LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was against the terms of the Russia/Georgia cease-fire, brokered by France's President Nicolas Sarkozy. It was directly in contravention of the request not to do it from President George W. Bush of the United States. But Russia's President Dimitri Medvedev has gone and done it anyway. He has made Russia the first country to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev says it has recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. So does that, as some of the more fevered commentators are suggesting, amount to a new Cold War? It certainly ratchets up the East-West tension still further. It breaks the terms of a cease-fire which insisted Georgia's territorial integrity should be respected. Russia's announcement that it will station troops in the two territories to ensure their "security", a word others might spell as "subservience", is a direct provocation. It is, says Georgia, an illegal "annexation". Other European nations have hastened to condemn it as an unacceptable rewriting of borders by force. What do you think of Russian recognition? U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, currently in the Middle East, points out that it is in contravention of U.N. Security Council resolutions that the Russians have accepted. Sarkozy has called a meeting of EU leaders for Monday to look at Georgia and at future relations with Russia. But before we start talking about a new Cold War -- and Western leaders from Bush down are being careful not to do so-- we should examine the context. After the military action initiated by Georgia early in August, there never was a chance that South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have in effect been independent since the early 1990s, would return to control by Tblisi. Applying a blowtorch isn't necessarily the best way of settling what had become known as "frozen conflicts". Russia has long been in a position to bully and has now been given the excuse to do so. For years the two disputed territories have survived on Russian military and economic assistance. Although Abkhazia seeks fuller independence, a large number of South Ossetians, perhaps 70 or 80 per cent of them, have Russian passports and would vote for membership of the Russian Federation. Both disputed territories use the rouble. But this isn't, and never has been, just about Georgia. It is about the reassertion of regional power by a country which had smarted for years over the collapse of the Soviet Union and the eastward march of NATO, swallowing up former members of the Warsaw Pact. What we are seeing is a resurgent Russia currently prepared to strut the beach kicking sand in everybody's eyes and defying any affronted party to take them on. When NATO leaders met in the wake of the invasion of Georgia and came up with nothing more concrete than the "suspension of normal relations", the weakness of a divided West was all too obvious to Putin and Medvedev. They have now taken the next step down the line of provocation. "Scrap the NATO-Russia Council altogether and see if we care!" is the message. And, playing as the back-beat sub-theme through all this is the question of Kosovo, a question which looks very different according to whether you are seated in Moscow, Belgrade, Brussels or Washington. "If it was right for the Kosovar Albanians to be given the right to declare independence from Serbia, then why shouldn't the people of South Ossetia be allowed to choose separation from Tblisi?" demand the Medvedev-Putin supporters in the Russian Parliament. "Ah yes," some say, "but what about those threats from Moscow to turn Russian missiles against Poland now that the Poles have agreed to host the anti-missile batteries for the US missile defense plan? Isn't that a dangerous new escalation?" Again, it depends where you are sitting. "How would Washington like it if the Russians were to stage anti-missile batteries in Mexico?" is Moscow's answer. What seems to be forgotten amid the current rhetorical battle is

What Russian President signed an order ?

The Russian president signed the order recognizing independence of which territories?

Answer: Russian President Dmitri Medvedev

Answer: independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Answer: Dimitri Medvedev

Answer: South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Summary:
Russian president signs order recognizing independence of Georgian territories .
West opposes the decision, says that it impinges on Georgian international borders .
Overshadowing the issue is the West's recognition of Kosovo independence .
Analysis: The worst the West could do is to utter threats it does not follow through .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- It was inevitable that a tragedy on the scale of Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest, would have a transformative effect on English football.

A Liverpool supporter Wednesday, outside Anfield. Ninety-six fans died from the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

But there was little reason to believe 20 years ago that, rather than being pushed even further towards the margins of society, the sport was on the brink of a revolution that would give birth to a global sporting phenomenon.

Even before Hillsborough, it had seemed as if there was something irredeemably rotten at the heart of English football.

Hooliganism, a scourge synonymous with the English game, had receded from its peak in the 1970s but English clubs were outlawed from European competition after rampaging Liverpool fans caused a wall to collapse at Brussels' Heysel Stadium before the 1985 European Cup final, causing the deaths of 39 people, mostly supporters of the Italian side Juventus.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, showing little understanding or patience for the traditions of the sport, had virtually ghettoized fans, promoting a scheme to have each supporter issued with an identity card.

On the field, sides such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest were renowned for their attractive play but elsewhere a corrosive cult of long ball football pervaded the game.

That trend seemed to find vindication when arch-exponents Wimbledon, who in the course of a decade had bullied and scrapped their way through four divisions to reach the top flight, defeated Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, prompting match commentator John Motson to declare that "the Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club."

With its clubs banned from Europe, many top British players opted to leave England altogether -- Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to Barcelona, Glenn Hoddle to Monaco, Chris Waddle to Marseille -- adding further to the sense of terminal malaise.

Hillsborough had not been caused by hooliganism but the tragedy was a product of the environment that hooliganism had created; stadiums resembling decrepit fortresses, the fans caged inside steel bars and heavy-handed policing which treated all supporters equally -- as potential troublemakers.

Coupled with Heysel and a fire at Bradford in 1985 in which 56 fans died, it also served to reinforce the belief that going to a football match was something which could put your life in danger.

In "The Last Game: Love, Death and Football," a book examining the lasting impact of the events of 1989 on the sport, author Jason Cowley describes Hillsborough as English football's "psychological moment, the point of no return."

"The culture of the game had to change definitely if football was ever to be perceived as anything more than the preserve of the white, working class male, a theatre of hate and of violence, often racist and misogynistic excesses, if it was to survive at all," says Cowley.

English football not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet.

The engine for this transformation, in the wake of Hillsborough, was the Taylor Report, an inquiry into the causes of the disaster which called for the steel fences inside grounds to be dismantled and for the phasing out of the traditional terraces of standing fans with all-seater stadiums.

Initially clubs received government funding to help them meet the costs but the sport was about to receive an injection of cash that would radically change its financial prospects.

Despite its poor reputation, there remained a huge appetite for televised football -- ironically, itself a by-product of the fact that many supporters were no longer going to matches.

Realizing this, the country's top clubs broke away from the game's traditional power structure, setting up the Premier League and selling TV rights for £191 million ($286 million) to media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's newly established satellite television venture, BSkyB.

The money was a shot in the arm

Who has been benefited after Premier League established?

What status does the English Premier League  now have?

What has happened to English football following the Hillsborough tragedy?

What did the disaster do for English football?

Answer: the country's top clubs

Answer: Premier League

Answer: 1989

Answer: fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal with Nottingham Forest,

Answer: "Premier League"

Answer: fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal

Answer: an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet.

Answer: 20 years

Answer: not only survived but within a few years had reinvented itself, in the elite "Premier League" division of the country's top clubs at least, as an internationally recognized super brand capable of attracting the world's best players and broadcast around the planet.

Answer: something

Summary:
English football has been transformed in 20 years since Hillsborough tragedy .
Disaster created impetus for all-seater grounds, improvements in infrastructure .
Top clubs also benefited from creation of Premier League and sale of TV rights .
The English Premier League is now the world's most watched sporting league .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's 2020. You get home from work, kick off your shoes and relax -- on your very own tropical island. That night, your friends teleport over with other glamorous guests, all nipped, tucked and primped to perfection, for a hedonistic cocktail party at your five-star beach house, decked out in expensively understated chrome, crystal and fine Italian furniture.

Experts say the use of virtual worlds like Second Life may be widespread by 2020

But this is no billionaire way of life. If virtual worlds become the next Facebook phenomenon, experts predict that logging on to a luxury lifestyle could be attainable for all of us -- and we might even spend more money on our online homes than on our real-life surroundings.

With over 30 million users worldwide, 8.5 million photos uploaded each day and 15 billion page views a month, Facebook is undoubtedly the Internet's flavor of the month. But by 2020, virtual worlds may have surpassed social networking sites as the place to spend time online. Experts believe that the draw of 3-D spaces where our avatars can hang out with our friends -- and meet new ones -- may tempt away even the most ardent Facebook addict.

David Knighton, a 35-year-old Second Life user from Jacksonville, Florida, is one of many netizens exploring virtual worlds. He's been visiting the site for over a year and told CNN that he enjoys its social dimension. "I've met several good friends in Second Life, who are still friends to this day in the 'real world'" he said.

At times, David has spent six hours a day, seven days a week on Second Life. But what is the draw of a virtual world? Are they only attractive to tech-heads? David doesn't think so. He says, "Experience plays a role in acceptance to be sure, but Second Life takes hold more on a social and creative level. Someone who signs in and recognizes those aspects of Second Life will immediately be hooked."

This is backed up by blogger and writer Caleb Booker, who has tracked virtual worlds from phone "party lines" through the first one-player text-based computer adventures to the two- and three-dimensional Internet worlds that are burgeoning today.

Booker believes that, in a society that's increasingly mobile, virtual worlds help us hold our far-flung social networks together. He cites the example of his mother-in-law, who recently moved to a new city and uses Facebook to stay in touch with her three daughters. "They're all busy, so virtual world technologies and Web 2.0 apps are the best and most convenient ways to keep up," he told CNN.

Booker says that virtual worlds take this interaction to a more sophisticated level. "I don't even have to worry about cab fare if I want to have a little get-together with my friends from the UK and the US tonight," he said.

And he thinks that it's only a matter of time before virtual worlds follow Facebook and explode in popularity. "Bottom line: if people are using email for social interaction, they'll probably be interested in other ways to be social online."

