the rebuilding of a Europe that is sovereign, united and democratic," Macron said. The French President's speech echoed one given 25 years ago by former EU Commission President and architect of the single market Jacques Delors.It was lauded by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who said the EU needed "courage" to move forward."A very European speech by my friend Emmanuel Macron. Europe needs courage. Thank you for your support for the work of the EU institutions," Juncker, the head of the EU's executive arm, said on Twitter.Marcon suggested the UK might want to rejoin the EU after his grand plan had been pushed through: "In a few years, if they want, the United Kingdom could find its place... In this reformed and simplified EU that I'm proposing, I can't imagine that the United Kingdom could not find its place."
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Story highlights TV and radio suspend entertainment programming to mourn victims of landslidesThe site in Badakhshan province has been declared a mass graveAuthorities are now scrambling to help 4,000 survivors and evacueesMore rain in the forecast creates fear there may be another landslideSunday is a day of mourning in Afghanistan for the victims of two landslides that turned a village into a mass grave last week.TV and radio stations suspended the broadcast of entertainment programming to commemorate Friday's tragedy.The first landslide, triggered by heavy rain, swallowed 300 to 400 homes in the Argo district of Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, where an estimated 2,700 people lived, authorities said.When as many as 600 people from a nearby village came to help dig people out, another landslide swept through, burying most, if not all, of the rescuers, according to provincial governor Shah Waliullah Adeeb.The governor's office said at least 2,000 people died in all.Efforts are now focused on about 4,000 survivors and evacuees. United Nations humanitarian groups are rounding up food, water and medical supplies. A NATO team is sending a C-130 transport plane from Kabul airport with supplies, including tents and blankets, officials say. Afghans are also donating to charities to help the victims. Hamim Jalalzai, an Afghan journalist, said on Facebook that he was part of a group of people who went from shop to shop in Kabul, taking up donations.Meteorologists warn that potential rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday could further hamper rescue efforts and trigger another landslide.
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(CNN)Here's a look at the life of Keith Richards, musician and founding member of the Rolling Stones. PersonalBirth date: December 18, 1943Birth place: Dartford, Kent, United KingdomBirth name: Keith RichardsRead MoreFather: Bert Richards, factory workerMother: Doris (Dupress) RichardsMarriage: Patti Hansen (1983-present)Children: with Patti Hansen: Theodora and Alexandra; with Anita Pallenberg: Marlon, Dandelion, and Tara (son, died as an infant)Education: Attended Sidcup Art SchoolOther FactsRichards and band mate Mick Jagger first met as children.Has been nominated, with the Rolling Stones, for 12 Grammy Awards and has won three.Has made cameos in both "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."Timeline1960 - Rekindles friendship with Jagger after running into him at a train station.1962 - Forms the Rolling Stones with Jagger and Brian Jones.July 12, 1962 - The Rolling Stones play their first gig together at the Marquee Club in London.1963 - The Rolling Stones sign to Decca Records and release their first single. 1964 - The Rolling Stones release their first album. 1965 - The single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" is released and earns the band their first gold record.1967 - Richards is arrested, with Jagger, for drug possession. Jagger is sentenced to three months in prison and Richards to one year. Later, the sentences are overturned on appeal. July 5, 1969 - The Rolling Stones give a free concert in London's Hyde Park. Jagger reads poetry and releases 3,500 butterflies in honor of former band mate Brian Jones, who was found dead on July 3.December 6, 1969 - A fan is fatally stabbed during a free concert at Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California. The documentary, "Gimme Shelter," is released in 1970 about the concert and the tragedy.February 27, 1977 - Richards is arrested in Canada for heroin possession. Later, he is placed on probation and ordered to perform a benefit concert for a Toronto charity. 1988 - Releases solo album "Talk is Cheap."1989 - The Rolling Stones are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.1992 - Releases his second solo album "Main Offender."1994 - The Rolling Stones win two Grammy Awards - Best Rock Album for "Voodoo Lounge" and Best Music Video, Short Form, for "Love is Strong."2010 - Richards' memoir "Life" is published.October 16, 2012 - The band's book, "The Rolling Stones: 50," is published.October 18, 2012 - "Crossfire Hurricane," a documentary on the band, opens at the London Film Festival.November 12, 2012 - The Rolling Stones release their greatest hits compilation "GRRR!"May 3, 2013 - The Rolling Stones kick off their "50 and Counting" tour at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.September 9, 2014 - "Gus and Me," an illustrated children's book by Richards and his daughter Theodora, is published. The story is about Richards' first guitar and his relationship with his late jazz musician grandfather. September 18, 2015 - Richards releases his first solo album in 23 years, "Crosseyed Heart." Also, Netflix releases the documentary film, "Keith Richards: Under the Influence," to coincide with the album's release.March 25, 2016 - The Rolling Stones become the first major international rock band to play in Cuba, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to a free concert in Havana.December 2, 2016 - The Rolling Stones release "Blue & Lonesome," their first studio album in more than a decade.January 28, 2018 - The Rolling Stones win the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for "Blue & Lonesome."November 13, 2020 - A live recording of the December 1988 show Richards played with his band The X-Pensive Winos, "Live at the Hollywood Palladium," is reissued as a box set.September 26, 2021 - Richards, Jagger and Ronnie Wood honor their bandmate of nearly six decades, Charlie Watts, as they kick off their pandemic-delayed "No Filter" tour at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The show opens to an empty stage with just a drum beat, as pictures and videos of Watts are projected on four huge screens. The concert marks the band's first concert without the late drummer, who died in August at age 80.
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Story highlightsVolvo Ocean Race described as the 'Everest of Sailing'Seven teams battle on the high seas for nine monthsFollow us at @CNNSport and like us on Facebook (CNN)They're some of the toughest athletes on the planet, saying goodbye to loved ones for almost a year, as they traverse the globe's oceans. Hardened Volvo Ocean Race sailors must sleep in four-hour shifts, and survive on little more than freeze dried food and chocolate bars, if they hope to win the event.The prestigious competition kicked off from Alicante, Spain, in October last year, and will finish nine months later in Gothenberg, Sweden.Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker, spoke about the journey so far. This is the 45-year-old Briton's third Volvo Ocean Race.Ian Walker, Volvo Ocean Race skipper.Why does the Volvo Ocean Race have such a fearsome reputation? Read More"As the leading offshore race -- and the one that is most vulnerable to nature and synonymous with danger -- it could be described as the 'Everest of sailing.'"What sort of preparation is involved? "We trained for six months, covering 16,000 sea miles. As a team, we usually do three weeks on the boat, one week off. When not offshore, we train six-days-a-week in the gym."Describe a typical day on board -- how much sleep do you get?"Everybody has four hours on deck, followed by four hours off when you eat and sleep. On the off-watch, you still have to get on deck and help for any sail changes, so it is quite disturbed."And what do you eat?"Mainly freeze dried food with some savory and sweet treats like beef jerky, dried fruits, one chocolate bar per day, and nuts."Sailors Luke "Parko" Parkinson and Alex Higby raid the spare food bags during leg 4, between China and New Zealand. What are you actually doing?"I'm the skipper, so overall in charge of safety and performance. I'm involved with all strategic decisions with my navigator, Simon Fisher, and I run one of the watches when on deck. Onshore, I'm also busy with media duties and management of our 15 shore team members."How do you keep emotionally strong during nine months at sea? "It can be an emotional roller coaster and it can be tough not to take things personally if they don't go well. At sea, emotions can range from frustration, boredom, elation, being scared, loneliness... it is important to try to keep a level head at all times -- especially if you are the skipper!"What is your relationship with the ocean? "I have great respect for the ocean. It will always win in the end so you must respect it. I am also saddened by all the man-made debris we see in the ocean as we sail round the world."Sailor Seb Marsset looks across the ocean. Over the equator and into the Southern Hemisphere, the weather turns tropical, with rainclouds driving much of the day's movement south towards Vanuatu.What type of person undertakes the Volvo Ocean Race? "A professional sailor with a fierce determination to win. Someone who is prepared to put the needs of the team above his own, and who is prepared to commit over 12 months of his life to being away from normal life."Photo Gallery: On board the 'Everest of Sailing'Insight: Can all-women team conquer sailing's 'toughest' race?Watch: Who are the people who sail across the globe?
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(CNN)A week before high-stakes midterm elections, President Trump and his allies are zeroing in on immigration in what critics describe as a series of stunts aimed at rallying his base.Recent moves to send more troops to the US-Mexico border, possibly overhaul asylum policy and rethink birthright citizenship are political ploys with dangerous implications, immigrant and civil rights advocates warned Tuesday.No, you're not crazy. There are way more campaign ads about immigration this yearIn a call with reporters, they argued that:• The President cannot rewrite the Constitution unilaterally and end birthright citizenship.• Sending troops to the border to respond to families fleeing violence is a waste of money.Read More• Shutting down the border to asylum-seekers would be illegal."It's obvious to all of us these moves are not really about immigration policy," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the immigration advocacy group America's Voice. "It's really about the midterm elections and the desire of the President and his team to change the channel, grab the news cycle by the throat and talk about immigration rather than the domestic terrorism that we've seen in the last week."Here's a more detailed look at what Sharry and other advocates said:On birthright citizenshipTrump's claim that he can end birthright citizenship with an executive order, Sharry said, is "something that no legal scholar of any seriousness thinks is possible."Trump thinks whatever he says is lawVanita Gupta, who headed the Justice Department's civil rights division during the Obama administration, said the President's plan -- reported Tuesday by Axios -- is offensive, deeply troubling, racist and unconstitutional. "It is a moral outrage and dangerous," said Gupta, now president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "His very actions are a betrayal of our nation's highest ideals of justice, inclusion and fairness."This is a pure political stunt that is both racist and unconstitutional," she said. "With Election Day one week from today, Trump is still scapegoating and blaming immigrants to activate his political base."Kerri Talbot, director of federal advocacy for The Immigration Hub, said the President "cannot overturn the Constitution by executive fiat." She described his claim as a "political ploy" and "one more dog whistle taking us back to the darkest days of our history."On sending more troops to the borderThe administration's announcement that it's sending more than 5,000 active duty troops to the border to respond to large groups of migrants trekking through Mexico also drew sharp criticism from advocates."These families are not a threat," Talbot said. "They are seeking our protection and help."The US is preparing to send 5,000 troops to the border. Here's what they can and can't do.It's not fair to troops, said Bishop Garrison, the interim executive director of the Truman National Security Project, a left-leaning organization focused on national security and veterans issues."This is going to be very costly and just flat-out wrong. ... To continue to use American troops as political pawns in this way is wrong and is disrespectful to their service," Garrison said.He argued it doesn't make sense to send the military to handle this humanitarian crisis."This is not a national security issue. ... We're seeing women, children and the elderly within this caravan fighting for their lives. We don't need more military there," he said. "We don't need to make a sensitive issue and situation all the more dramatic."On asylum and other policiesRegarding the administration's consideration of a plan to limit most -- if not all -- of the Central American migrants traveling in large groups through Mexico from crossing the US border, advocates said they were still waiting for details. But they weighed in on several possibilities that have been floated in recent days.Trump administration considering limiting asylum seekers at southern border, could raise standard to claim asylumShutting down the border to asylum-seekers would go against US law, Sharry said.Talbot noted that the government is weighing a proposal that would result in separating immigrant families again, as CNN has reported."The Trump administration is doubling down on its own disgraceful family separation policy," Talbot said. "Instead of stopping this abuse, the White House is trying to give family separation a makeover, hoping no one will notice."
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(CNN)While a civil case from a woman alleging she was raped by soccer mega star Cristiano Ronaldo was voluntarily dismissed in Nevada state court last month, it remains open in US federal court, an attorney for the accuser told CNN on Wednesday.Multiple media outlets previously reported that Kathryn Mayorga's lawsuit was "quietly dropped." However that's not the case, attorney Larissa Drohobyczer said to CNN."The state case was dismissed by us because we filed the identical claims in federal court due to federal court's rules on serving foreigners," Drohobyczer said. "We basically just switched venues, but the claims remain."The case, originally filed in October in the Eighth District Civil Court in Las Vegas by Mayorga, alleges that Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel penthouse suite in 2009. An identical case, which was filed in US District Court for the District of Nevada in January, remains open and active.CNN has reached out multiple times to attorneys for Ronaldo, who plays for Juventus, and has not heard back.Read MoreThe Christiansen Law firm, who is handling the case, has released statements previously, saying in October: "Mr. Ronaldo vehemently denies all of the allegations in the Complaint and has consistently maintained that denial for the last nine years."The criminal investigation into the rape accusation remains open, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told CNN on Wednesday.The 34-year-old Ronaldo is currently featuring for Portugal's international team in UEFA's Nations League tournament and scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Switzerland on Wednesday.READ: Joao Felix: The Benfica teen who is a 'star already'Portugal will play England or Holland in Sunday's final.
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(CNN)Police investigating the stabbings of three people at a railway station in Manchester, in northern England, on New Year's Eve have arrested a 25-year-old man.The suspect, who is being detained under the Mental Health Act, is now in a secure medical facility, Greater Manchester Police said. Police are confident the man acted alone in "the final stages of the attack," they said.But police didn't rule out the involvement of others at an earlier stage. "The investigation will continue and will examine if anybody may have encouraged or assisted the man to commit the attack," they said in a statement posted Wednesday on Twitter. A male police officer was stabbed in the shoulder, and another man and a woman were taken to a hospital with serious knife injuries after the "horrific" attack just before 9 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) Monday at the Manchester Victoria railway station, police said in an earlier statement."We experienced a horrific attack on people out to simply enjoy the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manchester," Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in a statement. Read MoreCounterterrorism officers were leading the investigation into the attack, which happened close to the scene of the Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people in May 2017, he said.Police officers on Monday "acted with incredible bravery in tackling the armed attacker at the busy Metrolink station and ensured he was immediately detained," Hopkins said.BBC producer Sam Clack was on the platform when the attack unfolded. Clack told the British broadcaster he heard a "blood-curdling scream" and observed what "looked like a fight going on ... sort of scuffle." Clack heard the man distinctly shout, "Allah," he said, but he didn't hear the rest of the sentence."The police were on the platform very quickly," he said. Police used pepper spray and a stun gun to get the man to the ground, Clack said. "He was very much resisting arrest."Shortly after the incident, Clack said on Twitter that he had "just been very close to the most terrifying thing. Man stabbed in Manchester Victoria station on tram platform. Feet from me, I was close to jumping on the tracks as attacker had long kitchen knife. Totally shaken. This is seriously messed up."Just been very close to the most terrifying thing. Man stabbed in Manchester Victoria station on tram platform. Feet from me, I was close to jumping on the tracks as attacker had long kitchen knife. Totally shaken. This is seriously messed up. pic.twitter.com/CnUw7j2TOT— ᔕᗩᗰ ᑕᒪᗩᑕK (@Clack_Sam) December 31, 2018 The two other victims, both in their 50s, suffered injuries to their abdomens, and the woman suffered additional injures to her face, police said, though their wounds are not considered life-threatening.Police will consult with medical professionals to assess whether criminal charges can be brought against the suspect, Greater Manchester Police said Wednesday.New Year's Eve fireworks at Albert Square went on as planned despite the incident, according to the Manchester City Council.CNN's Samantha Beech and Susanna Capelouto in Atlanta, Nada Bashir and Sheena McKenzie in London and Helen Regan in Hong Kong contributed to this story.
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(CNN)One morning in 1998, US District Court Judge Walter Smith called a deputy clerk into his chambers in the Waco, Texas, courthouse and closed the door behind her. "He basically came over to me and put his arms around me and kissed me, and I just froze. I couldn't move," the woman said in a deposition. "And he said, 'Let me make love to you.' And I just freaked out. ... And then he pulled me to him again, and he kissed me again and stuck his tongue down my throat, and he pressed himself against me. ... And then he started to try touch my breasts, and I kind of pushed away and said ... 'I need to go.'" The next day, Smith sent her a dozen yellow roses.In recent months, powerful men in Hollywood, the media, Congress and other spheres have been accused of sexual harassment. A common theme has been men abusing their positions in settings where women feel they have no recourse.The abuse women have suffered in the nation's courthouses has been a largely untold story. And its system for complaints -- where judges police fellow judges -- is a world so closely controlled and cloaked in secrecy that it defies public scrutiny.Read MoreRarely do sexual misconduct allegations against federal judges become public, even belatedly, as in the Waco episode or as they did in late 2017, with myriad complaints against California-based US Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski that drew national attention in the current #MeToo moment, forcing his resignation.Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 'For so long, women were silent'The federal judiciary occupies a distinct place in American life that makes what happens there potentially more striking than in other spheres. The nearly 900 federal judges who sit on trial and appellate courts are appointed for life. They have the authority to interpret the law on sex-based offenses. Their attitudes about harassment could reverberate in legal disputes that arise in other realms.But the judiciary itself is hiding the depth of the problem of misconduct by judges.CNN compiled and reviewed nearly 5,000 judicial orders related to misconduct complaints and available online over the past 10 years. The documents, covering an array of misbehavior beyond sexual misconduct, are remarkably short on details.The CNN analysis found that:Very few cases against judges are deeply investigated, and very few judges are disciplined in any way. In many years, not a single judge is sanctioned.None of the actual complaints (more than 1,000 are filed annually) are made public. In the public judicial orders, claims are sparingly summarized, and accused judges' names rarely appear. Some orders refer to "corrective action" by a judge without saying what happened.Judicial orders are dumped onto circuit court websites as a series of numbered files with no indication of the allegations, person complaining or outcome. The practice makes it even more difficult to identify the most serious misconduct cases hidden among the opaque lists of documents because each order must be opened and individually read to gain even minimal information about the nature of the complaint.In the 12-month period that ended September 30, 2016, there were 1,303 complaints filed. Of those, only four were referred to a special committee for the most serious level of investigation, according to the Administrative Office of the US Courts. In 2015, of the 1,214 complaints, four went to a special committee. Going back to 2006, fewer than 10 cases annually were deeply investigated and even fewer resulted in disciplinary action. In six of the past 11 years, not a single judge was reprimanded, suspended or otherwise sanctioned for misconduct.In some cases, judges simply retire -- and receive their full pension.And then he pulled me to him again, and he kissed me again and stuck his tongue down my throat, and he pressed himself against me.Woman in deposition describing assault by Judge Walter SmithAfter Smith cornered the clerk in Waco, she told supervisors and word eventually made it to a regional boss who was, in the woman's telling, upset about the incident and wanted to stop her from outright quitting. That supervisor reached out to District Court Chief Judge Harry Lee Hudspeth. According to the woman, Hudspeth called her and said, "What do you want me to do about it? What exactly do you want me to do about this?" Hudspeth told CNN he did not believe his reaction had been so "harsh" but would have told the woman he had no responsibility in the matter. Smith declined to comment. The woman left her job soon after the incident. US District Judge Walter Smith outside the federal courthouse in 1994 in San Antonio.Sixteen years later, the case resurfaced when a lawyer who clashed with Smith in a separate matter unrelated to sexual misconduct was tipped off by a court employee about the 1998 episode. After he filed a complaint against Smith, a judicial council investigated the woman's story. It verified the harassment, ordered "sensitivity training" and temporarily blocked new cases from being assigned to Smith. The lawyer was not satisfied with either the scope of the investigation or the penalty, so he appealed and a second investigation was launched. Smith retired before it finished and eluded further discipline. Overall, the data compiled by CNN and separately collected from court officials could suggest that if people have valid complaints about judges, they are not using the system or not getting through it. "It's very difficult for someone from outside to know what's happening, and it's not always easy for insiders to know what was happening," US Court of Appeals Judge Theodore McKee of the Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit told CNN. "The public does have an interest in knowing when there are complaints that are meritorious."After Kozinski's resignation in December from the 9th Circuit, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts announced a new panel to examine the problem in the courts. "Events in recent months have illuminated the depth of the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace," Roberts wrote, "and events in the past few weeks have made clear that the judicial branch is not immune." The head of the Judicial Conference's Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, US Appeals Court Judge Anthony Scirica, declined repeated requests for an interview. James Duff, director of the Administrative Office of the US Courts, also declined.CNN sent a written request to Roberts asking if he would address questions about the overall system for resolving complaints and whether he had been aware of problems before the Kozinski matter became public. Roberts declined the request. 'Worshipful silence'The federal judiciary is an independent branch of government, and judges have long asserted that they can keep their own house in order. Judges have vigorously fought efforts from Congress to install an inspector general to oversee potential judicial wrongdoing, based on the constitutional separation of powers and the view that they can root out wrongdoers on their own. Courthouses are unique ecosystems that can add to the potential for secrecy and unaddressed misconduct. In their insular world, law clerks and staff may be intimidated by a judge or otherwise worried about harming their careers by speaking out. These #MeToo victims and survivors will be at Trump's State of the Union address"The relationships between law clerks and their judges are mostly built on worshipful silence," Dahlia Lithwick, a former 9th Circuit law clerk, wrote in Slate. "There is no other work relationship left in America that is comparable. Which is, as it happens, part of the problem." Lithwick was referring to law clerks who generally serve for one year and tend to be among the highly educated elite of a courthouse. But the buildings are filled with far more employees of lower rank, such as the deputy court clerk in Waco, who might be even less willing to speak up about harassment. A judge can be forcibly removed from office only through impeachment and conviction. But that process, which is controlled by the House and Senate and is the same one used for removing a president, has occurred only three times in the last 30 years, for issues related to bribery and perjury. A committee led by Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer in 2006 noted the potential dangers of a system in which judges are judging judges."A system that relies for investigation solely upon judges themselves risks a kind of undue 'guild favoritism' through inappropriate sympathy with the judge's point of view or de-emphasis of the misconduct problem," the committee wrote. How CNN crunched the data by Aaron Kessler CNN compiled and reviewed nearly 5,000 discipline orders posted on US appeals court websites, from roughly 2006-2017. There are 13 circuit courts of appeals, and the circuits vary on how many years' worth of orders they post and the accessibility of the documents. Some sites include records back only until September 2015, when federal law required the on-line posting. The documents rarely include the name of the judge who was the subject of the complaint or the specifics of the grievance asserted. The vast majority of the orders issued were only one or two pages and comprised of boilerplate procedural language. Of the 4,823 orders reviewed, more than a third of them -- 1,719 -- were only a single page in length. Another 1,552 were only two pages long. So more than two-thirds of all orders arising from misconduct complaints -- 68% -- clocked in at just two pages or less. Of the rest, 26% were between 3-5 pages, and another 6% between 6-9 pages. Less than 1% of the documents examined from the roughly 10 years (39 total) contained orders that were 10 pages or more in length. If there were patterns to detect, for example in judges who were repeat offenders, the system does not make it easy. Many of the documents are posted as non-searchable, scanned documents -- meaning that they cannot be searched for names, keywords or any content at all that a public citizen may seek to find. To try to assess the complaints and look for patterns, CNN used software designed to recognize the text images and converted the documents to searchable versions for analysis. One indicator of a more serious complaint is referral to a "special committee." These investigative committees can interview witnesses, review documents and take other steps to get to the bottom of the facts of a complaint. Of the nearly 5,000 documents examined, less than 1% noted the appointment of a special committee. Because the nature of the potential offense is rarely spelled out, it is impossible for the public to know if allegations of sexual misconduct occur with any frequency. After former law clerks publicly asserted that US Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski had sexually