Life-like avatars

Interaction on Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites is mainly limited to text, with the ability for users to add photos and video. But in a virtual world, people are represented by avatars: computer-generated figures which can look uncannily like ourselves -- if we choose. They can walk like us, they'll soon talk like us and they can interact with each other.

As 3-D technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, Booker says that photo-realistic avatars are just around the corner, and will become increasingly convincing.

"Eye movement, breathing, and realistic expressions will be the easy part," he revealed. "The hard part will come with things like synching mouth movements with voice recognition. That's something we might not quite have nailed by 2020, but there will definitely be some kind of engine that attempts it by

what does the experts say about the young users?

Experts believe what will be widespread by 2020?

On what year experts believe virtual worlds will be widespread?

what could replace facebook as most popular internet phenomenon?

Answer: like Second Life

Answer: predict that logging on to a luxury lifestyle could be attainable for all of us

Answer: use of virtual worlds

Answer: social networking

Answer: 2020

Answer: virtual worlds

Summary:
By 2020, experts believe virtual worlds will be widespread .
Online worlds could replace Facebook as most popular Internet phenomenon .
Experts say young users could lead spartan lives offline, luxurious lives online .
But Star Trek-style fully-interactive holodecks still some way off .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's no secret that the music industry has not made an ideal transition into the digital era. Is the iPod,  iTunes and independent Web promotion the future of music? Or can record labels fight back? Album sales are falling, P2P file sharing is rife, and a plethora of new artists are using the Internet as a platform for gaining international exposure. With the introduction of MySpace Music, three major record labels -- Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group -- are hoping to launch a counter-strike to the technological developments and online activities that have rocked their industry. But, how far can the record labels go towards getting back those good old days where they were uncontested as they reaped the lion's share of profits from the music industry? Experts CNN spoke to for a Just Imagine article had contrasting views on what the coming years hold for the industry. Long-time music industry figure Bob Lefsetz was critical of the new venture. "Radio on demand, in one's home, in front of the computer, which is what MySpace actually is, is not a sexy alternative to owning what you want and taking it to the beach, to the party, to your workout," he said, comparing it with Apple's iTunes and iPod. Lefsetz feels the record labels have to face serious decline, unless they can come up with a new business model. Well-known music artists' rights advocate, educator and industry commentator, Moses Avalon, was more positive about MySpace Music's hopes and the future of the record label industry. Music industry lecturer Andrew Dubber, meanwhile, believed the future would be characterized by change, and that there is no set model for the future of the recording industry. Now, we want to know what you think. Give us your views on the future of the music industry. Do you have a business model you think the record labels should adopt to build a strong future? Or, do you think the industry has no future at all? Do you think Web sites like tunecore.com, rawrip.com and sellaband.com hold the power now? Post your comments in the Sound Off box below. We'll publish the best.

What is declining in the music industry?

What company is the music venture involved with?

What did MySpace plan to do to help the music industry?

What has been happening to record sales in the music industry?

What social media site was involved in this music venture?

What venture might save the music industry?

Answer: record labels

Answer: Sony BMG, Universal

Answer: your comments

Answer: launch a counter-strike

Answer: are falling,

Answer: are falling,

Answer: are falling,

Answer: MySpace

Answer: "Radio on demand,

Summary:
We take a look at the  future of the music industry as record sales decline .
Will MySpace music venture between major labels save the industry?
What do you think? Post your views and we'll publish the best.


LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's not every day the average Joe gets to take a peek at the personal possessions of a royal. Juan Carlos, the King of Spain, pictured on board his 52-foot racing yacht But, this month CNN's MainSail program has been lucky enough to go on board Juan Carlos I -- the King of Spain's racing yacht. We get a unique insight into just what a royal's boat looks like and the kinds of technological toys and state-of-the-art equipment a King likes to equip it with. Speaking with the one of the boat's crew members, Ignacio Triay, CNN MainSail presenter Shirley Robertson finds that the King's boat is, indeed, at the cutting edge of modern sailing. The 52ft vessel is raced by a crew of 15 people and has competed in some of the world's most popular yacht racing series, racing alongside the very cream of the world's sailing talent. Video: See on board the King of Spain's yacht » Triay, who has been sailing for the King of Spain for over 20 years, said the boat contains all of the best modern electronic and sailing equipment. For more sailing features -- including the 10 weirdest sailing terms you'll ever hear -- visit the MainSail homepage.

What type of equipment does the boat have?

Who gets on board with the King of Spain?

Who boarded the King of Spain's racing yacht?

Answer: best modern electronic and sailing equipment.

Answer: 52-foot

Answer: CNN's MainSail program

Answer: CNN's MainSail program

Answer: 52-foot racing yacht

Summary:
CNN MainSail gets on board the King of Spain's racing yacht .
The boat is a 52-foot racing yacht that requires a crew of 15 .
A crew member from the boat says it is full of state-of-the-art equipment .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Italian football manager Carlo Ancelotti has gone from Milan to London in less than a day. Carlo Ancelotti will take over as manager of Chelsea from July 1 this year. Just 24 hours after resigning from his highly-successful eight-year stint at Italy's AC Milan, he has been announced as the new manager of English Premier League club Chelsea -- replacing temporary manager Guus Hiddink. Chelsea, who won the FA Cup at the weekend, were looking for a permanent manager for the start of next season -- and Ancelotti has been signed on a three-year deal to the west-London club. A statement on Chelsea's web site read: "Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job. He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions." Ancelotti, who turns 50 next week, has been in management since 1995, when he took charge of Italian Serie B club Reggiana. Although he only spent one season at Reggiana, he managed to earn them promotion to the top-flight Serie A league. Since then he has managed Parma and Juventus, before taking on the San Siro-based giants AC Milan. Is Ancelotti's appointment the right move for Chelsea? Tell us in the Sound Off box below. As a manager he has enjoyed plenty of success, particularly in his time at the Rossoneri. He steered Milan to the Coppa Italia in 2003, the Serie A title in 2003--04, the UEFA Champions League in both 2002--03 and 2006--07, the UEFA Super Cup in 2003 and 2007 and the FIFA Club World Cup crown in 2007. Before entering management, Ancelotti had a significant playing career as a midfielder with AS Roma and AC Milan. During his time at both clubs he amassed three Serie A titles, two European Cups, and he also won the Coppa Italia four times with Roma. He is one of only six people to ever win the Champions League as both a player and manager -- a list which includes current Barcelona manager and this year's winner, Josep Guardiola. Ancelotti also represented Italy on 26 occasions, scoring once. He played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups alongside players such as Roberto Mancini and the recently-retired Paolo Maldini. Despite his management success at AC Milan, it has been widely reported that his relationship with the club's owner, Silvio Berlusconi, has not been strong in 2009. He takes over at Chelsea as the permanent replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari, although Guus Hiddink has been in charge since Scolari was sacked from Stamford Bridge in February.

How long was Ancelotti in charge of AC Milan?

Answer: west-London

Answer: Carlo Ancelotti

Answer: Carlo Ancelotti

Answer: eight-year stint

Answer: Italian football manager

Summary:
London football club Chelsea appoint Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager .
Ancelotti has been in charge of Italian giants AC Milan for the past eight years .
As a manager, Ancelotti has enjoyed multiple Italian and European successes .
The Italian previously represented his country as a player, scoring one goal .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- James Bond would be lost without them -- those madcap gadgets merging two technologies that help him beat the bad guys and save the planet. The underwater watch with a built-in Geiger counter, for example; or the car that doubles as a submarine; or the exploding bagpipes and missile-launching wheelchair.

An artist's impression of what a Flying Electric Generator might look like

Now a U.S. company has taken a leaf out of 007's book and developed a similarly unlikely "combination" technology.

The "villain" in this case is not a psychotic, cat-stroking megalomaniac, but something both more prosaic and, potentially, more threatening -- global warming: in particular, how to meet the world's energy needs without swamping the planet with clouds of atmosphere-clogging pollutants.

And the madcap gadget that might just provide a solution? A helicopter that doubles as a wind turbine. Or, to give it its technical name, a FEG (Flying Electric Generator).

The brainchild of Australian engineering specialist Professor Bryan Roberts, the FEG is being developed by San Diego-based company SkyWindPower.

Code-cracker turned turbine enthusiast

The latter is headed by David Shepard, who started his career cracking Japanese military ciphers during World War Two, and went on to create the Farrington B numeric font that appears on credit cards around the world.

Shepard has long been convinced of the need for a new global energy source to reduce reliance on carbon-emitting fossil fuels.

For the last two decades his attention has focused on the electricity-generating potential of high-altitude winds, and when he learnt of Professor Roberts' prototype "gyromill" -- a flying wind turbine that the Australian had been developing since 1979 -- he decided it offered the best model for realizing that potential.

The two men started working together in 2002, and the FEG is the result.

High-altitude winds

The guiding principle of the FEG is that wind speed and constancy are far greater at high altitude than they are on the ground, especially in the two major jet streams - the Sub-Tropical Jet and the Polar Front Jet - that exist in each hemisphere (at around 30 degrees and 60 degrees latitude respectively).

A turbine at great height, so the theory goes, can generate far more power than a similar turbine at or near ground level. It has been estimated that capturing just one percent of the available energy of these high altitude winds would meet the electricity needs of the entire planet.

"The winds a few miles above the mid latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are far stronger and more persistent than the winds just above us," Shepard told CNN.

"This results in potentially being able to generate electricity for over eighty percent of the time, as opposed to thirty percent of the time at ground-based wind turbine sites.

"The largest ground-based wind turbines currently produce about five megawatts each. We expect typical FEGs to produce about 20 megawatts each."