harassed them, CNN searched the orders for any references to "law clerk" and found that most of those instances involved complaints that a judge had let a law clerk handle his or her duties. University of Denver law professor Nancy Leong, who teaches constitutional law and has focused on how sex discrimination claims are handled, also cites the insularity as a problem. She said some judges might balk at taking action against a colleague knowing that they would be hearing cases together in the future. "It's all a little bit too close-knit," she said. "The judiciary is most responsive, and perhaps only responsive, when there's some kind of media attention," Leong said. Administrative officials of the US judiciary minimize the importance of a publicly accessible, easily deciphered disciplinary system. They say the complaints are overwhelmingly frivolous, the product of litigants unhappy with a case decision rather than an individual judge's behavior. Judiciary officials who spoke to CNN only on condition of anonymity say that when a real offense arises, the confidential process encourages judges to resign quietly, or perhaps seek alcoholism treatment or counseling, rather than to escalate the situation. The Breyer committee found that complaints were not handled properly "about 2% to 3%" of the time. But for the 17 cases the committee deemed "high visibility," those receiving public attention, it found that close to 30% were mishandled -- a rate, the committee said, that is "far too high." The main problem detected, in high-visibility and other complaints, was chief judges' failure to conduct "adequate" inquires before dismissing a complaint or to submit "clear factual discrepancies" to investigators to pursue.That two-year study was requested in 2004 by then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who was trying to head off congressional intervention in judicial discipline. Now, more than a decade later, Roberts has established a working group to examine the judiciary's procedures for protecting court employees from misconduct. It is supposed to report back to the chief justice in May. Breyer declined a request for an interview about the state of the disciplinary system since the 2006 report.Sen. Mazie Hirono, concerned about the potential for sexual abuse among judges, has begun asking judicial nominees, who are subject to the Senate confirmation process, whether they ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed verbal or physical harassment. The Hawaii Democrat is also asking whether they faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to such conduct."I was really afraid that this would be swept under the rug," Hirono told CNN, referring to sexual harassment concerns. "It shows that we are serious about asking these questions, particularly for nominees for lifetime appointments."What's public -- and what's notThe complaint process dates to the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980. "A central purpose of the 1980 Act is to provide transparency," Judge Scirica, chairman of the Judicial Conference's conduct committee, wrote in a 2015 law review article, "so every order resolving a complaint must be made public, and reprimands may be made public as well." But making information public and making it meaningful are not the same. Many of the documents are provided to the public as non-searchable, scanned documents -- meaning that they cannot be searched for names, keywords or any content at all that a public citizen may seek to find. It is difficult to detect patterns among judges in various circuits or how they compare to other circuits.It's very difficult for someone from outside to know what's happening, and it's not always easy for insiders to know what was happening.US Court of Appeals Judge Theodore McKee CNN used software designed to recognize the text images and converted the documents to searchable versions for analysis. It is exceedingly rare that judicial officials discipline a judge who was the subject of a complaint, according to the CNN review. Many of the instances that involved reported sexual misconduct had come to light from earlier media reports or another outside party. The federal judiciary's general statistics that are made public reinforce that view of scant remedial action. In its public reports going back to 2006, in fact, no censures, reprimands, suspensions or other "remedial action" occurred in most years (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2006). In the rest, there were no more than three instances of suspension, reprimand or other remedial action in any given year. The judiciary's rules dramatically restrict when the name of the judge can be made public. University of Pittsburgh law professor Arthur Hellman, who has long studied the third branch, said it is difficult to assess whether the judiciary has a sexual harassment problem. "Not from anything that's public," he said. "How can you know what isn't there?"What happens to complaintsThe process begins when a complaint is filed in one of the 13 federal circuit courts. Circuit chief judges dismiss the overwhelming majority out of hand because they target a court ruling, rather than a judge's conduct. Of the rest, the most common complaint is personal bias against a litigant or attorney (320 complaints in 2016). Other major categories cover conflicts of interest (144 complaints in 2016) or racial, religious or ethnic bias (128 complaints in 2016), according to figures provided by the courts' administrative office. The courts do not separate out complaints that relate to a judge's conduct toward an employee. They may be included in a catch-all category for "other misconduct," for which 354 complaints were filed in 2016. If the facts of a complaint are "reasonably in dispute" after an initial inquiry, the chief judge is required to send the complaint to a special committee to investigate. That action is rarely taken. Of the nearly 5,000 complaints filed between the 2006 and 2016 fiscal years, 33 went to a special committee, CNN found. In those situations when a complaint was investigated deeply, a party may appeal to the Judicial Conference Conduct Committee. Since 1993, that committee has issued reports in only 15 cases.CNN found that in several high-profile cases, judges simply resigned while a complaint was pending. The judiciary's published statistics do not specifically tally such situations, although they do note when a complaint was ended because of an "intervening event," which could cover a resignation. "Intervening events" occurred 16 times in 2016. In glare of media spotlightMuch of the known judicial action related to sexual misconduct was taken because of forces outside the established system, such as media coverage or complainants using other law enforcement channels.In Denver, the 10th Circuit judicial council followed local media when it began looking into alleged misconduct involving prostitutes by District Court Judge Edward Nottingham. According to the judicial council's October 2008 order, the council was following up on numerous allegations, including whether Nottingham "spent more than $3,000 at a topless nightclub in one evening [and] that he could not remember how he had spent that money because he had a lot to drink." As an investigation was underway, another misconduct complaint came in from a woman who said she had been a prostitute and that Nottingham had been one of her clients. Events in recent months have illuminated the depth of the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace, and events in the past few weeks have made clear that the judicial branch is not immune.Chief Justice John Roberts, December 31The woman, according to the judicial council report, further alleged that "Nottingham asked her to lie to federal investigators about the nature of their relationship and not disclose that she was a prostitute whom he paid in exchange for sex." As the investigation was being completed, Nottingham resigned. The 10th Circuit judicial council, which repeated the salacious allegations in its report, dismissed the complaint the next day but said his resignation was "in the interest of justice and the judiciary." Nottingham did not respond to multiple CNN requests to his law office for comment.Kozinski was twice brought into the spotlight by the press. The Los Angeles Times in 2008 reported that as he was presiding over an obscenity trial in Los Angeles, Kozinski was maintaining "a publicly accessible website featuring sexually explicit photos and videos." After he publicly apologized and took the server offline, a judicial council admonished Kozinski but concluded that he deserved no further discipline. According to the judges' June 2009 report in the matter, Kozinski "testified that he does not visit and has no interest in pornographic websites" and that he "certainly did not send" sexually explicit files to anyone.9th US Circuit Appeals Court Judge Alex Kozinski looks on during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on March 16, 2017, in Washington.Despite what some former clerks declared was an "open secret" of continuing misbehavior by Kozinski, it was not until a Washington Post story in December 2017 that a new investigation of the Pasadena-based judge was triggered. That story highlighted an account from a woman who said Kozinski asked her to look at pornographic images on his office computer. Several other women subsequently came forward with allegations about misconduct. Kozinski resigned shortly thereafter, saying that he "may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace." Nottingham, Kozinski or any other life-tenured judge who resigns in the middle of a complaint and is of retirement age is entitled to full pension of roughly $200,000 annually (the amount differs for district court and appeals court judges based on their annual salary). Leave the bench, and all investigations stopDisciplinary proceedings are typically halted once the subject of a complaint leaves the bench. That means that the source of potential bad behavior would no longer be hearing cases or overseeing employees. But it also means that the extent of any misconduct -- and whether other people may have been involved -- goes uncovered by the judiciary. Prosecutors may follow up, or civil lawsuits against a judge could be filed. Conversely, without any further action, nothing would prevent the subject of a complaint from moving on to another job in the law. Even when cases are resolved, judges are not always willing to release reports of what they found. In 2013, the judicial council of the 9th Circuit -- headed by then-Chief Judge Kozinski -- pursued the case of Montana US District Court Judge Richard Cebull, who had forwarded a racist joke about President Barack Obama to six acquaintances, according to a story in the Great Falls Tribune and, later, according to US judicial authorities. Chief Judge Richard Cebull makes a speech at the federal courthouse in Billings, Montana, on June 23, 2011.The Cebull email said in part, "A little boy said to his mother, Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white? His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'" The judicial panel found that the email and numerous others discovered constituted misconduct. A later judicial order characterized some emails as concerning "women and/or sexual topics and were disparaging of women." Some jokes related to sexual orientation and religion. As it finished its report, the 9th Circuit council said no new cases should be assigned to Cebull for six months and that he should be trained on judicial ethics and racial awareness. Amid a public uproar that followed the initial reports of the racist email, Cebull sent Obama a letter of apology. He resigned soon after the judicial council had resolved his case but before its report had been made public. Once Cebull resigned, in 2013, the council said disciplinary procedures no longer applied and declined to issue its full report. US Court of Appeals Judge McKee of the 3rd Circuit petitioned the Judicial Conference's Conduct Committee, arguing that the 9th Circuit was concealing the extent of Cebull's misbehavior and that the full report should be made public. The committee agreed, and the report is now online. When outsiders accelerate the processIt has, at times, also taken external legal pressure to fight an outcome seen as too lenient or to jump-start a dormant case. Perhaps one of the most serious examples came in Galveston, Texas, after Judge Samuel Kent repeatedly attacked a woman in his chambers, including trying to force her to perform oral sex. When the woman filed a formal complaint in 2007 after years of abuse, a 5th Circuit judicial council reprimanded Kent, suspended his cases for four months and transferred him to a courthouse in Houston. The council's 2007 public order did not reveal the findings by the special investigative committee.After that woman and another female courthouse employee told federal law enforcement authorities of Kent's sexual attacks, Kent in 2008 was charged with sexual abuse counts and obstruction of justice.Just before the scheduled trial, Kent pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and received three years in prison. A system that relies for investigation solely upon judges themselves risks a kind of undue 'guild favoritism' through inappropriate sympathy with the judge's point of view or de-emphasis of the misconduct problemBreyer Committee report, 2006And how did the case against Judge Smith in Waco begin and end?The disciplinary complaint started with a disgruntled Texas lawyer.More than a decade after the deputy court clerk told supervisors about the encounter with Smith, lawyer Ty Clevenger tried to bring it to light after being fined $25,000 by Smith in a separate case.Clevenger, who said he heard from a courthouse employee about the 1998 incident in Smith's chambers, acknowledged to CNN his grievances with Smith and other judges against whom he has lodged complaints. "I'm not going to claim that I'm unbiased," Clevenger said, adding that many lawyers would not dare challenge a judge for fear of some retaliation. "I had nothing to lose," he said. After receiving Clevenger's complaint in 2014, which included a deposition from the woman involved, a 5th Circuit judicial council confirmed the harassment. CNN Opinion: RBG revolutionized the world for women. We should listen to her"Judge Smith made inappropriate and unwanted physical and non-physical sexual advances toward a court employee," the council wrote in December 2015, adding that, "Judge Smith does not understand the gravity of such inappropriate behavior." Smith had tried to get the complaint dismissed, saying the claim was too old to be fully investigated, and questioned Clevenger's motives in bringing it. Rejecting Smith's defenses, the judicial council suspended him from hearing cases for one year and ordered him to attend "sensitivity training about appropriate professional interaction." Clevenger said he thought Smith deserved stronger punishment and appealed to the Judicial Conference conduct committee.That top committee ordered the case reopened, noting that there were names of people who had allegedly witnessed Smith sexually harassing other women.The second investigation was never fully concluded when Smith retired in September 2016, at age 75. Through his lawyer, Greg White, he declined a CNN request for comment. Clevenger had also filed a complaint against Hudspeth, saying he failed to fulfill his responsibilities by not referring the deputy clerk's complaint to authorities. Hudspeth told CNN he believed it was the woman's responsibility to file a formal complaint. Fifth Circuit judicial officials said in 2016 that they were waiting to pursue that complaint against Hudspeth until after the situation with Smith was resolved. But once Smith resigned, Hudspeth, too, had retired at age 80, so the complaint against him was dismissed.No further inquiry was made. CNN researcher Julie In contributed to this report.