Helicopter technology

But how do we get a working turbine up to the necessary height -- at least 15,000 ft (4600 meters) above the earth's surface? That's where helicopter technology comes in.

Taking the form of a giant H-shaped frame, the prototype FEG has four huge blades at the four points of the H, each blade 10.7 meters (35 feet) in diameter. These act like the rotors of a helicopter, lifting the FEG to the required height.

Once in place, the blades not only keep the FEG air-born, providing lift like the surface area of a kite, but also act as turbines, turning dynamos within the platform that generate electricity, which is transmitted back to earth through a vast aluminum tethering cable.

An in-built GPS (Global Positioning System) uses satellite technology to ensure that the FEG always remains in the same place, both vertically and horizontally.

According to Shepard, development is already at an advanced stage.

"Professor Roberts demonstrated a FEG in Australia at an altitude of sixty feet

Who has developed a flying wind turbine?

What is the FEG (Flying Electric Generator)?

Answer: SkyWindPower.

Answer: A helicopter that doubles as a wind turbine.

Answer: A helicopter that doubles as a wind turbine.

Answer: least 15,000 ft

Summary:
U.S. company develops "flying" wind turbine .
Wind energy far greater at high altitude .
FEG (Flying Electric Generator) would hover at 15,000 feet .
Massive air-born wind farms envisaged .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Jewish groups on Wednesday rejected as inadequate an apology by Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone for remarks in which he praised German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Bernie Ecclestone: "Many people in my closest circle of friends are Jewish." During an interview with The Times newspaper last week the billionaire spoke of the Nazi dictator's ability to "get things done." But after a storm of criticism, Ecclestone issued a statement on Tuesday in which he said: "I unreservedly apologize for the remarks I made regarding Hitler in a recent interview. I am extremely distressed and embarrassed that these remarks have been used as suggesting that I support Hitler or Saddam Hussein. I would never support such people. "I should never have been so foolish as to have been drawn into discussing these people but the fault was entirely mine, which I deeply regret." On Wednesday Jon Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, rejected the apology. "Mr. Ecclestone's comments were crass, ignorant and insensitive," he said in a statement issued to CNN. "There is no excuse for praising one of history's most evil men for being good at being bad." Tell us what you think of Ecclestone's comments In his statement on Tuesday, the 78-year-old appeared to reignite the controversy by remarking: "During the 1930s Germany was facing an economic crisis, but Hitler was able to rebuild the economy, building the autobahns and German industry. "That was all I meant when I referred to him getting things done. "I'm an admirer of good leadership, of politicians who stand by their convictions and tell the voters the truth. I'm not an admirer of dictators who rule by terror." He told The Jewish Chronicle on Tuesday he regretted offending people who took his remarks "the wrong way." Ecclestone had earlier been described by the newspaper's editor, Stephen Pollard, as "either an idiot or morally repulsive." Germany's Central Council of Jews had urged motor racing teams to boycott Formula One over Ecclestone's comments but cautiously welcomed the apology. However one of the group's leaders pointed out that the F1 chief's remarks about the man who presided over the deaths of six million Jews had caused great pain. "If Ecclestone says he was an idiot, I will certainly not contradict him," Dieter Graumann, vice president of the council, told Handesblatt newspaper. "Apologizing is better than not apologizing. But the glorification of a mass murderer is not a trivial offense." German media also reported that Guenther Oettinger, premier of the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, had canceled a meeting with the Briton at this weekend's German Grand Prix at Nurburgring because of his comments about Hitler. The F1 chief had told the German newspaper Bild: "Many people in my closest circle of friends are Jewish. Anyone who knows me knows that I would never attack a minority."

What did Bernie Ecclestone apologise for?

Answer: Jewish

Answer: for the remarks I made regarding Hitler

Answer: Nazi dictator's ability to "get things done."

Answer: Nazi dictator's ability to "get things done."

Answer: remarks in which he praised German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Answer: Formula One

Answer: an apology by Formula One

Answer: which I deeply regret."

Summary:
F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone apologizes for praising Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler .
Billionaire had spoken of Hitler's ability to "get things done"
Jewish groups dismiss as inadequate Ecclestone's apology .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- John Darwin's wife said her husband faked his own death to avoid mounting debts and holed up in the family home for years, hiding from his own sons, according to UK media reports. Anne Darwin said her husband, believed by police and his sons to have been lost at sea five years ago, recently returned to the UK, faking amnesia, because he missed his now-adult children, according to The Daily Mirror. "I didn't think he would get away with it but he had had enough of being dead," she is quoted as saying. John Darwin, 57, is being questioned by police in northeastern England following his arrest on suspicion of fraud, a spokesman for Cleveland, England, police said. Darwin walked into a police station in London last weekend -- five years after he was thought to have died after the remains of a canoe he paddled into the North Sea, off northeastern England, washed up on shore. Darwin was declared dead by a coroner in 2003, 13 months after his disappearance in March 2002. His wife, the paper reported, described how the prison officer and former teacher discussed faking his death just before he disappeared because of mounting debts. When John Darwin vanished she said she thought he was dead -- until, she is reported to have said, he turned up on the doorstep of the family home at Seaton Carew, northeastern England, one year later. "I didn't even recognize him at first," Anne Darwin told the newspaper, adding that her husband looked thin, dirty and smelled dreadful. "I was relieved he was alive, of course. But I was also very angry with him." She said that her husband stayed at the home on and off before he got a one-room apartment in another part of the large house so he could vanish if friends or family arrived, also disguising himself with a hat or limp when he went outside. But hiding away began to take its toll, Anne Darwin reportedly said, and the pair decided to leave Britain. Her husband traveled on a false passport to look at property in Cyprus and inquire about buying a catamaran in Gibraltar, she said, before they finally settled in Panama. She went to live there six weeks ago. She is believed to be in the United States after leaving Panama on a flight late Thursday, a Panamanian immigration representative has told CNN. Anne Darwin, the newspaper said, stated that it was always her plan to repay two insurance policies in her husband's name: one, a life insurance policy, for £25,000 ($50,000); and another for £130,000 ($265,000), which was paid to their home loan company to pay off the mortgage in the event of her husband's death. The newspaper said she was not paid for her story and accepts she is likely to be arrested upon her return to Britain. Following his reappearance last weekend, John Darwin was initially reunited with his two sons, who released a joint statement saying their father claimed to have amnesia dating back to June 2000. But in a statement released by Cleveland police Thursday, the sons, Mark, 31, and Anthony, 29, said they were in an "angry and confused state of mind" and they wanted no further contact with their parents. After media reports Thursday that Anne Darwin had confessed to knowing her husband was alive, the sons said: "If the papers' allegations of a confession from our mam are true, then we very much feel that we have been the victims in a large scam." "In the short space of time following our dad's appearance in London on Saturday, we have gone through a rollercoaster of emotion," the statement said. "From the height of elation at finding him to be alive to the depths of despair at the recent stories of fraud and these latest pictures," it added. "How could our mam continue to let us believe our dad had died when he was very much alive? We

What is the suspicion connected with the reappearance?

Where was the man while assumed to be dead?

What was thought to be the fate of John Darwin?

Answer: 57,

Answer: of fraud,

Answer: 57,

Answer: family home

Answer: suspicion of fraud,

Answer: suspicion of fraud,

Answer: John Darwin's wife

Answer: have died after the remains of a canoe he paddled into the North Sea, off northeastern England, washed up on shore.

Answer: 57,

Answer: avoid mounting debts

Summary:
Reports: Wife says he faked his death to avoid debts, hid in their home for years .
John Darwin, 57, thought to have drowned at sea off northeastern England in 2002 .
Reappeared last week; being questioned on suspicion of fraud .
Sons of the couple say they are in an "angry and confused state of mind"


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Josephs and Marys in search of a room at the inn this Christmas are being made an offer they can't refuse. Mary and Joseph ride a donkey to Bethlehem in a performance of the Nativity story near Guildford, England. A British hotel chain is promising free accommodation to couples who share their first names with the couple from the Christian Nativity story. Almost 30 Josephs and Marys had already signed up for the free night's stay at the Travelodge, said Shakila Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the hotel chain. "The 'gift' of a free night's stay is to make up for the hotel industry not having any rooms left on Christmas Eve over 2000 years ago when the original 'Mary and Joseph' had to settle for the night in a stable," the company says on its Web site. The offer is good at any one of the chain's 322 hotels in the United Kingdom, the Web site says. The couples must bring proof of identity and must prove that they are in a long-term relationship. "If you satisfy the criteria, you get a free night in a family room for two adults and two children," Ahmed said. "There's also parking space for a donkey if needed," she joked. Ahmed said the offer, which will run from Christmas Eve to Twelfth Night -- December 24 to January 5 -- had been very well-received. "We've had a lot of interest. I think people like the fact that it resonates with the Nativity story at a time when the actual meaning of Christmas often becomes forgotten in festive overkill," she said. Couples can register their names at a special e-mail address set up by Travelodge, which has hotels across the Britain, Ireland and Spain, Ahmed said. E-mail to a friend

What number of couples have signed up for the free night's stay?

Answer: from the Christian Nativity story.

Answer: proof of identity and must

Answer: Almost 30

Answer: The couples must bring proof of identity and must

Summary:
Couples who share names with the couple from the Nativity story get free room .
Almost 30 Josephs and Marys have signed up for the free night's stay .
Couples have to bring proof of identity .
They also have to prove that they are in a long-term relationship .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Karma caught up with former Culture Club singer Boy George on Friday when a court sentenced the star to 15 months for falsely imprisoning a male escort, a court spokeswoman said.

George O'Dowd, also known as Boy George, arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London.