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Story highlightsJustin Thomas wins 99th PGA ChampionshipAmerican, 24, seals first major title"It's a springboard to even better" (CNN)When Justin Thomas shot a historic nine-under 63 in the third round of this year's US Open, he finally looked poised to crack the big time. Heading into the final round at Erin Hills in June, the American was one shot off the lead but would eventually fade to finish in a tie for ninth.At Quail Hollow on Sunday, Thomas made no mistake, conquering the notorious "Green Mile" with a final round of 68 to win the 99th PGA Championship by two shots. READ: Thomas claims first major titleChants of "let's go JT!" rang around the spectators at the 18th green before Thomas' proud father emerged from the crowd to hug his son -- golf's newest major champion.Read More"It was very special," Thomas told CNN Sport, reflecting on their warm embrace. "I'm not too much of an emotional person. I get excited, I get down, but in terms of crying it hasn't really happened to me in the past." "It was the probably as close I'm going to get sharing that with him."Dad and son. ❤️️Dream come true. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/n6en0cwwEK— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 13, 2017 Like father, like sonThomas, who took up the game at the age of two, grew up surrounded by golfing mentors.His father Mike has been head professional at Harmony Landing Golf Club in Kentucky since 1990, and his grandfather, Paul, was club pro at Zanesville Country Club in Ohio -- once playing alongside Arnold Palmer in a PGA Tour Champions event. Thomas remembers attending the 2000 PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club near his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Back then, aged just seven, Thomas watched Tiger Woods secure his fifth major title, and also took home an autograph from Jack Nicklaus. JUST WATCHEDGolf's ultimate bromanceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGolf's ultimate bromance 01:40Seventeen years on, Thomas has now joined golf's elite. "I've just put so many hours of work in. So much of my life I've dedicated to golf, aspiring to win my first major championship. To be able to do so aged 24 is awesome."Winning the final major of 2017 caps a memorable season for Thomas who has now won four titles this year. In January, he also became the youngest-ever player to shoot 59 -- en route to victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Thomas' father always keeps the ball as a memento when his son wins a tournament and, at this rate, he's going to have to get a bigger mantelpiece."Any time he can put a ball on the rack it's great," Thomas said. "They don't come quite as frequent as they did when I was a junior golfer ... so to add the first major is great. "(Winning the PGA) almost deserves its own rack, being the first major. It's such a big win, not only for us and my team, but for my career. I'm just so happy we could all share it together." With more that $7 million prize money banked this season and now ranked sixth in the world, Thomas is hoping his biggest win to date can launch his career into a new orbit in the years ahead."I feel like the sky's the limit," he says. "I can do a lot of great things but none of them will happen if I don't continue to work hard. Visit CNN.com/sport/golf for more news and features"You know, it's in my own hands. I want it badly, I've wanted it badly for a while, and I'm glad to add another stepping stone in my career. Hopefully it's a springboard to even better."
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Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN)A drive through central Kyiv leaves no room for doubt. This is a city preparing for a major Russian attack. Rows of concrete panels arranged in maze-like formations. Anti-tank road blocks. Piles of sandbags. Improvised barriers built of random pieces of metal, wood, old tires or anything that was at hand.And everywhere you look, there are blue and yellow Ukrainian flags.The city is uncannily quiet. Many people have fled in recent days. Those who have stayed are hunkered down in bomb shelters, basements and subway stations. The checkpoints dotted along the city's entry points are manned by ordinary Ukrainians. These are not soldiers. A week ago, many of these men would have been at work, or enjoying time off with their friends and families. Read MoreNow, they are ready to defend their country's capital. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky urges Biden to give 'useful' message in State of the UnionOleksiy Goncharenko was guarding one of the checkpoints in Kyiv on Tuesday, armed with the rifle he picked up last week after answering the call from Ukrainian authorities to prepare to defend the country.It was bitterly cold, and Goncharenko was working in shifts, with other volunteers. When not at the checkpoint, he says he is at the base, helping wherever he can: "Humanitarian help, helping people to get [to places], organizing transport, sharing information." Goncharenko is not — and has never been — a military man. He is a member of Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, "I'm not a professional soldier at all, but I can try and I can do my best and I will do it if Russian forces enter Kyiv," he told CNN. Oleksiy Goncharenko -- a member of Ukraine's parliament -- mans a checkpoint in Kyiv on Tuesday, March 1.Most of the men at the checkpoints are smiling. When a car passes through, they greet its passengers, wave and wish them a safe journey, wherever they are going. A man wearing glasses, a camouflage hat and woolly gloves with six of their 10 fingertips cut off flashes a quick V-sign and waves. The men here are trying to keep morale high, though they know only too well that the enemy they are facing is much better equipped.Russia has amassed a 40-mile-long (64-kilometer) military convoy -- made up of armored vehicles, tanks, towed artillery and other logistical vehicles -- that is approaching the outskirts of Kyiv.Most -- but not all -- of the men in the capital's streets are equipped with rifles. They are stationed alongside the road that connects Kyiv's city center with its suburbs. Soldiers are seen around piles of sand used to blocking a road in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.Armbands fashioned from a piece of yellow tape indicate they are part of the Territorial Defense Forces, a branch of Ukraine's armed forces that is comprised mostly of volunteers. Tens of thousands have joined up in recent days.Some look very, very young, wearing tracksuit bottoms and sneakers. In freezing cold weather, the city's defenders -- along with everyone else in Kyiv -- await whatever is yet to come.
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Story highlightsJosh Palmer, Emma McKeon will not be taking part in Monday's closing ceremony The discipline comes after they failed to return to the Olympic Village after a night out (CNN)A big night out in Copacabana has ended badly for Australian swimmers Josh Palmer and Emma McKeon, costing them the chance to be part of the biggest Rio party of all. Not only did Palmer get mugged, they're also both banned from taking part in the Games' closing ceremony Monday after failing to return to the Olympic Village in good time. The country's chef de mission, Kitty Chiller, said the punishment comes after Palmer, McKeon and a number of other athletes left a nightclub in the early hours of the morning. "McKeon chose to stay the night with swimming friends in the Copa district without informing Team Management," Chiller said in a statement. Palmer "headed to a beach kiosk with a friend and continued drinking."According to the statement, Palmer told officials that once his friend had left, a man approached him and forced him to withdraw $1,000 cash from a nearby ATM.Read MoreHe was later found by two businessmen who reported the swimmer was disoriented and had lost his wallet and phone. They phoned the Australian Consulate, who contacted the head of security for the Australian Olympic Team, Greg Nance.Palmer has chosen not to make a formal complaint to police about the robbery.ALSO READ: Lochte, Brazil police differ on robberyHeightened security "Palmer and McKeon's behavior was unacceptable and they breached disciplinary protocols," said Chiller in the statement. To clarify, I've followed AOC safety protocol in not travelling to village alone. My error was not texting my team manager. #noclosingforme— Emma McKeon (@emma_mckeon) August 18, 2016As well as not taking part in Monday's closing ceremony, Palmer and McKeon are now under curfew and prohibited to leave the Olympic Village between the hours of 8pm and 8am. Swimming team management have also imposed a 2:00am curfew on all team members for the rest of the Games.Mike Tancred, Director for media and communications for the Australian Committee, told CNN Monday that new security measures had been put in place in light of the incident involving US swimmer Ryan Lochte. Australian Olympic team demands security after Rio paralympian mugged.Tancred told CNN at the time that the Australian committee had made Rio's beaches off-limits at night, but not the boulevard at Ipanema and Copacabana. They had also asked the athletes to travel in groups of three or more.  McKeon won four medals in the pool in Rio — gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, bronze in the 200m freestyle, silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay, and another silver in the 4x100m medley relay.Palmer finished fifth in his heat of the 100m breaststroke on day one of the Games.ALSO READ: The myth of sex and athletic performance, finally explained Both athletes have reportedly apologized.
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Dublin (CNN)As she held her 18-month old daughter closely to her chest, Amanda Mellet summed up in words what many in Ireland were feeling Saturday after the nation's referendum on abortion passed by a landslide. "It just means that women -- and the men who love the women of Ireland -- have spoken out and they've said times have to change. And they are going to change now," a tearful Mellet said at the Royal Dublin Society, where the count took place throughout the day. A crisis pregnancy for Mellet in 2011 became an important step in the fight against Ireland's constitutional amendment that bans abortion in almost all circumstances. She was forced to choose between carrying a non-viable pregnancy to term, or travelling abroad for a termination. She chose the latter, and in June 2016, the UN's Human Rights Council ruled that the country's abortion regime subjected her to "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment," and called on the Irish government to reform its laws.Amanda Mellet, with her husband James and daughter Ella at the count in Dublin Saturday. Now, voters in Ireland have had their say.Under a blistering sun in Dublin Castle across town, thousands of people chanted "Yes" as they waited for the final results to be announced. They arrived to celebrate early because an exit poll released by Ireland's national broadcaster RTE signaled that a victory was in store for yes voters -- who had advocated to repeal the amendment -- defying earlier projections that the race would be tight.Yes voters filled Dublin Castle on Saturday. Read MoreScores of other abortion rights activists gathered across Dublin throughout the day. Dr. Ruth Cullen, a spokeswoman for the anti-abortion LoveBoth campaign, conceded defeat Saturday before the count had finished.Clare Comran was at the count, where she watched as all Dublin constituencies were declared overwhelmingly in favor of repealing the amendment, including one area that voted yes at 78.5%. Comran said she had always hoped Ireland would make the "leap forward" and had recently noticed a shift in national attitudes. The Irish people, she said, were "really ready to embrace progress and trust themselves." "It feels really lovely to be trusted and to feel like a whole person in my country. I've never had that in my entire life as an Irish person," she said, adding that she was grateful for the groundwork that women's rights activists had done to arrive at this moment. Ailbhe Smyth, co-director of the pro-repeal umbrella group Together for yes, greets supporters at the count in Dublin on Saturday. Ailbhe Smyth, a veteran campaigner and co-director of Together4Yes, the national pro-repeal group, is one of those women. As she arrived to the count, she was greeted with roars of applause from supporters, who thanked her for her longstanding efforts. Smyth told CNN that the road to get to this day had been a long and hard one, but the result marked a seismic shift for the country. "Irish people are clearly standing up and saying of course the lives of women in Ireland matter. It's a great victory for equality for freedom for dignity for human rights, -- and not only for women," Smyth said. A baby's murder opened a dark chapter in Ireland that still hasn't been closedMark Hickey, a no voter, observed the count with two other anti-abortion campaigners and was not celebrating. "Truth is not established by popular consensus," he said. "We will look back at this moment in history at being a very grey one."Lawmakers are expected to vote on legislation providing for terminations in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy -- and later in cases where there is a risk to the mother's life or the fetus is not expected to survive by the end of the year. Not far from the polling station, a more somber atmosphere was felt at the mural of Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old woman who died in 2012 from a septic miscarriage in Galway after being denied an abortion. A woman leaves flowers at the Savita Halappanavar mural in Dublin on Saturday.John Howard, 28, brought a bouquet of flowers to the site."Her story was one that captured the realities of what the Eighth Amendment meant in a material, tangible way," he said. "It took the life of a woman. Her memory is a bit of an avatar for change — and for the direction that we'd like Ireland to take. Her story encapsulates what we'd like to never see again and hope that whatever changes can be made in her honor."Others left notes. One read: "If I have a daughter, I will name her Savita, after you."'Irish abortions happen; they just don't happen on Irish soil'By late afternoon, thousands of supporters had gathered in Dublin Castle, where a festive atmosphere was unfolding among a crowd of all ages. Author Brendan Lynch, 81, said it was a happy day. Brendan Lynch, 81, was standing between a group of young people drinking sparkling wine and a mother whose children had fallen asleep in their stroller.He said he was happy Ireland had moved on from its past, one where the Church "controlled everything." He acknowledged that he was an outlier in his age group, nodding to RTE polls that demonstrated voters 65 and over were the group with a majority vote for no. "I never thought I would see this day," he said. "I'm absolutely delighted, and I feel sorry for all the women who had to go to England to have abortions. But now those days are over."Voices for Choice sang a mashup of familiar songs with referendum specific lyrics throughout the day in Dublin Castle. Moments later, a chorus exchanged classic rock lyrics for feminist rhymes as a group of women dressed in angel costumes walked by. As the final results trickled in, the skies briefly opened. An Irish mist sprinkled over the crowd, but the mood was not dampened. The Friday turnout was 64.13% -- a record high. The country's Referendum Commission said 1,429,98 (66.4%) voted for the amendment and 723,632 (33.6%) voted against. Emma Gallagher, 22, was crying with joy moments after the referendum passed. "I feel safe now, I feel comfortable," she said. "It felt for a long time women didn't matter...now we know that we matter."Emotions were raw as the official results were announced at Dublin Castle Saturday evening.Next to her was Rene Wogan, a 66-year-old woman who said she didn't vote in the 1983 referendum -- which placed the abortion ban into the constitution -- for fear of speaking out against cultural norms of the time.Wogan said this time was different and held Gallagher's hand in solidarity. "It was all for justice," she told Gallagher. "You're forwarding the flag on for women."Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a press conference that a "quiet revolution" had taken place.In the square, a crowd of some 5,000 supporters roared, "We did it."
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Story highlights"From the NICU to the Moon" envisions prenatal babies in future professionsThe photos are part of a larger campaign to encourage "safe sleeping" at homeAccidental suffocation or strangulation in bed is leading cause of sudden infant deaths "Our NICU babies are poised to make a big impact on the world," one nurse said"What do you want to be when you grow up?"It's both a daunting and a promising question that children field from the time they can comprehend the concept of a future.For newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, that tiny query is even more poignant. A new photo series imagines bright futures in store for the hospital's monitor-strapped preemies. Whimsical doodles are superimposed on pictures of the babies, depicting them in professions such as astronauts, Olympians, ballerinas and chefs."From the NICU to the Moon" is part of the organization's Safe Sleep Campaign, which hopes to connect parents and caregivers with safe sleeping tips in order for their babies' sweet dreams -- amid the steady beep-beep of NICU monitors -- to become a reality.The photographs were taken by an employee of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and designers at Matchstic, a branding agency in Atlanta, handled the imaginative doodles. All of the little dreamers were born between 25 and 37 weeks of gestation, according to Jessica Wright, a nurse educator. "We wanted the photos to help educate parents about the need for babies to sleep alone, on their backs and in a crib," Wright said, adding that babies can be unintentionally harmed by blankets and stuffed animals in the crib, sharing an adult bed or sleeping on his or her stomach.According to the CDC, approximately 4,000 infants between 1 month and 1 year of age die suddenly and unexpectedly each year -- and the leading cause of those deaths is accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed.More than that, the campaign is about looking to the next chapter after the NICU, Wright says, and a safe sleeping environment is a big part of it."We also wanted the photo series to show that our NICU babies are poised to make a big impact on the world," Wright said.
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London (CNN)Under cover of darkness, the activists use bolt croppers to cut through the airport's perimeter fence, squeezing through the gap they've created and running across the open tarmac towards their target: a plane, readying for take-off.In the video provided by the group to CNN, they can be seen dressed in bright pink, unfurling a banner reading "No one is illegal," before securing themselves to one another using pipes and expandable building foam beneath the government-chartered aircraft at Stansted Airport, just outside London.Their aim: to prevent the plane and its passengers -- 60 people whose immigration status had been ruled illegal, and who were being deported back to Nigeria and Ghana -- from leaving British soil.The Stansted 15 activists were found guilty of endangering safety at an aerodrome.It worked, but the protesters, aged 27 to 44, say they had no idea of the trouble they were getting themselves into. Now known as the Stansted 15, they were convicted under charges related to terrorism, and faced potential life sentences."Adrenaline was pumping, we were feeling very anxious," May MacKeith, one of those on the tarmac on March 28, 2017, told CNN. "Once we cut through the fence, this amazing sense of clarity, direction and calm took over." Read MoreShe remembers thinking that whatever the protesters were going through, "this is nothing in comparison to what people who are being snatched out of their beds in dawn raids."MacKeith pictured in a pink beanie on the tarmac at Stansted Airport.Airport security personnel were seen on the video arriving within minutes, but the activists remained, lying on their backs, for almost 10 hours as police tried to remove and arrest them. Their actions forced the airport to shut down temporarily.Speaking in a video posted on Facebook, one of the protesters explained to viewers: "The cabin crew, the pilots have all gone home for the night, and we've just seen all the coaches which were containing detained people have gone back, so we have successfully shut this flight down."Emma Hughes, another of those who took part in the action, recalls: "At that point, we knew probably that the flight was canceled ... that was a brilliant moment."Following the Stansted 15's demonstration, activists say 11 people who had been due to be deported that day were subsequently allowed stay in the UK and appeal their cases; they added at least two have been granted leave to remain. When asked about their status, the Home Office said it does not comment on individual cases.Detainees' emotional testimonies MacKeith says the Stansted 15 came together after exhausting other options to stop the deportation flights which leave the UK every month. When their requests to members of parliament and lawyers to intervene failed to prevent them, they resolved to take direct action.May MacKeith is part of the Stansted 15 who prevented a deportation charter flight from taking off.On their way to the airport, the activists say they took turns reading aloud the emotional testimonies of those who were due to be on board the plane, which had been collected and published by Detained Voices, an independent human rights group which speaks by phone to people being held in detention centers, pending their removal from the country.The activists said many of those detained fear persecution if they were returned. Their desperate pleas for help had spurred the group on.Harmondsworth Detention Center near London's Heathrow Airport, where those ruled to be "illegal" immigrants are held prior to being returned to their countries of origin.In the year leading up to September 2018, the UK government says more than 25,000 people were held in immigration detention centers after entering or attempting to enter the country illegally, overstaying visas, being charged with a criminal conviction, or being refused asylum.MacKeith, 33, grew up next to one such detention center and spent time as a child visiting those inside. "People I've spoken to who have been in detention say they feel like it's actually worse than prison, because you have no idea how long you're being held for," she says.'Hostile environment' for immigrantsUnder rules introduced by the then Home Secretary (and now Prime Minister) Theresa May, the UK government aims to deter illegal immigration by creating a so-called "hostile environment" -- using ID checks by healthcare providers, landlords and employers to make life so difficult that undocumented immigrants will voluntarily leave, or face being removed by the state. In a statement, a UK Home Office spokesperson told CNN the government deports those "with no legal right to remain in the UK, including foreign national offenders and failed asylum seekers." It added: "We expect people to leave the country voluntarily but, where they do not, the Home Office will seek to enforce their departure." Luke de Noronha, an expert in UK deportation at Birkbeck University of London says the situation isn't as black and white as politicians and bureaucrats would like to believe. "People's lives are much more complicated and their connections to the UK are much richer than the Home Office give them credit for."De Noronha says he has met young men in detention who have lived in the UK since they were children. "On the outside of a detention center they would appear to be a kind of Londoner, or Mancunian ... These are people who have British families, British children, British memories and British accents."The UK Home Office told CNN that while there is no fixed term on immigration detentions "it is a myth that we detain people indefinitely," adding "the law does not allow it."In statistics published on its website for the full 2017 calendar year, two-thirds of those detained were held for fewer than 29 days, while the overwhelming majority (95%) were held for less than six months. A small percentage -- 1,160 people, or 4% -- of those held were detained for a longer period. While de Noronha admits some detainees do have criminal records, he says the UK Government shouldn't use that alone as a cause for deportation. "Should someone selling weed when they're 19 be enough to justify their deportation, even if they moved here aged two?"Secretive charter flightsThe UK does not publish data on its deportation charter flights, but following a Freedom of Information request in 2018, the Home Office said 40 planes left the country in 2017, heading for countries including Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica and Albania. In the same year, more than 4,000 people were issued with deportation notices, but 2,600 returnees were withdrawn from flights following last-minute legal action or for other reasons, the FOI request revealed.Secretive, and from undisclosed locations, de Noronha calls the charter flights "insidious" because no independent witnesses are are present when deportees embark, or on board the planes to observe what goes on.CNN reached out to Titan Airways, the charter airline whose plane the Stansted 15 blocked from taking off but did not receive a response.Following their arrest, the Stansted 15 were initially charged with aggravated trespass, but the case against them was later upgraded, and they were eventually found guilty of endangering safety at an aerodrome, under the 1990 Aviation and Maritime Security Act -- a law brought in after the Lockerbie bombing.It carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment.The Stansted 15 activists were found guilty of endangering safety at an aerodrome.Judith Reed from the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement when the group were convicted that the activists had "placed themselves, the flight crew, airport personnel and police at serious risk of injury or even death due to their actions on the airfield." Amnesty International described the conviction as a "crushing blow for human rights" while the activists' lawyer Raj Chada from Hodge, Jones & Allen told CNN it was an abuse of power and of a charge that should only be used for violent acts of terrorism."Never in a million years did they think they would be classified as terrorists by the state and be put on trial for such a charge," he said, adding that the convictions would affect their future careers, and limit their ability to travel.'The only people in danger were the deportees'Charity worker Hughes gave birth to her son 10 days after the guilty verdict was announced. Prior to the sentencing on Wednesday, she told CNN she feared the prospect of being separated from her baby.The trial "was incredibly stressful and at a time when I wanted to be thinking about upcoming motherhood and my baby, instead I was really having to worry about being separated from my child if I'm sent to jail," Hughes said.Emma Hughes risks being separated from her newborn son, should she receive a jail sentence on Wednesday.She added that the charges against the group "matches nothing that we did that night ... We didn't endanger anyone, the only people in danger were the people due to be deported on that plane."Hughes says she now feels even more connected to those being removed on deportation charter flights. "It really opened my eyes to how the deportation system is separating families and ripping them apart."This week, three of the activists were given suspended jail sentences, while the remaining 12 -- including Hughes -- were handed community orders.But despite the conviction, and having to juggle community service while caring for a newborn, Hughes says she can't regret stopping the plane."We know that there were two victims of trafficking who should have never been on that flight ... These are people who never should have been deported, so I'm still glad we stopped that." The Home Office said it does not comment on individual cases.Defendants and supporters gathered outside Chelmsford Crown Court on the first day of the trial in 2018.MacKeith says she believes the actions of the Stansted 15 have prompted a change in attitudes, with more people arguing against deportations and detention centers -- a fight she feels "deeply privileged" to be part of. "I really hope that leads to some significant and lasting change."