Full details of the sentence weren't immediately clear.

A jury unanimously found the pop star and DJ, whose real name is George O'Dowd, guilty of the charge last month after a seven-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in northeast London.

The jury determined O'Dowd, 47, had chained male escort Audun Carlsen to a wall at his apartment in London's hip Shoreditch neighborhood. Carlsen had also said the singer beat him with a metal chain.  Watch as Boy George arrives at court »

O'Dowd, who maintained his innocence, came to court Friday sporting a multicolored tattoo on his bald head, none of his trademark makeup, and a black winter coat.

The star quit Culture Club in 1987 after a string of hits with the group, including "Karma Chameleon," "Do you really want to hurt me?" and "Church of the Poison Mind."

He has since become a DJ and revived his singing career, releasing a single last year called "Yes we can," inspired by Barack Obama and featuring clips of the U.S. president-elect.

O'Dowd is no stranger to the law. In August 2006, he spent five days cleaning the streets of Manhattan as part of a community service sentence for falsely reporting a break-in at his New York City home.

He has also publicly battled drug addiction.

Who was jailed for falsely imprisoning a male escort?

Who was the victim who claimed he was beaten with a chain?

Answer: Boy George

Answer: O'Dowd,

Answer: Audun Carlsen

Answer: Culture Club

Answer: Audun Carlsen

Summary:
Former Culture Club singer jailed for falsely imprisoning a male escort .
The victim, Audun Carlsen, claimed he was also beaten with a chain .
Boy George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, has battled drug addiction .
He spent 5 days cleaning the streets of Manhattan in 2006 on community order .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Karma caught up with former Culture Club singer Boy George on Friday when a court sentenced the star to 15 months for falsely imprisoning a male escort, a court spokeswoman said. George O'Dowd, also known as Boy George, arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London. Full details of the sentence weren't immediately clear. A jury unanimously found the pop star and DJ, whose real name is George O'Dowd, guilty of the charge last month after a seven-day trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in northeast London. The jury determined O'Dowd, 47, had chained male escort Audun Carlsen to a wall at his apartment in London's hip Shoreditch neighborhood. Carlsen had also said the singer beat him with a metal chain.  Watch as Boy George arrives at court » O'Dowd, who maintained his innocence, came to court Friday sporting a multicolored tattoo on his bald head, none of his trademark makeup, and a black winter coat. The star quit Culture Club in 1987 after a string of hits with the group, including "Karma Chameleon," "Do you really want to hurt me?" and "Church of the Poison Mind." He has since become a DJ and revived his singing career, releasing a single last year called "Yes we can," inspired by Barack Obama and featuring clips of the U.S. president-elect. O'Dowd is no stranger to the law. In August 2006, he spent five days cleaning the streets of Manhattan as part of a community service sentence for falsely reporting a break-in at his New York City home. He has also publicly battled drug addiction.

What was the former Culture Club singer jailed for?

Answer: falsely imprisoning a male escort,

Answer: O'Dowd,

Summary:
Former Culture Club singer jailed for falsely imprisoning a male escort .
The victim, Audun Carlsen, claimed he was also beaten with a chain .
Boy George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, has battled drug addiction .
He spent 5 days cleaning the streets of Manhattan in 2006 on community order .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Kimi Raikkonen has lambasted McLaren's Lewis Hamilton for the pit-lane accident that ended both of their races at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen is far from happy after Lewis Hamilton  pushed him out of the Canadian Grand Prix. Hamilton's McLaren rammed into the back of world champion Raikkonen's Ferrari as the Finn and Robert Kubica, the race's eventual winner, were waiting at a red light after the safety car was forced into action on lap 17. Raikkonen, while claiming not to be angry, was clearly far from impressed. "There's not much I can say. My race was ruined by Hamilton's mistake. "Obviously, anyone can make mistakes, as I did two weeks ago in Monaco, but it's one thing to make a mistake at 200 hundred [miles] per hour but another to hit a car stopped at a red light. "I'm not angry because that doesn't achieve anything and does not change my result. I am unhappy because I had a great chance of winning." Raikkonen, who has failed to score points in the previous two races, said he had to start winning again. "There is still a long way to go in the championship and it is still very close and we have everything we need to regain the ground we have lost." Ferrari team sporting director Stefano Domenicali said Hamilton had made a "serious mistake." "I think the penalty imposed by the FIA [Hamilton was given a 10-place grid penalty for the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours] is in line with it, even if it does not restore what was a lost opportunity for us. "Kimi was in an excellent position to fight for the win" Hamilton, for his part, was apologetic. "I don't know what happened to be honest," Hamilton said. "I was comfortably in the lead, it was looking like an easy win. Then I went in for the pit stop. It was not a good stop and I saw the two guys in front of me battling in the pit lane. "I saw the red light but by that time it was a bit late. It was not exactly a racing incident as such, it was unfortunate. It was one of those things. It is different to if you crash into the wall and you are angry. It is not like that. I apologize to Kimi for ruining his race."

Who  lambasted McLaren's Lewis Hamilton for pit-lane accident

Answer: My race

Answer: Raikkonen,

Answer: red light

Answer: 10-place grid penalty

Answer: Kimi Raikkonen

Answer: [Hamilton

Answer: [Hamilton

Answer: Kimi Raikkonen

Answer: Lewis Hamilton

Summary:
Kimi Raikkonen lambasts McLaren's Lewis Hamilton for pit-lane accident .
Finn says his race was 'ruined' after Hamilton didn't see red light .
Hamilton was given a 10-place grid penalty for the French Grand Prix .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Last year's inaugural Prix Pictet photography award for environmental sustainability produced a stunning shortlist of photos. Ed Kashi has documented the impact oil has made on the Niger Delta in Africa. This year is no different with 12 photographers in the running for the first prize of 100,000 CHF ($97,500). The theme in 2009 is described simply as "Earth." The aim is to highlight how man exploits the planet's resources and how this impacts the landscapes and communities surrounding them. In an extraordinary series of photos Canadian Christopher Anderson captures how the quest for raw materials affects Venezuela. In "The Diminishing Present," Portuguese-born Edgar Martins records forest landscapes in the moments before they are engulfed by flames. In "Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta," Ed Kashi captures the impact of the oil industry on Nigeria's environment and people since it was first discovered five decades ago. Kashi, an American photojournalist, spent three years compiling his photos of the Niger Delta, making a total of five trips to the troubled region. Kashi told CNN: "It was truly one of the most graphic examples of economic inequity that I have ever seen. Especially with the backdrop of hundreds of billions of oil wealth that has been generated over the previous 50 years." As a result of his work, Kashi says that his photos are now being used by universities and NGOs to raise awareness to try and effect change. To him, this has been one of the most gratifying and exciting by-products of his work. One of this year's most intriguing entries is by Sammy Baloji, who superimposes colonial black and white archive photos of Belgian-run mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and places them over his color images of the decaying mines as seen today. Nadav Kander's images of China's Yangtze River depict communities adjusting to the changes caused by the re-routing of the country's largest river. And, Andreas Gursky has captured an extraordinary image of an ocean of rubbish at a landfill site in Mexico City. Darren Almond's ethereal images of China's Yellow Mountain Range are made all the more magical through the knowledge that they were shot using only the light of the Moon. All the nominees' pictures showcase the power of the camera when in the hands of master craftsmen.  Click here to view some of the short-listed images » The winner will be announced by Prix Pictet honorary president, Kofi Annan, on October 22 at the Passage de Retz gallery in Paris. All the short-listed photos can be seen at the same gallery for one month after the award. Further exhibitions are planned in Greece and Dubai and the Netherlands. If you can't attend the exhibitions, there is a book entitled "Earth," published by teNeues which showcases the work of all Prix Pictet nominees.

How many photographers are up for the award?

What was the photography award subject field?

How many photographers are shortlisted for the Prix Pictet photography award?

What is the prize money for the Prix Pictet photography award?

When is the winner of the Prix Pictet photography award announced?

Answer: 100,000 CHF ($97,500).

Answer: 12

Answer: environmental sustainability

Answer: Prix Pictet

Answer: 12

Answer: 100,000 CHF ($97,500).

Answer: ($97,500).

Answer: environmental sustainability

Answer: of 100,000 CHF ($97,500).

Answer: 12

Answer: 100,000 CHF ($97,500).

Answer: October 22

Answer: October 22

Answer: 12

Summary:
Shortlist for Prix Pictet photography award highlights destruction of natural resources .
Twelve world-renowned photographers are up for the award .
Prize of 100,000 CHF ($97,500) goes to the winner announced on October 22 .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leaders of the world's largest economies agreed on Thursday to a package worth more than $1 trillion to tackle the global economic crisis.

Barack Obama: "The challenge is clear" for world leaders to tackle the economic crisis.

U.S. President Barack Obama called the deal "a turning point in our pursuit of global economic recovery." The plan calls for reform of the international banking system and the injection of more than $1 trillion into the world financial system.

The Group of 20 is taking "unprecedented steps" to attack the global economic downturn, stimulate growth and expand loans to troubled nations, Obama said at the close of the group's meeting in London.

"The challenge is clear," the U.S. president said. "The global economy is contracting. Trade is shrinking. Unemployment is rising. The international financial system is nearly frozen."  Watch Obama's speech »

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown heralded the emergence of a "new world order" Thursday following the release of what he called an "unprecedented" package of measures to tackle the crisis.

The deal agreed by the leaders of the world's largest economies included reform of the international banking system and the injection of more than $1 trillion into the world financial system.  Watch what was agreed to at the summit »

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had voiced concerns prior to the summit about the wisdom of pumping further public money into economies already in recession, welcomed Thursday's agreement -- though hinted at unresolved disagreements behind the scenes.