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Story highlights Airline says it will operate full schedule at London airportIT crash on Saturday affected 170 airports worldwideLondon (CNN)British Airways said its IT systems are back up and a full flight schedule is planned Tuesday at London's airports, where thousands of passengers were stranded because of the breakdown.While the carrier toiled to find out exactly what went wrong, it apologized and said it was working to reunite travelers and their bags."We are extremely sorry for the frustration and inconvenience customers experienced over the Bank Holiday weekend and thank them for their patience and understanding," British Airways said in a statement late Monday.The airline earlier said that it does not have "a complete picture" of what caused the catastrophic IT outage that took down its systems in 170 airports across 70 different countries. The impact of the incident, which began on Saturday, continued with a third day of disruption on Monday, a national holiday in the UK. At least 75,000 customers have been affected.Read MoreOn Monday, we will run a full schedule at Gatwick and intend to operate a full long-haul schedule from Heathrow 1/4— British Airways (@British_Airways) May 29, 2017 with a high proportion of our short-haul programme. We apologise again to customers for the frustration and inconvenience 2/4— British Airways (@British_Airways) May 29, 2017 "At this stage we know there was an exceptional power surge that collapsed our IT systems, bringing down all our flight, baggage and customer communication systems," said Alex Cruz, the CEO of British Airways, in a statement. "It appears to have been so strong that it rendered the back-up system ineffective."BA was forced to cancel Saturday flights out of London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports. At Heathrow, short-haul flights continued to be affected Monday, with cancellations affecting flights to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Marseille, Vienna, Amsterdam, Milan and cities across the UK. Customers complained on social media that they were yet to be reunited with their luggage.@HeathrowAirport @British_Airways My luggage is on the airport and to contact @British_Airways is totally impossible! What can I do?— Pía (@Piajaviera) May 29, 2017 @British_Airways When am I going to get my damn suitcase back? You've had it at Heathrow since Sat AM, I'm out of clean clothes now. HELP!!!— Steph Lawton (@StephDLawton) May 29, 2017 Cruz said: "At the moment, we do not have a complete picture of what happened. Our focus has been on putting things right for the customers affected. When that process is complete, we will hold an exhaustive investigation into the causes of this incident -- and do whatever is necessary to ensure it cannot recur."CEO Alex Cruz said sorry to those affected. Cruz said 95% of flights were back to normal by Monday and that two-thirds of customers will have flown to their destinations by the end of the day. Earlier, he told Sky News that there is "no evidence that there was a cyberattack," and no customer data was compromised. Those who choose to change their travel dates can pick any alternative dates within the next six months. BA also promised to honor its obligations under EU compensation rules. British Airways pledged to reunite bags with irked customers -- though it cautioned it may take some time."Although we have already flown many bags to the correct airport, there is still some work to do and we know there are still significant numbers of customers who are yet to receive their luggage," it said.CNN's Sarah Chiplin and Sarah Faidell contributed to this report.
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(CNN)In late February, days before Russian forces launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine, videos and photos began circulating on social media showing tanks, communications trucks and rocket launchers emblazoned with the letter "Z" rolling toward the border.Digital sleuths speculated over what the "Z," written in the Roman alphabet rather than Cyrillic, might indicate about Moscow's next moves.Military experts interpreted the "Z" as "Za pobedy," Russian for "for victory," or as "Zapad," for "West." Some dubbed vehicles painted with the symbol the "Zorro Squad," while others suggested the "Z" might stand for the Kremlin's self-styled "target number one," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. A tank emblazoned with a "Z," pictured in a separatist-held area of DonetskAric Toler, a researcher with Bellingcat, an open source investigative operation that has been monitoring Russian military operations since Moscow fomented a war in eastern Ukraine eight years ago, said on February 20 that the group had no idea what the "Z" symbol meant and had not seen it used before. "So, assume the worst, I guess/fear," he wrote on Twitter.Russian defense policy expert Rob Lee, who has been tracking the "Z" vehicles since troops began massing on Ukraine's doorstep, suggested the symbol might refer to military contingents assigned to the fight in the country. "It appears Russian forces near the border are painting markers, in this case 'Z', on vehicles to identify different task forces or echelons," Lee, a PhD student at King's College London's War Studies Department, tweeted on February 19.Read MoreRussian gymnast Ivan Kuliak criticized for 'shocking behavior' after wearing 'Z' symbol next to Ukrainian athlete But in the days since Moscow ordered the bloody assault on Ukraine, what started as a mysterious military symbol has become a sign of popular support for the war in Russia, and what analysts describe as the unfurling of a chilling new nationalist movement.Russians have daubed the "Z" on their cars, sported black hoodies emblazoned with the symbol, and fashioned makeshift "Z" brooches on lapels -- a sign that there is some popular support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his efforts to expand Moscow's sphere of influence by seizing parts of Ukraine."Authorities launched a propaganda campaign to gain popular support for their invasion of Ukraine and they're getting lots of it," Kamil Galeev, an independent researcher and former fellow at the Wilson Center, a non-partisan policy think tank in Washington, DC, wrote in a comprehensive Twitter thread on the use of the "Z" symbol in propaganda videos and by Russians on social media."This symbol invented just a few days ago became a symbol of new Russian ideology and national identity," Galeev added.Let's discuss what's happening in Russia. To put it simply, it's going full fascist. Authorities launched a propaganda campaign to gain popular support for their invasion of Ukraine and they're getting lots of it. You can see "Z" on these guys' clothes. What does it mean? 🧵 pic.twitter.com/F2zjcpJCDZ— Kamil Galeev (@kamilkazani) March 6, 2022 As the Kremlin tightens its grip on any news of Russian casualties or setbacks making its way back home -- enforcing an extraordinary new law that makes the spread of "fake" information an offense punishable with jail terms -- Putin's backers are ramping up their support for the war.At a hospice in Kazan, a city in Russia's southwest Tatarstan region, children dying from cancer were asked to line up in a "Z" formation outside in the snow to show their support for the Russian military operation. "Our patients and entire team took part in it, about 60 people in total. People lined up in the form of the letter 'Z,'" Vladimir Vavilov, the chairman of a cancer charity that runs the hospice, said in a statement. "In our left hand we held leaflets with the flags of the LPR, DPR, Russia and Tatarstan and we clenched our right hand into a fist."Vavilov was referring to the Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic, separatist-held areas of eastern Ukraine that Putin recognized last month as independent states as part of a pretext for invading the country. Terminally ill children and hospice staff lined up to form a "Z."The "Z" symbol has also cropped up among members of Russia's lower house of Parliament, the Duma. Maria Butina was convicted of serving as an unregistered foreign agent in the United States trying to infiltrate prominent conservative political circles before and after the 2016 election. She now represents the Kirov region for the Putin-supporting United Russia political party, and has backed the war in posts on her Telegram channel. Butina took to the platform to share a clip of herself drawing a white "Z" on the lapel of her blazer, and has updated her profile to a selfie in a black T-shirt with a white letter "Z." "Keep up the work, brothers. We are with you. Forever," she said in the video clip, clenching her fist.CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia after Putin signs law limiting pressCorrespondents reporting from Ukraine for Russian state-owned news network Rossiya-24 have sported the "Z" on flak jackets.Footage from Russia's main cities shared over the weekend captured convoys of cars with white "Z"s taped to windows, honking horns and flying huge Russian flags. At the Gymnastics World Cup in Doha, Qatar, Russian athlete Ivan Kuliak sported the insignia on the medals podium as he stood beside Ukraine's Illia Kovtun, the gold medalist. And in two slickly produced propaganda videos circulating on social media, young Russians wearing black T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts emblazoned with the letter "Z" and hashtag #СвоихНеБросаем, or "we don't abandon our own (guys)," wave Russian flags and voice their support of Putin's war, chanting: "For Russia, for the president. For Russia, for Putin!"
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(CNN)Mike Tyson, once considered "the baddest man on the planet," is returning to the boxing ring Saturday for a highly anticipated bout.Fifteen years after retiring, the former heavyweight champion will square off against fellow boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. for an exhibition fight titled "Frontline Battle." The World Boxing Council WBC will support, commemorate and score the fight."Despite the isolation and tribulations COVID-19 has caused, Tyson and Jones Jr. have shown us that when a person embraces a positive mental outlook, turns on his or her positive mental switch, all challenges can be overcome which is why we have created a one of a kind commemorative belt created specifically for the occasion," WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán said in a news release.Here's what you need to know about the fight.Who's fighting?Read MoreThe former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 54, will go against former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr., 51.The last dance or first blood? Mike Tyson returns to the ring to fight Roy Jones Jr.Tyson, the former heavyweight world champion, is considered one of the most feared boxers of all time. He finished his first year as a professional boxer with a 15-0 record, with all wins coming by knockout. "Iron Mike" was 20 years and four months old when he became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. He has a 50-6 career record, with 44 of the 50 victories coming on knockouts. He last fought in 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride.Jones Jr. is a former world champion who sports a 66-9 record. Jones Jr. won his last bout in 2018 against Scott Sigmon."I'm happy. I get to see what it's like to be in the ring with Mike Tyson before I die," Jones Jr. told CNN. "I'll get the best wishes of my life."Is this a professional match?It's an 8-round exhibition fight, although the rules have reportedly been adjusted so it can end with a knockout.The rounds will be 60 seconds shorter than usual -- two minutes, instead of three -- and the fight has been sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission.The pair will use 12-ounce gloves without any protection.Since it's an exhibition fight, there are no titles at stake, but the winner will receive a commemorative belt create for the fight. Who will score the event?The WBC will use a remote scoring system to judge Tyson's and Jones Jr.'s performance."Having the WBC score this event is historic. I was the youngest WBC heavyweight Champion and it's humbling to have my career come full circle with the WBC for my match against Roy Jones Jr. on November 28th," said Tyson in a statement.Three champions will judge and score each round, with the criteria focusing on style, technique, effective punching, effective defense and effective aggressiveness."Pound for pound, point for point, the judges will see that I am the best there ever was and will be. As I said before, y'all must've forgot, but come November 28, 2020, y'all gonna remember," said Jones Jr.When is the fight?The four-hour live event will take place on Saturday, November 28 at 9 p.m. ET at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.Where can I watch it?The fight, which you can watch here, is a pay-per-view event and is being sold for $50 in the United States. Some of the money will be donated to charities that fight human trafficking and breast cancer, according to Jones Jr. Mike Tyson's Legends Only League will also donate a portion of proceeds to the WBC José Sulaimán Boxers Fund to support boxers who "have fallen into hard times," the news release said.The fight will be the first of a series produced by Legends Only League.CNN's Don Riddell, Allen Kim and Homero De la Fuente contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Waterboarding isn't torture, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton said Wednesday, aligning himself with President-elect Donald Trump's previously stated position."Waterboarding isn't torture. We do waterboarding on our own soldiers in the military," Cotton argued with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room."Blitzer interjected, "But the US doesn't do it anymore." "If experienced intelligence officials come to the President of the United States and say we think this terrorist has critical information and we need to obtain it and this is the only way we can obtain it -- it's a tough call. But the presidency is a tough job. And if you're not ready to make those tough calls, you shouldn't seek the office. Donald Trump's a pretty tough guy, and he's ready to make those tough calls," Cotton said. Blitzer reminded Cotton of his colleague Sen. John McCain, who himself was tortured as a POW during the Vietnam War, and says that torture is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and International Law.Read More"On this one, I disagree," Cotton said, "Anything that American troops volunteer for, and radio DJs volunteer for, is not torture. If it has to be done to save American lives, that's a tough call." On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly advocated for waterboarding terror suspect and wants to "broaden" existing laws to allow interrogators to use the tactic."We have to play the game the way they're playing the game. You're not going to win if we're soft and they're, they have no rules," Trump told CBS' "Face The Nation" in an interview taped in March.