There had been concerns that a rift was opening up between the approach being championed by the U.S. and Britain -- more economic stimulus -- and that favored by France and Germany -- more banking regulations.

Sarkozy said the agreement represented "great progress" on reform of financial institutions and said "a page had been turned." Merkel described the deal as "a very, very good, almost historic compromise."

The six-point plan includes banking reform measures and more than $1 trillion to be spent on restoring credit, growth and jobs, as well as measures clamping down on tax havens and a commitment to build a green and sustainable economy. iReport: What's the economy like where you are?

Much of the G-20 communique issued at the end of the London summit restated promises and goals that international leaders had made earlier, relying on language such as "we remain committed" and "we reaffirm our historic commitment."

But Brown said: "Our message is clear and certain. We believe that in this new global age our prosperity is indivisible. We believe global problems require global solutions," Brown said.

"I think a new world order is emerging and with it the foundations of a new and progressive era of international cooperation." Watch Brown's statement »

Brown said the new rescue package, which includes a commitment to treble the resources available to the International Monetary Fund to $750 billion, amounted to "the largest macro economic stimulus the world has ever seen."

Along with existing national stimulus measures, Brown said efforts to bolster economies amounted to more than $5 trillion.

The six-point consensus consisted of measures to:

Obama said: "We owe it to all of our citizens to act and to act with urgency. We have agreed upon a series of unprecedented steps to restore growth and prevent a crisis like this from happening again."

"We have rejected the protectionism that could deepen this crisis. ... This cooperation between the world's leading economies signals our support for open markets," he said. "Second, we are committed to comprehensive reform of a failed regulatory system."

Obama added: "We can rebuild our global prosperity if we act with the sense of common purpose, persistence, and optimism that our moment demands."

Obama said the United States would also provide $448 million in additional aid to vulnerable nations which he described as "future drivers of world economic growth."

Brown said the G-20 would meet again later in

What country is Barack Obama president of?

How much will be injected into the world financial system?

Approximately how much money will be injected into the world financial system>

How many points does the plan to strengthen regulation in the financial sector include?

Answer: six-point

Answer: U.S.

Answer: $1 trillion

Answer: $1 trillion

Answer: six-point

Answer: "The challenge is clear" for world leaders to tackle the economic crisis.

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


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leading British Cabinet minister Jacqui Smith's political future is in doubt after her husband admitted to paying for adult movies with taxpayers' money.

Jacqui Smith surrounded by media outside her sister's home, whom she lives with in London.

The home secretary's husband, Richard Timney, has apologized for the "embarrassment" he caused his wife, while she has promised to repay the money spent, including the £10 ($14) charge for the two films, the British Press Association reported.

According to British media reports, Smith had not seen the videos and was "mortified" that they had "mistakenly" been paid for using her MP's expense account.

Timney, who Smith pays £40,000 ($56,000) a year to be her office manager, submitted an expense claim last June for a £67 ($95) Virgin Media bill for television services in the couple's family home in Redditch, Smith's constituency, The Guardian newspaper reported.

It reported the bill included two adult films, at a cost of £5 ($7) each, as well as two viewings of the heist movie "Ocean's 13" and one of "Surf's Up," a children's film about a  penguin.

The revelations could not come at a worse time for Smith, who is already being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over her decision to claim at least £116,000 ($164,000) in second-home allowances for her family home since becoming an MP.

She has claimed the second-home allowance for her family home while living with her sister in London. Smith designated her sister's house as her "main" residence, allowing her to claim the money for her family home.

Conservative and opposition leader David Cameron described the latest news as "deeply embarrassing" for Smith.

He said Smith had "questions to answer," PA reported.

"I do not think this individual thing is the issue. I think she has got some questions to answer about the second home issue. It does seem to me pretty incredible to claim that the home where her family is, that is not her main home.

"I think this goes to a deeper problem, which is the second home allowance for MPs. The prime minister has ordered a review but he has sort of kicked it into the long grass.

"The review doesn't start until September, it is not going to report until after the next election. That is hopeless. We have got to get on with it."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended Smith.

"The home secretary is doing a great job and I do not think this issue should be allowed to detract from everything she is doing to ensure we protect the public and keep our neighborhoods safe," he said.

"She has done the right thing by taking steps to rectify the mistake that was made as soon as she became aware of it.

"This is very much a personal matter for Jacqui. She has made her apology, her husband has made clear that he has apologized."

Last week Brown ordered a review of the complex and opaque system of MPs' pay and allowances.

Do you think Smith should resign?

Who promised to repay money spent on porn?

Answer: adult movies with taxpayers' money.

Answer: Jacqui Smith

Answer: Richard Timney,

Answer: £10 ($14)

Answer: Jacqui Smith

Answer: Jacqui Smith

Answer: Richard Timney,

Answer: British Cabinet minister

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


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Leaving school at 16 is not normally the route to success. But Richard Branson did just that, setting up a magazine and then entering the record business. Now his brand is behind more than 300 companies -- from cola to trains, from phones to planes making Virgin a global name. Soon Virgin will reach galactic proportions. In 2009 Richard Branson hopes to take tourists into space. CNN's Todd Benjamin caught up with the billionaire in London and asked what drives him to create such a diverse enterprise. Branson: What drives me to create a lot of different businesses is simply a feeling that we can, most likely, do it better than other people in particular areas. We won't create a business if somebody else is doing it really well, the only time we'll create one is if it's not being done well. Benjamin: How would you describe your own personality? Branson: I love people, I love to learn. I never went to university so I see my life as one long university education I never had. I'm very inquisitive, hence the fact we've gone to 350 different businesses, which is quite unusual for a western company. Benjamin: You run your companies as a series of independent companies. What do you look for in your key lieutenants? Branson: Number one, the Virgin brand is absolutely paramount, they must do nothing to damage the reputation of the brand. And the second thing is to look after their team of people. Benjamin: Your headmaster when you left high school said to you ''Branson, congratulations, I predict you'll either go to prison or become a millionaire.'' What was it in your character that you think made him make that observation? Branson: Well I suspect the fact that at age 13 I'm writing him letters on how he could organize the catering better and how the school could save money, and if they save money they could then put it into better facilities for the students. And I managed to persuade him to give me a study to start my magazine and it was only when he actually finally came to me and said "Look, you're either going to have to do your school work or your magazine," that I said "Well, goodbye. I'm off to do the magazine, but thanks very much." Benjamin: In your autobiography you write about being four-years-old and your mother stops the car and makes you get out and what does she make you do? Branson: We were on the way to my grandmother's house in Devon, and I think about three miles before we got there she made me get out and told me to find my own way to my grandmother's house. Basically, her approach was to try and get us to stand on our own two feet and she went to extreme measures sometimes to do so. Benjamin: Without your persona do you think the Virgin brand could have ever become what it became? Branson: I think the particular Virgin brand perhaps needed me, in the past, to get out there and be adventurous, and therefore to give the brand an adventurous feeling; take on the big guys, which we did, and beat the big guys and that's what's created the Virgin brand. I think now if my balloon pops, or the space ship just continues to go into space, or whatever, I think the brand is strong enough to withstand all that and it'll continue to grow. E-mail to a friend

Who is now responsible for over 300 businesses?

At what age did Richard Branson leave school?

What CNN reporter interviewed Richard Branson?

What number of businesses are now under the Virgin brand

What is the number of businesses under the Virgin brand?

When did Richard Branson leave school to work on a magazine he had set up?

Answer: Todd Benjamin

Answer: Richard Branson

Answer: Richard Branson

Answer: Todd Benjamin

Answer: 16

Answer: Richard Branson

Answer: 16

Answer: Todd Benjamin

Answer: more than 300 companies

Answer: Richard Branson

Answer: 350 different

Answer: at 16

Summary:
Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, talks to CNN's Todd Benjamin .
Branson left school at 16 to work on a magazine he had set up .
He is now responsible for over 300 businesses under the Virgin brand .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- London commuters crammed onto buses, scrambled for taxis, cycled or simply walked on Wednesday as a strike by Tube workers shut down most of the subway network. Commuters queue for packed buses in London on Wednesday morning. The strike began Tuesday at 7 p.m. (2 p.m. ET) but the first full effects were felt during Wednesday's morning commute. The strike was set to last for 48 hours with a normal service resuming Friday morning, according to Transport for London (TfL), which runs the city's transportation network. The RMT trade union called the strike after talks with management over pay, job cuts, and disciplinary issues broke down. "RMT doesn't resort to industrial action lightly," General Secretary Bob Crow said in a statement. "The fact is that Tube workers have been driven into walking out today." Transport Commissioner Peter Hardy said the talks had been making progress on all issues and he urged the RMT to return to the table. "The RMT leadership says we were close to a deal," Hardy said in a statement. "If that is the case, then they should call off the strike, return to talks ... and resolve this issue without any more disruption to Londoners." TfL was running extra buses and free shuttle services across the River Thames during the strike. Electronic travel cards used for the TfL network were temporarily being allowed on all train lines in greater London, it said. While most services on the Tube were shut because of the strike, one line -- the Northern line -- was running normally and five others were running on a reduced schedule, TfL said. "It's been really good," a girl on Oxford Street told CNN about her commute. "The Northern line is running perfectly." Still, some bus services were packed with commuters who normally ride the underground trains or who failed to find a taxi. "I think we'd all like to strike for more money, but unfortunately we can't," said one woman at Oxford Circus, where the Tube is closed. Others hit the pavement and walked. "It's OK -- quite refreshing," said a man on Regent Street. He said he had just walked from Liverpool Street Station, a train station as well as a Tube stop that is more than 2.5 miles away. The RMT represents about half of the 20,000 employees on the Tube, a TfL spokeswoman said. Other unions including Unite and TSSA represent the rest, she said, and were not on strike.

What did the union call the strike over?

What alternatives did commuters use instead?

Answer: Friday morning,

Answer: talks with management over pay, job cuts, and disciplinary issues broke down.

Answer: extra buses and free shuttle

Answer: pay, job cuts, and disciplinary issues broke down.

Answer: buses, scrambled for taxis, cycled or simply

Answer: pay, job cuts, and disciplinary issues

Answer: Friday morning,

Answer: for 48 hours

Answer: Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Answer: subway network.

Answer: RMT trade union

Answer: Friday morning,

Answer: Tube workers

Answer: Friday morning,

Answer: pay, job cuts, and disciplinary issues

Summary:
London transport system crippled as Tube workers go on strike .
Normal service not due to resume until Friday morning .
Buses crammed with commuters; many chose to cycle, walk to work .
RMT trade union called strike in dispute over pay, job cuts, disciplinary issues .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- London police have arrested a man in connection with a brazen daylight robbery of a jewelry store last week, they announced Wednesday. Security camera footage shows images of the men wanted by police. The 50-year-old man was arrested on Monday, police revealed. Some $65 million in merchandise was stolen in the August 6 robbery. On Tuesday police released surveillance camera photos of two men sought for questioning over the heist as well as  images of some of the rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches taken from Graff Jewellers on central London's New Bond Street. A total of 43 items were taken, with a value of about £40 million, or about $65 million, Scotland Yard said. The heist occurred August 6, when two men walked into the jewelry store at about 4:40 p.m. and threatened employees with handguns. As the robbers were leaving the store, they brought a female worker outside with them before leaving in a blue BMW, Scotland Yard said. A shot was fired outside the store, but no one was injured. The men abandoned the BMW nearby, firing a second shot into the ground, Scotland Yard said. Police believe they switched to a silver Mercedes, then later to a black vehicle, possibly a Ford or Volkswagen. "This was a well-planned robbery with a number of vehicles used to help the robbers escape," Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace said in the statement. "These men are extremely dangerous and fired at least two shots in busy London streets as they made their getaway.  Watch how robbers rip off London jewelers » "Someone knows who these men are," she said. "They would undoubtedly have spoken about (the robbery) before or boasted about it afterwards. I would urge anyone who recognizes them, knows the whereabouts of the jewelry or has any other information to contact us." The images show the two men dressed in suits and ties. One man is white, about 30, police said. The second is a black man believed to be in his 30s with short hair. Both men are thought to have spoken with London accents, Scotland Yard said. The robbery is the latest in a spate of daytime thefts at jewelry stores and designer shops in London's exclusive shopping areas of Bond Street, which includes New Bond Street. Groups of men or teenagers typically stage "smash and grab" robberies, in which they break the windows and steal anything they can get their hands on before speeding away in waiting cars or motorbikes. A CNN camera crew filming in March on Oxford Street, near Bond Street, caught a group of thieves speeding away on motorbikes from a jewelry store they had just robbed. The thieves choose to strike during the day when a store's security system is typically disarmed, even though the store and sidewalk may be crowded with people.

What was the estimated value of the stolen jewelry?

At what time of day did he rob the jewelry store?

How many items did the man steal from the jewelry store?

Answer: 43

Answer: a jewelry store

Answer: $65 million in merchandise

Answer: a man in connection with a brazen daylight robbery

Answer: $65 million

Answer: about 4:40 p.m.

Answer: 43

Answer: surveillance camera photos

Answer: $65 million

Summary:
London police arrest man in connection with brazen daylight robbery of jewelry store .
43 items were taken, with a value of about £40 million, or about $65 million .
Police released surveillance images of two men wanted for questioning Tuesday .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- London's newest hotelier Mark Fuller is showing commendable bravado for someone about to open a luxury hotel during a global recession. Entrepreneur Mark Fuller in the Sanctum Soho hotel, a rock'n'roll "haven of hedonism" in London. "F*** the recession, let's get on with it," he says, while sitting on the roof terrace of the Sanctum Soho, a 30-room establishment dubbed the rock'n'roll hotel, as much for its "anything goes" service philosophy as the pedigree of its owners, which include the co-managers of heavy metal band Iron Maiden. "We do not recognize there is a credit crunch because we believe you should battle through it," Fuller says, adding, "If you get panicky and scary about things like this, you're no man at all." Besides, he admits, three years ago when he started working on the concept of an 'alluring haven of hedonism' (as the hotel is described on its Web site), the credit crunch didn't exist. And by the time it hit, it was too late to pull out. "We wouldn't do anyway," Fuller insists, adding "fortune favors the brave, as they say."  See images of the rock star hotel » The former band manager turned entrepreneur, is looking quite the rock star tonight, decked head-to-toe in black while a shiny silver skull stares ominously from his belt buckle. Downstairs, staff are frantically preparing for a launch party that promises to be heavy on champagne, cocktails and celebrities. It's almost like the crunch doesn't exist. This is Fuller's world and he's hoping plenty of people will want to join it. "In every downturn in the economic climate I think people look for some affordable glamour and escape," he says. Fuller also owns and runs the Embassy Hotel, an exclusive nightclub in the upmarket London suburb of Mayfair which he plans to franchise in Dubai, Istanbul and Abu Dhabi. The partners in his new hotel venture ooze rock credential: Iron Maiden co-managers Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor. While Taylor has experience running a restaurant and hotel, "The Inn on the Green," Smallwood's experience in the hotel industry is based on 30 years on the road with Iron Maiden. Last year he stayed in 80 hotels in 40 countries and one of his biggest gripes is returning to his hotel after a gig and finding the bar is closed. "You want good service, and you want the bars open, and you want good food available," he says from the roof terrace equipped with a bar and Jacuzzi he's taken to calling "my lounge." Smallwood expects to stay in the hotel once a week and says it will become a London bolt-hole for the band. While non-music types and the tone-deaf are welcome to stay in the hotel, over-enthusiastic groupies are not. "If you're on the road for three months, you can never escape," Smallwood says. "The fans, some of them, think they have a God-given right, just because they're staying in the same hotel, to put a camera in your face over your cornflakes." "The rule here is no autographs and no photographs," he says firmly. "Say Paul Weller is sitting in the corner having a beer, and you go and ask for an autograph or photograph, you will not stay here again." Along with privacy and a beer at all hours, guests have access to an on-call guitar doctor, a necessity, apparently, if you break a string while strumming in your room. Guests who have inadvertently left their guitar at home can hire one from reception. The rock star concept extends to the room decor. The silver wallpaper and mirrored columns may appear garish in daylight, but at 3 a.m. one suspects they add a touch of glamour. Free standing baths are a bold leap from the bed and the mini

What is the name of the rock'n'roll hotel?

What is the colour of the sparkling wallpaper in some rooms?

Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor are co-managers of which rock band?

Answer: Sanctum Soho

Answer: The partners in his new hotel venture ooze rock credential: Iron Maiden co-managers Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor.

Answer: silver

Answer: Iron Maiden.

Answer: London.

Summary:
Entrepreneur braves recession to open rock'n'roll hotel in London's Soho .
Sanctum Soho offers roof terrace with 24 hour bar, Jacuzzi, guitar doctors .
Rooms sparkle with silver wallpaper, free standing baths and champagne .
Backers include Iron Maiden co-managers Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- London's subway system was engulfed by thousands of revelers Saturday night, marking the introduction of an alcohol ban on the mass transit network.

Revelers hit London's subway system Saturday night to mark the introduction of an alcohol ban.

Eyewitnesses have described how some drunken partygoers, often dressed in fancy dress, fought, damaged subway trains and vomited.

Authorities were forced to close six stations on the network, including major transportation hubs at Liverpool Street, Baker Street and Euston.

A spokesman for British Transport Police, which patrols the network, said that police had been told of a large "large amount" of disorder and "multiple instances of trains being damaged", causing them to be pulled from service, the UK's Press Association reported, adding: "This was an unfortunate end to what should have been a fun event." There were reports of at least 17 arrests.

Much of the disorder concentrated on the Circle Line, which encircles the center of the city.

Many reports say that the night had begun good-naturedly.

Web programmer, David Mudkips, 25, from east London, told PA that the event was "Like rush hour but fun. There were people's sweaty armpits in my face but I didn't care because I was drinking."

Student Frankie Abbott, 21, also from east London, said earlier in the evening: "It might be fun to do the whole night but I think it's going to get a bit messy. There are guys drinking from funnels already."

Sailor Peter Moore, 35, from Brighton on the southern English coast, told the agency his night was "Drunken, I just downed a can of beer in 10 seconds. It's sweaty on there but I'm going round and round until I vomit."

As the evening progressed the situation deteriorated.

Photographer Desmond Fitzgerald, 48, from south London, told PA that by 11pm at Gloucester Road subway station he was afraid someone might slip onto the tracks due to the amount of spilt alcohol on the platform.

"At first the atmosphere was happy but anarchic, defiant," he said, with people wearing hats and having a good time.

As the journey progressed, more heavily drunk people joined the train, he added.

"Then a fight broke out between about five people, but because we were so tightly packed in it soon spread throughout the carriage and I had to struggle to escape to the next one," he told PA.

"The atmosphere had really changed by this point. People were ripping off adverts and maps and being sick all over the place.

"When it pulled in to Embankment people fell out and carried on fighting on the platform. Thankfully police were there, and they handled it very well."