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This story was excerpted from the November 17 edition of CNN's Meanwhile in America, the daily email about US politics for global readers. Click here to read past editions and subscribe. (CNN)The Olympics are about a lot more than sports. Each Games is a five-ring circus of politics, money, big business, nationalism and great power diplomatic signaling that puts the prestige of leaders who fought to host them on the line. So reports that the US may mount a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February suggest geopolitical jousting that dwarfs the bobsled, ice dancing and alpine skiing competitions. The Beijing Summer Games in 2008 heralded China's emergence as a developing force. Next year's Winter Games will be a platform from which to announce its arrival as a global power. But US President Joe Biden is under pressure from human rights campaigners and members of Congress to skip the Games and pull the entire official US diplomatic delegation, because of Beijing's repression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that the US was also discussing what to do with its allies, hinting at an even broader front. Such a diplomatic boycott would deprive President Xi Jinping of some of the glory of hosting the world's top leaders at a glittering gathering as he piles up domestic power. A diplomatic boycott would also have the advantage of making a point without harming athletes. A generation of competitors on both sides of the globe remember the full US sporting boycott of the Moscow Summer Games in 1980 and the tit-for-tat no-show by the eastern bloc at Los Angeles in 1984 as tragedies. Read MoreIn 2008, then-President George W. Bush agonized before accepting then-President Hu Jintao's invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the Summer Games amid calls for a boycott over Chinese repression in Tibet and its support for Sudan amid atrocities in Darfur. At that point, the US was still trying to balance criticism of China with hopes of positively influencing its behavior. This time, relations are at their lowest ebb since the US and China established diplomatic relations in 1978. Attending the Games did not come up between Biden and Xi during their marathon conversation on Monday, according to US officials -- but it would be a real surprise if Biden ends up making the trip across the Pacific.
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Story highlightsKiradech Aphibarnrat wins shortened Malaysian Open by one shot on SundayBig-hitting 23-year-old becomes fourth Thai to win European Tour-sanctioned eventHe heads off Edoardo Molinari despite dropping shot at the final holeDenmark's Anders Hansen claims third ahead of Charl Scwartzel and Victor DubuissonHe's known as "Asian golf's John Daly" but Kiradech Aphibarnrat made a name for himself with his first European Tour victory on Sunday.The 23-year-old won the rain-shortened Malaysian Open by one shot from former European Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari to become only the fourth Thai player to win on the circuit.A burly big hitter, he is said to resemble Daly, who twice won major titles before his career went off the rails due to his various addictions.Aphibarnrat, however, has no such off-course issues, though he has been struggling with a thyroid problem according to the Asian Tour website.Read: Donald misses cut in Malaysia"I'm so happy this week. I'm proud of myself and for my family. I almost won here a few years ago (he tied for third in 2010) and finally I made it. I'm so happy," he said.JUST WATCHEDLiving Golf meets BubbaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLiving Golf meets Bubba 01:05JUST WATCHEDKaymer's magical Medinah puttReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHKaymer's magical Medinah putt 03:29JUST WATCHEDInside McIlroy's mega deal with NikeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHInside McIlroy's mega deal with Nike 04:44The co-sanctioned tournament was reduced to three rounds due to bad weather, and the final day was also disrupted by storms.Aphibarnrat had a one-shot lead after 15 holes when play was halted for two hours, but held his nerve after the resumption as he narrowly avoided a water hazard on 17 and and had to sink a 15-foot putt to par.He was able to drop a shot at the last for the biggest victory of his career and a $458,330 first prize that put him top of the Asian Tour money list, with a 54-hole total of 13-under-par 203."During the suspension, I couldn't eat anything. I was so excited," said Aphibarnrat, who completed a second round of four-under 68 before closing with a 70."When I walked out, everything was shaking, even my voice. My caddy told me to just concentrate, just two more holes. I'm lucky that I played only 54 holes. Otherwise, I am so tired due to the weather and the golf course."Read: Chinese 12-year-old to make historyMolinari watched on, knowing that if he had earlier done better than par at 18 he would have been in a playoff.The Italian had made the halfway cut for the first time in six starts this year since returning from a worrying wrist injury, and was pleased with the improvements he has made under new swing coach Sean Foley -- who also works with Tiger Woods."It's mixed emotions because I'm very happy to have a good week for the first time in a long time. The swing changes are starting to pay off, which is surprising because I thought it would take a lot longer," said the 32-year-old, who played on the 2010 Ryder Cup-winning team but has not claimed a European Tour title since earlier that season, when he triumphed twice.JUST WATCHEDManassero: Masters was incredibleReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHManassero: Masters was incredible 05:04JUST WATCHEDShould anchored putting be banned?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould anchored putting be banned? 04:38JUST WATCHEDYoung Dane prepares for MastersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHYoung Dane prepares for Masters 07:50"But I'm disappointed because I had a lot of chances on the back nine," he added, having carded 67. "The 18th is only the second fairway I missed all day which is very disappointing."Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel had been one shot behind Aphibarnrat at the start of the day, but finished tied for fourth with France's Victor Dubuisson after a 71.Read: India's snappy golf innovation"It's a hard week with being on and off the course the whole time," said Schwartzel, whose fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen won the tournament last year. "It's difficult to find any rhythm. I feel like I swung the club pretty well, but I didn't play that well today." Schwartzel was a runaway 11-shot winner at the Thai Golf Championship in December, where Aphibarnrat tied for sixth and Daly missed the cut, but this time he had to settle for a minor placing as Denmark's Anders Hansen fired 66 to claim third.. "For some reason I was hitting short irons all over the shop," Schwartzel said. "Kiradech did well. I would've liked to have applied a bit more pressure on him."
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Story highlightsBarcelona 4-0 DeportivoAtletico Madrid 7-1 GranadaBetis 1-6 Real Madrid (CNN)Lionel Messi marked his return from a three-week injury absence with a goal in Barcelona's 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna.Starting on the bench, the Argentine watched his teammates build a three-goal lead in the first half thanks to a brace from Rafinha and a late Luis Suarez strike.Follow @cnnsport Manager Luis Enrique introduced Messi 10 minutes into the second half and he took just three minutes to get himself onto the score sheet.Neymar threaded an intricate through ball into his path and Messi fired into the roof of the net at the near post.GOAAALLLLLL! Messi scores with almost his first touch!!!! #FCBlive #FCBDepor pic.twitter.com/ygbeXbn9j0— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 15, 2016 "We knew what the game required," Enrique said after the match. "And the players came out and did what they needed to do."Read More"They didn't create any scoring chances and we did. That's what we wanted to do and we did it."We got Messi back and everyone saw it took him very little time to get back to his best level."Read: Arsenal goes level on points with City at top of Premier LeagueHowever, it was La Liga's surprise package Sevilla which went top of the table early in the day thanks to a first away win in the league in 512 days, a barren run stretching 17 months.Pablo Sarabia's late, curling strike gave Jorge Sampaoli's men a two point lead at the summit of La Liga.How would Real and Atletico Madrid respond? Emphatically, would be the answer.Despite falling behind to an early Isaac Cuenca goal, Belgium international Yannick Carrasco scored a hat-trick as Atletico hit back to score seven past Granada.🎙 At the press room, words from @Simeone : "The best thing I see in the group is the response from everyone" #GoAtleti #AtletiGranada pic.twitter.com/cZ32Quk71U— Atleti English (@atletienglish) October 15, 2016 So often reliant on defensive resilience to grind out results, this is now the third time Diego Simeone's new-look attacking side has scored four or more goals in the league this season.Last season it managed it once."I think that we started the match well," Simeone told reporters. "They began by competing well but, undoubtedly, the goal woke us up a bit more.Read: Liverpool and Manchester United issue warning to fans"We tried to transmit passion and ambition. You can be talented and work it from the structure, but passion and ambition come from within."I repeat it again, the best that I see in the group is the response from everyone."Madrid rival Real ensured it remained level on points with Ateltico at the top of La Liga with a 6-1 hammering of Real Betis and end a run of three straight draws.📸 SIIIIIIIIIIIUUUU!!! This is how @Cristiano scored our sixth goal of the match!@RealBetis_en 1-6 @realmadriden#RMLiga #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/XSoVKFJwzn— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 15, 2016 Read: Cristiano Ronaldo's new $440M second homeRaphael Varane gave the visiting side the lead inside five minutes, before a brace from Isco and goals from Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the win."The match was a benchmark for us. It's not easy to play like that away from home", Zidane said in his post-match press conference."I've got good players, they're intelligent. They knew we had to start strongly and they did that superbly. Playing like that from the first minute makes it difficult for the opponent. "We worked towards trying to do that and now we have to be consistent and continue in the same way. It's a reference point. It's not easy to play like that away from home."