Many of those gathered had learnt of the party on social networking Web sites, through groups with names such as "Circle Line Party - Last day of drinking on the tube", which had 850-plus members listed by Saturday lunchtime, and "Party/Flashmob on the Underground", with 1,300-plus names listed.

The anti-drinking strategy was introduced by newly elected London mayor Boris Johnson. He said before the party occurred: "I'm determined to improve the safety and security of public transport in London and create a better environment for the millions of Londoners who rely on it. The ban has the full support of the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police.

"I firmly believe that banning the drinking of alcohol on London's public transport will create a better traveling environment for all Londoners and that if we drive out antisocial behavior and so called minor crime then we will be able to get a firm grip on more serious crime."

But Bob Crow, General Secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union of which many subway staff are members, countered that the ban put workers at greater risk of of attack, reported PA, saying it was "half-baked."

where was the ban
What is the number of arrests made?
How many arrests?
what was banned
Where was alcohol ban

Answer: London's subway system

Answer: 17

Answer: at least 17

Answer: alcohol

Answer: London's subway system

Summary:
Revelers mark alcohol ban on London subway system, cause chaos .
Police say at least 17 arrests, subways stations shut as thousands gather .
Many had learnt of the event through social networking Web sites .
London mayor says he introduced alcohol ban for better traveling environment .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Madonna's planned adoption of a Malawian girl will apparently go forward, despite earlier opposition from the girl's family, a reporter for the ITN television network told CNN Sunday. The pop star arrived in Malawi on Sunday.

Madonna holds her adopted Malawian son, David Banda, in 2007.

"The family, I'm told, were admittedly reluctant to agree to this, but they've softened after learning more about this, the upbringing that Mercy will be given and they think perhaps it is in her best interest," ITN reporter Martin Geisler told CNN.

The girl, who is about 4, is named Mercy James. Her uncle is scheduled to sign adoption agreement papers in a Malawian court on Monday, Geisler said.

Geisler said Malawians' public opinion toward Madonna softened after she was interviewed by the Malawi Nation newspaper and released family photographs showing a happy David Banda -- a Malawian boy she adopted more than two years ago.

"The sense, I'm told, in Malawi after that, was, 'Well, the little boy looks well, he looks happy, he looks well looked after. Perhaps we shouldn't be so hard on her,'" said Geisler.

A British children's charity earlier asked the pop star to reconsider her reported plans to adopt a girl from the country.

Save the Children spokesman Dominic Nutt said the child would be better off staying in Malawi than being raised by the recently divorced singer, who has three other children, including the adopted Malawian boy.

"The best place for a child is in his or her family in their home community," he said. "Most children in orphanages have one parent still living, or have an extended family that can care for them in the absence of their parents."

Critics of the singer had argued she should donate money to orphanages in Malawi, rather than adopt another child.

The charity argued that foreign adoptions should happen only if a child does not have any relatives, and all other options have been considered.

The 50-year-old performer is a big supporter of Malawi. She made a documentary, "I Am Because We Are," which highlighted poverty and AIDS and other diseases devastating Malawi's children. She also helps run a nonprofit group, Raising Malawi, which implements initiatives to help the needy in the southeastern Africa nation.

On Sunday, Madonna toured the village of Chinkhota, assessing plans to build a school there and other possible Raising Malawi investments.

CNN's Nesta Distin contributed to this report.

When did the superstar arrive in Malawi?

What has the child's family consented to?

Answer: Mercy James.

Answer: Mercy James.

Answer: Sunday.

Answer: Madonna

Answer: Mercy James.

Answer: adoption

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


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Masks beneath masks, the click-clack of Mahjong tiles and the sheen of silk cheongsams: Taiwanese director Ang Lee ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"; "Brokeback Mountain") brings an intoxicating tale of lies, deceit and corruption to the screen with his latest film, "Lust, Caution". Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Tang Wei star in Ang Lee's latest film, "Lust, Caution" Japanese-occupied Shanghai, 1942. Mrs Mak, an impeccably coiffed Chinese lady, makes a telephone call from a cafe, then sits and waits. Cue a flashback to 1938, where her story begins. Mrs Mak is not the sophisticate she appears -- just a few years earlier, she was shy drama student Wong Chia Chi. Ang Lee's adaptation of Eileen Chang's short story tells the tale of a girl caught up in the winds of change of World War II. The fast-paced erotic thriller tracks Wong Chia Chi's transformation from bookish student to collaborator bait. The film has already received wide acclaim, winning Lee his second Golden Lion at Venice with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film already in the bag. "Lust, Caution" cleaned up at Taiwan's Golden Horse awards, scooping seven trophies including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, which went to Tony Leung Chiu Wai, and Best Newcomer, for Wei Tang. Wei Tang plays Wong Chia Chi, a student in Hong Kong whose fate is set when she meets Kuang Yu Min (Lee-hom Wang), a handsome fellow student who wants to use drama to provoke his compatriots to rebel against the Japanese. As Kuang's leading lady, Wong Chia Chi blossoms, but when Kuang urges his fellow players to move from inspiration to action, she finds herself at the center of a plot to ensnare and murder Japanese collaborator Mr Yee (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). Dressed in cheongsams and primped and curled to perfection, Wong Chia Chi sets out on the biggest role of her life. As Mrs Mak, she gains Lee's trust through his wife, and the plot progresses as planned until an unexpectedly fatal twist spurs her to flee. Cut to Shanghai three years later: Wong Chia Chi is caught in a listless existence when Kuang unexpectedly re-enters her life. He lures her back into the unfinished sting operation, and before long she and Mr Lee, now head of the collaborationist secret service, are engaged in a torrid affair that pushes her soul and her loyalty to the limit. Newcomer Wei Tang gives a startlingly assured and subtle performance. At times, she seems to mirror Wong Chia Chi's transformation into Mrs Mak from dowdy student to rouged mistress, but she rises to the challenge and ably carries the film on her slender shoulders. As she is thrust into the spotlight by Kuang, stripped mechanically of her virginity in readiness for her role as temptress, and placed alongside Mr Lee, Wei Tang, with serene stillness, lets Wong Chia Chi be swept along to her final destiny. Every diamond demands the right setting to sparkle, and Tony Leung Chiu Wai's generous performance as the enigmatic Mr Lee lets his co-star shine. Leung is pitch-perfect, and shows his quality as he lets Lee's beautifully impassive mask shift and slip, revealing a tightly-wound coil of repressed emotion beneath. Leung is remarkable: a highly skilled actor capable of expressing a world of emotion in the smallest muscle movement. The audience is left to imagine the horrors he unleashes during his interrogations of Chinese resistance fighters. The already-infamous sex scenes can appear a little clumsy and contorted at times, less intimate than acrobatic; it's when Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Wei Tang sit in silence that they most project how intimate and electric their connection really is. The lead characters are ably supported by a stirling cast, most notably a splendidly nuanced performance from Joan Chen as Mrs Lee, forced to turn a blind eye to her husband's affairs, both in business and of the heart, while Asian pop superstar Wang Leehom gives a convincing and

Who is the newcomer?
Where is the spy tale set?
wha its the lastest film of Ang Lee's?
What is the follow up?
what is the latest film?

Answer: Wei Tang.

Answer: Shanghai,

Answer: "Lust, Caution"

Answer: "Lust, Caution".

Answer: "Lust, Caution".

Summary:
Ang Lee's latest film, "Lust, Caution" is a film-noir spy tale set in Shanghai .
"Lust, Caution" is the follow-up to 2005's Oscar-winning "Brokeback Mountain"
Asian cinema icon Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and newcomer Wei Tang star .
Too perfect in parts, with OTT sex scenes, the film is still a killer thriller .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Mega-rich Middle Eastern investors are the latest wave of businessmen being linked with some of the biggest clubs in English soccer.

Sulaiman Al Fahim eyes Chelsea, while Liverpool's fans also see a change of ownership looming.

They follow an influx of 'foreign' owners led by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, and Americans at Manchester United and Liverpool.

Sheikh Mansour, a member of the oil-rich Abu Dhabi royal family, has transformed the financial fortunes of Manchester City -- a team long in the shadow of its more successful neighbor United -- since buying the club last summer.

He bought Brazilian Robinho for a record £32.5 million ($45 million) at the start of the season, has spent millions more on players in the January 2009 transfer window and had a bid to sign Kaka, a former World Player of the Year, for a record-busting £100 million ($138 million) fail.

At the weekend British newspapers suggested that two of the Premier League's "Big Four" are attracting the attention of wealthy Gulf investors.

Not for the first time, the Kuwaiti Al Kharafi family was linked with Liverpool FC, currently owned by Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Meanwhile, Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, an Emirates property mogul and TV personality, is fronting an audacious bid to buy a controlling interest in Chelsea from Abramovich.

Jassim al Kharafi has shot down speculation that his family is interested in buying Liverpool.

The Kharafis, who made much of their estimated $9.7 billion fortune in construction and fast-food interests, have been in talks with Liverpool before.

They considered a bid last year after the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, abandoned his efforts to buy the club.

But that may not be the end of the story. Some analysts think potential suitors are biding their time, as Liverpool's current American owners approach the deadline for refinancing their takeover of the club. That would mean renegotiating the terms of a whopping £350 million ($550 million) loan by July.

Most analysts think it highly unlikely in the current economic climate that the banks will want to refinance the loan. So if the Kharafi family denies interest in the club, that may be an act of brinkmanship to drive down the price as the July deadline looms.

Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, on the other hand, has already successfully overseen one takeover.

He came to the public's attentions after fronting the Abu Dhabi United Group's bid for Manchester City, only to be removed when he made several audacious claims concerning City's future transfer policy.