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(CNN)Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday vowed there would be a "swift, severe and united" response if Russia invades Ukraine and assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the US "stands with Ukraine."In remarks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Harris laid out retaliatory measures in a manner befitting her past career as a prosecutor, promising "significant and unprecedented" economic costs."We will impose far-reaching financial sanctions and export controls. We will target Russia's financial institutions and key industries. And we will target those who are complicit and those who aid and abet this unprovoked invasion," Harris said as she took center stage at the security conference, which is taking place as the brewing conflict between Russia and Ukraine reaches a boiling point.What does Putin want in Ukraine? The conflict explainedThe vice president continued, "Make no mistake: The imposition of these sweeping and coordinated measures will inflict great damage on those who must be held accountable."In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour Saturday after he met with Harris, Zelensky said any list of sanctions on Russia should be made public before an invasion of Ukraine occurs.Read More"We don't need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders, or after we will have no economy ... why would we need those sanctions then?" he said. In their meeting in Munich, Harris told Zelensky that the US "takes seriously the importance of the integrity and the territorial integrity of Ukraine and your sovereignty, and the United States stands with Ukraine in this regard.""Any threats to your country we take seriously, and we have rallied our allies and our partners to speak with one voice," the vice president said.Harris' office said in a statement that Harris and Zelensky "discussed the united Transatlantic approach if Russia further invades Ukraine, and the Vice President outlined the swift and severe economic measures that have been prepared alongside our Allies and partners."Zelensky said he was grateful for the US support, particularly in bolstering Ukraine's defense capacity."This is our land and the only thing we want is to have peace, bring the peace back to our country," he said.Harris held additional meetings Saturday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to a White House official."In each meeting, they discussed Ukraine, recent developments, and the united Transatlantic response. In particular, they discussed the swift and severe economic measures that the U.S., the EU, and others are poised to impose if Russia further invades Ukraine. They also discussed ongoing efforts at both deterrence and diplomacy," the official said.'Until the very last minute'US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday said Russia was "moving into the right positions to conduct an attack," and echoed President Joe Biden's assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made up his mind on invading. "They're uncoiling and now poised to strike," Austin said, speaking from Vilnius, Lithuania. Austin said the US would pursue a diplomatic solution "until the very last minute, until it's not possible."An attempt by international mediators to convene a meeting of Ukrainian and Russian representatives on the deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine failed Saturday after the Russian delegation did not attend.The meeting was due to be held under the auspices of the Trilateral Contact Group, which is chaired by a representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen.The US intends to sanction elite Russian government officials and business leaders if Russia invades Ukraine, CNN has reported. Biden has said he would consider sanctioning Putin himself, but the administration has not revealed the names of those it is looking to sanction.Another option US lawmakers are weighing that would have major repercussions inside Russia is cutting the nation off from the global banking system. Russia could be removed from SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world. The move would make it nearly impossible for financial institutions to send money in or out of Russia, which would deliver a shock to Russian companies and their customers abroad. If Russia is cut off from SWIFT, senior Russian lawmakers have said shipments of oil, gas and metals to Europe would stop.A unified responseHarris' remarks at the conference Saturday echoed repeated pledges from top US officials in recent days of a unified response to efforts by Russia to mount an invasion. A bipartisan delegation of 40 members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, was also in Munich in a show of solidarity with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Not since the end of the Cold War has this forum convened under such dire circumstances," Harris said. "Today, as we are all well aware, the foundation of European security is under direct threat in Ukraine."The vice president emphasized the importance of international organizations, institutions, laws and treaties that she reiterated have led to "unprecedented peace, security and prosperity" in Europe in the wake of two world wars. Harris stressed that at the heart of these defining principles is the belief that the sovereignty of nations must be respected, that nations have the right to choose their own governments and alliances, and "national borders should not be changed by force.""In the face of Russian aggression, I have been reassured and heartened by the widespread agreement across the trans-Atlantic community that these rules and norms will be defended," Harris said. Ratcheting up the rhetoric, Harris accused Putin of feigning "ignorance and innocence" while simultaneously working to fabricate a false pretext for an invasion. Harris warned the "playbook" of Russian aggression is "too familiar to us all." "We now receive reports of what appears to be provocations and we see Russia spreading disinformation, lies and propaganda. Nonetheless, in a deliberate and coordinated effort, we together are one, exposing the truth and two, speaking with a unified voice," Harris said. Harris emphasized the US maintains an "ironclad" commitment to Article 5 of NATO, which says that if any alliance member is attacked, every other member will consider it an attack against all members and will take any swift action to retaliate."We will not stop with economic measures," Harris said. "We will further reinforce our NATO allies on the eastern flank."Biden formally approved the deployment of 3,000 US troops to Poland, Germany and Romania in order to bolster NATO countries in Eastern Europe as tens of thousands of Russian troops are amassed along Ukraine's border. The President has stressed these troops will not be deployed to fight inside Ukraine and are instead there to show support to NATO allies feeling threatened by Russia's military moves. "Today, the United States, our allies and our partners are closer together," Harris said. A high-stakes momentThe vice president's emphasis on Russia-Ukraine tensions follows several efforts by the United States on Friday to publicize Russia's aggressive actions in the region and attempt to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine under the guise of false pretenses. Biden said that he is now convinced Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine, adding that the US believes Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine "in the coming week" or sooner and that an attack will target the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.It was a major rhetorical shift for the President, who had previously indicated that he believed Putin had not yet made up his mind about an invasion. Still, Biden emphasized on Friday, there was room for diplomacy. Russian misinformation is building up to a false justification for Putin to order an invasion, Biden said, accusing Russia of cease fire violations in the "rapidly escalating crisis."The White House on Friday also blamed Russia for a massive cyberattack on Ukraine earlier in the week and warned that Russia could face extensive sanctions if it invades Ukraine, with Daleep Singh, deputy national security adviser for international economics and deputy director of the National Economic Council, calling them "the most severe measures we've ever contemplated against Russia."This story has been updated with additional reaction and background information. CNN's Maegan Vazquez, Natasha Bertrand, Tim Lister, Eva McKend and Lindy Royce-Bartlett contributed to this report.
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(CNN)Saracens scored 20 unanswered points to defeat Leinster 20-10 in the Champions Cup final in Newcastle on Saturday, winning a third title which makes the north London side the most decorated English rugby team in European competitions. It was a victory that denied Leinster a record of its own. A fifth European crown would have seen the Irish side surpass Toulouse and lay claim to being the most successful club side in the northern hemisphere. Tiki tiki Tonga!!! ⚫️🔴 pic.twitter.com/ol3MUJYb7i— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) May 11, 2019 But a Billy Vunipola try midway through the second half saw Saracens take control of what was a high quality, bruising encounter. Saracens' attention can now turn to the possibility of winning a fourth English Premiership title in five years before the season comes to a close."Leinster are an amazing team and they are so good when they get on the front foot so we had to try and steal their momentum and we did that with line speed and physicality," said hooker Jamie George. Read More"This has been the best achievement of my rugby career so far. "I'm feeling pretty bruised and battered, but absolutely elated. We're the best club in Europe and have just won the best competition in club rugby -- it's a pretty good feeling." Billy Vunipola reaches out to score Saracens' match-winning tryVisit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosLeinster had raced into a 10-0 lead in the first half thanks to a Johnny Sexton penalty and a Tadhg Furlong try. A Maro Itoje yellow card handed the defending champions a further advantage, but Saracens rallied, and eventually drew level through a Sean Maitland try on the stroke of halftime. "My yellow card was all part of the master plan," Itoje joked after the match. "The team ironically started playing better when I was off the pitch. When things go against us it galvanizes us."When we're against the wall that's when we truly show our character. We needed to up our physicality and our work rate and the rest is history. "We'll celebrate tonight and maybe tomorrow then we'll see what happens after that."JUST WATCHEDTiffany Faaee blazies trail in US rugbyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiffany Faaee blazies trail in US rugby 02:10READ: Rugby star 'blessed' to play again after suffering fractured larynxSaracens captain Brad Barritt was named man of the match, while Alex Goode was named European Player of the Year, beating Itoje, Owen Farrell, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong and Garry Ringrose to the award.Fullback Goode has enjoyed a stellar club season but continues to be overlooked by England head coach Eddie Jones, having last represented his country in 2016.On Friday, Clermont Auvergne defeated French rivals La Rochelle 36-16 to win the Challenge Cup -- European rugby's second tier competition.Tries from Damian Penaud, Fritz Lee, and Wesley Fofana -- as well as 18 points from the boot of Greig Laidlaw -- handed Clermont a comfortable victory.
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Story highlightsKeegan Bradley holds a one-shot lead at the WGC event in ShanghaiThe American is two shots clear of a three-way tie for second positionRory McIlroy is on two-under as he bids to usurp Luke Donald in the European money listU.S.PGA champion Keegan Bradley carded an opening round 65 to lead the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai on Thursday.The American sits on seven-under-par at the Sheshan International Golf Club, two strokes clear of fellow-American Bo Van Pelt and Swedish duo Fredrik Jacobson and Alexander Noren.World number three Rory McIlroy is tied for 18th on two-under, as the Northern Irishman tries to overhaul Luke Donald at the top of the European Tour money list.Englishman Donald, who is absent from the tournament awaiting the birth of his second child, is attempting to become the first player to finish a season top of both the European and PGA Tour money lists.Bradley, 26, has enjoyed a dream rookie year on the Tour, having clinched victory at the Byron Nelson Championship in addition to his win at 2011's final major in August.The Vermont native, who was grouped with world No. 2 Lee Westwood and Australian Adam Scott, said he is enjoying playing in such distinguished company."Any time you can play well in a group like that, with Lee Westwood and Adam Scott, it feels very good," Bradley told the European Tour's official website. "Especially in a tournament like this, the HSBC World Golf Championships. I'm just very proud of the way I played, and it's just a very rewarding round."For me, every week I'm amazed at who I'm around. To be in a group like that in this tournament and to play like that on this course is very rewarding and it means a lot to me."There were four players on four-under at the end of day one, with England's Justin Rose, American David Toms, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand tied for fifth position.Nine men were tied for ninth one shot further back, including Westwood, Scott, former world No.1 Martin Kaymer and 2010 U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell.McIlroy, 22, is currently alongside 11 players including Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and 2010 European Ryder Cup teammates Ian Poulter and Francesco Molinari.
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(CNN)The words poured out in emotional fashion as Bryony Frost became the first female jockey to win a top-flight race on an inspirational day at the Cheltenham Festival. The 23-year-old Frost was roared home by an ecstatic crowd to win the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase onboard the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon to secure her place in the record books. The pair's stunning triumph sparked a remarkable hour of racing which also yielded victory for blind owner Andrew Gemmell's Paisley Park and saw Lizzie Kelly clinch a double for female jockeys."He's Pegasus! He's got wings," said an overjoyed Frost to ITV Racing at the finish line."Most horses would quit, but he grabbed me by the hands and said, 'don't you dare give up, don't you dare not send me into the last - I want this more than you, now come on, where are you?'Read More"Just look at what he's done there - deny that he just loves racing. He's unbelievable. I love you."Frost added: "He just made the dream come true, it's just incredible. He will deserve every single high five, pat and carrot." READ: A day in the life of Paul Nicholls' racing yard Photos: Cheltenham 2019Jockey Paul Townend gives Al Boum Photo a kiss after they win the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup, the showpiece of jump racing's blue-riband Cheltenham Festival.Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019A capacity crowd of nearly 70,000 descended on Prestbury Park in England's Cotswolds for the concluding Gold Cup day of the Festival. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Al Boum Photo was the first Gold Cup winner and final piece in the puzzle for veteran Irish trainer Willie Mullins.Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Townend and Al Boum Photo beat the likes of Presenting Percy and Clan Des Obeaux to win steeplechasing's most coveted prize.Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Bryony Frost made history when she partnered Frodon to win and become the first female jockey to clinch a Grade 1 at the Festival.Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The pair's victory sparked emotional scenes as they returned to the winner's enclosure in front of packed stands. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Owner Andrew Gemmell, who was born blind, celebrates with trainer Emma Lavelle (left) as his horse Paisley Park wins the feature Stayers Hurdle on St Patrick's Thursday at Cheltenham.Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Tennis star Andy Murray and his wife Kim Murray watch the opening race on Ladies Day at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The Princess Royal (center) and Zara Tindall (right) watch the action during Ladies Day of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Ladies Day brings out the finery to light up Cheltenham's Prestbury Park racecourse. Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The Cheltenham Festival attracts huge crowds to jump racing's blue riband event in the Cotswolds region of England. Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Altor (center), ridden by Nico de Boinville, made it 18 straight wins with victory in the feature race, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, on Ladies' Day Wednesday at the Cheltenham Festival. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Jockey Mark Walsh rode Espoir D'Allen to win the feature Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the 2019 Festival.Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The Champion Hurdle is one of the big four races at the Festival. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Actress and model Liz Hurley presented Walsh with the winning trophy by at Cheltenham.Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson (left) attended on day one. The Scot is a part owner of Gold Cup joint-favorite Clan Des Obeaux. Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Rain at the start of the week made for a muddy racecourse.Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The Festival features four days of top-class jump racing action. Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019The betting market is frenetic during the week with punters trying to beat the oddsmakers.Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Rain sits in puddles on the all-weather surface of the Cheltenham gallops ahead of the Festival. (Digital filters were used in this image)Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: Cheltenham 2019Horses cross the course after exercising ahead of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. Hide Caption 21 of 21 'One of best days ever'The pair was treated to a thunderous reception as they returned to the parade ring where Frost's family were waiting to congratulate the history maker. "I'm just so proud of her, that was an amazing ride," said Frost's mum in front of her visibly emotional daughter.Many on social media were calling Frost's win the best moment so far of this year's jump racing showpiece, and Frodon's trainer Nicholls agreed. "One of the best days ever," said the 10-time champion trainer, who has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup four times with legendary horses such as Kauto Star and Denman.Frost's female colleague Rachael Blackmore also claimed an impressive Festival win onboard A Plus Tard on Wednesday. Frost poses with the trophy after winning. In the following race, Paisley Park -- a horse that almost died two years ago -- clinched the Stayers' Hurdle to whip the crowd into a further frenzy. Owner Gemmell, who was born blind, was crying and dancing in the stands as someone narrated the race to him. "Wonderful. It's fantastic. I'm aware we're on air so I won't say what I want!" he told BBC Radio 5 live after his first festival winner. "I can't believe it's happened. I'm in tears. Wow. I couldn't see the race but that roar is incredible!"
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