Now he's back, fronting a collection of investors who want to get their hands on Chelsea FC.

"It's not entirely clear if Chelsea is for sale, but regardless of that, we first need to see if we are in a position to buy it," Al Fahim told Arabian Business.com. "Given that Roman Abramovich has invested over £500 million ($694 million)  into the club, it would not be cheap...but through a number of investors, there is money available to put together a deal."

The moves highlight just how important money from the region has become. Manchester City has already smashed the British transfer record after signing Robinho and paid what many think are generous fees for other players during a slow transfer window.

Middle Eastern investors have been offered the chance to buy anyone from Newcastle United, who are enduring a poor season in the Premiership, to Charlton Athletic, struggling in the second tier of English football.

Companies based in the Gulf have been involved in huge sponsorship deals, like the Dubai-owned Emirates Airline who gave Arsenal £100 million for naming rights for their stadium.

Not everyone is happy however. UEFA president Michael Platini has criticized the influx of foreign owners into the Barclays Premier League, claiming that clubs are losing touch with their roots as a result.

"Do you want in Liverpool an Arab sheikh as president with one Brazilian coach and nine or eleven African players?" Platini

Who looks to buy Liverpool and Chelsea?
what did the region do
Who wants to buy a Premier League club?
Who is Platini?

Answer: Middle Eastern investors

Answer: smashed the British transfer record

Answer: wealthy Gulf investors.

Answer: UEFA president

Summary:
Two new Arab investors look to buy Liverpool and Chelsea .
They're the latest businessmen to look at buying a Premier League club .
The region has pumped millions of dollars into the game in recent years .
UEFA boss Platini is wary of foreign owners. What do you think? Have your say .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Michael Jackson fans who purchased tickets for his final concerts will receive a full refund or, if they chose, a commemorative ticket, the concert promoter said Tuesday. A fan shows off the first ticket bought at the O2 Centre in London for one of Michael Jackson's concerts. "The world lost a kind soul who just happened to be the greatest entertainer the world has ever known," said Randy Phillips, president and chief executive officer of AEG Live. "Since he loved his fans in life, it is incumbent upon us to treat them with the same reverence and respect after his death." Fifty sold-out Jackson concerts were scheduled for the O2 Arena in London, starting July 13, with admission costing at least $105. The shows were billed as the final concerts of his career and were called "This Is It." Tell us what you think -- would you take the ticket or the refund? Fans who decide they would rather have a souvenir will receive a ticket conceived by Jackson. There are eight designs that include holographic images of the entertainer on the front. Images of the tickets will be available on michaeljacksonlive.com in coming days, according to the promoter. Refunds will be processed by the issuing ticketing agencies -- See, Ticketline, Ticketmaster and Viagogo. Billboard magazine has estimated that $85 million in tickets were sold for the concert series. Additional packages, merchandise and secondary market sales could have raised the total to $115 million. AEG Live declined to comment on the figures. Jackson was expected to earn $50 million from the London shows. He died Thursday in California after his doctor found him in bed not breathing, but with a slight pulse. Efforts to revive the 50-year-old singer failed and he was pronounced dead at a Los Angeles medical center.

How much was Jackson expected to earn from the London shows?

How many Jackson concerts were scheduled to start?

When was the sold-out concerts scheduled to start?

What will they get if they choose a souvenier?

Answer: $50 million

Answer: Fifty

Answer: Fifty

Answer: July 13,

Answer: full refund

Answer: the O2 Arena in London,

Summary:
"This Is It" ticket holders who choose a souvenir will get tickets conceived by Jackson .
Fifty sold-out Jackson concerts were scheduled to start July 13 in London .
Jackson was expected to earn $50 million from the London shows .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Michael Jackson had a level of hero worship on a par with Elvis Presley or the Beatles but he was the first black star to inspire such a massive following around the world. Michael Jackson, the ultimate showman, craved attention and was rarely disappointed. Total worldwide sales of more than 350 million records over his 40-year career give just a hint of the adoration there was for the "King of Pop." The fact that his death came on the eve of a comeback tour in London will leave his devotees feeling even more bereft. While his career -- and wealth -- had waned greatly in recent years, there was still enough support for the concerts to sell out at a rate of nearly 40,000 an hour. Fans from as far afield as Japan, Germany and Dubai queued to buy their tickets. Steve Greenberg, founder and CEO of S-Curve Records, was a disc jockey in Tel Aviv, Israel, when "Thriller" first dropped and witnessed first-hand how Jackson became an international icon. His was a global appeal, Greenberg said, among fans and artists worldwide. "He was as big in the Middle East and Southeast Asia as he was in America and Europe," Greenberg said. "He had that universality that not many people had. The Beatles had it, Muhammad Ali had it, but not many other people have had it." Jackson was known for far more than his music though. Speaking after his death in Los Angeles was announced, U.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to the work of a "trailblazer" in helping people around the world through his charities. How will you remember Michael Jackson? Sharpton added that the song Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie, "We Are the World," a 1985 charity single that raised an estimated $50 million for famine relief in Africa, ushered in Live Aid and the era of celebrity philanthropy. Jackson was the supreme showman who had an unrivalled knack of grabbing headlines. From his precocious abilities as the 11-year-old singer in the Jackson 5 to his legendary "moon-walk" dance, the star craved attention, and was rarely disappointed.  Jackson "as big as it gets" » But in the years after his colossal 1982 hit album "Thriller" and its 1987 follow-up "Bad," much of the focus did not cast him in a good light. In 1996 the lead singer of Pulp, Jarvis Cocker, caused a furor at the Brit Awards in London when he invaded the stage during Jackson's performance of "Earth Song" in protest "at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing." Jackson failed to see the humor in Cocker's mockery, responding that he was "sickened, saddened, shocked, upset, cheated, angry" by the protest. He also alleged that Cocker had attacked children on stage, something that the Pulp singer denied. But many in the music industry backed Cocker, who was arrested but later released without charge. The theme of children was one that continued to haunt Jackson. In 2002 he caused a public outcry by dangling his baby son Prince Michael II from a third-floor hotel balcony in Germany before the world's press. He later said he regretted the incident.  Watch video of the incident » And in a 2003 interview with British journalist Martin Bashir that was supposed to repair his image around the world, the singer revived allegations of child abuse when he said of sharing a bed with a young boy: "It's a beautiful thing. It's very right, it's very loving. Because what's wrong with sharing a love?" A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of sexually molesting 12-year-old Gavin Arvizo. Jackson surrendered himself to police amid a media furor. In the 2005 trial conducted in the glare of the world's media spotlight, Jackson was cleared of child molestation charges. Following the trial, Jackson's finances took a hit and he was forced to

How many records has Michael Jackson sold?

Where do Michael Jackson's fans come from?

How many records did he sell over his career?

Answer: Michael Jackson,

Answer: Japan, Germany and Dubai

Answer: more than 350 million

Answer: 40-year

Answer: more than 350 million records

Answer: more than 350 million

Answer: Japan, Germany and Dubai

Answer: 350 million

Answer: Rev. Al Sharpton

Answer: Pop."

Answer: 40-year

Answer: U.S. civil rights campaigner

Summary:
Michael Jackson was adored by fans around the world .
Total sales exceeding 700 million records over his 40-year career .
U.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to his charity work .


LONDON, England (CNN) -- More than 100 Romanians fled their homes Tuesday night in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following what politicians called "racist attacks and intimidation." A Romanian woman and her child are escorted by police in Belfast on Wednesday. "On Tuesday evening, when the Romanians saw their windows starting to be smashed, they felt the threats were very real and contacted the police," said Trish Morgan, the media relations manager at the Belfast City Church, which took them in. A church member was advised by the police that "the situation was getting too tense," and that the group -- 113 people in all -- needed to find a safe place that could accommodate them quickly. The member contacted the church, and that's where they went, Morgan said. The Romanians were "quite scared" upon arrival at the church but "relieved to be out of the situation," she added. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Wednesday condemned what one member of Parliament called "appalling racist attacks," and said he hoped the authorities would be able to "take all the action necessary to protect them." Martin McGuinness, the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland -- a province of the United Kingdom -- visited the families on Wednesday, his party Sinn Fein announced. "People are shocked and completely disgusted by this incident," he said in a statement "I came here this morning to show very clearly my commitment to facing up to any form of intimidation in our community, no matter where it may come from. "I met with numerous families who are genuinely fearful for their lives and those of their families; I held a five-day-old baby girl in my arms today. She was born in Belfast and now forced to leave her home as a result of attacks by racist, criminal thugs," McGuinness said. He was speaking at the O-Zone leisure center, where the families have moved because the space is larger than the church. Race-hate crime in south Belfast has increased in the past six months, Sinn Fein equality and human rights expert Vincent Parker said. The incident came only a day after violence broke out at an anti-racism rally in support of Romanians in Belfast. Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long called Monday's scuffles "totally unacceptable." "A small minority of people have sadly taken away from an event which had been organized by the local community to show solidarity for their Romanian neighbors, and to express their abhorrence at their homes being subjected to racist attacks," she said Tuesday. CNN's Eve Bower contributed to this report.

Who condemned racist attacks and intimidation?

Answer: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Answer: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Answer: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Answer: "take all the action necessary to protect them."

Answer: More than 100

Answer: More than 100 Romanians

Answer: Belfast City Church,

Answer: 100 Romanians

Summary:
113 Romanians flee homes in Belfast after windows smashed .
Romanians were sheltered by local church, later moved to leisure center .
Northern Irish politicians condemn "racist attacks and intimidation"
UK PM Brown urges authorities to "take all action necessary to protect them"